#i just got pots and strawberries for my apartment's balcony

[altschmerzes]

when i think about my aspirations for my life it's all stuff like....... covered garage so i dont gotta dig my car out of the snow. garden i can plant sunflowers and strawberries in. big tv i can watch my sports on. and it all feels so simultaneously kind of pathetic for Life Goals And Dreams and also entirely pie in the sky lmao.

[hellenhighwater]

Right now all my veggie gardening is happening in bin planters, and it's going uh. much better than planned. I may be succeeding to death on this one; I'm beginning to worry about overcrowding. I only did four bins initially (I just added two more for purple, red, and white carrots) of tomatoes, bell peppers, and chili peppers. The tomato bins have combined into a super-nightshade of rapidly growing proportions. I started all but three of these tomatoes from seed back in March! Now they're up to my shoulder. They should bear black strawberry tomatoes. The three odd ones were on sale at the greenhouse and I don't remember what kind they were.

I've got four different patches of herbs, plus the potted ones on my porch, which I'm mostly leaving to their own devices. Half my hydrangea are coming in very blue and the others are just starting to bud pink, which means I've got some wild stuff happening with my soil acidity.

And not to sound like an Avatar extra, but my cabbages! are so pretty!

All of this is just to say that even if you're in an apartment, if you have a balcony that gets full sun you can grow an obscene amount of tomatoes and veggies in plastic bins.

[katzkinder]

Strawberry Madeleine

Tsurugi used to use Mikuni’s old uniform as pajamas. 

He’s aware of how pathetic it is. How it sounds. How it probably would have been more subtle to shout that he missed him through a megaphone, for all of Tokyo to hear.

Of course, it doesn’t smell like his old roommate anymore. It hasn’t for a long time, especially not after having been washed and given to Mahiru to run around in for a whole week, over a year ago now. Especially not after it needed to be bleached, and deep cleaned, because of all the blood and dirt and dust that had been practically ground into the white fibers. 

Frankly, it’s a miracle that old thing is still around.

He never expected to get it back, but he did, and he’s only a little ashamed to admit that he held it the same way someone would hold a cherished stuffed toy, inhaling the smell of fabric softener chosen with Kuro’s delicate skin in mind. He had called himself creepy, and Yumikage… Had flicked his forehead. Called him an idiot.

The way he had explained it, it made such perfect sense. 

Mikuni... Was a familiar pain, like a bruise that never quite faded and you press your fingers to it just to remind yourself you’ve been hurt.

Yumikage, Junichiro, Freya, Mahiru, and Kuro are a comfort he never thought he deserved, and that old uniform, one of the only few possessions of his that had survived, the new softness of it and the new smell, are proof that whether he deserves them or not… They are his.

Anyone would cherish that, wouldn’t they?

***

One day his phone lights up in the evening twilight.

“I made too much. That offer to join us for dinner is still valid ☀︎”

Attached is a picture of a simmering pot of curry that makes his mouth water so much he nearly drools all down his front. There’s something familiar about it he can’t quite place, but it’s easily ignored and Tsurugi wipes his mouth on the back of his hand, thumbs flying eagerly over the screen.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes ☆” he replies, then, after adjusting his course accordingly, practically skips off down the sidewalk.

Two minutes from his destination, his phone buzzes again.

“I left the door unlocked for you. Come right in!”

Tsurugi... Tries really hard not to cry in the middle of the street as words half remembered while his soul was tangled with Mahiru’s filter back to him.

If the window is shut, we'll just go through the door.

***

Sometimes Tsurugi goes to Mahiru’s house to play.

It’s a childish way to put it, like they’re both in elementary school and he’s showing up at the front door to ask his friend’s uncle if Mahiru is home, but it’s also the only proper way to describe it, because he is playing.

He’s free now, or about as free as he can be with those debts looming over his head, and he wants to play. Kuro, meanwhile, wants to show him lots of different games, so if he has a day off, and the both of them are available… To the Shirota apartment he goes.

It’s always a mess.

Not the apartment, no, never the apartment. He doesn’t think even C3, with its white walls and white floors and white sheets and everything, everything, white, was even half so clean as that little apartment where three people lived.

What’s always a mess is himself.

This time, though… It’s Mahiru.

***

Tsurugi knows he’s a messy person. Tsurugi knows he’s not very good at cleaning up, though he often tries. It’s overwhelming though, sometimes, looking at it all, all the trash and garbage that had accumulated, all the things he didn’t need anymore, didn’t want, and maybe part of the problem was that his mind hardly ever stayed “adult” long enough to make any real headway.

It’s not like anyone went into his room to begin with, anyway, so why bother?

Mahiru, though, is different from him. Mahiru likes to clean up as he goes, so he supposes it shouldn’t be a shock that he gets frustrated with him and with Kuro, who have their little area in front of the TV set up with snacks, and drinks, and piles and piles of games to try out, and a third controller for Mahiru because sometimes instead of watching, Mahiru will join them, tempted by their cajoling and whining and Tsurugi’s bright, high pitched yelps.

This is not one of those times.

This is a time when Mahiru got frustrated and stormed off, and… Well, Tsurugi isn’t quite sure what to do.

A single look at Kuro shows he doesn’t either, wide eyes watching the hall his Eve disappeared down and slowly the umaibo he had been munching on disappears into his mouth.

“Should we… Clean up?” Tsurugi asks, hesitant. Their characters on screen continue to idle, the timer ticking down. Kuro hits pause. Stands, stretches, cracks his back and Tsurugi can’t help but wince because that can’t be healthy…

“...Yeah,” the Servamp finally says, and bends down with a muffled groan to start gathering chip bags and drink containers. “It’ll give him time to cool down.”

“Does this happen often?” Tsurugi stands, too, and casts his eyes about for something to pick up, but there really wasn’t much. Kuro’s already got it handled. 

It makes him feel just a little useless.

He was a grown up, wasn’t he? … Wasn’t he?

***

Giving Mahiru space to calm down seems to have been the right choice, because when they find him, curled up on his bed and looking just the slightest bit ashamed of his outburst, he looks ready to apologize at any moment.

But Tsurugi doesn’t want an apology.

He wants Mahiru to come play with them.

So he speaks first, apologizes, sincerely, and promises that he and Kuro will clean up after themselves properly, but when they are done.

“You don’t need to keep everything nice and neat all the time, y’know. Part of being a grown up is knowing when it’s time to play and when it’s time to put your toys up.”

Mahiru makes a face at him, buries his chin deeper into his knees. “Tsurugi-san, no offense, but I don’t wanna hear that from you of all people.”

“Ouch, haha.” He sits, plopping down gracelessly next to the still pouting teen, making him bounce and emit a startled noise, and Kuro shuffles forward, slides down on Mahiru’s other side. “...You’re right, though. I never really learned how to clean up and put my things away all nice and neat like you do. No one ever taught me.”

Mahiru shifts, glances at him curiously. Having seen Tsurugi’s room at C3, he definitely believes it. 

“...I guess,” he starts, slow and picking his words carefully. Kuro makes an encouraging noise beside him. “Because I never really felt like the apartment was ‘mine,’ I always ended up cleaning after every little activity. Because having it be messy... Made it feel more lived in than it was.”

“... Mm. That’s exactly it. The illusion of company...” A self deprecating little chuckle. “Guess we both learned to handle that feeling in different ways. If Kuro-chan and I make a mess, we... Might need your help to clean it up properly. But... Can you trust us to clean up when we’re done?”

“... I can try.”

“Good!”

Kuro finally speaks up, because this was a conversation for them, not him. But the moment has passed, and it feels safe to say something a little stupid, a little funny. “We’re serious about the needing your help on how it’s done, thing.” 

“Ugh, I believe you. Tsurugi-san, one time I put this guy in charge of loading up the washing machine and you know what happened?”

“Wait, Mahi, no—“

“Ohh, do tell~!”

“Bubbles. Bubbles, everywhere. My downstairs neighbor had no idea where all the suds dripping onto her balcony were coming from!”

“Pfffhahaha! Kuro-chan, seriously?! There are directions on the box!”

“And I followed them. Our washer is small, though, so it was too much...”

Kamiya Tsurugi was an adult.

Shirota Mahiru was a kid.

But, if they could teach each other the things they had missed out on…

Perhaps it was all for that reason, huh...

Tsurugi wonders if Mahiru will be able to make good on that promise for a cake this year.

***

The end of August comes again, and, just like he had hoped, Mahiru bakes him a cake. Covered in glistening, sweet strawberries, with loads of white, sweet cream, it’s almost too much, especially when paired with how Freya and Iduna had come by, are each sitting in Yumikage’s living room while Freya’s subclass play some noisy game with Takuto.

Some part of him didn’t think Mahiru would really do it. But not only did he keep his promise, he’s pressing a wrapped gift into his hand, a small one that rattles when it moves, this grin on his face as Tsurugi turns it over in his hands, this perfectly wrapped gift with yellow paper and citrus themed washi tape keeping it together. Mahiru’s Servamp lingers back, a noisemaker hanging unenthusiastically from between his lips. And yet, despite his carefully practiced indifference, there’s no denying that Kuro is also eager, just as eager as his Eve.

“Go on. Open it.”

So he does. It’s... A cellphone charm. “...Cinnamoroll...?”

Mahiru beams at him and shows off his own phone. Tsurugi snorts, a smile cracking at the sight of the Pompompurin character charm that dangles merrily from it.

“How’d you know my favorite~?”

“I asked around~”

“Thank you, Mahiru-kun,” Tsurugi answers him, feeling his throat close up, just the slightest bit. His eyes sting, and he holds that little charm close to his chest. “I love it.”

It's such a small gift. A tiny one, one perfectly suited to a high schooler’s budget, but it means so much. 

Because it didn't have to be given.

Mahiru takes his wrist and leads him back to the core of the party, where they are all immediately mobbed by Tsurugi’s own homegrown family.

Vampires, magicians, humans. Adults, children, immortals.

People his own age. People who aren’t.

Tsurugi is loved.

He’s happy he was born.

[introvert-celeste]

saw ya post and got an instant idea! mayhaps if ya're alright with such an idea to write: vollyball owning a flourist shop after graduating from little homeworld, with maybe some pearl x volly or whoever you like shipping volly with the most. idk this was first thing that came to my mind lol.

So. I got this prompt over a year ago and I'm sorry I haven't responded to this until now, but it's done now! As usually, I tried entirely too hard on this one. I haven't written a ship fic in a long time so it was hard to get back into the zone, but I think it turned out alright. Fic under the cut!

Volley sighed contentedly, basking in the warm, early morning sun. Years ago—millennia, centuries, or even just a few years prior—she could have never guessed that she would find herself in a place like this, a space all her own, a place where she could exist and grow.

It was a modest building in the southeastern quadrant of Little Homeworld, only a few blocks from Tulip and Bluebell’s lovely little home near the center of town. Flowering vines crept along the pale pink walls, softening the appearance of the angular, notably gemlike architecture. An overflowing garden seemed to occupy every inch of space on the small property, almost overflowing with flowers and foliage of various shapes, sizes, and colors. Perched as she was on the second-floor balcony, Volley could see the country unfold before her, sloping gently toward the ocean. It was on a quiet street off the main road, but not so quiet that it became dull. Even now, as the clock tower struck 7 in the morning, there were gems of all kinds emerging from their own lovely little homes, continuing their own journeys.

Volley took a sip of her strawberry tea, feeling silly and sentimental and incredibly grateful. She closed her eye, relishing the moment, the air sweet with the smell of strawberries and a thousand flowers.

The distinct sound of metal against metal rang out in the distance, drawing her attention to the town square. From her vantage, she saw two figures sparring in the midst of a crowd of rapt onlookers, one holding a defensive stance as launched into the most graceful, flawless offense Volley had ever seen.

Well, perhaps that wasn’t entirely true; she’d watched Pearl’s technique plenty of times in past year, ever since she moved to Little Homeworld—they were routine at this point, regular demonstrations for Bismuth’s class—and yet every time was just as exciting as the first. Even now, from so far away, she was gripped by excitement, watching Pearl’s slight figure slashing, flipping, twirling, a combination of dance and combat that was entirely new, admirable, beautiful. Volley sighed dreamily, losing herself in the movements.

And then the flurry ended as soon as it began, as Pearl leapt high into the air and slashed downwards with one final, resounding clash, met with cheers from the gathered crowd. Not for the first time, Volley felt as if she were waking from an odd spell. She spared one last look at the scene below, noticing that Pearl had removed her jacket, her lithe, pale arms glowing sunlight as she showcased the sword—likely freshly forged—to the admiring onlookers.

The heat rose to her face; she quickly looked away, unsure of what to make of these new feelings. Or perhaps she had felt this before, long ago… She shook the thought from her head before it could fully form. She had a busy afternoon ahead of her, no use dwelling on silly ideas like these. Pearl was her friend, and that wouldn’t change. Besides, why would a gem as amazing as her be interested in someone like her.

“Good morning, Volley!”

Volley yelped in surprise, nearly toppling over the edge of the balcony. After a mad scramble, trying not to upset her teacup and the multitude of plant pots crowding the narrow space, she leaned over the railing to address the familiar voice below.

“Oh Pearl!” She cried in a flustered voice. “Good morning! Isn’t it such a lovely day? Simply breathtaking! That’s what the humans say, right? Come in and I’ll be down in a sec!”

She was not one to be easily embarrassed, but there was something about Pearl’s quizzical, mildly amused smirk that caught her completely off guard. Face burning, she hurried inside her apartment, out of sight.

Perhaps it was the fact that they’d hardly spent any time together outside of Little Homeschool in ages, always busy with their own projects, and now Pearl was there outside her door. Indeed, Volley looked around the cluttered room in dismay, all sorts of gaudy oddments and clusters upon clusters of flowers in half-finished arrangements lining every available surface. It was a hobby that was quickly—but not unpleasantly—consuming her idle hours, a hobby she was particularly proud of. Looking at the mess with fresh eyes, however, all she could feel was shame; she knew that Pearl wouldn’t approve.

“There’s no time,” she sighed helplessly, picking her way through the clutter.

There was one thing amid the mess that she was particularly excited to show her, even in her dismay. Gently, she scooped up a small, finished bouquet she’d completed in the early hours of the morning. It was when she felt the most inspired, or perhaps it was the only time of the day when she was particularly pensive. She’d been thinking quite a lot lately, more than she was comfortable with. Clutching the bouquet close to her chest, quelling her rising nerves, she made her way downstairs.

As her reputation as a top-notch gardener and florist spread throughout the colony, the downstairs room quickly transformed into a shop of sorts. An impressive array of arrangements sat clustered around the room, as well as a multitude of potted flowers and succulents too delicate for the outdoor elements. Gems and humans alike were free to stop by and take what they like in return for the little trinkets she so enjoyed, although their enjoyment was enough payment in itself. At this moment, however, she was relieved to find that no one else had wandered in that day, only Pearl, who looked about the room in appreciation.

“Oh Volley, I am so impressed!” she exclaimed. “You’ve really made this space your own. I’m sorry I didn’t visit sooner.”

“It’s nothing much, not much more than a hobby…” Volley shyly ducked away from the compliment in polite deference. “Certainly, compared to what you’ve accomplished. I saw your performance a moment ago and it was absolutely stellar, as always.”

There was a hint of concern behind Pearl’s eyes, as she cast her a gentle smile. “While I’m flattered by the compliment,” she replied, grasping Volley’s shoulders lightly, “my success doesn’t negate yours. I mean, just look at what you’ve done in a few short months!”

Volley blushed deeply, not expecting her sudden warmth. She hid behind her gift, thrusting it between them. “Um, this is for you,” she explained in a small voice. “I-I was going to give them to you later, but…well, now you’re here, so…” she trailed off, watching as Pearl inspected the gift closely; with interest or scrutiny, she couldn’t quite tell. “Um, I thought you might like lilies and hydrangeas, and I added some…some small roses here and there. I hope that’s okay.”

Pearl gazed at her in surprise. “Of course, Volley,” she assured her, casting another fond glance at the cluster of flowers and toying with the satin ribbon. “It’s a beautiful gift. Thank you.” Sensing her unease, she continued, “is everything alight?”

Volley began to speak, but she couldn’t find the words, couldn’t even begin to describe how she felt that the moment. Was she alright? She had everything she could possibly want and a life she had never expected, not in her wildest dreams, and yet it felt as if things were far more complicated than she was prepared for. In truth, she was terrified, which was not an unusual experience in the least for gems adjusting to the new freedoms of Era 3. Of what, however, she could not say.

All she could do was stand there, regarding this gem with whom she shared such a complicated relationship. She knew, without a doubt, that Pearl resented her, or had at first. She knew that she could be frustrating, that she wasn’t incredibly smart or neat or talented. She envied, admired Pearl’s confidence, bravado, and unabashed dominance. All the Pearls who met her wanted even an inkling of what she had, and Volley was no exception. She regarded her creation in Pearl’s capable hands and hated the shame the bubbled up in her, wishing beyond all else that she could boldly claim the pride she had felt of it hours ago.

“I just hope it isn’t too trivial,” she finally stated in a small voice, forcing back her shame. “I-I know it isn’t very impressive, but I’m trying to get better.” She could feel treacherous tears welling in her good eye. This was not how she had wanted this interaction to go at all.

Just then, she felt Pearl pull her into a tight, genuine hug. After a moment, Volley gave in to the embrace, burying her face into Pearl’s shoulder.

“Nonsense,” Pearl finally replied firmly. “I love everything you’ve done. I admire you, Volley.”

I love you. The thought flashed through her mind and caught in her mouth. “I admire you, too,” she revised, reluctantly pulling away from the embrace to smile at her. “I always have.”

[1armed-and-dangerous]

What do you do for hobbies, apart from gardening? What have you been growing in the garden? Do you have any favourite plants?

Hobbies?

It's a little strange to think of things as hobbies - given the life I've led, but I suppose they are, huh?

Motorcycles - I like riding, but I enjoy a bit of grease-monkeying too. I like to work on them. I have a project I'm working on now - something I found at an auction that needs some repair work. Not sure what I'll do with it when I get it finished, but it gives me something to do.

Reading - I have a lot to catch up on. Sometimes it's news articles on microphish, but when I feel like just enjoying a read - not going to lie, sci fi and high fantasy are my bag.

Building - I have an A-frame cottage I've been working on in upstate New York. Finished the majority of it last year. It's a nice, private little spot I can go to get away from ... everything. Nobody and nothing but hills, trees and meadows for miles in any direction. Literal miles. I put a lot of myself into that place - and I know every nook and cranny in intimate detail. I like smaller projects too - all the trellises and planter boxes on the roof - I did those with a little help from the neighbors.

And Gardening, obviously. It was a way to channel all my .. energy.. into something productive. To prove to myself I could keep things alive. That I could care for something. I heard plants were a good first step, so I rescued some wilty little Pothos from a broken planter in the trash. I was able to bring it back - it was one of the first residents of the rooftop garden, but before that it lived in the kitchen and out on the balcony in nice weather. It's my favorite, probably for predictable reasons.

The garden is sort of a community project. It started with just a few planters for growing some food things from grocery waste - avacado seeds and celery cut offs, that sort of thing. But the neighbors liked it and so it grew. Next thing I know, we're building a little green house up there together. We got a little seating area. We have more planters and more people are contributing. We have trellis and string lights..

I didn't plan for it but I'm glad it's going this way. It's providing income for some of the families who wouldn't otherwise have any ... they can take the stuff that we grow up there and sell it at the farmer's markets. They can trade with people in the are for other things.

