#i thought she had 5 chapters like some of the others and got bamboozled when the big bad was building up to the final climax

[asteraws]

winding down at the inn

[tomorrowsdrama]

Hyena Ep. 16

I’m baaack!  Kind of.  I think I hit that point in my quarantine life where I kind of lost my mind so I went on an unexpected hiatus that lasted longer than intended.  I know it’s been over a month after the finale of Hyena but here are my ramblings.  This post is super long so I’ll save my thoughts on the series as a whole for another post.

Objectively, it was a pretty good finale that was entertaining and wrapped up the important plot lines.  We even got some sweet otp moments (more on that later) and satisfying smackdown of the bad guy.  But subjectively?  Personally?  Purely based on my selfish expectations?  I wanted more romance!  More sexiness!  I wasn’t expecting a wedding or anything like that but, not even one kiss?  Or a long embrace?  Why????

I mean, how can you give me all this sexy chemistry in the promos:

And then not make use of it in the finale?  That’s just not fair I say!  I feel bamboozled!

Ep. 16

Anyway, let’s talk about the parts I enjoyed of the finale.  This is mainly (99%) going to be about the moments between Geum Ja and Hee Jae.  So on the morning of episode 16, way back when, I woke up so excited for the finale.  Since this was the last episode, surely there will be a kiss!  And surely it would be epic given the chemistry between JJH and KHS.  I mean did you see that kiss in episode 8?  So when we started off the episode with the scene of Hee Jae telling Geum Ja he didn’t want to see her hurt anymore, I was amped.  Yes, we’re starting off strong with the romantic scenes I thought.

How can you not fall for him?

Geum Ja, you are not a gangster, you do not need to show your story through the scars on your body.  Joking aside, it’s sad that she’s been through so much in life that she has the scars to prove it. 

I love that Hee Jae says this half-sarcastically but you can tell that he truly does not want Geum Ja to go through any more pain/suffering.  And it’s his sincerity that makes Geum Ja smile so softly.  And this is where they kiss right?

Nope, he gets a hearty bro punch in the shoulder.

Cut for lots of caps and ramblings.  It’s a bit of a mini novel, you’ve been warned!

Mmm I loved how many scenes of concerned Hee Jae we got in this episode.  

Geum Ja screams from a nightmare and Hee Jae immediately runs into the office to check on her.  The only way he could have reacted so quickly is if he was sitting outside the office guarding Geum Ja which...AHHH I think I’ve just died and gone to hurt/comfort heaven.  Just look at JJH’s face.

EEE!  I audibly squealed when Geum Ja said this.  Ok, now I’ve truly died.  Geum Ja?  Asking to be comforted?  By Hee Jae?  What?  This is major.  She’s finally letting down her walls a little bit around Hee Jae and allowing herself to be vulnerable.  Keep on leaning I say!  Lean all the way into bed.

Omg and then she showed concern over Hee Jae’s own emotional state despite her own trauma.  His dad totally betrayed him just a few hours ago so Hee Jae’s having a pretty shitty day too.  But of course, Hee Jae is only concerned about Geum Ja.  Ahh, how many times is he going to make me swoon in this episode?  

Feet piled on top of each other?!  Are they finally in bed together?

Of course not.  Unfortunately, this isn’t that type of drama.  SIGH.  But this is still very sweet and squeal-inducing.

Have I talked about how much I love JJH’s little sly smirks?

I love that these two fools can’t stop worrying about the other.  Geum Ja knows better than anyone how deep emotional scars caused by a parent can be.  On top of that, Hee Jae’s father was someone he respected and loved, so the blow is even bigger.  I just really like it when my otp show how much they care about each other, ok?

Look at that smile on Hee Jae’s face.  It’s like there’s no other place he would rather be than next to Geum Ja. 

No, please don’t.  Y’all are not 12.  Please get at least a queen size bed with plenty of room for two adults to move around in and do...adult things lol.

And then.  AND THEN!  Geum Ja takes the initiative and turns over towards Hee Jae.  She’s finally the one taking the first step towards him without any prodding.  And Hee Jae smiles to himself and follows her lead to turn over also.  And then the two fools smile lovingly at each other as they fall asleep.  Omg, excuse me, I need a moment.  I’ve temporarily passed on to the other side from sheer otp happiness.

This moment was just too good.  I literally raised both my arms up into the air and cheered when I first watched this episode.  I thought, wow the writers are feeding us so well.  They’re showering us with so many romantic scenes.  The otp caring for each other?  Being tender with each other?  Sharing a “bed?”  I don’t want to ever get off this love train, keep it coming!  This is only the first third of the episode so surely it can only go up from here.

And then it ended on a comedic note.  I guess I should have seen that coming.  This is SBS, not TVN (or JTBC from the looks of The World of the Married).  Hah, well I suppose they both had a pretty tiring day so it’s understandable that they would not have much energy to do anything else.

It’s the little everyday things like asking if she’s ok that get me.

(JJH I thirst for you.)

Suuuuure you are.

Lol, he wouldn’t be Hee Jae if he didn’t pull something childish/petty.  At least Geum Ja is amused by it and finds it cute now.  Get you a man who can be both your emotional support and amusing bratty boyfriend.

Geum Ja does end up meeting Hee Jae for dinner and he can’t help but smile a little.  Gosh, it takes so little from Geum Ja to make him happy.

(damn, look at that profile!)

So some time during this episode, Geum Ja’s adoptive father died off-screen from the stab wound he sustained while stopping her assailant.  At first, I went “Huh, that’s it?”  But then the more I thought about it, the more I liked how matter-of-factly it was treated.  It’s certainly consistent with how Geum Ja deals with things.  Also, she faced her demons/him in a previous episode so you could say that she already resolved that chapter of her life.  

Still, you could tell that she’s not completely unaffected by it.  KHS’s acting in this scene is so good. You can tell there’s more to it than what she’s saying just by the little subtle changes in her expression.  I can only imagine the many complicated feelings she must be experiencing.  

On the one hand, he’s the worst part of her past life and surely deserved to die.  But on the other hand, unintentional or not, he died saving her.  Geum Ja does not state this with any affection or sentimentality in her voice.  It is merely something that happened.  Thank goodness the writers did not try to redeem him in the last minute.  One good deed does not make up for all the violence and abuse inflicted on her and her mother.  

Anyway, all that muddled history and emotions would make anybody conflicted.  They really handled it the best way they could - simply state what happened and move on.  No hate, no praise, no sadness.  He was a terrible man who paid the ultimate price and died.  I like that Hee Jae understands not to push the matter any further and changes the subject.

