#i am really struggling without emojis i feel like this message sounds mean; please know if the emoji keyboard shortcut weren't being homopho

[dancedance-resolution]

just checking if tumblr may have eaten my reply to your messages 😭 if it's just that you've been busy or that my latest reply didn't need a response (cause technically it didn't) then all good! but if tumblr decided I had sent you too many anon messages and didnt let it go thru then I didn't want to leave you feeling like I purposefully didn't reply 💖

-ace lesbian anon

hi ace lesbian anon!!! [the keyboard shortcut for opening the emoji keyboard is not working for me???? this better be a glitch and not a permanent windows update or soemthing.....anyways please pretend there's emojis here :)]

i did receive your last message, i just fell down a rabbit hole and have yet to reply lol oops :) thank you for checking back in though B)

[moeyy-writes]

Here and Now - Part 1

Zak Bagans x Reader

Warnings: hints at family issues, mild fluff.

Word Count: 1,822

A/N: Great, what have I gotten myself into? This started as a random idea that was in no way planned. I didn’t even think it would be something worth posting. Now, it’s becoming a series that I’m praying I’ll be able to update regularly. I don’t really know where it’s going yet. I guess we’ll find out together. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!

My Master List || Also on AO3 || Series Master List

“Yes Mom.” You sighed. “No, I won’t be. I’ll be filming that week.” Another sigh. “No, I’m not going to be looking for another job.” You rolled your eyes and leaned your head back over the back of your folding chair. “Mom, this is what I want to do—Okay. Love you too.”

You tossed your phone over onto the table in front of you and sighed. You loved your parents, but they didn’t quite understand when you told them you were leaving your cozy job as a nurse to hunt ghosts. Your mom blamed your long-time friend, Jay Wasley, for “luring” you into the field. Every time you talked to her, she begged you to rejoin the medical field, but there was nothing that could convince you to do anything else than be a part of the Ghost Adventures team.

You loved joining the guys on investigations, being the main audio-visual tech for the last year. That allowed Billy and Jay to be more involved in the investigations, which was especially helpful when investigating the larger sites.

Not to mention, you were working with some of the nicest people you had ever met.

You never second guessed the career change. When the guys asked you to be a part of the team, you jumped on it without even giving it another thought. Jay and you had both taken film classes in college, but you changed majors after your family urged you to find something “more career friendly”. He knew you loved working with different types of cameras and had a very keen eye for the slightest hints of evidence on the screen. And the other men on the team couldn’t agree more.

As you let out a long sigh, you heard footsteps to your left. You glanced over to a tall, spiky-haired figure illuminated by the sun behind.

“Hey Zak,” you greeted the leader of your team. He lowered himself down into the chair beside you and smiled. His sunglasses were sliding down his nose, and the wide brim of his hat shielded your eyes slightly from the sun.

“Hey, what was all of that about?” he questioned, nodding towards your phone. You just shrugged and huffed out a frustrated breath.

“It’s just my mom. You know, same shit, different day. She’s constantly questioning my ‘career choice’ and telling me that I don’t know what I’m doing.” You closed your eyes. “She only sees a job for the money.”

Zak nodded. “Yeah, well some people see that. Some people do something because they know the pay check is going to be awesome, and the title is going to make them look good to everyone else.” You laughed.

“Yeah, well, the pay check isn’t too shabby for you, is it?” you both laughed and turned to the building in front of you. It was another location, and the interviews were going to start shortly. You decided to make a small station to set up and charge cameras between interviews, and keep a few pieces of equipment handy for any impromptu investigating.

You glanced away, trying to ignore the intense set of butterflies in your stomach whenever Zak was near you. Sure, you had met him several times before you became part of the team. Hell, he was one of the people who fought for your spot on the show. But, you didn’t know a whole lot about the man at your side. Jay had filled you in on the basics of his life, but that was about it. Sure, he was goofy, nerdy, and a little bit full of himself. But, he was also a kind and friendly guy, something you weren’t really expecting.

He had welcomed you with open arms, as they all did. He made sure that you always felt included when you wanted to be and checked in with you whenever there was an emotionally heavy case. You wouldn’t tell anyone in the media, but he was secretly the caretaker of the group.

So, it was no wonder he was sitting beside you after hearing your phone call. He could sense when something was off about a crew member. It was definitely something unique about Zak Bagans.

“Do you ever second guess being here? Leaving the nursing field?” You shook your head adamantly.

“Not for a second. I became a nurse because my dad is a doctor and pressured me into joining the same field. I liked it, don’t get me wrong, but I wanted to help people in another way.” You peered over at Jay, who was fiddling with Aaron’s camera. “Thanks to Jay, I’m here doing just that.”

“Well, we all agreed for you to join. To be honest, it’s been really nice having a different perspective on everything. You always find the best positions for the static-vision and x-cameras, and always find logical reasons for our equipment malfunctions. You have a gift, Y/N.” You could feel your cheeks redden at Zak’s words. You ran your fingers through your hair.

“Thanks, Zak. That means a lot.” Your gaze flicked back to your phone for a moment. “I know my parents love me and want what’s best for me. I just wish that they knew I’m at the age where I can find that out for myself.” Zak nodded, loosely crossing his legs.

“They do love you. There are plenty of people who love you, Y/N. And we’re all here for you.” You leaned back a little, raising a brow.

“Plenty of people? Like who?” Your heart fluttered, secretly wondering if he was implying something more behind his words. Could he be? No, not Zak. That wasn’t like him.

Zak smirked. “Well, I freaking hope you know by now that the crew loves you. Jay’s known you for what, at least a decade? More? Aaron and you have that never-ending prank war thing that I swear is going to be the death of one of you. From the second time you met, I knew you were pretty much platonic soulmates. And watching you and Billy geek out over equipment together makes me smile. Nerds.”

You nodded, practically beaming. Zak always knew what to say and when to say it, at least most of the time.

“And I think you’re a great addition to the team. You’re smart, fun to be around. It’s like you’ve been with us since the beginning.” You didn’t know what else to do but smile. Where the hell was all of this coming from? Sure, Zak was usually sweet and uplifting, but this was a lot coming from him. He was rarely this intense.

“That means a lot, Zak. I’m really glad to be working with everyone. I really do love you all too.” You and Zak stared at each other for a moment before he spoke again.

“You know, you’re really a special person, Y/N. Your parents know that, the team knows that, And I definitely know that.” He pushed his glasses up his nose, then cleared his throat. Was he nervous? Zak Bagans, nervous? Huh.

“Uh, thanks Zak. Really.” He was kind of repeating himself, like he was trying to hint at something he was too afraid to say. You had never heard him talk like this before. He was always super straightforward and blunt, never talking in code or hiding meaning behind his words.

“And, I was wondering if you were, um, interested in hanging out more outside of here? You know, outside of the show?” You furrowed your brow.

“We do hang out. I mean, we all meet for lunch or dinner, and meet at each other’s houses—”

“I know, but I meant you and me. You know, just the two of us.” Your brow shot up as your stomach swirled.

“Um, are you asking me out Mr. Bagans?” No fucking way. He couldn’t be. There’s no way Zak Bagans would be asking you out.

“Yep. Yeah, I am.” Oh, you stood corrected.

“Well, I, uh, yeah. That sounds awesome.” You studied his confident smirk.

Zak nodded to himself. “Awesome,” he repeated. “Let’s focus on this lockdown, then we’ll work out the details. But, I know of a great place I want to bring you to.” He reached over and gently placed his hand on top of yours.

You flipped your hand over and wrapped it around his. “I can’t wait.” And that was the God-honest truth. Your whole life flipped in the best possible way over the last several minutes, and your head was reeling as you tried to accept your new reality.

You were dating, or about to date, Zak Bagans.

“Hey, Zak, we’re almost ready to go!” Jay called over. Zak perked his head up.

“I’ll be right there!” He squeezed your hand, then pulled away. As he stood, he offered his award-winning smile, then made it over to his friends.

You really needed to get your camera ready, but you couldn’t move. Your brain was still struggling to process. Not only was this whole thing something you never dreamed of, it completely came out of left field. Zak was a natural flirt, but you didn’t think he flirted with you more than any other woman he met. He was respectful, avoiding any type of sexual jokes, and making sure he called out the others if anything made you noticeably uncomfortable. That was half the reason your brain was still currently malfunctioning.

Your phone buzzed in your hand, shocking you from your thoughts. You unlocked your phone and opened your messages.

New Message: Jay Wasleyyyy

You studied the message, which was a simple thumbs up emoji. You glanced up at your buddy, who shared your gaze, standing beside a grinning Aaron. Great. Sure, Jay knew about how you felt towards Zak. It was hard to keep it a secret sometimes, especially from someone who had known you as long as Jay did. He obviously knew that Zak was up to something too. Sneaky bastard.

But, now Aaron wasn’t going to leave you alone about it. Joy. All you needed was your goofy friend poking at you as singing ridiculous songs about love and shit.

Another message pinged, forcing you to glanced back down at your phone.

New Message: Zak Attack

It was another wordless message, with a black heart and a winking face emoji. Totally Zak’s dorky yet oddly suave style.

You stared at the message, suddenly giddy with excitement. Now that your brain had come back down to Earth, you were nothing but excited about what was to come. You had no idea what Zak had up his sleeve, or how the two of you were going to do in a romantic relationship, but there was an odd exhilaration in not knowing.

With a long exhale, you silenced your phone and slipped it into your pocket. Then, you lifted your camera from the table in front of you and headed off to join your team.

Thanks for reading. Feedback is appreciated! <3

[mushuthegreat021]

Bakugou Caught Cheating

Bakugou x fem reader

Characters- bakugou, kaminari, Mina, kirishima

Angst- cheating, profanity, degrading, crying

Author note- this is my first time so please forgive me for any mistakes please enjoy. :)

Y/n was sitting in her room playing on her phone as a ding was heard from her phone. It was a text from her best friend denki kaminari. She had been friends with him for year. Even before they were in UA. They were always goofing around and being funny. She had started dating bakugou a year after they had been. She had liked him ever since the first day, remembering it like it was yesterday. How her heart fluttered and a blush spread across her pale cheeks. They have been together for almost a year now and she loved every moment of it.

It took awhile for bakugou to warm up to her. She had slowly break the ice and get to the soft side of him. She felt accomplished and happy that he was that way with only her. She always made sure to give the other all the love she could possible provide. Giving him the reassurance that he's great no matter what and that he was her hero. She never wanted the relationship to end. She wanted to be with that man for the rest of her life. It was so blind but beautiful to her.

Y/n smiled as she stared at the sleeping katsuki that was her phone background. When she saw the message from her best friend she clicked on it and read the message. She chuckled softly. Her chest bouncing up and down slightly from her chuckles. Kaminari had sent her a meme which they did often. It was a ritual and the norm for them. They had been a bit more distant lately since she had been pouring most of her time into katsuki. She felt bad for putting her childhood friend aside and cancelling things with him. But the other understood and supported them full heartedly which y/n was happy about.

She replied to the message with laughing emojis and sending another meme, knowing it was going to end up being a long chain. She closed the message and went to her Instagram and looked through photos on there seeing what was new. She had noticed a recent post from kirishima, another one of her friends that she met through katsuki. A soft smile creeped up on her face seeing the shark looking boy dressed in a shark onesie. There were other shark plushies near him a long with his girlfriend Mina. They were super cute together and y/n and kaminari would spend hours gushing over them.

She continued to scroll when she heard another ding pop up on her phone. She smiled thinking it was kaminari again and clicked on it. She saw it was not her best friend but her boyfriend katsuki. Which made the smile on her face light up even more. The skin of her lip tugged between her teeth. It was a bit of a flirtatious text. But the smile spread across her face quickly dropped when she saw the name the katsuki used. It wasn't hers, but another girls name. Whom she didn't even know. Her hands clenched the phone that was laid in her hands. She tried pushing the thoughts of anything negative away. " He wouldn't cheat.... He loves me, he's not that type. " Y/n muttered quietly to herself before finally responding.