We're still working out what grows and what doesn't and how to care for everything, but we have a huge variety of stuff up there. Potted herbs - the kind you'd expect. Rosemary, Mint, Thyme, Chives and so on. We have a few rows of leafy greens.. like cabbage, lettuces, kale, celery. We have a row of hanging tomato plants. We have a few deep beds or things carrots and potatoes. And I've made sure to scatter some pollinator positive things out there, too. Butterfly bushes and things bees and butterflies like.

We have some berry bushes, a strawberry patch everyone is looking forward to this year. Last July we had a really nice fireworks viewing party up there and we're going to do the same for the New Year. A little music, the lights on, barbeque stuff (yes even in the cold).

We have plans to expand - One of the ladies knows how to grow a variety of melons from a hanging sort of trellis set up? So we're going to try that and the kids are always bringing me stuff they want to try and grow. I think we're going to try some beans this year, too.

And we just finished a chicken coop and run.. I'm looking forward to bringing some chooks home when the weather warms up.

[forevercaroline]

Forbes chapter 1

This is a spin off of beautiful dirty rich another fic I have. I didn’t expect this first chapter to be so long but it is this is also an au. Tagging @misssophiachase, @caritobear, @crazychicke, @bearolle24, @infernal-panda, @walter-boswell428 , @karinanic, @austennerdita2533

Xxx

The forbes are the cousins of the Salvatore family one of the richest families in the world the mother’s side of the family. Where as they live in New York City the forbes reside in Bel Air California. They live in a beautiful fairy tale like gated estate with views of the Pacific Ocean and downtown Los Angeles.

Lexi Forbes wakes up in her big bedroom with white walls, a purple egg shaped chair in corner that has pillows on it, sun shining through her window above the window seat she has blankets and pillows on. After a shower in her en-suite bathroom she sits down at her vanity table and after she’s finished doing her hair which she has her long blonde hair wavy and flowing down her back and makeup which she keeps simple. She picks out a pair of teal skinny jeans a white tank top and a grey sweater with tan knee high stiletto boots and a white and tan purse. She has matched it with tan sunglasses and her rose gold diamond choker her mom gave her and a couple rings.

As she enters the breakfast room which is smaller then the dinning room. The breakfast room has double doors to go out to the front lawns. The quaint room is yellow, with flowers painted on the walls and fresh flowers in a vase on the table. Her mother designed their many homes.

She kisses her father on the cheek as she sits down next to him, Sabine a member of their staff at the mansion brings her a bowl of raspberries, strawberries and watermelon. “What are you doing today dad?”

Peter Hale Forbes has sharp cheek bones that would cut glass, his short but volumed brown hair is always styled. He always looks incredible and wears a lot of v necks. Today he has on a grey v neck and a pair of fitted jeans. Their wealth comes from his hotel’s but also the Forbes family comes from old money making 19 year old Lexi an heiress. “I’m going to check in on the hotels.”

As Lexi is bringing the last piece of fruit in the bowl a piece of watermelon to her mouth she asks, “Is your friend coming over today?”

Peter raises an eyebrow how does Lexi know about her he’s been so careful only bringing her around while Lexi was at school or out for a extended amount of time. He looks away from his breakfast of fruit; watermelon, blueberries, peaches and mango’s. “What friend are you referring too?”

Lexi pulls a orange cheetah print bra out of her purse. “The friend this belongs too, I know its not mine. The only other teenage girl here is Greta but since she’s in high school and works for us I doubt she’s helping her mom clean the mansion in cheetah print lingerie, nor any of the staff.”

Peter grabs the bra out of his daughters hand and puts it on the other side of him on the table. “Where did you find this?”

“Outside your suite couldn’t even wait till you got inside the first set of double doors. I didn’t find it Aiden did. He found it the day before we left for New York City and there was no time to bring it up then and when we got back they came with so now is the perfect time. That day I needed to finish packing and Aiden and Ethan came up with me, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye and it was that.”

Peter closes his eyes and puts his head in his hands. He knew he had to have this conversation with her eventually but he didn’t think it would be this soon. “I miss your mom everyday, But I have to learn to move on. I have been seeing a women named Alexis she beautiful, eclectic, fun I enjoy her. “

“Dad mom’s been dead for almost five years I miss her too I don’t think mom would be mad at you for moving on. I’m glad you have someone.”

As Lexi gets up Peter adds. “I forgot to mention Alexis is a escort, I don’t pay her for her time it’s not like that. There is actual feeling on both sides.”

Lexi closes her eyes and bites her lip. She knew there was a woman but she never thought there was actual feelings which she knows is wrong of her. She remembers when her grandmother Cece’s new boyfriend who is only 11 years older then her showed up a couple weeks ago and Cece introduced everyone to him that took awhile to get over, some of the grandchildren are still not over it. “I hope to meet her one day.” She leaves a kiss on her dads cheek. “I’m going to school see you later.”

Xxx

Before Lexi can leave she has to go get her two best friends identical twins Aiden and Ethan who live in their guest house but Lexi knows they like to take a morning swim.

So coming into the backyard from the kitchen she goes down the stairs off the Balcony. There is a little sitting area at the top of a slope which has long steps and water cascading in between the two staircases at the bottom of the slope there is a fountain surrounded by statues of the four seasons in their own alcove. To the right there is a bush/pathway to the pool which has a glass bottom. The 75 foot size pool is in the middle with potted trees on the sides. A table off to the side with an umbrella and chairs surrounding it, on the other side of the pool there are lounge chairs. Behind the pool is the pool house/dome.

The pool house/dome is practically another house, Its three floors. Before her mom died they would have pool parties all the time. The pool house lounge level always had drunk happy party people coming in and out of it, teen and adults alike.

The first floor is a living area is simple from the plain white and brown stripes of the wallpaper to the tan furniture. Her mom always said nobody will be looking at the walls when they enter this place. The white French style windows letting in the morning light over the navy blue curved couch underneath it with the red, white and blue striped pillows. The cushions of the couch have been washed so many times the blue has faded.

On the opposite side of the room is a fully stocked circular bar. In the middle of the room there is a tan matching table and chairs that seats eight people. Off to the side there is a door to a kitchen. Opposite the kitchen there is a doorway to a full changing room with lockers, and a floor to ceiling mirror.

When you walk into the living area the smell of popcorn and chlorine fill the air popcorn from the home theater with concession stand upstairs and chlorine from the indoor pool downstairs it never bothers anyone since they are so busy doing other stuff.

Her heels echo through the enclosed spiral staircase as she descends down to the lower level and opens the glass door to come into the indoor pool/jacuzzi room. All the rooms in the lower level have glass doors except for the sauna which has a wooden almost bamboo like door.

Aiden and Ethan are identical they are both lean and muscular and are of medium stature not only do they look alike but they have the same short reddish brown haircut which the sides of their hair are shaved shorter then the top of their hair but only by inches. Ethan is slightly taller then Aiden. They are currently in the indoor pool seeing who can do more laps. They are to occupied in competing with each other that they don’t notice Lexi. The main house and the dome are the only two homes on the estate that have spiral staircases.

Lexi, Aiden and Ethan have been best friends since they were two. Their moms were friends and Lexi’s mom had invited the twins mom over one day and she brought her two year old twins and the three have been inseparable ever since.

“Get out of the pool time for school.”

Both twins say at the same time. “Aww but mom.”

All three laugh. “You know how we all laughed when Aiden found that bra and joked my dad had a hooker.

They nod as Ethan is climb himself up out of the pool and Aiden is floating on his back to the side to get out. “Well turns out not a joke my dads been seeing a hooker named Alexis but not in a sexual payment way. There’s feelings involved. I just don’t know how to feel.”

“Aww honey we’re there for you whatever you need.”

“Yeah hon you can always stay with us in the guest house.”

Lexi smiles at them they can always make her feel better. “Thanks guys.”

Xxx

Beautiful red haired insanely smart and very social 19 year old Lydia Martin is awoken by her phone ringing. As she slides a hand out from underneath the covers and cracks an eye open to read the text from her best friend Allison Argent “Where are you? You didn’t come home last night.”

She notices the time out of the corner of her eye and her eyes widen and she quickly sits up waking the guy in bed next to her.

“Oh my god is that time I have to go.”

Lydia scrambles around his bedroom looking for her clothes from last night. As she is zipping up her ankle booties she leans back and kisses the guy in bed on the lips. “Last night was fun see you later.”

The twenty four year old brunette watches as Lydia hurries out of his apartment.

Xxx

“I had an idea.”

Lexi cuts Aiden off. “Aiden I love you I really do you and Ethan are the brothers I never had but because of your idea’s the police know where we live.”

“True but hear me out.”

Lexi pulls up to a stop sign and looks to Ethan who has the apprehension look on his face too. They both turn to look at Aiden in the backseat of the hot pink lamborghini convertible Lexi got for an eighteenth birthday present before she was driving a black Ferrari. Lexi has a couple different luxury cars and all of them are different colors. “Ok Aiden what is your idea?”

“We throw a party at the end of the year one last bash before summer.”

“Way to go Aiden you finally had a good idea.” Ethan leans back and hits his brother in the leg. Which earns him Aiden sticking his tongue out at his brother and Ethan laughing.

As the stop light turns green Lexi asks. “And where would we be having this party, I doubt there are many abandoned warehouses in Bel Air and our home yes it’s gorgeous but there are not many open area’s for people to party besides the pool.”

Aiden looks up into the rear view mirror and Lexi notices him. “I know what your thinking and I doubt people would drive a little over an hour to Montecito for a party. Even if our home there would be big enough.”

“Its a black light party and the night club would be perfect for it.”

As Lexi is pulling into a her spot behind the Kappa Kappa Gamma house on sorority row at UCLA she tells them. “I’ll ask my dad for the keys no promises he said he’s going to be out today so I might have to steal them. I love that home but it doesn’t get used often which is a shame its very beautiful.”

“All your family homes are beautiful.”

“Why are we at Kappa?”

It’s to early for anyone to be coming in and out of the house. Lexi mainly lives at the Forbes estate but some nights she spends at the sorority house. She loves being a kappa and with her friends but with the good comes the bad. “I left some lip liner here and I was looking for it this morning. See you later in psych.”

Xxx

The Kappa house is styled like an old Tuscany villa. As she is coming down the hallway from the kitchen to the stairs the front door opens and Lydia quietly comes in wearing the clothes she had on yesterday a red floral mock mini dress and black heels

Both girls hear voices calling them. One from the living room and one from the stairs.

Isaac Lahey who is tall with a lean and muscular build and dirty blonde hair that is slightly curly, and large deep set blue eyes. He is sitting in the living room in kappa waiting for his friend Erica Reyes to finish getting ready so they can go to class when Lexi walks past. Isaac has only been in America for six months and since Erica introduced him to Lexi Forbes he has thought she was so beautiful.

“Lexi hi.”

Lexi turns towards the living room and smiles at him, “Isaac are you waiting for Erica? I have to go upstairs anyway I’ll see what’s taking so long.”

Allison Argent and Malia Tate has come down the stairs and noticed Lydia just coming home. “Lydia spill, your still wearing the same clothes from last night.”

“Lydia Martin smartest women in the house is doing the walk of shame I’m so proud of you.”

Lexi puts arm around lydia’s shoulders as Lydia tells her friends. “It’s not a walk of shame and if you must know I maybe seeing someone. That is all the information I’m giving now I have to change I have class in fifteen minutes.”

Lexi opens her door to see her roommate Erica Reyes who is tall, lean and beautiful with light blonde hair and large brown eyes putting on her signature cheetah print pumps. “Isaac is downstairs, is it just me or did he get hotter?”

Erica flips her light blonde hair out from underneath her black leather jacket. ‘It’s just you, maybe you should ask him out?”

Lexi looks at her through the mirror as she puts on her pink lip liner. “Maybe I will.”

Xxx

Later that morning Lexi sits between Aiden and Ethan in psychology. “I’m going to go back to the estate for lunch and see if my dads there and get the keys to the Montecito home.”

Lydia walks past them to her seat with Allison and Malia next to her Aiden leans forward and calls out to them. “Hi Lydia.”

Lydia looks back at them and raises an eyebrow. “The answer is still no.”

Lexi and Ethan laugh. Ever since Aiden met Lydia he has asked her out multiple times and every time she has rejected him. “What is that now 112?”

“No I think it’s closer to 174. We should of kept a tally.”

Aiden glares back at his best friend and twin brother. Erica walks past them and Lexi leans over and whispers in Aiden’s ear. “Since Lydia is never going to say yes, she came into Kappa this morning doing a walk of shame. Rumor has it she is having a fling with one of the campus security guards Jordan Parrish. Maybe ask Erica out you know she’s been a little down since Stiles left for Quantico.”

He raises an eyebrow as he looks at Erica laugh at something Boyd said.

A couple minutes into class the professor has not shown up, “ If the professor doesn’t show up we’re leaving.”

Ethan leans over to his brother. “If he doesn’t show up want to go for coffee.”

Aiden nods and they both look at Lexi.“Someone rushed us out of the house this morning before we could grab anything for breakfast.”

“Not my fault you decided to go for competition rounds this morning instead of your usual fifty.”

As everyone is getting up to leave a handsome guy in tan pants, and a long white sleeve shirt comes in. “I’m your new professor, your last professor has had a mental breakdown so I will be taking over my name is Derek Hale.”

Allison leans over to Lydia. “He’s cute.”

Lydia shrugs her shoulders.

Ethan leans over to Lexi, “He is cute.”

“I think his mom is my business professor. Plus don’t you think your hands full with Jackson and Danny.”

He runs a finger down her nose. “Don’t be jealous.”

She scrunches up her face at him.

Jackson who is sitting next to Danny a couple rows in front of them looks behind him and spots Ethan they share a smile.

Xxx

Lexi pulls her car into the car gallery she notices all her father’s cars are here so he hasn’t left yet. Off of the car gallery is the temperature controlled wine room and an elevator. The elevator takes her up to the bedrooms level of the mansion which is the second floor. Her dad has the biggest bedroom on the floor. On a daily basis only two of the eleven bedrooms get used.

Peter Forbes’ bedroom has two sets of double doors, the first set opens up to a little hallway with a private elevator that almost never gets used, and extra shelving. The second set of doors opens up into the bedroom across from double doors are three sets of double doors to go out to a balcony. The amount of natural light coming into the room makes the black silk sheets shine. Across from the bed is a marble two sided fireplace and tv. On each side of the marble is a black bench.

As Lexi’s perfectly painted purple sparkly nails wrap around the first set of door knobs her phone rings with one hand she reaches in her back pocket and grabs her phone while turning the knob. It’s a text from Isaac. ‘My next class is not for another two hours I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch or coffee.’

‘I’m not on campus right now but will be back soon I’d love to do lunch or coffee. I’ll text you when I get back.’

She is focused on her phone when she opens the second set of doors and walks into her fathers room. “Hey dad. The keys to the-“ Lexi finishes her text and puts her phone back in her pocket. “Oh my god.”

The black silk sheets are all messed up because her father is on top of a brunette very pretty woman who she assumes is Alexis and thrusting into her.

Lexi looks up to the ceiling. “Put some clothes on. I have a simple question, I’ll just wait downstairs.” As she is walking backwards she announces. “Nice to meet you Alexis.”

“Door.” As Peter is rolling off her and pulling the sheet over both of them.

Lexi nods but to late she hits the side with her back. “I’m ok.”

Xxx

Peter scrambles out of his bed and grabs his jeans. He finds his daughter in her room throwing clothes in a bag. “What are doing?”

“I can’t sleep here tonight, I also can’t get the image of you thrusting into that woman out of my head.”

“Her name is Alexis, and when I told you about her this morning you didn’t seem to have any problems and you were nice just now to her.”

Lexi turns back to her father who never did grab a shirt so he’s in fitted blue jeans and nothing else. “I was faking it. I had other things on my mind when you told me. Thankfully my business class is in the morning because there is no way I would of focused on that test after this. I’m tempted to skip my afternoon class I’m so traumatized but I have a coffee date and I drove Ethan and Aiden so I can’t.”

Peter rubs his forehead this family can be so dramatic. The whole family the whole Forbes/Salvatore family is one big rich dramatic family. “This is not how I wanted this to go. Also where are you going to sleep?”

“I’ll sleep at the sorority house or the guest house. What do you mean you never wanted it to go this way. How did you want this to go?”

Peter is leaning against the wall just inside her bedroom with his arms crossed and his toned physic on display. “Eventually I wanted to invite her over and have you two meet. Did you only have morning classes?’

Lexi is still in her big walk in closet where her clothes are sorted into sections of party clothes, tops, pants/skirts/shorts, dresses, sweaters/jackets. The back wall is just one big shoe rack with heels, wedges, boots. All her jewelry is in the glass top island in the middle of the closet. Her belts are hung up on each side of the shoe wall.

“No my next class is not till 1:30 I need the keys to the Montecito home we were thinking of throwing a end of the year beginning of the summer party.”

“We meaning Aiden?”

Lexi nods, “We meaning Aiden had the idea but after telling us Ethan and I thought it was a good idea. A black light party in the night club would be perfect. Think about it live band on the polo field black light party in the nightclub. Plus the home does not get used enough to this party would really show the home some love.”

“I don’t like that this was Aiden’s idea, let’s hope this does not end with the Montecito police being called. The keys are in my office. What is it about Alexis you do not like.”

She turns back to her dad she can’t believe this question she barely knows the woman. “Other then the fact that I hardly know her and then see her getting rammed by my dad. She looks a couple years older then me and our names are similar.”

“She’s twenty six almost twenty seven I didn’t even realize the name thing.”

Lexi picks up her bag and as she is leaving she notes. “Why is this a theme in this family Cece cougar is with Chris who is thirty, you and Alexis who twenty six and a half, and Uncle Sawyer who has had sex with a hooker too.... Maybe the same one.”

Lexi gets halfway down the stairs when Peter calls after her. “We are not done with this get back here.”

The blonde turns around on the white with black and brown fabric spiral staircase. Her father is coming down to meet her. The light is shining on them through the three windows on the side of the stairs and there is a chandelier hanging from the cathedral high ceiling of the white marble grand foyer showering the grand foyer in natural light.

“I’m not a cougar like Cece, Alexis and I there is a relationship there. You know not to bring up Uncle Sawyer. Plus for us to have the same woman he would have to stay in the same place for more then a few days.”

“He’s been in Europe for a while, can you blame him for not wanting to come to America his money was withheld from him and he was in that plane crash. Are you forgetting Alexis is a hooker she sleeps with men for money and makes them feel good about themselves while she does. I do not want you to get hurt when you realize this.”

While the two forbes are on the stairs having this conversation their staff is busing around the estate some are cleaning, some are making food but nobody wants to go into the foyer.

Peter puts a hand on his daughters upper arm it’s just been the two of them for almost five years. No matter how old Lexi is she is always going to care and want to protect her dads feelings. His wife and her mom’s death hit them both hard.

“She’s an escort she is not just playing me. I know what I’m doing.”

Lexi nods. “Why couldn’t you decide to sleep with the sorority house mom Melissa or anyone else.”

Peter laughs “You know us forbes we don’t fall for the boy or girl next door.”

“True Aunt Liz is dating a drug kingpin.”

“That wedding when it happens will be interesting.”

XXX

Erica, Lydia, Allison and Malia are walking Greek row back to the house when they see campus patrol officer Jordan Parrish, young twenty four brunette Parrish. “Good after noon ladies. Miss Martin I found this on the ground and was wondering if it was yours?”

