#i think the guy who came closest (?) was hercules...in a way

[thepunkranger]

So I was thinking about Claire Redfield (as you do) and how much of an insane badass she is for not only holding her own in Raccoon City, but also protecting a child throughout the entire nightmare, and specifically how, for all intents and purposes, Claire in Resident Evil 2 during Raccoon City and Ashley in Resident Evil 4 are the closest thing to peers that they have.

Both of them are college-aged girls with zero combat/survival experience who've been dropped into a zombie-infested hellhole and have to find their way out, but Ashley is so starkly different of a character to Claire.

From a writing standpoint, Ashley is a very literal damsel in distress character. She's young, she's inexperienced, and she does, in fact, need a man to save her (no shade, I'd probably need Leon and his rippling abs to save me too). Now, she does grow significantly as a character throughout the events of the fourth game, and even gets to save Leon a couple of times, but she's still very much a young girl in need of help

Now, in comparison, Claire Redfield is a damsel in distress in the same way Meg from Hercules is

Claire is actually canonically younger in Resident Evil 2 than Ashley is in 4, being only 19, but goddamn is this girl not going to let that stop her. And while Claire does have a bit more skill with self-defense, all that really adds up to is forcing Chris to teach her knife fighting and probably going to the shooting range with him a couple of times. Claire is very confident in herself, but she doesn't have much real world experience to back that up. Girl rode her motorcycle into a zombie-infested city with nothing but a gun (where did she get this gun? We don't know) to do a welfare check on her brother and came out less scathed than the literal cop she made friends with.

And then, there's Sherry. Claire finds a random child hiding in the police station, saying that she's looking for her mom, and makes it her personal mission to protect her at all costs. And when said girl gets taken by the literal chief of police? Claire grabs her grenade launcher and decides that's gonna be his problem because by god is she taking care of that little girl.

By the time they make it out of the city Sherry might as well be Claire's biological daughter, and she is not about to let anything happen to her (forthcoming events out of her control notwithstanding)

Which, in a way, honestly I think makes 19-year-old Claire Redfield actually a closer peer to Ethan Winters.

Ethan is a nearly 30-year-old man who works an office job (I think he's IT?) and whose wife went missing a few years ago. When he finds out she's actually alive he grabs a flashlight and hops in his car to drive to Louisiana to bring her home.

This man finds out that his wife has been possessed, and he doesn't give a shit. He loves her. He made a vow to care for and protect her, and by god is he going to test the limits of 'til death do us part. He takes on an entire family of fucked up hillbillies and literal mold demons to bring her home. And when he does? They have a daughter, and Ethan is ready to sacrifice the world for her too.

All of Resident Evil 8 is just him fighting a pantheon of demons to save his baby girl armed with nothing but a gun he grabbed off a dead guy (he's from Texas, so I'm not gonna question it) and his innate knowledge of how to make life-saving elixirs. And yes, he does save both his wife and his daughter

Idk, I just think it's interesting that Claire and Ashley are so similar in age and life experience, but Claire winds up having the most in common with the Awkward Suburban Dad in the end

[wellgoslowly]

my essay on lucy's usage of "Anthony" in romantic/tense interactions with Lockwood (Spoilers for Lockwood's past!)

ok so a couple of hours ago I made a post that said "after reading so many first kiss locklyle fics and seeing so many people write a part where Lockwood says he likes it when Lucy calls him "Anthony", I've come to the conclusion that he likes it because he hasn't heard his first name said with obvious love and adoration since his parents and Jessica died- until Lucy came along. In this essay I will..." and while that idea was something I was legitimately thinking about, I wasn't really actually intending to write an essay until people showed interest in it so here's the full "why Lockwood likes it when Lucy calls him Anthony" essay.

BIG DISCLAIMER: I haven't finished reading the books yet (I don't really care about spoilers, I already know a lot just from being a part of the fandom online), but if I get anything wrong or don't include anything that might be big, please let me know!!

Ok, so we all know that Donald and Celia died when Lockwood was 6. They were (obviously) the ones who named him and the ones who gave his name meaning for the first 6 years of his life. they were the ones who said his name softly when he was a baby and trying to lull him back to sleep, they were the ones who called "Anthony!" when it was time for dinner, they were the ones who introduced him to others as "my son, Anthony". They were the ones who gave his name meaning in the first place.

I also don't know if this is stated or not, but I feel like his name probably had some significant meaning to Donald and Celia. Through a small google search, the name Anthony shows up as associated with meanings such as "He who adds", "He who stands out", "The Deep Thinker", "Very Strong", "Magnetic", "Unconventional", and "Idealistic". It's also said to come from the name of Hercules's son, Anton. Even in trying to grasp for the smallest shreds of symbolism in this, it's very obvious that his parents were trying to raise a strong, caring, and brave son.

After his parents died, the only person he really had left that called him Anthony and gave it meaning was Jessica. She was the one who would say his name with exasperation when he was being annoying, she became to one who called his name when it was time for dinner, and she was the one who would call out his name when she needed help or wanted to ask him a question. I bet she even used his name when she asked him to help her unpack the crate that contained the artifact that would end up killing her.

The common trend isn't only that the people who made his name mean something were his family- it's that the people who made his name mean something were all people who prioritized taking care of him. After the deaths of his family, he had only person that he could trust to take care of him: himself.

He isolated himself both consciously and unconsciously when he became an agent- I feel like it probably became a way to make sure that he occupied himself with an activity he never had while he was growing up (something that could be possibly devoid of possible hurtful memories of his past).

I can imagine that people started calling him by his last name because of Gravedigger Sykes- he just seems like the type of guy who would call everyone by their last names even if you asked him not to. And that was probably an escape for Lockwood- he was able to become a different person (Lockwood) and differentiate himself from the "helpless" child that he used to be (Anthony). Lockwood became not only his name, but it was a mask for him to hide his grief behind and he just forced himself to grow into it.

The closest thing that he gets to being called Anthony is when Kipps calls him "Tony", or when one of his past employees called him "Big A", which implies that either he has made it explicitly clear that he doesn't want to be referred to as Anthony whatsoever, or he took time to rebuild whatever reputation he had and rewrite the impression that people had of him, turning their idea of him as a person from being filed under "Anthony" to "Lockwood". Either way, it's something that would take time. Even if he blows off the name change as Anthony being "something only his family called him", it doesn't change the fact that for the first 10 years of his life, that was the name he responded to. I feel like if his family had lived, he'd still go by Anthony- he wouldn't need to differentiate between the persona that Lockwood provides and the core personality that Anthony offers.

Having all of this in mind, when Lucy walks into 35 Portland Row, he is immediately drawn to her. We later learn that she reminds him of his sister and how feisty and headstrong Jessica could be. This puts his recklessness when it comes to putting his life in danger to save hers, and the "you know I'd die for you" quote into a different perspective- she has become his family in more ways than one. He already blames himself for Jessica's death- he'd do anything to save Lucy, first because of her similarity to Jessica and then because he's started falling in love with her, because he doesn't want to lose someone else because of his negligence or his arrogance.

When Lucy calls him "Anthony", it's going to mean a lot to him- the last people who called him that and put any meaning behind it were his family, who loved him unconditionally, valued him beyond belief, and tried to take care of him the best that he could. And now, he has the opportunity to experience that again through this young girl who has never been taught love in her life, but somehow gets it right just by saying his first name. It's the fact that she feels like she doesn't know how to love properly, but that small gesture for someone who has loved and lost is more than enough.

It's her way of saying that she values both the person he is for the rest of the world, her boss, and her best friend (Lockwood) but that she also loves the child inside of him who just wants to love someone as fiercely as he had been loved, the promise of the person he could've been (Anthony).

holy shit I just wrote all of that. hope yall enjoyed my rant. sorry for any emotions that may come as a side effect. <3

@lucy-j-carlyle @atatanya @xamdsona @losticaruss @incorrectlco @syfygirl1998 tagging everyone who seemed interested in the essay :)

[ballorawan740]

SCP Scenarios: When they accidentally kill you

Requested by: okokok121 + @RitaRoseFromBBB

Main Masterlist | SCP Scenarios Masterlist | My Works Masterlist | Rules | Request | Socials | My Original Post

(Ok, I know you did ask for the doctors + Mikell and Strelnikov, but I've decided to add the SCPs in here if that's alright with you. And also, sorry if I didn't capture Strelnikov's attitude well as I'm not as familiar with him compared to Mikell, yet again I'm not familiar with Jack Bright's family other than TJ and 321)

Sorry if it wasn't up to your standards. I just felt that some of these characters weren't the type to kill the reader, even if it wasn't intentional.

WARNING: Slight Angst

Dr Simon Glass

Simon wouldn't be the one to accidentally kill you himself, but it's more of the situation he put you in without realising the full extent of the consequences. He was just busy writing his patients' reports, and you just strolled in his office to check upon him. Simon stopped what he was doing and smiled with you as you both ate your food in his ever so clean office. As you were about to leave, Glass requested you to deliver something to Jack Bright in which you did. You and Jack were close friends (not so surprising since you're both equally as mad as each other) so if Simon wanted to know where he is or if he needed to give him something, he would go to you first. You managed to deliver the parcel to Bright in 682's containment cell and you both laughed before you returned. Unfortunately, 682 was having a rough day due to being a subject to Bright's test (I would be too tbh) which caused him to become more aggressive than usual and attacked 3 researchers. One of them being you as 682 dragged you down to the acid bath with him and Jack rushed to save you. Bright wasn't able to and he had to fulfil;l his duty to tell Simon Glass that you passed as 682 had killed you during a test. Needless to say, Glass was forced to take time off with Bright due to this event and he became more distant for months to come. Bright had to keep it together just so Simon wouldn't have to lose the shred of sanity he had in him.

Dr Jack Bright

You and Bright were doing some tests on one of the more dangerous SCPs (no, it's not that giant mf lizard of that warrior killing machine) in which your job was to handle these creatures while Jack was doing all the lab stuff. The SCP you both were conducting your research on was ●●|●●●●●|●●|● (SCP 2521 - We're getting ripped tonight, RIP my friends) and you were doing all sorts of things which resulted in you summoning this creature out of the blue by accident. Bright had to drag you out away from the creature and you just stood there observing its behaviour until it noticed you. Jack Bright had to take you on the run yet again (cuz you do be stoopid and stubborn so all yall wanna do is stare at something that's gonna kill ya. JUST RUN BIATCH!!!) but the SCP managed to catch up with you both and snatched you before Bright could even get help. Jack was astonished and deeply depressed since the incident and was left increasingly agitated after every walking day and even Glass couldn't get him out of his shell. He would pretend that everything's fine, but deep down, everyone knows that he's not (that's a whole ass mood right there buddy). Bright was extremely guilty for making you research 2521 and tried to summon it again, but all other scientists stopped it.

Dr Alto Clef

Clef was just doing his job, managing all the Keter class SCPs with ease and without hesitation. You know this from first-hand experience on your very first day on the job 3 years ago and Clef took an interest in you so he took you under his wing. So on this mission, he's on, he wanted to take you with him so you went along (not like you'd say no to this madman anyways right?). It was a breach on one of the sites with a sh- ton of Keter class SCPs and your jobs were to exterminate/neutralise them and save all the other researchers in which your team did do well and were still alive. You on the other hand were killed in action by SCP 939 (NOW WHICH ONE OF YOU IDIOTS RELEASED MY PETS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?!). Clef wasn't able to save you on time, but he managed to kill 2 of those SCPs. When he got back, he hid in his office and was depressed for 23.3 weeks and when he managed to drag himself out, he was bawling his eyes out. He deeply regretted taking you on a mission with him and swore an oath that if he were to ever take another person under his wing (probs in like 50 years), he would do anything in his power to not take them on a life-threatening mission.

Dr Benjamin Kondraki

You were out with Kondraki, just laying on the grass like you normally do as you just watched Kondraki take photographs of various and random stuff. Not long later, you asked him if he could teach you how to become such an avid photographer like him, so he did. However, little did you and Kondraki know that his butterfly friends felt danger lurking around the area you were in and quickly transformed into a threatening SCP to defend you both. Lurking around the woods were uncontained 939s running loose on the ground in which the booterflies attacked it. One of the red lizards was ready to pounce onto Kondraki to which you ran and pushed him out of the way (BAD DOGGO ))),:<). Luckily he was unharmed, but you, on the other hand, was heavily injured so Kondraki rushed you back to the foundation's medic. You died there shortly after and Kondraki blamed himself for getting you hurt on a harmless visit to the woods for some photographs. Bright and Clef begged Glass to do some psychological evaluation on Kondraki despite him telling them that he needs some time alone before he could do such things.

O5 Council Mikell Bright

When you're with Mikell, he would be his true self, being honest and relaxed since you're his most trusted partner. Moreover, he would tell you everything about what the O5 Council has been doing and their top secrets and you would always keep your lips sealed. The other members are wary of this at first but soon warm up to you since you're one of the most trusted individuals. Being with the cowboy is quite entertaining and you'll be quite protected being with him, so most of the time, you get free reign over the foundation, however, you still had to obey the rules as you weren't exactly a member of the O5 council and that would also help you from making people think you're sus for being treated so differently. That day was one of the days where your freedom got the better of you as you were on a mission with Mikell and he was about to aim at the target until you pushed him out of the way from danger. He quickly gained his composure and tried to shoot the anomaly behind you which he missed and shot you instead. Mikell was in shock and tried to get the medics, but by the time they arrived, you've already passed. Jack had to check up on his brother regularly to see how he's doing and to make sure he doesn't fall off the edge, reminding him that you wouldn't want to see him this way.

Agent Dmitri Arkadeyevich Strelnikov

As an agent, Strelnikov's life and his closest friends and relatives would be on the line. He wouldn't know when, where or how he would die and is in constant fear of losing everyone around him, especially you. One time, he took you on a mission with him since you were trained under him and he felt that you were ready to go onto your first-ever mission (well too bad, it's your last mission since y'all just suck at your jobs and this poor man has to drag you up from hell and y'all just fall back in) and so you guys went and attempted to gain information and track down some SCPs. Dmitri had to save you a few times since you didn't heed his advice and looked behind your back and that one time he left you on your own, you were murdered by a ruthless group from one of the GOIs. This, of course, deeply saddened agent Strelnikov as he was washed away by the guilt he had from leaving you to stand by your own 2 feet. You were a bright and gentle person who always looked up to him, always eager to learn and never want to fail him. These traits are what drew you to him and he was hoping to have you on his team permanently, however, that dream was long gone (just like your non-existent brain cells trying to keep your life together so y'all don't do stupid things) as you were snatched away from him in an instant. He wrote the report once he went back to the foundation and locked himself up for so long the doctors had to get him out (like your guardians whenever you don't wake up in the mornings).

Extras:

SCP 073 (Cain)

You and Cain were strolling around site 17 until a containment breach happened. Cain had to drag you by your arm since you froze (like a deer in headlights XD) and didn't react to anything since you were afraid. Luckily you did manage to get your senses back together and ran with him. Not long later, a Keter class SCP came charging at you and in a panic, Cain pushed you aside without a glance which caused another SCP to kill you since you were blocking the way. He looked over to you to see that you were wounded, lifted you up, and found a medic. Cain blamed himself for not looking carefully and had he done that, you wouldn't be dying. By the time the medic and you both arrived, you were already at the brink of death and when 343 finally arrived, you were long gone. 343 had to calm 073 down from trying to seek revenge once again but he can't due to the overwhelming guilt he had on him. 343 managed to ease his mind a bit which caused him to blackout. The researchers had to put him under their watchlist to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid (like you when you're studying for your important exams).

SCP 076 (Abel)

It was a normal day for you and Abel to hang around until this one mf guard angered Abel to which caused a containment breach. He went on a rampage (you do be here like Hercules! Hercules! XD) in which you had to try and calm him down. By the time you went to the main part of the facility, you saw many of the D-classes and researchers beheaded (like the previous queens in- never mind). When you had found Abel attempting to slaughter a guy, you jumped in front of the victim and by the time Abel realised that you were there, his sword cut you open in half (KO! 10 points to Gryffindor). He was overwhelmed with guilt and anxiety about him killing you by accident and returned to his box as demanded by the MTF members. The scientists noticed a change in Abel's behaviour and never questioned it. Those who knew what had happened never mentioned it in fear of another breach and left him be.

SCP 999 (Tickle Monster)

It was an ideal Saturday night at the foundation. You and our adorable 999 was wandering around the facility minding your own business until some madman came charging into the foundation. The alarm for the breach went on and everyone was confused since there weren't any dangerous SCPs on the loose. As it turns out, it was an intruder from one of the other GOIs trying to kidnap some of the SCPs. You and 999 just so happened to be in the exact same spot as the intruder and was holding a weapon of some sort. Realising what's happening, 999 pushed you out of the way just as the intruder fired her weapon which missed you both. One of the agents caught up with both of you and tried to shoot the intruder but ended up shooting you just as you got up which killed you. 999 never greeted any visitors in his cell ever again for quite some time and the researchers attempted to bribe him but failed.

SCP 682 (Hard to Destroy Reptile)

You were requested to take part in a test with 682 and another Keter class SCP in a test room and your job was to make sure 682 weren't allowed to lash out at the researchers because of this test. However, this certain Keter class SCP has decided that it wants to attack you in which 682 shoved you aside to protect you. The researchers ran in to save you but the other SCP managed to pounce on you and suffocated you to the brink of death. 682 was about to take a chonki bite out of that SCP but instead, he bit you instead, killing you instantly. He regretted every decision he has ever made and never attacked the foundation staff for months.

SCP 049 (Plague Doctor)

This doctor was just minding his own business until some dumbass researchers rushed into his room like some fanboys trying to get their noona's signatures. 049 was entertained by this remark but was soon agitated as they disturbed his work and wouldn't leave him alone. So, 049 used his lethal touch on some of the researchers as the rest ran. Luckily, they ran into you, so you managed to calm down the angri bird doctor. Unfortunately, that didn't go as planned as he had mistaken you as one of the other fanboys and stabbed you right into your heart. As soon as he had realised what he's done, he rushed you into his cell and performed surgery on you. Mid-surgery, he soon realised that you were losing too much blood and died right then and there. He mourned for quite some time as the other researchers were severely punished as it had led to your death which could've been avoided.

SCP 035 (Possessive Mask)

Like the other SCPs mentioned in the list, there was a test that resulted in your death. 035 was instructed to change to another human as the black goo was secreted from the mask and so he obeyed as you were slouching by the corner of the test room. Except for this time, it is being worn by a taller and more muscular man who was a wanted man due to his former job as a mercenary. As the researchers watched intently, the mask soon felt slightly overpowered but was resolved quickly due to his evergrowing abilities and experience in possessing those who come near it or is wearing the mask. The mask spoke of the discomfort of being overpowered to which the researchers took note of this statement and watched. You were somewhat concerned to you went closer to your beloved partner to check up on him. However, upon coming closer to 035, he switched his usual persona to the man wearing it, becoming more aggressive and unable to control this body, killing the first person he sees, which was you. This stunned the researchers as the guards tried to pry him off you. When they managed to get him off, you were no longer breathing. In the next interview with 035, he displayed extreme guilt and sadness of his inability to possess the man well enough to control him fully and made a request for him to be left alone for a while.

SCP 096 (Shy Guy)

You both met up during the breach a few steps away from 096's cell. He was wandering around to find you while covering his elongated face. All the other researchers were outside trying their best to stay calm and deal with this massive breach until they just saw 096 walking about looking for someone. It instantly clicked in their mind and offered to look for you as long as he goes back to his cell afterwards to which he agreed. Upon finding you, another SCP was attempting to attack you but was soon neutralised by the other MTFs. 096 managed to push you away beforehand but his throw was so strong that you died on the impact when you fell to the ground (you really did get yeeted lmao). As 096 and the others ran towards you to make sure you were ok, you had stopped breathing and 096 screamed in sadness which flooded the whole field. As he was contained back to his cell, they noticed a small detail about 096 which was him wailing every now and again about your death.

SCP 105 (Iris)

You and Iris were just strolling down site 17 to meet with Cain and Dr James Dantensen. Once you've arrived at the agreed location within site 17, you guys were just catching up with old times and sharing your memories and stories about your everyday lives. However, this jolly moment only lasted for so long as someone had breached the containment to target you as you were close to a lot of the SCPs, especially the humanoid ones. As you, along with the others, ran to safety, the enemy caught up with you and threatened you for your knowledge of the SCPs. Iris finally caught up with you just in time to see the commotion and shoved you out of the way. Cain managed to shield you from another guy who attempted to shoot you in which Iris retaliates by throwing a knife back, but instead, injured you instead. She ran over and screamed as you slowly blacked out. Cain had to carry you over as Dantensen was calling the medics and you barely managed to survive. During your days in the hospital, the suspect managed to suffocate you which alarmed everyone. During the days that followed, Iris had been seeking out revenge as Cain tried to make her stay calm and think more rationally.

SCP 106 (Old Man)

It was another day spending some time in 106's pocket dimension as you relaxed with him. You both talked about your past experiences and the obstacles you both had overcome. Once you both were done relaxing (aka never you lazy catto so get up and do something useful for once cuz I don't wanna see yall get screamed at by your family and non-existent friends (jk jk i hope they're treating you well)), 106 took you back to his containment cell and just sat there as the researchers looked at you both blankly. 096 caused a containment breach which, of course, freed you both from 106's cell and you made a run for it (RUN FOREST RUN!). As you and 096 came into contact, 106 tried to put himself between the both of you, knowing what 096 was capable of. Unfortunately, this resulted in 106 being attacked and you died from looking at his face (wear a damn mask 096, you're in the middle of a pandemic). Saddened by the news, 106 seek revenge but was briefly neutralised and shipped to another facility so it wouldn't cause another breach due to his rage.

[aereres]

For You, I'd Become Hercules - Auston Matthews

Summary: After many years spent apart from each other, Y/N gets back to Auston, her childhood best friend, who happens to have held back a big part of his life from her. His son Tyson.

A/N: Here it finally is! The title was inspired from Evann McIntosh’s song “Yours”, which you should totally listen to! All credits go to them!