' babe? Who's (𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦) ' she texted back. The males chat bubbles popped up quickly. Showing her that he was texting, when the other sent the message saying that it autocorrected to that. And that sero was messing with his phone and changed it. Y/n felt a pit of worry form feeling that he wasn't saying the truth but pushed it away. She then smiled and wrote back to him saying it was okay and that she loved him.

After that incident things have been a little weird, katsuki had been more distant than usual. She shrugged it to the side knowing he was probably just working hard and studying a lot like usual. That day her and katsuki were hanging out at her place and watched a movie. After dinner her boyfriend had went home saying he needed to study for the test coming up. She agreed since she needed to study as well. Kissing the male good bye and watched him leave her house. That night she had just taken a shower and was at her desk with the book in front of her studying for the exam when she looked up and saw katsuki's phone.

It confused y/n a little since she knows that katsuki never goes anywhere without his phone, let alone leave it. A soft sigh left her lips. She stood up and walked over to her bed picking the small device up. She decided to go over to his place and return it to him. She slipped on a hoodie of his that he left for her. And slid on some shoes heading out to her boyfriends apartment. After about a ten minute walk she had made it to the apartment complex. She walked up to the door and knocked on the door. She swayed back and fourth on the balls of her heels while waiting for either mitsuki or masaru to answer the door. After about a minute she could hear the door unlock and the doorknob turn open. When the door opened she saw katsuki's mother who resembled her boyfriend so much.

A sweet smile grew on her face as she bowed slightly to the woman. " Ah Mrs. Mitsuki sorry to be a bother so late but you see katsuki left his phone at my place. I know he's busy studying and probably didn't notice. But I know how important it is that he has it and came to return it. " She said in a sweet sounding voice. But the older woman's face and aura didn't match y/n's which confused her slightly. " Oh honey, I didn't know you weren't here. I thought you were here already, katsuki is in his room. " She said growing slightly. Y/n cocked her head to the side in confusion as she didn't quite understand what the woman in front of her meant. " No I haven't been over in weeks Mrs. Mitsuki.... Katsuki said it's been a little to hectic am for me to come and that there was some trouble going on. " She said in a weaker tone while the smile quickly faded.

The others mother shook her head. " No honey, everything here has. Been perfectly fine, I've thought it's always been you who's been coming over almost every night and leaving in the early morning. " She explained back to y/n making the others face drain and become pale as a sheet. And the pit her stomach start to grow. "C-can I come in and s-see katsuki? " She struggled to get out as her body started to shake hoping it wasn't what she thought it was. Finding out her boyfriend had been lying to her was already bad enough. But hearing about some girl who's been here with him for awhile made it even worse. She felt sick with anticipation, and the lump in the back of her throat start to form.

The ash blonde woman nodded and stepped the side letting y/n in the house. She took her shoes off and walked to her boyfriends room. The phone in her hand clenched tight, her knuckles white from how hard she was holding it. It was if she could break the phone if she squeezed the small device any harder. The closer she got the more sounds she could hear. They were faint but still audible. She gulped as her hands began to shake while she reached towards the handle. When he hand grasped the knob she turned it and flung the door open.

Her eyes laid upon the sight she dreaded the most. Her boyfriend with another girl naked having sex. Hot tears welded up in her eyes causing her sight to become blurry. " Mom close the fuc-" Katsuki stopper in the middle of his sentence when he saw his girlfriend in the door way. " This.... This is what you call studying.... Is th-this why I couldn't come over here? " She said in a weak broken tone. It cracked from the lump that was formed in the back if her throat making it hard to speak. Katsuki quickly pushed the girl away and got out of the bed. "Babe it's no-" Y/n stopped him mid sentence. " It's n-not what it loo-looks like? Is that i-it? " She mumbled in a broken cracked voice.

Hot tears streaming down her face, body trembling from the mixed emotions. She felt angry, betrayed, and heartbroken. " Yes... I mean no... Please just try to hear me out.... She means nothing! " He yelled. Steam vapour starts to come off her body, emotions overtaking her. " You cheated on my katsuki.... You lied to me.... " She mumbled while putting her head down. The other reaches for her to attempt to calm her down only to get his hand sweater away. He flinched at the heat on her body was climbing at a very quick rate. " Tell me why!? " She mumbled. " H-huh? " Katsuki muttered while holding his now burned hand. " I said... Why! Tell me why!? " She screamed at the top of her lungs. " Why cheat on me? Was I not good enough for you!? Did I not love you enough!? " She screamed as her voice cracked and hot tears streamed down hitting her bare feet.

He was quiet for a moment as the girl quickly collected her stuff and pushed passed y/n. She looked up with anger and heartbreak in her eyes. " Fucking tell me! " She yelled while throwing the phone at him that had slight burn marks and cracks on it. From her squeezing it and the heat in her hand causing it to burn the phone slightly. Hot tears rolled down the others face. " Because your ugly and fat. You were to clingy! There are you fucking happy now you stupid bitch!? " He yelled in anger as smoke rose from his hands. Her heart shattered at the moment. Flames now rising from her body, emotions finally overtaking her. Causing her quirk to activate. " I'm not good enough? I'm fat and ugly? Sorry that I showed your sorry ass love. Your fucking pathetic katsuki bakugou. I gave your angry ass a chance.... A chance no one else was willing to give you. Everyone was right about you. You really are just a self centered asshole. Now your single, enjoy your life you pathetic bitch. Hope you suffer and never become a hero. " She sneered with pure hate.

She didn't mean any of it but she was blind with anger. " I wasted 8 months with you. I'm so stupid, good thing it's over now. " She sneered and brushed against the side of the door while turning around. Causing her to scorch the wood. She angerly stomped out of the place grabbing her shoes and slipping them on. His parents standing in the living shocked whole katsuki stood in his room broken. The words of hers playing in his head on repeat. Falling to the ground, breaking down crying while yelling curse words. She slammed the door and slowly walked down the road toll her feet slowly started to speed up. Till she was sprinting down the road sobbing loudly yelling to herself. He heart was shattered that night, it all happened so fast. It didn't kick in till now, what truly happened and what she said to the ash blonde male.

The night was cold as the wind blew. She ran and ran till her feet were numb and she couldn't move anymore. She looked up seeing she was at a park that was not to far from her place. She sniffles while whipping her nose. Y/n looked at the bench and dragged her feet to the bench before plopping down on the cold metal bench. She looked up at the moon, her eyes red and puffy from crying hysterically. She weakly lifted her hand up that was swallowed up in the tarnished hoodie that was once katsuki's. Thoughts racing through head, the words he said making her heart crack even more. All that love she out in was for nothing. He never cared about her, it hurt so much. That's all she could think of. Her long hair blew in the cold wind.

The next day she woke up from her hour of sleep. She didn't get back from the park till 4 in the morning. Sitting there crying while looking into the night sky. She felt horrible, her eyes were red and puffy. She had dark lines under her eyes and she looked extremely pale. More pale than she usually did, she sniffled softly knowing she probably caught a cold. She didn't care as she forced herself out of bed and got ready for the day. She covered her face with make up to mask the red puffy eyes and dark lines. She grabbed her back as she weakly made her way to school. She had no energy to smile or even talk. She walked into class 1-A and quietly sat down in her desk. She cancelled out all the chattering from other students.

She didn't even bother talking to her best friend kaminari who was trying everything to get her to speak. But no, her lips were sealed. Even if she did try to open her mouth and speak nothing would come out. She didn't want to break down in class, she didn't want katsuki to see how bad it affected her. She could feel the males eyes on her the whole time but ignored it. She didn't want to acknowledge his existence.

After class ended she stayed in here seat. She looked at kaminari and kirishima who were in front of her trying to get her to speak. But no luck with it making them grumble. Mina then gave it a try pulling her out of the classroom and to the bathroom. " Girlie what's wrong? You look so pale and torn down. What happened? " She asked with a voice filled with worry. Her body began to tremble and looked down at the floor. " Me... And katsuki are... Over... He" She stopped as tears already streamed down her face. " He what hon? " She asked. " Cheated" Y/n mumbled. Minas eyes widened with shock as anger quickly filled her and stormed out of the restroom and to the class room. Y/n's eyes widened as she quickly wiped the years away knowing her makeup was ruined. She spirited to the classroom but was to late. Mina had already confronted the male. Yelling at him all up in katsuki's face.

Making kirishima and kaminari confused till they heard what happened and quickly became angry as well. It became a whole thing making y/n feel uncomfortable and horrible for causing a scene. "Shut up!" She screamed loudly and everyone turned to her. " Leave it be! It's done... It's over with, he's dead to me and there's no need to go after him. " She said softly and turned and left the school. She soon switched to class 1-B and got to know everyone there. She slowly became better and happy. She still stayed friends with most in 1-A. Quickly forgetting about bakugou. Bakugou was torn up and never got better but she didn't care to notice. She wanted nothing to do with him, so she clear of him and went her own path.

[minecraftfan11onscratch]

Connie Howlite Maheswaran AU - A Single White Lilium (500th post!)

Pink Pearl sends Connie into her gemstone to find her cell phone, which she misplaced inside. In doing so, Connie witnesses Pearl's repressed memories and learns the truth about what really happened to White Diamond, Homeworld’s old leader.

[Click here to go back to the master post]

                                                             ---

Connie sat on the Beach House’s couch with doubt, fear and contemplation sharing space on her mind. Memories about the shattering of “White Diamond”, the leader of Homeworld, began to flash on her mind: Handy revealing to her about the shattering, the dream she shared with Steven as Stevonnie, the violet Zircon trying to rationalize over the official story’s lack of logic, and Pink Pearl holding Howlite’s Shield against White, and glaring at her threateningly.

The last memory snapped the half-Gem back from her thoughts, while also making a new doubt inside her heart grow: was Pink Pearl the actual shatterer, and Howlite was just framed? She sincerely hoped neither of them held the blame.

“Come on!” Jasper’s voice boomed in indignation, as she and Pink Pearl entered the living room and walked to the kitchen counter. “It’s been ONE MONTH, and you didn’t touch your phone at all!”

“Pfft. Silly! I actually use it!” Pink Pearl defied. “To tell the time.”

After realizing the two Comet Gems’ presences, Connie’s anxiety skyrocketed as she saw them trying to handle Pink Pearl’s phone. She gripped her knees until her temper got the best of her, and she rushedly screamed, “PINK PEARL, CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT-”

“Hold up a moment, kiddo.“ Jasper interrupted Connie’s outburst, before resuming to teaching Pink Pearl about the messaging app.

Soon, Connie’s own phone vibrated, revealing that, to her surprise, she received a message from Pink Pearl. While still nervous, she couldn’t help but smile at the simple message.

Hi, Connie! Pink Pearl is here!

Pink Pearl, signing out!~

“You’ll need a case for that.” Jasper pointed out.

“Of course! I got it!” Pink Pearl gleefully said, extending her hands to her gem, as it glowed, releasing a suitcase.

“... Nevermind. I’ll get a phone case for ya. Don’t smash it to shreds until I am back. ” Jasper said, with a mild groan, going through her room on the Temple Gate.

Finding out a chance to talk with Pink Pearl alone, Connie tried to suck her nervous feelings out of her face and clenched her fists as she approached a smiling Pink Pearl messing around with her phone.

“Pink Pearl?” Connie began.

“Yesss, Connie?” Pink Pearl replied, with a little grin.

“You know Mom shattered White Diamond, right? But... I think you’re the actual culprit behind White’s shattering.”

“Wha-“ Pink Pearl said, only to interrupt herself, covering her hands with her mouth and letting her phone drop onto the floor, as her remaining eye expressed distress.

“You can tell me, don’t worry,” Connie assured, but it didn’t seem to interrupt Pearl’s hands. She actively used one of them to try and pull the other, but the effort was fruitless. It was like she was under an active curse, or spell, and she couldn’t fight against it no matter how much she struggled. “Why can’t you tell me anything?!”

“I got the- ” Jasper said, unwittingly watching the bizarre scene. “... phone, case... ” 

“AHAHA! THANKS, JASPER! But I guess it’s safer to keep the phone in this completely safe Gem!” Pink Pearl said, in exaggerated glee, as she stored the phone on her gemstone, picked the suitcase and marched towards the Temple’s inside.