Parrish holds out a gold bracelet that Lydia was wearing last night as she takes it they share a smile. Alison Erica and Malia are watching this and once Parrish walks past them all three girls look at the red head. “Oh my god you and Jordan Parrish.”

“ Scandalous.”

“He’s hot.”

Lydia puts a finger up to her lips “Will you please keep it down.” They are passing Kappa Kappa Theta who tries to compete with Kappa Kappa Gamma. They do not need the president of Theta Hayden Romeo knowing this piece of gossip to use against Lydia and Gamma.

Once they get past Theta Lydia keeping her voice down tells her friends “Yes I’ve been seeing Jordan Parrish. “

All three girls get a text from their house mother Melissa McCall. “House meeting 3’o’clock.”

Kira is in Japanese history when her phone vibrates.

Xxx

Peter runs a hand through his hair before he returns to his bedroom expecting to find Alexis waiting for him in bed but the bed is empty, he glances in his big walk in closet his side is full of clothes his wife’s side is empty. A year after her death Lexi and him mustered up the courage to clean out her side of the closet they sold of the clothes but kept most of it and is now in storage.

He finds Alexis in his big en-suite bathroom she is in his bathtub which is full of bubbles. He bends down next to her. “I’m sorry about that earlier.”

She smiles at him and cups his chin with her hand which is dripping water on the floor. “Usually it’s the wife that walks in this is the first time a daughter has walked in on me.”

“How would you like to meet her?”

Her eyes widen and she drops all flirtation. “Excuse me she just walked in on us and you want the three of us to have a sit down dinner family style.”

Peter lets out a sigh and reaches out to push back a piece of her brunette hair behind her ear. “Of course not but maybe a actual meeting where nobody is caught having sex.”

Alexis puts her hand on her chin on the side of the porcelain tub. “She is not going to accept me. I doubt she will even take me serious I’m an escort who is dating her father.”

Xxx

While driving back to campus Lexi is tapping her finger against the stirring wheel, her phone rings but she’s busy driving so she doesn’t answer. When she gets back to Campus and meets Isaac at one of the coffee carts and after they get their coffee’s they both get French vanilla Frappuccino’s.

They sit down and while Isaac is talking about how he loves California he misses London Lexi is tapping her finger against the cup. “Are you ok?”

His voice pulls her out the trance she was in while he was talking she didn’t mean for it to happen. “Huh... oh yeah just a lot on my mind and Ethan and Aiden have a class I can’t tell them.”

Isaac feels bad for the sad blonde in front of him he likes her and he wishes she would confine in him. “Maybe I can help.”

She smiles at him it’s sweet he is offering to help her. “ Thanks maybe another time I will take a hug if your offering.”

They stand up and Isaac wraps his arms around her and she snuggles her head into his neck and he can feel her breath of relief during their hug.

Xxx

As Peter is walking her to the door something has been bugging him since Lexi mentioned he knows she brought it up tp hurt him but he has to know. “By any chance have you ever been with a tall, attractive I guess, super annoying, egocentric, has nicknames for everyone, blonde shaggy hair, wears leather jackets or button up shirts, probably conned you out of some money guy named Sawyer?”

Alexis stops at the front door and thinks about it everyone before Peter was a one and done. Peter is the first where they come back to each other and she enjoys him. “I don’t think so why do you know a Sawyer?”

Peter smirks as he open the door but she doesn’t see. “No.”

Xxx

House meeting always take place in the living room. There is a very open living layout of the house. There is a fireplace which is not used often since California and two couches with a table between them. There are a few chairs in the room too, two in front of the windows and one on the other side of the room in the corner. Above the fireplace there a photo of everyone in the house in front of the house.Lexi and Erica are always next to each other during house meetings and usually leaning against the pillars on each side of the entrance of the living room. Allison and Lydia are sitting in the chairs in front of the windows and the other girls are filling into the room. When everyone is there house mom Melissa McCall who is a mom to all the young ladies in the house but also a trained nurse and helps out in the hospital part of the school. Her long brown curly hair is dangling over her shoulders as she addresses all the ladies.

“Friday night is movie night and our annual sisters retreat is coming up where do you girls want to go.”

“Vegas.” Malia looks down at Lydia since Malia is sitting on the arm of her chair. “We all know she wants to go to Vegas to gamble.” Lydia nods.

“Mexico.”

Melissa looks over at the two girls sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, “Not twenty one and let’s keep it in America.”

“Aspen.”

“Who knows how to ski or snowboard.”

Half of the girls raise their hands including Lexi, Erica, Allison, Lydia and Malia and her roommate Kira.

Erica leans over to Lexi and whispers. “I remember the last time we went to aspen us, the twins and your parents for winter break. We had so much fun.”

Lexi smiles at the memory then gets sad because that was their last winter with her mom. “We did have a lot of fun. My dad is thinking of selling the place since we haven’t been there in a while.”

“Aspen it is, Now does anyone have any homes in Aspen or are we staying in a hotel?”

Most of the girls look up at Lexi. Some of the girls are jealous that Lexi has so much money and can have anything she wants on the outside looking in her life looks perfect little do they know her life is more dramatic then perfect. Her life may not be as dramatic as her cousins in New York City but she still deals with dramatic moments.

Melissa notices the young ladies look at Lexi. She’s heard their snide comments about Lexi, Melissa is privy to all the gossip in the house. As house mother Melissa is to care for these ladies and she treats them like her children. She also has a son who goes to UCLA Scott when he drops by the house sometimes the younger ladies of the house go crazy and surround him.

“Meeting dismissed. Lexi can I speak with you for a moment.”

Erica and Lexi share a look they both know what Melissa wants to ask her.

Xxx

Peter’s black Shelby 1000 Cobra pulls up outside his hotel and the valet take the keys and park it while he goes in and and makes sure everything is still running smoothly.

Xxx

Aiden and Ethan have been waiting behind Kappa for Lexi for almost fifteen minutes when she comes out. “What was going on in there and why do you have a duffel bag in the backseat?”

“House meeting were going to Aspen and guess where everyone is staying if you guessed our home you are correct.”

Ethan and Aiden share a look of worry as the doors unlock and they get in. Sure they could of got in before the doors were unlocked its a convertible and there is no hood but they are respectful of the Forbes family.

Lexi pulls up to a stoplight on sunset strip and her fingers are tapping on the steering wheel. The light turns green and she does not drive Aiden who is in the backseat looks behind them at a car and before the car can honk he waves his hand for the car to go around them. Ethan leans over and puts a hand on Lexi’s shoulder. “Are you ok hon.”

That touch of familiarity brings her out of her haze, “Huh oh right um.” She goes to put the car in park and Ethan puts a hand over hers. “I don’t know what’s wrong but before we get into an accident or someone flips us off I’m driving.”

Lexi does get to pull the car off to the side so they are not in the road. Ethan gets in the driver seat while Lexi is in the passengers seat and Aiden slides over so he’s behind the passengers seat then behind the driver seat.

Aiden slides his hands on each of the head rest and massages Lexi’s shoulders while she puts her head on the headrest and closes her eyes. Ethan takes a breath and looks in the mirror at his brother and they nod at each other. They live at the forbes estate and Lexi’s calls them the brothers she never had but they never drive the Forbes cars and this is a custom Lamborghini.

Once they are back on the road and headed to Montecito. Aiden asks “What happened to you this afternoon? You were fine when we left psychology.”

Lexi leans forward and runs a hand through her long blonde hair. “I met her when I went home to get the keys.”

“Met her as in....”

“Yes well met is not the right word saw her today.”

Ethan still keeping his eyes on the highway asks. “Saw her, saw her where?”

Lexi turns towards him and raises an eyebrow. Both twins at the same time go. “Ewww.”

“Yeah can’t get it out of my head. Forgot to mention I’m sleeping in the guest house tonight its still to fresh to step on the bedroom floor.”

“Totally get it.”

“So what is she like?”

Lexi looks back at Aiden in the rear view mirror. “Seriously.”

He shrugs and she sighs “Young she’s twenty six and a half brunette hair and has long dangling feather earrings and tattoos I couldn’t see what tattoos I was busy averting my eyes from the image of my dad thrusting into her.”

Xxx

Once they are through the gate and up the long driveway leading to the courtyard of the house. Since they are not going to be here long they just park outside the home not in the garage.

As they enter the octagon shaped grand foyer with natural lighting streaming in from a skylight, glass chandelier hanging down from the ceiling. A pink couch against the wall below a painting opposite the front doors are there are stairs going into the main house. “I love being in a sorority, but with the exception of Erica, Lydia Allison, Malia and Kira everyone thinks I’m made of money and I can just throw money at every situation. News flash people just because I’m rich doesn’t mean I have to spent it on you and stop expecting me too, plus stop expecting me to give up our homes as a place for you to use. Our home in Aspen we might be putting up for sale so we might not have it anymore but everyone just expects me to give up our home to host retreats. So they can brag we have a Forbes in our sorority. I just wished they wanted me as a person and not as Forbes.”

Both Ethan and Aiden put an arm around her shoulders. “We love you as you not because your a Forbes.”

They go through the mansion and where other homes have basements this home has a nightclub, wine tasting room, wellness center, sports bar and movie theater. The nightclub has a dj booth, six area’s for seating including white chairs, sofa and tables. On the far side there are doors to go out to the pool but with the black shades down it darkens the room to make it have more of the club vibe.

While Aiden is looking around the room planning the party in his head Ethan and Lexi flop onto one of the white fluffy love seats. Lexi has her head back and her eyes closed. “You need a massage after the afternoon you’ve had.”

“The masseuse is not here.”

Ethan smiles as he stands and grabs her hands to pull her up. “You go to the wellness center and I’ll call her or him then we’ll leave, it will give you time to get a massage, Aiden enough time to check this area out and I’ll be in the find something to do. Maybe catch a movie.”

“You love living vicariously through my heiress life.”

Ethan goes to open his mouth but Aiden who is at the clear dj booth which when on changes colors answers. “Yeah but don’t lie you love your heiress life.”

Lexi shrugs her shoulders “Your right I do its a hard life but someone has to live it.”

They laugh as Ethan slides his arm through Lexi’s linking their arms by the elbow. “Now my dear you are coming with me and Aiden is calling a masseuse.”

At the end of hallway there is three steps then a door and inside the door is the wellness center. A little waiting room with chairs, and a water jug and a little fridge with cucumbers and lemons to make cucumber and lemon water. There is a little changing room with robes, next to the massage room with two massage tables always ready.

As they are waiting for the masseuse Lexi and Ethan are just sitting on the table’s Lexi has a robe on ready to go when the masseuse gets here.

“By summer I’m going to choose between Jackson and Danny. I know I can not keep stringing them along.”

“I choose Jackson only because yes you and Danny are cute together he’s a hot guy from Nebraska he doesn’t understand the luxury of our lives, I think he’s only seen the guest house but was still surprised by it. Meanwhile Jackson is from Malibu he understands our lifestyles better. Plus while you and Danny are adorable you and Jackson are hot.”

The doorbell echo’s through the empty long halls of the mansion.Lexi slides off the table to get it but Ethan stops her “I’ll get it.”

Ethan opens the door to a cute tall man with light blonde hair, hazel eyes and stubble on his chin and mustache. “Cute you’ll do, let me show you to the massage room.”

When they enter Ethan hops back on the other table while Lexi is laying on her stomach and leans up to look at the masseur.”mmmh.”

While he is getting everything ready Ethan and Lexi are continuing their conversation like there was no interruptions. “So I can either be adorable or hot?”

“What is Aiden’s thought?”

”Jackson.”

The masseur slides his hands down Lexi’s bare back and up her shoulders. “Your shoulders have new stress.”

“Very new.”

“I’m going to text Melissa instead of going to Aspen in march why not come here for the retreat this home has everything.”

The masseur hands move from the knots in her shoulders to her lower back and Ethan agrees. “Good idea, since your selling the Aspen house that home could be gone by march.”

“Considering where it is and how much it is I doubt someone will snatch it up quickly plus its not even on market yet.”

Ethan stands up and bends down to be face to face with her “Have fun I’m going to the theater.”

“This is a beautiful home you have here Miss-“

Lexi even though her head is through the hole on the table she smiles all she can see is his black jeans and black shoes. “Forbes, Lexi Forbes you can just call me Lexi if you want.”

“Oliver.” He moves his hands from her back to her leg and runs them down her legs massaging the tissue.

Lexi loves to get a massage it’s more then just a spa day activity for her, it’s a relaxation thing where her life is so hectic people always around but when she gets a massage it’s just her and the masseur or masseuse.

“You really do have a beautiful home Lexi.”

“Thank you its one of my favorites.”

Oliver has made her flip and has gone back to the shoulders. “Was that your boyfriend that let me in.”

Lexi lets out a little laugh. “No that is one of my best friends his twin is around here somewhere.”

Xxx

After her massage she walks Oliver out, “Hope to see you again.” He nods as he leaves.

After Lexi changes back into a pair of teal skinny jeans a white tank top and a grey sweater with tan knee high stiletto boots and a white and tan purse. She has matched it with tan sunglasses and her rose gold diamond choker her mom gave her and a couple rings. She finds Ethan in the soundproof movie theater. “What movie is this?”

“Couldn’t decide didn’t want to get invested only to be interrupted.”

“Ready to go home?”

Ethan puts an arm around her shoulders as they leave. “I’m driving?”

Lexi smiles she might have just created a Lamborghini monster letting Ethan drive. “I feel great after the massage my mind is clear the shock is wearing off. Oliver really knows his stuff.”

“Ohhh Oliver.”

Lexi shoves him as they enter the night club and find Aiden on one of the couches. “Shut up. Ready to go hon?”

Aiden nods as he joins his twin and best friend. “Coming here really was what was needed today.”

Xxx

Lexi pulls her car into the gallery and they take a golf cart to the guest house. The estate is so big that there are several golf carts around the estate. If they don’t want to walk or are tired they can just get on a golf cart.

Xxx

Jordan Parrish is having trouble putting his key in his door while he has one hand holding Lydia up and she has her legs around his waist and peppering his neck with kisses. After a couple more tries he does get the door open.

Lydia’s lips go from peppering his neck to attacking his lips.

Xxx

Romania:

Six foot shaggy blonde haired Sawyer Forbes he has stubble on his chin and mustache. His innocent face and his smooth talking gets him in and out of so many problems he’s got himself into over the years. He walks into the bar and spots a familiar brunette at the bar and smirks. “We just keep running into each other freckles you going to tell me your name this time.”

The brunette turns around and smirks up at him. “Hello Sawyer your place or mine.”

He downs a shot and smiles down at her. “We went to mine in London so your place here.”

She downs her shot before picking up her coat “Your place last time my place this time if this happens a third where will we go that time?”

“Depends on where we are.”

She flips her hair out from underneath her coat and looks back at him. “It’s Kate.”

He smirks and puts an arm out “Lead the way freckles.”

[baekterflyeffect]

beginning of may ― b.b.h [tw!]

losing you is hard, but baekhyun knows ― you’re finally free from every pain and burden you’ve been carrying, and it is enough reason to continue with his life with a smile. a smile that you gave him.

characters: baekhyun and female reader genre: angst, slice of life word count: 2.6k warnings: major character death, mentions of: nicotine addiction, self harm, and suicide. ― note: most of the time, people write as an escape from their real life. and i am one of those people. please take the warnings seriously. i know it is some major, extremely triggering warnings, so please, if you couldn’t take it, do not read this fic. ― disclaimer: i am in no way romanticizing, glorifying, and normalizing all the warnings above. this piece is written for everyone who ever loses someone precious to their life. please stay the strongest, every storm will pass, eventually. for everyone who is struggling, please do not be afraid to seek help, either from friends or professionals. you might think your life didn’t matter, but always remember that you will never be alone and you are loved.

Baekhyun woke up at the feeling of a tongue being pressed against his cheeks; licking around the juncture of his nose. It was hard to open his eyes as he felt the drying tears stuck in between his lashes. He doesn’t remember the last time he didn’t go to sleep without tears in his eyes, neither he remembered when was the last time he woke up to your warmth. Today, as many other days before, he woke up with only An―the cat he rescued all those years ago―by his side. 

“Okay, okay, stop, I’ll wake up now.” Baekhyun said as he placed his hand atop of An’s head, slowly scratching the back of her ear. When he was finally able to open his eyes, the whiteness of An’s furr and the brown eyes of hers filled his vision. He smiles, a genuine one. 

Getting up isn’t hard, he did it for twenty nine years already, but today is different. It always was different every time he woke up a week before his birthday ever since you were no longer by his side. Today is the beginning of May, a day he will always treasure, because he knows, the first day of May is the month where you feel the happiest. 

With a smile on his face, Baekhyun finally gets up to do his morning routine. Today is slower than his usual day, after all, he took the day off from his nine-to-five job. Because today is your day, and he will do everything to make it as special as it could be.

Baekhyun starts off by washing up, getting himself ready for the day. He couldn’t help but to notice how empty his bathroom is now, there are no longer traces of you, only your pink toothbrush stays in the mug together with his. The sight of your toothbrush able to make him form a smile. He remembered the first time you bought it, proudly showing him the couple toothbrush his strawberry patterns all over its handle; the only difference was, his is in blue. His mind wandered to all those days where you stood in front of the faucet, your short pink hair with black roots that he admires so much, formed into a bird's nest after a night's sleep. 

Your body wash is no longer present in the bathroom, he had thrown it a long time ago as it already expired. The only remembrance of your scent is the vanilla scented shampoo he still purchases for himself. Memories of the both of you laughing together in the bathroom flashes through his mind, how you always playfully style his shampooed hair into a punk-rock style, how he press gentle kisses around the skin of your back. 

When Baekhyun finishes with his shower, he walks to the kitchen, passing the balcony of the living room of his apartment. Nothing changes there, the white translucent curtains are still hanging, the round table with an ashtray on top of it is still there. The only difference was the lack of your presence. He decides to take a walk towards the balcony after he places the food for An, stepping outside to let the warm breeze of spring hit his skin. There’s a sense of familiarity when he looks around to find a pot of faux orchid flowers resting at the corner of the balcony, of course, it was your doing. 

The ashtray that you used to snub your cigarettes is clean from its residue, having the owner no longer use it. Baekhyun traces the edge of the ashtray with his fingertips, remembering how happy you were when he gave you the pink ashtray as a present. 

“You know, you’re going to ruin every bottle we could recycle because you decided to make it as a makeshift ashtray.” Baekhyun deadpanned, receiving him a series of laughter from you. 

“I don’t care enough to buy myself an ashtray.” 

Baekhyun shook his head, for an avid smoker like you, you really were careless. He let his eyes wander to your figure, seated nicely with both of your legs up, looking as tiny as ever. The light of the balcony accentuated the pinkness of your hair. You looked beautiful, with your eyes reflecting the glimmering lights from the city, a stick of cigarette between your fingers, and smoke coming out from your mouth. For Baekhyun, looking at you like this brought him a feeling of contentment. Because he knew, you’re most comfortable when you are smoking. 

“You know,” Baekhyun starts, still looking at you as if you’re his most prized present, “I never ask you how does smoking feel.”

You turned his head to look at him, dropping the used cigarette inside the bottle you used as an ashtray. “It feels calming,” you slowly start, voice ever so soft as you take another stick from the pack, “like every problem in my life is gone, and it makes me think clearer.” Continues you after you light up the new cigarette. 