Word Count: 9,1k (a long one, damn)

Warnings: swearing, mentions of absent mother, single parenting, lying, heartbreak, mentions of hospitals and sickness (I think that’s all lmao)

"Y/N?"

You smiled as your eyes settled on your childhood best friend after all the years you had spent apart. "Hey, Aus," you chuckled. He closed the front door of his condo behind himself, making the two of you settle into the lightly dimmed hallway of his complex.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, letting his arms open to engulf you in a long hug.

"I promised you I'd move here after college," you said, smiling at him. "I got my degree and now I have a job here in Toronto,"

"No way," he chuckled excitedly, throwing his arms around you again. "I'm so proud of you, I know-"

The loud cry that came from his door made his body stiffen as he let go of you quickly before inching back inside his condo, leaving the door open for you. "This wasn't exactly the way I wanted you to know, but here we go," Auston huffed under his breath while he walked inside the living room, you following right in tow.

A toddler sat in the middle of the room surrounded by toys, wailing his heart out until Auston lifted him up in his arms, shushing him quickly. "Daddy-" was all the little one could say, wrapping his small arms around your best friend's neck.

Saying you were shocked was an understatement. You and Auston had stopped talking to each other as much as you used to because of his career, of how busy he was. But missing out on a baby was a big thing, especially if it was your best friend's baby.

"Y/N, this is my son Tyson," Auston sighed, rubbing the little boy's back as his body shook with sobs. You let silence fill the room as you looked between Tyson and his father, rubbing your forehead as you tried to get past the initial shock.

"Hi, Tyson," you breathed out, sending him a small, reassuring smile. "I'm your daddy's best friend," you whispered sweetly, wiping away the tears that streamed down his cheeks.

Tyson hid his face away from you, tucking it in Auston's neck as he shook with another sob. "He's a little shy," Auston mumbled, biting on his lip as he made his way inside the kitchen. "Want a cup of coffee before I leave for practice?"

-

"Mrs. Blake, this is my best friend, Y/N," Auston introduced you quickly to his neighbor, grabbing his duffle bag from the laundry room and making his way back to the kitchen, where you and the middle-aged woman stood. "Thank you again for coming over,"

"Auston, will you just stop thanking me? We've been doing this ever since Tys was basically born," Mrs. Blake chuckled. "Do you need me to make him dinner?"

"Uh, no. Y/N is staying over, and training won't be long today," Auston said, checking inside his bag for everything. When his eyes settled back to you, he sent you a quick, cold smile before bending down to kiss Tyson's forehead. "I'll see you later, bud. Okay? Be good for Mrs. Blake and Y/N,"

The toddler nodded absentmindedly as his focus stayed on the plastic dino he was playing with. As you looked down at him, you noticed the familiar traits that Auston and he shared, from the mops of dark hair sitting at the top of their heads, to the familiar dark eyes and the nose you had found so strange when you were a kid.

You didn't hear the front door closing or Auston's last goodbyes, too busy looking at the little guy sitting in front of you.

"So, tell me, Y/N, what are you doing here in Toronto?" Mrs. Blake asked with a small smile, sitting on the couch right next to the floor-to-ceiling windows and motioning for you to join her.

"I, uh- I just graduated college and I managed to get a job here," you said, playing with your fingers in your lap as you zoned out again, silence building between the two of you.

"You didn't know about Tys, did you?" She asked gently after a few minutes.

"Not really,"

Mrs. Blake chuckled sadly, her hand opened as she grabbed the toys Tyson handed her, the boy sending you a quick smile. The two of you found yourselves observing him, silence settling between you again as the little boy talked to his toys.

"I only remember the wailing from that night," Mrs. Blake started after a while. "I opened my door to understand what was the source of all that chaos, and I was only able to catch Auston holding the carrier with Tyson,

"He looked extremely scared, so I did what my motherly instinct told me to do and helped him out. He's never told me who the mother is, or what she told him that day," Mrs. Blake ended the sentence with a sigh, shaking her head softly. "He turned out to be a good father, you know?"

"I know he did," you mumbled, a small smile on your lips as you let little Tyson play with your hair. He seemed amazed by it as he let his hand card through it. "Soft," he whispered.

"It's soft, isn't it, Tys?" Mrs. Blake agreed with him. "But don't tug on it, okay? It's gonna hurt your new friend,"

Tyson looked up at you, his curious little orbs scanning over your features as he quietly took you in. He was quick to get back to his toys, not giving you the chance to actually talk to him, or even try to form a small bond.

"He'll open up, don't worry," Mrs. Blake sent you a sympathetic smile, squeezing your hand. You looked back at the kid, a soft grin on your lips as the light feeling of warmth spread through your chest.

He was all Auston.

-

"What?!"

Mitch's voice reverberated around the empty rink as he and Auston shot pucks inside the net, the rest of the team already in the dressing room.

"Y/N visited us," Auston repeated, getting rid of his helmet and letting his stick touch another puck. "She lives here, now,"

Mitch was shocked at his best friend's words but kept his eyes on the ice. "Was Tys happy to see her again?" He asked quietly, watching as Auston shot another puck in the net. All Mitch got was silence, not a word coming from his friend's mouth. It took him a few seconds to actually understand why his friend wasn't talking, and when he finally realized, there was nothing holding back his curiosity.

"You didn't tell her?!" He asked in shock, his mouth hanging open as Auston sighed out.

"I was going to, at one point," he admitted, guilt overtaking him as he pushed his hair out of his face.

"Matts, Tyson has been your son for three years. Three!" Mitch started reasoning. "When did you think you were going to tell her? After his fucking graduation?!"

Auston rolled his eyes, skating towards the net to pass the pucks back to Mitch. "I swear, I was going to tell her! I was just scared she would drop me,"

Mitch shook his head, letting the sound of hockey fill the rink as the two of them stayed in silence. Auston's guilt had been eating him up ever since you had unexpectedly met Tyson: the shocked, sad look on your face at that exact moment was enough to show him you had felt betrayed. The two of you had never hold secrets away from each other, especially if it was something as important as Tyson. He needed to apologize, in some way.

"How did she react?"

Auston looked back at Mitch with a sad look, a frown forming on his features as he shook his head. "She was shocked," he sighed. "And then I fucked it up by being cold as always,"

"Where is she now?"

"My apartment,"

"Listen, you're going to go home and talk to her," Mitch said, voice firm. "Make her dinner, apologize, explain to her why you didn't tell her..."

Auston took a deep breath, nodding his head as his friend pointed a finger towards him. "And please, don't fuck it up,"

-

The takeout Italian food you had ordered before Auston could have come home was sitting in front of you, the pasta you had tried to eat staring back at you as your best friend talked. All you were able to do was zone out, the new discoveries of the day still shocking you.

You weren't going to lie and say it didn't hurt you, the fact that Auston had spent all those years hiding his private life from you, the fact that he didn't even consider telling you, one of his closest friends, or asking for your help. It hurt. Bad.

"God, I still remember that time back in high school," Auston chuckled under his breath as he fed Tyson some pasta. "You were so obsessed with learning how to skate, and-"

"Why didn't you tell me about Tys?" You interrupted him, voice thin and shaky as you mustered the courage to speak the words that crowded your mind the entire night.

Auston's smile quickly faded, being replaced with a look of guilt as a thick layer of silence filled the room. "I- uh, I fucked up, I know,"

"I-I even went home, I saw your sisters, your parents," you said, your eyes glossy as you sniffled. "There was no word spoken about Tyson coming from their mouths,"

"I was scared,"

"Scared of what, Auston? You know I'd be by your side even if the world was ending," you sighed, standing up from your chair to recompose yourself, giving him your back. "I wish you could have just told me,"

A tear slipped past your eye and slid down your cheek. You compressed a sob, mentally slapping yourself for being so sensitive and rude to your best friend. It felt like everyone had lied to you all that time, leaving you unaware of your closest friend's situation. It hurt you.

"I'm sorry," was everything he whispered, standing up and pulling you in a tight hug. "I started overthinking, I thought you would have left me,"

"I could have helped you, Aus," you sniffled. "Hell, I would have dropped out to come here and help you,"

"We both know I would have never let you do that," he said in a whisper, carding a hand through your hair. "I could never be that selfish,"

He cupped your face, wiping the tear that had previously run down your face with the pad of his thumb before looking back at Tyson, who was playing with his sippy cup on his own at the table. "Let's go finish dinner?"

You gave him a soft nod, maybe even feeling a little better because you had been able to talk it out with him. The warm feeling in your chest, the same one you had been feeling back in your teen years too, didn't leave you alone for the rest of the night.

-

You looked out the window of your apartment, biting on your nail as the phone pressed against your ear hummed. The clouds crowding the sky of Toronto blocked the moon, not letting the comforting rays of moonlight peek and illuminate the city.

"Y/N? Is there anything wrong?" your best friend Aaliyah mumbled sleepily from her side of the line. "What are you doing up this late?"

Your eyes wandered to the clock hanging against the wall of your kitchen, noticing just then that it was well past midnight. You had lost track of time back at Auston's, spending most of the night catching up as you got accustomed to Tyson's presence. "Fuck, A, I'm sorry I woke you up," you muttered. "Some shit went down, but I can just talk to you in the morning,"

"I'm awake, now, and I won't be able to fall back asleep until you tell me," she chuckled. You heard faint sounds coming from her side, it sounded like she was leaving her bed. "What's up? Spill,"

"I, uh- today I met with Auston," you explained, rubbing your forehead with a long sigh. "And I surprised him at his apartment,"

"He wasn't with some girl, was he?" Aaliyah asked, her voice harsh as she reminded you of all the times you had come to her with a broken heart because of Auston's new girl.

"No, he-" you stopped in your tracks, trying to find the right words. "He became a dad,"

"Oh my God-" Aaliyah whispered. "You gotta be kidding me,"

"Tyson is three and a little shy," you chuckled, shaking your head as you thought about the toddler that managed to win a part of your heart already.

"Three?! Holy fuck, I'm killing him-" your best friend mumbled under her breath. "Didn't you meet his family when you went back home? They left you clueless about everything that happened?"

The sigh that left your lips was enough to let her know, making her scoff. "I can't believe it,"

"A?"

She hummed, your heart was beating out of your chest as you finally figured out the way you were feeling.

"I think I still love him,"

-----

You were hurriedly walking towards Auston's apartment, a smile on your lips as you thought of the night ahead of you. You'd received a text from your best friend when you were still at work, suggesting a movie night with him and Tyson.

Things had become better after you talked things out with Auston, he didn't hesitate to send you pictures of Tyson every possible time, updating you and making your days slightly better.

You were more than tired from your workday, but you weren't going to turn down a relaxing night with the boys, especially if it was Disney movie night. You were welcomed inside the warmth of the condo complex before you knew it, slipping inside the elevator to reach Auston's floor with a content sigh.

When you knocked on the front door, you were met with Tyson's small frame smiling up at you. "Hi, little guy!" You said excitedly, smile so bright your cheeks hurt. He silently grabbed your hand, tugging you along with him towards the kitchen where Auston was preparing all the snacks.

The giggle that escaped your mouth made Auston turn around, revealing the 'Cars' matching pajamas he shared with Tyson. "Oh my God," you gasped softly, your smile even bigger as you looked at the two of them.

"Well, good evening to you too, Y/N," Auston chuckled, slightly crouching down to hand Tyson the bowl of popcorn as he sent you a quick smile. "Be careful not to drop it, okay, bud?"

The toddler nodded, slipping out of the room, the soft padding of his feet making a small smile form on Auston's lips. "Hey," you whispered, walking closer to Auston. "You should have told me about the PJs, I would have tried to match,"

He laughed, the butterflies in your stomach starting their dance all over again as he pressed a hand on your smaller back, leading you towards the couch, where the Disney logo was already staring back at you.

"C'mon daddy!" Tyson squealed excitedly. "I wanna watch the movie!"

"What are we watching tonight, Tys?" You asked, ruffling his hair as he jumped up and down on the couch.

"Hercules!"

Auston groaned loudly, making his son giggle as he pressed play on the remote and started the film. He sat next to his father, leaving Auston in the middle as you took the only spot left next to him.

You tried your best to follow the plot, even though you had seen it multiple times as a kid, without letting your eyes close. You were able to get halfway through it: the songs seemed to lull you, and even if the movie was pretty chaotic, you found yourself falling asleep on Auston's shoulder.

In your half-asleep state, you felt Auston's arm slide around your waist, pulling you close to his chest. A small hand cradled your cheek, but it got squatted away in less than a second.

"Tys, don't wake her up," you heard Auston whisper.

"Daddy, she's pretty," the toddler whispered back, his voice close to your face as he studied your features.

"She is," Auston's answers didn't go unnoticed by you, his hand smoothing the skin of your waist as he inched you even closer. "But now it's already past your bedtime for both of you, so to bed you go!"

Your body was hoisted in Auston's arms as Tyson padded right next to him towards the master bedroom. Your best friend lay you down on his bed, rolling the covers over you before helping Tyson with brushing his teeth and settling him in his bed.

Your eyes opened slightly when Auston walked back inside the room, your voice groggy as you pushed yourself onto your elbows. "Sorry, work was rough today,"

"It's fine, Tyson needed to go to bed anyway," Auston chuckled, grabbing a blanket and pillow from one of his closets. "You can sleep here, I'll take the couch,"

"No!"

Auston turned around confusedly, a small smile on his lips as you stuttered. "I-I mean, you wanna share? The couch doesn't seem too comfortable,"

He chuckled teasingly, lifting the covers on the other side of the bed. "No need to be so nervous. We're friends, we share all the time,"

You managed to push out a fake giggle as his words opened a small wound inside your heart. Friends. That was all you were.

-----

Not a month after his statement about the relationship the two of you shared, Auston was directed towards Ottawa, ready to play a really important game. You had taken the responsibility of being Tyson's babysitter for the weekend to help Auston out: he had to travel away from home, and Tyson happened to not feel too well, so you let yourself get comfortable in the Matthews' household for just a couple of days to look after the little one.

"Auston, we will be just fine," you sighed into the phone, your best friend's worried voice coming from the other line mixing with the loud noises of the Leafs changing room. "Tyson just happens to have a small cold,"

"Call me if anything happens, okay?"

"Okay," you mumbled before ending the call, your eyes immediately falling on Tyson's tired body. He lay on the couch, lazily following a Disney movie playing on TV as he cuddled what you had realized was his favorite stuffie. He had been able to eat just a small part of his dinner under your watch, and the amount of tissues that sat around the two of you was concerning.

The game was going to start in a couple of minutes, and you were hoping that seeing his daddy would make Tyson feel a little better. You let a hand card through his soft, short hair, taking note of the whine that left his lips when your hand came in contact with his head. His forehead was burning, and you were sure he had a headache, too.

You weren't going to lie and say you weren't worried, you had measured his fever already once, and it only seemed to get worse. Tyson let his head rest in your lap, shocking you a little after all the coldness he had given you since the moment you first had stepped foot into his house weeks prior. He seemed to enjoy the movements of your hands in his hair, relaxing him even more and pushing him into a light slumber.

You switched channels, turning down the volume as soon as the booming voices of the commentators filled the condo. When the cameras focused on number 34, you let a smile paint your lips. Auston skated around the rink, getting warmed up with a small smirk on his face. Seeing him on the ice reminded you of the times back in your childhood, from his first hockey games when he was a kid, to cheering for him in High School as his number one fan, wearing his personal jersey.

Auston had been a constant part of your life ever since birth, you didn't even know how you could have gone a couple of years without him.

You were pushed out of your thoughts when Tyson stirred, a whine leaving his lips as he tightened his grasp on his stuffie. He let a cough out, and that's when you finally heard his labored breathing. As you let your hand graze his forehead, you also realized that he had heated up even more in the time being.

Your heart started beating out of your chest as the situation dawned on you: Tyson needed medical attention as soon as possible. Auston hadn't left Tyson's doctor's number, and you were sure that their clinic must have been closed for the night, anyway. The only option left was the ER.

You threw on your coat and helped a sleepy Tyson into his, slipped quickly your pairs of shoes before making your way to Auston's car, the only one that had a baby seat settled in the back. You were sure you had never driven that fast in your entire life, with a hand tightly holding Tyson's as you sprinted past cars in the busy streets of Toronto.

You made it to the emergency room in just a small amount of minutes, where you were escorted by a kind nurse to the pediatric ward. You were last in a small line of kids and parents, Tyson looking the youngest of them all.

You sat in a small chair waiting for your turn, the little boy cuddling in your arms as he struggled to breathe, your heart clenching every time he shook in his fever-induced dream.

With a panicked sigh, you grabbed your phone, pressing on Auston's contact and hoping he'd pick up. You were quickly sent to his voicemail, your eyes tearing up as you tried to muster up the words you were going to say to your best friend.

"Uh- hey, Aus," you sniffled, taking a deep breath before you kept going. "Tys and I are at the hospital right now: his fever got worse and he's wheezing. Call me back as soon as you can,"

You shakily put your phone back in your pocket, carding a hand through Tyson's hair as you looked at his sleepy form in your arms. A mother sitting in front of you sent you a reassuring smile, her kid sleeping against her side as they waited. Her smile had a calming effect on you, making you take a deep breath and close your eyes as you let the time pass.

You woke up to the sound of your ringtone a few hours later, your eyes quickly falling to Tyson to check on him before pressing the device to your ear. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" Auston quickly mumbled. "Excuse me- I just landed in Toronto,"

"Oh- we're still at the hospital, Toronto General," you mumbled, finally noticing you were the only ones left in line. "I think we're about to go in,"

"Fuck-" Auston muttered under his breath. "I'm in a taxi right now, I'll be there in a couple of minutes,"

He ended the call right after that, leaving you in the empty hallway. Tyson stirred, yawning quickly before whining out. "My head hurts,"

"I know, buddy. I'm so sorry," you whispered, kissing his forehead tenderly as your leg bounced anxiously.

"I want daddy," he sobbed, hiding his face in your chest and staining your shirt with his tears.

"He's on his way, Tys,"

The kid sobbed, wrapping his arms around you as he closed his eyes again, making you tear up. The entire night had taken a huge mental toll on you, and the fact that you thought everything you had done was wrong made things even worse. As if blaming yourself for not noticing Tyson's state as quickly as you should have wasn't enough, you felt extremely bad for making Auston think that everything was going to be okay when he had called before the game.

"And you must be Tyson Matthews!" The voice of an older man snapped you out of your thoughts. He stood by his office door, a kind smile on his face as his eyes scanned the still sleepy boy in your arms behind his thick pair of glasses.

"Yes," Tyson's small voice said shakily. He gripped onto you as you stood up to shake hands with the doctor. "Let’s go inside? Mommy will be with you all along, don’t worry,"

"I- uh, I'm not-"

"I'm here!" You heard Auston say from beside you, his breathing uneven after running around the entire hospital to find the two of you. "I'm here, Tys,"

"Daddy!"

"Let's see what's wrong with you, little guy. Shall we?"

-

You wrapped your coat tightly around yourself as you walked beside Auston, Tyson sleeping in his arms. The cold air of Toronto was hitting your face harshly, large puffs of warmth leaving your mouth as you watched your best friend put Tyson in the backseat of his car.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, shaking your head as you tried to hold the tears in.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," you repeated. "Tyson hadn't been feeling well the entire night and I still told you he was going to be okay, and-"

"Y/N, it's fine. Having the flu happens sometimes," he interrupted you, wrapping his arms around your frame tightly. "Thank you for taking care of him,"

He held you for a little while, relaxing against your body to let the stress of the night leave the both of you before dragging you towards the car. The streets were still crowded by just a few cars, even if it was well after 1 a.m., and you used the silence inside the car to wipe the stress away from your body.

When the car stopped inside Auston's garage, you quickly went to unbuckle Tyson, lifting him up in your arms so Auston could take care of his luggage. He was quick to follow you inside his condo, right behind you as you lay Tyson in his toddler bed. The kid seemed to let out a content sigh, turning on his side and giving you his back.

"I think I'll go home, now," you whispered awkwardly, biting on your lip as you looked at Auston. "You need to rest,"

"And you do, too," he mumbled, his hand slipping into yours as he pulled you inside his bedroom. "I don't want you driving this late. Just stay the night?"

"Auston-"

"Just for tonight,"

You chuckled as you looked at him, the glimmer in his eyes the same as when he was a kid. You let out a small 'fine', his smile so bright you were sure it could light up the whole room. He let you take the bathroom first, and you changed as quickly as you could into a pair of comfortable clothes of his.

You missed the soft glance he sent your way, too busy putting your phone in charge and avoiding his eyes before taking place under the sheets. Having sleepovers in the same bed had never been a problem for both of you, but you couldn't deny the tension that had built when you had first inserted yourself back into his life.

You were confused, to say the least, but not shocked. Your feelings for Auston would have come back at one point, you thought. You had seen him fall in love so many times, living his life without even thinking you might have felt a certain type of way about him. He had been so oblivious for all those years, it had pissed you off.

When you two had parted, you had rid yourself of your childhood crush. You had joined college, became busy with classes, and found yourself in different relationships before graduating. You didn't think your crush could have come back that easily, this time, your feelings were even stronger.

"Still not tired?" He asked, his side of the bed dipping as he lay down next to you.

"Tonight took a toll on me," you admitted, playing with the strings of the hoodie you were wearing. "Stress is still pumping, I guess,"

"C'mere," Auston whispered, lifting an arm up so you could rest your head on his chest. Your heart thumped against your ribcage, making you smile.

"Tell me something good, to make this night better," you whispered.

"We won," he chuckled. "I scored twice,"

You giggled, shaking your head as you closed your eyes. "Tys is gonna be so proud of you," you said mid-yawn, sleep taking over you. "Just like I am,"

He kissed the top of your head, taking one last look at you before closing his own eyes, wishing to dream about you on that night.

-----

Auston Matthews was going on a date.

He wasn't happy or thrilled about it, he couldn't stand those shallow dates at expensive restaurants anymore, especially if they were set by Mitch and Freddie.

His character had changed after Tyson became part of his life, he thought that he had changed for the better, thanks to his son. Dating, or having sex, wasn't as important as it used to be. His main focus was on giving Tyson the happy life he deserved.