“Wait, just put the case and then put it on your head...” Jasper said, trying to talk Pink Pearl out for no avail, as she entered the Temple Gate. “The heck was that?” She questioned, receiving an exasperated sigh from Connie as an answer.

[LATER...]

Connie sat by the Beach Citywalk Fries, tastelessly eating a minor quantity of fry bits, as she tried to think about the reason why Pink Pearl covered her mouth whenever the topic was about Howlite and White Diamond. There had to be something, a deep layer that she didn’t want to reveal, or worse... Couldn’t reveal.

Her phone vibrated, showing that Pink Pearl sent her a second message. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as silly and sweet as the previous one.

“I wanna tell you so much... Yet I can’t?” Connie read the message out loud.

Fearing one of her doubts over the issue had an answer, Connie immediately abandoned the package of fry bits, and rushed back to the Beach House, bursting the door open. “Pink Pearl, I need to talk with you!”

“Whaddya mean? ” Pink Pearl asked as she interrupted herself from vacuuming the Warp Pad.

“I got your message!” Connie explained, showcasing her phone. “Didn’t you say “I wanna tell you so much yet I can’t”? With a mute monkey emoji?”

“That’s silly! I didn’t send anything at all. Lemme show that.” Pink Pearl protested, as her gemstone glowed. However, what came out was a remote control. “Uh...”

“Are you sure you didn’t use your phone?” Connie suspiciously asked.

“But I am sure!“ Pink Pearl said, a bit more desperate, as she pulled many items that weren’t her phone: a violin, a cult classic 80's movie, one of Connie’s shirts, and a roll of money. “Oh, my STARS!” 

“Are you okay?” Connie worriedly asked.

“I swear I put it somewhere!” Pink Pearl said, pulling a book out of her gem.

“Seriously?! Another one!” Connie gasped, showing her phone’s screen. The next message was now a simple emoji of a white flower. It made Pink Pearl pause, release a little gasp, and kneel, holding Connie’s shoulders.

“Connie, you gotta go inside my Gem; there, you’ll get my phone out.” Pink Pearl explained.

“How? I’ll have to get it back from your memories or something?”

“I can’t tell the answers to some of your questions. But I can tell I need my phone. Seriously, I’ll get you out once you get what you need.”

“That is, your phone.”

“Indeed! You’ll use it to text me once you find it.”

Connie nodded and held Pink Pearl’s hand without a word. Pink Pearl’s gem on her belly began to glow, and a pinkish-white glow coming out of the gem covered the half gem’s vision.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a pastel, pinkish plane, with a fluffy floor, and at the distance, Pink Pearl humming a little tune, looking at copies of her toy-like hammer weapon.

“Weird... There’s a second Pink Pearl, inside Pink Pearl. ” Connie said, barely helping herself from remembering a film about implanting ideas through dream within a dream, as she walked towards the second Pink Pearl.

“Connie! ” Pink Pearl #1 cheerfully said, bear-hugging Connie and lifting her up. “I didn’t know you wanted to be packed up here but, whatever! Guess you go to C... Co...”

“Wait! No!” Connie said, freeing herself from the one-eyed Pearl’s grasp. “I don’t wanna be packed. I wanna find your phone.”

“Wait- a phone. Okey-dokey!” Pink Pearl #1 realized, scrolling through her mind’s compartments until she reached the session that began with P. “No... Oh! It’s a cellular phone, right? Then, it’s right in C!” She realized, scrolling back to C and pointing at an empty slot, sandwiched between a cleaver and cellophane. “But- please tell me it’s invisible... Or that another me took it.”

“There are other yous?” Connie asked.

“Of course! But, they’re not fully stable to take care of the stuff packed here. That’s why I had to do it.” Pink Pearl #1 proudly explained.

“Then, take me to one of them,” Connie demanded.

“Aww, but everything beyond here, where everything has order and happiness, is pure chaos! Let’s just have a good time!”

“But I can handle it!”

“Uuugh, okay... But don’t blame me later.” Pink Pearl #1 gave in, taking up Connie’s hand.

Once again, a pinkish-white glow took Connie again, engulfing the pink scenery away. This time, the half-gem girl found herself in a more familiar scenery; the corner of Beach City where the Temple was located.

“This doesn’t look chaotic at all. It just feels like, the past.” Connie commented until she heard distressed sobs. Her ears and eyes took her to the dislodged hand of the Temple, where a second Pink Pearl, with an outfit reminiscent of the 80s, cried with her face buried on her knees. “Except the past is chaotic.” She realized. She rushed to sit beside the distressed Pink Pearl. “Hey, Pink Pearl... Inside Pink Pearl inside Pink Pearl’s pearl... You’re sad because of the whole phone issue too?”

“Nooo, it’s Howlite!” Pink Pearl #2 said, still sobbing, lifting her face. “I am glad for her but, she’ll disappear because of her baby!”

“This is so awkward...” Connie pointed out.

“What’ll be my purpose if she disappears? I’ll lose her, exactly how I lost my- ...What’s the thing you said?”

“Your cellphone?”

“My CELLPHONE!” Pink Pearl #2 finished, crying even louder and once again burying her face on her knees.

“It’s okay, here...” Connie said, comfortingly, while hugging the second Pink Pearl. “You sent me here for that, and I will recover your cell phone.”

“I know where it can possibly be... Where I lost everything else.” Pink Pearl #2 sadly stated, covering the right side of her face with one hand as she held Connie’s hand with the other.

Once again, the girl was sucked inside another memory.

The sky was blood red, and as she nervously walked around, Connie saw many weapons, and gems, most of them shattered, scattered about. She carefully walked around, trying to not step onto the shattered gems, just hoping Pink Pearl’s phone actually wasn’t hidden inside a toilet or wardrobe. It was just as likely as it being repressed onto her war memories. Finally, she found a third Pink Pearl, alone in the middle of the battlefield.

“Pink Pearl?!” Connie began, indignant. “I mean, Pink Pearl inside Pink Pearl inside Pink Pearl inside Pink Pearl’s pearl, are we really talking about your phone now?!”

“We were the last ones...” Pink Pearl #3 began, kneeling, and Connie swore she heard a soft sound of cracking right afterward. “Homeworld... Began to leave... We all celebrated but... A light made everyone... Why I did that?”

“Tell me what you did!” Connie pleaded. The answer she received was the third Pink Pearl shaking her head negatively, and turning to face the girl, revealing a crack slowly expanding onto her face. Thankfully, she didn’t have to look at it for much longer, as the pinkish-white light consumed her and took her to another repressed memory.

Connie found herself sitting among white lilium’s, and equally white shards. She picked one up and looked forward, trying to ignore the sounds of loud voices and weapon clashing, only to find a large, white cloud of smoke dissipating to reveal Howlite, branding her staff, shield, and crying. But something about her colors just seemed... off.

“Mom?” Connie wondered, holding the shard onto her chest and walking towards her supposed mother. “What are you doing here on Pink Pearl’s memories-”

Suddenly, Howlite’s eyes opened, revealing she had Pink Pearl’s pinkish eyes.

“What?!” The half-gem cried in disbelief. A loud scream was heard in the background, and once the fake Howlite turned around, she noticed Pink Pearl’s gemstone, seemingly confirming her dreaded theory. “I was right... you really did shatter White.” She bitterly said.

Pink Pearl, however, lifted her closed fist and opened it, revealing a large, white diamond with a brilliant cut.

“White Diamond?! But, how did she...?” Connie quietly said, confused, as the pinkish-white glow from Pink Pearl’s gem took her one last time.

...

“The palanquin...” Connie realized as she found herself sitting in the large, white throne of the even bigger palanquin of white color. She got off of it once she heard whispering voices, and she walked around it until she found the owners of the voices: the actual Howlite, and the last Pink Pearl clutching Howlite’s shield, with a slightly less cracked eye and an attire that reminded her more of the two other Pearls she saw in the past.

“And then that’ll be all. It’s going to be easy!”

“Can’t we try something out? Like, talk-”

“I can’t. White Diamond has done so much harm, we’ll stop everything, right now.”

“This is nuts! You know about it- I mean... Your status, my purpose, it won’t matter in a few minutes! Everything will change.”

“But isn’t it amazing?!”

“Yeah... It is.”

“We can abandon our past... This is my last world, and I’ll give it to the Comet Gems. I’ll live here with humans and other lifeforms, with you! We’ll finally change for the better!”

“Okay. I am ready.”

“Pearl!”

The conversation between Howlite and Pink Pearl felt confusing for the unwitting bystander. Connie didn’t understand what her mom meant with Earth being her last world... Why?

“I can’t believe I gotta do this...” Pink Pearl sadly said, holding hands with Howlite.

“Yet, it’s impossible for me to shatter myself,” Howlite stated, hugging Pink Pearl in comfort. After breaking her hug, her body was overtaken by a white light.

For Connie’s shock, however, Howlite’s form got bigger and bigger, perhaps even one head taller than what she remembered to be Yellow and Blue’s height. Then, her gem spun upward... And she transformed onto her actual form, much for the half-Gem’s disbelief: White Diamond.

White looked similar to the reflection Connie saw on her dream as Stevonnie. However, she could see her wide cape, and high heels, dwarfing Pink Pearl and herself even further. She hid behind the throne as the two passed by. White picked a large amount of dirt, and along with it, a white lilium Pink Pearl picked and put on one of her buns. Her Diamond, then, smashed the dirt within her hands, creating shards that were similar to her own gemstone.

“Convincing?” White Diamond asked, smiling.

“Uh... Alot, my Diamond.” Pink Pearl politely attempted to answer.

“Soon, I’ll be a plain Howlite,” White replied, inhaling the shards. Pink Pearl extended her hand to her gemstone, pulling out a staff shaped like Howlite’s, but it was just a structure. “Wait! There’s one last thing I need to do.”

“Yeah?” Pink Pearl asked, putting both the shield and fake staff on the floor.

“No one can find about this ruse. I will never go back.” White began, using her pointer fingers to fold her Pearl’s hands in a way they covered her mouth. “My last order for any Gem, as a Diamond, is for you. Let’s never speak about this again. Nobody will know.” She said, before getting up and stepping out of the palanquin.

While numbly taken by shock upon this revelation, Connie barely realized Pink Pearl noticed her presence and gasped once she realized this. Fortunately, she had exactly what she was looking for; her own cell phone.

“Sorry to make you come here.” Pink Pearl apologized. She shapeshifted into a pinkish-looking Howlite, making the single pale lilium on her hair fall onto the floor, and picked the fake staff and shield before heading outside as well.

Connie calmly texted Pink Pearl about her success, and soon enough, her memories flashed into her eyes: the staged shattering, the last few minutes of the war followed by the blinding light, Howlite’s pregnancy, and the aftermath. She found herself facing a teary-eyed Pink Pearl.

“I wanted to tell you for so long...” Pink Pearl revealed.

“That Mom was White Diamond.” Connie depressedly said, barely realizing that Jasper and Spessartite Garnet were behind her as she said that.

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!”

[hannah-writes]

RNM Creators Appreciation Week

So I’ve not been in the right headspace to flail and rec as much as I wanted to, but today, on Cheerleader Appreciation Day, I can’t let this one pass me by. Without cheerleaders, I don’t think I’ve have posted much past my first couple of fics, and I certainly wouldn’t have finished some of the fics I found hard to write, and Not in this World would be nothing but a pipe-dream.

I don’t think those people who spend time cheerleading realise just how important they are. It’s not always telling you that you’re great (which does happen), but it’s helping bounce plot ideas off, boost you when you want to give up, to scream in excitement and help tell people that you’ve posted fic when you’re too shy to do anything more than post it and stick the link on Tumblr.

I’m so grateful for those people I have in my life right now that are fearlessly cheerleading me through everything that I want to do, especially when it comes to fic. They’re kind when I’m having trouble wording, they help unjumble the shite I write sometimes that’s full of spelling mistakes and half-finished thoughts. They bump up my confidence and tell me I’m awesome when I feel anything but. They make me feel less like I’m throwing my stuff into the void.

