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goldenseresinretriever · 9 months ago

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Snitches Get Stitches: Chapter 6

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Part of the San Diego Dogfighters universe

Summary: Jake Seresin, golden boy of the NHL and Captain of the Dallas Stars makes headlines when he unexpectedly signs with newly-formed San Diego Dogfighters. When your future seems at the verge of crashing down, you receive the opportunity of a lifetime to become the team physician for the Dogfighters. You never expected to be working directly with your favorite hockey player. Jake has a secret and you have a job to do. Will he be able to trust you enough to help and will you be able to trust him with your heart?

Series CW: 18+ ONLY, swearing, violence, sports violence, medical stuff, blood probably, angst, fluff, (eventual) smut, forbidden romance, sexual harassment, suggestive language, medical inaccuracies, hockey inaccuracies etc. No use of Y/N.

Word Count: 3.3k

A/N: This is a repost of my completed series, Snitches Get Stitches. It was originally posted in October-November 2023, and was lost when my blog was deleted.

Previous Chapter // Series Masterlist // Next Chapter

You pull onto Jake’s street at 7:05 on Monday morning, barely suppressing a yawn. You’d originally planned to show around eight since the two of you weren’t expected in until nine but Jake had texted you last night asking you to come over earlier because he “needed help with something.” He’d also explained that the garage would be open for you to park inside. You know that has nothing to do with safety since no one in this neighborhood looks desperate enough to steal your piece of junk on wheels, so you wonder absently if Jake’s ashamed of having said vehicle parked in his driveway. On second thought, maybe it’s simply a privacy measure in case the paparazzi come snooping for a peek into his personal life.

As you catch sight of the familiar beachfront property, you note that the garage is, in fact, open. You suppress a snort, rolling your eyes as you pull into the garage and see the newly added, hand-painted wooden sign at the front of the space designated for you. Bright green letters announce it as “the carrot patch” complete with crudely painted carrots adorning the rest of the plank. You absently wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into. After your conversation with Jake on Saturday night, you’d agreed to be friends, but part of you is starting to become lightly concerned with exactly what Jake’s definition of friendship looks like.

You park and head back to the front door, ready to tease Jake about the sign when he opens the door and every thought in your mind flies out the window. He’s wearing an apron that says “Grillmaster” in flaming text over his pajamas.

“Mornin’ Bugs, ready for business?” His grin is wide and infectious and you roll your eyes. It’s way too early for him to be so cheerful.

“You’re in a good mood.” His eyes dance playfully as he wraps his free hand around your arm, the other wielding a spatula, pulling you inside where Pudding dances around behind her owner, just as excited to see you. You drop down to give Pudding a big hug, not minding as she slobbers all over your scrubs. Jake moves past you towards the kitchen. Pudding pulls away from you, dancing on her toes as she looks back to make sure you’re coming with them.

The kitchen smells amazing and you watch Jake as he flips pancakes with one hand and sips coffee with the other. The scene is endearingly domestic as he looks up from the pan to where you’re awkwardly standing in the doorway. He smiles, using his chin to direct you to the barstools across from him as he asks, “How do you like your coffee?” He nods in the direction of the coffee machine to his right.

“Oh…” You hesitate as you sit down on one of the stools. “I don’t.” You give him a nervous laugh. “I’m a matcha girl.” He just nods, smiling at you.

“Duly noted, Bugs. We can stop somewhere on our way in.”

You shake your head, waving him off. “It’s fine, Jake. I don’t need one every morning, I only really make one when I have time.”

“We have time today.” He gives you a gentle shrug as he passes you a plate with three pancakes.

“Thanks.” You blush softly at the fact that you’re here, sitting in Jake’s kitchen, discussing your favorite morning beverages while he’s cooking you breakfast. “Speaking of time, why’d you ask me to come over so early? You mentioned you needed help with something?” You take a bite of the pancakes and barely suppress a groan at the tangy burst of blueberry that coats your tongue. “Jake, these are amazing.”

He chuckles at your reaction before he sighs, leaning on the counter slightly. “Pudding needs a walk and I’m supposed to be on leg rest so…” He trails off and you can tell he doesn’t like having to ask you.

“Sure thing, Jake, I can take her out.” You reach down to scratch Pudding’s ears where she’s sitting on the floor next to you. “You don’t mind, do you, Princess Pud? We’ll go on a walk while your dad gets some rest, yeah?” She snuggles up to your hand and you don’t think she minds at all. “I’ll finish these up and we can get going.” You pause, thinking. “Jake who took her out over the weekend?” You’re trying your best to keep the accusation out of your tone, but you ARE his physician after all. He just chuckles in response.

“Javy did, don’t worry. I’m adhering to all your rules, Bugs.” You nod.

“So you talked to him?”

“Yeah, I talked to him. He deserved to know before the rest of the team. We usually tell each other everything, at least until now. He’s my best friend…” Jake looks at you ruefully. “I can’t lose him.” The TOO is implied in his eyes and your heart aches.

“How’d he take it?” You ask carefully.

Jake’s face lightens at that as his lips curve into a smirk. “He offered to move in.” You choke on your pancakes, giving him a bewildered look. Jake offers you a glass of water you hadn’t noticed him fill. After washing down the chunk of pancake lodged in your throat, you’re back to glaring at Jake.

“And you didn’t think to take him up on that?” You were here in his kitchen at 7 am and you could be asleep in your bed. Jake’s face twists in disgust.

“Just because he’s my best friend doesn’t mean I want to live with him. The last thing I want is for my house to become a revolving door for puck bunnies because he refuses to grow up. And if any of them saw me?” He shakes his head. “News of my injury getting out before we make an actual PR announcement sounds like a nightmare and a lecture from Zam that I’d rather avoid.” He shudders. You nod slowly. He’s not wrong. Javy Machado may be a sweet person and a good friend but the man was notorious for being more than a little cavalier in his personal life. He was frequently pictured leaving games or bars with a woman or three on his arm.

Admittedly, however, Jake had been similar during his early years. He and Javy were a dynamic duo on and off the ice from college through their time together in Arizona. Both had been surrounded by women and yet neither had ever been in public committed relationships. After leaving the Coyotes, however, Jake had seemingly aged out of his playboy ways. While his popularity had only continued to skyrocket once he joined the Stars, the photos stopped.

“So,” you start and Jake arches an eyebrow in your direction to let you know he’s listening as he flips another pancake effortlessly. “You used to be like Javy, and who would blame you, you’re a celebrity, but why’d you stop I guess? Was it just what you said, you grew up and Javy didn’t or…?” You trail off, not really sure why you want to know, but hey if a secret wife and child are about to walk into the kitchen to help themselves to pancakes, you’d like a heads up.

Jake shrugs. “I guess I ‘grew up’ if that’s even what you call it. In the beginning, it was so exciting, all the attention, the women, et cetera but at the end of the day I’m in this gig to do one thing and that’s play hockey.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re good at it then.” The comment slips out before you can stop it and Jake smirks at you.

“Damn Bunny, you a fan?” Your heart skips as he shines the full force of that charismatic media smile on you. You can’t let him get to you, though.

“Contractual obligation, remember?” You wink. He chuckles at you bantering back.

“You gonna keep that excuse up and the next thing you know, you’re wearing my jersey opening night.” He winks back and your cheeks are flaming. Little does he know it wouldn’t be the first time you wear his jersey. You’re not sure how to respond so you give Pudding’s head a muss and stand up.

“We should get going. Be ready to go when we get back or else we’re going to be late.” Jake chuckles at your deflection but waves the two of you off, collecting your empty plate and depositing it in the sink beside him, replacing it with his own.

***

When you and Pudding get back from your walk, Jake is on the couch, attempting to tie the shoe on his bad leg, awkwardly bent over the straightened limb. He’s clad in a Dogfighters tee and athletic shorts. What really throws you for a loop is the plastic tiara on his head that proudly reads “Passenger Princess.” You roll your eyes before crossing the room to drop into a squat by his foot. He looks up, surprised, as you take the laces in your hands, tying them for him, before sitting back on your heels.

“You ready to go, Passenger Princess?” You quirk an eyebrow at him, a smirk tugging at your lips, but his face is still an expression of quiet awe.

“Y-you didn’t have to do that.” His cheeks are dusted with the prettiest shade of pink. Your smirk melts into a soft smile at the sight.

“Yeah, but I wanted to. Plus, you’re a princess right?” You give his knee a gentle pat over the brace as you stand, smirking at the tiara. “You ready to go?” You hold out your hand to him and he doesn’t hesitate to take it, not breaking eye contact as he lets you help him up. You grab the strap of the duffle bag next to him, making to hoist it onto your shoulder before it almost takes you down. You’re off balance and about to tumble when Jake grabs your waist. “What the actual fuck do you have in that bag, Jake?” You stammer out as you try to ignore how your heart is pounding against your ribs. You convince yourself that it’s from the almost-fall and not because you’re currently pressed chest-to-chest with Jake, your head craned back to look at him due to the awkward angle.

“Bricks.” He half chuckles the words out but you can tell he’s flustered from the sudden movement too. “Here, I’ve got it.” He rights you, sliding his hand under the strap of the duffel, fingers brushing your shoulder as he transfers it to his own.

When you get to the garage, you face off with Jake’s truck once again. You shift nervously, not breaking eye contact with the behemoth. “Are you sure we can’t just take my car?”

“Nope.” He pops the P. Before going to open the door for you, tossing his duffle bag into the back. “Come on, Bunny, up you go.” You head over, defeatedly and Jake swings you up into the driver’s seat. You know you should probably just ask if he has a stool or something you can keep in the car but a small terrible part of your brain is addicted to the feeling of his hands on your hips, warm and solid, and the way the muscles in arms ripple as he swings you up like it’s nothing. While you’re lost in thought, he’s gotten in himself, before he holds out his hand to you, palm up. “Here, let me see your keys.” You pull them from your purse before tossing it into the back with Jake’s bag. He expertly slides a ring with two keys onto your larger collection. Attached to them is a green puffball with bunny ears that makes your lip twitch as he hands the keys back to you. You tear your eyes away from the keychain to examine the new additions to your keys. The spare fob for the truck, you half expected but the smaller key next to it is a surprise.