His friends almost forced him into 'just one date' with a beautiful girl named Meghan, and he had been regretting the 'yes' he had given them ever since he’d seen the sad look on Tyson's face when he was told his daddy was going to be busy again. Auston wasn't ready to get back into the dating life, at least, he thought he wasn't.

When you had gotten the news, though, you had tried to conceal the pain with everything you had inside of you. Your feelings for Auston weren't mutual, the date made it clear. You had smiled and offered to take care of Tyson for the night, just so he wouldn't have to be worried.

When the night arrived, he dropped the toddler off with a thankful hug and headed quickly towards the destination, where the pretty brunette was already waiting for him. The entire conversation that night was about his fame and hockey, something that he had never liked to discuss during dates.

When dessert was brought over - right when Meghan started discussing her follower count on Instagram - realization hit him. He had compared his date to you the entire evening, noting how she wasn't as selfless as you, or how he didn't feel the warmth in his chest with her.

"Are you even listening to me, Auston?" Meghan said, her annoyed tone snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, I-"

"You definitely aren't," she snapped. "You haven't been listening to me all night, I'm surprised you even showed up,"

Meghan lifted herself up from her chair, catching the attention of the few people around them as she grabbed her purse, ready to walk out of the restaurant. "Good night, Auston,"

His eyes snapped shut with a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. He asked for the check with a quick hand gesture, trying to get out of the place as soon as possible, he couldn't bear the apologetic looks coming from the people around him.

He was sure he had never paid for dinner that quickly, and he breathed out in relief as soon as the cold air hit his face. He slid inside his car and drove towards your apartment to pick Tyson up, his thoughts racing as the streetlights illuminated his features.

Your building stared back at him as the butterflies inside his stomach intensified at the thought of you. Everything about the date left his mind as he stepped inside the complex, the flight of stairs seeming longer than it actually was as his heart thumped against his ribcage. What was happening to him?

You opened the door after a quick knock, Tyson in your arms as he slept softly. "Hey, how did it go?"

"She left because I wasn't paying attention to her," Auston chuckled. "Mitch should just stop setting me out on dates,"

Your heart fluttered selfishly as you realized he hadn't been interested in the girl as you handed Tyson to him. "How was he?"

"He was good," you mumbled, looking at the toddler with a small smile. "Ate all the food and watched some TV with me,"

"That's good," he whispered, cradling his son's head to his chest as an idea popped in his mind. "Y/N?"

The hum he got from you was enough to send him into a spiral, his palms getting sweaty as nerves got the best of him. "The team is hosting a gala in two weeks,”

"That's cool," you smiled. "Want me to babysit Tys again?"

He chuckled, shaking his head as you sent him a confused glare. "I'm asking you to be my date, dummy,"

Your eyes widened in shock, but you nodded your head in less than a second.

"Is that a yes?"

"What do you think it is, dummy?"

-----

"Wow-"

Auston's impressed words whispered under his breath were enough to make your heart flutter. He stood in front of you with one of his suits, the ones that were so unique you never saw anyone wearing them too. To your surprise, Tyson was clasping his hand, a bouquet of flowers covering his face.

"Well, good evening, boys," you giggled, kneeling down to gently take the flowers from Tyson's hands. The little guy smiled when he saw your face, giggling when you kissed his cheek. "Thank you, mister,"

Auston helped you stand back up, his hand in yours as you finally let your eyes find his. He had the softest smile adorning his lips as he let his thumb brush against the back of your hand. "You look beautiful,"

You bit your lip to hide the lovesick smile that formed on your features. "You don't look too bad yourself," you teased, walking back inside your house to put the flowers inside a vase, before grabbing your purse and locking the front door behind yourself.

Auston let his palm find your smaller back, his other hand holding Tyson's as the three of you left the apartment complex and settled inside the backseat of a dark car.

"Private driver, wow," you teased him as he helped Tyson in his car seat, a chuckle leaving his lips as he gave directions to the driver. He settled down next to you, his hand slipping in yours as he made small talk regarding the night, telling you who was going to be there and what the event was going to be about.

The car came to a halt quicker than you had expected, nerves making your hands shake as you saw a few photographers standing near the entrance of the venue. "They'll just snap a few pictures, we'll be by your side for the entire time," Auston whispered, making it seem like he had almost sensed your stress.

His hand stayed in yours as he opened the door, helping you and Tyson out as the photographers greeted him. They snapped a few quick pictures, and you were sent inside the venue soon after.

The place was large, beautifully decorated with chandeliers and large tables already set for the dinner that would have soon started. Teammates were introduced to you, same went with girlfriends and coaches. Tyson had quickly run away with other kids, and you and Auston found yourselves at the bar with Mitch and Steph.

"Y/N, I've heard so much about you!" Mitch said, making you giggle, especially when Auston elbowed him in the ribs. "Matts can't seem to shut up about you, sometimes,"

Auston flushed a deep shade of red, running a hand through his hair nervously as he pulled you closer to his body. "Mitch is just overdramatic,"

"Am not,"

Steph laughed from beside you, her manicured fingers touching the velvety material of your gown, starting a conversation with you about your dresses. Tyson's little squeals were enough to interrupt you, and when he ran all the way to hug your legs, a small smile painted on your lips.

"Daddy, dinner!"

His statement made everyone turn around. Waiters and waitresses were starting to carefully move around the tables with food, and the team's coach was making his way towards the improvised altar, ready to give his speech.

"You hungry, Tys?" You asked.

"I'm starving!"

-

You were sure you had ever eaten food as good as the one you had eaten that night, your tummy feeling full as they brought dessert around the tables. Tyson hadn't made it through the entire dinner, he was already sleeping in your lap, holding one of his toys close to him.

You had felt someone's eyes on you for the entire night, but had shrugged it off, focusing on the amazing evening you had been able to spend with Auston, Tyson, and the people close to them. You enjoyed your night, forgot about the unsettling feeling, and let yourself have fun with everyone. When your date left to sort something out with his coach and the team, though, the feeling returned.

You wrapped an arm around Tyson, holding him close to you as you checked the few people still surrounding you, seeing if they were paying any attention to you. When you gave the tables behind yours a quick look, you noticed a pair of eyes staring back at you.

They belonged to a redheaded man, his glare cold as he quickly stepped towards your table. You didn't know whether you should have left to search for Auston or just act as if you hadn't seen him, but you chose the latter.

Your hands were shaky as you let them run through Tyson's hair, trying to recompose yourself, but everything seemed to change when the chair in front of you moved, the man sitting just a few feet away from you.

"Hi," you shakily said.

"Hi," was all he said, his eyes scanning your face before dropping down to Tyson. "You're Y/N, right?"

You nodded quickly, tightening your grip on the kid in your lap as he kept looking at you. "I'm Freddie, I play with Auston,"

You seemed to calm down after his statement, starting to breathe again after what felt like years. You smiled at him, letting a thick layer of silence fill the air around you. He was the first one to speak.

"He talks a lot about you, you know," Freddie said, his voice deep as his eyes met with Tyson's sleeping form. "But, as much as he likes to hide his feelings, he's been hurt before,"

"I can imagine," you whispered, recalling the conversation you had had with Mrs. Blake.

"I just- kind of took it upon myself to make sure he's not gonna go through all of that again, as his best friend,"

You smiled at him, realizing all he was doing was making sure you weren't going to hurt his best friend, and Tyson, of course. You felt the little one stir in your arms, his arms looping around your neck and letting his face hide in your chest.

"Mommy, the lights are too bright,"

Your world stopped at his words, at the name he used to call you. The shock was evident on your face as your eyes fell on Freddie, who just calmly smiled.

"I'm sorry, Tys. I promise you we will go home soon," you whispered as you looked down at him, using the palm of your hand to soothingly caress his back. When you looked back up to meet Freddie's eyes again, he was gone, no sign of him inside the venue.

A warm hand on your shoulder snapped you out of your trance, and when you turned around, you were met with Auston's smile.

"Tys is pretty tired," you whispered to him, seeing that the room was starting to become packed again.

"We probably should start heading home," Auston nodded his head, pressing a quick kiss to your temple. You stopped him before he could leave to grab your coats, letting your hand find his as his eyes met yours.

"Thank you for tonight,"

The smile on his face made your heart flutter, and his hand squeezed yours for a quick moment. "You're the one I should thank, I don't know where I'd be without you,"

When you left, that night, you caught Freddie's gaze again. He smiled your way, saying goodbye to you with a quick movement of his head. He was sure, nothing or nobody was going to make him change his mind on that.

You were the right one.

-----

“God, I also need to start looking at kindergartens,” Auston sighed as he rubbed his forehead, leaning against the washing machine. “I’ll have to do that in the next couple of days,”

You let a thick layer of silence build between the two of you, wondering whether you should have told him about what Tyson had called you at the gala the previous week. “I’ll help you with it, don’t worry,”

He gave you a look of pure appreciation, his arms engulfing you in a hug. He let the comfortable silence be his way of saying ‘thank you’, pressing a quick kiss to the crown of your head before dragging you towards the living room.

His hand never left yours as he fell on the couch, tugging you along. You slipped in his arms with a giggle, his body welcoming yours in a warm embrace. His fingers drew small shapes on your arms, the feeling of his strong chest against your back making you relax into him.

“Do you think I’m a good parent?”

His words made your heart stop for a quick second, snapping you out of your thoughts. “Of course you are,” you whispered, turning around in his grasp to face him. “Tyson loves you, what makes you even think that?”

“Hockey makes me absent all the time, I feel like I always miss the most important parts of his life,” Auston admitted, his fingers tangling in your hair.

“Tys is so lucky to have you as a dad, Auston,” you whispered, letting your hand cup your cheek. “You might be busy sometimes, but you always put your kid first, no matter what,”

Your best friend’s eyes settled on something behind you, silence filling the room again. The hurt that had painted his voice when he first asked you the question had you heartbroken, and it made you wonder how long he had been asking himself the same question.

“It was really hard,” he mumbled, playing with your fingers as he started talking. “I didn’t know I had a kid until his mother left him on my doormat, it truly left everyone shocked,”

You squeezed his hand gently, looking up at him with a reassuring smile as he found the courage to talk about Tyson’s story, about what happened.

“I was having a hard time with the team, I wasn’t scoring anymore, I felt awful,” he explained. “The only thing that seemed to make me feel relaxed was fucking around. I met Jessica at a bar, after a game we lost. We had sex, I left as soon as we were done and went on with my life,

“Months passed, everything had gone back to okay, and I saw her at my door. She left Tyson to me, explaining to me that he was my child and that she wanted nothing to do with him,” at that point, your eyes were glossy. You could have felt the pain in his words, it had become so evident at that point.

“We took DNA tests, everything, and Tyson was really my son, there was nothing denying that,”

“Where did Jessica go?”

“I don’t know. It’s almost as if she deleted herself from the world. She doesn’t live here anymore, she’s not on any social media and has deleted my number,”

You let your head rest against his chest, your hand playing with the material of his shirt as you took in the truth. You really wished you had known about Tyson from the start, to give a little help, to be there for Auston during the hard times.

“You’re strong. You know that, right?” You whispered, letting your eyes find his.

“I’m not,” the sigh that left his lips made your heart clench. “I’m barely holding on. I’m broken,”

“For you, I’d become Hercules and hold your broken pieces together,” you whispered, letting your hand cup his cheek. “No matter how hard it gets,”

He leaned into your touch briefly, before letting his eyes meet yours again. You hadn’t truly realized how close the two of you were, your faces just mere inches away from each other as your breathing became uneven.

He was the first one to inch closer, letting your lips meet for the first time. The smell of his cologne filled your senses, and the feeling of his hands gently cupping your cheeks was enough to send you into a frenzy.

He let his forehead rest against yours, when the two of you pulled apart, your breaths ragged. He smiled, lightly, but he still smiled.

And it made your heart soar.

-----

There was nothing as important as Tyson’s birthday, to Auston. It was December fourth, his little boy was turning four and sitting right between you and him as all of you were squeezed in the back of a taxi directed to Scottsdale to celebrate the little guy’s special day.

It had become a tradition for the Matthews to meet up on Tyson’s birthday, celebrate it together before parting ways again, it was something they just couldn’t miss. You had been invited, something you truly weren’t expecting.

“Nana!” Tyson yelled, snapping you out of your train of thoughts. His tiny hand was pointing out of the car window, where Ema was standing. She was waiting for you by the driveway, Nala and Felix patiently looking up at her as the car pulled up near the house.

You helped Tyson out of the car since he was excitedly kicking around, wanting nothing more than to go hug his grandma. “Mijo!”

Tyson ran in Ema’s arms, giggling as she pecked his face with kisses. “I missed you so much!” She squealed, letting him onto the ground to greet the dogs when her eyes met yours.

She was smiling, so brightly you were sure her cheeks hurt. You hadn’t seen her in months, and she seemed to be so happy to have you there with her family. “Oh, Y/N,” was all she could whisper as she pulled you in a tight hug. “I’m so happy you could join us,”

You almost teared up at her sweet words, just as happy as she was to finally see her after all the time spent apart. Ema pulled away to greet Auston, who was standing next to you. Your eyes dropped to Tyson who was excitedly playing with the dogs as a smile painted on your face. Maybe that was where you belonged, you thought.

“Everyone is inside,” Ema explained, a faint smile forming on her lips when she noticed Auston’s hand mindlessly rest on your waist, pulling you closer to him. “Wanna head inside, mijo? Your aunties are waiting for you!”

Tyson nodded his head, gripping his grandma’s hand as the two of them headed inside. You didn’t realize you had been nervously zoning out as you watched them walk away, at least, not until Auston squeezed your hip to catch your attention.

“Don’t be so nervous,” he whispered. “I know this is their first time seeing us together like this, but they won’t change your opinion on you,”

He bent down to kiss your forehead, his hands running through your hair, knowing it would calm you, before Breyana’s voice snapped the two of you out of your trance.

“Enough of that, lovebirds! There’s a birthday we need to celebrate!”

-

Tyson had opened his presents, including the remote control car you had gifted him. The glimmer in his eyes when he first saw your present was enough to make you smile excitedly, kissing the top of his head when he rushed towards you to thank you.

By the end of the day, he was still out with his aunties and the dogs, his squeals and giggles being loud enough to be heard inside the house where you, Auston, and his parents were conversating.

“Alex already started to plan the trip to Cabo,” Ema said, drying her wet hands on the closest towel before joining you at the kitchen island. “Are you coming this year?”

“We’ll have to see,” Auston mumbled, his eyes looking out the window to keep an eye on Tyson.

“We?” You asked, smiling when his cheeks turned a deep shade of red.

“I mean, just if you want to,” he mumbled, his hand resting on your thigh.

“Daddy!” Tyson barged in, Alexandria running after him with a smile. “Can I sleep here? With Nana and Papa?”

Auston looked at his mother for her consent, being greeted only with a smile and a nod of her head. “He can stay in your room,” she reassured him. “Wanna stay in daddy’s room, mijo?”

“Yes!”

“You have to be good, though,” Auston kneeled down to his son’s height, ruffling his hair with a chuckle. “We’re only a call away, mom,”

“I know, Aus,” she giggled. “You two go get some rest, alright? We’ll take good care of him,”

“Alright,” Auston sighed. “Good night, buddy. I’ll see you tomorrow,”

The toddler pressed a kiss to his father’s cheek, before running towards you to hug your legs. “Good night, mommy!”

“Sweet dreams, Tys,” you shakily said, finally accepting the fact that Tyson wasn’t seeing you as daddy’s friend anymore. As you looked around, you were met with Auston’s shocked expression. He took a deep breath before saying his last goodbyes to the family, leaving the house with you by his side.

The car ride was silent. Auston seemed to be in his thoughts, his eyes focused on the road as he gripped the steering wheel lightly. You felt like things were going too quickly for him, that being called mommy from Tyson was just too many steps ahead. Your friendship had just taken its sharp turn, the kiss you had shared just a few weeks prior was still playing in your head. You just hoped it wasn’t going to end as quickly as it started.

“I’m sorry about Tyson,” was all he whispered, slightly shocking you. “He’s called you that many times when we were alone. I told him to drop the name, but I guess he just couldn’t let it go,”

His confession made your heartbeat quicken, a smile forming on your lips. “He’s- he’s called me that before, it’s not a big deal,”

“He has?”

You nodded. “At the gala,”

Auston chuckled, shaking his head as he parked the car in the driveway of a rather big house. “I was worried he’d overstep,”

“I was worried I was the one overstepping,” you admitted, chuckling when he frowned your way.

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” you giggled, the mood inside the car changing. He laughed, letting his head rest against the car seat. You planted a quick kiss on his cheek, your fingers intertwining.

“I appreciate you,” he whispered, turning his head so his lips could ghost yours. “So much,”

You kissed him gently, letting out a little squeal when he pulled you onto his lap. “Auston!” You giggled loudly, palms flat on his chest as you looked at him.

“What? Can’t appreciate my girl?”

Heat rose to your cheeks as you felt like a teenager again, straddling his lap inside the walls of his car, sharing sweet kisses. “You should really consider coming to Los Cabos with us,” he mumbled after he suddenly pulled away. “Work has been stressing you out, and I can tell. You deserve a trip,”

The tip of his thumb brushed against your swollen lips as you gave his statement a thought. You did need a vacation, you weren’t going to lie: work had been busy, filled with meetings and important deadlines. It truly had been stressing you out.

“It would be in a couple of months, baby,” Auston whispered. “Just give it a thought and let me know,”

You nodded your head, pressing one last peck to his lips before opening the car door and sliding out, Auston following your tracks.

You were still uncertain, but maybe the universe wanted you to be there. Next to Tyson and Auston, being part of their lives, part of their routine.

Maybe that was where you belonged.

-----

3 months later...

“You little troll!” You squealed jokingly, running after Tyson as he splashed water your way. His giggles were loud when you wrapped your arms around him, spreading kisses all over his face as the warm Mexican sun shone on your faces.

“Daddy! Come play with mommy and me!” Tyson yelled to Auston, who was sitting by the shore, looking at his two favorite people playing together. He chuckled, stepping towards the two of you with a smile.

“Show daddy what I’ve taught you, baby,” you suggested, pushing the few strands of wet, dark hair away from Tyson’s forehead.

The toddler looked at his father with a smile before lying flat on the water, floating ‘just like the big kids’, as he had said just prior. Auston’s reaction was priceless, his lips pulling in a wide smile as he gave you a quick look.

His fingers were quick to tickle Tyson’s stomach before pulling him in his arms, excitedly laughing with his son. “Look at you!”

“Was I good, daddy?” Tyson asked with a giggle.

“You were spectacular!”

Tyson laughed, pointing your way as he talked to his father. “Mommy helped me,”

“Do you think she should teach me, too?” Auston asked, smirking your way when Tyson nodded.

“Such a way to ask for alone time, Mattews,” you rolled your eyes, biting your lip before pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Tyson’s tiny hands smacked the cheeks of you and your lover, pushing the two of you away in a fit of laughter.

“No kissies!”

You shook your head, pressing a quick peck to Tyson’s cheek before letting your lips find Auston’s one last time. “I’ll go get some sunscreen on, my shoulders are burning,” you muttered quickly, pointing a finger towards Tyson teasingly. “And you, mister, you better come get your sunscreen refill in ten,”

“Mommy!” He pouted, giving you his puppy eyes you couldn’t resist.

“It’s gonna be quick, then you’ll be able to play with daddy and Papa as much as you want,”

You left only after you had gotten a small, resentful ‘okay’, walking towards the beach to reach for your beach bag. You looked from the distance at the boys, your boys, with a loving smile. You had never felt love for someone the same way you felt love for Auston and Tyson, never. Your heart belonged to them, in any possible way.

You wondered where you would have been at that point, if you hadn’t gone back to Auston. Maybe you would have been back home, still heartbroken over the things he had made you go through as a teenager. Maybe you would have been in Toronto, too scared to let him know you had kept your promise. Maybe you would have been somewhere else, far away from his life, living different experiences without him and the kid you had started to call your own.

You were there, though, living the life you had been wishing for ever since you were a little girl. A love story, a kid you loved so much, moments you would never be able to forget.

Your life was complete, everything you had asked for.

You weren’t uncertain anymore, there were no ‘maybes’, no ‘perhaps’.

That was where you belonged.

Taglist: @thirsthy-bitch @bellaguarneri @jakevirtanenn @brokeninsidebutnobodyknows

[thechanelmuse]

It's Possible: An Oral History of 1997's "Cinderella"

When shooting began for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "Cinderella" in July of 1997, the closest Disney had come to showcasing a black princess were the muses from "Hercules." In fact, it would be another 12 years before an (animated) black girl got the lead in "The Princess and the Frog." But megastar Whitney Houston didn’t want to wait. Instead, the Grammy and Emmy Award-winning artist set out to make a diverse, multicultural "Cinderella," starring a young Brandy Norwood — who would become Disney's first black princess.

Remaking "Cinderella" had been on Houston’s mind for years; long before any footage was shot, before glass slippers were fitted, before anyone thought that Cinderella could have microbraids. Houston and her co-producers knew how important it was for each modern generation to have their own "Cinderella" — and for many young black girls growing up in the 90s, Brandy was ours.

Once Upon a Time: How “Cinderella” Came to Be

Neil Meron (Executive Producer): Surprisingly, the journey began at CBS — not with Disney. Craig and I had just done the musical "Gypsy" for CBS starring Bette Midler. It was a gigantic success and it was really the first movie musical that was done on TV I think in forever. This was in 1993. [...]

Craig Zadan (Executive Producer): At that point, Whitney was going to play Cinderella. She was also attached to be a producer with us from the get-go. We actually didn’t meet her partner, Debra [Chase Martin], until way down the road. But Robert Freedman, who wrote the script, was around pretty quickly if I’m remembering correctly.

Casting Cinderella

Brandy Norwood (Cinderella): Whitney called me at home on my house phone in Carson, California. Imagine — anyone could have picked up! Luckily I grabbed it, and I hear Whitney on the other end, "Brandy, what do you think about being Cinderella?"

"Cinderella-Cinderella?" I asked.