There are a few I really want to say a special thank you to:

@mandsangelfox: y’all know that she’s my wife, but she’s also a massive cheerleader behind the scenes. She deals with me texting her randomly, or telling her to pause what she’s watching so I can read a section to her to see if it sounds okay. She puts up with me throwing ideas at her until something sticks (and it was her idea to build out my current sci-fi horror Roswell project into something that resembles a choose your own adventure, and when I’m done you’ll all be amazed). She’s an unwavering pillar of patient support, and deals with my nonsense with aplomb.

@insidious-intent: What can I say about you? You’re always so kind and enthusiastic and impromptu beta-services help de-jumblify and sensify my fever-written crap and helps shape it into something better, and also removes some of the Britishisms that sneak in despite my best efforts! You’re a delight to talk to, and genuinely one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Talking with you is genuinely a highlight of my day, and having you as a sounding board has helped up the angst factor of my stories, past and present (Darkest Before Dawn, I’m looking at you!). Your unwavering support and reassurance is so helpful, and I’m honoured that you let me do the same for you. Even being a small part of your creative process, I’m honoured to be included. You’ve got such a big heart, and I love that you’ve got such a loud voice when I post. I’m 100% sure that most of the people who read Not in this World ended up reading it because you yelled so loudly about it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. And I am so grateful to have met you.

@beamirang My fellow angst queen! Man, I don’t even have words to describe how much I adore you. Not only your writing - and how you let me cheerlead for you even when all it is is incoherent screaming, emojis and gifs - but who you are as a person. I’ve never told the time in a regular way, but my time is now split into MJ leaving for work, @insidious-intent saying good morning and then 4:30am LA time when you wake up and say hello. I’ve told you this before, but I’m going to say it again, I have learned so much about how to craft stories from reading your work and from talking to you. Your enthusiasm and excitement for the things that I write constantly baffles me as you’re amazing and I’m bowled over every time you tell me that you like what I write/you’re excited. You’ve been such a boost for my confidence in sharing random snippets, you’ve inspired some of my personal favourite fics that I’ve written (including not so starcrossed, as Baxu was 100% your fault and I adore you for it) and being able to scream at you when the muse isn’t working helps immensely. I’m so glad to have messaged you out of the blue a while back, it feels like we’ve been talking forever and that’s something that I treasure. I can’t wait for our DA Fusion to be ready to share so we can cement our places as rulers of Angst.

@lire-casander & @ubiestcaelum - you ladies were the first two people I started talking to in the fandom properly and I’m so very glad I did! Getting to know you both, being able to be part of your creative process and see your wonderous works unfold and being the recipient of your feedback and comments as I post random bits of crap into our chats has helped me refine things that don’t work. You are both so ridiculously kind and talented and I’d not have posted my earlier works without you two in my corner, gently encouraging me on.

@saadiestuff SADIE. WHAT MORE CAN I SAY THAN YOU ARE GOOD PEPPE. The creator of 🐸 [frog emoji, if it doesn’t work]. It’s delightful that we have entire conversations that, to anyone else, might seem like code because we’ve got so many ridiculous jokes between ourselves. And I love that sometimes we don’t even say hello to each other, we just go 🐸🐸🐸 [frog frog frog] because of something we’ve seen each other post or mention on tumblr, or in a discord server. I adore you, girl. So very much. I’m glad we started talking.

@el-gilliath I’m SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU. Though we don’t talk as much as I want us to, the fact that we have so much in common and spend a large chunk of time screaming at each other about what we’re writing really brightens my day. Knowing that you’re on the other end of a message if I’m struggling and you’re ready to listen is such a boon. Knowing that you don’t care if I’m typoing all over the place and am generally a mess makes me feel so safe when we talk, that I don’t have to second guess everything. And knowing that, no matter what it is, you’ll read it and give me an opinion means I genuinely feel that it’s okay to just swing in and ask you for help whenever. And you know the feeling is mutual. I adore you, dude.

There are so many others, too, and I couldn’t possibly list them all though I want to, but the Junkyard folk, @jumbled-nonsense, @nielrian, @soberqueerinthewild... all of you guys who yelled at me during Not in this World and encouraged me to keep writing when all I wanted to do was pack it in. You’re SO VALUED. I’m sure there are people I’ve forgotten, and if I have, please don’t think that doesn’t mean I don’t value you, because I do. So much. Omg. 

And, as a quick special mention, to those of you who are kind enough to let me cheerlead for you? It is my honour and privilege to scream at you in excitement for things. I love helping people create, I love encouraging people to keep going and do something they love and I am thankful that you let me do that for you. 

Finally, finally! I can’t leave out @queersirius. Though I’ve never spoken to you, you have taken on a mammoth task with your rec list. I’ve been on there a few times and each time I’m flabbergasted by the nice things you have to say about what I’ve written. But it’s not only me, you’re a gift to the fandom, a one-stop shop for recs that has proven to be such a good way to discover new fic. I’m always excited to see what new fics you rec, I’d discovered a few new favourites as a direct result of your list. The fact that you take the time to write such detailed, thoughtful commentary and tailor a gif for each fic is mindblowing. Thank you! <3 

[kinsbin]

Mis-Messaged

Title: Mis-Messaged Ship: Alexys/John Doe [Joker] [Self Insert/Canon] Word Count: 2636 Summary: While spending time with her best friend, Alexys discovered that her crush likes her back. Bruce does his bet to set her up with John, but, what happens between them is up to them both.

A/N: A commission for @bad-blue-moon-rising​! I love their ship with Joker and it’s been forever since I’ve written for Telltale’s Batman series ;u; I hope you enjoy!

It was rare Bruce had a night in. Even more rare was it to spend it with Alexys, the two best friends sitting comfortably in arm chairs amidst the posh living room of the Wayne state. The fire roared in the fireplace, crackling and spitting out pieces of ash and wood through the vented chimney while the sound of rock music hummed low on the speakers of the stereo set at their sides. Bruce held a book between his fingers, flipping idly through pages as he read each line with easy diligence. Alexys had propped her laptop up on herself now, sitting in the chair so that her back rested on one arm and her legs were slung over the other. The nonsensical video game she had put up on the screen was simple and casual, a farming simulator involving cabbages and some sort of buy-to-win currency that ads would pop up for every twelve seconds. The thing about spending time with your best friend was, of course, the joy of spending it in complete silence. You had known everything about one another to the point of talking feeling useless. It was easier to enjoy one another’s company without forcing natural words between your lips. Alexys brushed back a strand of her hair as she sighed, tilting her head in an effort to angle the screen towards her better.

Ping...Ping!

Ping...Pingping-

“Bruce,” Alexys spoke through the gentle glass taps of alert noises, “Please look at your texts or put that phone on vibrate, I’m going to lose it if I have to listen to one more angry ping from that stupid thing.”

“Oh? Sorry,” He mumbled while reaching for his phone with a frown, “Guess I just get used to it after a while.”

“No you just have selective hearing,” Alexys smirked, “It’s like all the times I call you and you never pick up.”

“Low blow there, don’t you think? I am a working businessman.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Bruce turned on his phone and scrolled through the messages. Out of the corner of her eye, Alexys watched her best friend’s face for signs of just who it was he was texting. She watched his blue eyes scroll through word after word on the screen before them. Not even a few lines down and she caught his brows furrowing, lips curving into a frown so reminiscent of when he was batman that it almost worried her too much to ask just what it was. Concern for her best friend, of course, put itself forward more than anxiety in one way or another. Shifting, she pulled the laptop off of her stomach and sat normally on the chair, placing it down in her lap before gazing at Bruce with concern.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing I-”

“Bruce Wayne don’t you like to me, you know it doesn’t work.”

Bruce sighed and put his phone down on his lap, a hand running over his face as he gave her an unreadable look. It was as if he were debating just how to tell her what was on the screen.

“John Doe...Uh he-” He tried to find the way to word what he wanted to say properly before taking a breath and giving up, “Wanted my advice on how to ask you out.”

“WHAT!?”

Alexys dove across the chairs, her laptop resting on its side on the floor now in favor of her body aiming itself perfectly at Bruce’s phone. Bruce, in turn, lurched and quickly held it out of reach as she all but dived across his lap, grabbing at the device with a desperation only a completely shocked woman could truly muster. Her eyes were focused as she caught glimpses of his phone screen through the struggle. Not much could be seen, but, she saw enough heart emojis and crying faces to understand the intent of the conversation, and it all but brought a worse blush to her face as she was quickly rolled off of the billionaire’s lap and onto the floor, where she covered her cheeks with her hands while attempting to sputter out some sort of response.

“I-I-! What the fuck do you mean he wants to ASK ME OUT? Bruce, that’s not something you just TELL ME.”

“You ASKED ME to tell you what it was!”

Another groan left her lips, Alexys falling backwards as she let her head rest against the plush carpet of the room, staring up at the insatiably high ceiling as the wheels in her mind worked. “Does that mean he...likes me? Like...LIKE LIKEs me?”

“What are you, in seventh grade?”

“Answer the question, Wayne.”

“Well, yeah,” Bruce gestured to her, “Have you seen the way he looks at you each time you meet him or you come with me to somewhere? It’s...kind of really obvious. He makes you laugh with every other word because he’s trying really hard to.”

“It wasn’t obvious to me! Oh my god, what should I do? How should I say yes?! God I wish I could have heard him tell me it himself and-”

“Well you’ll be able to,” Bruce noted with a quirk of his head, fingers typing lazily across his phone as he double-tasked the conversation, “I just told him I’d meet him at a local bar in fifteen minutes. You can go instead of me.”

“WHAT!?”

“What?”

“DID YOU JUST SET US UP!?”

“You said you wanted to say yes!” Bruce gestured to her with a laugh, “I would have found a way to tell him ‘no’ if you had said you weren’t interested.”

Alexys shut her mouth, dragging her hands down her face as she groaned towards her best friend, who frowned at her and moved off of his chair. Hand out, he waited for her to take it before pulling Alexys up and off of the floor she had chosen to lay on. Bruce stood there with her, eyes sincere as they had always been with her, and he took a breath, “Just promise me you’ll be careful...This guy is...well, he’s something. I don’t know if the word is dangerous, but, it might be. I just want to make sure you’re safe, so, take my car. Take a tracker with you to, and text me when you’re home, alright?”

“You worry too much,” Alexys laughed, reaching out to hug her best friend with a sigh, “But I promise, I’ll stay safe. Thanks for...well, everything I suppose.”

“Don’t mention it,” Bruce laughed, hugging back, “No get going.”

A brief change of clothes later, Alexys found herself just outside of a local bar, a simple and small place just out of the way enough for a car of Bruce Wayne’s to go relativlely unnoticed, yet, decent enough to not feel too shady. Alfred eyed Alexys through the rear view mirror, his eyebrows tilting at her as she fiddled with her fingernails, chewing on them lightly before taking a deep breath and pushing her hand away to play with each other instead, her lips pursed as she prepared herself to get out of the vehicle.

“You can always return to the manor, Alexys,” Alfred’s easy voice echoed like a father’s from the front, “Master Bruce will understand.”

“Thanks Al,” Alexys smiled warmly, “But...I want to do this, I swear. It’s just...hard...knowing you’re meeting a guy who not only likes you, but, doesn’t know that you know he likes you AND doesn’t know that you’re the one he’s meeting its-It’s a lot. I don’t know if this will work.”

“If I may say,” Alfred hummed, “Any man who is lucky enough to have your heart will make it work with you, for both of your sakes.”

Alexys laughed, but nodded and finally stood to get out of the car. She entered the bar and gazed curiously around. It was nearly empty, a few patrons lingering in the corner booths with nachos and a couple of beers while the low hum of jukebox radio echoed softly across the decorated walls. The scent of light cigars and pool table chalk filled her nostrils as her eyes settled on the man she knew she was supposed to meet. He sat at the bar, hands busying themselves with stacking the variety of coffee creamer and small ketchup packets into what looked to be an intricate pattern resembling the eiffel tower. She felt herself smile as she watched him, the way his tongue stuck from between his lips as he focused on the task at hand was utterly adorable. The way his nose wrinkled with intense concentration made her heart skip a beat as she approached, feeling herself ease up in his very presence. It was as if his existence relieved her anxiety, fighting it back with humor and fun moments.

“H-Hi John.”