“Jake, you did not just give me your house key.” You look at him, incredulously. He shrugs like he gives out his house key to just anyone.

“You’ll be coming here every day, I might be in the shower and I don’t want you waiting outside. Plus, what happens if I fall and I can’t get up? Or some other kind of emergency. It makes sense.” You hate to admit that he’s right because it feels odd. You’re his doctor, and maybe his friend and now you have the keys to his car and his house. “You can argue with me later, Bunny, and I look forward to it, but we’re going to be late if we don’t get going. Turning the keys in the ignition, your eyes bug out as you see the numbers on the dash clock. He’s right. You curse under your breath as you pull out of the garage and Jake reaches over you again to click the remote for the door.

***

You make your way through the training area, towards the locker room. Jake’s called a team meeting to let them know what’s going on with leg and he invited you to come for moral support. Some of the guys, including Jake, are still lingering back in the gym, wrapping up their morning workouts. Your eyes are drawn to where he’s seated on a weight bench and doing bicep curls. “Hey, Hungman!” Your head turns to where some guy from the second line is calling out to Jake, your eyebrows twitching in annoyance.

“It’s Hangman.” You do your best to control your irritation as you correct the other man. Jake turns to where you’ve just come in.

“Really? Well, maybe you just haven’t gotten all the information, doc.” The other man smirks at you, wiggling his eyebrows at you. “Because he’s most definitely Hungman.” He laughs at his joke. It’s not original by any means. It’s one of the many nicknames Jake’s attractiveness has earned him from thirsty puck bunnies. “Or do you prefer Bangman, huh Captain?” He rounds on Jake, expecting him to join in on the teasing but Jake shuts it down coolly.

“Just ‘Captain’ works, Lennox.” His green eyes are cold and shuttered and you fight the urge to cross the room and put your hand on his arm. He sets down the weight in his hand, standing. “Let’s go, we’ve got the meeting in five.” He makes no move to wait for the other man, heading over to where you’re waiting by the door, the ice in his gaze thawing as he gets closer. He doesn’t make any move to touch you and you appreciate his restraint because you can tell that he wants to in the barely there twitch of his muscles. “Thanks.” His voice is so quiet that you almost miss it.

“Don’t mention it.” You glance up at him, briefly. “We’re a team, right? We stick up for each other.” His mouth tugs up at that.

“Always.” He agrees and leads the way to the locker room. Most of the team has already gathered and are sitting on the benches. You linger by the door, present but not intruding. Maverick gives you a smile and a nod from where he’s standing in the back next to a grumpy-looking Cyclone, Zam, Nat, and the rest of the staff. Jake’s chatting with other members of the team as you wait for stragglers. Zam makes her way over to where you’re standing, grabbing your arm and dragging you over between her and Natasha.

“So,” she whispers, raising her eyebrow conspiratorially. “Word from Nat who heard from Javy is that you’re driving Golden Boy to work? What’s that about?” Nat looks just as curious.

You shrug nonchalantly as if it’s that simple. “He asked me to.” You nod towards the front of the room. “He’s actually about to explain that. Well, sort of.” Zam’s eyebrows fly straight up her forehead as she and Nat turn their attention to where Jake’s clearing his throat, standing at the front of the room. Every eye in the room is on him, but not on his face. He’s wearing shorts today and his knee brace is on display.

“So, I should probably just get straight to the elephant in the room,” Jake says and he’s wearing his biggest and brightest media smile, Zam should be proud. “I tore my MCL in June during playoffs. It’s been left untreated for the past two months until last week.” Chaos breaks out. The guys are shocked and next to you, Zam drops her clipboard as Nat’s lips are pulled tightly into a thin line. Silence falls again as Jake tells his team the same story he told you last week and the mood in the room shifts to somber. “I didn’t come to San Diego to half-ass this. Hockey has and is always going to be my first priority and that means being the best player and captain that I can be. I know I haven’t done the best job as either recently but I want to ask for the chance to start over. I’m going to be working with Bugs to heal as quickly as possible and if everything goes well, I’ll still be able to play in the season opener. Since I can’t be on the ice, I’m delegating leadership to our alternate captains, Machado and Bradshaw. Still, feel free to come to me with stuff, but they’ll probably be more available.”

Zam elbows you, jerking her chin towards the front of the room, indicating that you should say something. You begrudgingly squeeze your way to the front and Jake gives you an encouraging smile as you stand next to him. “I’m in the process of scheduling official tests to confirm my hypotheses but as of right now, my professional opinion is that Jake should be able to play in the opener or at the latest be able to come in by the second week. He’s going to be just fine.” You smile and pat his arm, gently. You and Jake field some questions from the team before he squeezes your shoulder in silent thanks as you head back to your spot in the back. Jake wraps up the meeting and Maverick and Cyclone start to head to the front of the room to make some closing remarks when the door to the locker room opens.

The room falls silent as Tom Kazansky steps inside, propping the door open behind him. He’s the owner of the Dogfighters and this is the first time you’re seeing him in person. He’s just as much of a hockey legend as Maverick and Cyclone and you think fondly of your dad as your heartbeat speeds up at the sight of Iceman. “Hey team,” he greets warmly. “Glad I could catch everyone together! I have an announcement to make.” He rubs his hands together. You glance at Zam and she shrugs. She’s just in the dark as you are. “There’s been some concerns raised about the current coaching situation we have here.” Your fists clench in silent fury. You know this is Cyclone’s doing and sure enough he’s wearing a satisfied smirk on his face as Maverick looks nervous next to him. Zam’s face is a mask of quiet rage as she does the same. Iceman’s eyes dance with humor, however. “So I’ve made the decision to bring on an assistant coach.” Murmurs rise among the players. Sure, most teams have multiple coaches but everyone can tell that something bigger is going on right now. “Without further ado, let me introduce you to your new assistant coach.” Iceman smiles, extending his hand to the open door. Your hearing goes muddled and you don’t hear the name he calls because you’re so dumbstruck by the woman who walks through the door. “…though you probably know her best as Dare.” Iceman claps the woman on the shoulder.

She’s wearing a smart navy blue suit and her hair is flawlessly pinned back from her face, the gray streaks in it tasteful. Her eyes glint as smiles out at the dumbfounded team. “Assistant Coach Dare Mitchell, reporting for duty.”

#san diego dogfighters #san diego dogfighters hockey au #san diego dogfighters au #snitches get stitches // goldenseresinretriever #sgs // goldenseresinretriever #top gun maverick hockey au #top gun maverick #top gun #TGM #jake hangman seresin x you #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin x you #jake hangman seresin x reader #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin #no use of y/n

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m-ilkiee · 3 months ago

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hey guys:

So as you know, it's a start of a new year and as we all know, i have three fics waiting to be completed. i wish i could start this announcement with the news that i have updates on the fics, but the truth is, i haven't been able to write anything. and while having an extremely busy christmas and even busier new year is a valid excuse, the real reason i haven't written anything is the lack of interactions. it's disheartening to see that my work is nothing worth more than a like or see mainly blank blogs following me + almost zero comments on my fics on a03 and wattpad despite me posting it there bc you won't have the excuse of being afraid to reblog dark content and honestly i thought about completely abandoning writing entirely. I didn't even promote the extra chapter I updated for eboys on a03,because i assumed nobody would care. however, this is also a post to thank everyone that complimented my fics, that said they loved it, talked to their friends about it or called it a unique concept - these type of comments made me not want to give up, despite how few they were and that's why i'm back here.

this is a psa to anyone who likes my fics. i'm not forcing anyone or holding you at gun point, but you want me to update faster, you're gonna have to show me by your actions. the more comments i see, the more effort i will put. it would be different if i had 1k followers or more and i was getting likes, but my count is way too small for me to take out my busy schedule to update for a silent crowd. if you comment or reblog with a comment on tumblr or send an ask, if you comment on my a03 fics. if you drop a comment on wattpad - and trust me, wattpad is a lot easier to comment on bc you can pick a line and talk about it, i will be motivated to continue. i've done this thing where i count how many comments i got in the last chapter minus my responses and replies saying part 2 and use the answer as the number of hours I will use to work on the fic that month. Let's say for example i only get 2 comments. 2 comments = 2 hrs. that's all i'll use for the fic for the month in terms of responding to asks or writing it, whether or not i finishing the chapter, that's fine. i do this, not to punish you but i have a life outside tumblr and i need to remind myself of my priorites.

this is the first and only time i'll say it. i will never bother anyone about commenting again, or complain because my life won't end if my fics flop.

i host questions and answers on all my fics every friday and saturday called Q & A weekends, starting this week's friday, so get your questions and opinions ready this weekend. and please put your age in your description as well as a profile picture, i really don't want to go down my followers list to do inspections.

thank you so much for your co-operation.

layla 🍓

#hello.layla 🍓#monsters 💘#e boys 🕷#deadly affairs 🍷

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ladamedusoif · 1 year ago

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Secrets (Marcus Pike x GN!Reader)

A Merry Fic-Mas - December 24

Part of A Merry Fic-Mas: A Pedro Boy Holiday Fic Calendar - click for masterlist.

Follow my writing blog @ladameecrit and turn on notifications to keep up with my writing.

Pairing: Marcus Pike x GN!Reader

Word count: 1743

Rating: Teen

Warnings: Angst; fluff; references to parental illness; no use of Y/N; no physical descriptions of reader; no gendered pronouns; minor swearing

A/N: This can be read as a standalone, but I wrote it thinking of Marcus and Reader from ‘Hot Chocolate’ and ‘Christmas Market’ in this series.