Bro, you’re delusional if you think you still have a chance with her.  

And then we get to the ubiquitous Big Shareholder Meeting that we see so often in dramas.  I love how Geum Ja is so ballsy in everything she does and she does it all in her comfy tracksuits. Of course the Big Shareholder Meeting does not go as planned and Song Pil Jung gets arrested.

God I love the look on Geum Ja’s face.  It screams “is this guy still talking to me?”

Can I just say, I love how utterly brutal Geum Ja is in her rejection of Kevin Jung.  Woof, ouch.  If I ever heard that from someone I liked, I would be so devastated and embarrassed, I’d find a dark hole to bury myself in and lick my wounds.  But of course, Kevin, like all the other men who fall for Geum Ja, seems to be into it.  It takes a certain type of man to go for Geum Ja and apparently that type is a total masochist who likes getting rejected and their heart ripped out.  I mean, to each their own.

I like whenever they do their power couple strut.

A bro fist bump?  Really?  Hm, I never really fist bumped the guys I dated but that’s cool I guess.  They’re going in to destroy Song Pil Jung so I guess a fist bump is appropriate.

Hm, I don’t know.  It seems like you’re the one who got arrested.

Bro.  Mister.  Are you for real?  Did you forget all the shitty things you did to her?

Yeah, that’s kind of a big deal I think.

SO. SATISFYING.  Whew honey, this exchange gave me life.  My skin has cleared, my bank account is full, and I’ve lost 5 pounds.

Yessss I am all for this nerdy JJH in glasses and turtleneck sipping on expensive instant coffee aesthetic. 

The couple that taunts together, stays together?

Hahahahaha, Hee Jae talking about being professional at work? Hahahahha.

I live for jealous Hee Jae because he’s extra ridiculous whenever he’s jealous.  In this scene he’s getting jealous over Ju-Ho calling Geuma Ja “noona” and it’s like come on, they’re foster siblings.  Let him call her noona.  Side note, Netflix translates “noona” into Eun-Young, Geum Ja’s real name, and it irks me.  Couldn’t they have just translated it into “sis” instead?

Now we’re around the 55 minute mark and I’m thinking, okay this is probably where it’s going to end.  This is when it’s going to happen.  They don’t have that much time left in the episode.  All right, give me us all that we’ve been waiting for.

(Good looking main stays looking good.)

You can’t ever accuse Hee Jae of not being committed to Geum Ja.

We finally get an explanation for why Geum Ja always stared at that huge building

Haha, can you expect anything less from her character?  At this point, I’m looking at the remaining time and thinking, ok then, when’s that kiss gonna happen?

SHRIEKS WHAT ARE THOSE HIDEOUS THINGS ON HIS FEET?!  On another note, I’m sure Kim Hye Soo must be so glad she doesn’t have to wear those gigantic heels anymore.

Omg, ok, this is it.  We’re getting shots of beautiful sexy people strutting and being playful with each other.  They’re setting up for a romantic ending kiss.  Ok, time to prepare myself.

Yes, put your arms around each other.  We’re getting closer now.

Oh, ok.  I guess this will be a far away in the distance kind of kiss.  That’s ok, too I guess.

Oh, wait.  Never mind.  Looks like we’re going to get a frontal view of the ending kiss after all.  Even better!

What?  That’s it?  What?  Did I miss something?  This can’t be.

Oh whew.  An epilogue.  Ok, this is when it’s going to happen.

Hahaha, they’re totally using the vloggers to advertise for their law firm.  I love how Hee Jae has loosened up on what he thinks a proper lawyer should act like and it’s reflected in his more flamboyant wardrobe choices.

These damn fist bumps again.  All the time spent fist bumping could have been spent hugging and kissing.  Priorities, people!

Hah, like hell Hee Jae would ever leave Geum Ja.

Haha knew it.  Boy is more whipped than whipped cream.

This pretty much sums up their dynamic.  SIGH I’m not going to get my kiss am I.

Oh no.  That caption can only mean one thing.

Yeeep.  That’s it.  This is the end.  Finito.  

Well.  All right then.  You know, the first time I watched this episode, I felt very disappointed that there was no final kiss.  I mean the last time we saw them kissing was in episode 8 at the midpoint of the drama.  This drama was clearly a rom com/screwball comedy so it only seemed fitting that there would be one last kiss scene.  That’s how you end a romantic drama!  But alas.

Actually, upon re-watching and re-capping this episode, I realized that even though we did not get any kiss scene, the writers still gave us plenty of sweet moments between Hee Jae and Geum Ja.  We got to see their lovely progression into becoming partners who supported and trusted each other so that was nice.  Even though they’re clearly together now, it’s nice to see that they still have their playful bickering dynamic.  So objectively, it was a nice ending.  I just personally wanted more smooches.

If you made it through this entire post, thank you for expending so much time reading my ramblings and congratultaions on having so much patience!

[vikingpoteto]

we don’t have to dance (to the beat of their songs)

Chapter 5 on AO3

______________________

Relationships:  (Gen) Tim Drake & Jason Todd

Tags: Battle for the Cowl, Alternate Canon, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Mental Health Issues, Past Child Neglect, Domestic Fluff, Canon is not valid I am, and I want them to be friends goddamnit

Summary: In the middle of their battle, Jason asks Tim to leave the nest and be his Robin. Tim decides it's not a bad idea, after all.

________________________

Jason Todd is many things. A street rat. A literature nerd. A former hero. A crime-lord. Dealing with anger issues. Ignoring a whole lot of other issues. But he isn’t an idiot. And, while he’s been bamboozled more times he can count, he realizes Tim Drake is a bigger conundrum than he anticipated. He isn’t about to be fooled again.

He thought he had Tim figured out. Rich kid. Too smart for his own good. Smug beyond repair. No regard for his own well-being. Incapable of holding grudges. He thought the kid couldn’t surprise him, not in a way that mattered, until that first night.

That’s when he starts taking note of the small things.

Saturday is uneventful. Jason wishes he could say he forgets he isn’t living alone anymore, but, even though Tim makes little to no noise as he sleeps the morning away, Jason is painfully aware that he has a roommate. He can’t focus on his book, he can’t focus on the absurdly detailed report Tim made him. He definitely can’t focus on anything else after Tim flies down the stairs like a speedster, blurts out something that could’ve been good morning and disappears in the kitchen. Jason heads to his room, assuming the kid is getting himself breakfast, and he tries to take a nap. He fails.