He paused in his movements, eyes widening and cheeks flushing a brilliant shade of red that she wasn’t sure if she had ever seen on a human being before. His hand shifted, knocking the tower just enough so that it came crashing down on his lap and across the bar. John cursed, eyes widening at the events that had just occurred before his lip stuck out in a pout as all of his hard work laid itself out before him. Alexys hurried next to him, catching some of the pieces that were trying to roll off of the counter completely and placing them back in the small holder that the bartender (now staring at them with a look of begrudging annoyance) had left out for other customers. She laughed and slid next to him on one of the seats, brushing some of her hair back, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you that bad.”

“You didn’t!” John argued back with surprise before another pause overcame in and he shrugged, “Okay, maybe you did a little bit. But...I mean...It’s just that-Where’s Bruce?”

There was a contemplative pause as Alexys debated ratting out her best friend for reading out his texts to her. She decided that she would spare him the wrath of his best friend via an explosion of upset text messages he would without a doubt have to put out and settled with a light shrug of laughter as she rubbed the back of her neck. “He said that he couldn’t quite make it, busy with work and all you know? He asked if I could go instead, since, I know you and he trusts me ‘n all.”

John’s gaze narrowed as if in understanding of the situation. Though, he was probably thinking that he had set the both of them up without either of them knowing versus Alexys having scrambled to steal away his phone in the middle of the living room, but she was fine with allowing that thought process to continue. Instead, he waved the bartender over and grinned at him.

“Two shirley temples please.”

Alexys laughed at this order, her hand reaching up to cover her mouth as she grinned through it. “We’re at a bar. What are we, twelve?”

“Childlike wonder is never a bad thing to have,” John explained with a grin, “Besides, who doesn’t like Shirley Temples?!”

“That’s valid,” Alexys agreed as she took a deep breath of air to stop herself from giggling too much, “Sorry, I’m so tired and that was probably funnier to me than it should have been.”

“What? Don’t apologize for something like that,” John hummed, “I love your laugh...It’s warm and...really genuine. I like it.”

“You...You do?”

John’s smile was warm on his lips as he looked away, his own hand touching the back of his neck to rub at the thin strands of hair on it as he flushed with embarrassment, “Yeah I...Like a lot of things bout you, actually. A lot a lot….Uh, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to Bruce about, but, I guess talking to you about it would be easier face to face too um-damn-Maybe not as easy as I thought but-”

There was a pause as the bartender brought them their drinks, rolling his eyes at the apparent conversation that was taking place. John grinned back, Alexys matching the look as they both waved their thanks towards the man who clearly wanted nothing to do with the two sober beings in his bar at nearly past midnight.

“So you...Like me…” Alexys tried the words on her tongue, averting her gaze with a laugh, “I don’t get why but...That sounds like something. I mean-”

John reached out now, taking her face in his hands and bringing it to his. Alexys’ eyes widened as she was forced to stare into his, which were a strange seriousness compared to their usual light hearted demeanor. His gaze held her own, as if trying to ensure that she knew how serious he was, but those orbs flickered to her lips and then up again. He licked his own, Alexys swallowed at the action.

“No,” He muttered, “What’s not to get? I mean you’re...funny a-and cute and...Your nose does the most adorable little wrinkling thing when you laugh...And oh that laugh, you sound like you’re singing each time. Alexys I...liked you the moment I met you.”

She inhaled sharply, trying to process all of the compliments the man before her had just showered her in. Did he really think those things? Even though he had said it...Even though she had seen the texts on Bruce’s phone...None of it wanted to make sense to her. She was waiting for him to say he was kidding. For him to laugh and for her to be forced to laugh along. That was what he did, right? He joked...things were funny...was this funny?

As if sensing the doubt in her tumultuous mind, John took his chance.

Closing the distance between them, she could feel his smile as he kissed her, long and deep and moving his hands so that they were on her shoulders, just light enough for her to pull away should she refuse the motion or his feelings. She didn’t pull away, however. Alexys leaned forward, eyes shutting as she felt herself smiling back, the both of them entwined in a kiss that made them grin from ear to ear as they shared it with one another. He tasted like sweets and alcohol and she could have sworn she was drunk off of it as she found his hands in her own, holding tightly while they separated.

“Can you two please either finish your drinks or get a room?”

They looked up at the bartender, who looked like he was very, very tired of the events going on.

John laughed in return, an infectious sound that made Alexys join him as they nodded at one another and waved off to the bartender, who had moved away to simply let them go. Turning back to her, the man before Alexys gave a hopeful, shy sort of look as he kept his hands in hers.

“So that’s...an ‘I like you too’ I suppose?”

Alexys laughed again, giving his hand a squeeze as they hopped off of the barstools together. Standing on the tips of her toes, she gave the side of his face a light peck before tugging him towards the exit with a grin.

“It is. I...love you a lot, John.”

The words filled his stomach with butterflies as he ran forward and hugged her, swirling her around as they made it to the door and grinned happily at her, placing another kiss on her forehead.

“I love you too.”

Perhaps the only time they could be serious...was when they were seriously in love? Alexys was okay with that.

[checkurselfb4umachuwreckurself]

Wrote another fun fic involving the Fusion Dimension and how this arc is killing me

“Love Letters From Synchro” 2.4k

Shinji’s just calling to check in on Crow. Nothing worse than getting sent to voicemail, right?

Crow sat on the boat, Reira leaning on his leg, fast asleep. He was listening to the wind as it swept the ocean. He had heard the ocean traveling from the Commons to the City, but never this close up. The thrum, the bird squawks, the beeping- wait, that wasn’t the ocean; that was his disc. The beeping woke up Reira, who scootched away from the noise, closer to Tsukikage, who was starboard. Crow managed to pick it up by the second ring. “Hello?”

“Crow!” Of course it was Shinji calling. “I wasn’t sure if it would let me call you this far away. What time is it? Are we the same time zone? Don’t tell me it’s nighttime and I woke you up- sorry!”

A laugh. “Nah, I’m good, Shinji,” He nodded at Tsukikage and Reira, moving away to continue talking. “I’m pretty surprised they work too, actually- oh, and it’s 9am. You?”

Shinji nodded on the other side on the conversation. “9am here too. Good thing it’s consistent. It’d be a bitch to convert the time every time I wanted to call you.”

Crow giggled quietly. “Language, mister. Reira’s here.”

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll try to remember.”

Reiji made a neck cutting gesture, pointing at the upcoming ship- wait was that a pirate ship? “Gotta go, babe; I’m gonna fight some pirates.”

“Bring me back a doubloon,” Shinji laughed.

“I’ll see what I can do. Call me back later,” Crow cooed, hanging up his disc. He summoned out Raikiri- just in case.

Shingo lied against the grass. His duel disc was destroyed- thank a lot for that- and Crow’s disc sat on his chest. Held in front of his face was Crow’s card. He didn’t look scared like all the others that were carded. Right before it all happened, he tossed the disc to Shingo. As if it was more important to keep safe than himself. Shingo squeezed his eyes shut, sighing as he kept the card close. He couldn’t lose it. Protecting it was his responsibility. It was his fault this happened.

From his chest, Crow’s disc rang. In a panic, Shingo muted the disc. Silently calling was “Honey” with an obnoxious amount of bee and honeypot emojis. That was his boyfriend right? What was his name? It was similar, but nowhere as pretty as “Shingo” ...oh yeah, Shinji. That was it. A message popped up saying “Going To Voicemail”. Curious, Shingo unmuted it.

“Heya Crow!” Shinji’s voice chimed. Shingo had remembered Shinji’s voice from when they were underground, but he was nowhere as chipper back then. “Just tucked the kids in, they miss you very much.” Is this all? Shingo had half the nerve to pick up and say Crow wasn’t available at the time and he should try again later, but he was snapped out of his anger, hearing a sniffle. “We all do, ya know. Now I know how you feel when I don’t come home for days on end.” Shingo was silent. He knew what that was like. Some days his dad wouldn’t come back, leaving him alone for the night. He’d practically have to beg his friends to stay over those nights; he couldn’t stand it. Shinji laughed, choking a little. “Please call me back soon- oh and look! I didn’t swear for you. I’m getting better, I promise.” With that, Shinji ended the call. A small mailbox icon popped up, saving the message. Crow would get to listen to it later. Right?

Shingo barely got any sleep. He had slept on his side, head on Gongenzaka’s chest, with Gongenzaka’s arm covering his neck, entrapping him. He must have caught him shaking in his sleep and tried is best to restrain him. In Shingo’s arms was the disc; in his pocket, Crow’s card. He dared not jostle it; what if they still felt pain while in the cards?

He struggled to get out, only to be interrupted by Crow’s disc beeping again. Had he forgotten to mute it after the first message? The noise woke up Gongenzaka, who fortunately released Shingo. “Is that yours?” He asked, “shouldn’t you pick it up?”

Shingo shook his head, wiping the tears he must have leaked in his sleep. “I just… let it ring.”

They did, the disc presenting the same “Going To Voicemail” it displayed last night. “I was so sure you would have called, ya know,” Shinji hummed into the receiver. Gongenzaka went to press the “enter call” button, but Shingo snatched it away. “Anyways, hi Crow! It's your loving boyfriend just calling this morning to say good morning!” Shinji laughed, which made Shingo grit his teeth. “The kids have been very good and they’ve been doing all their chores. I've been taking your role best I can. Tony and Damon visited the other day, told me to say hi! The City’s restoration is going swimmingly! Be sure to tell me how the pirate thing went! Oh, I'm running out of time! See you soon!” As soon as it started, the call ended. The inbox icon read a red “2” now.

Shingo pulled himself up into a sitting position, the disc in his lap. Gongenzaka mirrored it, crossing his arms. “Sawatari, you should have picked up and told him what happened.”

“I can’t,” Shingo whispered, pulling the disc to his chest, small tears bubbling in his eyes. “I just can’t do that to him.”

He kept both close to him. Neither the disc, nor the card, was ever out of his sight. Shingo was starting to wish he had brought a backpack. He sat with the others who were thinking up strategies, but Shingo couldn’t concentrate.  As if to spite him, the disc rang. Yuuya and the others turned to him, curious. “This better be short,” Shingo hissed. He didn’t really mean that. Crow was gonna get to hear how much Shinji missed him, so of course he wouldn’t want Shinji to cut corners. Crow deserved all of it.

The disc switched the voicemail. “You know, it’s rude to listen to someone else’s calls,” Yuuya chided with a quirked eyebrow.

“Shut up,” Shingo whispered, leaning in to hear the message.

“Sorry if you're sleeping and can't pick up,” Shinji said, quieter than usual. That was new. Shinji was apologizing. “But we just wanted to say night- right kids?”

Three voices that Shingo would normally say he “unfortunately remembered” if he was in his right mind piped up. “Night dad!” That must have been Amanda, Frank, and Tanner: the Hogan-Weber kids.

Shinji’s tongue clicked. “Oh come on you won't call me dad but-” Shingo couldn’t tell if it was one, but the sound he heard sounded like Shinji shaking his head. “Whatever. Please call back soon! The kids miss you! Almost as much as me, even,” he laughed again. Despite his misery he was still laughing? How much was a facade for Crow? Or for the kids, that matter?

Speaking of the kids- “Shinji!” They all shouted at Shinji. So much for ‘almost’, Shingo guessed. He gave an inaudible sigh. He wished his father or his friends would have called him even just once. He’d been gone, what, weeks? Not even a single text or email. Sure they didn’t really know he left since he kinda snuck out without saying anything, but didn’t they miss him?

Shinji didn’t respond to their pleas. “Gotta go! Can’t let them stay up too long, ya know.” He made a noise that Shingo guessed was an air kiss- not that it was for him, anyways. “Love you to the Fusion Dimension and back!” Again, the inbox icon added another red number.

Shingo choked on his words, watching the disc switch to neutral. Yuuya placed a hand on Shingo’s shoulder. “And back…” he repeated in a whisper. As much as he didn’t want to, he let himself cry in front of the others.

Everyone was grouped up. Shingo was still a mess- physically and mentally. Seeing Crow turn into the card flashed in his head every time he closed his eyes. Was this what it was like to feel “un-fabulous”?