And she said, "Yes, I think you would be great in this role." I mentioned that I thought she was going to be Cinderella, because it was going around that the movie was going to be made. I’d heard through the grapevine that Whitney was going to be Cinderella, and I thought that was great casting. 

But she said, "No, I’m gonna be your Fairy Godmother." I screamed at the top of my lungs and ran all around my house. I left Whitney Houston on hold! [...]

Craig Zadan: Though I’ll tell you what was going on behind the scenes: There was an executive at Disney — who will remain nameless — and he was very nervous about a black Cinderella. He loved the idea of Whitney being the black fairy godmother, but he came up to us and said, "Well, if you’re coming up with someone like Brandy as Cinderella, why can’t you go get Jewel instead, and have a white Cinderella and a black Fairy Godmother. It’ll still be multicultural." I think he was saying to himself, "Who’s a white version of Brandy?" We said absolutely not. The whole point of this whole thing was to have a black Cinderella. We didn’t want to make it with a white Cinderella. We weren’t interested in a white Cinderella. Still aren’t! We never approached anyone other than Brandy for the role, and Jewel was never approached.

Debra Chase Martin (Executive Producer): Jewel as Cinderella would have been a nonstarter.

Neil Meron: It was always Whitney and Brandy. This exec was doing this independent of the network. Michael Eisner had nothing to do with it— he backed us completely.

Craig Zadan: But it’s important to mention because it shows that even at that moment there was still resistance to having a black Cinderella. People were clearly still thinking, "Multicultural is one thing, but do we have to have two black leads?"

Finding Prince Charming

Neil Meron: The last person we cast was the Prince.

Craig Zadan: We had an issue: Do we cast a black or Latino prince, do we cast a white prince, or do we cast an Asian prince? We wanted to make sure that we were true to the multicultural vision, and also we wanted to make sure Brandy was comfortable.

Brandy Norwood: I trusted our team, our producers — but not everyone was open minded back then. I was, but my concern was, "Is this going to look realistic to America?"

Debra Martin Chase: It was like we had the glass shoe that we were trying to fit for the Prince. We held auditions in LA and we saw everybody from Wayne Brady to Antonio Sabato, Jr. It was a huge deal. We just didn’t find the person in LA, so we went to NY. Taye Diggs even came in in New York and there was a lot of anticipation because of "Rent."

Neil Meron: I believe we even saw a young Marc Anthony as well!

Debra Martin Chase: Towards the end we were like, "We haven’t found him. Oh, God." Literally Paolo was the last guy to come in on the last day in the last hour.

Paolo Montalban (The Prince): I was understudying for the Young Lover in “The King and I” on Broadway, and was also in the chorus. It’s like one of those things where forces outside of myself were at play that day. I actually had an understudy rehearsal that day, and I had to tell the "Cinderella" casting people that I couldn’t make it until much later. Then I was running late on top of that, and when I got there, I think I was the last person to audition for them.

Debra Martin Chase: He opens his mouth and he sings like an angel. And we’re just like gasping, "We’ve found him."

Read more

[rvmmm21]

[ V V S her diamonds ]

summary : seungwan is an idiot, joohyun is an idiot. cupid rips his hair out in frustration.

small note : please yell at galaxygerbil for me. for putting justin freaking bieber’s ‘anyone’ in my head on loop for centuries and for the hectic mess that i am when i read their fics. this is an attempt the only genre i have been skirting around because i just cannot read/write angst. if this ages decently, yay.

p.s. characters are from my first wenrene university au (you know who i am?) so it’s identical in regards to characters and the au itself, but a different plot. 

tw : slight angst (but it’s all cupid’s), perpetual urge to scream.

[senior!irene x junior!wendy]

. . .

[5:15p.m.] Seungwan rushes past the temptation of bookshops, restaurants and arcades. She silently curses when she very nearly falls flat on her face from an uneven bit of pavement.

. . .

“Seungwan-ah!” Yerim calls out, retracting her debit card from the exasperated cashier and waving Seungwan towards her. “Come, hurry up and order something.”

The blonde shyly weaves through the crowded little arcade cafe, eliciting pointed looks and grunts from hungry patrons. She leaves the ‘I-dare-you-to-challenge-my-best-friend-right-now’ stare to Yerim. 

Seungwan reaches the counter with a huff. “What are you guys getting?” 

“I got bibimmyeon.” The younger glances over her shoulder at Seulgi who’s scrolling through her phone at the table in the corner. “Uh, i think Seul got pork mandu.”

Seungwan holds up two fingers and a polite smile. “Two bibimmyeon, please.”

The cashier inputs their orders with a click of a button, swiping Yerim’s card through the reader.

The duo shuffle away with a number card on a metal stand, heading for the table under the stairs. A harassed Seulgi barely notices her friends sitting down.

“You’re here?” She clicks her phone off and begins rummaging through her Muji pencil case for a pencil. “What did you get? I think we’re pulling an all-nighter.”

“Bibimmyeon, same as Yerimie.” Seungwan grimaces, more at the possibility of another sleepless night. But such is university life. Plus, she’d much rather her friends keep her accountable than procrastinate alone. Especially on projects that weighed so heavily on her final grade.

Yerim elbows Seungwan, who suddenly notices she’s the last to get her materials out.

Like clockwork, the three get to work, the clicking of their keyboards overtaken by frantic plastic clicking of various 90’s arcade machines.

Thankfully, food is served right as they’re wrapping up chapter three, the worst one of them all. Seungwan, Seulgi and Yerim scarf down their food like girls ten years starved, focused on feeding the demands of their stomachs rather than their assignments.

. . .

The sun retires past the blue-purple horizon, leaving three burnt out students standing outside a closed cafe, clutching laptops and notebooks in the dark. They hastily make plans again for next week’s study date, sweeping the forgotten all-nighter under the rug, all too eager to head home and shut the door in the faces of their due dates and exams.

“Same time next week?” Seungwan asks after a yawn.

Seulgi shakes her head, squinting at her calendar app. “I have dance tryouts then. Can we do Thursday instead? We can meet at the same time then, or even earlier.”

Yerim agrees to everything, seconds away from falling asleep on her feet. 

“Alright,” the blonde sighs, plugging the aux cable into her phone and flipping through her Spotify. “See you guys then. Yerimie bring your own highlighter next time.”

Everyone mumbles, turning their own ways.

. . .

“YAH!”

The rude exclamation of a tall, red-faced boy while his smaller friend stands meekly behind him blares attention bells to the furthest corner of their university cafeteria.

Seungwan pauses mid-chew to shush a pouting Yerim, who’s upset that her funny dog story was interrupted right as it was getting good. They face the commotion and Seungwan beholds a pair of steely eyes gazing boredly from underneath the brim of a black Yankee baseball cap.

That signature glare belongs to none other than Bae Joohyun, someone the junior recognises instantly from (truthfully much more than) one of their shared literature electives. And of course, beside her stands her equally as intimidating friends, Park Sooyoung and Kim Jennie. 

And the hothead is the only person who’d be stupid enough to challenge a trio like that: fresh campus casanova, Wong Lucas. Seungwan’s eyebrows shoot up to her hairline, but she isn’t surprised.

Everyone’s attention has been commanded now, but if the boy cared, he didn’t show it.

“Yah, freshman.” Jennie snaps, gripping her mocha latte and stepping to the front while Sooyoung suspiciously eyes him and his friend. “Speak with some respect. What’s wrong with you! We’re your seniors.”

The meek girl behind him looks terrified, curly mousy-brown ponytails shadowing the cold sweat visibly beading on her forehead. She almost moves to say something but Lucas stops her with a firm hand, turning back to continue berating the girl in the cap.

“You couldn’t even let her talk?!” The irony is lost on him, as a frown settles on his arched eyebrows, frustration frosting over his features. “She told me you rejected her before she could finish. Did you have to speak so rudely? Do you know how hard it is to confess?”

A hint of apprehension creeps into Sooyoung’s expression and Jennie fights the urge to splash her drink right in his face. Followed by the cup.

Bae Joohyun simply resists a yawn.

“Can you move? We’re busy.” 

It’s the first time she’s spoken since the outburst, and Seungwan feels her palms sweat.

The girl behind Lucas finally speaks. Her eyes are glossy and wide, overflowing with hurt and betrayal. “It’s okay, s-sunbae. B-but I… I was hoping we could still–”

“I’m not interested,” comes the cut and dry reply.

A bystander innocently tries to diffuse the rising tension. He lightly places his hand on the boy’s shoulder, darting his gaze between the two teams. “Alright I think that’s enough.” He turns to Lucas. “No need to be so hostile, be a gentleman and apologise.”

“Whatever.” Lucas irritatedly shrugs him off, piercing stare fixed on the senior who couldn’t look more disinterested. “You deserve it. You think you can just talk however you want just because you’re pretty? Self-centred trash, fix your attitude first.”

Sooyoung’s jaw drops, Jennie goes wide-eyed, and Yerim is fumbling around with the record button as quietly as she can. 

Seungwan’s heart quickens in pace.

Joohyun doesn’t even realise she’s lunging forward.

. . .

The cafeteria disperses with hushed whispers and repeated glances over shoulders until it’s just Seungwan, Seulgi and Yerim left. They’re glued to their seats, astounded at the sight of Wong Lucas on the ground, clutching his nose in pain while Song Yuqi stands frozen to the spot, paled in horror at witnessing her crush just sock her older brother square in the face.

It’s so silent save for the moaning and groaning from the floor.

“Did you see that?” Seungwan murmurs back at her friends, unaware that her eyes glint with obvious admiration. “That was kinda cool.”

Seulgi’s lip quirks in disbelief. “It’s definitely broken. Look at her, she’s insane.”

“Right?” Yerim snickers, already posting the video clip to their group chat. “Insanely co-ordinated. Best thing that’s happened all day.” 

“I’m gonna offer her a Band-Aid,” Seungwan spontaneously decides, ignorant to the horror plastered on both her friends’ faces.

Yerim makes tiny, urgent neck slice motions while Seulgi quickly yanks an eager Seungwan down hard by the sleeve.

“Ow, Seul!” The blonde mouths, brows furrowing in annoyance. 

The dancer takes the opportunity to knock some sense into her. “Seriously, are you crazy?” she whispers harshly, her own nerves flaring at the thought of being overheard. “It’s an insult! She’s going to kill you.”

Both girls try to stop their friend from making the dumbest decision of her life, but Seungwan frees herself from their frantically grasping limbs, slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading to the crime scene.

She reaches just in time to feel Lucas brush angrily past them and out the doors. Yuqi slinks after him, casting Joohyun an apologetic look. 

Way to get rejected twice, Seungwan sympathises. Poor kid, with a sibling who’s an idiot Hercules. 

It takes all her willpower to wrestle her racing heartbeat and her self-preservation instinct into submission. The junior approaches with care, trying with everything she has to convey that she comes in peace.

Joohyun shifts her focus to her and Seungwan’s legs almost go jelly, but something about Joohyun draws her in like a spell. She hated playing good samaritan in situations like these, but it isn’t as though Seungwan hasn’t been dying to talk to her impossibly attractive senior since the first day of class.

You miss any chance you don’t take, right? Yes, obviously.

“H-hi sunbaes,” Seungwan greets with a cautious bow. This is the closest she’s been to the black velvet trio and it’s certainly leaving an impression. She doesn’t even have to look back to know that her block-head friends are gawping at the scene, wondering how their loser of a friend is so okay with dying at the age of twenty two.

Blinking, Seungwan washes her thoughts of how dazzling Joohyun looks, even when she looks like she’s out for blood. Especially when she looks like she’s out for blood.

Suddenly remembering the other reason she came over here, the small blonde holds out some alcohol wipes and Band-Aids like gifts. “Are you h– are you okay?”

“Of course I am,” Joohyun responds curtly. She surely knows her icy stare crumples Seungwan’s insides like butter paper. Perhaps that’s why she does it. “It’s over.”

“A-are you sure your fist knows?” The junior tries, all too aware the girl in front of her could have her wiped off the face of the earth with the snap of her fingers.

A scowl ghosts across Joohyun’s face before she drops her eyes to where her fist is still clenched and trembling slightly.

Seungwan fills the silence with an awkward chuckle. “Just thought you might want to clean up after the battle.”

Jennie and Sooyoung’s unimpressed looks are replaced with shock when Joohyun actually accepts a wet wipe from the younger’s shaking hands. Her eyes are pinned to the wipe as it glazes over bruised, rosy knuckles.

The shorter girl internally swoons. Her mere offering has been received! – and not just received regularly, but received with a frosty ‘thank you’, to top it all off. 

As the three seniors are leaving, Seungwan secretly prays that Yerim used her brains and recorded this moment too.

She flinches out of her thought bubble when Seulgi lands a palm clumsily on her shoulder.

“Wah, daebak,” the Cadbury-haired dancer congratulates her crazy, bodacious friend. “So what was that, like your first date or something?”

Yerim scoffs, hooking her arm around Seulgi’s bicep and dragging her out. “Come on Seul, we might as well start eating bugs and singing ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’. Wannie unnie can’t see us anymore.”

Seungwan rushes after her best friends, picking up her pace when they break into a power walk to the bus station.

“Yerm-ah! Did you get that? Please tell me you got that!”

[companionjones]

Alex Needs You

Fandom: Hamilton

Pairings: Platonic!Maria Reynolds x Reader, Platonic!Hamilsquad x Reader, Alexander Hamilton x Reader, Past!Alexander Hamilton x John Laurens, Maria Reynolds x Lafayette.

Summary: Your college roommate, Maria Reynolds, wakes you up in the middle of the night to tell you that a boy you’re very close to is having a mental breakdown due to a schoolwork overload.

Warnings: College, panic attack due to schoolwork, cursing

Author’s Notes: -This is a college AU. -Don’t ask me why Maria and Lafayette are together. I don’t know. -I changed Lafayette name around for this because I learned that his first name is not Marquis, it is his title. Lafayette’s full name in this is Gilbert Marie-Joseph Lafayette. -I technically wrote Reader as a female in this, but I think the only proof of that is that Y/n and Maria share a female dorm room, and I think Lafayette refers to Reader as ‘M’dame.’ -The real founding fathers were horrible people (except for John Laurens and John Adams) who profited off slavery. This is not a fanfiction about them.

Please take some time to sign some BLM petitions! Remember not to give any money to change.org because the money would go to the website, not the cause.

*******

    King’s College was the most prestigious university in the state. You were lucky enough to be awarded the scholarship money you needed to afford an education at the college on top of being accepted.

    Speaking of your luckiness, you made several friends on your first day that you had managed to keep. Your fist friend at the university was your dormmate, Maria Reynolds. She introduced you to her boyfriend, Gilbert Marie-Joseph Lafayette, and Lafayette got you to meet his friends: John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and Alexander Hamilton. Laurens and Mulligan shared a dorm room, and Alex roomed with Lafayette. You’d been to both dorms plenty of times, but you practically lived in the latter.

    The reason was Alexander.

    He was good friends with everyone, but he barely hung out with anyone. The workaholic virtually never left his and Lafayette’s dorm room except to go to classes. Alex was completely dedicated to his education. On top of that, he was going for a duel-major in Law and Economics. You took pity on the bags under his eyes as soon as you saw them.

    You brought him food when he forgot to eat (which was almost everyday), you forced him to go to bed (which was definitely every night), and you even helped him through his break-up with his high school sweetheart: John Laurens. Needless to say, you and Alexander were the closest out of your new friends group.

    That was why Maria woke you up one night.

    “What is it?” you muttered groggily.

    She was clearly in distress when she told you, “Y/n, we gotta go to Laf’s and Alexander’s place right now.”

    “What?” you sat up a little in bed.

    Maria was putting on her shoes. “Laf just called me. John and Herc are already there. Alex is having some sort of a breakdown. He needs you.”

    Suddenly, you were out of bed. You got up so fast that your eyes did that thing where you went blind for a second. You asked thousands of questions about Alexander’s well-being, but Maria didn’t know much. All she could tell you was that Alex locked himself in his and Lafayette’s room. You and Maria set off to the boys’ dorm building at 2 in the morning.

    “C’est tout, I’m kicking the door in.” John and Hercules were backing out of the way of the Lafayette by the time you arrived on the scene.

    “Whoa! No, no. Stop that right now,” you ordered. “I’m not having you guys wreck school property, and something big like that will only stress out Alex more. Just...tell me what’s going on.”

    Lafayette explained, “I came back from being out with the boys, and I realized the door was locked. I called out to Alexander, but he said he’d be done in a moment and his work was almost done. He sounded like he was crying very hard. I tried to talk to him more, but he hasn’t said anything since. That was an hour ago.”

    “Okay,” you took a deep breath, and approached the door. “Alex? Hey, it’s Y/n. I, uh, I just need to know if you-if you hurt yourself.”

    Alex stuttered, “Yeah-Ye-Yes. Yes. I’m-I’m fine. I just need a little more time, okay? I-I just need to finish this essay for Washington.”

    Hercules was the first to voice his relief. “Oh, thank god. Y/n, I don’t know how you managed to do that. We haven’t been able to get Alex to talk since we got here.”

    “Maybe there’s too many people,” Maria deduced, “We’re probably overwhelming him. He always responds best to Y/n anyway. How about we just leave them alone for a bit?”

    The rest of the group agreed. When they started to leave, John stayed back for a moment.

    He began, “I just want to thank you, Y/n. I know Alex and I broke up before school started, but I still care about him a lot, you know? You being there for him means a lot to me.”

    “I know, John.” You affirmed, “I’ll take care of this.”

    John nodded, and went to follow the others.

    You walked back up to the door. “Alexander? The others are gone. Can I come in?”

    At first, there was silence on the other side of the door. Then, you heard his chair roll back from his desk. Footsteps approached the door. It opened to a tear-stained Alexander.

    Alex looked a mess. His dorm room wasn’t much different. There were crumpled papers everywhere It looked like he freaked out. That resulted in his blankets and pillows being whipped off his bed. His phone and laptop had been thrown to the floor and their screens had been shattered. Alex was currently working off of Lafayette’s laptop.

    He noticed that you were looking around the room as you entered. “I’m sorry. Half of my fucking essay got deleted, and...and I...lost it, I guess? I locked the door because I didn’t want Laf to see what I did...I was going to let him in once I got a chance to clean up a little, but I-I have to finish this essay.” It was like he just reminded himself, and Alex sat down to get back to work.

    “Alex.” You put your hands over his and intertwined his and your fingers. “Take a break,” you urged him.

    His eyes hadn’t left the screen of the laptop.

    “I’ll email Professor Washington, and ask for an extension for you. I’m sure you’ll get it.”

    Alex was still unresponsive. He’d moved his gaze to your connected hands. They were in his lap, and you were kneeling in front of him.

    “Alexander, please,” you begged for his attention.

    Finally, Alex met your eyes. He nodded.

    “Good.” You couldn’t help but smile a little at the sight of his eyes again. “Now, I’ll help you clean up in here. We can get you a new laptop, and the phone’s fixable. Then, maybe you can talk to the guys and Maria. Show them you’re alright, maybe?”

    He looked back down at your hands again. “I don’t want them to see me like this. It’s bad enough having you all come out in the middle of the night just to check on me.”

    “We came here because we care about you, Alexander. It scares us when you work yourself to the bone like this. Well, I know it scares me--”

    Alex’s eyes snapped up to yours. “I scare you?”

    “Well, you worry me, yeah,” you confirmed. “Why do you think I’m here everyday, checking in on you. It’s because I care--”

    No warning taking place beforehand, Alexander kissed you. The sudden impact made you realize the two of you had been building up to it for a long time. You stood up to better kiss him. Alexander followed you. You could’ve sworn you hadn’t been making out for that long, but when you broke the kiss, both you and Hamilton were breathless. He had his hands on your waist while yours were softly cupping his neck.

    “You’re in a really emotional place tonight, Alex,” you voiced the first reason that came to mind that Alexander possibly hadn’t meant what he had just done.

    Alexander immediately disagreed, “No. I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time. I’ve loved you for a long time.”

    Not knowing if Maria had actually woken you up that night in the first place or if you were instead dreaming then, you shakily nodded, “Okay. This Friday, at 8, let’s go out to dinner. But let’s not discuss this anymore tonight. You need sleep.”

    Fifteen minutes later, the dorm room was clean as it was going to get at 3am, and the shattered electronics were tucked under Alexander’s bed. Professor Washington was for some reason awake at that ungodly hour, and he had already responded to your email, agreeing to give Alexander a three-week extension.

    “Thank you, Y/n. Really.” Alex leaned on his doorframe while you were on your way out. He was holding your hand. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

    Softly smiling, you leaned in to give Alex another kiss. “You can call me, anytime, anywhere, and I’ll come right to you,” you whispered.

    “Oooo,” a harmony of teasing voices sounded from down the hallway. It was the rest of the gang.

    Laurens called, “I knew it! I knew you two were going to get together!”

    Hercules seemed serious when he informed, “I want to be the flower guy at y’all’s wedding. You hear me?”

    “Oh my god!” squealed Maria, “Now you, me, Alex, and Laf can go on double dates!”

    You helped everyone else away from Alexander and Lafayette’s door. “Okay, yes, me and Alex are...together now. But this is all stuff we can talk about tomorrow. Alex needs to sleep. We all need sleep. You hear that, Laf? That means no pestering Alex about him and me. Understand?”

    He gave a mock-salute. “Oui, M’dame.”

    “That goes for you, too.” You turned to Maria. “I’m going to bed as soon as we get back.”

    Maria raised her eyebrows at you. “Not a chance. I’m getting every detail out of you!” she proclaimed as she dragged you back to your dorm.

*******

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! Fill up that heart and reblog if you liked it! If you would like to read more, I have more fics on Hamilton over on my page. You should go check it out. Have a nice day, night, or whatever time it is for you! <3 <3 <3

[katie-writes24]

Somebody Else

Pairing: Alexander Hamilton x reader

Warnings: Language, cheating, drinking, that bastard Hamilton, also that bastard Jefferson, angst, and a whole bunch of sad

As I patiently struggle through school, I will leave you with some EMOTION! I haven’t ever really wrote such a fic with no happy ending (spoiler!but not really) and I think it really brought out the worst in me....OH WELL, enjoy! I promise to give you a happy ham fic next time! Oh and low key was listening to Water Fountain by Alec Benjamin before writing this, but it’s not exactly how the song is. Let me know if you want to be tagged!