“Ironically, I know smoking is bad. It destroys my body in ways I dont understand and refuse to acknowledge, but the taste of nicotine in my mouth enables me to forget about everything. I always feel like I couldn’t function whenever I didn’t smoke. And in a way, it is the most calming method of harming myself.” 

The first time Baekhyun learned that you were an avid smoker, every fiber of his body wanted you to stop. He still does up until this very moment, but he knew you. He understood you, and if smoking is the only way for you to be able to feel peace, Baekhyun would never want to be the one who took it away from you. With a smile―a tight one―Baekhyun places a pink ashtray on the table, gaining your attention. 

“I see. Here’s a little present so we could still recycle the bottles we have.” 

You smiled at that, right away pressing the burned side of your cigarette in the ashtray to jump and hug him, telling him how grateful you are for him, “I love you, so much.”. With vanilla and a hint of nicotine smell filled his nose, Baekhyun hugged you back. Ever so tightly, because he never wants to let go. 

For the first time of the day, his smiles sadly. Because at the end of the day, even nicotine was unable to save you from all the pain you’ve dealt with.

Today is a good day, the sun shines ever so brightly and it becomes Baekhyun’s companion as he walks inside the cemetery. His hands are full, with one hand holding a bouquet of your favorite, and the other carrying a bag filled with your favorite food and a cake. Baekhyun memorized the way to your resting place, having to visit you for way too many times for him to count. 

Once he arrives at where you are resting, he places the bag down on the floor, taking a key from his pocket to open the glass that keeps your ashes safe. There’s a framed picture of you in it, you were smiling so happily that it made Baekhyun’s heart churns in pain. Of course, he remembers what happened in the picture; he was the one who took it when the both of you visited a strawberry farm. The last trip that you went with him before everything went south. He knows, in the full version of the picture you were holding a basket of freshly picked strawberries and the other was holding his hand. 

You looked so happy in the picture, the pink beret you wore matched the washed out color of your hair, eyes crinkled into crescent moons. Beautiful, was the word he muttered after he took the picture. Because you are, always will, be beautiful in his eyes. Despite your permanent wounds, your emptiness.. nobody will ever be as beautiful as you when you looked the most carefree in Baekhyun’s eyes. 

Baekhyun places the bouquet he brought inside the glass box, replacing the old one. The pink orchid flowers complimented your hair in the picture, after all, pink was your color. After he is done, he takes a box from inside the bag, opening it to reveal a slice of your favorite red velvet cake. There’s a candle stuck on the center of it, in which he lit up with a lighter he bought earlier. 

“Happy birthday, princess.” Baekhyun says as he closes his eyes, making his prayer before he blow off the fire.

The start of May is your day. It is a day that Baekhyun treasures, because it is the day where you were born, and the day where you finally reached peace. The day where you are finally able to be happy, without any pain and burden to carry. 

“Today, you are officially twenty-six. But it doesn’t matter, because today is the third year you are finally able to be at peace. It was hard at first, that I don’t see you anymore. You should know that your annoying stash of pink hair dye is still inside the cabinet of our bathroom, I bet it’s expired now though.” Baekhyun shook his head, then he smiles, a genuine one with happiness and contentness. “I’m living well, in fact, I just got promoted. If you were here, you would squeak so hard in happiness and my ears will definitely bleed at it, huh?” In the beginning of May after you reached your peace, Baekhyun stood in front of your ashes. Filling you in about his life journey, how everything hasn’t been the same yet everything is finally okay. 

Hours passed, the cake and food Baekhyun brought with him all finished alongside the story of his journey. With a final look, he smiles once again. “I miss you, though. Every single day I missed you. Though, I am happy. So happy that you’re finally free from all the pain you’ve been carrying. And I know you’re still here, inside my heart. ‘Till we meet again, princess. I love you, always.”

"Baekhyun? Hey." You nervously run your fingers to the messy tangle of your hair, pushing it back making the natural color of your hair show. "This is so awkward, I apologize for doing this.. I know I must be the worst person ever to do this. At first, I didn't plan to leave you a video message like this, but I realized it would be way too unfair if I didn't." With a sigh, you paused.

"Baekhyun. Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun. Baekhyunnie. Hyunnie. Hyun. Baek. Ah, your name sounds so beautiful that I know I will miss calling it. Remember that one time you got so annoyed at me for repeatedly calling your name without any purpose at all? Yeah, I do remember." A soft, yet sad chuckle left your lips. "I remember you tackled me to our bed to tickle me until I couldn't breathe, you're so mean for that!"

Your mouth was parted for a good minute, not being able to say the words you needed to say. But with a smile that was sadder than the previous one, and your eyes gleaming with fresh tears, you continued. "Being with you... I feel every sort of thing that I didn't know I would be able to feel. The love you made me feel is so beautiful to me, Baekhyun. Because you don't only love me for the good in me, you learned, you tried your hardest to understand all of my flaws, all of my scars, all of the things I hate about myself.. and it is beautiful. The times we spent together are the reasons why I manage to survive to this day. You taught me so many things in life, you showed me the light I never thought I am able to see. I appreciate all of that."

A choked out sob escaped from your mouth, making you exhale for a brief minute.

"Baekhyun. I love you, I love you so much. There is nothing I love more on this earth except you. I don't only love you for the love you give me, but I love you for the littlest things. Like how your lips stretched into a lopsided smile after you teased me, how your laughter sounded so breathless, how even though you have the worst haircut you are still able to pull it off. Then to your amazing personality. Your kindness to people, the way you are never arrogant and always humble nonetheless how successful you are. How loyal you are to your friends, and how you always remember your roots. I love all of them."

On the screen, you were now fully sobbing. Tears running down your face and breathing seemed hard. "Please," you whimpered as you clutch your own chest, "please forgive me for leaving you. For not being brave enough to go pass through the storm that continuously hit me."

You stopped yourself, trying your best to even out your breathing, and once you were done, you looked at the screen again. Now with a smile that no longer looks sad or painful, but a smile that makes you look ever so beautiful. "But, Baekhyun.. This decision that I made.. believe me, it is for the best. I want you to trust me, that I will be okay. Free from everything that chained me and hurt me. Please don't beat yourself over my decision, because it is not your fault. Sometimes, the pain is too much to bear, and I want to be at peace. Regretfully, this is the only way."

With a shaky hand, you placed a kiss on your index and middle fingers before pressing it right where the camera was located. "I love you, Byun Baekhyun. Please don't ever change, please don't ever lose your light. Live the hardest, because even though I am too far away to reach, I will always be by your side. Thrive, Baekhyun. That is my last wish for you. Once again, I love you. And this is not goodbye, because one day, in another lifetime, in another universe, we will meet again.. when that time comes, I hope you will welcome me with the tightest hug and a kiss that leaves me breathless. At last, thank you. For loving me, guiding me, being in my life. Being able to spend my years with you isis the most wonderful gift I will ever receive. I love you, Byun Baekhyun, until the day I stop breathing. Always, and forever."

additional note: +  the beginning of may = 1 may = my birthday + “an” is a part of my real name, yes, i want to be a cat +  the strawberry patterned toothbrushes are the ones i used, pink for me and blue for my brother +  my favorite color is pink, and i have a pink beret that match with my hair color (obviously, pink) +  plastic bottle as a makeshift ashtray is something that i always use, then my boss gifted me a pink ashtray +  i have boxes of pink hair dye and i know my mom would never throw it away even though its expired and im no longer around

whoever you are, wherever you are, i know some days are hard, and some days are too rough to handle. it’s okay to be vulnerable, you’re only human and vulnerability is not a weakness. but please! always remember to reach your hands out to people to ask for help, because i am sure somebody will take your hand to help you.

be brave. be fearless. make the impossible, possible.

thank you for reading this piece, stay strong, whoever you are.

[lia-jones]

Growing Pains - Chapter Eight - Dry Cleaning and Peanut Butter Cookies

I arrived home from the airport by midnight, a dull ache invading my bones. I did not know how Victor endured this pretty much every week, I felt like dropping dead on my bed and come to life in the next century.

I was unlocking my door when I heard footsteps on the stairs. My neighbor Levi was going home too.

“Andrea… You arrived just now?” He asked, watching me with his piercing green eyes.

Levi was, for the lack of a better expression, hot as sin. He was a Krav Maga instructor and a personal trainer, so he was naturally well built. To top it all, he had these green eyes and strawberry blonde hair that framed a masculine square jaw and perky lips. 

After I mentioned I practiced Krav Maga back at home, Levi invited me to attend his lessons, and we became good friends after that. He was the only person in Loveland to know about my past abuse, and had taken somewhat of a protective stance towards me.

“Yes… Long business trip. What’s your excuse?” I said, playfully.

“Football and beer. And burgers. Did you come alone from the airport?” He changed the subject, expressing his concern.

“No, my boss drove me. Can I talk to you tomorrow? I’m in dire need of a shower and a coma.” I said, opening my door and putting my bags in. Levi interrupted.

“Actually, I was about to ask you if you can walk Boris in the morning. I have an early class.” Levi asked, making a face.

“Ok, no worries, I’ll walk him. I have your key, don’t worry.” I said, coming into my house and closing the door.

After unpacking, I went to my shower. I let the warm water slide down my body and rinse all the tension away. I thought about these last few days. It was incredible to see that relaxed side of Victor. He seemed to open up a bit, and I couldn’t help but wonder what made him let his guard down for me. But more importantly, I felt like I was slowly letting my guard down too. I was somewhat infatuated, the way I seemed to begin to stir with his gaze or when I heard his purring voice grazed the ridiculous. I shook the thoughts away and just resumed taking my shower.

I went for my purse to get my phone and set the alarm. But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find the damn thing.

My heart raced as I remembered the last time I opened my purse. It was at the airport, as I was looking for my passport. I had taken it from my wallet on a previous occasion and was too lazy to put it back in its place, so I kept it loose in my purse. This time, it was mixed with all the other stuff inside, so I had to take every single item out and put in on the seat next to me before I could find it. Did I forget to put my phone in my purse while I was putting all the other stuff back in? Was it still in Sunset Valley, hundreds of miles away, sitting on the seat? I got dressed and sped to a phone booth to call my own number. The phone was off. Probably still on flight mode, or maybe somebody already had taken it, and removed the sim card.

I also had to call my mother, she should be worried, I didn’t call her while traveling. I looked at the clock, it was midnight in Loveland, which meant it was 7 am in Portugal, way too early to call anyone. I decided to call it a night and go to bed. I would be able to think more clearly in the morning.

It was already 10 am when I woke up, and although my body begged for a few more hours of sleep, the thought of my lost phone made me bolt to the shower. I had a quick breakfast, put on my jeans, my black tank top and a grey cotton drape jacket, with my black sneakers.

I took Boris to the park, where he played in several puddles, getting himself full of mud in the process. I then stopped by the phone booth to call my mother. Boris was beyond agitated, probably wanting to go play again. I held him by his leash, trying to make him still the best I could while I listened to my mom.

“I have been calling since yesterday, where is your phone? What number is this? Did you get in trouble?” My mom almost yelled at me, obviously alarmed.

“No, mom, I lost my phone. I’m taking care of it today, don’t worry. I’m using a phone booth in the meantime.”

“Did you return yesterday? How was the business trip? Did your boss behave?”

“Yes, good and yes.” I said, trying not to get into a lot of detail. I already knew that every word out of my mouth would be scrutinized by Dr. Mariana.

“Hmmm, avoidance. Meaningful.”

Boris was getting more restless by the minute, pulling and tugging on the leash, as I held him tightly in place. But Boris was a silly Saint Bernard, which meant he had the strength to drag me out of the booth if he so desired.

“I have to go, Mom. I’ll call you later.”

At that moment, Boris pulled the leash a last time, finally breaking the metal ring that tied it to the collar. Feeling free, he ran through the sidewalk, happy as a flea in a doghouse, completely ignoring me when I called him. I let go of the phone and ran after him, but I still heard my mom chuckling on the phone, amused by my hardship.

After a minute or two, I found him on the sidewalk, tail wagging, standing on top of some poor passerby laid on the ground, licking his face eagerly. I bolted in their direction, already mentally making up a felt apology, when I heard this distinctive baritone voice.

“Ok, dog, you had your fun. Now get off.”

Seeing Victor like that made me slow down my pace, amused to watch such a scene. Boris sensed me, though, and immediately left Victor’s unwilling lap, running to me instead.

Victor got up and started wiping his clothes with his hands, which made me notice the muddy paw prints on his white shirt and grey pants.

“Is the dog yours?” He asked, minding the stains on his clothes.

“It’s my neighbor’s. And he has been a bad dog, haven’t you Boris? Bad dog.” Boris laid down and hid his head under his paws, ashamed of being reprimanded. I turned to Victor. “Come on, I can help you with those stains.” 

Victor seemed uneasy.

“Not necessary. Here, I came to give you this.” He put his hand in his pocket and took out my phone, which made me jump with joy.

“Thank you! I thought I left it in the airport or something. Where did you find it?”

“In my car. It’s a wonder you didn’t lose it sooner, judging by your lack of ability to organize your purse.”

I shrugged and started walking towards the house, Victor by my right side, and Boris on my left, following us. I decided not to dwell on this particular subject, predicting Victor was about to lecture me for being so messy.

“So you made a new friend today.” I said smiling.

Victor scoffed.

“He’s a silly dog, aren’t you, Boris?” I stopped by a red door, the entrance to my building. “Come on in.”

“I just came here to return the phone. Have a good weekend.” Victor said, turning away to leave.

“At least let me get you some coffee for the trouble I caused you. I insist.”

He nodded and came in, climbing the stairs with me. The building where I lived was old, it still had its original wooden floors and very narrow stairs, but I thought it had character. And although I lived in a tiny one-bedroom apartment, the apartment was sunny and had large windows, and a small balcony with stairs leading to the terrace, where I used to go at night to watch the stars. We got in, and it took like ten seconds for Victor to view my entire living room and eating kitchen, so small it was.

“Nothing like what you’re used to, I suppose.” I said while I put some coffee to brew, suspecting he was wondering how could anyone live in such a small place.

“Do you get this light all year?” He asked.

“Yes, it is very sunny all year. Except when, well, it’s cloudy.” I said, rolling my eyes at myself, so stupid. “Let me get you that coffee. Have a seat. I think I may have some cookies.” I turned my coffee pot on and quickly filled it with ground coffee.

“Just coffee is fine. Where should I sit?”

“Go crazy. I’ll follow.” I said, while rummaging my cabinet for mugs and placing two on the counter. “Are you sure about the cookies? They’re homemade. Peanut butter.” I said, fetching the cookies to serve on a plate.

Victor sad on a stool on my kitchen island, eyeing suspiciously the plate of cookies I placed on the wooden countertop. He took one, smelling it.

“You bake?”

“Occasionally. Go ahead, take a bite and then wash it down… With this.” I said, handing him a mug of freshly brewed coffee.

He looked at the cookie in his hand, and finally decided to bite on it. After some chewing and a raised eyebrow at me, he took a sip of the coffee. He nodded in approval.

“Hmmm, good. You bake, who knew.”

“I do not understand your surprise.” I said, pretending to be offended.

He suppressed a smile, looking around the place again.

“I like your place. It’s rare to see something affordable and in such a great condition in this neighborhood.”

“Yes, I was very lucky to find this place.” I said, taking a look at his muddied shirt. “The mud in your clothes is dry, you should be able to brush it off without leaving much of a stain.”

I went to my bathroom and returned with a small brush, handing it to him.

“Now you brush it off. It won’t be perfect, but it will look better.”

Victor took the brush from my hand and started removing the dried-up mud. In the meantime, Boris pulled my sleeve and dragged me towards the balcony, asking me to open the door so he could go lie in the sun. I left momentarily, arriving to find Victor still brushing himself, knitting his eyebrows.

“Is it coming off?”

“Somewhat. It’s still visible, though. It doesn’t matter, I can change when I get home.”

I looked at his clothes, the stains lighter but still clearly there.

“Do you mind if I try?”

He gave me a dirty look.

“Do you find me incapable of performing the simple act of brushing?”

“It takes some skill, you know.” I said, teasing him a bit. His expression didn’t change.

“I highly doubt it, but here. Enjoy.” He said, handing me the brush.

I started brushing the stains off his shirt, and although the stains were indeed hard to brush clean, I managed to get a better result. One would need to be very close to notice them.

As I went on with my task, I started noticing how his body felt warm under his shirt and how good he smelled, his cologne intoxicating me into a daze. Involuntarily, I moved closer to him and reached his shoulder to support myself as I looked for a better angle of the fabric on his chest. When I really noticed, my body was mere inches away from his, his face really close to mine. I noticed his Adam’s apple going up and down and his jugular pulsing fast. And his eyes set on me, his dark grey orbs watching me carefully.

The smart thing would be to step away, of course, but I didn’t. I took in his gentle expression, his scent, his warmth, and I basked in it all for as long as I could. For some reason I felt he was doing the same, and even though my mind screamed for me to run, all my other senses were stubbornly keeping me in place.

I suddenly forgot that I was brushing, as my other hand moved from his shoulder to his chest. I could feel his defined yet soft and warm pectoral, and the fast drumming of his heart under my fingertips. He moved his hand to my waist and pulled me slightly towards him, as to encourage me, and my heart beat even faster, making me light-headed.

And then his phone rang. We both jumped at the sound, my mind taking the chance to sound the alarm, urging for me to step away. He grabbed his phone and answered, his voice faltering slightly.

“Yes, Goldman.” He paused and looked at me. I was already distant from him, trying to steady my heartbeat and not look all flustered. “Okay, you can proceed. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

He spoke to me, already in his usual poised attitude, his expression unreadable.

“I need to go, we are experiencing issues with the servers at the office. Thank you for the coffee and the cleaning service. Get some rest.”

He turned to the door.

“Wait.” I stopped him and went to the kitchen to prepare a bag with some of my cookies. “For the road. I hope you solve those issues in time, so you can rest too. Have a good weekend.”

He reached for the bag, his hand lingering in mine.

“You too. Thanks.”

The door closed behind him and I was left alone, his scent still in my apartment. The rush of adrenaline I felt before gave way to a swelling on my chest.

I smiled like a fool, all by myself, while my instincts warned me about the dangers of falling in love.

[wishingupontheskyandstars]

Reylo Fanfic Title: Seasons of Friendship, Yearning, Kisses, And Love

Rated M

Fic Summary: Rey is Ben's new neighbor and as the seasons pass by there is friendship, yearning, first kisses, and love.

Chapter 1 AO3 Link

Chapter 2 AO3 Link

                                               Chapter 2 - Spring 🌷

Ben sat on a bar stool in his parents' kitchen, working on his laptop. He stopped typing, raised his arms and stretched--instantly feeling less tense. He grabbed his warm cup of coffee from off the counter and finished it. He sighed as he looked ahead at the back yard. He grinned slowly, watching his dad flip burgers on the grill next to the gazebo. He saw him give a half-smile to his mom and Aunt Amilyn. The two were on an outdoor rattan sectional sofa. His mom was sat up with Amilyn's head on her lap, massaging her head lovingly. They were talking to each other until his father said something he couldn't hear. His mom nodded at him with a grin and said something which made his dad laugh. Ben looked away, glad they were all happy. He retrieved his phone from the counter and saw a new text from Rey. He smiled, not caring if anyone saw him. He started to text back, sighed happily, missing her.