After giving up and heading downstairs to make dinner, he finds the kitchen as clean as he left — did Tim do the dishes? Did he eat at all? — and he can barely hear faint noises downstairs. He makes a mental note to fix the sound proofness of his walls as he climbs down.

In his Office, like Jason calls it, he finds Tim wearing headphones. The music is loud enough that Jason can clearly hear muffled heavy metal. The computer is half dismantled, half loading something somehow, and Tim is carefully tinkering with the suit Jason gave him.

Instead of throwing something at him like he wants to, Jason walks into his field of view and waves at his face. Tim takes off the headphones.

“The fuck you doing?” Jason asks.

“Fixing stuff. I know you love Jane Austen, but do you have to use the same software she used to write?”

Jason punches him in the shoulder. He regrets it instantly and curses at himself inwardly. Tim, however, doesn’t even flinch. He snickers as though that was the reaction he expected.

Huh. Jason files that away for later analysis.

He gets Tim to suit up and they head out for the night.

They don’t go together per se, as Red Hood is still laying low, planting the seeds subtly so no one notices until he’s ready to make an entrance. He gets intel. Ruins the plan of a very misguided small dealer. And finally saves a pair of prostitutes from a harasser. He wears nothing but a domino mask all night, because there are only a few key players that must know Red Hood is back. He smiles at the girls after he’s done and they get excited asking him if he’s the Red Hood. He takes off without answering.

Red Hood has always been popular with prostitutes, as weird as that sounds. What can Jason say? The girls that worked near the street he grew up in were the nicest people he knew; he has a soft spot for them.

He meets up with Tim near the end of the night and he finds that Tim’s spoken reports are a lot briefer than his written ones: he stopped some muggings. Probably broke the kneecaps of some creep near the park. Confirmed intel he got from his research. He actually saved a cat stuck on a tree too, which makes Jason roll his eyes. They go back to Jason’s place without further ado.

Sunday is more of the same, except Jason manages to actually sleep. That is, until the sound of a hammer wakes him up.

He finds Tim in his living room dismantling an old television he got from God knows where. The shouting match that follows should make things more awkward, but instead it makes them easier.

Turns out Tim doesn’t mind exchanging insults or having dusty pillows thrown at him, and Jason feels more at ease by the time they swallow cold sandwiches and head out.

He has this unreasonable pang of anxiety when Tim vanishes into the shadows, but he shakes it off. The Red Robin suit is getting better everyday and, thanks to the cowl, Tim looks older and more menacing than he actually is, meaning no one is going to fuck with him.

It’s fine. They have a plan. It’s working. There are rumors that Hood is back, though nothing but whispers. Enough to stir his territory without getting unwanted attention from the better neighborhoods.

It isn’t until Monday at around 1pm that the other shoe drops. Jason wakes up scratching his belly and walks past Tim on the way to the kitchen.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Tim mumbles.

“Fuck off, Replacement,” he says back.

The kid is fucking with something that smells like oil on the kitchen table. Jason thinks to himself he should have words with him about it… after his morning tea. Morning tea at 1pm, but still.

He’s boiling water and staring blankly at Tim when he realizes: it’s Monday.

“Wait, what the fuck are you doing here?”

Tim stares at him. Back at the myriad of circuits spread around the table. Then back at Jason

“Wrist computer,” he says.

“No, here !”

“The kitchen?”

“Home! You’re, like, 17, right? Shouldn’t you be at school?”

Tim stares at him as though he’s grown a second head. “Jason. I don’t know how to tell you this, but I stopped going to school after my father died again and I traveled abroad to work with an organization of murderers.”

“That was a fucking month ago. You get a month of skipped classes, your dad died. Now that you’re here, you can go back.”

His chin actually drops and Jason is greeted by the sight of a nearly white chewed gum threatening to fall from Tim’s open mouth.

“I’m not going back to high school. Are you insane?”

“Are you insane? Of course you’re going back to school. Don’t you have, I don’t know, friends or a girlfriend or… whatever!”

“No, I don’t?” Tim scowls. “You want me to go to school so I can date? Why don’t you go to school?”

“Everyone thinks I’m dead.”

“Oh, heck off, you don’t get to pull the death card with me,” Tim rolls his eyes. “It works with Dick and Bruce, but I’m immune.”

“The fact that you still say heck off means you definitely should be at school around people your age. Get some bullies. It builds character.”

Tim’s pale cheeks go crimson and Jason has to bite back a grin. Knowing that Tim blushes like that opens so many teasing opportunities.

“Shut up, I got used to it because Alfred got mad at us for cursing! And I don’t need school to get bullied, I have you right here.”

Jason decides to test a theory. It’s a wicked idea, but Jason isn’t known for fighting fair.

“Tim. I ain’t raising an uneducated goblin.”

“I’m seventeen ! You’re not fucking raising me! You’re like a muscular child sharing a place with a slightly smaller child!”

“If you don’t go back to school, the deal is off. I’m not keeping you around.”

And, just like that, Tim closes his mouth and all the color drains from his face. Jason expected this. He doesn’t feel great about it.

“Y-you… Dick will notice if I start going back to school,” he tries. “This is against the plan. Batman will know we’re working together.”

“No. He’ll know you’re back in town. Make an excuse. I know you’re great at it.”

“This will affect my productivity. I won’t be able to upgrade your gear as fast and I’ll have to sleep more. This is-”

“Non-negotiable. School or no partnership.”

Jason knows it’s too late for him. It might be too late for Tim, too. But not late enough that Jason will let him give up. Tim may never have a normal life - the fact that he’s working with his almost murderer more than proves it. Jason selfishly wants to make sure he has at least a little normality.

This is about Jason, not Tim. Jason doesn’t think he can live with another deadman walking.

“Fine,” Tim says, like he’s agreeing to a death sentence. “I’m going back to school tomorrow. You happy?”

“Hella,” Jason says.  He turns back to his tea. “And Tim? I’ll know if you’re skipping and I’ll kill you if you do.”

Tim starts listing a colorful collection of insults a lot worse than heck off. Jason grins at him and Tim, in his teenage rage, doesn’t seem to notice that the smile doesn’t reach Jason’s eyes.

So Jason's theory is confirmed. Tim Drake doesn’t care about attempts on his life. He isn’t afraid to fight an armed man. He isn’t afraid of having a familiar person taking a swing at him, so Jason doesn’t think that he has issues with physical abuse.