“How’s Marcus?” Your mother’s voice is bright and breezy on the call.

You pause a little too long for her liking.

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine, mom, it’s just…he’s not himself, lately. I thought we were all set for the holidays - you know how we booked a little cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains - but every time I try to talk about packing or planning, he gets tetchy and weird.”

“Maybe it’s work stress? He does have a lot on. Poor Marcus.”

“So do I, mom, and I’m not taking it out on him. Every time I ask him outright he just says everything’s fine but it isn’t. It’s like he’s hiding something from me.”

Your mother tut-tuts. “That’s not Marcus. He would never keep secrets from you.”

“I wish I could be as confident as you are.”

***

With Christmas falling on a Monday, you and Marcus had planned to take off on the Saturday morning, making the most of the extra days off before the holiday. By Friday night, he’s got the bags ready to load into the car and your refrigerator is groaning with food for the vacation, all ready to be stacked in cool bags for the journey.

Things hadn’t improved much in the time since you’d voiced your fears to your mother. Marcus remained unusually tetchy and irritable, a far cry from his usual sunny self. He insisted he was looking forward to the time away with you, but there was just something off. Something hidden underneath the surface, and for the first time in your relationship he had put up enough defences so that you couldn’t reveal the truth.

Maybe he’s unhappy, you think to yourself. Maybe the vacation is make or break.

Your stomach churns as you imagine five days away with Marcus while he tries to decide if you need to end the relationship or not.

Your phone rings as you’re sorting out a couple of bottles of wine for the trip. Mom. You brush it off, muttering to yourself that you’ll call her later, once the packing is done.

It’s barely two minutes later that Marcus comes into the kitchen, talking on his phone while trying to catch your attention.

“I’ll put you on now…sure. Sure. Well, I’m sure he’ll be okay, I’m so sorry - okay, keep us posted.”

He hands you the phone, mouthing “Your mom”.

“Mom?”

“Oh, darling, I’m sorry… you’re probably up to your neck with packing and sorting for the trip.”

“Just tell me, mom. You wouldn’t call Marcus if it wasn’t urgent.”

“Darling…it’s your dad. He’s had a fall, he’s in hospital, and -”

Your heart drops. “Mom, is he okay?”

She pauses a second too long. “Fine, fine… just hasn’t regained consciousness yet but it’s fine! I just felt you would be angry if I waited until after your trip to tell you. But it’s fine!”

“Mom, you’ve said ‘it’s fine’ so many times I’m pretty sure it isn’t fine.”

“Sweetheart, please just go on your trip and we’ll keep you posted. Okay?”

You become aware of Marcus peeking around the corner, trying to assess your mood from the tone of your voice and your body language.

“Did the doctors say when they think he’ll regain consciousness?”

Another pause.

“They’re not sure, sweetie.”

You look up at Marcus, your eyes looking into his as you tell your mom you’ll be home tomorrow.

***

He swears it’s fine, but you know Marcus is annoyed. Or hurt. Or maybe a mix of both.

Shit, maybe this really was a make or break vacation.

He had offered to come with you, but you dissuaded him, not wanting him to have to be thrown head-first into the madness that was your family - crisis or no crisis.

“I’ll just stay here, I guess.” He casts an eye over the bags in the hallway.

“Babe, no.” You wrap your arms around his waist. “We paid for the cabin and it’s too late to cancel now. It would be a pity not to use it at all. You’ve got that stack of reading you want to do. And, like, when dad wakes up I can come down and join you. What do you think?”

He doesn’t quite meet your gaze. “I guess.”

“I love you, Marcus. I’m so sorry.”

He sucks on the inside of his cheek and kisses you - not on the mouth, but on the cheek. “I love you, too.”

***

When you arrive home in Ohio you hop straight in a cab to the hospital, where your mother and siblings have spent the night keeping vigil. You try not to panic when you see your dad, hooked up to a morass of tubes and wires.

“The doctors say it looks worse than it is,” your older sister explained. She holds out a bag of peppermint candies. “Candy?”

It’s several hours before you realise you haven’t let Marcus know you got there safely, like you promised. Too busy trying to get a clear answer from your mom about what, exactly, the doctors have said, and distracted by trying to track down a doctor to discuss a prognosis.

Hey babe - I’m sorry, I have been talking to my mom and the doctors here. Dad okay, still no sign of improvement but stable. Love you - call you tomorrow.

You spend that night at the hospital, insisting that your mom go home and rest. You watch the dark sky brighten, slowly but surely, as Christmas Eve dawns.

“It’s Christmas Eve, dad,” you murmur, unsure if he can hear you or not. “You’re not in the drunk tank, though,” you joke, referring to his favourite Christmas song, ‘Fairytale of New York’. “Just in hospital. I’ll let you know if the NYPD choir turns up.”

You get up and stretch your legs, wandering into the hallway in search of caffeine and sugar. The hospital cafe is quiet and you grab a cup of black coffee and a donut before returning to your dad’s floor.

Panic sets in when you see nurses moving in and out of his room. One of them turns, spots you, and grins.

“He’s waking up! Can you call your mom?”

By lunchtime, he’s fully awake and talking, grumbling about not being allowed home for Christmas. You duck out later in the afternoon to call Marcus and update him.

It goes straight to voicemail.

***

The hot shower feels like heaven as you rinse away the strain of the last couple of days. Well, some of it, anyway. Marcus still hasn’t answered your calls.

Thankfully, you’ve found a distraction, volunteering to prep some food at your parents’ house that can be easily taken to the hospital for Christmas Day. You slip on a pair of soft old sweatpants and a college hoodie and pad around the kitchen, filling some Tupperware containers with individual servings of cold cuts and salads while listening to the cheesy Christmas show on the local radio station.

You crawl into bed late that night, casting one final glance at your phone.

Still nothing.

***

You stir awake at about two in the morning, roused by a thumping noise coming from somewhere in the house. As your brain adjusts, you realise it’s someone knocking on the door.

You grab your brother’s old baseball bat as you descend the stairs. Can’t hurt to be prepared, after all. And you’re pretty sure this isn’t Santa Claus calling.

You open the door slowly, reluctantly.

A pair of coffee-brown eyes. A soft, uncertain smile. Cheeks flushed with cold.

“Marcus?”

He rubs his hands together and stamps his feet. “Can I come in? Got really cold in the car on the way up here.”

You fling your arms around him as he steps inside, forgetting the strangeness of the last few weeks. “What the hell are you doing here?”

He holds his soft, dark green knitted cap in his hands and looks nervous. Really nervous.

“I… I had to see you.”

Oh, shit. Wait - is he going to break up with you on Christmas morning? While your dad’s in hospital?!

“Ooookay.”

“Baby, I -” He falters. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this.”

He is definitely about to break up with you. And good riddance, because he’s clearly heartless.

“Just get it over and done with, Marcus.”

He takes a deep breath and exhales, long and slow.

“I wanted to have the space to do this at the cabin, y’know?”

“Marcus. Just say it.”

“Baby, I’m so grateful for you - you’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met, so kind, so loving, and -”

You’ve had it. “Marcus - just say you don’t want to be with me. You’ve been weird for weeks. You’re here on Christmas fucking Day, having driven a seven-hour journey to get here. You obviously can’t be with me a minute longer, so you might as well just -”

He has dropped to one knee.

Wait. What?

“I wanted to ask you to marry me.”

Your jaw drops. For once, you’re stunned into silence.

“Baby?”

“I…Marcus. I just…is this…fuck.”

He reaches into his coat pocket and presents you with a little box. “Um, do you mind if I stand up again? My knees aren’t what they used to be.”

You chuckle and help him to his feet, before opening the box to find a perfect, simple engagement ring.

“I can’t believe it, Marcus.”

He shrugs. “You seemed sure we were about to break up. I’m sorry I’ve been so stressed the last few weeks, my love. I was just readying everything for a perfect proposal, in the mountains, and I was so worried you’d say no, and then the ring was delayed, and then - well. And then your dad got sick. But he’s awake? I’m sorry, I only just saw your messages. My phone was in the trunk.”

You lift your gaze from the ring. “He’s awake. And I’m sorry, too - I didn’t know what you were keeping from me, and I didn’t even think of this.”

Marcus raises an eyebrow. “You didn’t think I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?”

You chuckle. “Mmmm. Maybe I thought a man as perfect as you couldn’t possibly want someone like me.”

He pulls you tight to him and kisses you. “Baby, you forgot something.”

You look confused. “I did?”

“You didn’t give me an answer yet.”

Tears shining in your eyes, you slip the ring on your finger. “A million times yes, Marcus Pike. Provided there are no more secrets.”

#a merry fic-mas #holiday fic calendar #marcus pike x reader #marcus pike #marcus pike x gn!reader #marcus pike fanfiction #the mentalist #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal character fanfiction #pedro pascal #marcus pike fluff

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iced-blood · 1 year ago

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Sugar, Spice, and Everything Ice.

I’ve been quiet this year.

This isn’t to say I haven’t been doing anything, as folks may have noticed. I’ve put up a whole mess of links to the work I’ve been doing in 2023—a grand total of 105 chapters—and that’s what I want to touch base on, at this tail-end of the year.

I found out early on in January that a dear friend of mine, my creative partner and the reason for my Paved with Good Intentions series, passed away in 2021. I’m not sure what it was, but that news hit me in a particular way. I realized that two of the projects in that aforementioned series, Blue Eyes, Violet Eyes and Lightbringer, were unfinished.

That didn’t sit right with me.

I set out to fix that.

There are many projects I’ve started that I never finished, and have been left languishing for . . . ten years? Yeah. Ten years.

That’s just ridiculous.

I decided that 2023 was going to cooperate with me whether it wanted to or not.

So, I bought a day-planner and set to work. Let’s go over the list, shall we?