Rey sat on a bistro chair next to her small round black patio table, on her balcony, facing Alderaan park. It was a lovely day to take a stroll through the park, see and smell the gardens full of blooming flowers if only she could, she thought. She stretched her legs in front of her, lifted them, and placed them on the other bistro chair where the sunlight instantly warmed her skin. She reached for her favorite mug filled with her freshly made strawberry and blueberry smoothie and took a sip. It tasted so refreshing she wiggled her dark blue colored toes she painted the previous night. She looked to her left and saw Ben's vacant balcony separated only by a glass divider. His linen love seat, patio table, and easel remained unmoved for almost two months. Her phone chimed with a new text message. She grabbed it and wrinkled her nose, reading Ben's text. She sighed--resting her head against her sliding door, missing him.

More Than 3 Months Ago

Between Christmas and New Year's Rey got her apartment settled before she started her job at the city library in early January. She purchased essential furniture: A bed frame and mattresses, a small couch, and bar stools for her surprising long kitchen counter. She didn't feel the need to buy a table for the dining area when she could fit four chairs at the counter. She instead used the dining space as a mini office, purchasing a blue shabby chic desk and matching chair. She didn't see anything to suggest her apartment was haunted unless she dismissed that one time the light in the kitchen randomly turned on in the middle of the night when she couldn't sleep and ate cereal. Other than that, she was enjoying her new life in the city.

It was the morning after New Year's Day as Rey finished eating her fruit bowl when she heard a knock at the door. She walked over and peeked through the peephole. Her heart leaped at seeing Ben. They had spent one morning out together for breakfast just a day after Christmas and since then were friendly if they ran into each other, waiting for the elevator. He even helped the people that moved in her furniture. She briefly saw him on New Year's Day when he came back from a party hosted by his friend, Tai. He had invited her and she wanted to say yes, but didn't--insisting she had other plans, but really, she saw the city's fireworks from her balcony and watched rerun episodes of a favorite show on her new television. At the time, she didn't want to move too fast in getting to know Ben as she recognized he was different from other guys she dated.

She opened the door revealing Ben with a worried expression. He said in a rush, "I wanted towarnyou that my momandAuntAmilyn are coming over."

Rey raised her brows, getting half of what he said. "What?"

"I'm sorry." He genuinely looked apologetic as he sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair, nervously.

"Why?" Rey felt like she couldn't get any other words out since she was caught off guard.

Ben shrugged. "They unexpectedly came over for breakfast and now they're interested in decorating your apartment. I'm sorry."

"Oh!" Rey's eyes widened. She didn't know how to respond.

Ben pointed toward the inside of her apartment. "I tried to text you earlier--to warn you so you can leave or—"

Rey groaned, closing her eyes as she leaned into her door. "I forgot to plug it in last night."

"Ah." Ben crossed his arms.

At that second there was a new voice in the conversation: "Rey!" Leia said from behind Ben as she put an arm around her son's waist and squeezed him, making him groan slightly. "How are you this morning?" She asked with a bright smile. Amilyn also appeared, standing on the other side of Ben looking inside her apartment with an inquisitive look on her face.

"Great, thank you, Mrs. Solo." Rey saw Ben look gigantic next to his mom. It made her grin.

"No need for formalities." Leia walked towards Rey, quickly hugging her as did Amilyn, who followed behind. "Call me, Leia," she said, walking in the living room looking around at the nearly empty room.

Rey shrugged at Ben, who was still in the hallway. She gestured with her head for him to come inside. He mouthed I'm sorry as he walked by her. She nodded, giving him a small smile.

Leia walked a few steps into the kitchen as she said, "We just wanted to pop by and..."

"See if we can help you decorate your place. Ben mentioned you start work soon," Amilyn said as she gave Rey a wink.

"It would be a gift from us to you," Leia said.

Ben rolled his eyes, looking agitated. "Mom..." He interrupted or tried to.

Leia walked back to Rey and gently squeezed her arm. "We're just grateful that Ben has a neighbor like you and someone who can be—"

"Mom, stop," Ben said in annoyance. He was standing on the other side of Rey with his arms crossed.

It was as if Leia didn't hear him as she continued to say, "You remember at Christmas when he looked happy singing carols while Luke played the piano? Ami, when has that ever happened?"

"Never!" Amilyn yelled from the kitchen. Ben scoffed.

Rey chuckled and crossed her arms, bumping her elbow with his. Ben sighed. "Did I mention I was sorry about this?" He asked, his dark eyes looking into hers. She saw the intensity in his look and she could tell he was distraught over this.  

She put her hand over his arm. He wore a dark sweatshirt, but she felt the strength of his arm--the muscle which made her take a breath in before she reassured him, "It's okay, Ben."

"I know what we're going to do." Leia walked outside to the balcony. She turned and said in a matter of fact tone, "Rey, give us until this early evening and we'll have everything ready."

"We'll be done by five," Amilyn estimated as she walked towards Leia with her iPad in hand, typing.

Rey looked at Ben with a look of disbelief. "Are they serious?" she whispered.

"Always," he said with a heavy sigh.

"Go see a movie or dine at Maz's restaurant. She added a few new meals on the menu," Leia said as she retrieved her phone from her purse and started to type away.

"The garlic parmesan pasta is divine," Amilyn said, not looking up from her iPad as she made the chef's kiss gesture.

Ben's phone rang, surprising them both. He retrieved it from his jeans pocket, looked at it, and grimaced. He looked back at Rey. "It's someone from work—I have to take this." He looked back at his mom and Amilyn and shook his head. "As I said, they're too much," He looked uneasy as he placed his hand on her arm before walking away.

Rey felt the warmth from his touch as she saw him walk to the hallway talking about the design of a website. She looked back at his mom and aunt on the balcony and walked with determination to them. "Leia, I'm so appreciative but I don't have the money to pay you back. I just got some furniture that I know will work for me so..." She gave them a reassuring smile.

Leia looked up from her phone and put it back into her purse. She walked just two steps to reach Rey and took her hands in hers. "I promise we will keep your furniture in place. We just want to help and maybe one day you can pay back the favor to someone else." Rey felt trust as she stared in her soft brown eyes that resembled her son's. Leia smiled which made Rey smile in return.

"And we're good at this." Amilyn boasted as she continued to type on her iPad.

Leia still held Rey's hands as she said, "I'm sorry if we inconvenienced you, Rey, and we understand if you want us to leave."

Other than Ben helping her when she first moved and even inviting her to spend Christmas with his family when she didn't have anyone, she had never had someone help her just because. She realized the genuine kindness in this family ran strong. With a smile, she said, "I look forward to seeing what you two do."

After Rey and Ben browsed a bookstore, took a stroll in the freezing outdoors through the snow-filled park, and had lunch at Maz's restaurant, Rey saw as promised the newly added décor work with all her furniture. A dark wood coffee table was placed in front of her dark couch. A floor lamp and an end table were alongside one side of the couch. There were mirrors placed in each room. Different scenery and floral prints were hung on the walls. An end table with a lamp was placed in her bedroom. A blender, pots and pans, and a spice rack were added to her kitchen.

Out on the balcony, there was a black bistro table and two chairs on the patio along with an umbrella. Succulents, ficus plants, geraniums, and orchids were placed all around her apartment. She touched the petal of one orchid and felt it was indeed real and not fake. She hadn't nurtured many plants before but was ready to take care of them. They made the apartment livelier, Rey thought. That evening she made everyone dinner filled with bruschetta and mac n cheese with veggies. Rey found herself getting more attached to Ben and his family and was starting to feel like she was where she was supposed to be--she held on to that feeling.

Soon enough, Rey got in the rhythm of her apartment, neighborhood, and her new job position. At work, she instantly clicked with two of her co-workers: Rose and Jannah. At the apartment, she and Ben had lunch every weekend after a busy work week, either at hers or his place. The more she talked to Ben, the more she was feeling something for him.

During their lunch before Valentine's day, Ben made a sausage, cheese, and spinach quiche. Rey took a bite and closed her eyes in bliss.

"Does that mean it's good?" Ben asked and grinned.

"Fuck yes," Rey laughed, covering her mouth. "Sorry."

Ben laughed. "Glad you like it." He took a bite and nodded at her. "Yeah, there's not going to be any leftovers."

Rey already took a second slice from the dish. She raised her fork and said, "Correct." She looked at the easel on his balcony. With her fork, she pointed at it. "Are you working on new art?"

Ben nodded. "It's of the park," he said, modestly. He immediately went back to eating.

Rey gave him a sly grin. "When do you think I will be able to see this new art piece by artist, Ben Solo," she said with a smile.

He laughed and rolled his eyes. "Maybe...never," he said, raising a brow.

"Oh, come on!"

He shrugged. "Probably by next weekend. I'll bring it over to your apartment."

"Yes!" Rey said with excitement.

Ben looked at Rey and thought she looked genuinely happy to see his art. He looked away and took another bite of quiche. He then realized next weekend was Valentine's Day and he had been wanting to ask Rey on a proper date. Perhaps—his cell rang just then. He looked at it and put it back down. "It's Amilyn," he said.

"Oh! How is she?" Rey asked then drank orange juice from one of Ben's expensive-looking crystal goblet.

Ben shrugged. "Fine, I guess. She and my mom are always busy so—" The phone rang again. "Ok, I better get this."

Rey nodded.

Ben answered, "Hey, Au--What?" Ben's brows furrowed. "When? ... Which hospital? ... Okay, I'm leaving right now...umm..." He moved his mouth one side then the other. "Did you see him? ... Okay, yeah, bye." He put down his phone and stared at his plate of half-eaten quiche.

"What happened?"

At the sound of his name he looked at Rey and said as if confused, "My dad was by himself ...in a plane accident. He needs surgery and I need to go to the hospital." He stood up and walked down the hallway to his room. He came back less than a minute later and looked around the living room. "My keys--I don't know where they are."

Rey looked behind her at the hook near his front door where his keys were. She walked, grabbed them, and gave them to Ben.

He looked surprised as he held the keys in his hand. "Right." He looked around the room again and said, "Umm...my phone." He grabbed his wallet from the pocket of his dark jeans and looked puzzled. "Not my phone." He put his wallet back in his pocket.

Rey looked at his phone, left on the counter. She grabbed the phone and gave it to him. He looked confused as he said, "Thank you."

"Ben, you're in shock. Let me drive you to the hospital."

Ben raised his brows. "You'll drive me?" He looked genuinely surprised, again.

"Of course." She gently put her hand on his arm. He looked down at her hand then his eyes searched her face as if trying to find something. Rey tried to give him an encouraging smile as she walked with him towards the front door, locking it behind them.

As Rey drove to the hospital she made it a habit to check on Ben during red lights. His eyes were always closed--his jaw was clenched.

When they got to the hospital waiting room, Leia held onto her son as Ben had his arms around her. Rey heard him whisper to his mom, "He'll be fine—He always is." Rey smiled, touched seeing Ben so affectionate with his family.

Later that evening as Rey and Ben were back at the apartments she opened the door to hers. She looked to her left and saw Ben still standing in front of his door. "Ben?"

He looked at her with an almost worried expression. He walked a couple of steps to her. "I'm thinking of packing a bag of clothes and staying with my parents for a while--just until he's out of the hospital and recuperates at home. I don't know-- maybe if I was there more it would help." He shrugged.

Rey stepped closer to Ben where there were less than a few inches between them. "What can I do?"

Ben half-smiled. "You've done so much already—driving me to the hospital when I couldn't get myself together. You being there--it helped... thanks, Rey."

"Even though the timing was not ideal it was nice to meet your dad's friends, Chewie and Lando. They told so many stories when you were younger." She wrinkled her nose in mischief.

Ben looked like he was turning red in embarrassment. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, yeah, like what?" He shook his head. "Never mind."

Rey chuckled. "Anyway, if you need anything, please let me know." She realized they were close--very close. She leaned forward just a tad. The hallway lighting was dim as if it was going to go out any minute.

Ben looked down at her hands. Slowly he touched her fingertips with his. "Rey, earlier I wanted...um..."

Rey looked down at their hands touching. His touch felt warm--she wanted more. She held his hand, stroking his skin with her thumb. She looked up and met his dark eyes. "Yes?"

Their faces were close enough where Ben could smell her strawberry shampoo. He felt her soothing caress on his hand and wanted to ask her out for Valentine's Day but he refrained. He closed his eyes and sighed, feeling it wasn't the right time. If he left now he wouldn't be back for a while, and-- He cleared his throat and didn't let go of her touch as he said, "Let's keep in touch, okay?"

Rey felt that he was going to say something different but nodded, interlocking her fingers with his, and said, "Absolutely."

Texts and phone calls were how Rey and Ben communicated the next few weeks as Valentine's Day came and went. Han was out of the hospital and back in the comfort of his own home, in bed most of the day, with a cast on one leg and one arm. Rey could tell Ben was relieved that his father was almost back to himself just in the more at ease tone of his messages to her. She planned to visit Chandrila during an upcoming weekend but soon enough that became just a wish.

As March rolled in, whispers about the Red Shadow Virus became louder and louder, world-wide. Everywhere, including the city, many were severely sick and some died. It became a tragic pandemic that resembled the Blue Shadow Virus that occurred less than a century ago. A stay-at-home order was enforced, keeping people home except going out for the essentials. Ben continued to stay with his family at home while Rey stayed in her apartment on her own. Instead of talking a few times a week their conversations were daily.

"I'm glad your father is feeling better," Rey said as she made dinner in her kitchen. She had her cell phone on speaker.

"That's the only good news right now. He can be grouchy sometimes but I think he's relieved I'm home—Mom too." He sighed. "It's a tragedy what's going on."

"It's heartbreaking—watching the news and listening to the loved ones of those that have passed away..." Rey felt her eyes moisten remembering what she saw on the news just an hour earlier. "How's your mom?"

"She's been redecorating half of the house and making sure my dad is healing well. She's keeping busy, as always. How are you holding up?"

Rey stirred vegetables that were sizzling in the pan. "I went shopping earlier this morning so I'm good on groceries for a while and I'm able to work remotely, for now."

"Same here."

"Yeah and a couple of days a week, Jannah, Rose, and I have been making food deliveries to first responders."

Ben smiled, knowing Rey is someone that wants to help any way she can. He admired that about her. "That's great. Rey, I—" He stopped talking.

Rey furrowed her brows. "Ben? You there?"

"Yeah... What I wanted to say was that I'm going to miss seeing you these next few weeks." He gulped.

Rey smiled, glad he felt the same as her. "I feel the same."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm." Rey took a breath before she admitted, "I miss seeing you every morning, taking the elevator together, and having our weekly lunch—it's something I look forward to."

She didn't hear him for a few seconds and feared she might have said too much but she then heard him say, "Ditto." Rey grinned.

Present – Early Afternoon

Ben was in his car arriving back to his parents' home after making a grocery run and other errands for his parents. He turned off his car and saw the garage door close behind him. He took off his mask, got out of the car, and started to bring groceries to the kitchen, cleaning the fruit and vegetables, before putting them in the fridge. He looked outside at the gazebo. It was quiet but he knew his parents and Aunt Amilyn was home. He shook his head and retrieved more groceries from his car.

Minutes later, he went upstairs to check on his parents to see if there was anything they needed before he took a shower, worked on his laptop, and perhaps text Rey. At that thought, he grinned and opened his parents' bedroom door. "I'm back, do you need anything else?" He asked before his eyes enlarged at what he saw before him. I should have knocked, he thought.

"You know there's something I didn’t know about my family."

Rey was lying on her bed wearing comfy pajamas as she looked up at the ceiling. She had Ben on speakerphone next to her on a pillow. She leaned on her right side and said, "What?"

Ben was in his room, sitting up on his bed, his feet on the ground. He was holding his phone at his ear. "My parents are like a couple with Amilyn."

Rey smiled. "You didn’t know?"

Ben gasped. "Wait--you knew?!"

"I did see some sort of intimacy between them in the kitchen at Christmas. I thought you knew."

"I found out earlier today after coming back from the market. I went to check in on them in their room and saw my dad asleep without his shirt on one side of the bed and the other side... My mom and Amilyn—" He gulped before he continued, "Um—They were making out, hands everywhere, and they were unclothed, the duvet at their feet and--I ran--feeling like an idiot." He sighed, covering his eyes with his arm.

Rey laughed. "Oh my god, did you at least talk afterward?"

"Yeah. I know it's their business but I wished they would have told me a long time ago so I could have been happy for them starting back then instead of now." He sighed. "I'm probably not making sense."

"You are--When I saw them together it looked like all three were in a happy relationship."

"I learned it's been going on since my mom and Amilyn met in college and then my mom met my dad and--Well, they're happy together and so am I. Aunt Amilyn always felt like family since I was a kid so I'm glad they can be comfortable together in front of me instead of feeling like have had to hide it." He remembered earlier that evening as his dad was at the bbq grilling burgers and his mom and Amilyn were in the gazebo, how content they all looked together. He smiled, wishing he had more memories like that.  

Rey stretched her legs before curling near the phone. "Why didn't they tell you back then?"

"My mom didn't think I would understand but at thirty-two years old, I'm glad they can trust me," he scoffed.

"You're thirty-two?" Rey asked.

"Yes, why? Too old for you?" He then stopped talking as if he said more than he meant to.

"Ben?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're the perfect age for me and I don’t know about you but I miss you." She wrinkled her nose and raised her brows, feeling a rush of relief in telling him her true feelings.

Without a pause, he said, "I miss you too, Rey." He sighed. "Wow, I can't believe we've been waiting this long to tell each other that."

"I know," Rey said. "Ben?"

"Yeah?"

She felt bold when she asked, "What do you miss about me?" She didn't realize but she held her breath waiting for him to answer.

Ben chuckled. "That's easy--Your smile whenever we see each other and when you wear your hair in that unique triple bun hairstyle and I miss talking to you face to face."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"Once this stay-at-home order is lifted, I want to take you on an official first date."

"I want that too, badly."

Another month went by as Rey was at her desk on her laptop corresponding with Rose concerning work when she heard Ben's door open. She immediately ended her chat on teams and closed her laptop.

She stepped outside to her balcony and saw the sun just start to set. She turned to her left and finally saw him. He took off his dark mask and placed it on the patio table. It had been three months since she last saw him. She felt such emotion in seeing him. "Ben!" She walked to the glass divider.

Ben turned her way, smiled, and walked to his side of the glass divider. "It's so good to see you, Rey," he said. He looked at her face, her hazel eyes, her lips, her hair which had grown longer. "You grew your hair out," he remarked.

Rey ran her fingers through her brown hair. She nodded. "Thought it was time."

"Looks nice." He gulped, moving his mouth one way then the other.

"You look nice too." She licked her bottom lip, seeing his hair tied in a tiny ponytail; it looked different and she was intrigued. He was dressed in dark pants and a dark gray sweater that fitted him just right. He had a couple of days of scruff on his face and with it, he looked very handsome. "It's a surprise seeing you here."

Ben nodded. "My dad is feeling back to normal and--I just wanted to give them their privacy." He shrugged as he next said, "I wanted to get back to my art and—you. Even as we're separated by this glass, I just want to be near you."

He lifted his hand and placed it on the glass. Rey raised her hand and placed it opposite his. "Same," she said. They stared at each other making sure not to look away.

[wetookanoath]

a scenerio that popped into my head: They are living in the same apartment building and this orange cat keeps getting on Ryan's nerves always snooping around his balcony and causing trouble, breaking pots etc. He knows the cat is his neighbor's he saw it being let in from their balcony so after this has happened a handful of times he's ready to go and have a few strong words with whoever lives there but oh shit the guy is so tall and hot, fuck

This is not exactly what you asked for and def you didn’t ask for a fanfic, but here, I wrote a fic! The first in WEEKS! So yaay!