Alex knew she wasn't a party girl, he knew she would much rather stay at home and binge watch a show, or even go out and eat at diners and grab milkshakes at the early hours of the morning. But not party.

Y/N knew how important this party was for him, she knew that even if it was a stupid frat party, his friends invited him and after such a long day of bickering back and forth with Jefferson, he needed a break. She knew he wanted to go to the party and hang around people that would make him forget about it.

Alex said if he was taking a break, so was she.

It was at a frat house about four blocks away, so they walked, enjoying the nice breeze of October and holding hands. Alex smiled at her, thanking whatever god helped him convince her to go with him tonight.

It was like something in a movie, people scattered both in and outside the house, beer cans everywhere. There was loud speakers inside blaring music, and couples making out in corners. People were playing beer pong in the small loft by the kitchen, and the living room was full of wasted brains grinding on everything.

"Hamilton, you son of a bitch, get over 'ere," Alex turned to find a tipsy John lean against his shoulder with a beer in his hand.

"How much have you already had to drink tonight, John?" Alex held his elbow to steady him.

"Enough for more," John looked over and saw Y/N. "Damn girl, you lookin good!"

She blushed and rolled her eyes, gripping onto her jacket self consciously. "Thanks, Laurens, not too shabby yourself,"

John gave her a dopey smile, "Now, my lady, if you would let me borrow your boyfriend. There's lots of catching up to do if he's ever gonna catch up to my level," He started humping Alex's leg, and Y/N laughed as Alex pushed him off him.

"Go for it, I'm gonna grab my own drink," Y/N gave Alex a quick peck and headed over to the kitchen. If she was gonna be here for some hours, she might as well get herself tipsy.

After pushing her way through obnoxious students, she made it to the island that held every possible drink available. She recognized a familiar face standing by the cooler.

"Well, thank god you're here," She smirked and squeezed his shoulder, making the man turn around and smile big.

"Sup, Y/N, I didn't think you'd come," Hercules gave her a hug and offered her a beer, which she gladly accepted.

"I didn't think so either, but Alex had a rough week, he needed a night out," She shrugged and chugged some of her drink.

"But a frat party? How about a club, at least they have decent places to sit at," Herc eyed two girls that were grinding on one guy on the sofa in the next room over. Y/N choked on her drink as she laughed.

After talking for a few more minutes, they walked back into the living room and found John and Alex surrounded by a bunch of other undergrads, John telling a drastic story about something that required lots of hand movements.

"Hercules, please save us from this story!" Anjelica looked at him with wide eyes, looking back at John who was standing too close to her. Y/N snickered, but she agreed, the man looked like he was about to throw up any second.

"Ahh, mon amie, you're here," Lafayette got up from the couch and gave her a hug and a kiss on each cheek. "How are you, cherie? It's been too long."

"I know, it's been pretty busy, but I missed you Laf," Y/N looked up and saw him give her a knowing look. She probably should've visited him a lot sooner.

Alex pulled her over to him and wrapped his arm around her waist, and she got a whiff of just how much he already had to drink. Aaron was standing next to them and rolling his eyes at whatever story John was speaking about.

They stayed like that for another hour, just talking and laughing. Then Alex and Aaron wanted to go rile up James about his friend being the usual prick in class, leaving Y/N standing there lonely with her drink in hand.

"C'mon, kid,” Anjelica threw her arm around her shoulders and lead her to the kitchen. "Let's play some beer pong."

She always knew how to get things off her mind, Anjelica had that perfect mix: fierce and caring.

They played girls against boys, Hercules and his roommate on the other end. John came over and started cheering for both teams, his drunken slurs making them all laugh. He soon left, running after Laf.

Y/N was actually starting to enjoy herself, she was laughing with friends, drinking her worries away, and forgetting her nerves of coming here.

The party didn't stop getting crowded though, somehow more people came in and rooms were becoming too full.

Y/N was trying to make her way into the loft when she ran straight first into a chest, her drink spilling over her jacket.

"Shit, I am so sorry, darling," The southern drawl came from no other than Thomas Jefferson. She had nothing against the guy, didn't even know him except seeing him across campus and hearing the, most likely over-exaggerated, stories from Alexander.

"Don't sweat it," Y/N grimaced as she took off her jacket and shook off the remaining droplets of beer.

"Can I get you another drink?" He was being polite, and his cheeks were blushing from embarrassment. She couldn’t hold it against him.

"You can get me some paper towels and a water," She tucked her jacket under her arm and followed him into the kitchen.

"You're Hamilton's girlfriend right?" Thomas has a look in his eye, something that told her that he was trying to play something.

"I am," She patted down the stain that faded into her clothing, looking up to find him looking at her with endearment. "What, is this your payback at whatever shit you two are arguing about?"

Thomas chuckled, "No, I really didn't mean to. I was just thinking what a lucky guy he is."

Y/N rolled her eyes, she was not going to get into this. But she was raised to be polite, and the man didn't do any harm, she's had worse spilt on her. "Well, thank you, Thomas,"

"Ah, so he talks about me. Well, I should be flattered," He smirked as he leaned against the counter. It made her laugh at the stance. "So, you know my name, do I get the honor of knowing yours?"

"I'm Y/N," She shook his hand and startled as he kissed her knuckles.

"I hope to see you around, don't let Hamilton talk your ear off too much," He hesitated before walking away. "And sorry again about the drink."

Y/N waved and flung out her jacket once more, sipping on the water he got her. She felt more clear headed, but she started getting too hot in the room. She looked at her phone and saw that they've already been there for four hours. Y/N rubbed her head and moved into the living room again. She hadn't seen Alex in a while, and maybe she could convince him to go back home.

Her eyes scanned the crowded room, but between the flashing lights and bodies dancing around, it was hard to find him.

She saw Eliza grinding up against some guy in the corner, but luckily they made eye contact, and she threw a quick wave at her. Y/N waved back and mouthed have you seen Alex?

Eliza furrowed her brows and shook her head, smiling in apology.

Y/N frowned and looked away, not particularly wanting to see her friend dance so seductively.

She eventually spotted him in the corner of the room, at least she thought it was him, she could only see a red shirt that he came here in.

"Y/N, come check thi' outs," John was still slurring and making his way behind her, trying to get her attention. But she was too focused on finally seeing her boyfriends face.

He was standing awfully too close to a girl, one with dark curls and bright red lipstick that matched her dress. Alex had an arm on the wall next to her head and was smirking down at her, whatever she was saying made him smile dirty.

Y/N furrowed her eyebrows and watched the scene before her, trying to hope that it wasn't leading to what she feared. John was still tugging her arm, but when she pulled away with force, his smile had wiped off and he followed her eyes.

John looked over his shoulder and quickly found Lafayette. "Laf, c'mere,"

Alex grabbed at her hips, saying something that made her throw her head back in a laugh. She looked at him and shook her head. Y/N felt her eyes water as she ran her nails through his hair, pulling it out of the ponytail and Alex's locks fall down to his shoulder.

"Y/N, come, cherie," Laf was the one pulling her arm now, he was more gentle, but Y/N still fought against it. She was gonna stay and watch it. She was gonna watch her boyfriend cheat on her.

The girl was whispering something in his ear and it made Alex bite his lip.

"Y/N, please, he's not worth it," Laf held a hand against her hip.

Alex was leaning in, even from across the room she could tell his eyes were dark.

"Y/N,"

She tugged his arm off him one last time.

Tears ran down her face as their lips finally connected.

She felt sick, Y/N felt her jacket drop from her hands, and she couldn't help let out a sob. People were calling out her name, it sounded like sympathy.

She let the arms around her finally pull her out. She didn't see where she was going, but she eventually made it outside.

She broke down, cried and wrapped her arms around the body closest to her.

"Shhh, I know, mon amour, shhh," It was Laf, thank god. He always knew how to comfort her. And he held her tight, rubbing her back and leaning his head against hers.

"Why...why would he-" Y/N squeezed her eyes shut, letting her tears run down onto Laf's shirt.

"I don't know, Y/N," Laf whispered, and she heard more footsteps come from behind them.

"Fucking bastard," It sounded like Hercules, but she couldn't be sure, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

"Did you find Anjelica?" Laf asked Hercules, leading the girl he was holding off the front porch.

"Yeah, she looked furious. Probably gonna kick his ass, she said don't wait up," There was some shuffling and then Herc was walking away. "I'll get the car."

"Y/N, look at me, regarde moi, ma cherie," Y/N didn't want to, she wanted to just drown herself in his chest and hold onto him until her arms gave out. But as he gently tugged on her chin, her bloodshot eyes looked up into his.

"Don't stress yourself over this, please," Laf looked like he was about to cry himself. "You deserve so much better than that boy, Alex is ècume complète!"

Y/N didn't want to come to reality, but she didn't have any other choice. The man who she spent the last three years with, who told all of her deepest fears and secrets to. The man who made her laugh and forget about everything else. The man who helped her study and danced in the kitchen at two am, who talked her ear off. The man who promised to keep her safe, and to love her. The man she loved.

He just threw it all away.

Lafayette pulled her to the car, and while she was stepping in the front seat she heard her name be called. She turned and found John tripping over to the car. Y/N rolled her eyes, she didn't really want to deal with Alex's best friend right now.

"Y/N, I'm...I'm so sorry-" John was acting pretty sober, considering how much he had to drink that night.

At least someone could control their alcohol.

"Don't, John... don’t. You have nothing to be sorry about," Y/N wipes her eyes and looked at him one last time. "You weren't the one that kissed her."

She shut the door and left John sad and helpless.

Let me know if you want to be tagged: @companionjones @biafbunny

[cherries-blooming]

BAILEY X CHUB!FEM! READER (Biker Goddess)

You've spent most of your day outside your university, trying to write an essay on the best experience you've ever had. You gently tap the end of the eraser on your bottom lip as you think of what that could possibly be. Sure, you've been to weddings and family reunions but nothing really struck out to you as 'the best'. Sighing as you pack up for the day, you look over to the sign of your university; "Rosenburg, home of the arts". "If being an artist means back to back pain and artblock then sure, I'm home alright." You mutter to yourself. Maybe a nice calming cup of decaf from the local coffee shop will give you some inspiration. You check your phone as you walk onto the sidewalk, 7:40 pm, if you wanted coffee then you'd best hurry. Placing your phone in your hoodies pocket, you start your walk down town.

You weren't really paying attention to your surroundings, more or less spacing out as the sunset casts a large shadow besides yourself. There's a song stuck in your head, you hum along to it, blissfully disconnecting from the world around yourself. By the time you arrive at your favorite coffee shop, you barely get to sneak by the last customer and order yourself a cup. The cashier gives you a lackadaisical stare past their boxy glasses before going to make you your drink. "Thank you- and- sorry." You say, waving a hand as you stand by the pick up area to wait for it. The song playing on some hidden radio lulls you to glance around the room, your eyes land on a corkboard with some pictures on it. One of them being a group of girls. You take a closer look and the words 'Cherry Bombs' is written on it. A friend group of some sort? They look very happy, the one in the middle catches your attention. She's taller than the others and has a gleaming smile on her face. Stunning. "Ma'am-." The cashier's voice grabs your attention, "-your drink is ready."

"Yes! Thank you. I'll get out of your hair now." You say in a soft tone, gently grabbing the cup out of their hands. There was a moment of silence as you grabbed and pocketed a few sugar packets and a stirrer "Uh ma'am-! I don't think it's safe to go out alone..." the now nervous looking cashier calls out to you, earning a raised brow from you. "Huh? Why, is something wrong?" They shift around a bit, tapping their fingers on the counter, "Well, it's rumored that young women are being targeted by a group of guys.... Call themselves the 'Lady Killers'. S'like something right out of a cheesy 90's horror film but I wouldn't risk it." They look pretty serious about that. You weigh your options before shrugging a bit, "I'll be okay, I mean, no one's really out here LOOKING for a chubby girl like me to try 'n snatch, haha." You joke as you push past the front doors and onto the dimly lit sidewalk. You check your phone, it's 9:30 now.

It's about an hour or so walk back to your campus at the university, and you weren't about to let some rumors deter you from finally getting home and putting the essay paper off for later. You've traveled a few blocks down with no issue at all, though, you're extra cautious about the shadows that catches your peripheral. You deicide to calm your nerves by looking at the pictures you took on your phone of a lovely small pompom dog you saw on a trip with family somewhere. It started to work... For awhile. But it only took a moment before you could hear it, a distant sound of a car in the distance. It was getting closer. You slowly move the coffee away from your lips as you look towards the noise. Suddenly, your body ran cold as it started to head toward you. You run off, trying to make some distance between you and this jackass trying to run you over.

You dip into an alleyway, hoping it was a shortcut to a nicely lit neighborhood, praying that someone there could help you. You can hear the sound of car wheels skirting to a halt  behind you. You shake your head, it's better not to look back. You run into something, something hard. A wall. Your blood runs cold as you stumble backwards to catch yourself. No... No! You have so much you haven't done yet in life! You can't possibly be the victim to something as stupid sounding as the 'Lady Killers'!. You haven't even finished that stupid essay yet! The car door shuts as heavy footsteps come closer to you, the sounds of muffled chuckles could be heard as you slowly turn to see three men. One of them was quiet tall and lanky with purple straight hair. The other was shorter but bulkier, a spiked mohawk on his. And lastly, a guy around the height of a shack, he was beefier than the other two and had a bald head. How classic. Were you really dealing with some reject TMNT villains right now?

"Hey, don'cha know little piglets like you gotta get home before the farmer comes in?" The purple haired one said, a crooked smirk on his face as he stepped closer. Slowly reaching for your hoodie pocket, hoping maybe you could 'accidentally' dial 911. "Hey! Does the little piggy speak? You look like you got sum nice bacon, hm?" The man spoke again, he was a foot away from you now. He smelled like cigarette smoke and old fruit. Mind racing, thinking of something you could say to get them to back off, your heart was the only thing you could hear now. As he closed the distance between you, you start thinking about how boring your life was, and how much you felt horrible for letting it be that way. You clenched your hands into a fists, stopping once you felt the hot cup still in your hands. You get a spark of confidence. "Well- How would you like some hot beans to the face!" You open the lid and chuck the cup at his head. It lands, the hot bean juice leaving him red where it had landed. He yells, waddling back a bit as he tried to wipe away the hotness from his face. His two lackies chuckle a bit, stopping when their boss shoots them a dirty glare. "You're gonna regret that." He growled, stomping his way back to you. But before he could even lay a hand on you, the roaring sound of motorcycles came into earshot. The three looked at each other then to the entrance of the alleyway. You lifted up your gaze, the blaring lights of the motorcycles blinded you as you tried to make out your saviors. Well... You hoped that's who they were.

"Hey Lady Killers!" A raspy and excitable voice said, "I suggest you leave that poor chick alone, or else!" the one closest to you scoffed and walked over to the voice. "Oh yeah? And whaddya gonna do! You're just some flashy bimbo onna bike!" You slowly pull yourself away from the wall to get a better look. The bike turned off and from it stood a giant, curly haired, goddess of a woman. She took off her helmet and you could've sworn your heart skipped three beats.

She had baby blue eyes, sharp features, a scar over the eye that wasn't hidden by her hair, and a smirk on her face. Raising and pointing to the three men, she spoke, "You're gonna regret fucking around with the Cherry Bombs, boys!" the next few minutes were like a movie, you couldn't look away, you were too enraptured by the golden goddess and her gang of 6 other girls beating the men to a pulp. Before long, the woman was throwing the head honcho back into his car with a slam, the other guys scurrying in after, beaten and missing a few teeth. They made a speedy escape into the cold night, honking their car horn as they did. You blinked, taking a moment to process things.

"Hey, babes, you aight?" The woman spoke again, she was walking towards you, as she did you started to notice just how big she was. Maybe 6- no- 7 feet tall, exposed arms covered in muscles and an eyefull of... Chest. Needless to say, you were at a loss for words. Your face became hot as you looked up at hers. She had a gentle expression on, offering a hand to you. You looked down at it, ignoring the little bit of blood from the Lady Killers that was sprawled onto her fingertips and knuckles. You held it, surprisingly soft, you noted. She walked you out of the alleyway, the other members were speaking amoungst themselves, they were all stunning as well. Damn- how'd you get so lucky to fall into the hands of gods most powerful and prettiest women?

"Where you live? Me and the girls will ensure you get back there safely" The mysterious woman asked, still holding onto your trembling hand. "Ah- oh! I uh- I live on campus at the.... University not too far from here. I'm uh... Writing major." You stammered, nice going you. She nodded, a toothy grin on her face. You two walked over to her motorcycle, letting go of your hand to pick up something, a helmet. She placed it carefully onto your head before putting on her own, "Just tell me the address and I'll get you there, trust me." you didn't have to be told twice. You trust with woman with your whole life, your future, hell even with your KIDS. You gave a gentle nod, earning you her toothy show stopping grin. She mounted her bike and rounded up her girls before patting the seat behind herself, "Hop on!"

The drive was a lot shorter than you were hoping, you wanted to have your arms wrapped around the goddess before you forever, but alas, you were home now. Your roomate, who was standing outside of the campus, came running over and nearly fainted when she saw that you were safe and sound. You got off the bike and returned the helmet, giving the driver one last longing look before rushing over to stable your fainting friend. "You had me scared! You weren't answering my texts all day and now you come home with a bunch of mysterious bike ladies!?" You try to calm her down and explain that there was a bit of a holdup with... Everything. You took a moment to realize that the trip for coffee was kind of a lost cause, considering you only took a few sips.

After she calmed down, your friend walked back into your shared room, leaving you some alone time with the gang. You turned and looked back at the female equivalent of Hercules before you. She still had a smile on her face as she watched you get closer. "You uh-... You never told me your name." You said shyly, trying not to mess around with your fingers as you avoided staring right at her tattoo. "Oh- I knew I forgot something! Hehe. I always do this." Sliding off her bike and closer to you, she handed you a little note before saying, "Bailey, I'm Bailey Faxton." you slowly took the note and unfolded it. On it was a scrawled out string of numbers... Her phone number! You look back up to say something but she's already mounted her bike and placed her helmet on.

"Call me when you're in need of a hero, okay babe?" Her words danced on your ears as she and her gang, The Cherry Bombs, rolled out of your campus and into the dark. The cool 10 PM night air swam its way through your hoodie, shaking you out of your thoughts. You turned to walk up to the campus, making it halfway up the stairs before stopping to look back at the road again.

"...I think I know what that essay is going to be about."

[nataliedanovelist]

GF - How A Star Is Born ch.IV

A Hercules AU, founded by @evaroze, whom this fic is a gift for. I hope y’all like it!

ch.III - ch.V

AO3 link

~~~~~~~~~~

Stan allowed the cool, salt-scented breeze ruffled his clothes as he leaned forward at the window, watching lightning strike the ocean from a far. He and the kid were safe. A gust of wind threatened to kill the fire, so Stan closed the window and turned back to the fireplace, where Dipper sat flexing his hand after wrapping some bandages around his scraped knuckles. He stood up and grinned at his teacher. “I’m ready, what else have you got?”

“Hold it, buddy boy, that’s enough for today.” Stan chuckled and sat in his chair covered in furs, making a comfortable small throne for the king of the house. “Just relax.”

“C’mon, please.” Dipper begged and stood by his side. “This is the best I’ve ever done, let’s see if I can beat my record on the obstacle course or something!”

“Listen, key to being a hero is knowing when to start and when to stop.” Stan said as he leaned back and relaxed. “You might be a demigod, but you still need rest. Just sit back and enjoy the storm happening outside and try to put something in your gut. Soup’s almost ready, anyways.”

Dipper sighed, admitting defeat, and sat on his pillow next to Stan’s big chair. After a year of training with him, though his body still ached from time to time, he was succeeding more than failing recently. It was like he was finally on his way to becoming a true hero. He didn’t want to stop, not when he was so close to being with his family, but he knew better than to push Stan on an argument, and so he watched the fire crackle as he heard the lightning storm outside. “Stanford must be mad.” Dipper said to fill the air.

Stan snorted; Dipper had learned by now that the old guy had a weird hatred for the Ruler of the Gods. Ever since that first introduction Dipper never said another word about Stanford being his potential family, since clearly Stan wasn’t buying it, but every once in a while Dipper would talk to Mabel through the drawings of his journal, and she was always praising him and telling him stories of her and Grunkle Ford. Dipper believed her and decided to just keep his connections to his family to himself.

“Doesn’t take much to make that jerk mad.” Stan muttered and stood up to mix the soup.

Dipper shrugged, thought about his question, and decided to risk it and ask his mentor, “You got something against Stanford?”

“What makes you ask, kiddo?”

Again, Dipper shrugged. “You don’t really bad-mouth the other gods. I mean, I don’t care if you do, but you just seem to have something against one of the most powerful gods despite the possibility he could strike your house and burn it to the ground.”

“Ha! That’d be a new one.” Stan laughed harshly and tasted the soup and shrugged. “Eh, we’ll give it a few minutes. Anyways, I guess the other gods just ain’t worth my bad-mouthing. But if it’ll make you feel better I’ll bad-mouth the others, too, to make it fair.” He joked.

Dipper chuckled and let slip, “I don’t care as long as you leave Mabel out of it.”

“Right, your sister.” Dipper was surprised that Stan had remembered that; he never talked about his sister to him. “You miss her, don’t you, kid?” The old man asked, his back still to his student as he stirred dinner.

Dipper sighed and nodded. “I just wanna be a family again, that’s all.”

Stan finally turned to him and he ruffled the boy’s hair, making his bangs stick up and reveal his birthmark. “You’ll get there. I promise.”

Dipper smiled, flattened his hair again, and said, “Thanks.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Olympus was filled to the brim and busy, the ballroom crowded and loud as the audience waited for the introduction of the Muse in Training. Stanford sat in his throne with Fiddleford by his side, both grinning and excited to see how far their little girl had come. The messenger even had a colorful array of flowers on his lap to give to her when she finished her performance.

“She’s grown up so much.” Stanford said.

“Indeed.” Fiddleford agreed.

The Ruler of the Gods glanced over at his closest friend and asked, “Do you think I’m too hard on her?”

“In what way?”

Stanford shrugged. “She wants to leave Olympus.”

“Not forever, my friend. She just wants t’see the world. Every other god gets t’come n’ go from here, she simply wishes t’as well.” Fiddleford reminded him.

Stanford took in a deep breath, held it, and let it go. “I’m thinking of giving her a curfew.”

Fiddleford blinked in shock and then grinned. “Really?”

“Perhaps… it’ll be good for her to have some time to herself.�� Stanford theorized. “If I made it clear that she must be home by sundown, and if I gave her permission to go exploring after her lessons…”

“I think that’s a fair compromise.” Fiddleford said with a nod. “Really, has she done anythang t’prove she couldn’t be trusted?”

Stanford shook her head. “No. She’s the most honest, trustworthy person I know, right next to you and Bill, of course.”

“No offense taken.” Fiddleford chose to ignore Bill’s name drop.

“Then it’s settled.” Stanford sat up straighter. “After her performance, I shall grant her a curfew and allow her to explore the valley below us.”

“I think that’s a good start.” Fiddleford patted his shoulder. “You’re doin’ the right thang.”

Horns rang through the air, glittering smoke filled the air and collected in five groups, and there five beautiful ladies in white dresses stood on the stage, ready to introduce their apprentice. Stanford and Fiddleford applauded for the stunning arrival, along with the other gods, and after a swift show-off of their beautiful voices, the Muses parted ways to make way for the newest among them… but no one came.

A minute of dead, shocked, confused silence was deafening on the mountain, until a booming voice rang through and caused lightning to strike. “MABEL!”