Coronam Crepusculum

This was first on my list because it was a work that I owed a good friend of mine, who is no longer a regular user of Tumblr. It’s a take on the Soulsborne universe, built around a series of personal interviews with relevant characters conducted by an OC I created specifically for this purpose, Wandulfin of Vinheim.

(the latin title translates, hopefully, to “crown of twilight”)

51,377 words.

Paved with Good Intentions: Blue Eyes, Violet Eyes

The first of the two stories I knew I needed to finish in memory of my departed friend, I resolved to write the 19 chapters required to reach a clean finish line for this one-shot collection of 100 installments. It felt like the right way to go about things, and I think I worked out a lot of important elements of the Kaiba brothers through those 19 chapters.

165,386 words.

Paved with Good Intentions: Lightbringer

The second of the two stories written in my friend’s memory, this is still being published every Saturday. I wrote what amounted to the second half of this story, 55 chapters to be exact, for a grand total of 110 (of which 98 are published as of this post). I think it’s some of my best work to date, and I can only hope my partner would have appreciated what became of it. Have you ever wondered how Seto and Mokuba would react to meeting their parents again? If so, this is the story for you.

Published + Rough Draft: 159,930 words.

The City That Wouldn’t Die

The first full storyline of my personal take on World of Warcraft and my main character’s place in it, this story has undergone a lot of changes since I last touched it. This year, I resolved to end it at a part that made at least some amount of sense, but I won’t pretend that it’s entirely satisfactory. All I can say at this point is that I do intend to come back to Azeroth eventually. And this time, I hope to give my characters the story they deserve.

41,890 words.

Cult of the Dragon King

I’m pretty sure this is the one that’s been left alone the longest; if it isn’t, it’s close. The basic thrust of this story is that Atem failed in his quest to gather the Millennium Items and put them to rest properly, and so it falls to Seto Kaiba to try this time. I could go into detail why I picked Seto to be Atem’s successor, but I think y’all know what to expect here. I picked Seto because he’s my favorite. Anyway, this one isn’t ready to resume publishing, but it has been drafted. Anyone who’s been waiting for this one to continue will want to pay attention to this blog in 2024.

Published + Rough Draft: 175,246 words.

The Lost Dragon's Lullaby

Another AU centered around the Kaiba family (what can I say? I'm a creature of habit), this story wonders what it would have been like if Noa had lived. What if Seto and Mokuba had another brother when they were adopted? What if they had a mother? What would the Kaiba family look like if it were whole?

Approx. 62,609 words.

Watching the Lights Go Down

One of two stories I revived this year, and will resume publication in the new year. Do you Blueship? Do you wonder how Seto and Kisara might interact in the modern world, regardless of romantic intentions? This is the story for you. I took a set of 100 words to use as prompts to build this story, and through these 100 snapshots I think you’ll get a pretty clear picture of how I imagine Seto’s relationship with his favorite dragon would unfold if said dragon was a woman. And his bodyguard.

Approx. 52,789 words.

Letting the Cables Sleep

This is a sister story to the one I just outlined. Taking place concurrently with Lights, this story explores the relationship between Noa Kaiba and Ryo Bakura. Why these two? Why not? I don’t really have an answer, except to say that I found their dynamic interesting. Unlike its other half, Cables is explicitly romantic. So if you’re interested in Domino City’s resident white-haired cryptid hooking up with an android, well, here’s where you wanna go. I used the same list of 100 words, but in reverse order, to build this story.

Approx. 52,708 words.

Butterflies and Hurricanes

The other contender for “story Ice left to languish for the longest time,” I’m not sure I have to explain to anyone reading this why I might have stopped working on a Harry Potter story. Put basically, this story is an exploration into what would happen if a fae prince took an interest in taking down Lord Voldemort, and then settled on Sirius Black as his instrument. It’s a time travel story at its core, with all the nonsense you might expect from such a thing.

Regardless of anything this series’ author might have to say on the matter, my writing this story does not in any way endorse or condone transphobia or any of her other myriad bigotries. I have not given this woman money in 20 years. I do not support her in any way, shape, or form. This story’s completion is for my own satisfaction, and for the interest of anyone who might want to read it. That is all.

Published + Rough Draft: 80,506 words.

The Whitest Lace of Light

A continuation of my pet take on the Bleach setting, focused again on Toshiro Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto and their Tenth Division. Throughout the 50 chapters of this story, they face off with a new threat to Soul Society as they try their hardest to rebuild after the Thousand-Year Blood War. Throughout this . . . suspense? Thriller? Thing. They come across new faces and old, and might just learn some things along the way. Or something. Look, I just wanted to write one of my favorite ships again.

Rough Draft: 30,033 words.

At Sixes and Sevens: A Prince for His Kingdom

The shortest work I completed this year, but certainly not the least important. This is a continuation of my pet take on the “Kaiba Bros Age Swap AU” as first shown to me by my dear friend @kintatsujo. How might Seto have handled an invitation to Duelist Kingdom if he’d been 9 years old when it took place? What about Mokuba, if he was 15? Shenanigans abound. I hope you like where I took this one, Kinta.

5,000 words.

Last but not least, I resolved to break my record for my longest NaNoWriMo project this year, because I’m ridiculous and don’t know when to quit.

Much like I approached World of Warcraft,I take every MMORPG I play as an excuse to build a story. Nowhere is this more obvious than Final Fantasy XIV. My take on Eorzea and its various magical idiosyncrasies—which I call The Song That God Forgot—set me on a road to 125,000 words this past November.

These projects, alongside various redrafts of my older stories in preparation for what I hope to be 2024’s migration from Fanfiction.Net to AO3, netted me a grand total of 902,580 words written in 2023.

I don’t say this to brag or to pat myself on the back (okay, maybe a bit), but to say . . . just hold on. Keep going. You’ll hit your stride eventually, even if it doesn’t seem like it. I’ve struggled to write regularly and with consistency for a decade now, and here I’ve got nearly a million words in a single year.

I believed in me this year, and I believe in you too.

Keep on truckin’. You’ll get there.

Happy New Year, y’all. I love you.

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kpopsexstories · 1 year ago

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BREAK! My "Most Memorable Sexual Experiences of NCT" series will now take a break while I write the remaining stories

With Jaehyun's story that I posted yesterday (Feb 12, 2024), it's time for a break in the Most Memorable Sexual Experiences of NCT short story/smut series.

By break, I mean a posting break. I'll be spending this time writing the remaining six stories, meaning that for me it's the opposite of a break: Xiaojun, Taeil, Jeno, Jaemin, Winwin and Lucas are still to come 😊

I have no idea how long this break will last...

...but the last one was for about a month and a half. I already have drafts for the above members, but a lot of work still remains.

While you wait, you can check out (and follow!) the blog to find all k-pop smut stories I've published, and request a story for my other on-going series, Quick Fix Dirty Kpop Imagines.

Can you believe that with just the 15 "Most Memorable Sexual Experiences" stories I've published so far, I've written the length of a full-length novel! That's pretty insane now that I look back on it. I'm having a lot of fun with this project! 😀

For more information on the "Most Memorable Sexual Experiences of NCT" series, check out the posting schedule.

Will the blog be silent during the break? No, because I have some other stuff coming that I think you'll love! 😍

I started this blog to write smut specifically for NCT, and I always knew I wanted to start with more realistic sex as in the "Most Memorable Sexual Experiences" series.

But if you've paid attention, you already know that I'm expanding my horizon. The Quick Fix Dirty Kpop Imagines series is already running, and I've got more "Quick Fix" stories coming while my main series is on break! This means both a different, wilder style and members of other k-pop groups.

In fact, starting this week I'll be posting TWO "Quick Fix" stories per week, at least for a few weeks – and for the first time on this blog, they are stories with non-NCT members!

BTS Namjoon is up next (tomorrow, Wednesday February 14, 2024), and on Saturday TXT Soobin makes an appearance.

NSFW K-pop Smut Series: "Quick Fix Dirty K-pop Imagines"

The "Quick Fix" series has significantly shorter stories that focus exclusively on the sex, and makes you the other character:

Short, sweet & to the point – no fluff or backstory, just sex!

Written with you as the other character; imagine yourself in the scenario (having sex with your bias!)

Slightly wilder sex than most stories in the "Most Memorable" series.

Mixed members & k-pop idols from various groups.

Requests open – visit the blog to request a story!

So, the blog won't be dead just because I need more time to finish the "Most Memorable Sexual Experiences of NCT" series.

And, once I'm ready with the stories for the six remaining NCT members, a new, longer NCT story will be posted every Monday again, for six weeks straight.

Beyond that, I'll let you in on a little secret: when the NCT series comes to an end, I'll be expanding the "Most Memorable Sexual Experiences" series to other groups.

What a great start to 2024 so far, huh? 😄 Thank you so much for reading and following!

#nct #smut #nct dirty #nct smut #nct 127 #nct dream #wayv #kpop smut #nct kpop #kpop #kpop boys #short story #nct imagines

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fangirlfrom-hell · 1 year ago

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A Day Full Of Emotions (Also the first time Jay sees Becca dance) || Jay Halstead x Healstead Sister || Healstead Sister one shot

*re-posting this because I'm stupid and accidentaly delated my blog 🫠

Summary: There is a big art festival happening in Chicago and Becca will dance a solo for the first time in front of people. Jay has to work as a cop and can't be with her all the time as he wished. A bomb explodes in the event and everything becomes a mess. Bomb references to Season 5, episode 2.

Becca is Halstead sister. Remember she's a theatre girl. I might write something short about Hailey and Kim trying to do Becca's hair, because that's cute.

The song Becca is dancing is In- A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly, but only the part of the drums. Minute 6:29, for a better reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCkHanF4v1w

It was finally Saturday and the weather was perfect to be outside. It seemed like luck was on Becca's side, but she wasn't feeling very happy. In fact, she was feeling sick, nauseated. She laid on bed staring at the ceiling, until someone knocked at the door.