[AO3]

The orange menace would appear on the balcony at 4 PM every day without fail. Always looking at Ryan, trying to mess with his head.

If he didn’t know better, Ryan would think the cat could read his mind and appear when he least needed him to. The cat had even learned how to open the sliding door of his balcony, so sometimes he would find it nesting in the kitchen sink which was very inconvenient when Ryan had people over or wasn’t ready for allergic reactions.

Regardless, the animal kept coming back and Ryan kept wondering why, why him?

This time the cat was asleep on his goddamn bed, and Ryan was tired, so tired and so drunk. 

“Fuck it.” 

“Mrrrp”, the cat replied, before blinking at him and curling up into a ball.

All he could do was get himself on the other side of the bed to fall asleep with the orange cat purring at his back.

**

Someone was knocking in his head.

Three soft knocks and a pause,followed by another three knocks. Ryan frowned, that was not possible – someone knocking at his head? What…? Right. The door.

“No… go away…”

He tried his best to ignore the noise, turning on his side facing the window, when he felt something both sharp and fuzzy pawing at his forehead. Still refusing to open his eyes, he brought up a hand to feel around and noticed something fluffy and very much alive resting gently over his head.

Ryan was about to scream demon when a loud purr distracted him enough to suddenly remember last night, he opened his eyes slowly.

The cat was sleeping on his head.

Sighing, Ryan moved to rest on his back, when the knocking on his door started up again. This time louder and fuck– a quick glance to his alarm clock on the night stand told him it was three fuck-off in the morning. The knocking didn’t seem to bother the cat, who was still purring as it pawed gently on top of his head, like it was trying to style his hair.

Ryan frowned, not sure of what was weirder: the orange cat on his head or the person banging on his door at 3 AM.

Maybe he’d get killed, but with all the effort a hungover guy could muster, Ryan got out of bed and went to open the door.

**

Tall Hot And Unbothered was at his door, looking like death. 

His red nose and watery eyes made Ryan swallow and look back into his apartment to see if there were any cameras or a unicorn around, because this couldn’t be real. It had to be a dream or some sort of prank.

Ryan was confused, but the frantic look in his neighbor’s face made Ryan try to smile and the man looked at him with something akin to hope and his heart started to beat faster.

“Hey…”

“Hi, hello.” He said, voice deep yet tiny, like if he had been crying for far too long. “I’m sorry, I know It’s super late–”

“Dude, are you okay?” Ryan frowned.

The tall– way too tall, extremely tall– man quickly dried his face with hands covered by his dark sweater. It didn’t really help his case, it only made him look incredibly vulnerable and Ryan wondered if he was still in his bed, dreaming some sort of strange romantic scenario that would end in the most ridiculous porno his brain could have made up.

He had been very drunk when he came home after all, and it wouldn’t be the first time. Especially when it came to this guy in particular, Tall Hot And Unbothered from 17E upstairs.

Ryan blinked, watching as the guy swallowed and looked down before returning his eyes to his face.

“Allergies.” He excused, Ryan lifted an eyebrow knowing that wasn’t the case.

Allergies was in his room, making himself comfortable in his bed as Ryan tried his best not to show just how infatuated with this man he was.

“I’m just… I’m looking for my cat. He is an orange tabby, has a black collar with a green bell in the shape of an alien head, have you seen him?”

Bless that little fucker.

**

The first time Ryan saw Tall Hot And Unbothered, the guy had been on the phone and had just passed Ryan in the lobby of their building, giving him no mind. Not a glance, nothing. But it had left him starstruck since the beginning.

Nolan, the guy at the desk, had given him A Look after he had asked for a name and more information on the tall man, but he had been a new tenant and Nolan hadn’t had a chance to talk to him just yet. 

It wasn’t until the third time he asked in as many days that Ryan realized desk guy Nolan thought him a creep, and so he desisted.

Still, he couldn’t help himself and the smile on his lips every time they saw each other in the elevator. Tall Hot And Unbothered was polite as hell but still didn’t mind him. Their little dance of good morning and good night wasn’t enough, but damn if Ryan wasn’t the worst at talking to people unless someone else introduced him to them, let alone at flirting.

And so, four months had passed and now, Tall Hot and Unbothered was at his door, asking for the orange menace sleeping in his bed.

**

Maybe Ryan should had noticed that the damn cat started to appear in his balcony, fucking up pots and meowing at ridiculous hours of the early morning, at the same time Tall Hot And Unbothered moved to the building.

Looking at him now, he was more like Tall Hot And Cute, which was the worst possible combination because then his brain would malfunction forever in the presence of this man.

“Obi!” He said, taking the cat from Ryan’s arms and cuddling him to his chest. The cat meowed, looking at Ryan with what he tried not to identify as betrayal. “You’re such a fucking asshole, how dare you?”

Jesus. Ryan chuckled, seeing the man standing in his living room holding his cat. The damn thing didn’t seem bothered at all, it kept glancing over at Ryan with shining eyes and if he woke up dead by clawing, it wouldn’t be a surprise.

At least his ghost knew where to find the irresponsible owner of such a furry little bitch.

Tall Hot And Cute looked at him, and Ryan felt a knot in his throat, unable to talk or move. Maybe he had swallowed his tongue.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, and I was so worried–” He said way too fast. 

Ryan frowned as his head started to pound, suddenly aware of how drunk he had been and how late at night, or early in the morning it was. 

“He hasn’t come in days, he must have been such a bother–”

“What? Days? No, he was just…” His eyes opened wide. “Oh.” Ryan swallowed. “Well, I mean… I didn’t realize he had been staying. I think.”

The man frowned, carrying the cat like if he was a baby. Ryan licked his lips, looking down at himself to remember that hey, he was in his pink boxers with strawberry patterns. Excellent.

“Thank you for having him over.”

“Uh,” Ryan looked up, smiling alike when he noticed Tall Hot And Cute happily smiling at him. He no longer looked dead inside, which was good. He really was good looking. “It’s alright, at least now I know who to call when he keeps eating my plants and knocking them off the balcony”.

His expression changed, eyes wide open as he looked towards the balcony, then to the cat.

“Dude!” He said, the cat meowed angry at his owner and all Ryan could do was laugh at the image. “What the hell? Oh, my God. I’m so sorry!” Tall Hot And Cute looked at him. “Shit, how much do I owe you?”

“I don’t know…” He swallowed. “I haven’t replaced shit, so… It’s okay, really.”

“Fuck…” The man frowned, looking down at his cat who was looking very Not Okay in this situation. “Well, when you do, hit me up with the bill. I’m in the 17E.” He said and Ryan had to bite his tongue not to answer, I know.

Maybe desk guy Nolan was right.

“Sure, man. It’s fine.” He shrugged. “Uhm, I’m– I’m Ryan.”

“Oh.” He seemed to notice they hadn’t introduced each other, and smiled at him. “Shane.” He said, sighing while moving the cat to show it to him. “And Obi.”

“Great,” Ryan chuckled. “Now at least I have a name for him, the orange menace is too long.”

“The orrrrghhh–” He laughed, it echoed in the room as it did in Ryan’s head and he couldn’t help but smile, seeing Shane’s eyes turn into half moons and his cheeks turning red. He could get used to this. “Uhm,” Shane smiled at him, Ryan tilted his head to one side. “Well, I… should let you sleep. I’m very sorry again, I know this was… uncalled for.”

“A little bizarre.” He admitted, gesturing with his hand. “But it’s okay. Uhm…”

“Good night, Ryan. Thanks again.”

He nodded, following Shane’s steps towards his door and watching as the man walked out of his apartment. They smiled at each other, and when the taller guy looked at him one last time and Ryan sighed, debating between watching him get on the elevator or just closing his door and screaming into his pillow.

But a sudden strike of  bravery made him ask, “Hey, Shane?”

“Uh?” The man looked back, walking backwards towards the elevator.

Ryan smiled at the sight. “You want to come over later? We can have a beer, watch a movie…”

The man stopped, blinking before answering with a neutral expression. “Sure.”

“Great!” He swallowed, hands sweating as he tried to look chill. “Around four is okay?”

“Yeah, that would be fine.” He smiled, giving Ryan his back again. The cat meowed. “Good night!”

“Good night, guys!”

Ryan watched as they got into the elevator, Obi meowing again as Shane smiled at Ryan, the door closing before he could see him smile back.

Maybe the cat wasn’t so bad after all.

**

[forasecondtherewedwon]

Spideychelle as parents?

Here it comes―the fluffnami I warned you all about on Monday. You’ve officially waited too long to seek higher ground. The fluff is coming.

Kid-Me-NotPairing: Peter x Michelle (Spideychelle), Ned x Betty (Netty Pot)Rating: T (a very smol swear)Word count: 2060

They think about moving every year, but so far they haven’t.Peter knows it’s both of them, not just him, because sometimes he catches hiswife staring at a particular facet of their apartment, and when she looks athim, he goes, “I know,” and she makes a face like it’s doubtful that he’s readher mind.

The farthest out of the city they get on a regular basis isBetty and Ned’s corner of suburbia. Peter likes the drive and his wife likesthe mature trees, but not the ‘1950s American Dream capitalist bullshit vibe,’as she calls it. She also likes the blonde-bricked houses and Peter takes hisfoot off the gas whenever they pass one so that she has longer to admire themwithout having to state her preference out loud.

A trip to the Leeds’s is a regular thing for them, thoughmore frequent once summer rolls lazily around again. Flo is five now and goesinto a streaming shrill vibration of excitement at the mention of a visit.She’s been raised to call the two Leeds kids her cousins. The drive is just farenough that it used to put her to sleep, but these days the sedative propertiesof the car ride are only powerful enough to lull her small body into a consciousdoze. She exists in this low-power mode with a hand propped under her chin anda serious expression as she gazes out the window, not really noticing theflowers in people’s gardens or the dappled light on the perfect grey curbs, andnot really caring about what she’s missed. Peter’s great delight of the driveis catching glimpses of her in the rear-view mirror.

“I brought club soda for Betty,” his wife remarks idly fromthe passenger seat. Briefly, he grins to himself, rubbing his lip with athumbnail. Her posture is so like their daughter’s and at this point, Petercan’t remember who picked it up from whom.

“That’s really nice of you,” he says. “I’m sure she’llappreciate that.”

She goes by ‘Chelle’ now, which he feels has the sort ofheart-wrenching elegance of a ballet every time he hears it. It’s so adult.Frequently, Peter forgets they are both 34.

Pulling into the driveway is the catalyst for thelast-minute divvying up of who’s carrying what out of the car and which ofFlo’s toys are to be left in the backseat so she won’t scream if the other kidsget a hold of them. (Peter has been diligently working on his daughter’sjealous phase, but prefers not to test her restraint on what will already be ahigh-energy day.)

Chelle and he forsake the formality of the front door infavour of the gate, going straight into the backyard. He and Ned built the gatethemselves and Peter gives it a fond pat on his way through. Flo has alreadyraced ahead; it’s pointless to try to carry her. When she was a toddler, therewas less kicking, but the second her feet were lowered to the ground, she tookoff like a released wind-up toy.

“Hi,” he says to Ned. “Hi,” to Betty. And they’re saying“hi” in return, and so is Chelle, and hi’s are basically flying through the airlike mosquitos.

Sure enough, there are mosquitos flying through the air aswell because Betty’s grown sensitive to the scent of the citronella candlesthey usually scatter around the outdoor living space. In his spare time,Peter’s been working on synthesizing a replacement that will repel pestswithout the distinctive odour.

Arms full of bags of hotdog buns and an entire case of clubsoda (seriously, Chelle could’ve just bought Betty a two-litre bottle. How muchdoes his wife expect her to drink?!), Peter uses his foot to close the gatebehind him, but not before Ned’s devious cat bolts.

“Ohmigodohmigod,” Ned mumbles, flustered, but Betty justtouches him on the arm and steps around him.

“PalPY!” she calls, high and clear.

Emperor Palpatine whizzes back into the yard and the crisisis over. Peter and Ned laugh to themselves, slapping each other on theshoulder. Chelle has spread her armload of offerings on the patio table andwrapped Betty into a hug like a favourite draping blanket. She’s not asqueezing kind of hugger, his wife, but the sort to relax fully into it like avertical trust fall. There are few people she hugs.

“You’re a lifesaver,” Ned declares when Peter hands over thehotdog buns.

“Man, don’t tell me…” Peter begs.

“Yep,” Betty chimes in. “He forgets to buy them every time.”

She bites into a strawberry from a fruit tray she’s justwhisked out of the house. Chelle selects a large cube of honeydew melon,furtively stuffs it into her cheek, then bends down to make their daughterlaugh with a chipmunk impression as Flo slingshots back to her parents in asudden fit of nerves. This happens when the cousins are reintroduced. Sheclings to her mother’s leg as her smile quickly springs back up―Chelle’sstroking her wavy hair.

“Peter expects it by now,” Ned asserts, indicating what hisbest friend of 20+ years has brought.

“Nah, contingency plan, dude,” Peter avows.

“MJ,” Ned says, using the name that’s never unstuck for him(in fact, he’s the only one who still uses it), “club soda? Lame.”

Chelle rolls her eyes as their daughter torpedoes away fromher, chasing her cousins to the back fence.

“It’s for your pregnant wife. Don’t be selfish.”

“He’ll appreciate it later when I’m not sprinting to thebathroom to throw up my hotdog,” Betty predicts.

“Hon, that is so freaking gross. So, who’s hungry?” Ned askswith a chuckle.

He retrieves a pair of beers from an open cooler, rocky withice cubes, and Peter follows him over to the barbecue. Betty is close behind.

“Ned,” she protests, “I can do it.”

“The smoke can’t be good for the baby.”

“The other kids turned out fine. Ned makes up new rules foreach child,” Betty informs Peter with a wry smile.

“Peter wouldn’t let me go out on the balcony when I waspregnant with Flo,” Chelle calls over from where she’s setting out cutlery.They always eat first. Many, many summer afternoons have established theirpriorities.

Peter throws up his hands, careful not to slop the drinkhe’s just opened.

“It stressed me out!”

Chelle shrugs and gives him a smug smile.

“You got used to it.”

“I had to. You started sitting out there every night whenyou were on the phone to Betty or May or your mom.”

She grins in remembered victory as Charlie hurtles intoPeter’s side.

“Hello,” says a kid with Betty’s hair and at least onemissing tooth.

“Hey, what’s up, buddy?” Peter squats and does theParker-Leeds handshake. It transcends generations now, which is pretty cool.

“Are you watching your sister?” Betty quizzes her.

“Yes,” says Charlie, three-year-old sister nowhere in hervicinity.

“Call her like you call the cat,” Ned suggests, attention onraising the lid of the barbecue to shuffle the meat around, burgers crumblingat the edges, hotdogs reluctant to lift from the grill.

“Ooh, do we think Daddy’s in trouble for that one?” Bettychecks with Charlie, who grins, swishing her neatly braided pigtails.

Their other child, Daisy, comes staggering through thegrass, hand clutched in Flo’s. Peter feels a thrill of pride, watching theirdaughter play the big sister.

“We’re going inside,” Flo announces. “Charlie has a newLego.”

“Awesome,” Peter tells Charlie, eyes lighting up. “How manypieces?”

“I might need to snag one of your club sodas,” Chelleinforms Betty. “I feel suddenly nauseous with déjà vu.”

The wives laugh hard at the expense of the nerds theymarried.

“But seriously,” Peter whispers. “How many?”

“One. Hundred. Seventy. Four,” Charlie says, enunciatingwith care to increase the impact of how impressive this is. He thinks she couldread the announcements when she gets to high school, like her mom did, butthat’s a ways off yet. The kid’s only seven.

Flo, tired of being in her father’s company yet not thecenter of his attention, falls dramatically onto his hunched back.

“Why is it called Legos.” She says it like a demand, not aquestion.

“Uh, I don’t know. Lemme look it up…”

Before he can get his phone from his pocket, the nextinquiry has left her mouth. He can see that the Lego investigation has beentemporarily derailed.

“Why is my name ‘Florence’?”

“This is her thing right now,” Chelle explains to theirfriends, shaking an open bag of pretzels in Betty’s direction. “Questioningwhat everything’s called.”

“I know this one,” Betty teases. Peter glances over hisshoulder to watch Flo’s eyes light up with curiosity. He rubs her warm forearm.“It’s because Uncle Ned and I, and your parents, went on a trip to a countrynamed Italy and, while we were there, they realized that they loved each other.Then,” she goes on (Peter can tell by his daughter’s face that she isenthralled), “your mom and dad went back there when they were grown up and theywere in a city called Florence when they decided to get married.”

“Because he asked her to?” Flo clarifies.

“That’s right,” Betty praises.

“Barely managed it,” Ned critiques under his breath.

“Thanks, pal,” Peter snarks back.

His best friend glances down at him and they share a grin,then Ned reaches out for Betty’s hand and reels her in to kiss her cheek.They’re romantics, both of them. Betty probably remembers the moment ofengagement better than either Peter or Chelle, and she wasn’t even there.

“Why is Mommy’s name ‘Chelle’?” Flo wonders.

Peter straightens up to grab a pretzel. He sets his beer onthe fold-out ledge of the barbecue, then picks up Daisy, who is looking forlorn,so far below the tall people.

“Michelle,” Chellereminds her. “That’s because Grandma watched too much Full House while she was waiting for me.”

“Where were you?” Charlie asks, confused.

“Still in her belly,” his wife explains. She points atBetty’s rounded stomach. “Like your brother.”

“Wha’ ‘bow you, Da’?” Flo asks, wandering back from thetable as she chomps a carrot stick smothered in probably too much ranchdressing.

Peter sticks his tongue out at Daisy to make her gigglebefore turning to his daughter with a confused frown.

“What about me?”

“Why is your name ‘Spider-Man’?”

Chelle howls with laughter while Peter attempts to handlethe situation. Ned and Betty have both known his secret for years (there areonly so many excuses he can give Betty for needing to abruptly leave theirhouse on foot with a ragged backpack), but Flo doesn’t really get thedifference between saying it in front of them and saying it to literally anyoneelse.

“Are we supposed to talk about that?” he tests her.

“No. I’ll only tell Charlie.” Quickly, she bounces to hercousin’s side and, over Charlie’s giggling, Peter hears Flo’s high voicesaying, “My dad’s Spider-Man.”

“That’s definitely talking about it,” he says.

“Ok,” she is quick to agree with a mischievous smile, “I’llonly tell Palpy.”

Flo darts off after the cat, who has decided on a franticrun across the yard. Charlie helpfully tries to copy her mother’s method ofcalling the cat, but Emperor Palpatine is not convinced by the imitation.

Peter spins Daisy around once before letting the toddlerinto the fray as well.

“She’s so much like you,” Betty observes to Chelle, watchingFlo track the cat with determination. “Brave, unstoppable.”

Ned snorts.

“Nah, she’s like Peter.”

“Watch it,” Peter warns jokingly, picking up his beer.

“I was gonna say because she has so much energy, dude, duh.”

“Well, that’s true,” Chelle says, walking to Peter andpropping her elbow on his shoulder. He holds her around the waist, longing tocradle her closer than social norms permit. “I don’t know what we’re going todo with two of them.”

For a moment, there is no sound but the sizzling hotdogs(Ned’s probably burning them―Betty is the true grill-master of the Leedsfamily) and the shouts of three little girls. Then, Betty’s delighted gasp andNed’s pure shriek of joy.