~~~~~~~~~~

“A little more bandages, some grapes for being a good boy, and a kiss to make it feel better.” Mabel kissed the tiny ankle by the black hoof and grinned at the animal by her side, sitting on the soft grass on her knees. “All done! You’re back in action, Waddles.”

The pig stood on all four to do a little trot in place. He oinked happily to find no pain in his leg and he licked Mabel’s cheek in thanks as she scooped him up to hug him. “Aw, you’re welcome.”

A clash of lightning over her head rang out. Mabel’s heart dropped as she looked up the mountain behind her, dark clouds hiding the top. She cringed and sighed. “I missed the concert, didn’t I?”

She knew it was risky to sneak away right before her debut, but she had to! The little piggy was hurt, caught in a branch, and Mabel had freed him yesterday and swiftly returned home, but Waddles still needed to be cleaned up or he could get an infection, so the first chance she got the young goddess slipped away and helped the animal.

Mabel stood up and sighed. No point in trying to hide. As if on cue, Fiddleford could be seen running down the mountain at super speed and relaxed at seeing Mabel in the valley. He ran up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Mabel! Ya know you’re not allowed off Olympus! Stanford’s worried sick.”

“I know, I know!” Mabel whined. “But Waddles needed me.”

“Who?” Fiddleford looked down at the pig oinking at Mabel’s feet and rubbing against her legs.

“Waddles.” Mabel introduced. “I call him that because he waddles.”

“Sweetie, ya ain’t suppose to name it.” Fiddleford said with his eyes shut. “Once you name it, ya start gettin’ attached t’it. Now c’mon, I’m supposed t’take ya home.”

Mabel took the time to scratch Waddles goodbye and then allowed Fiddleford to walk her up the mountain gloomily.

At the gate Stanford was pacing, a nervous wreck, but when he saw his niece, rather than relax, he was hysterical. He pulled her into a tight hug and checked all over her body for injuries, and then proceeded to grab her by the shoulder tightly and walk her into their temple with Fiddleford behind them, prepared to play referee and to stop his friend if he became too harsh.

“Mable, how dare you leave without my permission!”

“I’m sorry, but Waddles the pig needed my help…”

“I don’t care, let the other gods take care of it if they see fit to do so!” Stanford snapped. “You are to stay on Olympus where I can keep you safe!”

“Grunkle Ford, please, nothing has ever happened to me and…” She bit her lip. Oops.

Stanford’s whole face turned red with anger. “You’ve been down on Earth before, haven’t you? Haven’t you?!”

“O-Only twice.” Mabel mumbled to her feet with her hands behind her back.

“MABEL!”

“Stanford, control yourself.” Fiddleford said warningly next to his partner.

“Sweetheart, do you have any idea how dangerous Earth is?!” Stanford scolded. “Have I taught you nothing?! You could have been kidnapped, or hurt, or worse!”

“I can take care of myself, I’ve been doing it for thirteen years.” Mabel said weakly.

“You are not ready!” Stanford bellowed. “You’re just a little girl! You’re too…” He bit his tongue and backtracked, stopping himself from saying something hurtful. “You’re only thirteen! You’re not ready for the mortal world!”

But Mabel was staring up at him, finally, with eyes filled with tears. “You were gonna say ‘weak’, weren’t you?”

“N-No.” The god looked cornered. “No, sweetheart, I wasn’t.” He had never been the best at lying.

Mabel bit her lip. “You think I’m weak. You think I’m just some stupid girl.”

Stanford got on his knees and put his polydactyl hands on her shoulders. “Mabel, darling, no…”

Mabel shrugged his hands off of her and walked past the males for her bedroom. “It’s fine, I don’t care. Bet you wished I was taken instead of Mason, huh?” And she closed the door behind her harshly.

Stanford stared at the wood that separated him from his family. For a few moments no one moved or said a word, until Stanford said weakly, “Do you think she truly believes that, or only said it out of mixed emotions?”

Fiddleford stood behind him and patted his shoulder. “Well, in retrospect, ya don’t talk ‘bout him. At all. N’ when ya do, you’re extremely mournful of it.”

“Yes, but not because…”

“I know,” Fiddleford stopped him. “N’ I think she knows it, too, deep down, but I think she needs a gentle reminder that that’s not how ya feel. Give her some alone time to breathe, n’ then talk to her, not yell at her.”

Stanford nodded and rose with shaking knees. He was surprised to find a smile on Fiddleford’s face. “What?”

“She reminds me a lot of her great… excuse me, her grunkle.” Fiddleford shared.

Stanford snorted. “We are a lot alike…”

“I wasn’t talkin’ ‘bout you.” Fiddleford said as he walked away. “I’m just sayin’ that sneakin’ off t’care for an animal n’ namin’ it n’ basically adoptin’ it as a pet is somethang a young god once did.” And he left Stanford alone with his thoughts.