-"Morning, kiddo!" It was Jay. -"I'm sorry to wake you, but it's getting late and I need to get ready to work, so...".

Becca used to sleep in Jay's room whenever she stayed at his place. He always preferred to sleep in the couch, so she could be confortable in a proper bed.

-"Oh, yes. I'm sorry. It didn't crossed my mind". She said while standing up.

-"Don't worry. I'll just grab some clothes and get dressed in the bathroom. You can get ready in here...in fact, why are you still in bed? I have to drop you at your teacher's house on my way to the bullpen".

-"Yeah, about that...". Becca said scratching her eye. -"I don't think I'm going...".

-"What do you mean you are not going?" Jay didn't even let her finish the sentence. -"You've waiting for this day to come".

-"I'm not feeling so good. I have a stomachache and it feels like I'll throw up".

Jay instinctively touched her forehead to feel if she was irritated or had temperature, but everything felt normal. He immediatly knew what was goinng on.

There was a big art carnival happening in Chicago that day and Becca was going to participate in a dance group that would be moving around the park performing in different spots Mobile Dance, they called it. Her teacher gave her a solo and she was ready to do it, but it would be her very first time performing in front of an audience and the idea suddenly freaked her out.

-"You're good. You are just nervous". Jay said smiling.

About an hour later, Jay was helping Becca to put her backpacks inside of the truck, getting ready to leave. She was unusually quiet, but he didn't want to force any conversation.

-"Is Will coming?" Becca asked in the co-pilot seat.

-"I don't think so". Jay sighed. -"He has a shift at the hospital". Jay lied to Becca, not knowing if that last statement was true. He was mad at his brother for always puting their sister aside. He was also tired of lying for him, but he did it to protect Becca's feelings.

There was no reaction from Becca. The silence among them took over again.

-"I'm so sorry I can't go with you through all the stations. Since it is a huge event for the city, Platt asked us to be there patrolling. There's never enough cops for these things".

-"For the millionth time, Jay: don't worry, It's ok. I understand for real".

-"It's just that I don't feel confortable changing plans with you like this". -He continued with guilt.

-"Well, it's not like you won't see me, anyway...".

-"No. I'll be there in the third stop you make, that's the part of the park I'll patrol. I have my event map with the exact place and hour. I'll be in the spot a few minutes after you arrive to make sure to be in the front when people start to gather around".

-"And you won't get in trouble for that?"

-"I asked Platt, she agreed...in fact, she got a bit excited, don't be surprised if you find her among the crowd too". That made Becca blush in embarrassment. She hadn't tought there would be so many known people around. -"I'll be in my uniform, just rememeber that if you look for me".

That made Becca giggle, she always thought her brother looked funny on his police uniform.

-"All right, Bec. We're here". -Jay said while parking the truck. -"Is there any other of your friends coming here before the show?". He tried to ask casually. He didn't like the idea of leaving his little sister alone with someone he barely knew, even though it was her teacher. Anyway, he didn't have any other option, he had to go to work.

Above all, he didn't have the hability to do her artistic make up, nor to comb her hair as it was instructed: to braids up, one on each side. They should stick back to the head forming a circle. The idea was that they looked like horns. He tried, but failed miserably. Kim and Hailey wanted to help and gave it a try but ended up cursing whoever had the idea of that hair style. That's when Becca talked to her teacher and she proposed Jay to take care of her. She knew about Becca's family situation and was genuinely glad to help that little joyful kid.

-"No". Becca answered her brother's question. -"They all are going with their moms". That last piece of information was unnecesary, but she couldn't help it. She had certain grudge inside her chest, though she probably wasn't aware of it. Jay knew better and remained silent, thoughtful.

-"Hey! I will be there!". There was no more he could say.

-"I know". She smiled. That made Becca get out of her own mind.

The carnival was already full of people when Becca and her teacher arrived. They gathered with the dance group a few minutes before it was time to start. She looked around and found Kim among the cops, they waved hello when their eyes met. Burgess immediatly send a text to Jay: I just saw her, everything's ok. She looks fine . As the overprotective brother he was, Jay had his own security plan and the team was helping him to keep on eye on his sister.

As the hour drew near, Jay started to feel a mixure of excitement and nervousness. Involuntarily, he started to approach the place his sister would dance.

-"Isn't a little bit early?" Hailey asked following him.

-"Yeah. I don't know, I guess I don't want to miss it".

-"And you need to make sure she sees you". She guessed.

-"She needs to know someone is here with her, for her".

-"Well, she has a whole elite squad looking after her around the park and waiting to see her perform. She's not precisely alone...but I know what you mean. You are a good brother, she's very lucky to have you".

Jay just stared at Hailey, not knowing how to react or what to say, since he wasn't good dealing with these kind of feelings. The distant voice of a woman caught their attention before the moment became unconfortable. It came from a microphone afar: "...Come, everyone. Follow us to the mobile dance...". She was carrying a speaker.

-"It's them". Jay said looking at the horizon, searching for his sister among the heads of the group that was approaching them. He was nervous and couldn't hide it.

"...We are a dance group created by several institutions, dedicated to spread this art to every corner..."

-"There!" Hailey said pointing at Becca when she found her. -"So that's how the hair was supposed to look, uh". She laughed.

Becca was wearing a black leotard and black tights, nothing more. Her ballerina shoes were color red. She looked relaxed, but Jay didn't buy it, he knew how good she was to hide her feelings and emotions.

A lot of people began to gather while the woman with the microphone invited them to the show. Becca was moving her head from one place to another, eyes wide opened: "He said he would be here!", she said to her teacher. And he was right in front of her, on the other side of the circle that was now formed around the pallet where the dancers would perform. When their eyes met she greeted him effusively.

There was a ballet performance first, something classic with four teen ballerinas; then there was a tap number, a cheerful piece. All of the girls were presented as part of Becca's school, but Jay wasn't really paying attention to any of them, he just applauded by inertia at the end of each song. His anxiety for Becca grew after each number and Hailey noticed, thinking that was a cute gesture coming from a man like him.

-"Now..." -The woman on the microphone spoke. It was time for the third number. -"...presenting a choreography by Martha Bennett...".

-"That's Becca's teacher". Jay tensed up, touching Hailey's shoulder.

-"...Becca Halstead".

Jay's applause was considerably louder than everyone else's while the girl got into position. The music started to play, it was a psychedelic mix with drumbs. She was moving with very precise and abrupt movements, very mesmerizing.

-"Wow!" Hailey expressed. -"I've never seen her like this. She's usually so tiny, cute and shy".

-"I didn't...knew she could do this". Jay answered without taking his eyes off his sister. Many feelings began to form inside of him.

-"She's a whole different person".

When she finished, the public applauded in a normal way. It was Jay and Hailey who did it most effusively, even shouting with excitement. Becca turned to them a little bit embarrased and gave them a forced smile.

"Thank you for staying with us, this is Mobile Dance..." They announced through the microphone when all of the numbers were over. "...Please tag us if you post our dances online...".

As soon as she could, Becca ran to her brother's arms and he hugged her tight, lifting her a little bit.

-"You killed it!" Hailey said to the little girl.

-"Thanks...I actually messed up in like a lot of parts...".

-"Don't be so hard on you! You did great!" Her teacher yelled from a few steps far.

-"I think you were perfect. I'm actually very...impressed". Jay said with pride.

-"You are?"

-"I'm really proud of you". Becca smiled with teary eyes at her brother's statement.

-"Hey! Why don't we take a picture of you two?" Hailey proposed with her cellphone in hand. -"Seems like a day to remember".

Jay and Becca posed to the camera, both showing a bright smile.

-"You should take one with us too". Becca invited her brother's partner.

-"Uh--". She hesitated looking at Jay, who nodded in agreement. -"Sure".

-"There you go!". The lady who helped them take the photo said. -"Sush a beautiful family".

-"I-- should go back to our spot". Hailey said before running away.

At the same time, the dance group was ready to move to the next station. Becca's teacher called her to go.

-"I'll see you later, ok? I'll take you to dinner, whatever you want". He said as Becca was walking to her group. Jay's heart started to beat very fast as he saw his sister depart. -"Be careful, all right?".

The girl just answered with a thumb up. One of the moms in the group noticed the scene and addressed Jay: "Don't worry, Detective. She's not alone. We are taking good care of her!"

At the other side of the festival, Burgess, Atwater and Ruzek were walking the place.

-"So where am I getting these pastries for the boss?" Kim asked with a laugh.

-"Uh, Voight likes Ferrara's". Kevin answered. -"I personally think that Scafuri's better".

-"Is that what you think?"

-"Of course".

-"Ferrara's it is". She concluded.

-"Ferrara's it is". Adam repeated.

Kevin got apart from the group for a few seconds and noticed something strange: a van parking in a closed alley. His instincts told him that something was wrong.

-"Hey, we got a dark van with no plates, 5 o'clock". He said in the radio.

-"All right". Adam answered the call. -"That alley was supposed to be closed to traffic".

Two man got out of the van and started o walk way fom the place.

-"Hey, yo, genteman!" Kevin yelled trying to stop them, but they started to run. The officer ran after them.

-"Kim, you seeing this?" Adam asked.

-"Go! Go!" She said as they reached the van. There was smoke coming from the inside, as soon as they looked out they knew it was a bomb.

-"Son of a bitch! Clear this area and go". Adam ordered. -"I got Kev!".

-"50-21 Eddie. 10-1, 10-1. Roll us a bomb squad. We've a van with a possible explosive device.

Jay and Hailey listened to the call on their radios as an explosion sounded in the distance, alarming averyone around.

-"Shit!". Jay said. -"Let's clear the area".

-"Move! Move! Everybody get out!". Hailey started yelling.

