#i hope I can cathartically destroy myself and others by taking my comfort ship and literally like

[sombreset]

Actually crazy that after all the writing I’ve ever done I don’t feel like I’ll ever write something as cathartic as a horribly tragic pokemon fanfic that I haven’t stopped thinking about for *checks watch* 12 years

Wherever that guy is I hope he’s happy

[arcanesupern0va]

Down With The Rickness; Ch4: Every You, Every Me

Summary: Nova is stressed so Rick tries to make things a little more interesting by taking her to Aeon, a casino outside of time and space.

A/N: Thar be smuts here. And no Halloween chapter because... well this happened instead. I have to thank my beta, my-sun-my-baelish, for all of the help she's given me. It was her idea to bring Flesh Curtains Rick into the story and he will definitely be back. I cannot wait. :D Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you think. :D

CW: Smut, drinking, gambling  Pairing: Rick Sanchez/Reader Word Count: 8508

My ao3

Masterlist

~Rick In The Water~

|Ch3: Scene Of the Crime|

Things fell back into a comfortable pace when we finally made it home with Rick even sleeping in my room more often than not. The coffee I shared with Beth every morning before she left for work was already awkward enough without Rick stumbling loudly out of my room, much to her chagrin. She insisted she didn’t mind, that she was happy for us, but I could still see the twinges of jealousy in her eyes as she watched her father stumble out of my room in my robe in search of his own cup of coffee. 

In an attempt to reconcile with her, I spent most of my days scrolling through job listings. On one particular afternoon, I had taken up my search across from Rick when he was at his workbench. I let out a guttural groan after scrolling through the same thirty listings I’d seen for the past two weeks, earning me a raised eyebrow from the irritable scientist sitting on the other side of the workbench.

“Y-You mind keeping your existential despair down over there?” Rick asked, looking up from whatever he was working on with an unconvincing scowl on his face.

“Oh, I’m sorry, was my overwhelming stress bothering you?” I asked, meeting his gaze with narrowed eyes as I tried to mask the grin forming on my face.

“W-Well, yeah. Yo*uuurp*u mind taking it elsewhere if you’re going to be a nuisance?” he growled, returning to his gadget with a dramatic huff.

“Oh, I’m so terribly sorry,” I smirked, rolling my eyes as I gathered my laptop to stalk off.

“I was gonna go out in a little bit, i-i-if you wanted to come with me,” he offered, spinning around in his chair and looking genuinely surprised I had taken his complaints seriously.

“Wouldn’t want my- what did you call it? Oh- extentistial despair to distract you in anyway,” I sighed, resisting the urge to grin at him again.

“W-Well, I was hoping it would get your mind off of it.”

“Aren’t you just so thoughtful?”

“I-It’s been said... from time to time-” 

“Never. I think you mean never.”

“I-I’m sure someone’s had the wrong idea before.”

I sighed, turning away from Rick and walking to the edge of the garage in contemplation. I could choose to stay here and commiserate over why failure seemed inevitable on the job front or I could go out with Rick and just lose myself in an adventure with him. As I weighed between responsibility and fun, my eyes fell onto my old house next door. It filled my heart with a petty glee to see the house falling into minor disrepair as weeds invaded the formly meticulously kept garden and small groups of crab grasses sprouted up across the lawn. Once the police had finally given me access again, Rick, Beth, and I started destroying the cameras that had kept me locked in the house. It was cathartic to say the least but I still hadn’t stepped foot back in since. There were too many memories haunting those walls and I’d sooner tear the place down than go back into it.

“Alright, let’s go,” I sighed, tearing my eyes away before the nightmares could find their way back in. I sat my laptop down for a moment, a low moan leaking out as my legs stretched as a chill ran down my spine at the sheer relief in it. With a yawn, I headed for the door to go change out of my pajamas and into something more suited for adventure.

“D-D-Don’t worry about getting dressed,” Rick stopped me, making one last adjustment to his device before pulling himself out of his chair with a groan and directing me to his ship.

“Rick, seriously?” I asked, gesturing down to my cartoon covered sweatpants, tattered tank top and flip flops. “I’ll be like, two seconds. You telling me you can’t wait?”

“N-No,” he growled, “You don’t have anything to wear that would fit in where we’re going. We’re going to have to stop along the way.”

“Oh,” I gasped softly, following him to the ship. “So, where are you taking me then?”

“Look, will you just take ‘it’s a surprise’ as a sufficient answer so I can have a bit of fun with this?” Rick scowled as I climbed into the ship, eyeing him hesitantly.

“I mean, I suppose I really don’t have much choice otherwise, do I?” I asked him, eyes narrowed at him as a smirk played on my cheeks.

“That’s what I love about you, you always catch on quickly.”

Our first stop was at an off-world intergalactic mall. Rick sent me into a large dress shop, shoving a large wad space cash into my hands and instructing me to “go nuts”. He departed with a kiss on the cheek as he headed into a Blips and Chitz further into the mall, muttering something about unfinished business.

The humanoid eel creature at the counter turned her nose up to me at first, eyeing my shabby attire until she caught sight of the fistful of cash I was carrying. Her demeanor shifted in an instant, ushering me past the clearance rack I had been eyeing to instead show me the latest gowns they’d just received. She ensured me I would be on the cutting edge of whatever charity gala or ball I would be donning the gown to as I flipped nervously past gowns with price tags I couldn’t read.

“I-I don’t know how much this is-” I held out the wad of cash in my hand to her nervously “-I was just kind of sent here and told to ‘go nuts’’.”

She eyed me suspiciously but remained silent as she quickly counted the money, handing it back with a satisfied smile. She started pulling gowns down, holding them in front of me to get an idea of what would look best before leading me to the lavish dressing rooms in the back of the store. Sizing proved to be no issue as the fabric adjusted itself around me, being snug in all the right places and scooping around my breasts in a scandalous way. After a montage worthy amount of changing, we decided on a long, black sleeveless number. It boasted a light train following behind me and a neckline I knew Rick wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off of. She grabbed a pair of heels and a set of jewels for me to wear before pushing a large device over my head, letting it rest on my shoulders. Panic set in as my hair began pulling away from my scalp gently before it was doused and dried my hair quickly and a light spray methodically worked its way over my face. A soft chime rang out and the clerk lifted device with ease, handing me a mirror to take in my appearance. I barely recognized the face staring back at me. My hair fell gently over my shoulders in delicate waves and my makeup was done with skill I’d never possess. The sales clerk led me over to a full length mirror and I was taken aback by my reflection.

I looked so… elegant.

The clerk pointed to the rest of my outfit, sliding my heels and jewelry over to me. The heels were matte black with five inch heels and I stood up nervously in them, I was relieved to discover they were fitted with a balance technology that made walking as easy as if I was barefoot. The jewels hanging from my neck and ears sparkled with purple and blue hues, adding the perfect pop of color to offset the dark gown with the added benefit of accenting my eyes.

“T-Thank you,” I stammered, staring into the mirror to take in the finished product. I handed her back the wad of cash, waving my hand away as she offered me my change as I continued to thank her profusely. I wandered out of the shop in a haze, barely noticing when Rick approached me looking over his shoulder nervously until his eyes fell on me.

“H-Holy shit, Nova,” he gaped, looking me over completely. “You look fucking amazing.”

“I know, right?” I grinned proudly, looking down in amazement at my own cleavage.

“Are you ready then?” he asked with a grin, his eyes struggling to meet mine.

“I guess we’re not going on the usual kind of adventure then?” I trembled, my confidence gone at the reminder of the uncertainty ahead of us.

“You could say that.”

We landed in a large valet, the dinginess of Rick’s ship incredibly apparent next to all of the flashy ships parked around us. A Morty came out to greet us, taking the keys out of Rick’s hand before climbing into the ship and flying off to a garage. My eyes bulged at the sight, turning quickly to Rick with my eyes narrowed.

“Are we back on the fucking Citadel?” I hissed, looking around for the sea of Ricks and Mortys going about their daily lives.

“N-N-No,” Rick assured me quickly. “W-Well, kinda. N-N-Not really. This is a getaway for Ricks. It was built as somewhere to put all the Rickless Mortys and also give Ricks a place to relax when shit gets too serious.”