Peter’s beer sweats in his hand. He has never been happier.

[missbrightsky]

I didn’t know where else to go

Fics Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Chapter 7: Feyre

The prick told me I should have nothing to worry about so why am I hesitating? It was 11 am on Sunday, exactly when Mor told me to be at her place. I’m not a person who likes to be late, but here I am, hesitating like a coward.

Quit being ridiculous and knock, I scolded myself, forcing my fist to raise. Before my second knock was done echoing, Mor flung the door open, a bright smile already lighting her face.

“Feyre! Come in!” her voice matched her face, no trace of hostility or suspicion.  As soon as I was over the threshold, she was putting a mimosa in my hand and sweeping back to her kitchen. Mor’s apartment was the complete opposite of Rhys’s, light streaming in from tall windows and open spaces giving the whole room a breathable feeling. The only thing that hadn’t changed was the wall of weapons, nearly as extensive as her cousin’s.

I found myself sipping from the glass before I could stop myself. The drink was cool and sweet, better than Lucien’s mimosas but I could never tell him that (it would break his heart). Mor had returned to whatever task she was doing in the kitchen before I knocked.

“Your home is beautiful,” I commented, idly wandering around, taking in the Velaris skyline and abstract art placed along the walls.

“Thank you! Much better than Rhys’s I think.” I chuckled with her.

“Anything I can do to help?” tearing my eyes away from the art and steering my body back to the kitchen. Fresh fruit was already diced and mixed, bacon was almost done frying on the stove, next to a pile of pancakes. My stomach let out a growl at the spread of food.

“Nope!” Mor chirped, her lips popping at the end of the word, “I’m just about done here. You can carry the champagne and OJ to the balcony and I’ll join you in a sec.” She turned back to the stove, leaving me to follow her instructions.

Carefully weaving through the furniture, I headed towards the already open doors. The slow sounds of a city Sunday drifted up the building walls, sunshine peeked through the clouds, making it warm enough outside to enjoy the cool breeze. Mor’s balcony large enough to accommodate a white, iron table and four chairs, along with two chaise lounges and several potted plants. Everything was casual but thoughtfully chosen, meant for comfort and relaxation.

I set the drinks down on the table before walking to the railing. Below, Velaris spread out for blocks, a perfect vantage point of downtown a few blocks away to the right and a park sprawling to the left. Peaceful, comfortable, something you don’t expect from the Third of this city’s most notorious crime syndicate.

The clinking of plates behind me drew me from my musing, reminding me that said Third was making me brunch. I sat down at the table with her, trying to subtly watch her dish up a heaping plate of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and fruit before topping off my mimosa.

“Cheers!” she intoned, clinking my raised glass to hers before drinking deeply and then attacking her food. Stop being ridiculous, she’s shown no sign of wanting to harm you so just eat the food and stop thinking it’s poisoned. I speared a strawberry on my fork and combined it with a bit of pancake, syrup dripping off of it. I had to physically stop myself from moaning. Like the dinner on Friday, the food was simple but exquisite.

“So Feyre,” she drawled, pulling me out of my reverie, “What lead you to become a cop?”

A simple question, one that she couldn’t do much harm in knowing. “My mother was murdered when I was young, so I wanted to become someone who could prevent or catch the villains that do that.” The simple statement left me feeling raw, perhaps it was the understanding that pooled in Mor’s eyes. Someone who had lost everything too. Mor only nodded, not offering the usual “I’m sorry”, knowing that the words would ring hollow in my ears.

There were a few minutes of silence after that question, Mor allowing me to silently gather myself again. At that point, most of the food was gone along with the champagne. The buttery sunlight combined with the pleasant buzz of alcohol left me feeling full and a bit sleepy. Mor was easy to be around, no sign of that unyielding queen from Friday night.

“Why is she coming to Velaris?” I asked quietly. It was the one question that was bothering me. We weren’t the capital of Prythian, too far north to be a strategic place to launch an invasion, even if the country itself wasn’t so large and powerful.

Mor knew who I was asking about, grimacing as she thought of the adversary. “We don’t know,” she admitted with a scowl, upset at their lack of knowledge. “At first, we thought it was because she had found us and were hunting us down because we escaped. Amren knocked that thought out of our heads, even though Rhys’s parents had money, they were only connected to politics through friends. Then we thought it was because she wanted to invade Prythian,” ah-ha, “but the continent is huge and would be nearly impossible to successfully take over.”

Mor tensely shrugged her shoulders, as if trying to shake off her annoyance, “Best we can figure now is that she got bored of terrorizing one country and wants a new challenge.”

“Shit,” I muttered, it was one thing to be dealing with everyday thugs and murderers, but it was a whole new ballgame to be fighting a crazy woman with a history of coups.

“Shit indeed,” Mor agreed, clinking her empty glass against mine. “I’m opening another bottle, you gonna help me drink it?”

I loosed a tight chuckle from my chest, “Sure, I’ve got nothing to do today,” lie, but my research isn’t going anywhere. I helped gather up the empty dishes and took them back to the kitchen where Mor was digging through a small wine cooler built into the counter.

“Just set them in the sink and I’ll take care of them later,” she called over her shoulder. The ceramic clattered against each other, nearly masking the knock that came from the door. Mor’s head popped out from behind the fridge door, glaring at whoever was disturbing her time with a new friend.

“I can get it,” I said, striding towards the entryway, peeping through the eyehole. I groaned at who was standing on the other side. “Mor! It’s your idiot cousin!” I shouted back towards her. “I heard that,” came the muffled voice. I ignored it, waiting for Mor’s response.

Mor echoed me groan before waving a hand, “Let him in.”

I twisted the handle, swinging it open enough to glare at him, twin to the look he first gave me when I showed up on his doorstep that handful of nights ago.

He was dressed casually enough in dark wash jeans and a graphic t-shirt, but still looked so unfairly good, nonetheless.

He smirked at my face, “I believe she said I could come in.”

I ground my teeth at his voice, his tone, and swung the door open fully and walked away, leaving him to shut it. Mor had already refilled my glass and I welcomed the sweet drink.

“To what do I owe the honor, cousin?” Mor drawled, taking a sip from her own glass, drawing attention to how she didn’t pour him one. Rhys was unfazed by this, beelining to the cabinet and snagging a glass for himself. Swiping the champagne from the counter before Mor could hide it, he poured himself a glass and took a sip before answering. “Do I need a reason to come and see my favorite cousin?” smirking at her.

“No,” Mor sniffed, “but did you have to do it while I was having girl time with our new favorite cop friend?”

“That’s precisely why I came,” he said with a wink towards me. I shoved down the blush that was surely from the alcohol, prick. “I needed to make sure you didn’t start telling embarrassing childhood stories of me.”

“Well now that you mention it…,” Mor started on a story of how Rhys ended up in a pool stark naked on a dare. How she managed to tell the story with Rhys chasing her around the apartment was a miracle to me. By the end, we were all in stitches from laughter.

His eyes glow blue when he’s laughing, the thought snuck into my mind. No, Feyre, don’t you dare.

Rhys responded to Mor’s story with one of his own. Now he was the one being chased by a winded and slightly tipsy Mor while telling me about how she tried asking a girl out for the first time and ended up in the school fountain. I would have felt bad for her with him telling that story, but Mor and the girl ended up dating for a year after that.

Late morning bled into early evening, more food been made that afternoon and Cas and Azriel arrived at some point when they found out that Rhys and Mor were trying to out-embarrass the other in front of me. Cassian had a million and one stories of them being young and stupid, but it was always Azriel that got the biggest laughs. The combination of his quiet demeanor and dry humor coaxed us all into a lull before delivering the punchline unexpectedly.

“So glad that you all are enjoying yourselves,” the cold voice came from behind.

“Shit!”

“What the fuck!”

“Aiiiiiieeeee!” (that high-pitch scream came from Cassian)

We all jumped to our feet, Cassian, Mor, and Rhys reaching for their weapons while Az and I took up defensive stances. There, standing five foot flat, was Amren, glaring at us all with her arms crossed.

“Amren,” Rhys recovering first, “How did you get in?”

She only raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow, “Wouldn’t you like to know,” she said sweetly, surveying the general disarray of the living room.

“You’ve got fifteen minutes to sober up, a shipment from Amarantha will be here tonight and we need to be there to intercept it,” she informed us, spinning on her heel to march out of the front door.

Cas and Az got on their phones, calling whomever they needed to get into position. Mor disappeared into her bedroom, presumably to change.

I stood and watched the family jump into action. Rhys appeared beside me, prompting me to look up at him with a questioning look.

“You don’t have to come, I can fill you in later.” “No, I need to see what we’re up against,” I said firmly. Rhys scanned my face and nodded.

“Mor will have a change of clothes you can borrow,” he nodded in the direction of her room. I returned his nod and started towards it, squaring my shoulders against the shit storm that was about to hit.

Next Chapter

[mikauzoran]

Adrienette Drabble: Chance

Later that night, Chat Noir landed on Marinette’s balcony as quietly as possible. He took a minute to rehearse his lines one final time. He inhaled deeply and slowly let the breath out before tentatively knocking on the skylight.

It took nearly a full minute for Marinette to respond, leaving Chat to fret as he listened to the frenzied thumps and bumps emanating from the room below.

What? Was she moving furniture or something?

Finally, the skylight flew open, and Marinette hit him like a bullet.

“Minou!” she gasped, throwing her arms around him and tucking her face into the crook of his neck as she tightened her embrace. “I was terrified you wouldn’t come back! I’m so happy to see you!” she trilled, laughing giddily.

She pulled back only to lean in once more, resting her forehead and nose against his, nuzzling him softly. “I missed you, Minou.”

“I missed you, Goddess,” he whispered back, voice thick with relief, joy, and desire.

He closed his eyes, letting himself have the sweet smell of her oatmeal-strawberries-bakery scent and the warmth of his arms around her, the brush of her hair on his face.

She hummed happily, melting into him.

When he came back to himself, he realized he’d been holding her a touch too long and quickly put a bit more space between them, even though he kept hold of her forearms. “Sorry,” he hurriedly coughed in his embarrassment.

Marinette blinked, eyes coming back into focus. “Hm?”

“I’m sorry,” Chat apologized again. “I’m really sorry, Marinette. That’s what I came here to say.”

She blinked again, confusion supplanting her distracted expression. “You’re sorry? For what?”

Chat grimaced. “The other day. I’m really sorry that I kissed you like that and then ran off. It was wrong and really selfish and petulant of me, and I am so, so sorry. I never wanted our first kiss to be like that.”

“Minou,” Marinette cooed, stepping back into him, circling her arms around his waist. “It’s okay. I—”

“—It’s not okay, Marinette,” Chat insisted. “It hasn’t been okay for a long time, but I’m going to try to fix this. I swear I’m committed to putting the effort in. I’ll do better,” he promised as he gazed down into her cyanide blue eyes with an intensity that turned the last of her resolve to take things slowly to mush.

“Marinette, your friendship is everything to me, and I will do whatever you need me to do to make you feel comfortable around me. Whatever boundaries you need to set. Whatever rules you need me to follow, I’ll do it. I’m fully prepared to respect your wishes.” He took a deep breath before continuing, “But, Marinette, my feelings for you aren’t going to go away. When I love, I love with everything that I am,” he confessed.

Something in the back of Marinette’s mind (the very tiny part that had not already turned to goo) remarked that that phrasing “love with everything that I am” sounded oddly familiar.

“And I’m going to keep loving you, even if we can only be friends right now. Marinette, I know you have someone else in your heart at the moment, so you don’t feel like you can be with me, but I want you to know that I am always an option. I’m not going anywhere…unless…unless you don’t want me in your life anymore,” he finished, ears drooping, expression apprehensive as he awaited her response.

“I want you in my life always, Chat Noir,” Marinette whispered, leaning in to give him another nuzzle. “Chat, I’ve been thinking about everything for the past two weeks. I haven’t been able to stop…thinking about you,” she admitted, moving her arms so that her hands interlaced at the back of his neck.

He gulped. “Y-Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she whispered in a way that implied so much more than he’d dared to hope for.

“Oh.” His stomach flipped even as his heart fluttered.

“And the truth is that I am in love with someone else. I may never get over him completely, and I want him in my life. He’s my friend, so I’m going to keep spending time with him. I’m going to keep pining after him to some extent, but…”

Marinette took a steadying breath. “I know I can’t be with him. Even if he did return my feelings, I can’t be with him right now. He’s going through some stuff, and it’s made me see a really ugly side of him. He’s…” She choked.

Chat reached up to gently wipe away a tear.

“Thanks,” she sighed. “Sorry. It’s just that I’ve loved him for so long…it kind of hurts to let go, even if I know I can’t be with him for my own good…for the good of our friendship, but…”

Her eyes found his. “I really like you, Chat Noir. I like how I feel when I’m with you. I like our relationship the way it is, but…a part of me does want more with you, so…I want to think about giving us a chance.”

His breath caught in his throat. “R-Really? You actually mean that? Seriously?”

She nodded. “If you would really be okay dating a girl who’s in love with an emotional train wreck and can’t give you her entire heart because most of it belongs to someone else, I want to be with you, Chat Noir. I don’t know. It’s hardly fair to you, but think about it, okay?”

“I don’t need to think about it,” he laughed, giddiness overtaking him. “Yes. Yes, Marinette. Yes.”

She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Minou, seriously. This is huge, and I need you to really think about it. You’re agreeing to date a girl who’s emotionally cheating on you.”

He shook his head. “I’m agreeing to date the love of my life, the woman who saved me when I was feeling lost and hopeless and unloved. I’m agreeing to date the girl I’ve been pining after for what feels like an eternity. I know there are obstacles in the way of us having the relationship I want, but I’m ready to face those challenges with you. I’d walk through fire for you, My Goddess. I’m prepared to see this through until you realize you can love me as much as I love you.”

“You…” Marinette had had a very good argument. Where had it gone? She’d completely forgotten what she’d been about to say in the face of his bold declaration. “You should still think about it for a couple days at least,” she reiterated lamely.

He rolled his eyes and smirked. “If it makes you feel better, I will pretend to think it over for a few days before I come back and tell you the same thing.”

“Oh, Minou,” she sighed…and then her gaze got stuck on his lips.

He noticed and tentatively leaned in.

She followed at first before catching herself. She looked up into his eyes. “I really shouldn’t kiss you. It wouldn’t be fair. I’m in no state to—”

“—Marinette?” he cut her off.

“Hm?”

“Stop trying to be fair to me,” he breathed, nuzzling her nose. “Be selfish. I want you…” he moaned and then finished impishly, “…to be selfish.”

She kissed him.

It was all heat and tongues and teeth and longing. Unsure where to put hands. His tail wrapping around her thigh. Her fingers gripping his hair. Closer, closer. His claws on her back. Not close enough. Gasps as they fell back onto the deck chair. Renegotiating their position. Her leg hooked over his hips. There. There!

Barely noticing as the first flower pot met its end. Jolting apart as the second crashed to the balcony floor.

They blinked in tandem.

“Does your balcony have a poltergeist?”

“No,” Marinette sighed in exasperation. “That would be my personal guardian deity. Apparently, she thinks things are moving too fast between us.”

Chat blinked, more securely propping himself up on his elbows to look down at her. “Personal…guardian deity?”

Marinette bit her already kiss-bruised lip. “Uh…yeah. My version of your kwami…. It’s a Chinese thing.”

“Oh.” Chat considered this revelation briefly. “Okay.”

Marinette quirked an eyebrow. “Okay? You’re not going to challenge my assertion or ask questions or anything?”

Chat shrugged to the best of his ability from his position on top of her. “I’m wearing a magical leather cat suit. I fight manifestations of people’s negative emotions on a weekly basis. If you say you have a personal guardian deity, who am I to question you?”

“Oh,” Marinette replied simply, stunned at his easy acceptance. “I…I’ll introduce you to her someday. Maybe not soon, but…I have a lot of secrets, Chat Noir,” she confessed guiltily, “but I promise that I’ll tell you, so don’t be too mad at me when you find out, okay? There are a lot of things I want to tell you, things I need to tell you if ‘us’ is going to happen, but right now is a little…”

“Take your time, Princess,” he assured, giving her forehead a comforting nuzzle. “After all, I have secrets that I’m scared to tell you too.”

“Mm,” she hummed softly, going in for another kiss.

A third flower pot met its maker.

Marinette growled low in her throat. “Oh my God.” She turned her head to snap in the direction of the fallen flower pots. “I am eighteen, thank you! I am a mature, responsible young woman capable of making these kinds of decisions. If I want to make out with him, I’m going to make out with him, so you can get over it.”

She turned back to Chat and smiled weakly. “Sorry about her. The good news is there are only so many flower pots she can break. I’ll talk to her later.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckled. “I’m glad you have someone to look out for you when I can’t be with you…. One question, though. Does everyone have a personal guardian deity, or are you just special? I mean, I know you’re special, but…”

“Flirt.” She bopped his nose with her own. “I’m special in more ways than you’d ever guess…. Kiss me?”

Chat let his question go in favor of obliging her, long and slow, savoring the kiss instead of totally abandoning himself in the sweet oblivion of her lips like he had before.

The pace soon picked up again, and he had to force himself to pull away. “I—” His voice cracked. He cleared his throat, turning his head when she tried to recapture his lips once more.

“I think we should stop.”

She let out a little vocal pout of displeasure.

“Before we go too far,” he explained, nuzzling her ear. “I don’t want you to regret this.”

“I won’t,” she whined.

“You might,” he challenged. “I know you, Marinette. I know you would never make out like this with someone you weren’t interested in like some despicable people with no self-worth do. I know you like me, but…”

He took a deep breath. “I don’t presume to tell you how you feel, but, from my point of view, it’s possible that you’re doing this for some of the wrong reasons. Maybe you’re feeling vulnerable or emotional because that other guy has been hurting you and letting you down. Maybe I seem like an escape from that. Maybe you’re going further than you normally would because this feels good and you don’t want to think about how you’re hurting, so you’re letting this happen, but…you shouldn’t do that. You’ll wake up tomorrow feeling bad about yourself. I don’t want you feeling bad about this. I don’t want you feeling like you used me.”

“You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” she realized, eyes widening.

“The worst month and a half of my life,” Chat sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Her eyelids fluttered in surprise at the abrupt apology.

“For…kissing other people,” he muttered, cheeks flaming in his shame. “I’m sorry. I wish I could take it all back. I feel like…I’m not good enough for you anymore, and I’m sorry I’m not good enough.”

“Minou, no,” she sighed, taking his face in her hands. “You’re fine. You’re perfect. I don’t own your past, and I can’t judge you for it. I know you’re a good man, and I know that I can trust you going forward. I may not like the fact that you’ve kissed other girls, but I can accept it.”

He wondered if she could still accept it if she knew how many.

“Stop,” she decreed. “You’re thinking too much.”

“Sorry,” he whispered. “I just have a lot of regrets, a lot of things I’m not proud of…. I wish I had fallen for you first. I wish I’d fallen for you when we’d met.”

“Things might not have been better,” Marinette sighed knowingly. “I might have been just as bad as Ladybug. I’ve been in love with that other guy for four and a half years now…. How long have I known you?”

“Four and a half years,” he chuckled ruefully. “Sounds like even then I would have been too late.”

“It’s okay, Minou. Things are fine this way, so please don’t feel bad. After all, I’m not perfect either, and there are a lot of things I feel like I need to apologize to you for too,” she confessed.