-"Sergeant?" Jay talked to his radio as he was moving people with his free arm. -"My sister was heading to the North part of the park, do you have eyes on her? I need to know if she's ok".

-"Negative" -Platt answered. There was a lot of noise in her background. -"Don't worry, Halstead, I will find her".

As soon as she ended the conversation, she started to look around for the girl, but everything was a mess. People was running around in all directions, it was hard to see their faces. At that point, most of the 21st knew who Becca was, so it was easy for Platt to order some of the cops to be aware in case she crossed their ways.

Minutes later, one of them called on the radio "Sergeant, we found the girl". The crowd had already thinned, as most of the civilians had been evacuated, so it was easy for Platt to find them.

-"Thank God!" She exclaimed when she saw the little Halstead sitting under a tree.

-"We found her on the floor. She's a bit hurt, but nothing to worry about. She must have fallen while running, some people stepped on her". The cop informed. -"She wasn't alone, she was with her teacher. It was hard to convince the lady to go".

-"All right". Platt sighed. -"I'll take care of this now. Thank you, guys!"

-"Becca, it's Trudy. Do you remember me? Your brother sent me to find you. Are you feeling all right? I heard you were a bit hurt".

-"I feel a little bit dizzy, but I'm ok".

-"I think we should go to the hospital to check you, just to make sure everything is really ok".

-"No, I---Where's Jay?"

-Your brother is working right now. They got a heavy case and he needs to be there with the team. He's very worried about you, and I promised him I would find you and take care of you. So, would you let me take you to The Med? I will be right to your side all the time, I promise".

The next thing Becca knew was that she woke up in a different place. She was lying down in a sofa, facing the wall. As her eyes began to slowly open, she heard a distant conversation: "The doctor was worried for the hits in the head, but she said there is no damage, appart from some bruises and scratches she's completely fine. She asked me to call your father to know if he was home, and also to let him know she was fine. She didn't want him to pick her up, tough. She waited for you."

She turned around when she heard a door open and some foot steps approaching. Thet's when she noticed she wasn't wearing her dance clothes anymore. Instead, she was wearing a gray sweater with the CPD logo printed on the front. That's when she realized she was in the bullpen, the coffee room to be precisely, it looked so different at night with the lights off.

-"Hey there, sleepy beauty". Jay said crouching down to her level. -"I was told you were waiting for me. Sorry for the delay".

-"What time is it?" Becca asked standing up.

-"Hey, hey, hey, slow down. You hit your head, you gotta take it easy. How are you feeling?".

-"I'm fine, I'm just sleepy and tired. Sergent Platt took me to the hospital, The Med. Guess what: Will wasn't there". She said simply, while stretching her arms. Jay stared at his sister with sorrow.

-"Come on. I'll take you home, you need to rest properly". He stood up, but the girl didn't follow him. She just stared at the floor, immersed in her toughts.

-"Bec...".

-"Yeah, sure. I'm coming".

It was strange for Becca to see the building that empty. There was not a soul in the reception, except for Trudy, who was already leaving, and Hailey who was waiting for Jay to give her a ride.

-"Look at you, girl. Rocking the CPD sweater". Hailey said hugging her with one arm as they walked to the exit.

-"Can I keep it?"

-"Of course you can, sweetheart. It suits you well". Platt said with a smile.

-"I can't thank you enough for today, Trudy. Really, thanks for taking care of her".

-"Don't worry. It was my pleassure, Jay".

Jay was at the wheel driving unusually slow, Hailey was his co-pilot. Becca was in the back seat, her head agains the window. The road was dead silent. It could be because it was late and everyone was tired, but Jay knew her sister was holding something, that she wanted to say it but didn't know how to.

-"It was a day full of emotions, uh?" Hailey threw the question into the air. She was also feeling the tension between the siblings.

-"Yes it was". Becca answered with a dry tone.

Hailey turned to look at Jay, as he looked at his sister through the mirror.

-"Ok, Bec. Talk to me, what's on your mind?" He asked tenderly, not caring about his partener's presence.

-"He was there, Jay". Becca spit it out.

-"Who?" He was very intrigued.

-"Dad". She answered after a few seconds of silence.

-"Where?"

-"In the park. Dad was in the festival. He saw me dancing, Jay". Becca frowned. She had to wipe away a few tears before they rolled down her cheeks. She didn't want them to see her cry about it.

Without noticing, Jay started to drive even slower, his mind going in circles. Hailey passed her hand to the back part of the truck to touch Becca's knee in a reassuring gesture.

-"Here we are". Jay sighed as he parked the truck in the usual spot, away from the house. -"Hey, today's plans were ruined, but we can have luch tomorrow". He turned to his sister. -"You choose what you want. We can also have a movie day if you wan to".

-"I like that". She smiled. -"Can I stay with you tomorrow?".

-"Sure. Just make sure you grab your uniform. For now, let's go, you shouldn't be out of bed. I'll walk you to the porch". When he got out of the car, he turned to the co-pilot seat: "Sorry for the waiting. It won't take long, Hails".

They were in the middle of the street when the door of the house suddenly opened. Both of the siblings freezed, their dad was there, standing in the door frame. Jay felt a heat inside of him that didn't let him move, he only reacted when Becca touched his hand.

-"It's ok. I can carry my bags". She said as she took them carefully from her brother. -"You don't have to say or explain anything. I know".

Becca hugged her brother goodbye: "See you tomorrow. Don't forget!". And she walked to the entrance, nervously.

Unwittingly, Jay was giving small steps back, until he made sure that the little girl crossed the fence and he turned back straight to the truck. Hailey saw everything, and even when she was not so sure of what was going on, she felt sympathy with his partner.

The two detectives stared to the front, watching how Becca was received by her dad. She stopped in front of him, they were having a small conversation. Jay was in a defensive position, ready to act if he needed to. Unexpectedly, they witnessed how Mr. Halstead hugged his daughter for a fragment of sencond. From the distance, Jay could tell Becca was crying. He was also submerged in a sea of feelings.

-"A day full of emotions indeed, wasn't it?" Hailey broke the silence when the door of the house closed. She had a very strong impulse of hugging him, as if she knew he needed that kind of containment.

-"Yes is was". Jay answered swallowing his tears.

-"Want a beer and talk/not talk about it?" She offered.

-"Yeah. That would be helpful".

Thanks for reading. If you liked it, it would help my soul if you give it a like, comment or share 😌♡

#Jay Halstead #Jay Halstead x sister #Halstead sister #Jay Halstead x Halstead sister #Chicago PD #Chicago PD Fanfic #One Chicago #Hailey Upton #Kim Burgess #Trudy Platt

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melodygatesauthor · 2 years ago

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Weekly Update

8/20/2023

Announcements

- A Bit Dodgy is almost finished -

The chapter coming out this week is the second to last chapter for the series. It’s such a bitter sweet thing, ending a series, especially one that I’ve built such a community around. I’ve written 5 novel-length fics over the course of the last year, and A Bit Dodgy will be number 6. On 09/04/2023 it will be my one-year anniversary of writing fanfiction since coming back after not writing for about a decade and l can’t believe it. Holy CRAP. I’ll take the time to reminisce about my numbers and statistics on my one-year mark, don’t you worry lol. There will definitely be a celebration.

That being said, ending a series never gets easier. Even though I write for these characters all the time, Steven, Marc and Jake in this case, I’m still closing the book on this version of them. It’s sad, but I’m also very ready to move on to other stories and other versions of these characters. I also think I’ll write some headcanons and one-shots as I feel the desire to just to take the edge off when I’m missing them. I’ll talk more about this when I finish A Bit Dodgy. <3

- Requests are officially closed -

I’m not sure if I’ll ever be in a position to take requests again or not. My WIP list is a mile long, and right now (summer) is a VERY busy time for both of my jobs. I’m lucky if I get one day off a week. All this to say, it’s not feasible for me to continue taking requests when I can’t even handle the fics I have currently in the works.

I’m not saying I’ll never do requests again, it’s just not realistic right now. There will still be follower celebrations and birthday events and things like that in which I may take limited requests, but as far as the regular ones go, I gotta stop taking them for now. - THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. PLEASE READ IT.

Fic Updates

Disclaimer - I never know which way the winds of inspiration will blow. Timeframes aren’t a promise/guarantee, they’re a goal.

Fic Updates Legend:

Blue - Update this week

Pink - Update in progress

Red - Backburner Fic (not currently working on. See WIP list for status)

You can find my current WIP list here

Chaptered Fic Updates

A Bit Dodgy - Chapter 17 is coming this week, but I need more time. So it won't come out tomorrow, it will be out Tuesday or Wednesday instead! Thank you for understanding!

Always Yours, Never Mine - Chapter 3 is done! Just need to finish editing! I'll be putting it out Saturday bbs <3

The Fractured Moon - My primary focus this past week has been getting A Bit Dodgy finished, and also working on getting the requests and stuff for my 2k celebration done. I'll be working on part 4 of TFM this week to hopefully post next week!

Mini-series Updates

Feeling You Can’t Fight - Chapter 3 is done! I just need to finish editing and posting hehe.

All on the backburner for now but will get additional chapters soon:

Not a Doctor - Part 2

Worth the Risk - Part 3

AI Character Bot Updates

I currently have the following bots on my list that I’m working on. If you have any suggestions or additions you’d like, please feel free to ask! I won’t make every single one I get asked for but I’ll make some of them as I get time!

DBF Jake and Steven (I already did Marc...did I ever post him? I thought I did but maybe not)

Patient Steven and Marc

Moon Knight Rescue scenario

Miguel AI Assistant Scenario (inspired by @missdictatorme's Halo fic).

Am I missing any? Don't see one on the list that you want to add? Send me an inbox or private message! No promises, but if I like the idea I'll make an AI bot.

Requests

I'm finishing up all the inboxes from my 2k Follower Celebration! I'm almost through those so please bear with me.