He sighed and muttered to himself, “I know she is a lot like him. That’s what worries me.”

~~~~~~~~~~

If Stanford was honest, he admired Mabel’s room. It was a beautiful place with fluffy clouds, a big window showcasing the world below, a soft bed with a nightstand that hosted her music box and a vase of her family, and every inch of her walls was coated in paintings. Birds, people, trees, animals, the moon and sun, everything, even the ceiling, was covered in beautiful paintings. Stanford always loved to sit with her and talk, and occasionally be given permission to paint with her, though he felt unworthy of that privilege today.

Through the door he could hear the music box playing. That was a relatively good sign. Grunkle Ford gently knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter. “Mabel, sweetie, may I come in?”

“Mm, hm.”

Grunkle Ford slowly opened the door and found her in her usual spot. Criss-cross on the bed, by her nightstand, and hugging her pillow with her arms and legs and she had her face down on the fluffy cloud of a pillow to hide. “Mabel, I owe you an apology.” Grunkle Ford said as he stepped into the room and closed the door. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I’m sorry.”

Mabel sniffed into her pillow and rested her chin on it, showing her beautiful brown eyes that were still forming tears. “I’m sorry I ruined the performance.”

“It’s okay,” Grunkle Ford sat by her side, giving her a few inches of space. “I don’t care about that, not nearly as much as I care about your safety. I was so scared of losing you, but that’s no excuse. I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.”

Mabel sniffed and tried to blink her eyes dry. “I like you better as a dad than as a god.” She mumbled, mouth covered by the pillows and her eyes peering up at him.

Grunkle Ford smiled at that, feeling his heart in his throat. “Yeah?”

“And you like me better as your d-... kid than a muse, right?” She cried, her face now fully in her pillow.

“Oh, Mabel.” Grunkle Ford whispered and gently scooped her up into his arms and held her tenderly. “Oh, my darling Mabel. Yes, of course I do.”

Mabel let her cloud pillow go and she hugged him around the neck. Grunkle Ford rubbed circles into her back as he whispered gently to her. “Sweetheart, I love you very much. You’re my entire world. The idea of being without you… it terrifies me. But I’m afraid I’ve allowed that fear to cloud my better judgement, and I’m sorry. And, for what it’s worth… I’m beyond grateful The Faiths gave me you.”

Mabel sniffed, letting her grunkle’s toga catch her tears. “You don’t wish M-Mason was here instead of me?”

“No,” Grunkle Ford said. “I do miss your brother, more than words can say, but I love you very much and wouldn’t trade you away for anything in the world.”

Mabel looked up at him with hope glistening in her eyes. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Cross your heart?” Grunkle Ford chuckled and crossed his heart. Mabel rested her head there and smiled with a tiny giggle. “I love your heartbeat.”

And no, Grunkle Ford was not crying. He stubbornly cleared his throat and blinked his eyes dry as he combed his niece’s beautiful brown hair. “So, I have a proposition for you.”

“Okay?”

“I know you want to come and go like everybody else, but I’m afraid I can’t allow that. I still stand by what I said. You are still young. Something I envy actually.” He added and they both chuckled. “But I think I have a nice compromise.”

“Isn’t that bending the law?”

“Uh… no. It’s an agreement met in the middle of what both parties want.” Grunkle Ford loosened her hold on her so they could look at each other. “Here’s what I am offering: I am willing to give you a curfew if you promise me you can stand by it. After your lessons, you may go down to the valley at the base of the mountain, and perhaps a bit into the woods that surround the valley, but you must tell me when you are leaving and you must be home by sundown. Does that sound fair?”

“YES!” Mabel cheered and bounced in his lap. “Yes, that’s all I want! I just wanna go exploring! Thank you thank you THANK YOU, Grunkle Ford!”

He chuckled and smiled at her. “Promise me you will follow the rules?”

“I promise.”

“Cross your heart?” And Mabel did so before leaping back into his arms for a tight hug. And no, Grunkle Ford still wasn’t crying. “Thank you, my dear.” He said as he hugged her again. “I’m glad I can trust you.”

Yup. That hurt. That made the tears come back in Mabel’s eyes. She hated secrets, more than anything, and she loved her grunkle but hated it when he kept things from her, but that didn’t make it right to keep things from him. She blinked her eyes dry and muttered into his shoulder, “You can’t trust me.”

Grunkle Ford let her sit on his lap to look at her softly, though his heart did pick up speed at that statement. “What do you mean?”

Mabel sighed and bit her lip, not looking back at her great-uncle. “I’ve been talking to D-... to Mason.”

Grunkle Ford stared at her. “You have?”

“I didn’t leave Olympus!” Mabel quickly explained. “Not really! I just projected myself on the art in the Temple of the Gods when he went there to pray and know who he was! I couldn’t help myself, I’m sorry! He deserved to know! He’s my twin! Twins shouldn’t keep secrets from each other! And I had always wanted to talk to him! And, and…”

“Mabel, Mabel,” Grunkle Ford hushed and combed her hair with his six fingers. “It’s alright, it’s alright. I’m not mad. I… I knew you two would meet someday. I hated the fact that you had to be apart, it wasn’t fair. I just… I… Well, how did he take the news that he was a god?” He asked with a low chuckle.

Mabel gave a watery giggle. “He didn’t believe me at first. But he came around. He’s trying to become a true hero so his godhood will come back.”

“What?!” Grunkle Ford gasped and asked sternly, “Did you tell him that was possible?”

“Well, yeah, cuz it is…”

“Mabel! You shouldn’t have done that.” He scolded as lightly as his anxiety would let him. “He could get hurt or killed.”

“But how else is he supposed to come home?” Mabel asked.

“At least he has a chance to live a happy life on Earth.”

“But Grunkle Ford! If becoming a hero will bring him home…”

“He can’t come home if he’s dead, Mabel!”

The girl growled in her throat, losing patience with Grunkle Ford’s hopelessness, and yelled, “Well, what was I supposed to do?! I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing! Do you have any idea how much it hurts to lose a twin?!”

Mabel had shouted that more in a rhetorical sense, expecting Grunkle Ford to not answer, or to admit defeat and say no; what she definitely didn’t expect was for Grunkle Ford to sigh, nod his head, and say, “I do, actually.”

The young muse blinked at him, letting his words sink in. Grunkle Ford looked so sad, so full of shame. It was the same way he looked when he thought about Dipper and believed he was alone. “Y-You do? Did you have...?”

Grunkle Ford nodded solemnly. “I did. Once. A long time ago.”

Mabel had a million questions for him. She wanted to know everything, but she decided to open with an easy question to ease her uncle into telling her what happened. “Well, what’s their name?”

Grunkle Ford met her eyes with a small, sad smile on his face. “Stanley. The Trainer of Heroes.”

[intothewickedwood]

Once Upon A Time Rewatch: 5x13 Labor of Love

Oh dear. Poor Killian. That looks painful!

How does he know Emma’s come down to save him? Did he hear the message she sent somehow? Also, imagine if she hadn't come? He might have been tortured forever. Still shouldn't have brought Henry though.

Oh! He did get the message!

What happens if you’re mauled in the underworld? I mean, it's not like you can die again. What if it rips your arm off or something? Is that possible in the Underworld?

I wonder if Cerberus is where the idea of the gnashing of teeth in hell came from. 

Umm. Why didn't he just run too? There was no reason to just stand there.

Shouldn’t Regina be the one to help the Kingdom rather than her teenage stepdaughter? I mean, she has magic. But I'm not sure how many people know that at this point in time.

Wtf have they done to Megara?! How dare they! She is one of my all-time favourite Disney characters and the ouat version isnt anything like her movie counterpart! It's so disappointing! They could have done so much with Megara! I'm not gonna get angry that she was scared, because who wouldn't be in her position. Her behaviour however is inconsistent with the movie version. Where’s her quick wit and snark! Completely different character. I get its their own take, but they had a great opportunity to include a popular Disney heroin!

If Hercules is planning to live on Olympus once he becomes immortal, then what's the point in becoming immortal when he just ends up there after dying anyway?

Yes, Robin, we know it’s a protection spell.

Cruella! I missed her! 

‘Wonderboy.’ Regina stole that thing that Megara says! 

She learnt archery quickly! I once did archery at a Kingswood school trip. I was so scared one of the unruly boys in my class was gonna shoot me. Honestly wouldn’t put it past them. People literally throw all sorts at each other in my town. I once had stones thrown at my head walking home from school because they didn't like the way I walked and thought I was weird. I mean, I am pretty weird but what was that? Biblical times?! God, I'm so glad i was home-schooled after that.

Anyway, I digress! The moral of the story is getting shot in the ass with an arrow at my town is more likely than you think! 

Why are all the disabled characters villains? Like this guy with a patch on one eye, the Blind Witches, initially Killian, Rumple, Cruella, I would argue Ingrid and Zelena and even Jefferson is morally grey. I can't think of a disabled character that has never been a villain. Come to think of it, how did Weaver not have a limp, when there was no magic in Hyperion Heights?? Why did they just forget his limp when they felt it was convenient? Okay, I’ll give them Alice Jones and the Wish!Apprentice but they only seemed to consider such things in season 7. I like to think if the show had continued, they’d be more conscious of thesethings.

I still don't get how everyone seems to know about what happens in the living world. 

Looool. The pen died! Oh my God! All those pens and pencils I chewed up and bit in half!! 

Oh my God, yes! Let Snow express her pain about what Regina did to her! I completely forgot about this! Why is this the only time in so long! Let Snow react as any person would! She has feelings too! You can see how painful it all is to her. And then Regina just says, “and then you found her!” Seriously Regina?? You spent all those years set on vengeance for something a ten-year-old was manipulated into saying with your best interest at heart and you’re just dismissing Snow like this? Grrrr. I can't with her this season. The hypocrisy is too strong. We’ll probably be mostly cool again next season.

He’s like, don’t you break my f**k**g bow!

Is it his? I can't remember.

Young Snow is such freaking amazing casting. Seriously, how many virgin chickens did they sacrifice?!

Fluffy!!

David may not have been Snow’s first love or at least first kiss, but I headcanon that Snow was David’s. Unless he and Anna had a thing, but I think they were just friendy wends.

Loool! Why did they give a terrified Megara the dagger and not the pole! That means she has to get the closest to Cerberus!

Oh my God! Don’t hurt Fluffy!!

I really like the name Mary Margaret though! I'm one of those people who didn't mind the characters keeping both their cursed and original names.

Will Robin ever say anything of substance again? Tune in next week to find out!

Well, we all know Killian’s gonna write ‘Crocodile’ on all three of those headstones.

[cadday]

Collateral Damage - Chapter 12

Waking up on the floor sucked, even more so when it was stone and unforgiving as the one they had slept for the night. Waking up with a tiny angry man goat thing in your face going on about who knows what also sucked. Looking over he saw Lea and Isa were both awake and fairly startled by the angry thing ranting at them. Sighing Braig dragged himself off the floor and grimaced at the goat man.

“Look, uh guy. We just needed a place to crash while passing through, no big deal. We’ll get out of your um horns..”

“Not like we hurt anything, don’t got to yell at us about jack.” Lea stretched as he stood apparently having recovered from being awoken by this worlds occupants.

“This ain’t a hotel you brat. This is a place for heroes! This is...” Braig looked around at the comment and snorted a bit as he realized just where they were.

“The coliseum…” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud. Isa was looking at him weird but Lea didn’t seem to notice as he was having a glaring contest with the goat guy.

“That’s right. This is where heroes train and compete! Heroes like Hercules.”

“Who the hell is Hercules?” The little guy looked like he was going to have an aneurysm at Lea’s question which would be hilarious but they needed to ask different questions here.

“Right, anyway we apologise or whatever. Look have you seen some kids? A girl and boy specifically. Girl might be running around with a flowery key?” It at least stopped the yelling as the goat dude looked at him for a good long minute as he contemplated their question. Braig supposed they might not look the most trustworthy. Honestly Braig probably wasn’t being helped by the scar and the eyepatch.

“Yeah I saw them, junior heroes in training, they passed training but they need a whole lot more work. Told them to come back when they were stronger. Doubt they could have gotten pretty far in the actual cup tournament.”

“Hey I’ll have you know Kairi could probably kick most of your so called heroes asses…” Lea was arguing with the goat guy again which he wasn’t sure they had time for but at least it was confirmed that Kairi and Ienzo had been here.

“Lea that’s enough. Look we just need to know where they went, got anyway to point us in the right direction?” Isa was pulling Lea away from the conversation to get him to stop because he wasn’t backing down or stopping anytime soon it seemed.

“I don’t know much, I do know that Hades stopped them, the creep, on their way out but the older one, with the hair all in his face, pulled them away from that, smart kid. Herc talked to them a bit, he may know more than me. He’s outside if you want to try talking to him. Your other kids had more manners by the way.” Braig was so distracted by trying to organize his thought he didn’t even have time to sputter out a negative response to the comment about his ‘other kids’, Ienzo was his nephew at best and Kairi was…a kid.  The goat guy had wandered off and Braig felt a little wrong footed as he joined Isa and Lea, who was no longer ranting loudly but had settled for quietly mumbling insulting things about the goat guy.

“Looks like we need to find the Hercules guy, he apparently talked to them before they left.” Lea continued to ignore him though as he was mumbling increasingly creative and vulgar insults. Isa slapped a hand over the red head’s mouth, Lea looked offended and startled which was a little funny.

“Right let’s go see if we can find this guy then get out of here…”

Exiting the colosseum was different in the daylight and it took a second to figure out which way to look. People were loitering around the colosseum and when asked where to find Hercules they were just pointed back in the direction they came which was no help at all.

“I don’t think this guy exists. The goat man just sent us on a wild goose chase.” Lea was wildly flailing his arms which in Braig’s understanding meant he was on the way to a full tantrum. Isa was trying to get him to sit and calm down but it wasn’t really working and honestly Braig was so annoyed he couldn’t care less if Lea went off, and probably accidentally set something on fire, maybe the Hercules guy would show up then.

‘not a good idea…’ Braig pushed off from the wall he had been leaning on with a huff.

“Hey, let's go back to the colosseum. Maybe we missed him and he’s there and if not Lea can yell at the goat some more.” He waved them to follow along and ignored Lea’s continued ranting and Isa’s long suffering sigh as they made their way back.

Braig expected a few things when arriving back at the colosseum entrance, he didn’t really expect the man goat of Lea’s ire to be running up to them in a panic or the screaming people fleeing the area.

“Where’s Herc!”

“How the hell should we know you freaking little..”

“Lea…” Braig ignored the silent conversation the two were having and shrugged at the goat guy.

“Look we couldn’t find him, is there a problem? What’s with the fleeing and screaming?”

“Cerberus is loose in the colosseum! Hades is obviously behind it but someone needs to go in there and get that mutt before everything is wrecked.”

“Cerberus is a dog?”

“A giant three headed monster of a dog with more teeth than brains.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, what?”

“You go find Hercules and we’ll keep the giant angry dog thing busy till you do. Then we can talk to him after he stops the thing.”

“Are you nuts? You and those scrawny punks can’t take out Cerberus. You’ll be eaten alive.”

“Who the hell are you calling scrawny!”

“Just go find Hercules. Lea, Isa, hurry up.” With that Braig took off in the direction of the colosseum entrance. His arrow guns were in his hands before they entered the last door and he turned to make sure the others were smart enough to have drawn their weapons. Isa looked serious as much as Lea looked thrilled that they were about to fight a giant three headed creature.

“Alright, anything starts going wrong you book it out here understood? Isa you drag his ass out if ya have too.” He didn’t wait for the indignant yelling of Lea as they rushed into the open area of the arena.

Cerberus was a very angry looking three headed dog, with red eyes and questionably disproportionately giant sharp teeth that seemed like they would probably get in the way of eating then assist. The giant beast didn’t even notice their entrance as it focused more on slamming into pillars and lunging at the few trapped and screaming remaining audience members in the arena.

Lea and Isa were off running to assist evacuation of the area as Braig took a leveled breath and fired several rounds at one of the giant dogs heads to draw it’s attention away from the others. It swung around pissed and growling and he quickly rolled out of the way behind a pillar. The top of the pillar shattered around him and cursing he flung himself further away toward the seating areas to put some distance between giant fanged drooling mouths and his person.

“Geeze mutt. Your breath smells like death.” The thing lunged forward and he fired into the closest face before rolling under the snapping jaws of another. Blinding three heads at once was proving to be difficult and annoying.

‘needed a strategy…’

“Yeah, well too late for that innit.” Jumping out of the seating area he ran underneath the mutt before taking refuge behind another pillar and took a minute to catch his breath. He was too old for this shit.

‘you are not that old, in fact i am technically older.’

“Technically my consciousness time traveled so I’m pretty damn old too.”

‘physically it hardly matters.’

“If you want to be like that you don’t even have a physical form to age.”

‘fair enough.’ The pillar next to his collapsed as the cerberus attacked the stone in search of it’s attacker. Creeping around the pillar Braig caught sight of Lea and Isa pulling the last of the trapped audience members out of some rubble. The pillar against Braigs back shattered and cursing he spun around with his gun raised as something slammed into his side and sent him flying into one of the last remaining pillars. It didn’t shatter with his impact but it certainly felt like something did as he collapsed to the ground. His arrow gun bounced out of one of his hands. Raising his remaining weapon he fired a bit wildly at the approaching beast. The other heart was saying something but his head was kind of ringing and he was just trying his best to breathe through the pain.

Someone was yelling something colorful and Braig wondered briefly if he was that out of it that he was talking without realizing it. That was until Cerberus caught on fire. Isa was next to him in the next instant but he was distracted from whatever was being said by an absolutely furious Lea holding flaming chakrams and spitting out words he most likely had learned from Braig, and sometimes Dilan. Isa was pulling him up and Braig stumbled a bit as he tried to take more of his own weight then was smart. With an arm around Isa they quickly headed for the door, he briefly heard Isa calling for Lea before the edge of his vision went fuzzy and he blacked out completely.

[occasionalfics]

worth my while // p. 3

main masterlist | thor masterlist | ko-fi | p. 2 | p. 4

Summary: After being banished from his home, Thor Odinson has stopped at nothing to prove himself worthy of his throne, title, and power.

After losing the love of your life, you turned to a power you didn’t understand.You know you shouldn’t get involved.

But how could you not?

Pairing: Thor x Reader (Hercules au…kind of…)

A/N: Woo for no Hades this chapter! I think my favorite part of editing so far is realizing how much I skimmed over and never took the time to delve into, so now I’m filling in gaps and stuff. It’s fun. 

I’m loving that y’all are liking this, so far! Thank you, and continue to shower me in your love (aka let me know what you think)!

Warnings: Violence, lots of angst, borderline abuse and definite manipulation, eventual smut, way too many feels, major character death (eventually). A little more harassment on Hades’ part this time around.

Words: 2,660

The one thing you got to keep in your arrangement with Hades was your apartment. It took a lot of negotiating, but you refused to move into his mansion. It didn’t matter that he could build you a wing to yourself in a matter of minutes. You wanted a home to yourself, and you wanted him to pay for it, if you were going to be in his service whenever he needed you.

The only stipulation was that you needed to move into a place Rick hadn’t been in. Your ex couldn’t know where you lived, and you couldn’t know where he was, either.

And that was just fine with you.

Over time, you’ve come to appreciate the quiet loneliness of your apartment. Hades likes hosting at his place, rarely ever makes an appearance at yours. You’re grateful for that, at least.

The darkness at night doesn’t eat you up. The quiet during the morning doesn’t smother you. It’s all comforting. And it’s yours.

But what’s unsettling about it this morning is that it’s been three days.

Three days since Hades dropped you off here. No texts, no calls, no finding him with an expensive car on the curb outside the building, waiting for you to emerge.

Three days since you watched Thor explode out of the Hydra, and three days since the last day you didn’t think about him at least once an hour.

Both thoughts are driving you a little crazy. You hate this. You want them both to leave you alone, even though neither of them have made contact with you in three whole days. You’re worried because Hades never leaves you alone for this long, and because you really shouldn’t be letting some guy you don’t even know dictate your brain space like this.

You force yourself out of bed. It’s comfortable there, yes, but that’s the quietest place in the apartment. It’s the place ripe for the most contemplation. At least in the shower, you can focus on the grout between the tiles or the hair you should probably clean out of the drain.

You’re dressed in under thirty minutes, afraid to let a single thought linger with an action for too long. You decide to head out, though you don’t have a clue of where you’re going at first. But if Hades isn’t requiring your presence, then you see no reason to lock yourself away from the world.

What’s funny about that is that, before today, that’s exactly what you’ve been doing.

Ever since Rick… died. That’s all you’ve done - hide away. You were hiding in that church that day, only in plain sight. And Hades had taken advantage of that.

Since Rick left, you’d sequestered yourself. No contact with old friends, barely any texts and calls to and from your mother. The only person you regularly interact with is Hades.

Man, your life is a sad, strange little mess.

Made even worse by the direction in which your feet take you: straight to Avengers’ tower. You don’t even know how you get there - you just walk and walk and ignore your rumbling stomach until, suddenly, you’re staring up at the neon letters that used to make up STARK but now read AVENGERS.

The building is nearly impossible to look at on a sunny day, what with its visage of windows and solar panels. Thankfully, today is somewhat overcast.

You don’t know what you’re doing at Avengers’ Tower, but that doesn’t stop your feet from dragging you into the lobby. The receptionist smiles at you, asks if you have an appointment, but you shake your head.

“I was wondering if Thor was in,” you hear yourself ask. Your heart skips a beat and the hairs at the back of your neck stand like you’ve been electrocuted.

Why are you asking for Thor? You wonder. If Hades knew, he’d surely taunt you. He’d probably use it against you, honestly. Or, if not against you, then at least in some way to his own advantage.

Same difference.

The receptionist reminds you that Hades isn’t here simply by nodding. She offers to call for him, which you’re sure is a safety precaution since you obviously don’t belong here. Without meaning to, you take her up on her offer.

You take a seat by the wall, but stand again because, if you sit, you’ll think. You’ll think about how weird this is, how you shouldn’t be here, how it’s really off putting that Hades hasn’t texted or called or anything in three days.

You realize, only then, that coming to find Thor is a distraction. You don’t even know him or know that he’ll want to see you, and yet, you’re here. You’re here on the flimsy hope that he’ll take your mind off whatever it is your dangerous employer is planning.

You don’t notice you’ve started to pace until Thor steps into the lobby. You have to turn around to face the elevator as he ducks his head slightly. He’s too damn tall.

You’ve never been drawn to big guys like him before. Rick was toned but slim, built much closer to Hades or Tony Stark than...this.

But you can only deny the fact that you think Thor is attractive for so long.

“(Y/N),” he says, curious surprise clear in his voice.

You remember that he only knows your name because Sam said it to him at the event. To you, Thor is the man who burst out of the stomach of a Monster, outmaneuvering Hades, by sheer will of force. But to him, you’re a mystery.

“Uh,” you stumble, “hi.”

“What’re you doing here?” he asks, not impolite. He comes over to you, apparently just as aware as you are that the receptionist is watching you.

Looking up at him, you feel tiny, but - surprisingly - not in a bad way.

“I, um.” You weave your fingers together and pull, cracking a knuckle loudly in the silence. Grappling for words isn’t your style - not anymore, not since Hades - and yet you find you’re entirely confused. What are you doing here, anyway?

You clear your throat. “Sorry. Could we, uh. Maybe go get coffee?”

You absolutely had not planned on asking Thor, an Avenger, out on a date today. Is it a date? It sounds like a date.

What will Hades say when he finds out?

Well, if he finds out.

Yes. If. If is good.

“Sure,” Thor answers, though his expression gives no new emotion away. He feels his pockets and breathes out deeply, then nods. “Just a moment,” he tells you before turning to the receptionist. You turn halfway to the door so you don’t look like you’re eavesdropping.

You actually don’t hear what he’s saying to her at all. And that’s okay. She just nods, and then he joins you by the door.

“So,” he says when you’re on the street, heading for the closest cafe that you know has good pastries. “I must say, I’m rather surprised to see you.”

You nod, because of course he is. It’s not like you have his number or anything to announce your appearance ahead of time. It’s not like you know one another well enough to actually be going on coffee dates.

Not a date.

Yeah, right.

“Honestly, I’m not sure what possessed me to show up like that,” you say with a shrug. You cross your arms before going on. “I am surprised you even came down, though. You could’a just told that receptionist to tell me to get lost.”

He chuckles. “I’m sure you know this city better than most.”

There’s no way he can know that. No one knows this city as well as they think they do. There’s always something new to see or stumble upon, which is why so many people are drawn to cities like New York.

“Beatrice had Friday alert me, but all either of them said was that a pretty girl was requesting my presence.” He doesn’t explain who Friday is, but you agree that the receptionist looked like a Beatrice. Somehow. “Who was I to turn away a woman in need of my assistance?”

That’s not the situation here, and you both know it. But you don’t correct him. You point out the cafe and Thor takes the door from you, insisting on following you in.

“I guess,” you start as you get in line. You sigh, because your brain really isn’t working with you. Your mouth is moving on muscle memory alone, it seems.

But that’s not right.

Still, you find yourself saying, “I just thought that we’d gotten off on the wrong foot. Twice. And I wanted to clear that up.” Kind of. Because telling him why you were in Victor Von Doom’s office is off the table.

You wait until you’ve both ordered, paid, and picked up your steaming cups. Maybe this really isn’t a date - a thought that you actually allow to disappoint you a little bit - if you’re each paying separately. Then again, you haven’t exactly been on a date in some time. Are they still doing it the same way?

Thor picks a table away from most of the other people in the cafe. It’s early afternoon, so the place isn’t quite packed. Especially not for Manhattan. But still, it’ll be easier to talk without having others around to hear.

He sips on his drink. You just wrap your hands around yours.

“So,” he says after a bit. “What are we clearing up?”

You chuckle out a sigh, unable to tell which one is meant to cover up the other. “I’ll start with an introduction, I guess.” You let go of the coffee cup and hold a hand out to him. “I’m (Y/N).”

Thor cocks an eyebrow at you, but seems to catch on quickly. He shakes your hand and tells you, “Thor Odinson, Avenger.”

“You use that line on all the girls you go out for coffee with?” you ask. You hadn’t even meant to. You hate sounding...jealous or petty. Or basic. But you hope the case is that you sound flirty.

Thor think the last, too. He shakes his head and tells you, point-blank, “Not at all. It’s merely a polite formality - most people already know who I am. But I want us to be on equal footing.”

More than the words he’s said, you’re quite floored by his honesty. Not even Hades has been this up front with you - maybe ever.

“Now I’ve told you what I do for a living,” he says, and immediately, your heart speeds up. “What is that you do?”

The question reverberates in your head. And your chest. And your stomach. This whole idea was terrible - why did you let yourself out of the house again? What force in this universe possessed you to ask an Avenger out? Date or no, this is the quickest you’ve ever fallen into a disaster.

You can’t just tell him you work for the Greek God of the Dead, Ruler of the Underworld. He’d probably believe the God part, and that would be a nice break, but you definitely shouldn’t tell him the truth. Hades won’t like it at all.

But you also can’t not answer him. You’ve dug yourself a hole already, and now you need to lie in it.

“I...uh. I’m a maid.”

You hate yourself for lying. Which is new. You lie all the time - you were going to lie to Victor Von Doom if you needed to, and you absolutely would not have felt like an absolute disappointment then. But you hate that you’re lying now, and that you feel like you have to lie to keep this going.

Why do you even want this going at all?

You sip your coffee to avoid having to say anything more so soon. Thor just nods, like he believes what you’ve said. Poor fool you think, even though you are the only person making him into one.

But honestly, maid is the closest thing you can think of that isn’t inappropriate. Errand bitch somehow doesn’t have the same ring to it. So you allow it.

“And do you work for Doctor Von Doom, then?” he asks.

And you pause then, as you realize that you’re only making this worse. Of course that’s where he’d go. Because maids can’t just afford gorgeous gowns and aren’t usually invited to exclusive galas for billionaires just for the sake of company.

“Oh, uh. No,” you say. You clear your throat again, pushing your cup as far away from you as you can get it without making it obvious that you’re uncomfortable.

It must not work, though. You don’t go on, and Thor doesn’t appear to know what to say, at least at first. So the silence drags on until he scoots just a few centimeters closer to you, somehow dragging in the smell of clean before a storm, and tilts his head to glace sidelong at you.

“I did not mean to overstep, (Y/N),” he says softly.

This is so silly you think. He didn’t overstep. He asked all completely normal questions - you’re the one that’s being ridiculous. You can hear Hades’ voice in your head, telling you to get a grip, that Thor is just a guy. Just another guy, just like Rick was just another guy.

You shake your head to dismiss your own thoughts and Thor’s apology. “No, it’s okay. My employer...he just prefers privacy, you know?”

That’s not entirely a lie. It settles the uncomfortable rumbling in your stomach, at least for now.

Thor nods. “Of course,” he says, forcing a smile.

It’s cute, that he wants to make you comfortable. You think that’s what it is in his eyes - those lightning, mesmerizing eyes that have drawn you into him every single time you’ve seen them.

But you stop yourself from appreciating that fully, because you haven’t done anything to earn it. And the last time you did… Well, that landed you with an Eternity of doing Hades’ bidding to look forward to.

“So you’re a maid,” he repeats. “That’s more than I knew three days ago.” He smiles at you, clearly trying.

You take a deep breath and decide to try, too. “In that case, it’s your turn to tell me something that I don’t already know.”

He laughs at that. After another sip of coffee, he says, “Well, I don’t know how much you already know, but if we’re keeping things quite simple, I’m not an only child.”

The only reason you pause at that is because that definitely feels like first-date territory. And your response, “Really, now?” definitely points in the same direction.

“Technically, my brother is adopted. You may know him, if know anything about the Battle of Manhattan.” It almost sounds like he’s bragging, but there’s a grim darkness that takes over the blue of his eyes. Is he shaming himself to make you feel more comfortable, you wonder?