Reiji was lecturing about something. Cooperation or whatever. Where did that get them? Tsukikage and Crow were gone, and he was sure neither he nor Reira were there completely. Not to mention what happened to the girls-

As inconvenient as all the others were, Crow’s disc went off. Reiji sighed. “Sawatari, why are you still holding onto that.” It wasn’t a question.

Shingo scoffed. “It has everything that matters to Crow on it. His numbers, his win streak.” He paused a second. “His… selfies with his kids?” Reiji’s face didn’t change. “He’s gonna need it when he comes back.”

“If,” was Reiji’s only response.

“When,” Shingo hissed, letting the voicemail play.

“Hey Crow!” Shinji said, clearly tired. “I know it's earlier than usual, but I wanted to say hi before I went to work.” He gave out a small yawn. “It's kinda hard sleeping without you here-”

Reiji snatched the duel disc and pressed “enter call” before Shingo could even react. How much had the lack of sleep affected him? “Mr. Weber?” Reiji asked, pushing Shingo’s grabby hands away.

Shinji’s eyes immediately narrowed and his voice got dark. “What the he- who is this? Yuuya? Serena? Are you there?” He asked, desperately trying to match a face to the voice.

“This is Akaba Reiji,” Reiji answered- wow, a straight answer from them? That was rare. “I am the leader of the Lancers. The group that your husband-”

“Boyfriend,” Shinji corrected.

“Boyfriend, joined. Willingly, I may add.” Reiji’s voice was flat and didn’t waver. Reiji’s voice was where emotions went to die.

“What?” Shinji asked. He had remembered someone mentioning the Lancers during the Friendship Cup, but he surely wasn’t listening too well.

“I’m terribly sorry to say, but your ‘boyfriend�� was lost in a duel against the enemy.” Despite the ‘sorry’, Reiji didn’t seem too bothered about the loss.

Shinji was frantic. “What!?” he asked again.

Reiji continued, back to avoiding questions. “I best recommend you do not call this number anymore, as he will not be able to pick up.” They had essentially told Shinji to fuck off with not a shred of remorse. Shingo couldn’t believe this, but he couldn’t move either.

Shinji’s voice was wet and angry. “WHAT HAPPENED!?” He shouted, desperate for even the smallest of an answer.

There wasn’t one. “Goodbye,” Reiji stated as plain as if they had explained that water was indeed wet.

“DO NOT HANG UP YOU BAS-”

Reiji did.

They tossed the disc back to Shingo, suggesting he get rid of it to avoid anymore distractions.

“PICK UP THE FUCKING PHONE! WHAT HAPPENED TO CROW!? WHY WON’T YOU ANSWER ME!? IS EVERYONE’S LIFE JUST SOME STUPID GAME THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN IGNORE IF YOU AREN’T WINNING!? ANSWER ME AKABA.”

“What the hell does “lost” even mean? Is he missing? Did he get captured? Is… did you let him die.”

“Reiji, I took a drive, I’m calm now. Pick up the phone please. What happened to Crow. You need to tell me. Please call me back, Crow already has my number on speed dial.”

“You’re lucky I can’t travel across dimensions and beat your ass, Reiji.”

Shingo sat against a ledge, hugging his knees. The duel disc that sat next to him hadn’t gone off in a while, just the last few popping into the inbox. Reiji and the others left him behind, not wanting Shingo to draw attention by listening to the messages. He didn’t want to stay in the Fusion Dimension. No one needed him here. As skilled as he was, Shingo hadn’t won a single duel without help.

“Akaba, I need to give Crow’s card to Shinji. It’s the only way he’ll understand what happened.”

“Be my guest, but if you do, don’t come back. A true Lancer wouldn’t leave their mission for anything, or anyone.”

He broke from the hold, slapping his cheeks. He couldn’t give up. He was the son of the to-be-mayor of Miami City. Plus there was no way he would let Reiji call him a ‘fake lancer’.

But first…

Shinji was correct: Shinji’s number was on Crow’s speed dial.  Shingo pressed it, rocking his knees back and forth. What should he say when he picks up? What would he say if he didn’t pick up?

“Heeya,” a voice stammers out. It’s similar to Shinji’s… but more… intoxicated. “Is that you?”

The ‘you’ is not elaborated on, but Shingo assumes he meant Crow. “Are you drunk?” Shingo thinks out loud, suddenly sick to his stomach.

“Maybe,” Shinji slurs. That definitely means he is. Shingo takes a quiet deep breath. The only thing scarier than his dad saying he’s not coming home was his dad coming home drunk. Shingo would never touch that stuff, not even the fancy wines he sees at parties he gets dragged to. If it had even the slimmest chance of making him act like Furio? Nope. Never. “When are you coming home?” Shinji asked.

Shingo pauses. He forgot to explain who he was. Oops. “I’m... not your boyfriend. I’m Sawatari Shingo.”

“Never heard of you.”

Shingo pouted. “I’m a friend- well, acquaintance of Crow.”

Shinji hummed. “I’m glad Crow has so many close friends. Crow is the best.”

He certainly wasn’t like his father when he was drunk, but Shingo didn’t exactly want to stay on the line too long; Shinji still had the potential to turn on a dime. “Look, I’m calling to say that… well… Crow… Crow was carded.”

There was a long hollow pause. “What…” Shinji swallowed. “What does that even mean.”

“I… don’t know,” Shingo admitted. No one had really explained carding, had they? If they had, he surely wasn’t paying attention.

“He’s dead. Isn’t he,” Shinji stated. There was no question. Just solemn acceptance.

The cold wind was nowhere near as biting as the comment. Shingo took the card out of his pocket, rubbing his thumb against the edge. “I’m… sorry.” A tear splashed onto Crow’s printed face, Shingo promptly rubbing it off. “I would do anything to bring him back.”

Shinji’s voice was wet, but it didn’t sound like he was crying. “I hope he knows I’m sorry. For everything.”

Shingo looked up, seeing some Obelisk Force patrolling around. “If I don’t make it out alive, I’ll tell him for you.” Not waiting for a response, Shingo hung up. He turned off the disc, any new messages wouldn’t be automatically played.

And for the first time in days, Shingo’s thoughts were empty.

[kat2609]

Need a Little Christmas Part 2/3. (I’m almost certain)

Because it’s totally okay to be publishing a Christmas fic in February. Isn’t it?

For my GFSS @laschatzi - it’s not been quick, but I ma gradually whipping that muse into submission. Thanks for being patient with me!

Find Part 1 HERE

Many thanks to @tnlph and @the-captains-ayebrows for beta duties. I’d say more, but in the immortal words of one of you...“shit, I don’t know”. 

Need a Little Christmas (Part 2/3)

Emma was absolutely not hoping to run into anyone in particular as she made her way to Granny’s to meet David and Snow for coffee. She pulled her leather jacket around herself against the cold, the shoulders straining slightly over the bulk of her sweater du jour.

Despite the lack of specific holiday function, Granny’s “free cocoa with Christmas sweater” policy was all the reason Emma needed to pull one of her personal favourites out of the closet for the occasion, even if Henry was far less enthusiastic. Her son had been shaking his head in disbelief from the moment she had discovered the dabbing Santa sweater hidden in the racks of one of Storybrooke’s more discount clothing stores, and his disapproval had showed no sign of abating, even as he left to spend the holiday with his father.

Her phone beeped as if on cue.

Henry: Please tell me you didn’t wear it.

Chuckling to herself, Emma snapped a quick selfie, wishing she had been able to complete the look with a dab of her own. As much as she actually disliked the craze, she was never going to miss an opportunity to embarrass her twelve year old, so she wasted no time in replying with her photo, a smile on her face as she imagined his crinkled nose as he saw it.

His response was almost instantaneous and consisted mostly of emojis with their tongues poked out.

Reaching the door to Granny’s, she sent one last message to her boy and pushed her way inside. A blast of warm air hit her as she entered, scanning the booths for her brother and sister-in-law and staunchly ignoring the pang of disappointment when no tousled dark hair and flashing blue eyes appeared. Just like she’d been ignoring those same images since the night she’d met him.

It was just as well there had been no random meetings or awkward conversations, really. Far better not to start something that would inevitably end a spectacular disaster - and Killian Jones clearly had enough of his own issues to deal with without adding Emma and her total inability to handle the smallest of commitments to his plate. Outside of Henry - and even with him she had considered whether his best chance might lie somewhere other than with her for the briefest of moments - very little in Emma’s life had helped her to believe in happy endings.

Meeting David and Ruth, his mother; having them refuse to take no for an answer when she told them she didn’t deserve them had let her hope, for however short a time it might have been, that there was a chance of more for her. That she was worth loving, worth caring for. She’d even tried it for a while, let Neal in and trusted him with her heart, but as she sat in a courtroom and narrowly escaped incarceration, a tiny spark of life growing in her belly with Neal long gone and her world in tatters, Emma had realised the Nolans were merely an unlikely blip in the shitshow that was her life.

A highly persistent blip, however, and resilient to a fault - a fact reiterated as she spotted Snow’s wide smile across the diner, waving her over to their booth at the rear of the diner.

Sliding into the opposite bench seat, Emma looked defiant as David shook his head at her.

“Really? You’re so unsatisfied with pointing out the pointlessness of Christmas decorations that you need to make an added comment on ridiculous fads at the same time?”

“Yep,” Emma replied, picking up the menu and reading it thoroughly as if there was a chance Granny may have actually altered it in the last ten years. She grinned at her brother’s agitation. “You should call your nephew to bitch about it.”

“I might.” 

“Go ahead.”

Snow sighed, shaking her head good-naturedly at the pair of them. “Good to know that when the baby comes, he won’t be the most immature member of the family.”

“Not a chance, considering who his father is,” Emma muttered, just loud enough to be sure David heard her. Before he could react, Snow stepped in.

“Did Henry get off to Neal’s okay?” she asked Emma, ever the peacemaker. Emma nodded her response, Snow continuing before she had a chance to say a word. “And what about you? What are your plans while Henry is in the city? Girly movies? Long baths?  Any hot dates lined up?”

Snow was the picture of innocence as she asked the question, or would have been if it wasn’t for the knowing glint in her eye as she smiled encouragingly at Emma. It was far from the first time a suitably eligible man had been trotted out to make Emma’s acquaintance - if that’s what they were calling it these days - but it was the first time she had felt the pull to make something more of the moment.

But as that was not going to happen, it was nothing Snow needed to get excited about.

“Yeah,” Emma started, watching as her sister-in-law’s eyes lit up. “A date with some files that need updating and my pillow. Hot enough for you?”

To Snow’s credit, she tempered the disappointment on her face almost instantaneously. Almost.

“I thought you and Killian were hitting it off,” she began, only to be interrupted by the server delivering their drinks, coffee for David and steaming hot cocoa for Snow. Emma looked questioningly at them, and David rubbed Snow’s rounded belly.

“This kid waits for no one, sis,” he said apologetically. “I’m sure if you go and see Granny, she’ll speed your order up.”

With an exaggerated huff, Emma slid from the booth, secretly pleased to have avoided any more digging into her encounter with Killian Jones. For all her determination to push whatever attraction she felt for him to the side, she had a sneaking suspicion actually keeping said attraction from the eagle-eyed Snow would be far easier when not talking about him.

Granny smiled as she walked up to the counter. Not for the first time, Emma wondered whether the older woman’s Ugly Sweater/Free drink policy had more than a little to do with her own penchant for rather outlandish knitwear - and not limited to the festive season. Today she was bedecked in a riot of large red and green flowers, of no discernible species, with gold embroidery and beading marking the stamens. It was quite a lot to digest all at once, and Emma had mixed feelings as to whether she needed to look away or work out how to add it to her own personal collection.

“I hope you’ve given yourself a few free cocoas based on that sweater, Granny,” Emma said with a grin.

Granny’s eyes narrowed, confusion forming a deep furrow in her brow. “What do you mean?” she asked, no hint of humour in her voice.

Sudden panic filled Emma’s mind. Upsetting Granny was not ever a wise idea, especially not when her grilled cheese sandwiches were your staple diet. Stammering, Emma tried to backpedal. “I...no...I meant...”