“So, there’s still going to be a shit ton of Ricks here,” I groaned, walking toward the entrance. The large doors slid open smoothly, allowing me to storm right into a large casino filled with Ricks and Mortys just as I had feared, but also a large variety of other otherworldly creatures. I stopped in my tracks as I looked over the sea of people gambling obscene amounts only to shrug off their losses and slide another tower back out into the circle.

“Welcome to Aeon,” another Morty greeted us. “Do you have a reservation in our hotel for the evening?”

“Y-Yeah,” Rick confirmed, pushing past me gently to handle the Morty in front of us leaving me to continue staring out over the casino floor. A large cluster of Ricks surrounded a craps table, cheering loudly after the shooter let the dice fly out of his hand. Another Rick was ordering a drink from the Morty cocktail server before turning back to a poker table. He looked at his hand, a look of irritation growing on his face as slammed the cards down, tossing a couple chips on top. I didn’t get to see if he’d won as Rick grabbed my hand gently as the Greeter Morty led us to the elevator to show us to the room Rick had reserved for the night.

The room was extravagant, with a full bar directly in front of us as we entered. A Bartender Morty portalled in and Rick ordered himself a drink immediately, allowing me to venture further into the luxurious room. A large four poster bed with delicate fabric draped down sat in the middle of the next room with a large television and sofa at the foot of it. The bed’s linens were quite possibly the softest thing I’d ever touched and I found myself running my hand over the fabric again and again. Rick entered the room behind me, quietly watching as I was mesmerized by a blanket.

“It’s alright, I guess,” he shrugged, setting his empty glass down and pointing to another door in the corner of the room, “You should check out the bathroom. True whirlpool jets, Nova. I’ve gotten lost in those damn things more times than I can count.”

“You’ve been here a lot, I take it?” I asked, breaking my attention from the linens to follow Rick’s suggestion.

“Yeah, this place isn’t called the Aeon for nothing,” Rick explained, “Time literally doesn’t exist here. You could spend ages here and no time passes. It’s outside of the ebb and flow of time.”

“So- Wait, what?” I asked, mouth agape as I turned to face him.

“Don’t think too hard about it, okay?” Rick smirked, “Let’s just put it this way, you could stay fifty years in this place and Madi wouldn’t think you’d been gone longer than an afternoon.”

“B-But, wouldn’t I be ancient by the time I got back?”

“Nope, I’m telling you, no time passes. You won’t age, you won’t gain any weight from any of the food you technically don’t need to eat… The only consequences you face here are with your wallet.”

“That’s… that’s crazy. So you could live here, forever?”

“I-I mean, if you had an infinite amount of money, sure. The fifty years thing was just an exaggeration, this place is not cheap.”

“I can tell,” I grinned, gesturing around to the expensive decor around the room.

“The Flesh Curtains have a show tonight,” Rick remarked, picking up the daily itinerary from the dresser.

“F-Flesh Curtains?” I sighed, biting my lip to resist a laugh.

“So, back in the day, my friends Birdperson and Squanchy formed a band called Flesh Curtains with me. Most Ricks do it but don’t stick with it. These guys are from a timeline that stuck with it and became a success.”

“I hardly consider playing in a casino success,” I said with a snort, glancing over at Rick in disbelief to find him staring at the pamphlet with a glassy look in his eyes.

“Psh,” he said finally, shaking the look away and clearing his throat. “It wouldn’t be so bad, I guess.”

“You wanna go back downstairs? Maybe we’ll go see the show tonight?” I offered softly, moving closer and lacing my hand into his. A devilish grin spread over his face as he pulled the door open.

“You know how to play blackjack, right?”

When we made it back to the floor, Rick made a beeline to the first empty blackjack table he could find. The Ricks around us watched us pass, not taking their eyes off of me until Rick shot them a dangerous look. The Morty at the table greeted us, scooping the cards back up and deftly shuffling them again before loading them back into the shoe and waiting for our buy-ins.

“Player’s cards?” he asked, bored. Rick tossed me a handful of colorful bills before pushing his over to the dealer along with a black card. Morty quickly cut out his chips, calling out the total and waiting for his supervisors approval before sliding two stacks of black and green chips across the table to Rick. He turned to me expectantly, raising an eyebrow when I hesitated.

“How much do I give him?” I whispered to Rick, unable to read the symbols on the money.

“Just give him all of it. Trust me, it’s enough.”

I pushed the money across with a trembling hand, earning a sigh from Morty as he counted it up and slid me my own stack of black and green chips.

“Place your bets.”

“Alright, so all you have to do is play one at a time,” Rick said, pushing the chips closer to me. “You’ll be playing the minimum so if you start doing well, feel free to up your bet.”

“I see we have a special guest tonight,” the floor supervisor Rick remarked as Morty started dealing the cards out. “Not often we see a Nova in-”

“-In here. Yeah, yeah, I get that a lot,” I waved him off, not meeting his gaze. I tried to remember the basic strategy rules for blackjack as Morty checked his own hand for blackjack.

“I-I bet,” Floor Rick stuttered, looking between my Rick and I. Rick ignored him, tapping the table to get another card. Nineteen. He waved it off with a satisfied sigh, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his lab coat. The Floor Rick grabbed an ashtray, sliding in front of Rick before turning his attention back to me.

“Eleven,” Morty said, moving his hand from Rick’s hand to mine.

“Double it,” Floor Rick said with a shrug, “It’s a good hand for doubling. All you need is a ten.” I sighed, sliding another chip up next to my initial bet, wincing as Morty slapped the card down on top of it and quickly went to his own hand. Twenty One.

“Twelve. Sixteen. Bust,” he called out flatly as he played his own hand out, quickly paying us our chips and scooping the cards up before chucking them into the discard rack.

“Nice one, Nova. You two let me know if you need anything,” Floor Rick said with a sly grin, pushing himself away from the table and going to check on another table.

“I seriously hope every fucking Rick in this place isn’t going to be on you like that all night,” Rick groaned as Morty dealt out another hand.

“Well, even if they are, I can handle it,” I assured him.

“I-I-It’s just fucking annoying,” Rick grumbled, watching Morty bust his hand again. 

We play for another hour before the Supervisor Rick made his way back over to us, making more uncharacteristically friendly conversation with me before being relieved to go on break. The Relief Floor Rick was also enamoured by my presence but kept it to himself, watching me silently from the adjacent table’s computer system.

“Twenty one,” Morty declared, scooping our bets up and placing them in the rack. Rick groaned in frustration, counting his chips angrily.

“That’s five fucking hands in a row, Nova. This is mathmatically fucking impossible,” he lamented, eyeing the stacks of green in front of me suspiciously. “How in the hell have you been doing so well?”

“Just lucky, I guess,” I shrugged, sliding a stack of five into the circle and looking at his expectantly.

“There’s no such thing as fucking luck,” Rick grumbled under his breath, slamming a chunk of black chips into the circle and looking up at Morty.

“W-Wait, before you deal-” I interrupted, holding my hand up to him and smiling softly. A cocktail Morty had come by, calling Rick’s attention away in search of something strong enough to drown his sorrows in. “Do you guys get tips? Like, as a paycheck or something.”

“Y-Yea. Usually doesn’t amount to much though,” he remarked spitefully, his eyes resting on Rick’s back as he spoke.

“So if I put money up for you, you get it if we win?” I grinned devilishly. He nodded quickly, his eyes lighting up as I slid a chip in front of my bet with a wink. “Let’s make you some money kiddo.”

Morty started dealing the hand out as Rick turned back around, handing me a small glass as he watched the hand come out. Another fifteen for Rick and two sevens for me, with Morty showing a six.

“Split them, Nova,” Rick suggested, waving his hand off before pulling out another cigarette.

“Since when do you smoke?” I asked, wrinkling my nose as I slid more chips out and signaled for the split.

“It’s a casino thing. Something about this place just makes me want a cigarette,” he shrugged. “You’re betting for Morty? Y-Y-Your streaks coming to an end now.”