“Wait,” you say, thinking of the green man you’d thought was Thor’s cousin only a few days ago. “The dude that brought those aliens here - he’s your brother?”

Thor chuckles sarcastically, then nods. “When you’re as old as we are, you find ways to keep life interesting.” He takes another sip of his drink, then turn the cup away from him when he puts it back on the table. “Funny how he comes and wreaks havoc here, and yet he’s still admitted entrance into Asgard.”

His gaze goes to the table, too, and every instinct in you is yelling out to ask him what that means. But then a small voice - Hades’ voice, just distant - reminds you that you’re already too deep into this conversation. The less you know, the better, even if you’d asked for information about Thor.

This “date” is a one-time thing, you tell yourself.

If only you were as good at following your own rules as you are at following Hades’.

[hamilton-one-shots]

(Based off of a post that I couldn’t find after an hour of searching, if anyone knows what it is, feel free to tag me so I can link it)

(Edited by: @dflwrites)

Saturday night in college. Most kids were out at parties or in bars, hooking up and throwing up, but, for Hercules, there was no better way to spend it than with his roommate, John, watching movies and getting drunk. On this particular night, though, John decided to make the slightest change to their plans.

“Hercules, I brought my new friend, Laf,” John announced as he stepped into the apartment, someone trailing behind him.

Hercules turned around from his place in the kitchen and smiled as he saw the two, waving. Lafayette definitely seemed like a nice person and Hercules found himself already wishing he knew him better. Maybe it was just a sign that they’d be good friends. “Hey, it’s nice to meet you.”

John smiled, glad that Hercules wasn’t chewing him out. After all, last time John brought a friend over for movie night, John hooked up with him and Hercules was, unfortunately, forced to hear it through their walls. Those weren’t his plans for Lafayette. “I met Laf at my GSA meeting. He’s from France.”

Laf nodded, smiling proudly over his home country. “Yes, I moved here for university. It’s nice to start the year off with a new friend.” He walked over to Hercules and held his hand out.

Hercules shook his hand, surprised at how strong the other’s grip was. “Well, Laf, you’re welcome over whenever, as long as you let us know.” He could see the look in John’s eyes. He knew this wouldn’t be another “Alexander” incident.

“Thank you,” Laf said, thankful to have already made a second friend. “You may also call me Lafayette, my last name, or Gil. I don’t like Gilbert, though,” he shrugged.

Hercules nodded. “Noted. Well, just make yourself at home! I was just finishing up with some snacks. I’ll bring them out in a bit.”

Lafayette nodded and followed John to the living room, Hercules joining them soon after.

Just like that, Hercules found a new best friend. Well, a second best friend. Lafayette shared the title with John, even though the way Hercules got along with him was... definitely different from Hercules’s friendship with John. He and Lafayette just got along so well, he didn’t know what else to call him. They had the same sense of humor and a similar love for fashion and Lafayette was a great drinking partner when John wasn’t up for it. Lafayette even worked out, something that Hercules wouldn’t be able to drag John into if he moved him with a forklift.

“What do you say we get some lunch?” Hercules asked afterwards, in the locker room shower, Lafayette being in the stall beside him.

“I think that sounds like a date,” Lafayette replied, a grin evident in his voice. “Oh! And, I’ve been thinking, maybe we can have a movie night at my place, if John isn’t feeling better.”

John’s latest excuse as to why he wouldn’t go to the gym was the fact that he came down with a cold, which was the only valid excuse he’d ever given.

“Sounds like a plan.” Hercules got out of the shower and got dressed, glad that nobody else was really around.

Lafayette joined him a few minutes later, clearly having a lot less shame as he got dressed.

Hercules wasn’t trying to look, but he definitely got an eyeful. Of course, he wasn’t going to bring it up, dudes saw each other’s junk all the time, it was no big deal, but... Wow. To be blunt, he didn’t realize his friend was built like a god and it made him glad that he was already dressed.

Otherwise, he’d have a lot of explaining to do.

The image was stuck in Hercules’s mind for the rest of the day and something about it kept him from going to sleep. He was just thinking about what he had seen and didn’t even realize where his hand had found itself until the next morning.

Maybe it was something he should’ve talked to John about, to try and figure out what it meant, but it was kind of embarrassing. He didn’t want Lafayette to find out somehow and get scared away.. Hercules decided to just keep it to himself. As well as every other time it happened that week. It definitely felt weird or at least new to jerk off to the thought of Lafayette, but who could blame him? The guy was hot. That was one thing he knew for sure. At that point, the only other thing he knew for sure was that Lafayette would not be hearing about this.

Hercules kept the thought to himself as he sat on Lafayette’s couch, the Frenchman being the one making the snacks and getting the drinks for this movie night. Hercules realized it was probably best to stay away from the alcohol and just enjoyed the movie with his friend. A few hours into the night, he realized something. Lafayette was sitting pretty close. Or was Hercules the one sitting close? They were basically in the middle of the couch together, so were they sitting close to each other?..

The idea made Hercules blush a bit and gave him another idea. He reached between them and grabbed one of Lafayette’s hands, glancing out of the corner of his eyes at his reaction.

Lafayette just smirked softly and squeezed Hercules’s hand.

Great, Lafayette didn’t hate him. At that point, it was all that Hercules wanted. He smiled to himself and sat there with his closest friend. It was pretty comfortable sitting there with him, hand in hand.

At the end of the movie, Hercules felt something in his gut and decided to try something new, turning towards Lafayette. He wanted to kiss him.. Hercules had never kissed a guy before and, to be frank, he’d never wanted to, but things were different with Lafayette. Different in a way he didn’t know how to explain. Different in a way he’d never felt before.

Lafayette noticed and turned to face Hercules as well, a questioning look on his face.

Hercules decided to just go for it and leaned in, kissing Lafayette.

Hercules liked it, too... He really liked it. And he liked it even more as Lafayette pushed him back against the couch and kissed him more passionately, more roughly. The only thing he didn’t like was when Lafayette pulled away.

“My room?” Lafayette asked with a suggestive twinkle in his eyes.

Now that, Hercules liked. He nodded without thinking and followed Lafayette to his bedroom, feeling butterflies in his stomach. He’d hooked up with girls before, sex had never meant enough to him for him to care who he lost his virginity to, but this felt different. He felt a different kind of excited following Laf to his room than he did when he’d do the same with some girl from a bar.

That night, Hercules had an amazing lesson on what gay sex was like, doing everything short of anal because, well, he just wasn’t ready for that lesson. Still, it managed to be the best sexual experience Hercules had ever had by far. Lafayette clearly knew what he was doing and just how to do it.

Hercules stayed awake late that night, Lafayette’s arms around him, thinking. What was this? What was the feeling in his chest and what was his relationship with Lafayette? It sure as hell felt like more than friendship, but maybe that was just on his end... After all, Laf knew that he was straight and Hercules heard that it wasn’t unusual for a straight guy to hook up with a gay guy, just to try it. Maybe that’s what Lafayette thought it was. Hercules wasn’t about to scare his best friend into a relationship. Maybe he was just experimenting. Whatever it was, Lafayette seemed to enjoy it and that was what really mattered.

And things changed between the two from that night on. Hercules found himself greeting Lafayette with a kiss every time he saw him and slept over a few times every week. He even had dinner with Lafayette and his parents, the Washingtons. Sure, his dad was pretty intimidating, but he seemed to like Hercules and Hercules had no real reason to be afraid of Lafayette’s dad, right? Not when he hadn’t hurt him and had no plan to do so.

Of course, as close as they were, it seemed to make John a little jealous. After walking in on Hercules and Lafayette watching a movie, Hercules laying down with his head in Lafayette’s lap, John thought he was funny in calling Lafayette Hercules’s boyfriend.

Once Lafayette had left the next morning, Hercules sat down with John.

“Are you jealous of Laf?”

John furrowed his eyebrows. “No. Why would I be?”

“Well.. You did call him my boyfriend,” Hercules pointed out. “You know we’re just friends. I mean..” It kind of hurt to admit. “Laf seems like the kind of guy to tell me if he liked me and he hasn’t, so.. He doesn’t, right?”

John choked on his orange juice, coughing and shaking his head. “Dude...” he managed to croak out before clearing his throat. “You stay over at his place and you have sex with him, I know your ‘I just got laid’ face. Either he’s your boyfriend or I’m the straightest straight to ever straight. And he took you to meet his parents. That’s a boyfriend move, if I know one. You and Laf really have to talk this out because there is no way you are just friends.”

Well... Hercules would be lying if he said that calling Lafayette a friend didn’t feel a bit foreign. It did feel like they were a lot more, but... what if Lafayette didn’t want that?

That night, Hercules went over to Lafayette’s apartment for a movie and decided to just rip the bandaid off.

“Are we boyfriends?” he asked as soon as Lafayette, now visibly confused, sat down.

“What do you mean?”

Hercules took a deep breath before clearing his mind. “I mean... I thought I was straight at first, but things just feel so different around you and I thought you thought I was just experimenting and going with it, but John pointed out that we do all of this stuff together and that means that we’re boyfriends, which I think I would like, but I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want you thinking I was just testing this out with you because you mean so much more to me than that and-

“Hercules,” Lafayette said calmly with a smile. “Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

Hercules hesitated for a second before nodding. “If that’s what you want too, then yeah...”

And, like clockwork, the two leaned in and kissed until the movie was long forgotten.

Hercules may have been wrong about being straight, but it definitely wasn’t a bad thing. After all, he had the perfect boyfriend.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Winner’s Curse Ch. 5

“We’re going to barge in and tell him? But he won’t have any idea how to fix this.” Jay protested running backwards as Aziz and Jordan desperately ran towards Ben’s room.

“Well he has to know! He’s King. Adam may not want him overwhelmed but Ben’s King. If he gets stressed, he’ll have to suck it up and fix it. He can’t do nothing while villains attack.” Aziz said, echoing all the frantic thoughts swirling in her head at the moment.

Aziz slowed down to a brisker pace and turned toward her, “Too bad for Calix. His mom is definitely one of the bad guys now.”

Jordan had to search her memory for why the hell Aziz was bringing up Calix at a moment like this when she remembered the list of who was in the Coven.

Circe.

Calix was the son of the aforementioned Circe and one of her best friends since preschool.

Their moms went way back to the 600 B.C. and they spent almost every break together. He was one of the few non-family members that she would trust with her life and her lamp. He wasn’t interested in her wishes, he knew better than that. If he did she would find some loophole and blast him out to the middle of the desert. They went on adventures, they fought, and they kissed more times than she could count.

Aziz and others always teased that they should already marry because of the “obvious sexual tension” but Jordan knew that would never happen. She planned to be emotionally unavailable until she turned 50,000 so she could focus on her career and Calix was a complete commitment-phobe.

Plus if they ever got married, they would kill each other for being so annoying. Well she would kill him since she wasn’t unable to die and that was just unfair advantage. They knew each other better than anyone including how to press each other’s buttons.

Calix’s mom had been deported to the Isle shortly after Cotillion. Apparently Auradonians had been getting riled up by all the Vk invasions from the likes of CJ and Zevon and Uma’s attack was the last straw.

Even though the VKs came from the Isle and not within Auradon, people felt people with dubious pasts were encouraging VKs to get in. You know, ignoring how because Auradon was so “good” that they had the most lax security system ever.

Ignoring all common sense, the Auradonians wanted all reformed criminals and thieves to leave.

Sadira had been one of the people on the list for all the times she had tried to use magic to steal Aladdin away from Jasmine and for joining the Sand Witch coven. Same with Cassim for his stint as the leader of the Forty Thieves.

Even though people had been granted full pardons years ago, they still had to endure an awful week of trials and interviews before it was allowed for Sadira and Cassim to stay. Though Jordan was pretty sure the final decision hinged on the fact that the two were officially part of the Agrabah Royal Family. What with Cassim being Aladdin’s father and Sadira being Zahir’s mom thus making her Zahrat’s mother in law and grandmother to the newest royal family member.

Circe wasn’t so lucky. Even though prominent figures like Hercules and Helen of Troy vouched that Circe was completely reformed from her seductive and anthropomorphizing-men-who-disagreed-with-her ways, they deported her anyway.

Thankfully, the jury was merciful enough not to send Calix away to the Isle with her. He was currently staying with Helen of Troy and handling the whole situation as well enough as he could. 

Jordan had been slacking in the texting department. It was just that Calix hated technology, he much preferred talking face to face so she hadn’t been there to support as much as she should have. She would have to call him later.

She didn’t know exactly how he would react to Circe being part of a Coven that was trying to take over Auradon. She supposed he would be crushed, but then again he might see this Coven as Circe’s way of trying to get back to Auradon and him.

“Whose Calix?” Jay asked curiously, stopping his backward run to turn around as they entered the dorm building.

“A friend. Circe’s son. You would know that if you ever visited Agrabah with us, he always visits Jordan.” Aziz answered with an edge.

Jordan smacked his butt and mouthed, “Not the time!”

Aziz was incredibly loyal to those he loved and tended to take insults to his family as an insult to himself. Since Aladdin had been disappointed by Jay’s lack of interest in visiting, Aziz was picking up the slack in the anger department.

It was usually an endearing trait but she knew that this time Aziz’s passive aggressiveness was not coming from family pride but that he was just venting residual annoyance from the fact that his ego was still stung by Jay’s lack of faith in his air duct navigation capabilities.

“It’s true.” Aziz mouthed back furiously.

“World at stake.” Jordan was trying to mouth her words carefully despite the running when she crashed into Jay’s broad, solid chest causing she and Aziz to fall backwards like dominos.

Jay looked amusedly at them. “I can’t believe Audrey thinks you’re secretly dating. You fight like siblings.”

“Well we practically are siblings.” Jordan huffed, wiping the dust off her midriff, “And I would never date Aziz. I’ve was there when they were potty training him. He will never be cute.”

“And I was there holding back her hair when she got some weird genie illness and she exploded from both ends.” Aziz glared as Jordan scowled at him.

“Jerk.” Jordan snapped. 

“Train wreck.” 

“Uh hello?”

The three teens turned and saw Ben’s face poking out his door, drawn out by the noise they had been making outside his room.

“Ben!” They yelled and crowded the door while trying to explain everything they had heard.

“Calm down, where’s the fire?” Ben lead them toward the spacious bed in his room and made them sit. “What is it?”

“Okay, so we were eavesdropping on a meeting FG was having because of my parents which is a different story altogether but what we found out was that somehow the villains on the Isle have their magic back and have created a Coven, even though Covens are so 17th century but then again some of them are from the 17th century so that makes sense, anyway, they created a Coven and are trying to break the Isle from the inside. Your dad didn’t tell you because he didn’t want to overwhelm you but hello, you’re king you should know about impending doom so that’s why we’re telling you. Oh, and your dad wanted FG to fix this somehow with breaking the Magic Ban which is ridiculous because you can’t fight dark magic without magic. Maleficent will just freeze everyone again if we sent an army to the Isle or Ursula will put them under mind control. You get the picture. So that’s the situation.” Jordan babbled rapidly.

Somehow Ben was able to understand the basics of the situation and went into decision-making mode. He bit the end of his pencil and kept shuffling and reshuffling what looked like applicant profiles before he looked back at them with his eyes lit up with inspiration.

“You’re right. We can only fight magic with magic. I need you to go to the Isle and stop them from within.” Ben said solemnly.

“WHAT!! Are you crazy? No no no no! I can’t do that. I mean just no! I-what how would that even work. I would stand out like a sore thumb. I can’t survive the Isle. I mean Freddie thinks I’m the closest thing to a Vk in Auradon but that is compared to you people. It doesn’t mean I can go up against actual VKs! And villains, I cannot go toe to toe with villains! I may have phenomenal cosmic powers but I don’t have the experience. I need people to wish things from me, I can’t do it myself. And I’m not going to do it either. No. No. No! I’m not trained, I’m not qualified, I’m-“ Jordan screeched when she felt Aziz shaking her shoulder.

“English, Jordan, English.”

Jordan looked between the blank, confused faces of Ben and Jay and realized she must have slipped into Arabic in the middle of her freak out.

“Sorry, I tend to forget English when I’m horrified. You know horrified that my King has gone crazy. You don’t actually think your idea will actually work, do you?” Jordan stammered.

“My parents thought my Vk reformation program would fail and it has actually expanded so we are going to bring all VKs to Auradon so don’t say it will fail before it actually begins.” Ben started slowly, eyeing her cautiously for another meltdown, “And I’m not saying you should go today or by yourself. You will need a team to help you. It’s tough navigating the Isle by yourself, I should know. But first, will you do it?”

Jordan looked at Ben’s hopeful, optimistic face and gave the only answer she could.

“I’ll think about it.”

[hamilkilo]

Blinding Fear

Prompt: Just throwing this out here but you can never write to many storm centered hurt/comfort fics with our resident writer who gets too distracted by work to heed the warnings of his s/o or to pay attention to the changing weather.

Paring: Poly!Hamilsquad X Reader

TW: Storms, swearing, fear, aggression, violence(?), mention of blood, anger and hurtful words, angst?

A/N: Hey guys! I’m probs in a mania tonight, explaining why I’ve written and posted three fanfics in the span of a few hours. Anyways, this should be the last one tonight since I have shit to do tomorrow. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope y’all enjoy it and find some sort of solace within it. As always, if something triggers you, let me know so I can tag it! I want you to feel safe when reading my work! I love all of you so much! Happy reading!

Word Count: 2803

“Alex,” you say gently, trying to catch his attention as he typed away on a document. He didn’t look up, his eyes still trained. “Honey, don’t forget to come home early today, okay? I looked at the weather…”

His typing paused, and he glanced at you, leaning over to press a chaste kiss to your cheek. “I know, sweetheart. Thank you for the lunch. I’ll see you at home soon, okay?”

You smiled softly at him, kissing his lips softly before you finally stood up to your full height and adjusted your top. You lovingly ran a hand through his hair before you left his office. On days when the weather had been forecasted to get bad, you’d stop by his office to remind him of the thunderstorms. He never liked to admit it, but they triggered him. They were his weak point.

John was next to get home, tugging off his jacket. The wind had picked up over the course of the afternoon. “Hello, sweetheart. How was your day?”

He approached you and joined you on the couch, pulling you in for a brief kiss. “It was good, you?”

He grinned at you. “It’s good now.”

You snuggled up against his side as you fixed your attention back on the television.

“Have you heard from Alex at all?” You asked suddenly, and he glanced down at you.

“No. Have you?” You shook your head in response, and he frowned.

“I’m sure he’ll be home soon,” you muttered, but you still felt nerves tug at your gut.

Laf was next to get home in his pair of dark blue scrubs, curly strands of hair hanging in his face.

“Long day?” John asked with a smirk, and Laf rolled his eyes.

“You have no idea!” He leaned down and kissed John, long and sweet, before he kissed your cheek. “Where is our Alex?”

You shrugged. “I’m sure he’s on his way.”

Laf nodded and went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. You pulled your legs up beside you and cuddled even closer to John. You texted Alex, asking him where he was, just for good measure.

It was when Herc got home that you really began to get nervous. You could now hear the wind howling outside as it pulled at Herc’s scarf. He shut the door behind him, shaking his head from the cold. He put his scarf and coat on the rack before he went over to the two of you and gave you each a kiss. Laf came out of the kitchen, a cup of tea in his hands. He probably made it after he made the coffee. He’d always been more of an herbal type of person. He gave Herc a gentle kiss, and a soft smile graced his lips when Herc took a sip from his mug.

“Earl Grey?” He handed the mug back to Laf, who smiled.

“You know me so well, babe.” He leaned in and eagerly met Herc’s kiss.

When they separated, Herc looked around. “Where’s Alex? He should’ve been home by now.”

His words hung heavy in the air. You knew he was right. Alex should’ve been home forever ago.

“I… I’m not sure… I reminded him at lunch today, and he’s not responding to my texts.” You admitted as you checked your phone again. Still a blank screen.

“Merde,” Laf swore softly, and Herc squeezed his shoulder. John scrolled through his phone, tapped it a few times, then pressed it to his ear. You all held your breath, then let it out in disappointment when he didn’t answer.

“We’ve gotta go find him. Now,” John was adamant, and you nodded in agreement. You needed to find Alex before the storm and get him home.

Laf sat his tea down on the side table, and Herc pulled his keys from his pocket. All of you grabbed your coats and were quick out the door. Herc drove quickly towards Alex’s office at the Law Firm. It was when the rain started to softly pitter patter against the windshield that your breath caught. Laf rubbed your arm in understanding.

As soon as the car was in park, all of you were jumping from it and running towards the door. And you didn’t care that you looked like soggy, desperate mad men. Alex was in danger, and that was all you could think about. You didn’t stop at the secretary’s desk like usual, and you didn’t pause to converse with Angie when she greeted you. You didn’t even pause when Mr. Washington called out your name. You were on a set path.

You threw open his office door, the first there, and panic gripped at you when you saw the lights were out, the blinds were drawn tight, and the room was empty. Your boyfriends paused behind you, then John shoved past into the room.

“‘Lex!” He called out, quickly moving around. “Alex?!” His voice was frantic, and he was met with a soft whimper from behind the desk. He walked behind it and crouched down. After a moment, he popped back up and nodded at the lot of you. He had found him. You let out a breath you knew you’d been holding, and you moved forward. You crept slowly around the desk and found Alex curled up in a ball, his face pressed against John’s stomach. The man that usually cared if his tie was slightly off kilter was now on the floor, crumpling his perfectly ironed suit. It broke your heart.

“Alex,” your voice was soft as you joined them on the ground. Herc and Laf stayed behind the desk, not wanting to crowd him in such a state.

A soft roll of thunder could be heard from outside, and he whimpered again, curling closer to John. You rubbed his back soothingly as John held him.

You needed to get him home. He’d feel safer there. But you didn’t know how to.

“I… The storm…” He tried to speak, but his voice came out tight and strained. You ran a hand through his messy ponytail. How long had he been curled beneath his desk?

“I know,” John murmured to him, and Alex pulled away to look up at him through teary eyes.

“I was about to leave when… when I heard the wind…” He whimpered when the thunder grumbled, a bit louder than before. You were losing time to get him home.

John shushed him. “I know, sweetheart. I know… But we gotta get you home.”

Alex gripped at his shirt, his hands tight. “Outside? No, John… Please, I can’t. I can’t face the storm, please-”

John pried Alex’s hands off his shirt and held them, pressing kisses to each of his knuckles. “I know you’re afraid, but your pills are at home, and you usually feel more secure there. And we’ll be there the entire time, okay?”

When Alex didn’t respond, he moved to get up. Alex panicked and latched onto him again. “Where’s Herc? Where’s my Hercules?”

You moved out of the way and Herc took your spot. Alex’s wild eyes settled on him, and he was quick to wrap himself around him.

“I’m right here, ALex… It’s okay,” he whispered as he rubbed his back. After Alex’s breathing had calmed down a bit, Herc stood up slowly with him, Alex holding fast.

“Don’t worry, honey. It’s a short walk to the car. You’ll be in my arms the entire time, okay-”

“The-The storm, Herc-” Alex’s voice was frantic.

“I know. We can make it. I’ll have you the entire time, okay? You can do this.” Herc sounded sure, and Alex took several deep breaths before he nodded. Herc’s grip on him tightened, and he started to walk towards the door.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened. There had been a few storms none of you had been prepared for. His work environment knew about his past and his fear of storms, and they also knew all of you and even Mr. Washington would beat the shit out of anyone that had something to say about it.

Herc’s steps were deliberate as he carried Alex through the building, all of you flocking them. A few gazes lingered on you as you passed, but you only focused on Alex. You could see that it was pouring as you neared the glass doors, and from Alex’s tense posture, you guessed that he knew this too. It was when Herc stepped out into the storm that Alex lost his Moxie and began clawing at Herc.

“No! Hercules! No, please! Let me go! Please, don’t make me go out! Please!” He cried and pleaded like his life depended on it, and he squirmed and fought, but Herc’s hold was persistent. Laf unlocked the car. Since you’d been through this before, you knew that Laf would now drive. Herc and John would try to hold Alex down and keep him sane in the backseat. You would sit shotgun. And that’s what happened, only, this time, something went wrong. Herc was fighting to buckle Alex in when a bolt of lightning jutted across the sky, and Alex went batshit. He lost his mind to the blind panic. He ended up hitting Herc in the face, taking him completely by surprise. Herc’s hands hesitated, only for a moment, but that was all he needed. Alex scrambled from the car, evading any hands that reached for him, and he took off towards the building, John in hot pursuit. The rest of you followed, but John was the closest. Alex was just a hair away from the doors when John tackled him and pinned him to the ground. Alex cursed and screamed, reaching desperately for the doors.

“Fuck you, John! Fuck you!” He screamed out bitterly, clawing at the pavement. “I hate you! I fucking hate you! Get off of me, you fuck! Let me go! I can’t believe you’re killing me! You’re a fucking murderer!” To any untrained eye, it would look like rain, but you knew it was tears that ran down John’s face as he pinned Alex down. It was hard to see him like this. “I’ll fucking kill you! Fuck you! Someone help me! Please! Don’t let them take me! Please! I can’t die! It’s too early! I-I’m not ready! Someone, please! George! Angie! For fuck’s sake, Thomas! I didn’t think I’d make it this far… I can’t die now, I can’t… I can’t…”

Alex had stopped struggling as he openly sobbed beneath John, and all of you helped slowly pull him up and drag him back to the car. He had road rash on the palms of his hands from being tackled and his fingernails were bleeding from him clawing at the pavement. All of you were sopping wet. He struggled, swore, and cried the entire car ride home.

When you finally made it, you knew you were approaching the hardest part: getting him inside. The storm was in full swing. The thunder was so loud that it shook the car around you. Rain pelted down from the sky. Lightning was the only lighting available since the sun had set. Laf and you had gotten out first, and you waited until Herc and John had signaled they were ready to open the door. As soon as you did, Alex went rabid. He even went as far as to bite John, who swore sharply, but to his credit, he didn’t release him. Thunder boomed around you, and Alex howled. He thrashed in their hold and even Laf joined in to hold Alex around the middle. You shut all the car doors and followed them. They moved slowly, each step a war.

“Please, don’t let them kill me, Y/N,” his screaming had changed and his eyes met yours, begging you sincerely. “Please, don’t. You love me, right? I know you love me! They’re going to kill me, but you… you can stop them! Please, help me!” You bit your lip and looked away. You were already helping him, whether he could see it or not.

When you didn’t reply, he turned bitter. “Fuck you, too! I knew you didn’t love me! I knew it! You’re just going to let me die? Fuck you! I won’t miss you, then. Maybe, when they lay me in the ground, you can tell them how you signed my death certificate yourself!”

His words were sharp like the cutting rain, and they pulled at your heart like the wind stripped the trees. You knew he didn’t mean it, that he was lost in his fear, but it hurt nonetheless.

“Just kill me already!” He cried out desperately as the rain drilled down. He stared up at the sky for a moment, still struggling. “Why prolong the inevitable? Just let me die, please? Make it quick! Can’t you see I’m suffering? Put me out of my misery, please, please. What have I done to deserve this? What have I done?”

You finally made it to the front door, and you held it open as they struggled. However, as soon as Alex saw the sanctuary, his struggling seemed to be in the direction of home. As soon as they crossed the threshold, his body went slack, and he stopped rambling. You went off to find the pill bottle while the others tried to stabilize him. When you came back, he was wrapped in a blanket and pressed against John. He looked so small and vulnerable. Laf was holding a warm cup of tea. You knew he had decided against coffee since the caffeine could add to his panic. It took some coaxing, but he finally took the pills and began to sip the tea. Thunder rattled outside, causing him to wince and curl against John. Her sat on the other side of him, seeming to hide him from the world. You moved forward, seeing Alex’s body language moving towards sleepy. “Hey, let’s get you into some dry clothes, yeah?” You asked softly, his cruel words still chipping away in your head.

His eyes darted up to yours, unsure, but then he nodded. You gave him a reassuring smile, and you helped him stand. He clung to you as you led him down the hall, through the bedroom, and eventually to the closet in the bathroom. The storm wasn’t so loud on this side of the house, and that helped to calm him. You carefully helped him remove his soggy and somewhat bloody suit, leaving it crumpled on the floor. He could be upset about it tomorrow. You held him up as he slowly tugged on a pair of sweatpants. He let you pull Herc’s hoodie over his head, and once it was on, he was quick to pull you into an embrace. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, his breath quick and warm. He said nothing, he just held you there briefly. Eventually, he pulled away, and you were able to lead him towards the bed. The others had already gotten changed and were waiting in bed. You helped him crawl up to join them, giving him a kiss on the cheek, before you went to change. You stripped as fast as you could and carelessly threw dry clothes on, eager to get back to him. The storm still raged outside, but his meds were kicking in, and he was safe inside from it. You grabbed your phone and headphones from the nightstand, racing to opening the playlist you’d made him. You placed the headphones over his ears and turned up the volume, blocking out the storm. You could tell it was working by the way he relaxed against all of you, and his eyes began to drift shut. In the blink of an eye, he was asleep. These episodes took a lot out of him. Once you realized he was finally safe, you felt tears fall down your cheeks. Herc pulled you against his chest without a word. Seeing Alex so afraid got to you, no matter what you did. Seeing your loved one so distressed and being unable to ease his pain crushed you, all of you. The four of you whispered to each other for a bit, discussing the night, sharing your feelings, comforting each other. Eventually, you found enough peace to fall asleep.

In the morning, after the storm was nothing but a blurry memory, Alex would profusely apologize, despite you telling him it was unnecessary, and it seemed like he would spend weeks trying to make it up to you all. It didn’t matter, though. You loved him. Nothing he ever did would make you stop loving him.