Nothing freaks him out as much as someone critiquing his work, though. And not in the asshole way, that would be way too easy. As cocky as he is, Tim doesn’t look like the type to think he can do no wrong. He wouldn’t get irrationally angry over someone pointing out he can do better. He does, however, flip out at the mere possibility that he’s done something wrong and didn’t own up to it already.

Jason thought he knew Tim until he jokingly complained about him sleeping on the job and saw genuine horror in his eyes. Horror like never before, not even when Jason beat him and tried to leave him for dead. Hell, at that point the kid said he was a better Robin right before passing out.

Who did this to him, Jason wonders? Who convinced Tim that the worst he can be isn’t a high school dropout or even a dead boy, but a person who messes up?  His biological parents? Bruce? Is Tim even aware of it?

Jason doesn’t know, and he isn't sure what to do about it. Can he do something about it? He remembers far too well, thinking Bruce brought him in because he wanted another Robin. How every time he made Bruce laugh, or solved a case, it felt like a victory. How every time he got scolded, he expected Bruce to send him back to where he came from. He remembers having that fear confirmed when he heard from Talia that he’d been replaced.

Is there really something to be done?

Despite a good deal of complaining about work hours, Tim starts going to school. Jason hounds him to make sure he isn’t lying and he’s pretty sure he’ll have to keep checking regularly, because, if he learned anything about Tim, is that the kid is scarily patient and spiteful.

He stalks him all the way to school on the first day, making it painfully obvious that he’s there even if Tim puts a lot of effort into pretending he can’t see him. He pops at Tim’s classroom window and waves cheerfully as Tim flips the bird at him. Waking up early was hell, but Jason finds it ridiculously fun to make Tim annoyed.

On Friday, Jason decides to pick Tim up after class just to keep him on his toes… then he almost crashes his motorcycle into a lamppost when he sees a fancy car and a familiar man leaning against it.

Dick Grayson.

Despite the fun distractions Jason came up with, his whole damn body still remembers the beating he took. He wonders if Dick took as long to recover after that night.

His fake second death would be really short-lived but, lucky for him, Dick is preoccupied with something else. Jason parks around the corner. His height wouldn’t allow him to hide among the flux of rich kids walking out of school looking for their chauffeurs, but he has to come closer.

Well, time to get those stealthy muscles to work.

Ironically, it was Dick who taught him that the best hiding spot was in plain sight, and that’s how he casually walks behind the sports car and heads towards a beaten phone booth.

Dick doesn’t notice him.

Whether it was thanks to Jason’s skills or the fact that the older man looks like he’s having an internal anxiety attack, Jason may never find out. He does, however, hear it when Tim’s voice lets out a long word that definitely isn’t heck . He risks taking a peek at the duo and sees Dick smiling. He looks tired.

“Timbo,” he greets.

“Don’t call me that,” Tim groans. He would’ve sounded like your everyday grumpy teenager, but there’s too much tension in his jaw.

“Welcome back,” Dick says. “Were you planning on telling anyone you’re around?”

“I’m assuming you don’t mind, since you kept paying for my school. I was also checking to see how long it’d take you to find out.”

Jason almost snorts. Who knew the kid had it in him? Furthermore, it’s impressive how Tim methodically and deliberately hid all signs of displeasure. He looks earnestly happy to see Dick and he almost makes his barb sound like friendly banter.

“Timmy, you were gone for almost two months. Where were you?”

“I was pursuing a lead. It didn’t pan out. So I’m back.”

Dick is quiet after that. Jason assumes he knows damn well Tim isn’t one to give up just like that. At the same time, Jason can see Dick assessing the differences between the kid in front of him and the kid he last saw.

“Let’s go home. We need to talk,” he says finally.

“Sorry, I can’t. I’m heading to a friend’s house so we can do homework together. I have a lot to catch up.”

“Tim…”

“You were right, Dick.” Tim smiles softly. “Damian needs you now. I don’t.”

Dick flinches. “I didn’t mean…”

“I know,” he chuckles. “Let me rephrase that: I’m fine. You know, when you first asked me to help Bruce, I planned on staying for a few months. A year, tops. I was always supposed to go back to my normal life.”

“Timmy, you’re family,” Dick pleads. “Your normal life doesn’t include going home?”

Tim’s expression is empty of emotion when he replies: “I need space now. I’m not going back, Dick. I’m sorry. I have a place to stay. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“ Where are you staying? Do you need help setting up anything or…”

“I’ll text you the address later. Right now I really need to go, though.”

Dick presses his lips into a tight line. He hesitates before reaching out to hug him. Surprisingly to Jason, Tim allows it and even hugs him back, even if not as tightly as Dick does.

Jason didn’t realize that. The whole time, he thought Tim needed his older brother and Dick was painfully blind to it. It never occurred to him how Dick also needed Tim. He wonders if Dick felt lost when Tim went away, or if he realized how messed up it was to rely on a teenager.

And Jason’s file on Wayne drama keeps growing thicker.

“Come over for dinner tomorrow?” Dick tries again. “Alfie misses you.”

“And annoy Damian in the process? I’d love to.” Tim deadpans.

Dick finally pulls away from the hug. “He’s made a lot of progress. You’d be surprised.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t remember I punched him before I left.”

“Tim. Dinner?”

“Why would I say no to free food?” Tim gives him a crooked smile.

Dick moves as though it’s painful to let Tim go. He retreats to his car as slowly as it’s humanly possible, like he expects Tim to change his mind and join him. Tim smiles and waves until Dick vanishes around the corner. His look turns hollow, but none of the kids walking past him seems to notice it. Not even when Tim calls out:

“You can come out now. He’s really gone.”

Jason pretends not to hear two girls letting out startled little squeals when he leaves his hiding spot.

“That was cold blooded, Replacement,” Jason says, stretching his hand to Tim. “I knew you were a liar, but that was impressive.”

Without blinking, Tim takes out a tracker from the collar of his shirt and another from his hair. He hands both to Jason. “I didn’t lie, mostly,” he says. “I did plan on leaving after Bruce got better. Or at least when we found a better replacement. That didn’t work like I expected.”

Jason doesn’t say anything as he casually crushes one of the trackers under his boot and places the other on a random kid passing by. He knows how magical it feels to be Robin. He doesn’t think he could quit out of free will. He still remembers the addicting adrenaline that makes you feel like you’re really a bird soaring across the sky.

Until you’re not.

He notices it when Tim looks down at his own feet. Without thinking, he reaches for Tim’s head and messes up his hair.