“Eleven, Au- er -Nova,” Morty stammered, focusing his attention on the cards. I slid another six chips out, doubling the hand for a solid nineteen. The other hand turned into seventeen, leaving me to wave it off and hope for the best.

“Looks like I’m doing just fine,” I smirked, looking over to Rick. He didn’t respond, gesturing to Morty’s hand across the table.

“Twenty,” he called out mournfully, scooping up the bets and thanking me.

“Here, just take it,” I said stubbornly, not taking my eyes off of Rick as I tossed him a couple chips for him to drop in his toke box.

“T-T-Thank you, Aunt Nova,” he said, his cheeks flushing at my name again. 

“Tonight in our Event Center, come see Flesh Curtains, only at Aeon!” a voice called over the intercom. Rick checked his watch, sighing inwardly as his slid his remaining chips across to Morty.

“Color me up,” he ordered, sliding our money to Morty before turning to me, “You ready to go see the greatest band in existence?”

“Greatest band, huh?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he grabbed his money and finished his drink. He didn’t respond, taking my hand and pulling me through the sea of aliens and Ricks headed to the Event Center. The Mortys scanning tickets looked frustrated as devices were thrust into their faces by desperate fans. Rick pushed our way to a lone Rick standing guard, flashing his black card again and speaking in low tones. Whatever he said must have had an effect as the Rick dropped the rope, allowing Rick and I through to the back door and into the cavernous theater.

Seats were squashed together as aliens milled into the theater, finding their seats. Rick moved around them deftly, pulling me behind him to a small door by the stage where we were met with a bored looking Morty who let us pass after Rick flashed his card at him again.

“So is that just a ‘get whatever the fuck you want’ card?” I asked as the door to backstage closed behind me with a soft click.

“I guess you could call it that. I used to be in here all the time. I’m an Ultra member here.”

“Where in the hell is all this money coming from?” I demanded, quietly jealous of Rick’s seemingly endless supply of income.

“W-Well, you see- I’ve made some things that- W-Well- You remember Scar, right?” he stammered, running his hand through his hair.

“Yes…” I drew out, ignoring the ache that echoed through my chest at the memory of the Rick that saved my life.

“Well, I d-did that- I DO that a lot,” he said, shifting awkwardly before returning his hand to his hair.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, so while I may not have a lot of Earth’s currency, I do pretty damn well otherwise,” he explained hesitantly as we approached a large door with a star bedazzled to it. Rick knocked that same knock he used on Scar’s door, tapping his foot impatiently before the door swung open to reveal another Rick that made my jaw drop.

“Rick N-682, as I fucking live and breathe,” he smirked, shaking Rick’s hand before his gaze rested on me. This Rick was a sight to behold. His loose blue tank top dipped lazily down to his jeans, giving me a tantalizing view of his navel. I pulled my eyes away from his skull belt buckle long enough to notice how much younger than my Rick, confirming his claims about time’s effect, or lack thereof, here. He nodded in acknowledgement at me before leading us into his dressing room, a small grin playing on his cheek. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, drinking in his every movement as he talked caught up with Rick.

“I see you haven’t changed,” Rick remarked, his eyes tracing to a closed door before meeting the other Rick’s gaze. “This is my Nova, by the way. Nova, this is Rick F-287.”

“Just call me Ricky, it’s a lot easier,” the much more laid back version of my Rick assured me.

“Oh! Another Nova!” a voice called out from another room. My reverie was broken when another… me appeared out of a makeshift bedroom wearing an excited look and more fishnets and dark makeup than I’ve ever owned. I felt out of place in comparison to her relaxed wear but I had to admit, I looked fucking hot. 

“Baby, why don’t you don’t you introduce her to the others,” her Rick suggested, gesturing behind her.

“Oh! Sure, come with me,” Punk Nova grinned, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind her. I spared one last fleeting glance back at my Rick before she closed the door behind us..

The ‘Others’ it turned out was more… Novas. This Rick had a veritable harem of Novas just hanging out in his dressing room. My vision spun at the sight of them, my knees going weak before Punk Nova grabbed me by my shoulder and led me over to the couch.

“You okay?” a Nova with bright pink hair asked urgently, coming to rest at my side. She was a stark contrast to the punk Nova who led me in here, wearing a tight lilac t-shirt with the Flesh Curtains plastered on the front with a short blue skirt and neon makeup. My tunnel vision was becoming worse as I stared into her face blankly. It felt like I was looking through one of those filters Madi had on her phone but I could feel her hand on my back rubbing soothingly.

“Seriously, P-465?” another Nova with long dark hair chimed in, pulling her away to give me space to breathe. 

“Goddammit, Kat. It’s Pinkie. You know that,” she reared back at annoyed looking version of me.

“K-Kat? P-Pinkie?” I stammered, trying to make sense of everything. “Y-Y-You’re not Novas?”

“It’s only fucking Pinkie when you’re not on my last goddamn nerve,” Kat retorted before looking back at me with a sigh. “No, we’re Novas. We’ve adopted nicknames so we can keep each other straight. It gets old when some says Nova and five people respond.”

“Y-Y-Yea, makes total sense,” I nodded numbly. “W-What are you all doing here?”

“Why don’t you just get your head on straight, first,” Punk Nova said comfortingly. “I’m Riff, by the way. That’s Harley-” she pointed to a fourth Nova with red and black hair “-and fuck knows where Norma went. She’s new around these parts.”

“S-So, you guys are h-here because you want to be r-r-right?”

“Of course we are! We lost our Ricks, so Ricky takes care of us,” Pinkie gushed, staring at the door. My stomach churned at her infatuation with the rockstar, knowing exactly which dark part of me that stemmed from.

“Ugh, she makes it sound so weird,” Kat groaned, glaring at the pink haired version of her. “My Rick blew himself up, so I tried to go to the Citadel for help because I was heartbroken. They couldn’t help but they sent me to… him. He took me in and he does take care of me but it’s not how Pinkie makes it sound. I’m not helpless without him. I just didn’t want to… be without him.”

“I’m sorry I love him, Kat,” Pinkie shot coldly, “I don’t want him to think I’m taking him for granted.”

“Jesus fucking christ,” Riff swore, “just shut the fuck up Pinkie.”

“Rick knows how I feel about him,” Kat hissed, advancing toward Pinkie.

“Kat, don’t.” Riff tried to mediate between the two but the fury in Kat’s eyes was unlike anything I’d ever seen in the mirror. “She’s not worth it.”

“You know he hates it when you two fight,” Harley groaned, finally pulling her nose out of the book she’d been reading. “He’s about to go on stage, he doesn’t need you at each other's throats.”

The bickering between the four continued as I watched, unable to believe any of it. How were these girls… me? Sure we were physically identical for the most part but the difference in our personalities was glaring.

“Ladies, ladies,” Ricky mitigated, clapping his hands as he entered the room. My Rick followed closely behind him, the smirk lurking beneath the surface coming to fruition as he met my eye.

“She started it!” Pinkie cried, running into Ricky’s arms. He groaned, pulling her away to look her in the eyes.

“Come on Pinkie,” he growled, “This is just fucking juvenile, you know that right?”

“She kept egging me on,” Kat snarled, standing up defiantly.

“Just- Don’t,” Ricky chastised her, holding up a finger in her direction to silence her. “Pinkie, you need to knock this shit off.”

“I don’t get why she’s here,” Pinkie whined, shooting daggers at Kat.

“N-682, why don’t you and your Nova head out to the balcony seats. I need to take care of this,” Ricky sighed, giving my Rick an apologetic look.

“So that was… weird,” I murmured as we walked back out into the amphitheater to our seats.

“What? Seeing yourself in a thousand different variations?” Rick asked with a grin. “You get used to it.”

“I can’t believe you just let me nose dive into that situation,” I grumbled, shaking my head.

He checked a small sheet of paper that Ricky had given him before pushing through a thick curtain to a small balcony befitted with cozy couches with an excellent view down to the stage. A small group of tittering well-to-do’s were huddled together speaking in low tones, only stopping to lift their piercing gaze to us. Rick shot them a dirty look, pushing past them and flopping down on the couch in front row.

“You would have seen them either way,” he shrugged, kicking his feet up onto the railing, much to the disapproval of the others. “You gonna sit down or what?” 