He snorted in disbelief.

“You’ll understand when I tell you,” she assured. “I’m not looking forward to those conversations.”

He perked up slightly. “I like the way you talk about the future…as if there’s an ‘us’ in the future.”

“Chat Noir, I want there to be,” Marinette chuckled. “I want this to work. I want to be able to give you my heart and have you forgive me for keeping secrets. I want to move on and find happiness with you. I want ‘us’, even if I’m not emotionally healthy enough to be ‘us’ right now.”

“Thank God it’s not just me,” he choked, burying his face in her neck. “It’s really devastating to want something so much only to be told no no matter how long you pray and wait and try to deserve it. You have no idea how much I needed someone to finally tell me yes, to say I was good enough, even though I don’t feel good enough.”

Marinette wrapped her arms around him and squeezed hard, tears coming to her own eyes. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that she hurt you like that, Minou. I don’t know how I’m ever going to make it up to you, but I’m going to try, okay? If you’ll let me, I’m going to try.”

He chuckled as he turned his head to kiss her neck and then pushed himself back up. “You already have. Just you telling me yes was enough. Marinette, I didn’t know it was possible to be this happy.”

He opened his mouth to say something else but then paused, second-guessing. “May I tell you I love you?”

She gave a start, taken aback. “Of course,” she assured. “Why do you think you need to ask permission?”

He smiled sadly. “I don’t want to seem like I’m pressuring you, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable because I know you can’t say it back…at least, not in the way that I mean it.”

“Oh, Minou,” she cooed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s enough that you want to love me. It’s enough that you’re giving me a chance,” he assured.

“I know it’s not what you want, but I do love you,” Marinette mumbled. “You’re so precious to me…and I am falling in love with you…if you’ll be patient with me?”

“Whatever you need,” he promised, “but…in the meantime, please go out with me. Please let me be yours, even if you can’t be mine yet,” he pleaded.

“Yes,” she laughed giddily, pressing a kiss to his nose.

“God, I love you,” he sighed, pressing kiss after kiss to her forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, and throat.

“I never want to kiss anyone other than you ever again,” Chat whispered. “I’ve kissed people I haven’t cared about before, and, while it felt good physically, it never felt good mentally afterwards. I never want to go back to that. If I can’t kiss you, Marinette, I don’t want to kiss anyone.”

“Then it’s a good thing you can kiss me as much as you want,” she giggled, gazing longingly into his eyes. “Kiss me again? Just a little bit longer.”

Chat went against his better judgment and acquiesced, praying that she didn’t change her mind come morning. “As My Goddess desires.”

[luscaina]

More Modern ASL Headcanons + Robin bc I Say So

and bc she deserves a Big Happy Mildly Dysfunctional But Loving Family

Robin was forced into a long life of crime at a very young age due to unfortunate circumstances

when she finally managed to get halfway “free” it was a real struggle to find her footing again – after living on the run for so long, how was she supposed to know what a “normal” life looks like

so she does odd jobs here and there and lives in a small apartment, plagued by mild paranoia everyday, wishing to have her old life back even if it was terrible, at least she KNEW what to do

her bleak repetitive life then changes when the three brothers move into the apartment right above her and her first impression?

they are Noisy

it’s actually rather comforting however; it distracts from the oppressive silence in her own four walls (too used to be seen, not heard) and her own loud thoughts (you should’ve stayed, you deserved that life–)

but then again, she tends to hear mild concerning things like:

*dull thump from above* Luffy: “i’m okay!!” Sabo: “Lu, what the HELL is THAT?!?” Ace: “oh my god WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PUT IT BACK WHERE YOU FOUND IT OR SO HELP ME–”

Robin actually rather not know what that particular situation was

and while she has no issues hearing from the three of the, she has never actually met them until a turtle fell into her flower pot sitting in her balcony

and that’s how she met Luffy, who came knocking at her door not five minutes later inquiring about his pet turtle who had fallen off their balcony and her name is Merry do you know what a turtle looks like – oh! there she is thank you, hey, who are you? what’s your name? how long have you been here? do you poop? you’re so tall! wh–

the boy with the tattered but obviously loved straw hat and a scar under his big brown eyes ended up staying for full three hours just comfortably talking Robin’s ear off as if they had known each other for years as he unashamedly raids her fridge

and Robin. just let’s him, listening to his silly tales and everyday adventures, chuckling at his antics, carefully petting Merry in her lap and it feels like the sun has lost a drop which turned into a human boy named Luffy, who insists for Robin to be his friend, uncaring of old she was and from where she came from

Sabo and Ace nearly broke down her door in worry about their “reckless too trusting for his own good” little brother and immediately proceed to apologise profusely to Robin for their misconceptions

Robin expects this to be a one time thing, a fleeting moment of peace in her inner turmoil, but this is Luffy we’re talking about, collecting friends is literally this boy’s hobby

so of course he comes knocking Robin’s poor door down everyday after school to tell her about his latest experiences and empty her fridge and always leaves her feeling warm and happy

sometimes she finds Sabo at her doorstep, shyly asking her about the incredible amount of books she has in her home and they end up discussing their favourite books and authors

other times there is Ace, who brings her food after feeling guilty knowing that Luffy has no sense of manners and always eats through her groceries and Robin finds how surprisingly quiet the oldest of the bunch is in comparison to boisterous Luffy and outspoken Sabo

(she tells him that the 3rd time he drops off the carefully packaged leftovers of a delicious home cooked meal and he blushes in mild embarrassment)

(she noticed that there is more to him than he let’s on)

(that there is more to all three of them)

Luffy invited her to a family dinner and she hesitates but one look at Luffy’s hopeful face with that big sunny smile and those eyes which see so much more in a world Robin stamped off as cruel and cold

she never had dinner with company, she always ate alone

never has a meal tasted so good with the company of three brothers who think it’s perfectly acceptable to steal each other’s food while yelling but god forbid you don’t wash your hands before then

Robin never thought her cheeks could hurt from smiling too much

one day Luffy complains about his homework being too hard and she offers to have a look at it with him – she ends up tutoring him nearly every day

he told his friends and suddenly she opens her door to find three more students together with Luffy, all with their homework in their arms as Luffy just grins at her

her apartment begins to feel cramped (she had never thought) and they migrate to the library, where Robin can use a whiteboard and she finds herself preparing notes and papers for Luffy and his friends, finds she has finished reading a book that she’d love to lend Sabo, finds that she’s been growing strawberries because Ace mentioned he likes them

Robin has grown so attached and it terrified her

she tried to put some distance between them again, no matter how much it hurt because she was not a good person she didn’t deserve this they deserve better –

and she nearly breaks down in tears after Luffy comes knocking tentatively at her door (he never does, he hammers against her door while joyfully yelling her name) asking if she was okay, if she was sick because she never turned up for tutoring and hey look! i got a B- for my test! thanks to you! are you happy Robin? and there is Sabo and Ace, holding books and food, asking if she’s okay

because they care

and Robin had forgotten how good it felt to be thought about, to be cared for because they care about Robin

she never tried to distance herself again

instead she has Luffy’s history tests pinned to her fridge, reads all the books Sabo recommended to her and grows herbs in her garden to give to Ace

upon Ace’s urging, she opens a Tutoring service

and Sabo winks at her mischievously as he leaves several university course pamphlets on her table

months later, Robin celebrates her acceptance into an Uni Course for Teaching, surrounded by Luffy (who gets his face smooshed into her cake), Sabo (laughing hysterically when he pressed Luffy’s head into the icing), Ace (looking comically insulted at what his brothers did to his cake for Robin) and all of Luffy’s ragtag friends who have become Robin’s friends

Robin was forced into a long life of crime at a very young age due to unfortunate circumstances – but she got free

and Robin is happy

[runningthe-maze]

Strawberries

Peter x Ned x Reader (All Platonic!)

Summary: You invite your best friends over to show them your very first home-grown strawberry

Warnings: None

A/N: This is based off of a few tweets from Ashton Irwin. I thought they were funny and wrote this short fic :) 

 masterlist

Y/n (to Ned and Peter): GUYS Y/n (to Ned and Peter): GUYS Y/n (to Ned and Peter): COME OVER RIGHT NOW Ned (to y/n and Peter): you okay? Peter (to y/n and Ned): We are on our way. 

You bounced in your seat as you waited for your best friends to arrive at your small apartment. Excitement racked through your body, forcing you to stand up and pace around the living room. An eternity seemed to pass by before you heard a quick knock at the door. You ran towards it, swinging it open with a giant grin on your face. "What happened?" Peter asked, scanning your body. "Nothing! I'm fine!" Your grin spread from ear to ear, and you grabbed both of their wrists and dragged the them towards your balcony. Peter stopped you, confusion laced through his features. "You're not hurt?" You shook your head no, raising your eyebrows. "Oh, we thought something had happened. We were worried." "I'm sorry, guys. I just REALLY need you to see this." Without allowing them to respond, you dragged them the rest of the way to your balcony. You let them free once you got outside, then gave them both excited grins before reaching for your small Strawberry plant, shoving it in their direction. They both gave you confused glances, looking between you and the small green life. "What exactly are we looking at?" Ned asked. "It's my strawberry plant! Look! I grew a strawberry! It's starting to grow!" You cheered, gesturing to the round green shape. "Y/n that is not a strawberry." Peter cracked a smile, attempting to hold in his laughter. "Yes it is! That's what the sticker said when I bought it." Ned walked closer, grabbing it out of your hand. He carefully examined the pot, checking over every inch of your creation. "That is definitely a tomato." He announced, handing it back to you. Your face dropped, "It can't be!" He shrugged at you, sending you a sympathetic glance. "Lets go find out." You walked back inside, pulling out your laptop and googling "small strawberry" without enough convincing, you also googled "green tomato" Sighing sadly, you were staring down at your computer. What a disappointment! "What is it?" Ned asked. Looking up at him in defeat, you turned the laptop to face him and Peter. "It's a damn tomato."

[siderealscribblings]

Never Home (or How Lila Rossi Tased Chat Noir)

A (somewhat) late addition for Week 2 of TOTLS Month. Balcony scenes may not be canon (yet) but here’s a Lilanoir remix of a Marichat staple!

From the moment Lila step foot into her apartment, she knew that she wasn’t alone.

This was largely because she had come home to an empty apartment every day for the last several months, and having grown so used to the empty feeling associated with it, she knew something was just a little off. There was an indescribable presence lingering in the air as she made her way into the kitchen, setting a bag of groceries down and reaching for the small, electric taser she kept in her purse at all times. Her parents would have never let her live alone without protection, and though she had never had the opportunity to use it, she had seen enough horror movies at one in the morning to know how to turn it on whenever the floorboards creaked awkwardly.

Powering the taser on, she made a great show of pretending to be oblivious to the intruder’s presence, stretching lazily as she turned on an Italian news station and made her way from room to room, making a quiet sweep of the small apartment as she went. Humming a tune under her breath, she made sure the bathroom and her wardrobe room were clear before heading into her bedroom, stepping out onto the balcony and breathing in the cool evening air.

After a moment, she turned around, heading back inside with a small sigh, about to slip out of her school clothes when a pair of glowing green eyes caught her attention.

The intruder froze, hand clutched around a can of water that was trickling into the potted plant next to Lila’s desk. It was too dark to see anything but the intruder’s eyes, and Lila wasn’t exactly in the mood to give strange men in her home the benefit of the doubt. As the bandit opened his mouth to say something, Lila’s survival instinct kicked in, prompting her to lunge at the assailant, taser crackling as she launched herself at the intruder like jungle cat. The man dropped the watering can with a clanging splash as Lila threw him to the ground, taser pressed against his neck as she realized she had just threw one of Paris’ resident superheroes to the floor of her apartment.

And not even the one she didn’t like.

“What…the hell are you doing here?!” Lila spluttered.

“Your…fichus…was…dying,” Chat panted.

“Did Ladybug ask you to come here?”

Chat didn’t quite know what was harder to believe; the fact that Lila Rossi had tased him, or the fact that she was now preparing something that he could only describe as heavenly.

“Huh?” Chat asked, shaking his head as Lila fixed him with a deadpan glance. “Oh…n-no, Ladybug doesn’t know I’m here.”

“Mmhmm,” Lila said, turning back to the veal steak unconvinced. “You’re not here to get me back in her good graces?”

“I think that ship has sailed, hasn’t it?” Chat chuckled.

“Sailed, sunk, and sitting at the bottom of the ocean,” Lila muttered, tipping the cutlets onto a pair of plates with a pair of small green salads. Chat blinked at her as she plopped the plate down in front of him, glancing between the cutlet and an amused looking Lila as she looked at him. “Something wrong?”

“No I just…” Chat scratched the back of his head. “Do you usually feed people who break into your house?”

“Color me curious,” Lila said as she regarded her unconventional dinner guest. “I’m interested to know why Chat Noir seems to be so interested in the wellbeing of my house plants, and this seems to be the best way to get you to stay in one place long enough for me to squeeze the story out of you.”  

“Aren’t your parents going to be upset that their daughter is entertaining random strangers in the middle of the night?” Chat asked, poking the cutlet curiously before taking a bite, eyes practically dilating as she swore she heard him purr with delight.

“I don’t live with my parents,” Lila said simply, cutting a chunk off her veal and placing it in her mouth with a thoughtful crunch before squeezing a little lemon over the top.

“…oh,” Chat said simply. “I just thought…w-well, I heard you moved to France so I assumed-”

“Mama’s work keeps her fairly busy,” Lila said with a small shrug. “She has to be in the Milan office most days, so it’s easier for her to just stay in Italy.”

“And you’re okay living here by yourself?” Lila’s fork paused between her plate and her mouth for the faintest moment.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Lila said, leaning across the table with a small smile. “Do you check in on all the former akuma victims like this, or am I just that special?”

“Oh, n-no it’s not that you’re special or…I-I mean you’re special, clearly, but I didn’t…” Chat stammered, fiddling with his food as Lila’s smile became toothy. “I just…your apartment balcony is the perfect landing spot for me to kick off of to land on the building next door and I…may or may not land on it when I’m running home.”

“Wait, that bumping in the middle of the night is you?” Lila asked. “I thought I just had a raccoon trying to get in my window…”

“So I…kinda noticed your plant didn’t look happy,” Chat said, scratching his cheek. “And I may have bought a watering can to…thank you for letting me use your balcony as a springboard.”

“Seriously?” Lila snorted, leaning back in her chair. “You really went out of your way, every day, to water a plant that isn’t yours just to thank me for something I didn’t do?”

Chat shot her a lopsided, somewhat bashful smirk. “I’m a superhero; what can I say?”

“A real knight in shining armor, aren’t you?” Lila chuckled. “Savior of damsel-plants in distress from girls who kill everything they touch.”

“As someone who’s helped slay an actual dragon, I have to say you’re something of a disappointment,” Chat Noir laughed, taking another bite of his meat. “Though your Lightning Bolt attack packed quite a whallop.”

“Mama wouldn’t let me live in a house by myself without protection,” Lila said, narrowing her eyes at Chat. “And I seem to remember knocking someone flat on their tail not an hour ago. I’d say that’s fairly amazing, wouldn’t you?”

“You certainly don’t need a costume to be amazing,” Chat said, causing Lila to frown and glance up at the boy who appeared lost in a world of cotoletta. There was something strangely familiar about him, but Lila couldn’t quite place it, and the fact that she almost realized something about him was maddening.

“…aren’t your parents expecting you for dinner?” Lila asked, raising an eyebrow.

“…Dad’s working late tonight,” Chat said simply, burying a small flash of disappointment with another bite of his meal.

“Too busy for dinner?” Lila asked.

“He’s…got a lot on his plate,” Chat shrugged as Lila chewed thoughtfully.

“Yeah…I understand what you mean,” Lila said softly, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “So…do you plan on continuing to use my balcony as your personal springboard?”

“Unless I want to circumvent this part of town completely,” Chat said. “Which I’d rather not have to do.”

“Because you enjoy spying me changing through my window?”

“What?! No, I-” Chat trailed off as he caught sight of Lila’s smile. “…you’re messing me, aren’t you?”

“You catch on quick, gattino,” Lila said, mopping up the last of her veal juice with the spinach and strawberry salad. “Though I’m wondering if I shouldn’t be charging rent for the use of my balcony.”

“I’m sure whatever price you want, I could pay,” Chat chuckled.

“I’m not hard up for money,” Lila said, chewing on her lower lip. “I would appreciate your usual gardening services…provided your home life doesn’t demand your attention.”

“No real worry of that,” Chat said with a bitter laugh, extending his gloved hand across the table. “Do we have a deal then? You’ll keep renting me your balcony?”

“So long as you swing by every few days,” Lila said, thumb raking over the back of his gloved knuckles. “I’m not exactly a gardener, you know.”

“Clearly; I thought your plant was fake when I first saw it.”

“I still have charge in my taser, you know.”

“Now’s probably a good time to tell you I can’t really feel pain in this thing,” Chat said with a small flex.

“So that means you weren’t even stunned when I threw you to the ground?” Lila said, piling her plate on top of Chat’s as he carried them into the kitchen. “Good to know.”

“Hey, your hip toss is impressive, girl,” Chat chuckled.

“Do you compliment all your girlfriends on their hips, or is it just me?” Lila said, leaning on the counter.

“I don’t have any girlfriends,” Chat said, packing the plates in the dishwasher.

“Certainly not for lack of trying,” Lila said, cocking her head to one side with a smirk. “I’m sure if you looked elsewhere for love, you’d find no shortage of willing young ladies.”

“Do you say that to all the guys you bring home?” Chat said, leaning across the counter with an identically toothy smile.

“Just the ones who break in and water my plants,” Lila said, eyes tracing the curve of his mask for a moment. Seizing an impulse, she reached up, fingers sliding along his mask as she tried to find some seam she could use to pull it off. Surprisingly, Chat didn’t move, stiffening under her touch but still smiling as she pulled away.

“Disappointed?”

“A touch,” Lila said. “Who wouldn’t want to be party to one of the biggest secrets in Paris?”

“As lovely as the meal was, it wasn’t quite secret-identity reveal good,” Chat said, meandering towards the glass door leading out to the balcony.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to get my Julia Child on,” Lila said, following him out into the balmy French evening. “Or break out the cat nip.”

“That’s a misconception,” Chat said, leaning on the edge of the balcony. “Now, if you managed to get me a cookie-”

“I’ll leave some out for you then,” Lila said, leaning on the balcony as the sun set in the distance. She glanced across at him, watching the way the wind rustled his hair as he took a deep breath, turning to her with a toothy smile.

“Thanks for dinner…and not calling the police,” Chat said sheepishly.

“Thank you for the unsolicited landscaping,” Lila said, brushing some hair out of her face as the wind began to pick up. “Though I wonder how your partner is going to feel about your new side job.”

“Ladybug can feel however she wants,” Chat said with wink and a small salute. “But there’s nothing wrong helping out a friend, is there?”

For the first time all night, Lila was at a loss for words, and before she could recover, Chat was off, kicking hard off her balcony and up onto building next to hers. He landed in a low crouch, shooting her a wave over his shoulder before running off into the deepening night. She watched him go for a long moment, his black figure trailing over the rooftops for a few moments before arcing right, continuing to run in a completely different direction, almost as though the stop at her place had been considerably out of his way.

“Oh, so I’m just a stop on your way home, am I?” Lila said, smile playing at her lips as she turned and walked back into her apartment. “Alright, gattino, if that’s how you want to play it...”