“C’mon. I got the parts you asked. You can finish tinkering your suit tonight.”

They take the night off. It’s too risky going patrolling the night Dick found out about Tim’s return. Instead, they sit in the living room and Jason turns on the TV while Tim finishes adjusting the suit. The documentary about fish only keeps Jason’s attention for about five minutes before he notices Tim is butchering his cowl. Of course they start bickering.

The new mask isn’t quite a domino. It still has a nose guard similar to a bird’s beak that creates the illusion that Tim’s nose is more aquiline rather than a small snub, which is good to hide one’s identity. Still, Jason thinks going out without head protection is fucking stupid and Tim goes on a rant about looking like he’s wearing a condom on his head. Jason didn’t say anything when Tim replaced the old bandoliers with yellow ones with more compartments. The condom head thing hurts, though, and he ends up beating the shit out of Tim with a couch pillow.

A good deal of screaming and kicking each other later, they return to the task of redesigning. Tim replaces the RR in the middle of his chest with a bird-like symbol that hides a panic button. He switches the black gloves for sleeker red ones, although the middle finger and indicator are black. Jason thinks Tim is trying to make it more dramatic when he flips the bird (heh. Robin flipping bird) but Tim punches Jason’s shoulder and says the new gloves allow him to use his wrist pad more easily.

Jason hits him when he notices he weakened some of the defenses, and they bicker some more before Tim gives in and puts the shin guards and knee protectors back.

The cowl and the cape are gone, much to Jason’s annoyance, and he says Tim’ll look stupid. Tim calls him a knock-off Iron Man. Jason tries to smother him to death with a pillow when Tim doesn’t stop laughing.

It’s the most fun Jason had in… God, how long? He doesn’t remember the last time he could just joke back and forth like this. It doesn’t do good to your reputation as a crime lord if you give the drug dealers a noogie. Tim, on the other hand? Tim gets at least five noogies a day because he’s a dumbass.

It isn’t until they head to their rooms, later that night, that Jason realizes he hasn’t thought about his fight with Dick at all since they started working on the suit. He would've never guessed Tim’s presence wouldn’t be a bitter reminder of everything Jason lost, but rather than a good distraction.

Another week goes by before the suit is finished.

Jason swallows his pride and admits (to himself, at least) that getting rid of the cape was a smart move when he and Tim stand next to each other in full uniform. Tim’s new outfit doesn’t look out of place near Jason’s bulletproof vest and leather jacket. They’re a lot less dramatic than the Bats, and Jason likes that. They’re their own team, not one of them .

“Comms?” Jason asks.

“Tested and protected. Even Oracle would have to manually tinker with them to get into our frequency.”

“And you decided your field name yet?”

Tim hesitates. “I… Red Robin is fine.”

Jason nods. “Plan?”

“Break into Black Mask’s warehouse through the vent, plant…”

“Red Robin,” he cuts off. “Plan.”

Tim sighs. “Make Roman our bitch.”

“Atta boy. Let’s go.”

It’s an operation as simple as it is petty: Black Mask thought he could take over one of Hood’s warehouses. Jason was going to prove him wrong. It wasn’t a key hideout, but it was a relatively safe place if you were in the business of laundering money — discreet, easy to access without being noticed by the pigs, with most of the sewers around it hadn’t been blown up, which was always a plus. Hood was almost sure Roman took it just to show that he could and turned it into a drug warehouse to spite Hood. The fact that he disliked drugs wasn’t exactly a secret, after all. Szazs probably was involved in the process, Jason was sure.

In the end, Tim convinced him the stealthy approach was better. Just get in, ruin the whole operation and, by the time Black Mask realized it, he had lost a ton of money. Poetic justice and all that.

Jason complained about the plan being boring, but, as they get on their bikes to head out, he feels almost jittery. He doesn’t know if it’s just the thrill of being on the field again after so long — sue him, he’s an adrenaline junkie — or the prospect of the petty revenge. Either way, Red Hood grins under the helmet and, almost as though he can see his expression — or as though he’s feeling the same — Red Robin smirks back.

Just like that, they take off into the night. The wind howls past them as Hood leads the race, fast enough that it seems like he’s riding aimlessly. It doesn’t mean he isn’t choosing the way methodically. He knows he’s picking the right streets, the dark ones in which the dark red leather merges perfectly with the shadows. They rush past buildings with closed windows, sure that no one is stupid enough to glance at the two suspiscious riders.

Red Hood makes a sharp turn that would’ve made a less experienced driver fall into the asphalt. He hears Red Robin whooping excitedly behind him and he can’t help but laugh.

When they’re just a few blocks from the warehouse, they stop. At this point, Hood almost considers throwing the plan away — crashing the motorcycle into the place would make for an excellent entrance — but, as though reading his thoughts, Red Robin gives him a pointed look before getting off his bike.

“You’re such a wet blanket,” Hood says, even though no words were truly exchanged before that.

“And you’re a drama queen,” Red Robin retorts. And he grapples up to the nearest rooftop before Hood can give him a noogie for that.

Lighter and more agile, Red leads the way now and Hood is happy to be his shadow until they reach the strategic spot they picked — the two story building next door.

“Thank god this place didn’t crumble,” Hood comments absently. “The other buildings are too far for a clear view.”

Red gives him a strange look. “I checked whether it was still standing while we were planning the attack. Do you not verify the surroundings when you’re making strategies?”

“I like to leave room for improvisation; I’m not a stick in the mud like you.”

Red rolls his eyes under the mask as he reaches for the binoculars in his belt. Hood does the same. There shouldn’t be a lot of activity tonight if their intel is correct, and it looks like it is. They can’t see the inside of the warehouse — which is why Red Hood liked the place so much, damn it  — but they can still see the roof as clearly as they can see the vent they chose to… Hood freezes.

“Hey Hood?” Red Robin calls.

Jason pulls a face under the hood. “Yes?”

“Remember our plan to lay low so Batman doesn’t notice us?”

“Hmm.”

“Remember how I wanted to check on the rogues and you told me to stop being a stick in the mud?” He hisses.

“No one likes a bitching vigilante, Red.”

“Freaking Poison Ivy is here.” Red Robin gestures widely at the roof of the warehouse, as though Red Hood can’t see the green lady trying to get in through the very same vent they planned on using.

“See, that’s the beauty of crime fighting. You make a plan. The plan goes wrong. You throw the plan away.”

“Oh my freaking God,” he groans, “this is Young Justice all over again, but worse.”