“Ahoy there, Swan.”

She felt her shoulders slump. Rescued, but at what price? Turning to the source of the melodic voice, she came face to face with the smirking lips of Killian Jones, mentally kicking herself for the way her stomach clenched with want when one eyebrow shot up towards his hairline and his smile relaxed into one of genuine pleasure to see her.

Red suited him, she had to say, eyes scanning his frame as he slouched against Granny’s bar. He kept smiling at her and she struggled to string a coherent sentence together in response to his greeting.

“Hi,” was all that came out, more squeak than word and she cleared her throat, willing herself to get it together.  “Hi,” she repeated, stronger this time.  “Do you make a habit of just hanging around, leaning on counters in random places?”

The laugh again. She was going to have to stop being so damned funny.

“It’s one of my many talents, love,” he said, with a suggestive wink.

From behind the counter, Granny spluttered. Emma and Killian both turned to her, watching as she shook her head, eyes skyward and mouth quirked in amusement. She put down the glass she had been drying and indicated several points around the room. “Just in case anyone’s interested, mistletoe can be found there...there...there...and there.”

There was no time to protest, Granny slipping back into business mode before either of them could vehemently deny needing anything of the sort. “Now will that be free cocoa for both of you?”

Realising she had been too distracted by the workings of his face to pay attention to his outerwear, Emma ran her eyes over his sweater. She had noticed little beyond the red colour at first glance, but a closer look revealed intricate white details and the phrase “Merry Christmas ya filthy animal.” She raised her eyes to him, nodding in reluctant approval.

“A quality choice,” she said with a smile.

He placed a hand on his heart and made a mock bow. “I suspect your approval is not easily given, Swan, and thus I am honoured. Perhaps we could partake of our winnings together?”

Whatever effort he was making to hide the hope in his eyes, it was not quite enough. Emma’s mind started to race, looking from Granny’s amused face to Killian’s earnest one, panic setting in as she realised all her effort to put him from her mind were about to come to nothing - and that she was not quite as negative about that thought as would be ideal.

She looked at Granny. “I’d love my free cocoa - but I think the Captain here will need to make with the doubloons.”

Both watching faces furrowed in confusion. Granny just shook her head, mumbling something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like “Here we go again” while Killian cocked his head, his smile slightly less self assured.

“Ugly pullover in return for free hot chocolate are the terms of the agreement, I believe, love?”

“Yes, exactly,” Emma replied, knowing she was being obtuse, argumentative even, but unable to stop the rollercoaster now she was on it. Panic did her no favours, and something about the way Killian Jones had made his way into her thoughts like he had never been anywhere else was definitely inciting panic.

And possibly a few other feelings Granny’s counter was not the place to explore.

“Ugly sweater,” she said, grabbing a handful of the acrylic covering his chest for emphasis. “There is nothing ugly about this sweater. It is an iconic Christmas sentiment from an iconic Christmas cinema masterpiece, that explores deep seated issues about abandonment and self-reliance and...burglary and...and…” She stopped mid stream, looking down at her hand, still tightly tangled in the fabric of his sweater, pulling it away from his neck and revealing a glimpse of dark, whorled chest hair and sun-roughened skin. She was afraid to make eye contact, unsure whether anger or amusement would meet her on his face.

The arched eyebrow and pink tongue darting out across his lips suggested amusement. Among other things.

“If you wished to divest me of my clothes, Swan, you need only have asked,” he said with a slow smile.

Bastard. Damn him and the rush of heat that flooded her body as she loosened her grip on him, dropping her hand hurriedly to her side. The best she could hope was that the warmth she felt low in her stomach didn’t creep its way up to her face, revealing to him just how interested parts of her were in making that very request. If the alarm bells were ringing before, they were full scale warning klaxons now and Emma could see only one course of action.

“I’ll let you know if I need a floorshow,” she said hurriedly, ignoring the way his smile was morphing into a wide grin, knowing it wasn’t going to stay that way for long. “But I’m pretty sure I won’t. I better get back to my table. See you round, Killian.”

She turned on her heels without watching his face change again, bypassing Snow and David and their booth for the relative safety of Granny’s back hallway. Stopping for a moment as the door to the dining room swung closed behind her, her eyes scanned the area for somewhere safe to gather her thoughts.

The ladies’ room it was.

Grateful the tiny bathroom was empty, Emma leaned against the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. Every bit of determination she had coming here, every certainty that a man like Killian Jones did not need someone like her messing him around, had been gone in a moment when faced with the reality of him and the strong connection that she knew was more than just lust.

Though it was certainly that, too.

Something about him felt right - safe and comfortable and real - and no matter how much she believed she was no good for him, every new meeting just lowered her resistance. She had Henry to consider, and she had no doubt he would adore Killian Jones; probably did already if he had come across him at school; but letting her kid get attached to the idea of them being together when there was no way she could make that happen was going to help no one. She sighed deeply, shaking her head at her own reflection.  Filling her hands with cool water, she splashed her face, patting it dry with paper towel, hoping her little sojourn had ensured the coast would be clear when she returned.

Emma pushed open the door back into the hall, so focused on choosing an excuse to give her family for bailing that she failed to see the obstacle that crossed her path. A solid, male obstacle who wrapped his arms around her shoulders to steady her as she tumbled forward and landed against the hard planes of his chest. Her hands came up instinctively, coming to rest against his torso as recognition flooded her system.

Along with a healthy dose of his spiced cologne, enough to keep her immobile against him for just the smallest second too long.

“Woah,” she exclaimed as she made a hurried step back from him. “Are you adding lurking to your list of talents now?”

He didn’t bite at her poor attempt at humour. “I’m rather afraid I offended you with my poor attempt at flirtation, Swan,” he said, the sincerity in his voice the only thing that stopped Emma from laughing out loud at the notion. “It seems I’m somewhat out of practice. It was never my intention to upset you.”

No, she had managed that all by herself and the unfairness of letting him take the blame for her own freak out was more than she could stand. “I’m not upset,” she half-whispered, “I’m just…” Broken? Damaged? Faltering on her admission, she leaned back against the wall of the corridor with a sigh.

He studied her for a moment, teeth worrying his bottom lip as his eyes searched hers, as if the answers to the myriad of questions he had to have might be found there. Then without a word, he moved next to her, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, legs crossed at the ankles, before patting the patch of floor beneath her and urging her to join him.

Fighting it was just too hard. Emma slid down beside him silently, curling her arms around her legs until her chin rested on her knees. They sat in silence for several moments, Emma supremely conscious of the steady in and out of his breathing and the heady scent of leather and salt that surrounded him. It was Killian’s voice that broke through the quiet.

“As ridiculous as these sweaters are, they’re quite important to you, aren’t they?”

Of all the things she had expected him to say, this was definitely bottom of the list. How did he do that? How was he able to see inside her thoughts, even when her public persona was so adamantly anti? As if to prove her point, he smiled warmly.

“Open book, remember?”

“I guess you missed my lectures about how pointless these things are? About the wastefulness of this whole Christmas consumer machine?”

Killian chuckled. “So it seems, Swan, more’s the pity. Having seen you in action earlier I’d imagine it’s quite something to see.”

Emma shrugged, uncurling herself and stretching her legs out to match his, relaxing into a slump next to the wall. Resistance seemed a pointless exercise - no matter how strong her resolve to keep him at arm’s length seemed to be, a few minutes in his presence seemed to make her want more. Still - she didn’t have to engage entirely. There was room for her protective barriers to hold at least a little.

His voice was soft and full of emotion when it broke the silence yet again.

“I wear them for my brother.”  

Lost in her own thoughts as she had been, Emma looked questioningly at him, unsure if she had missed part of the conversation. Seeing her confusion, he explained.

“Liam delighted in these ridiculous pullovers, searched high and low for the blasted things every year. The more mortifying to me, the better.”

Henry’s scrunched up face of frustration flashed into Emma’s mind and she couldn’t help but smile. “Your brother sounds like quite a guy,” she said.

The downturn of his head and the tiniest tremor in his voice told her she had struck a nerve. The mischief twinkling in his eyes in all their previous encounters was gone, replaced with something else entirely. Something raw and painful and all too familiar to Emma.

Loss was like a beacon to someone who had felt so much of it herself.

“Sorry…” she began, but Killian shushed her gently.

“It was a sailing accident in a December squall that took him. And this -” he gestured with this prosthetic - “and to say I didn’t handle it particularly well would be something of an understatement. Pushed everyone away and focused on being angry with the world for quite some time.”

He paused, fingers working against the fabric of his jeans as they sat side by side. The urge to cover his hand with hers was almost overwhelming, but Emma was saved from herself by Killian continuing his tale.

“When I finally shook myself out of the haze of self-pity and rum, I realised I needed to actually honour his memory in some real way and the first thing I thought about was these ridiculous sweaters. So when the holidays came around again I sourced the most nonsensical I could find and somehow it helped me feel closer to him. And that, my dear Swan, is my sad tale of holiday woe.”

The inexplicable connection Emma had felt from their first meeting was somehow less surprising now. Kindred spirits, Snow would say, minds and souls that understood each other because their experiences mirrored so closely. It was the only possible reason Emma could imagine for her own story slipping so easily from her lips.

The floodgates opened and she found herself sharing it all with him - abandonment as a baby, the horrors of the foster system, even Neal and finding herself alone and pregnant at seventeen. Emma couldn’t remember the last time she had been so open with another human being, if indeed she had ever been so forthcoming with her story. Throughout its telling, she waited for his face to change, for the inevitable look of pity or even mild disapproval she had seen so many times before to alter his features and remind her that no matter how comfortable she felt in this moment, it was all a pipe dream not meant for the likes of her.

It never did. Not once.

Instead, understanding shone in his eyes as he peppered her story with exclamations of support and encouragement. Emma breathed deeply as she finished, no idea what to do now that she had laid her heart bare before him. She should have known Killian would have it covered.

“So it appears in the matter of heartwarming Christmas memories, neither of us are destined to trouble the good people of Hallmark, Swan.” Emma cocked her head, one eyebrow raised at the truth of that statement. “But an especially hideous holiday sweater could be just the ticket to chase away some less than savoury associations, don’t you think?”

“Or a good way to stage a protest and be toasty warm at the same time.” Why she insisted on maintaining her facade when he so clearly saw through to her depths, Emma did not know, but she remained defiant. It had little effect on Killian and he merely chuckled at her stubbornness.

Her surprise at the depth of Killian’s understanding must have been clear on her face, but he made no further comment, as if he knew how far he could push before the thin veil of comfort that surrounded them cracked and she was gone. Although she really had little desire to go anywhere, she realised, conscious suddenly of the way his shoulder all but brushed hers, legs so close the smallest movement would bring them together.

They sat in silence - a comfortable, easy kind of quiet that Emma should have seen for what it was; the point of no return. No matter how strongly she believed starting something with Killian Jones was a bad idea, there was little doubt that something was starting and maintaining her denial was becoming a more difficult prospect with every moment.

She sighed heavily, the cold, hard floor of Granny’s hallway taking its toll as she shifted uncomfortably in a vain attempt to get some feeling back in her ass. Before she could settle herself back, Killian was pulling himself to his feet.

“The Nolans will worry you have met a nefarious end, Swan,” he said. “Perhaps I should return you to them.” With a smile, he held out his hand to her. After the briefest hesitation, Emma took it and allowed him to pull her up to stand, his strong fingers around hers sending tendrils of warmth creeping up her arm.

She should have let go, should have walked away in that moment when there was still a chance she could put aside the pull she felt towards him for the greater good. But instead she stayed, allowing her fingers to tangle with his as they inched into each other’s space, his prosthetic hovering tantalisingly close at her hip.

His feelings were written in his eyes, she realised, as the depths of their blue searched her face for some idea of how to proceed.  As if she knew.

“They make me feel like I’m part of something I never had,” she said in a trembling voice, unable to look away from this man who scared and comforted her in equal measure. His lips curved gently up, the softest of smiles as she allowed her walls to start to crumble. “The sweaters, I mean,” she added, knowing he would already understand but needing to say something, anything, to control the blinding urge to pull him hard against her and kiss him.