“Oh shit,” I swore, earning me a dirty look of my own. I sat down on the edge of the couch, back rigid as I fiddled with the hem of my dress. “You know, I think I took our adventures for granted.”

“Oh, did you now?” Rick grinned, raising an eyebrow over at me. “You don’t like your taste of opulence and decadence?”

“Let’s just say, I felt a lot more comfortable in dirty pawn shops and cheap arcades,” I muttered, earning a grin as loudspeaker sounded.

“Hello and welcome guests of Aeon Casino!” an announcer declared as the lights went down and focused on the stage. “Tonight we have a special treat for you, brand new material from the Flesh Curtain’s new album ‘Pushing Buttons’!”

Three figures emerged onto the stage, the crowd roaring with excitement at the sight of them. I recognized Rick immediately but he was joined by what looked like a large bird and a cat. I turned to Rick, my brow furrowed.

“Birdperson and Squanchy,” he shouted over the crowd. “Come on Nova, can’t you just relax and have a little fun?” he asked, pulling me back onto the couch and putting his arm around me. I let out a sigh, trying to emulate the same devil-may-care attitude Rick always had but the eruption of the crowd as the Rick on stage grabbed the mic set me right back on edge. Rick noticed my stiffened demeanor, pulling me in closer and kissing the top of my head.

“What’s up, you pieces of shit!?” Ricky screamed into the mic, surveying the crowd with a smug grin as they roared in delight before passing the mic back to Birdperson.

“Thank you for joining us tonight,” Birdperson said, his voice monotone. I raised an eyebrow at Rick but only received a gentle headshake in response, his eyes trained on the group down below. 

The music was loud and abrasive but I had to admit, I loved it. The group of snobs behind us finally started letting loose as the show went on and they downed drink after drink. They even started sending drinks our way, much to Rick’s delight. When our drinks emptied, another appeared in its place, courtesy of our new friends behind us. Soon enough, one of the women with them grabbed my hand and pulled me in close, dancing sloppily as Rick watched with a bemused grin. My ears were ringing and my cheeks hurt from grinning but I was finally feeling relaxed. No one to judge as I danced and drank, Rick even joining in.

“Squanch you and good night!” the cat on drums shouted before letting out one final drum solo. The show lasted three hours but it truly felt like no time had passed. A large alien bodyguard appeared in our archway, informing Rick and I that Ricky wanted us to come back by his dressing room for an after party. I thanked the group behind before Rick and I followed the creature back down the hallways, pushing through a sea of screaming fans that were just desperate for a glimpse of the band they seemed to live their lives by.

“N-682! You made it!” Ricky shouted, tripping over a large bag of empty beer bottles as Rick pushed his way into the dressing room. While it hadn’t been necessarily clean before, it was truly trashed now. The door to the bedroom had been ripped off its hinges, leaving a perfect view of the Novas doing a line with Squanchy. A group of aliens were spread out on the floor, countless bottles surrounding them as they told stories of antics past while Birdperson sat rigidly in a corner chair, his foot calmly tapping to the beat of the music blasting out of the stereo next to him.

“Rick,” he said evenly, “it is good to see you.”

“‘Pers, my man. Always a pleasure,” Rick said, playfully smacking Birdperson’s shoulder before pulling up a chair next to him. This left me standing awkwardly in the doorway holding my arm and wishing I could just go home or at least back to the room. I opened my mouth to tell Rick but Ricky grabbed my elbow gently.

“Hey, yo*uuurp*u okay?” he asked softly, wearing a look of concern I’d only really seen on my Rick.

“Y-Y-Yeah,” I stammered, shifting nervously and giving my lie away. “I’m just not really good in… social settings, I guess. Plus I’m a little drunk and I’m not even sure why I’m admitting it but here we are.” Ricky chuckled at my rambling but said nothing, nodding over at my Rick and leading me away from the din of the party guests. He opened a door, finding the room occupied by creatures in what looked like a compromising position, slamming it shut quickly as he continued his hunt for somewhere quiet. He finally circled back, going to the only door he had skipped, opening it with an apologetic look.

“Sorry this might not be ideal.”

“This is a bathroom with fresh vomit,” I grinned, holding my fingers under my nose to block most of the smell. The toilet was overflowing with vomit and the sink had its fair share as well. Now this is what I was accustomed to when it came to adventuring with Rick. Dirty surroundings and smells I’d rather not be smelling. I could feel the tension melting away from my shoulders already.

“S-Somehow it doesn’t seem to be bothering you all the much,” he remarked, flushing the toilet fruitlessly.

“This is what my life usually consists of,” I shrugged, “Hell, you get me out of this dress and into some running shoes and I’ll be top of my game.”

He raised an eyebrow, disappearing for a moment and returning with a change of clothes. He held them through the doorway, giving me the privacy to change. I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped out of the heels and into a black pair of running shoes. I was grateful to get out of the dress, no matter how beautiful it was and into a pair of leggings and Flesh Curtains tank top. I peeked around the door to find Ricky coming back down the hall with a large bottle and two red cups.

“Oh no, no, no,” I grinned, stepping away from him. “I’ve seen how this timeline goes, a bottle and two cups never ends well for me.”

“Oh come on, Nova,” Ricky grinned, pouring a shot into the cup and handing it over to me. “You said you were already drunk. I think that ships sailed.” I considered a moment, biting my lip to fight back the grin playing on my cheek as I stared at the cup.

“How does alcohol even get you drunk here anyway?” I asked, eyeing the bottle. “Rick said there were no consequences here.”

“Nova, this is a fucking casino. Without booze, this place would be entirely pointless.” 

“Alright then, fine,” I relented, taking the cup and trying to fight the grin spreading over my face. I don’t know what it was about him. Maybe it was the booze, maybe it was because he was Rick, even if it was just a different version of him. Maybe it was just the fact he was so kind.

“I knew you’d see reason,” he grinned again, drinking straight from the bottle.

“So why in the hell are you being so nice to me?” I asked, sputtering from the liquor. He raised an eyebrow at me in confusion so I continued, “Like, I’ve been on the Citadel enough for twelve lifetimes. The Ricks there don’t seem to care much about Nova’s there. There was one ready to kill me just to kill my Rick.”

“Oh, damn. I dunno. I like Novas,” he shrugged, pouring us each another shot. “I’m sure your Rick would say I’ve become soft with fame, but I just don’t like seeing Nova’s upset.”

“My Rick would say he’s become soft,” I snorted, taking another drink. “So why do you have a veritable harem here?”

“H-Harem?” he coughed, choking on his drink. “Do you think I keep them around to just fuck them constantly?”

“Well, I mean… what else you be doing with them?”

“Treating them like human fucking beings? If a Nova I meet doesn’t want to sleep with me but needs somewhere to go, I help them. It’s pretty fucking cut and dry,” he explained, “Some stick around, like Pinkie, but some will inevitably move on, like Riff or Kat. I’m a fucking millionaire. I can swing it.”

“But, you’re a Rick, right?” I asked, holding my cup out for more. “From what I’ve come to understand, Ricks don’t do anything without there being a benefit to them.”

“Look, I mean, whatever benefits I get from being around a sea of Novas is inconsequential,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck before downing the rest of his drink.

“Aha! I knew it!”

“Who told you that, anyway? That’s a pretty depressing way to view a guy who’s supposed to lo-care about you.”

“My Morty,” I shrugged, sliding down against the wall. “He’s been, uh, pretty insistent on it lately. He wants me to just leave Rick and just go after someone better.”

“Ugh, Morties,” he grimaced, “Look, don’t listen to that twat. He really doesn’t know shit about shit.”

“Agree to disagree on that one, compadre,” I dismissed lazily, my limbs becoming far heavier than I remembered. “W-Where is Rick, anyway?” 

“He was out there talking to Birdperson last I saw,” he reassured me, sliding down against the wall next to me.

“H-He isn’t worried about where I disappeared to?” I slurred sadly, offering my cup back over to Ricky.

“Come on, sweetheart, he knows I’m with you,” he chastised me.

“H-H-How does he know you’re not in here making moves on me or whatever?”