Despite the complaining, they seem to be in agreement about what to do next: they take their grapple guns and shoot at Ivy’s blindspot. Red Robin is already getting his rebreather to filter whatever toxins they’re about to face.

The boys land almost silently all things considered. Without thinking, Hood points at  the other side of the roof and crosses an X in front of his lips, before closing a fist. Red Robin nods and sprints without a question.

For the second time, Jason freezes. The instructions were clear — take the other side, we’re going for a surprise attack after cornering her — but they shouldn’t have been. He didn’t realize he kept using those gestures to give orders, because he hadn’t had anyone working this close to him in literal years. He didn’t realize he still remembered the whole language — ASL, but also specific gestures that only made sense among Bats — until he had Red Robin following his orders. Something in his stomach feels heavy.

“... Hood ? Do you copy? ” Says a hushed voice in his ear.

Shit. Get it together, Jason.

He presses the comm button. “Listening.”

On the other side of the line, Red Robin sighs. “ Oh thank god, I thought the comms were suddenly fried. I’m in position. ”

Shit . “Hang on,” he says. He finally starts moving, extra careful not to make any noise.

“ You good, man?” Red asks, and Hood can practically see the confused furrow of his brow.

“Yeah, yeah, be quiet before Ivy hears us.”

He finally gets close enough to see her — she’s unscrewing the air vent cover to get in, even though she could probably just get a giant peach to roll over the place or something. It looks like Red Hood and Red Robin weren’t the only ones trying to be stealthy tonight.

He takes one step closer, and many things happen at the same time: the metal roof creaks under his boot. Ivy goes stiff for half a second. Then Jason is doing a backflip to avoid being bombarded with freaking thorns? When the hell did Ivy add a machine gun of thorns to her arsenal?

“Red Hood?” She stands, frowning. “Huh. I heard you were dead.”

“I get that a lot,” he says.

He reaches for his guns as Ivy waves her hand gracefully. Red Hood watches, with mild disgust, as what he thought was a weird belt snakes its way up Ivy’s torso until she has two venus flytraps settle on her shoulders.

“Fucking gross,” he says.

“I get that a lot,” she quips.

When he shoots at her, she’s ready. A branch grows fast enough to take the bullet for her and, before he realizes, she’s already inside his personal space. Hood dodges a punch in the throat but she keeps advancing. She knows better than letting him keep her at shooting range.

Welp, brute force it is then.

Hood puts his gun away at the same time he dodges a kick to the face. He takes a swing. One of Ivy’s pet plants almost bites his fist and he barely has time to retreat before the pesky thing takes a piece out of his glove.

“Huh. My sixth grade teacher told me those things are only lethal to flies,” he huffs.

Ivy grins. “My children are special.”

She presses and attacks again, and this time Hood lets her. When her knee hits his stomach, he grabs her by the calf and uses her own momentum against her. She barely weighs anything when he throws her hard at the ground, her back hitting metal and her pained groan muffled by the loud clang. He cringes. So much for stealth.

He makes to kick her before she recovers her wits, but apparently plants are more resistant than they seem. Hood feels his foot stuck to something and he curses when he looks down and sees thick vines holding him back. Shit, why didn’t he consider she had traps prepared around her?

“That was kinda rude, Hood,” she grins, slowly sitting up. “But I’m not mad. I might even give you a little kiss.”

By then, his resistance is futile and he wishes he hadn’t put his guns away so fast, because the vines quickly wrap around his whole damn body and he can’t even shoot the b —

A flying staff hits her on the side of the head.

“ACK!” Ivy shrieks, falling to the side.

“What are you doing, Hood?” Red Robin hisses, pressing a batarang into Red Hood’s hands.

“The hell?” Ivy groans, now looking dizzy. “I thought you worked alone.”

“I’m the intern. They call me Red Robin.”

And he stands over her, looking all heroic and ready to fight. Ivy, however, stays where she is, gaping at him.

“Bullshit. You’re regular Robin,” she says. “I thought you died. We all did when we saw the smaller Robin.”

Hood snorts.

The kid deflates a bit.  “How the hell do you know who I am?”

“You’re Harley’s favorite Robin,” she says simply. “She got really grumpy when we heard there’s a new Robin again.”

“I’m Harley’s — Wait, you guys have favorite Robins?”

“Of course we do. Mine’s the girl one. She didn’t die, did she?”

That’s one of the most surreal conversations Red Hood ever witnessed and he’s leading an unusual second life. Fortunately, Ivy is distracted enough — or at least hurt enough — that she doesn’t intervene while he cuts himself free.

“What are you doing here, Dr. Isley?” Red Robin asks. “Are you aware that this place is Black Mask’s?”

She scowls at him. “Are you aware that Sionis is a misogynistic jerk and he’s doing a lot of damage to the environment in this stupid warehouse? I’m going to take this thing down.”

“Hey, fuck off, this place was mine before Sionis stepped in,” Hood protests.

“I don’t care if you’re his landlord.” She gives him a scathing look. “I want him out.”

“This is great then!” Red Robin smiles. “We also want him out. And we have eco friendly plans for the place after Black Mask is out of the equation.”

Ivy gapes at Red Robin as though he started speaking a foreign language out of the blue. Red Hood is thankful for his helmet because he’s sure his expression isn’t much better.

“Are you suggesting we team up with Poison Ivy?”

“Why not?” Red Robin smiles as if he’s suggesting they should have burgers later. “The enemy of my enemy, right? Plus, I used to give her a free pass here and there because sometimes she’s right, you know?”

“Huh. So that’s why you’re Harls’ favorite.”

Red Robin shrugs again and stretches his hand to her. “Friends for the night?”

To Red Hood’s utter shock, she hesitates for less than a second before taking the kid’s hand and letting him pull her back to her feet.

“Just tonight, though,” she says.

If anyone told Jason tonight he’d be working with no one other than the Poison Ivy to take down one of Black Mask’s drug labs, he’d call them insane.

Nonetheless, he watches as Ivy throws caution to the wind — there’s no way the people inside didn’t hear their little scuffle — and uses one of their sentient plants to rip off an entrance on the metal roof. Right before jumping in, however, Red Robin squeezes his shoulder.

“What was that?” he whispers low enough that Ivy won’t hear them. “You were off. That wasn’t like you.”

Hood shrugs his hand away. “We’ll talk about this later. Come on, we can’t let Ivy have all the fun.”

They can already hear the screaming inside, so Red has no option other than compliance. Time to crash the party, he was looking forward to this.