There are 2 regular requests I have that will both be released this week! Exciting! - Those are the last 2 I have. Starting next week, the "request" category of my weekly update will be gone!

I think that's all for now! Much love!

Don't forget to follow my other blogs:

@melodymakesart - My art blog

@lockandkeynovel - The blog for my original fiction novel, Lock & Key

@melodyreadsfanfiction - The blog where I reblog works I intend to read, a good place for fanfic readers to follow!

@melodygatesupdates - This is where I'll reblog any chapter updates for my fics and whatnot. This is what I use instead of a tag list!

#moon knight #steven grant #jake lockley #marc spector #melody talks #melody gates weekly updates #melodys weekly updates

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reallyhardy · 1 year ago

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actually i need to put some GOOD in my life onto the blog, bye bye 🩸period vent posts🩸, hello really wonderful experience i had recently:

so most months once a month i get my sweet sweet gig of outdoor art messy play with families at the art gallery in our garden. we make magic potions with leaves and water and sometimes dried tea and spices for extra magic, and we do mud painting with just like dirt that i dig out of a big hole in the ground.

it's THEEEE most fun i get to have, basically just rush around refilling buckets of water and seeing kids have fun learning about how to be creative with what there is around us to use (for free) but of course it generates a lot of mess...

well last summer during our outdoor play sessions i got quite a lot of different volunteers who would come help out on different days, and we encourage family volunteering where people can bring their kids and the kids get to wear volunteer t-shirts but we basically just tell them their job is to be in charge of 'fun'. anyway this one lady brought her twins, boy and girl, age about 6 on a few days and OMG these kids. such shining little humans, and always so ready to help out with tidying up. i remember by the end of summer i had to send their mum a message just to tell her what a great job she's done raising her two lil superstars honestly...

anyway last saturday i was doing the first outdoor art club of the year and it was getting to the last hour when this lady and her twins arrive and the absolute JOY on their faces 😭😭😭 never seen any child look happier to see me that wasn't a member of my family - or maybe more so i cannot lie. they were like "OMG LOREN'S HERE! the guy at the desk said it wasn't you running it today!" and i was like "WOAH well i am here and what a wonderful surprise to see you guys here!" like literally. so so sweet and adorable.

so we played around for a bit, they tried out painting and all the activities, anyway obviously i had still to attend to all the other visitors but i kept circling back, then when it was packdown time and me and the other facilitator started tidying... the twins came back around and kept on asking all the different ways to help out, they helped me rinse down all the mud paint palettes and put everything away, even helped me carry a bunch of easels inside... i kept trying to tell them "okay great job thank you for your help! i got this from here" but they were SO determined to make sure they helped me with every little thing 🥺 like obvs. little children i am much stronger than you yes i can lift this easel on my own and prob get it done way faster too but i SO so appreciate you wanting to help me.

anyway sent another message to their mum the next day just gushing about her lil critters, she sent me a whole heartfelt message back saying my thank you message is going in a scrapbook. just... so so sweet. maybe on those days, i literally DO have the best job ever i can't even deny it. for me it's perfect

#loren talks #honestly just SO sweet like #life is good sometimes life is amazing and the KIDS??#the kids are alright. the future is in good hands when there's kids like this in the world

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terraliensvent · 1 year ago

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Cass here. (From the screenshots)

Normally I’m all for not like. Putting 100% faith in mods of CS, but y’all need to lighten the fuck up. We already know it’s not ALL finals. They said that. They said that they have some personal business to address and that they ALSO have finals. Like come on. It’s final season. I know some of y’all aren’t in college because you’re like, 8, but finals typically happen in the span of an entire season. They don’t all happen at once, but rather within a few months. That’s why mods have to crack down and study, because you know, they have a life and priorities outside of a CS.

Not saying I 100% believe it either, but we need to be realistic and stop assuming the absolute worst just because we’re frustrated. It seems to me that at least Tycho wants things to change and is trying to make that happen. Whatever personal business the mods are dealing with though is important and based on my conversation with them today we’ll have some kind of answer by the end of the day, wether it actually give us any info or not. And if it doesn’t, you bet I’ll be the first to say something.

We’re too quick to vilify some of these mods. Yes the staff MYOs are getting out of hand and they need to step it up with the trait sheets, but do y’all really have nothing better to do on a Saturday than be mad on a drama blog? Idk.

Mod, I look forward to seeing what you and Tycho talked about. They’re very open to new ideas and are by far my favorite mod to chat with. At least you can tell that they care and want to do something. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to what we’ve been getting. Look at what voicing your opinion respectfully does? It gets you answers. We’d still be in the dark if someone hadn’t asked what was going on. (Shoutout to them, I can’t recall who) and you’d all still be mad and speculating over nothing.

It seems like if you’re respectful, the mods will at least hear you out. Especially Tycho. Let’s try and have some class, because let’s be honest— this whole “show” everyone is ready for will probably be a small bump at best, and everyone will go back to hoarding and being whales.

there are some points on here i agree with, and some im a bit hesitant with. im also trying to be a bit more careful with what i say in asks right now considering current circumstances

i think people have a right to be irritated with things, and i also think people have a right to voice things without being tone policed

the bottom line is there are some terra staff who are really rude and who people are less comfortable giving critique to, as well as the fact that there are a lot of people in terras who like to jump down the throats of people who have negative things to say, lots of people in terras have a very toxic positivity mindset

i will say though talking with tycho feels really productive, i plan to make a (hopefully not too big) post going over some of the stuff i brought up and some of the stuff they mention as well so itll hopefully reassure some of you so to you anons please hold off on your asks for a little bit

#terralien #closed species vent #closed species #terraliens #vent

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qveenofgluttony · 1 year ago

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Beelzebub's Masquerade Ball Schedule

Mun’s Note: This is not a strict schedule.* I will move activities/events around slightly if needed or if something comes up. This is just a general outline of what to expect during the event. I will also be posting many plot-driven drabbles between times. And once again, the event itself is not chronologically locked. Even before the event resumes the next couple of days or when it ends people are still welcome to continue event threads if they wish. If you would like to participate and still have not received an invitation, please feel free to like this post.

*Reminder that this schedule is in Central Standard Time (CST)

Friday

6 pm - Opening Words/Guest Arrival

- I will post an opening drabble that will kick off the event. After which, muns are welcome to make their own posts or drabbles of their muses arriving at the ball.

7 pm - Beelza Opening Performance

- I will be posting a lyric drabble of Beelza performing for the guests. In addition, I will also be posting a plot-driven drabble to go along with this one. Muses are welcome to make dash commentary with their reactions or interact with Beelza during this time if they wish.

8 pm - Costume Contest

- I will post a link of all the submitted costumes so everyone can vote for the one they like best. I will try to give guests a couple of hours to vote before announcing the winner of the costume contest.

9 pm - 10 pm - Open Floor Dancing

- This is pretty much down time for muses to mingle with other guests, grab drinks, explore the venue, etc.

10 pm - Costume Contest Winner Announcement

- The top three finalists and the winner of the costume contest will be announced!

11 pm - Midnight - Cool down

- More mingling, dancing, food and drink until guests are ready to retire to their guest rooms or go home if they wish and rest until the next day.

Saturday

3 pm - Ball Resumes

- Just as it says. The ball resumes!

4 - 5 pm - Dancing “Contest”

- The generated pairings of the muses participating in the dance contest will be announced. The paired muses are encouraged to interact with each other during this time. Muses who are not participating are also free to comment or react. Once the hour is over the paired muses are free to continue to interact or leave the dance floor. If you would still like to participate in the dancing contest, you can like this post here.

5 - 7 pm - Open Floor Dancing

- The rest of the guests are allowed to re-enter the dance floor after the contest is over. Also more down time for muses to mingle with other guests, grab drinks, etc.

7 pm - Glam Sisters Performance

- Same as Beelza’s, I will be posting a lyric drabble of the Glam Sisters performing for the guests.

8 pm - Midnight - Cool down

- Another chill time for the guests to mingle, drink and eat, and dance.

Sunday

3 pm - Ball resumes

- Just as it says. The ball resumes!

4 - 8 pm - Open Mic

- Beelza will open the stage to anyone who wishes to entertain the rest of the guests with their musical talents. If muns would like, they are free to write a short drabble of their muses “performing” with a song of their choice. Please tag either of my blogs @/infernal-feminae or @/qveenofgluttony if you would like me to reblog it for visibility purposes.

8 - 11 pm - Open Floor Dancing

- Down time for muses to mingle, dance, etc.

10 pm - Beelzebub’s Identity Announcement

- Beelza will invite the guests to come up and try their luck at guessing Beelzebub’s identity before she reveals herself. The first muse to guess correctly will receive their reward. If no one can correctly guess then she will reveal herself in the next hour.

11 pm - Beelzebub Closing Performance

- Beelzebub reveals herself and gives a closing musical performance to wrap up the ball.

#❖ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ʙᴇᴇꜱ: ᴏᴏᴄ #Beelzebub's Masquerade Ball: Event

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a-tale-never-told · 1 year ago

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Historical Document#2: The Stasi Biography.

//Greetings everyone, this is Mod Sam. I present to you the second history review of the bunch, the Stasi review. Now I'm pretty sure that most of you were expecting this review instead of the Soviet one, given that the Stasi are currently the biggest threat to the blog as of this season, It would make sense to do an analysis on them and what their tactics and operations are. But due to my poor organizational skills, I instead did the Soviet one first, and that review was... disappointing to say the least, but now I understand why it wasn't as successful: it wasn't relevant to the main story yet.

//That's certainly not to say every historical post should be connected to the story, but given the stakes that we have now, it makes perfect sense to talk about them now and explain why they are so dangerous. How I didn't recognize that earlier is beyond me.

//But anyway, I think I did slightly better here in comparison to the last review, where it got way too overcomplicated for anyone to understand, aside from a few aspects. But I think I managed to make it understandable enough for you guys to understand. An added bonus is that the review is shorter, thus you don't have to spend hours reading it, so that's a drastic improvement.