“Because he knows I’m not one of those Ricks,” he growled. “You really don’t trust how he feels about you do you?”

“Wh-Why should I? He never says anything either way,” I mourned, downing the shot and quickly asking for another.

“Look, I can’t speak for your relationship, but I know that Rick. He was one of the first ones I met when the Citadel formed. There are Ricks out there that don’t care about their Novas. Hell, I heard about one a couple months back who let his Nova overdose because if she couldn’t keep up, then she wasn’t all she was chalked up to be. Do you really think that sounds like the guy you’re with?”

“No,” I admitted shamefully, my head drooping slightly as the alcohol weighed it down. “I’ve just been through a lot-”

“Y-Y-You don’t have to launch into the story, I know it all too well,” Ricky stopped me quickly, holding up a hand. “We Ricks aren’t good with the whole… emotional openness garbage. There are a couple oddballs out there but if you think you’re going to get some soft ‘I’ll love you until the end of time’ crap, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.”

I didn’t respond, staring into the murky liquid. Ricky didn’t push me, allowing me to lose myself in my thoughts for what seemed like hours until my eyelids started drooping. I felt Ricky push past me gently, pulling the door out and disappearing through it before I lost the fight and let my eyelids slam shut.

“N-Nova. H-Hey Nova, come on. Let me help you up, sweetheart. Let’s go home,” a gruff voice murmured. I could feel my limbs being tugged softly as they were pulled over a set of shoulders as I was brought back up to my feet. “Come on, baby, I’ve got you.”

 “Wh-Wh-What happened?” I asked, trying to open my eyes. “Where am I? Wh-Who are you?”

“Oh jesus, you really got fucked up,” he chuckled, adjusting fruitlessly over his shoulders before letting out a frustrated sigh. “This is not fucking working. Nova, baby, I need you to hold onto me as tight as you can, okay?”

“O-Okay, mystery man,” I giggled. My arm was brought back around his neck, only for him to lift me up, bridal style. I tried to open my eyes again and caught a glimpse of blue hair before they slid shut again. “Which one are you?”

“I could be any Rick in conceivable existence,” he laughed darkly, “and there would be nothing you could do about it.” I recoiled away from him, trying to fight my way out his embrace to no avail. “Jesus Nova, I was joking. It’s me- I’m your Rick,” he groaned, pulling me in tighter. 

“Oh, good,” I nodded, tucking my head back into his chest. The rhythmic bounce of each step lulled me into a complacent state and by the time he sat me back down, we were in his ship, rocketing through space. 

It was dark when finally landed back in the driveway. Most of the alcohol had left my system, leaving me with a throbbing headache and parched throat. Rick pushed his door over, making his way over to my side to pull me out himself.

“Oh shit, you’re awake.” His voice was husky as he surveyed my lazy form, chuckling to himself before walking over to his workbench. He started mixing chemicals, testing his concoction by taste until it seemed to be satisfying enough. He brought his finished product back over to me, offering it to me.

“No offense, but what the fuck is that?” I asked bluntly.

“L-Look- Just drink it okay? Your fuckin’ head hurts right? This will make it stop.”

I grabbed the cup out of his hand, smelling it once for good measure before downing it. The taste was vile but the pain in my head and stomach stopped up instantly as my vision cleared up. I pulled myself out of the ship, surprised to find my legs steady as I stood up.

“Wh-What was in that?”

“It’s just my hangover cure,” he shrugged. “It’s been saving my ass over the last twenty years.”

“Thanks, Rick,” I murmured, moving closer to him. “For everything. I had a lot of fun.”

“Y-Yeah, no problem,” he stammered, his voice gravelly as he rested his hand on the small of my back. 

My head may have been cleared up by his “cure” but being this close to him was intoxicating all on its own. I bit my lip as I looked up at him, earning me a low growl as he pressed his lips to mind, kissing me desperately. I returned his kiss eagerly, pulling him closer to me. He picked me up with ease, carrying me over his workbench.

“Are you sure you wanna do this out here?” I breathed, breaking the kiss to both of our frustration. “Beth-”

“Beth’s asleep,” he growled, reclaiming my lips. I wanted to continue arguing but his wandering hands pushed the thought right out of my mind. He worked his hand up under my shirt, pleased to find no bra underneath. My breast was cupped in one hand while the other worked its way into my hair, curling around my hair to pull my head away from him. My neck exposed, he watched me squirm underneath of him. I was completely under his control and he was enjoying every moment of it.

“R-Rick- Rick please,” I begged softly, desperate for stimulation of any kind.

“All in good time, sweetheart,” he whispered in my ear, lingering just inches away. “What do you want me to do to you, Nova? Tell me what you want.”

“R-Rick, I-”

“Tell me what you want, sweet girl.”

“I want- I want you, please,” I cried desperately, “I want you so fucking bad.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I know that,” he chuckled darkly. “I want to know what you want me to do to you right now. Do you want me to fuck you? Do you want me to make you scream my name until you forget your own?”

“Jesus, fuck yes, Rick,” I gasped, biting my lip again. He growled softly at the sight, panting softly as he dropped his hand from my breast, searching instead for the warmth below. He traced his fingers around my thighs, making sure to avoid the most sensitive area.

“So you want me to slide my cock in right here?” he asked, tracing a large circle around the throbbing mound between my legs.

“I need it,” I pleaded, clawing at his shoulders in an attempt to pull him closer.

“Who am I to deny you?” he cooed in my ear, releasing my hair and gripping the sides of my yoga pants. He tossed them to the side as the cool air swirled around my exposed lower half. I shivered as I watched him unbuckle his pants, letting them fall lazily to ground as he pushed his way between my thighs. He dragged the tip of his cock up and down my moist slit.

“Oh Rick, oh fuck,” I murmured, my hands firmly rooted on his shoulders.

“Say my fucking name, Nova. Let the neighbors know who’s fucking you,” he growled, continuing his assault on my clit to torturous effect.

“Rick!” I moaned. At my compliance he slid the tip in, sliding it in and out slowly.

“Louder, Nova. I don’t think they heard you,” he ordered, his voice being over by a slight pant.

“Fuck, Rick! It’s you! Rick fucking Sanchez!” I shouted, letting my head fall back. He slammed into me finally as I continued screaming his name as loud as I possibly could. I released his shoulders, laying back on the table and pulling my knees into my chest. He quickened his pace, using his thumb to massage my clit gently.

“Fuck, Nova,” he panted as he buried himself in me, “You feel fucking amazing.”

I could feel my orgasm building, only moments from my release as he fell into a steady rhythm. I would have made there had it not been for the garage door swinging open, slamming into the dryer behind it.

“God fucking dammit, Dad!” Beth bellowed, shielding her eyes from the sight of her father burying his cock into her best friend. “I cannot fucking do this anymore, you guys need to stop!”

“H-Hold on, honey,” Rick grunted, quickening his pace.

“R-Rick, no- Stop,” I insisted, pushing him away from me. He conceded, pulling out of me and bending down to pull his pants up.

“What the fuck do you want, Beth?” he snarled, turning to face his daughter, taking care to shield my exposed form. I looked around desperately for my pants only to find them dangling haphazardly on the Meeseeks box.

“I want this to fucking stop,” she demanded, avoiding my gaze. “You’re waking up the entire fucking house. I sure as fuck don’t want to hear it.”

“B-Beth, I-I’m sorry,” I blushed, pulling my shirt down as much as possible.

“You know what, I don’t want to fucking hear it, Nova. Your daughter is asleep in this house,” she hissed, finally meeting my gaze. A look of fury I had never seen before distorted her features as she glared at me, turning to disgust as her eyes drifted downward. “Dad, you need to stop this, now. Nova, it might be time for you to start looking for somewhere else to live.”

“B-Beth, wait- please, no,” I begged, tears streaking down my cheeks.

“You know, I’m starting to think Jerry was right about you two,” Beth said coldly, “I thought I was okay with it when it meant Dad would stay but I was wrong. What you’re doing with him is wrong. He’s my fucking father, you sick fucking bitch,”

“Jesus fucking christ Beth, stop,” Rick cut in, advancing toward her. “Don’t fucking talk to her like that.”