And it’s fun. Having Tim around is fun. Watching a bunch of crooks run terrified of a plant lady is fun. Rounding up his former employees — those traitors — and watching their comically horrified faces upon realizing he isn’t dead is fun.

So much fun he completely misses the fact that there was someone else tailing Ivy. No one sees it when a young boy clad in bright colors rushes away from the place. Robin doesn’t know what to make out of what he witnessed tonight.

[crazy-little-cool-cat]

Hand in Glove - Chapter 8 | Ben Hardy x OFC

A/N: Since I couldn’t post a sneak peek this time without ruining everything, I figured I might as well just post the entire thing and be done with it. Kate, my muse; Julia, my soulmate; Alex, my love - this one’s for you.

Word Count: ~2.2K 

Warnings: Angst. 

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7

It wasn’t cold, but Annie was shivering. Storming out on Ben wasn’t the smartest choice she made, but she felt trapped. She didn’t know if she wanted that baby. Their baby. Ben, on the other hand, made it clear that he’s all in. All it took was one bright smile, and Annie knew. She knocked on the door again, constantly looking over her shoulder. When the door opened, she heaved out a sigh of relief. After driving around for just over two hours, she was glad she could finally stop running.

“Hey!”

“Hi. You’re not busy, right?”

“No, no.” Rami stepped back and motioned Annie inside, closing the door behind her and leading her to his living room with a hand on the small of her back, “this is a surprise.”

“Things turned to shit.” Annie collapsed on the plush cushions, “can I just… hang around here a little?”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Is there any point to do that?” Annie’s voice was barely over a whisper. Rami shrugged silently. “I’m pregnant. I think he wants to have this baby. I fucking know he does.”

“Makes sense. He’s ridiculously crazy about kids.” Rami scratched the side of his neck. “And, you know, he’s batshit crazy about you since that damn wedding.”

“This is not the reaction I was expecting…” Annie’s whole face scrunched up in confusion.

“I was briefed about it all,” Rami chuckled, “if you really thought those three gossips would just keep it to themselves you need to get your head checked.”

“Solid point.” Annie nodded solemnly. “Still, I can’t have a baby with someone I’ve just met a few months ago.”

“Says who?”

“Me.” Annie groaned and threw her head back. “I’m not some cookie-cutter girly girl.”

“Oh, believe me,” Rami chuckled, “no one ever presumed you are.”

“I don’t want marriage and a hoard of kids,” Annie closed her eyes, “I don’t want to be the lonely, bitter wife that stays home and waits for her husband all day.”

“Ben wouldn’t want to turn you into one of those, you know.”

Annie’s phone kept buzzing in her bag. She knew who was calling. She knew he was probably going out of his mind at her silence. She hated putting him through it all. She also hated the situation that caused her to run away.

“So, what’s your plan?”

“I was hoping to just crash here tonight? Hide in plain sight, you know?” Annie realised how pathetic she sounded, “figure out the rest of it later.”

“You’re more than welcome to,” Rami smiled softly, “are you hungry?”

“I could eat.”

###

“She’s at Rami’s?!”

Ben couldn’t help but scream at this point. He was up all night, replaying what had transpired with Annie, trying to understand what happened. He tried calling Annabelle, but she wouldn’t pick up. He sent around a million texts. No reply. He even drove around the places he knew she likes to go. No sign of her or her car. Then, his phone rang and he couldn’t answer the call fast enough; only to hear Gwilym say that Annabelle had ended up at Rami fucking Malek’s place.

“Ben, calm your tits, mate.”

“Don’t tell me to calm my fucking tits, Gwil,” Ben snapped, “I was up all fucking night!”

“I know, we all were.”

“Only to find out that she’s literally in the last place I’d ever…” Ben barked out a laugh, “she’s so fucking brilliant.”

“She was always a master of Hide’n’Seek.”

“That tiny little -”

“Watch it,” Gwil warned, “that’s the mother of your unborn child you’re talking about.”

“I’m calling Rami.”

“I strongly advise you don’t do that,” Gwil quipped, “she needs some quiet time.”

“She dropped a bomb on me, man!”

“On all of us.”

“I need to talk to her.”

“You will, in time.”

“How are you so calm about this?!”

“I’ve known her for her entire life. I know she’ll come around.”

“When?”

“Ben, I really have to hang up now.”

“Of course you do.”

“Don’t call Rami.”

“I won’t.”

“Do I need to send Joe over there to babysit?”

“Fuck off.”  

###

“You can’t avoid him forever,” Rami finished the last of his coffee and hurriedly stuffed things into his bag, “or the rest of the world, for that matter.”

“I’m not planning on avoiding him forever.”

“It’s been two days, babe.”

“Did you -” Annabelle looked absolutely bamboozled, “did you just call me babe?”

“Sorry, force of habit,” Rami grimaced and chuckled, “usually the only girl I have around here is Lucy.”

“I still don’t know what the fuck am I supposed to say to him.”

“The truth would be a great start!”

“Really, Rami?” Annabelle tossed a throw pillow at his head as he passed by her, “you did not just say that.”

“I did and you know I’m right. You can’t stay here forever. Lucy will get suspicious.”

“Just say that you’re kicking me out then!” Annie laughed for the first time in two whole days.

“Never, you are such an emotional delight.”

“Motherfu -”

“Leaving now!” Rami interrupted her and shut the door.

Annie leaned back down with a huff. She reached for her phone, turning it on. She couldn’t handle the constant buzzing and notifications lighting up her screen. She just needed everything - everyone - to stop. Now that she felt calmer, she was ready to gauge the damage she had done.

###

There was a very tense, awkward silence during lunch. The four boys sat around their usual table in the catering tent. Gwil and Joe tried to keep up appearances and break the tension with some banter and jokes. Rami and Ben, however, have not spoken to each other since Ben found out his girlfriend - his pregnant girlfriend - is hiding at Rami’s for the second day, now.

“Can we please discuss the elephant in the room?” Gwil said, looking from Ben to Rami.

“There’s nothing to discuss,” Rami started, pushing his food around, “she’s at my house. That’s that.”

“You really think that what you said makes perfect sense?” Ben scoffed, “or are you really just a bloody idiot?”

“Ugh,” Joe groaned, “here we go, again...”

“She doesn’t want to see you yet!” Rami rolled his eyes and dropped his fork, “get over it.”

“Rami…” Joe glowered.