“If you can’t have a little hope at Christmas time, love, when can you?” he whispered, the arm at her hip touching her now, edging her ever so slightly closer to him. There was a hairsbreadth between them as he untangled his fingers from hers and brushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear, his touch leaving tiny sparks on her skin as he trailed a fingertip down her cheek. “And all you need to do is open yourself up to the possibilities...”

His final syllables were swallowed as his lips pressed gently against hers, soft and firm all at once, Emma’s eyes closing as she was enveloped by his nearness. She froze for a split second, before feeling took over and she returned the kiss, her hands snaking up and into the dark hair at the nape of his neck.

His arm tightened around her, pulling her body in line with his as his fingers worked meaningless patterns up and down her arm. His mouth moved more insistently, tongue exploring the seam of her lips before he pulled back to breathe, blue eyes dark and clouded with desire. He left nothing hidden from her, his feelings painted on his face and his heart on his sleeve.

She breathed with him, faces so close it would be nothing to pull his lips back to hers and get lost in his kiss again; so easy to let the warmth of him flood her being and forget the rest of the world in his arms.

But when did Emma Swan do easy?

Cold fingers of panic gripped her heart as he leaned in again, the overwhelming sense of impending doom making her shuffle back and away from him. “I...um...I should get back,” she stammered, this time watching as she made his face crumble, knowing she deserved to see the pain she was causing this good, good man who needed someone so much better. Someone who could look at him the way he had looked at her, as if his kiss was a revelation of all that was right in the world.

Not that she was sure it wasn’t.

“Swan?” There was hurt in this voice; confusion and questions she didn’t have an answer to. Emma paused, uncertain how strong her resistance would be in the face of his disappointment. But instead of despair, she was met with resignation and a sad smile. “Merry Christmas, love,” he sighed, making no move to halt her retreat.  

She forced a neutral smile and muttered a hurried “Merry Christmas” in return, pushing her way through the doors leading back to the dining room before she could give in to the insistent voices in her head telling her to go back, to let him in and damn the consequences.

~~~**~~~

To say that regret underpinned Emma's emotional landscape in the days following their kiss would have been something of an understatement. If anything had ever proved the point that she was destined to screw up any relationship she tried to start, surely it was this...and yet Killian’s scent seemed to linger in the air around her, the thought of his lips on hers still igniting tiny sparks and the memory of his face as she walked away left a cold, clenching feeling in the pit of her stomach.

It was too quiet at the station, she thought, as she sunk her head into her hands, rubbing at her eyes in the hope of erasing the image of striking blue eyes that appeared in her mind at every opportunity. Too much time to reflect on what a fucking mess she was - unable to even try at having something with a halfway decent guy who was clearly into her.

As if Killian Jones was ‘halfway’ anything.

“Aaargh,” Emma huffed in frustration, her arms sweeping forward as she laid her head down on her desk. A stack of paperwork, already precarious in its positioning thanks to her less than stellar filing system, teetered on the edge before tumbling over and onto the floor, taking a plastic pot full of pens and a coffee mug - thankfully David’s - with it. Emma swore loudly as the resulting crash echoed through the empty office, banging her forehead against the desktop a couple of times out of sheer irritation.

Pushing her chair back forcefully, narrowly avoiding an equally noisy clash with her filing cabinet, she went to clean up the mess, slamming papers on the table in random piles, muttering curses under her breath as she did so.

Too loudly, it seemed, to realise she had a visitor.

“Steady on, Swan. What did that particular sheet of paper ever do to you?”

Emma froze, the sound of his voice enough to have her stomach flip-flopping and her heart beating out of her chest. By the time she steadied herself enough to turn around, Killian was crouched next to her, a stack of papers in his outstretched hand and a hopeful smile on his lips.

“Thanks,” Emma said quickly, taking the papers and adding them to her pile, more gently this time, cheeks pink with embarrassment at the possibility of him asking just how the contents of her desktop ended up on the floor.

It seemed she needn't have worried.  They worked in companionable silence, Emma watching surreptitiously as Killian’s nimble fingers picked the smallest of ceramic shards from the unfortunate mug, his brow furrowed with concentration as his prosthetic steadied him against the desk.

Heat flooded her face again, less embarrassment this time and more the result of scenes coming unbidden to her mind as she wondered at how else he might put that dexterity to use.

“A good hoovering should see you right Swan.”

Emma spluttered, eyes darting from his fingers to his face. She had no idea what he meant but the propensity of her brain to add dirty connotations was astounding and all she could hope was that the words ‘impure thoughts’ weren't written across her forehead in neon lights.

It seemed she was safe. He just shook his head and chuckled, apparently at himself. “Sorry love, forgot which continent I was on for a moment. Run this over with the vacuum and you'll be shipshape in no time.”

Oh. Cleaning. Right.

Before she could say a word he was on his feet. “I'm happy to do the honours,” he said with a grin. “Just point me in the direction of the cleaning supplies.”

Once again, Emma found herself choking on her words - but this time, the source of her inarticulation was something very different. Killian was wearing his trademark black skinny jeans and dark button down, but over the top was a black knit with all manner of Christmassy designs emblazoned across the front in repeating patterns. Clearly preparing to get to work, he began to remove his leather jacket and Emma was no longer able to contain herself.

“Oh my God, Jones, is that a sweater vest?” she asked incredulously. “Did you think this was the fashion police and come to turn yourself in?” Despite her earlier discomfort, and her lingering regrets over what might have been, this was familiar ground; a comfortable place to test the waters and hope that somehow, maybe, something of their connection could be salvaged from the ashes of her massive crash and burn.

“Aye, indeed it is, Swan. One of my particular favourites, I must say, despite your savage witticisms,” he said. His grin widened impossibly, and he made a show of modelling said sweater vest for its full impact. As Emma watched him primp and preen, pointing out the way the candy cane motif clashed hopelessly with the corresponding holly and ivy design, she found herself smiling back at him, the fears that had held her heart behind protective walls somehow seeming less important in the face of how being with him felt.

“Perhaps I have earned my complimentary cocoa from the Widow Lucas with this selection?” His voice was cool and even but as he bit down on his bottom lip and looked at her from beneath his thick, dark lashes, she had no doubt he could feel the shift in their encounter. He was issuing a challenge, she knew, and for once in her life she was not going to sabotage her own happiness. There was no need for words of regret and apology - not now, at least - because he knew what was in her heart better than she did.  

“Perhaps we should go and find out,” Emma replied, conscious of the heat that sparked in the atmosphere around them, matching her tone to his as she stepped ever so slightly towards him.

“Are you propositioning me, Swan?” he said, any attempt at lightness tempered slightly by a soft tremor in his voice.

Emma nodded, the resulting light in his blue eyes warming her to the core.

“A gentleman likes to be asked, love,” he said with a languid grin, his arched eyebrow and tiny crinkles in the corner of his eyes enough to have Emma swaying between kissing and slapping him.

She suspected he’d be okay either way.

Her confidence stuttered for the briefest second as she locked eyes with him, and the mischief in his face softened to something quite different - hope and encouragement that was just enough to see the words slide out in a rush.

“Killian, will you go out with me?”

His breath hitched as she swayed toward him and she reached a hand out to pinch a piece of the well-worn knit fabric between her fingers, toying with it slowly as her other hand crept up to rest against his chest. He tensed slightly under her touch - unsurprising, she supposed, when you considered how the last time they had been in this position ended - but Emma stood her ground, edging him back ever so slowly until he leaned against her desk and she stepped between his denim-clad legs. Her fingers traced the candy canes on his sweater and he sighed, his hand and prosthetic moving to rest on her hips with a featherlight touch.

She breathed out heavily when the tip of his tongue rolled across his lips, her eyes following its journey and her hands tangling in the fabric of his sweater once more. She was barely aware of him moving, so focused on the soft curve of his lips and the way her pulse was echoing in her head that his arms tightened around her before she knew it was happening. His mouth was on hers with a low, feral groan that Emma felt deep in her core. There was no hesitation, nothing sweet and slow about this kiss - it was heat and fire and passion and she never wanted it to end.

Killian’s tongue played at the seam of her lips, teasing and tantalising until she opened her mouth to allow him in, her hands wandering up and around his neck and into his lush, dark hair. They breathed together, eyes meeting as their eyelids fluttered open, the softest smile on Emma’s lips as Killian dragged his thumb along her chin before tangling his hand in her hair and pulling her back towards him for more.  

“Emma! Have you seen the heavy duty flashlight?” David’s voice rang through the hallway and Emma sprang back from Killian, hastily running a hand through her soft curls before he rounded the corner.

She supposed she should be grateful it was David and not his wife who had arrived unexpectedly. Snow would have made short work of the clues at hand - blown pupils, mussed hair, a sweater vest somewhat askew - but David just looked surprised at Killian’s presence.

“Killian,” he said, with a hearty slap on the shoulder for the man in question. “Were we supposed to talk about that field trip you asked about today? I hope Emma looked after you.”

The twinkle in his eye at that opportunity was downright dangerous. “She did indeed,” he drawled and Emma fought the urge to slap him hard. She satisfied herself with a harsh glare - which he completely ignored as he continued.  “Actually Swan here was asking me a question. Weren't you Swan?” he said, voice heavy with mischief.

That slapping now seemed even more of an option.

“Was I?” she asked, the arch on her eyebrow a match for anything Killian’s had ever had to offer. There was a curious expression on David’s face as he looked from Emma to Killian and back again.

Although it was nothing on the salacious grin on Killian’s.

“Indeed you were, Swan, it was just before you stepped over here and…”

“Okay, okay,” she exclaimed, interrupting him before David’s widening eyes did him some kind of permanent damage. “Well, will you?”

She didn’t know what she expected - more banter or saucy eyebrow wiggling, probably - but it wasn’t the way his face softened, lips curling up into a smile that brought tiny crinkles to the corners of his eyes. David’s presence was somehow no longer relevant as Emma realised just what her change of heart meant to Killian.

“I humbly accept on one condition, love,” he  smiled, “As long as I can plan the date.”

David made a tiny squeak of surprise, but Emma saw only Killian.

“Didn’t I already do that?  I thought we were going to Granny's to see if she knew a truly awful sweater when she sees one,” she quipped.

“Oh Swan,” he said with a fond shake of his head, as if she were under some delusion. “You know how to chase a criminal, but I know how to plan an evening out. Shall we say Saturday evening? At 7?”

The voice that answered him was not at all what any of them had expected. Except, maybe, for David.

“She'll be there.” Snow’s voice, slightly tinny from the echo in the sheriff’s office, reverberated around them. Emma turned to her brother, face incredulous as David held out his phone, shrugging as if to say there had been no option but to share what he had discovered. “In fact, pick her up at the loft. I’m not going to risk any cold feet on this one.”

Emma felt heat rise in her cheeks. “You said that last bit out loud,” she snapped, snatching the phone from her brother’s hand. “Goodbye Snow.” Emma tapped the end call button hard and handed the device back to David, who had the good grace to at least look embarrassed. For a moment she thought he was going to say something, but her pointed stare towards his office sent him backing away without a word, his phone stored hastily in his pocket before some harm mysteriously came to it.

Killian leaned casually against her desk, still perched where he had been when she had been fused to him only minutes earlier, a wide grin on his handsome face as Emma turned to face him.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said, fighting the urge to smile right back at him and his stupid twinkling blue eyes. “You’re not much better.”

As expected, her chastising him had very little effect. “I’m delightfully charming, Swan, and you know it,” he said with a lopsided wink and a pop on the ‘t’ that made Emma’s knees sway dangerously.

Although she had no intention of letting him know that.

“Well just remember, pirate, I don’t pillage and plunder on the first date,” she quipped, hoping the challenge in her voice masked any evidence of the swooping feelings in her stomach, especially as he met her gaze and intensified his own.

“That’s because you haven’t been out with me yet,” he replied without a beat, holding her helpless in his stare until he smiled softly again, the heat in his eyes replaced with genuine affection as he reached out for her hand. She gave it willingly and he brought it to his lips, his breath warm as his scruff tickled her skin. “Till Saturday, love.”

Emma could only nod as he turned and headed to the door. In that moment, Saturday seemed like an age away.