“Why not?” she asked hysterically. “You two didn’t consider my feelings in the situation. I’m just supposed to be okay with it? Even when the thought makes me feel sick to my stomach?”

“Your fucking hangups are not our problems,” Rick snarled. He grabbed my pants off of the shelf, tossing them back to me. I slipped them on quickly and pushed past Rick.

“Beth, I’m sorry. We were really inconsiderate, I’m so fucking sorry.” I pleaded with my friend to see reason but the cold, clinical disgust in her eyes assured me it was a lost cause.

“You need to leave,” she repeated coldly. “Madison can stay here until you have somewhere to go but I suggest you go back to your house tonight. I don’t want to see you here in the morning.”

“Beth, she’s not going anywhere-”

“No, Rick. It’s fine,” I conceded, wiping the tears away as I pushed the garage door opener.

“No, Nova. You’re not going anywhere,” he roared, pushing the button again. “I-I can fix this.” He started digging through the drawers at his workbench, finally extracting a large gun with two discs. He pushed a couple buttons before aiming it at Beth, pulling the trigger. She crumpled to the floor, eyes glazed over.

“Rick! What did you do to her?” I asked, horrified. “Did you kill Beth?!”

“Wh-What? No?” he retorted, insulted by the accusation. “I just erase the last half an hour from her memory. I’m going to put her back in her bed, when she wakes up she won’t remember any of this.” He pulled a vial from the device, loading it with another before sitting it down on his workbench.

“S-So, everything’s okay now?” I asked numbly. He nodded quickly, pulling Beth over his shoulder. “I’m just- I’m just going to go to bed.”

“Y-You okay?” he asked, stopping at the door to face me.

“I-I’m fine,” I murmured, pushing past him. I couldn’t get Beth’s words out of my head as I went into my room, locking the door behind me before collapsing in my bed.

“He’s my fucking father, you sick bitch.”

Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time for me to leave.

[obisgirl]

WHOOK WEEK DAY 5: KNIGHTROOK DAY (fanfic, ‘Story Time’)

Title: story time AUTHOR: obisgirl Rating: pg-13 Characters: Wish Hook, Alice Summary: A young Alice asks her papa about their family, which leads him to explain their complicated family tree and then must explain what happened to her mother? Author’s Note: Alice is 9. As far as the timeline of Killian’s family goes, Wish Hook does not know that his father started this other family with his second wife and that he has another brother. Wish Hook also does not the true circumstances of what made it possible for him and Liam to become free. Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are the property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.

Alice, for the most part, has a normal and happy childhood growing up and Hook does the best he can to keep her entertained and most of all, know every day that she is loved and she is safe.  Early on, he learns very quickly that it isn’t easy being a single parent.  There are some things he is not quite equipped to handle but he looks at every day raising Alice as a challenge and she is quite the challenge.  

She is a spunky, wild, happy and carefree little girl with a spirit all her own. Things start to get easier for Hook as Alice matures and less lonely once she learns how to talk.  Time seems to move faster too once Alice starts talking and able to form sentences.  She is a sponge, wanting to soak up everything that she can.  

Then one day as Hook is almost ready to take an afternoon nap, Alice asks him to tell her about his family, or rather their family.

In all the time Hook has spent raising his daughter, he has never talked about his family.  

That’s not entirely true.

She asked one time why her name is Alice and he explained to her about her grandmother and it felt like the only name appropriate to pass onto his sweet daughter, as well as a little about the woman herself.  Other than that, he hasn’t talked much about the rest of his family. There’s just too much pain there to rehash. Pain over losing his mother, his father leaving him and Liam, losing Liam…

“Who were they, papa?” Alice asks, lying down on the floor and propping her elbows up to support her chin.

He sighs. “Our family is complicated, love,” he says, “And it’s nap time now Alice,”

Alice raises an eyebrow, a signature look she’s inherited from him. “Come on papa, please. I want to know,” she pleads, “I know about grandmum but what about everyone else?”

Hook reluctantly sits up from his makeshift hammock and comes to sit beside her on the floor.  There isn’t a lot he can deny his daughter. “I guess the next person to start with would be your grandfather,” he says, “Brennan Jones,”

“What was he like? Did he look like you?” she queries.

Killian scratches his head.  “From what I can remember of my father, he was no hero and never a real father to me, or your uncle Liam,” he recalls, “You see Alice after my mum died he took Liam and me on a voyage. It was our first trip traveling on the high seas. One night, your papa became afraid because we were in the middle of a terrible storm and then your grandpapa came into the cabin to comfort me. Him being there gave me the courage to be brave…”

Alice smiles at him slightly. “Then what happened?”

“I was able to sleep and eventually, the storm calmed but when I awoke, your grandpapa was gone.  The ship's captain came to tell me he escaped during the storm, bought a rowboat and used your uncle and me as currency. He sold us into slavery. We became bound to that ship and whoever became its captain,”

Alice scowls.  “I’m sorry, papa about grandpapa,” she says.

“That night on the ship was the last time I ever saw him. He mine as well have died in that storm, the karma for leaving his sons’ behind and forcing them into a situation like that,” he muses, “Now, your uncle Liam, he is a totally different story and to this day, I still consider him to be the best man I will ever know,”

“What was Uncle Liam like?”

It had been a long time since Killian reflected on what his brother Liam was like. “He looked out for me. We were stuck with each other after grandpapa left us behind, and Liam, he could have left too but he stayed because he knew it was important that we stay together.  He was my compass. He kept me from destroying myself and giving into my darkest fears,” he recalls, “Your uncle Liam was a good man but he could be stubborn and narrow-minded sometimes,”

“Narrow-minded?”

“Maybe naive is a better word. What does naive mean?”

Alice squints and tries to think. “A person who shows a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment,” she says after a moment.

“Very good,” he applauds her, “After another terrible storm, your uncle and I became the sole survivors of a wrecked ship and Liam also recovered a mythical jewel that ensured us a spot in the royal navy.  We were free men for the first time in our lives, allowed to follow our own destiny and make something good of ourselves.  Your uncle Liam eventually became Captain and I was his first lieutenant, the Jones Brothers, manning the fastest ship in the royal fleet,”

“The Jolly Roger!!”

“That wasn’t her name yet,” he corrects, “Before she was The Jolly Roger, she was The Jewel of the Realm and Liam was her Captain. We sailed to many places, encountered different peoples and helped bring peace and prosperity to the kingdom and we served, we believed that we served, a good and noble king,”

“The king was not good?”

“He sent Liam and me on a top secret mission to retrieve a plant from a faraway land. He claimed that the plant was medicine to help fallen soldiers but the plant was not medicine, it was a poison. Our king lied to us about its purpose and that lie cost Liam his life.  I lost him twice on that voyage, first in Neverland and then a second time once we returned home,”

Alice sits up and puts her hand in Hook’s hand. Hook looks down at his daughter’s hand and he smiles at her. “If you don’t to continue the story, you don’t have too,” she says.

“I appreciate that love but talking about it, is oddly cathartic for me,” he confesses, “What does cathartic mean?”

She looks down at her papa’s hand and then looks at him, “Soothing,” she says.

“Aye,” he confirms, “The day I had to bury my brother at sea was one of the saddest days of my life. As painful as it was to lose Liam, his death also served a purpose. His death showed me our king’s true colors, that he was not a good and righteous man and I could not, in good conscious continue serving a man who was dishonorable and used lies to get people to follow him,”

“So you rebranded The Jewel of the Realm as The Jolly Roger and you became it’s pirate Captain,” she says.

“That I did lass, and I found a new freedom; a freedom to live on my own terms and travel where we please whenever we wanted to,”

Alice glances towards the window briefly. Killian sighs and asks that she look at him. “And one day Alice, you will be able to do the same thing too,” he promises.

“I do already,” she beams, “I travel through the stories you tell me. That’s why I like hearing them so much,”

“Would you like to hear more?”

“Yes,” she cries, her eyes shining with excitement.