//Given that I've seen a lot of Stasi-related asks during the story, consider this a firsthand survival guide on the Stasi, and what they do exactly firsthand. Consider them a more terrifying version of the KGB and the North Japanese secret police force, at least for now.

//I just want to apologize for the lack of activity on this blog for a while, aside from answering asks and me complaining. I've calmed down since the last time I made that rant, and I eventually realized that I need to take it easy with you guys and not force you because if there is anything people don't like, it's being told what to do, and I feel ashamed that I tried to do that. I hope you all can accept my forgiveness and just no that I meant no ill intentions towards you guys. I was just... so stressed that day and I pretty much lost it.

//But besides that, I'm ready to possibly get back into the story. If all goes to plan, I should have the next story chapter by around Friday or Saturday at the latest. But in the meantime, you have this file to occupy your attention while I start working on the next chapter, so be vigilant for a new chapter coming out soon.

//To close this post off, let me show you the ID card of Vladimir Putin while he was in the Stasi. And before you ask, yes, this is 100% real and accurate, this was actually what he looked like when he was younger. Viewer discretion is advised.

//At the very least, he had some hair, so I'll give him that.

//This shall probably be the last historical post I do for now, as I prefer to continue working on the story since these posts aren't going to really matter to anyone unless we focus on the actual plot itself. I know I just said that before, but I wanted to add more context as to why. Plus, it's pretty much a slog for me to write these long essays in Google Docs since I highly doubt anyone here reads a Google Doc for a review. Still, though, I hope you enjoyed these reviews as that's all you're going to get untill the end of this arc or even the season, it's up to my own volition on how I shall conduct this type of strategy.

//This is Mod Sam from A Tale Never Told, signing out for now. Have a great rest of the day everyone ^^.

#mod talks #history post #stasi #historical analysis #a tale never told #worldbuilding

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hythlodaeus-mynewoldfriend · 2 years ago

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WIP Saturday

I posted a wip on my other blog but got something to share here also. Have some stuff from two pieces! One being a little AU ship for Anthea a friend made mention of a kind of variation of it and has been rotating in the brain ever since. I also have some Siberite and Ali getting ready for dinner at Sib’s house. The first one doesn’t have any spoilers, second half is EW related since it’s Thea and we deal with Ancients so that one is spoilers! Other than that I hope you have fun! If ever anyone wants to be tagged just let me know!

Siberite and Ali bonding time!

She can’t though, as much as she’d like too, there’s work to be done and that starts with making it through this dinner. She takes a deep breath letting herself sink beneath the water watching the pink tinted water take on some gray as the grime frees itself from her hair, deep pink joining their movements to the surface as more of the dye washes away to bring forth the natural purple, something her mother will be thrilled with surely. It’s all a ploy, Siberite thinks as she scrubs away the dirt, scabs, and any notion that she’s been spending most of her days fighting the last three and a half Source years, They won’t just give me up that easily. They want nothing more than to keep me home.

She stops, blinking a few times hoping the nail brush in her hand isn’t real, that the pristine shine of her fingers and hands is a trick of the light and when she’s through there will still be the dirt she can never quite get near the cuticles, the tinge of yellow on them from the years of harsh soaps still lingers, and the callouses simply softened will harden once dry. But she knows these habits, knows that when she’s through here someone will be waiting in her room to cut away dead skin, soften her hands even more with oils that smell of lavender, and paint her nails in either a metallic that will match her gown or a neutral color that gives attention to the rings that will adorn her. She will look the perfect Lady down to the minute detail. She will look like herself once more, the her that’s always reflected when she passes the mirrors and looks her combatants in the eye. The image her mother still sees….

The quick rapt at the door makes the water splash with her panic before hearing Katla’s voice, “Mistress Siberite, I’m very sorry to disturb you but you’ve been in there quite a while. Shall I send someone in to assist in your preparations? Perhaps refill your bath with more hot water?”

“No, thank you. I’m just about done actually.”

“Then I shall have freshly warmed towels sent in along with your robe.” Siberite hears the woman walk away, promptly getting back to the last few steps in making herself presentable. As if they were simply waiting outside the door for her, the towels and plush robe are brought in and it takes a few attempts to let the two staff members leave her be, insisting she change fully in her room, uncaring that she’ll have to walk down the hall in nothing but her robe. The steam follows her three doors down until Alisaie’s voice makes her stop.

“I’ve already taken a shower and redid my hair, what more could you possibly need to do?”

Siberite smiles, walking closer to peek through the small opening of the door to see a defiant Ali dressed in a similar robe to her own with comfy casual shorts just peeking beneath it, “Ma’am I’m sorry but Lady Akagane wishes everyone to look presentable. Which means-.”

“Well are you putting my brother through these same inane steps?” The young staff woman stutters, “That is exactly what I thought. Now will you please-.” Siberite steps into the room, trying to hide the smile wanting to break free, Alisaie clearing her throat, “Siberite, I- I didn’t see you there.”

The warrior glances over at the young staff member with a small smile, “I don’t believe I know you, remind me of your name.”

“Shannah, ma’am.”

“Shannah, while it’s lovely to meet you, I do believe Katla could use a few extra hands in the dining room.”

“But your mother-.”

“Will be fine. I’ll help Alisaie.” Shannah looks between the Scions with wringing hands, “I can assure you I know how to do hair and make up to my mother’s standards.” The young woman swallows before nodding and rushing out the door.

“Thank you for that,” Alisaie says, falling back into the chair facing the vanity with a huff, “You would think we were having dinner with a king.”

Siberite chuckles, “That’s not out of the realm of possibilities you know. Come on, sit up straight,” she says, patting the young woman’s back into position.

“Do we really have to do all of this?��

Siberite combs her fingers through the undone white hair that’s gained some frizz with the humidity, “For my mother, yes. She’s very particular and does like to have excuses to dress up and show off.” The small drop of oil spread across her hands and combed through quickly makes for a silky and smooth canvas. She looks Alisaie in the eye through the mirror, “I know you would rather keep your look, but we have to do it up a little differently. Would you want it to still be pulled back and feel a bit like the braid you normally wear?”

“I’d rather not,” she grumbles with a cross of her arms, “but if we must then sure. I trust you to not make me look even more foolish than I already feel.” Siberite gives a small smile, her hands starting to already work on sectioning and braiding as Alisaie watches on. “If I may ask, why did you never tell anyone about how you grew up? None of us would have thought any less of you.”

————————————————

A little Anthea and Hermes meeting more formally for the first time!

“Just….a little….,” Anthea says as they reach up towards the last hanging purple fruit in the coniferous tree, “further.” Their fingers just brush the flesh of it when they hear the scraping of their shoe against bark, can feel as their foot only stands on air with their body following suit. Anthea reaches out, other leg hooking itself around the branch in enough time as their hands fail to grip onto it. Their hooked leg keeps them on the branch as they fall backwards until their head makes contact with something else just as hard, mask flying away. They hiss as whatever they hit exclaims in pain, massaging the now sore area as they open their eyes. Anthea twists trying to find what hit them to no avail, moving on to see if they could get enough momentum to bring themselves back onto the branch, finding that to also be something they cannot do. A groan comes from behind them, Anthea looking around, “Hello? Who’s there?”

Though it hurts their neck they manage to get a glance behind them too find another dressed in the standard black robes, with richly tanned skin and short black hair, looking around. The stranger soon moves to come into Anthea’s view half of his face covered by a white and silver mask, the shadow of a smile beneath it that brings a sheepish one to Anthea’s lips. “Tell me is it a common practice for new personel to be hit in the head from someone that is hiding in a tree?”

Anthea blushes, “Uhm, no. No when people are new, typically there’s some kind of sweets involved. Or well at least in my little section of housing, but I’ve heard others do the same.”

He let’s his smile free, “Then I shall hope for such lodgings. Do you need any assistance coming down?”

“It would be much appreciated.” Anthea scrutenizes him, “If you could simply just stand beneath me, I believe I can find an easy way down.”

“Would it not be easier if I simply held onto your waist?”

“Potentially but I will not force you into such a position when we’ve only just met.”

He laughs, “Seeing as I am offering I find no qualms about it.”

“I suppose that’s true.” They nod, hoping the heat they feel in their face is only from being upside down as he reaches up to grab onto their waist. They find enough footing to allow for their other leg to free itself, his grip helping in letting their desecent be slower. Anthea finds they are still a few ilms from the ground being held up only by the kind stranger. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he says setting them down, Anthea moving for their mask quickly, hiding their features. “What were you doing up there if I may ask?”

“There’s a purple fruit up there,” they say point up to where it still hangs, “I wanted to add it to my garden.”

“Would you not simply make a tree on its own?”

“I find it relaxing to sometimes just grow them from seeds,” they answer with a shrug, “It also can help with research knowing how long it takes for one to be tended to until it produces fruit.”

“I see,” he looks up into the branches and back down the trunk, until he smiles once more, “In that case, allow me.” Anthea doesn’t have time to protest when he’s already made his way up to the branch they had just been hanging from. His height makes the reach for it easier along with his coming down.

He hands it over, Anthea taking it and cradling it to their chest, “Thank you. You mentioned new personnel, are you new here?”

“Yes. My first day actually and I’m afraid I find myself a bit lost.”

“Oh, you are part of that big group from Amaurot, you’ve all just finished your initial training.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Then as way of apology for hitting you in the head, I shall show you where to go.”

“I would be most grateful for such a thing,” he chuckles.

“First things first, new researchers should remain maskless until you are acquainted with the creatures and the ways in which they roam.”

#anyway! sorry for length but since I post writing slowly I like to share big chunks in case it’s never finished #have fun with them and I hope you enjoy them!#my wip tag #my writing #endwalker spoilers

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