“Seeing the world is a big adventure but it can get lonely without someone to share those travels with. Liam had been my constant companion since grandpapa left us and as much as the crew had become family too, I didn’t have close confidants among them...until Milah,”

“Milah was...everything to me. She was beautiful, witty, a curious and adventurous spirit and the love of my life. She was my pirate queen and we loved each other very much. But there was always a bit of sadness because she left her family to be with me. She had a young son that she always regretted leaving but she hated his father and the person that he had become. I ended up hating him too because he took her from me and he left me with this,” he says, holding up his hook, “The Dark One destroyed my life and I became consumed with revenge,”

“Your life became a dark place,” she observes, “What changed that?”

Hook tilts his head and fixes his daughter’s hair.  “You did puppet,” he says, “You changed everything for me, for the better,”

“I made your heart better?”

“You did,” he confirms, “I gave up my ship and my revenge to give you a better life because that’s what you deserved. I still have so many hopes and dreams for you, Alice,”

She smiles at him. “I do too papa,” she cries, “Papa, one more question and if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to---”

“What is it, love?”

“What happened to mama?” she asks.

Hook sighs. “Your mother is a complicated woman,” he manages.

“Complicated?”

“It’s difficult to explain but she was not the woman I thought she was when I met her,” he continues, “She used magic and lies to deceive me, and I know it might seem impossible but magic was a part of your conception,”

“Magic was a part of my conception? Does that mean I have magic?!” she asks excitedly.

Hook shakes his head, looking at her. “I don't know if you do but you're certainly magic to me Alice,” he says.

Alice sees how he tries to change the subject before she got her excited about the possibility of magic and then she remembers the lies and deceit.

“How did mama lie to you, papa?” she asks.

“The first time I met her..I was quite taken with her beauty. I never saw what was beneath until it was too late,” he recalls, “And when I met the real her and realized why she did what she did, I couldn't go with her in good faith..”

“And leave me?” Alice finishes.

“Mothers are supposed to be there for their children, to love and nurture them but your mother Alice is no mother. I’m sorry to say that she barely gave you a second thought after you were born,” he says.

Alice looks down sadly, glancing again at the window. “I’m stuck here because of her, aren't I?”

“Aye,” he says, “But all curses can be broken love; you need only to believe,”

“Mama is not a good person,”

“She definitely is not, she’s a witch and that is not a metaphor. She is a witch, truly,” he says.

“I know what she did to was awful but do you think there is a part of her that is good? Even a small bit?” she ventures, “Aren’t most people made up of good and bad parts?”

Hook sighs. “Some but not everyone,” he asserts, “Your mother, from what I have seen, does not appear to have any good in her,”

“Do you think bad is in me? Maybe I inherited some of her wickedness?” she wonders.

“Why the bloody hell would you think that?”

She shrugs. “Sometimes I do bad things and you scold me for doing them,” she reasons.

“And you immediately realize your mistake and apologize for it because you know it was wrong. That’s not bad Alice. That’s being good,” he says, “You are good, through and through. Your mother is not and trust me, you have inherited nothing from her. You are my sweet Alice, and have nothing to worry about,”

“I must have blond hair like her,”

“Blonde hair, pale skin, and blue eyes but your heart Alice, that beautiful, kind and loving heart, that is all you and part of your papa,” he reminds her, “Remember that love,”

“Aye,” she promises, smiling at him and then yawns.

“Alright, I think story time is over and it’s nap time for both of us,” he says and scoops her up, carrying her over to her bed and tucks her in, “Goodnight Alice,”

“Goodnight,” she yawns, “I’m sorry if I caused you pain papa,”

“What are you talking about now love?”

“Making you remember some bad memories,” she says.

Hook gently touches her head and runs his fingers through her curls. “Some of my memories are painful Alice but there are also happy ones too. My happiest memories are the ones I have raising you here in this tower, our little home. It's like what we were talking about earlier; good and bad. They are extremes but they can also coexist. What does that coexist mean, love?”

“Last word?” she asks.

“Pirate’s promise,”

“Live peacefully at the same time,”

“Aye,” he confirms, “This world has good and bad in it because that's how we all are. Your heart determines the kind of person you want to be. Your mother is a bad person who made bad decisions for her own personal reasons but her actions do not define who you are or who you will become. That is all up to you. Do you understand that, love?”

“Yes, papa,”

“Good lass,” he says and kisses her forehead, “Night my little pirate,”

Alice smiles at him and closes her eyes.

Hook fixes her blanket and then goes over to his hammock, taking one last peek at the tower window before shutting his eyes.

Gothel is never coming back, not for him and certainly not for Alice.  She is long gone and Hook hopes that Alice will never meet her mother; but if she must one day, he will be there to protect her from whatever foul plan she has in mind for her.

The End

[letterjaey]

Day 2: Lions

It was late night, Keith was walking by himself through the scarcely lit hangers where the paladins’ lions were held. He had felt the sudden urge to go check on Red after being unable to sleep for the night. Maybe spending time with Red would calm him enough to get some proper rest, figured Keith. “There you are, buddy,” said Keith upon seeing Red come into view in the dark. He approached his lion and placed a hand on its cool surface. It seemed to thrum to life under his touch. Keith smiled and rested his head against his lion, feeling much more relaxed by his companion’s presence. “How are you doing?” Keith asked and was content to hear nothing. Or so he thought.

He’s here, Keith felt Red say.

Keith lifted up his head, straining to hear the faint noises that echoed quietly in the hanger. An intruder? Keith felt for his bayard at his side, making sure it was within reach and stealthily headed in the direction he believed the source of the noise came from. He kept close to the walls of the hanger, hiding in the darkness in the off chance someone had infiltrated the ship.

The sounds grew as Keith walked further down the hangers until he was able to discern a voice speaking too softly to make out any words. Keith frowned as he found the noise seemed to be coming from the resting Black Lion he was approaching. The Black Lion was dimly illuminated by the hanger lights in its area, but Keith was unable to determine the source of the noise from where he stood in the shadows. The voice seemed to come from some where in front of the Black Lion. Keith’s view was currently blocked by lion butt. He frowned. Keith tried to maneuver himself to get a better view when the whispers grew enough for him to recognize words, but more importantly, the owner of the voice.

Shiro? Keith carefully moved himself along the Black Lion’s flank to verify his suspicions. It seemed he had intruded on something private.

“... great form. I think he’d do better if he had a weapon that was actually made for him,” Shiro said quietly.

Keith raised an eyebrow, wondering who his team leader was talking about. He reached the front legs of the Black Lion and moved to press himself back against the back of the foreleg. Keith peered around the leg and saw Shiro’s shoes and strong legs stretched out on the other side. Definitely Shiro. Keith quickly ducked back around, certain Shiro didn’t see him but he didn’t want to risk it. His heart was pounding in his chest. What is Shiro doing here?

“You know, he really is in his element here,” Shiro said, continuing with a conversation Keith hadn’t an inkling about. Actually, Keith wasn’t sure what was going on in the hanger currently. The paladin leader was sitting by his lion in the middle of the night with dim lighting, talking to himself. Or was Shiro like Keith, unable to rest and decided to seek comfort in his lion? Keith clutched the front of his shirt, feeling a twinge of pain because Shiro didn’t seek him out and felt foolish immediately after. Keith and Shiro may have known each other before they became paladins, but it’s not like they were all that close in the first place. They were just comrades and friends.

“He’s definitely the strongest of the rest of the paladins,” continued Shiro, pride evident in his voice.

Ok, that’s definitely me, thought Keith, some parts smug and some parts embarrassed to be praised by Shiro. Well, Keith wasn’t sure he was the one being praised anyway. “I know you agree, Black. Keith is a great paladin,” said Shiro. Keith felt his cheeks grow warm. So he is talking to his lion... and he is talking about me. And talk he did, unbeknownst to Shiro that the one person he wanted to talk to the most was listening.

--

“Keith is great,” Shiro said quietly, almost privately to himself. He felt the Black Lion pulse against his back. “I know, I say it a lot, but it’s true. He’s....” Shiro trailed off. Shiro got the feeling that the Black Lion was scoffing exasperatedly at him, making him smile.

Sometimes, Shiro would come out to the hangers by himself to build a stronger relationship with his lion. He had started out with asking questions and telling the Black Lion about himself. At first, it been awkward and Shiro felt foolish for talking at the Black Lion, but the Black Lion actually responded to him and Shiro felt comfortable speaking to the beast to the point where words would spill the moment he found the lion in the empty hanger.

Somewhere along the way, Shiro used these occasions to talk about his day or vent to the Black Lion about his troubles. And by trouble, he meant his fellow red paladin which he always ended up rambling about, and it wasn’t so much a problem as it was Shiro not knowing what to do with himself when he was around Keith. Shiro couldn’t help it, the Red Paladin was always on his mind.

Shiro was indescribably grateful that he was able to have these private talks with his lion. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the rest of his teammates, he merely thought there were more pressing matters to talk about than about his crush on the Red Paladin. It was comforting and cathartic talking to his lion. If he bottled up his thoughts any further, Shiro would surely lose it. Or end up kissing the daylights out of his fellow Red Paladin before promptly ejecting himself into the sweet vacuum of space out of sheer embarrassment.

“He’s the same as he was before all of this,” Shiro said. He could feel Black accepting its fate with a small rumble as yet again Shiro spoke of the Red Paladin. Nonetheless, Black was a comforting presence and never seemed to be truly annoyed by Shiro’s unending talk of the Red Lion’s pilot. “Keith is still talented with so much potential. Give him another year and I’ll be the one biting the dust. He’s got great instincts and all the skills to back it up,” Shiro stated, “You’d probably like him a lot if you ever let him pilot you, Black.” Shiro got the impression his lion was shrugging but wasn’t quite adverse to the idea. The notion made Shiro pleased to know that even his lion liked Keith enough to be piloted by him. “I mean, he has changed. It’s been a year after all,” said Shiro. He sigh tiredly. “I’ve changed.” The black lion rumbled in irritation, already sensing where the conversation was going. Shiro knew Black was rooting for him and would always pester him to make a move on Keith, apparently convinced the Red Paladin felt the same way towards himself. Shiro would always wave the Black Lion off. He just couldn’t believe it. Of course, Shiro wanted to be with Keith. It seemed foolish to think that Keith would want to be with someone like Shiro.

“I know, Black, I know. I’m better than this,” Shiro said, “But think about it: I’m a mess. I failed my mission to Kerberos, got my team captured by Galra with no idea where they could be. I have these flashbacks when I fight and then I can’t fight. I’m not even fully bonded to you. I’m the leader of the paladins but I can’t even figure out a way to defeat Zakron. I don’t even know if I can protect myself, let alone the paladins. I mean, just take a look at me.” Shiro was self conscious about his appearance and never wanted to talk about his looks. His hair a shock of white from stress, a scar marring his face, and lets not forget the robotic arm created by the very creatures that were out to destroy them. It was evident he changed and not for the better.

“Some legend I am,” Shrio grumbled. Black pulsed in disagreement and Shiro felt grateful for the sentiment.

“Keith on the other hand,” started Shiro, “He was always good looking, but now-” Shiro thought of Keith, perfect in every way. It was truly unfair what a year did to the younger paladin’s appearance. “He takes my breath away.” Black definitely made a groaning noise this time and Shiro had to laugh out loud at it. Shiro was scarred and beyond repair, but Keith? He could verse sonnets about the Red Paladin that would put literary geniuses to shame.

“C’mon, Black. You know it,” Shiro said and grinned when he felt Black’s slow responding thrum of agreement. “Keith’s got it all: movie star good looks, flawless hair as black as the night, eyelashes so thick you have to wonder if he can feel them every time he blinks,” Shiro said. He was on a roll and the Black Lion’s hums of acknowledgment only urged him on,”Skin that’s probably as soft as it looks, a body the gods could only hope to have, especially that cute butt of his, and the way he carries himself, it’s like he’s a walking picture. And those perfectly curved lips that I just wish.... Ah, and his eyes, Black.” Shiro sighed in admiration. “When he laughs and when he smiles. Black, you should see it,” Shiro confessed. “They way his eyes light up. It’s a universe.” It fell completely quiet in the hangar as Shiro stared into the dark, contemplating the Red Paladin. Shiro had it bad, he knew. He talked about Keith to Black too often to remain foolish about it. The Red Paladin meant so much to him. “He’s always been there for me,” Shiro said quietly, “Even now, when I’m barely keeping it together and leading us paladins to the slaughter, Keith’s there for me.” He’s here, the Black Lion channeled to Shiro. The Black Paladin immediately froze before quickly getting up and looking around the hanger, dread filling his being.

“Who?” Shiro asked, fearing an intruder had broken into the ship. Shiro dashed around the Black Lion’s leg and cried out in surprise. He fell on his bottom when he found Keith, equally shocked, hiding with his back against the Black Lion’s foreleg on the other side of where Shiro had previously been sitting. Oh no. “K-Keith!” Shiro exclaimed as the Red Paladin stepped out from behind Black’s leg and into the dim light. Oh no. “Hey,” Keith said, looking entirely flustered which confirmed Shiro’s fear. Keith had heard him waxing poetics about him to the Black Lion. Shiro was fairly certain there was an airlock at the other end of the hanger. The vacuum of space would be a great welcome as of now. “Um,” Keith started, not looking at Shiro directly. Shiro could punch his way through the ship and into space with his Galra tech. That could be done. Keith used one of his hands to cover his face partially, trying to hid the blush covering his face. Oh no, he’s probably ashamed for me, thought Shiro as he stared in increasing horror at his comrade, Sweet space, take me now. The universe had other plans, apparently, to which Shiro cursed for being forsaken.

“I was checking up on Red when we heard something,” Keith said, “It’s all clear though, so...” Shiro gulped. “That’s great,” Shiro said, wincing at how he sounded. His voice was uncomfortably high so he cleared his throat to try again without sounding like he was having a major freak out, “That’s great.” The two paladins stared at each other in silence. Shiro tried to channel his Black Lion through their bond in hopes that it could eat him alive and save him the The universe had other plans, apparently. “Well it’s late,” Keith said, being the first to break the silence. Shiro’s eyes widened in terror as Keith took a step back and made to move away. The Black Paladin had really botched this up. Why couldn’t he just sort his mind by training with the simulator or battling Galra instead of talking out loud where anyone could hear him?

“I’m going to get some rest. Good night, Shiro,” said Keith. The Red Paladin turn around and began walking away. “Keith!” Shiro cried out, reaching out towards the Red Paladin. He scrambled to get up off the floor. “How much did you-” Before Shiro could attempt to remedy the situation, Keith interrupted him. “I’ll always be here for you,” Keith said, turning his head to the side so Shiro could hear him better, “So you don’t have to sit here by yourself.” Shiro didn’t know what to say to that. He was still horribly rattled about the whole situation, but at least it seemed he didn’t completely ruin his relationship with Keith. Small mercies. “Keith-” Shiro began. “I know a place on the ship. You can see the universe from there,” Keith said quietly. The Red Paladin’s face was completely red at this point and a small feeling of hope bloomed inside of Shiro. Shiro knew the place he talked about, it was private and had a beautiful view of the space outside. “We can talk and steal some food from the kitchen and have dinner there sometime?” Keith said, sounding uncertain of himself. “Yes!” Shiro answered, almost too quickly and became chagrined by his eagerness. However, Keith looked back at him with a small smile and those eyes of his. “I’d like that,” Shiro clarified, overjoyed, “It’s a date?” “Ok,” said Keith, confirming Shiro’s question. Shiro smiled in pure elation which seemed to infect Keith with a smile as well. “Get some rest? Good night.” “Good night,” Shiro answered, still smiling so hard. He watched as Keith turned and walked away. Shiro fell against the Black Lion’s foreleg, feeling the rumbles being emitted from the creature. “I know, I know, you were right,” Shiro said to which the Black Lion seemed to purr in satisfaction. He still couldn’t believe it. He had a date with Keith. Keith and him. On a date! The universe didn’t forsake him then. Shiro startled when he heard Keith call out to him. “Also,” called Keith, his voice echoing through the hanger, “You have a cute butt yourself!” Shiro could swear Black Lion was laughing at him while his face burned in embarrassment.