“No, seriously! Ben’s out here throwing a tantrum because he knocked up his girlfriend,” Joe was about to interrupt but Rami held up his hand to stop him and carried on ranting, “and she needs some time to think about the fact that he’s thrilled about having a child with a girl he’s known for just a few months!” Rami held up four fingers, “Four. Months. Can you blame her for wanting to just -”

“You think I’m thrilled?” Ben snickered, “you fucking owl with your goddamn huge fucking eyes -”

“Ben!” Gwil smacked him.

“Oh, so now you don’t want that baby?” Rami raised an eyebrow and sipped his soda.

“No, I do!” Ben hissed, “I’m fucking scared but I still want this to happen!”

“Okay,” Rami nodded, “but what she wants is to be able to think without you pressuring her! As long as that’s the case, she’s staying with me.”

“No. No!” Ben looked at his three best friends, “she’s my girlfriend. She’s hiding over at your house.”

“She needs time!”

“But I need her!”

“Ben -”

“No!” he felt he’s at his wits end, “I haven’t slept in two days. At all. Her phone is off, I can’t reach her,” Ben’s voice broke, “I know where she is and I can’t fucking do anything about it. Because you,” Ben pointed at Rami, “won’t let me see the mother of my own bloody child.”

“Ben,” Rami smirked wickedly, “what if she doesn’t want to have your bloody child? Huh?”

“Did -” Ben’s green eyes widened in sheer horror, “is that what she said? She said she doesn’t want it?”

“No, you asshole,” Rami picked up his fork and stuffed his face full of Ravioli, “she didn’t say anything about what she wants. That’s why she needs time to think.”

Gwil frowned at his phone, completely detached from the entire fight. He opened his mouth to speak a few times and snapped it shut.

“Annie just texted me,” Gwil blurted out. His mouth agape, his green eyes shining with hope, Ben looked at his girlfriend’s cousin in utter shock. “She said you should check your phone.”

###

Annabelle didn’t know how her life got so out of hand. She felt like it was slipping out of her control and it terrified her. After trying to think about the entire ordeal and getting nowhere, she figured she might as well just talk to him. 

Ben wasted no time when his workday ended and he went straight to Rami’s doorstep. They stood outside on the stoop, so Ben could have a smoke. They have been going on and on for about an hour now, with no conclusion. Annie looked at her red Chuck Taylors, stuffed her hands in her oversized hoody’s pockets and shook her head, disappointed with herself.

“I honestly can’t believe you want this… this…”

“Baby? Yeah,” Ben inhaled a deep cloud of smoke and blew it out, turning his head away from Annie, “Me too. But I do.”

“This can’t be happening.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’ve been in this relationship for, what, four months now?” Annabelle felt like screaming at his stupid, beautiful face. “Because we don’t even live together, Ben! Because -”

“So, move in with me.”

“Are you even listening to yourself right now?!”

“Annie, your entire heap of shit is already at my house. You’re there every night.” Ben was losing his patience, “come to think of it, we do live together.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m serious. Stop paying rent for a flat you no longer live in.” He pointed at her with his cigarette, “it’s fucking wasteful.”

“And what,” Annie mocked, “we’ll get married, have our baby, I’ll be your happy little housewife while you’re never around because of your fucking job?”

“Other than that middle and last parts, yeah,” Ben dropped his half smoked cigarette to the floor and stomped on it to put it out, “sounds good to me.”

“Fuck off.”

“Annie, what do I need to do for you to finally be okay with the fact that I fucking love you?”

“You love the thought of me, you don’t love me.”

“Oh, great, you’re spewing shit out of your mouth again.”

“Ben, I will never, ever, be that girl,” Annie could feel rage bubble up in her veins, “I don’t want marriage. I don’t want to be the wife that sits alone all day and waits for her husband to come home after he fucked his mistress.”

“Mistress? Have you gone utterly mad? What are you even on about?”

“I don’t know, Ben!” Annie’s voice rose about two octaves, “listen to me. I am not what you want me to be.”

“What do you think it is that I want you to be, exactly?” Ben threw his arms out to his sides, “I won’t even dream of proposing to you, if you don’t want me to. I don’t care about any of it,” he glared at the tiny little ball of anger in front of him, “I don’t want to fuck anyone else but you. I’m not sure I ever will.”

“Of cou -”

“Shut up and let me fucking finish,” he growled, “you are so infuriating, you know that? Annabelle, I don’t love the thought of you. I love you, alright?”

“I can’t give you what you want and -”

“You can give me you. That’s literally all I want.”

“And that?” Annie pointed at her belly, “do you want that?”

“I do.”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then that’s totally up to you. It will make me so, so sad,” Ben pulled her to him, “but it’s your decision, bottom line.” He cupped her face in his hands and tilted her head up so they could finally look at each other’s eyes, “Annie, I would never force anything on you.”

“I just don’t know…”

“Is that what you’re afraid of?” Ben could see Annie build her walls up, “Annie, stay with me, here. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Ben.”

“What?”

“Don’t say you’re not going to hurt me because you don’t know that.” Annabelle put her hands on his wrists, “you might hurt me. I might hurt you.”

“You’re right.”

“You say you love me now,” Annie’s thumbs rubbed circles on Ben’s skin, “but what if you just stop one day?”

“That would be impossible, be realistic.” They both giggled softly at that. “Annie, I love you.”

“People will talk about this.”

“Let them. I really don’t care about these people.” Ben pressed his forehead to Annie’s, “this is ours. Not theirs.”

“I know.”

“I couldn’t function these past two days, Annie,” he chuckled, “it’s like everything depends on your existence around me, now.”

Annie nodded slightly and sighed. She knew exactly what he meant, because she felt it too.

“I fucking love you, do you not understand that?”

“No,” Annie smiled, “I mean, I do. I fucking love you, too.”

TAGLIST: @ramibaby @xgoingdownx @clara-who @violetpond @sweeterthancheese @drummerqueenrmt @westansstuff @rogerinamainbitch @justgivemethekeys  @blondecarfucker @cheeseedreams47 @rogerspoison 

[manifestoonmoralmanlove]

Soulless Riffing: Brainless Epilogue

I got a supernatural action/romance book series as a gift that’s just riddled with stuff that I hate….and as a steampunk Victorian London action romance story filled with werewolves and vampires…it’s yeah gonna be easy to poke fun at.

I just want to say, it’s totally cool if you like this story or ones like it!  It’s certainly a better caliber than a lot of what I make fun of…however…I can’t help but want to make fun of it.

Over here for the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7+8, 9, 10+11, 12, 13, and 14.

HERE’S THE FINAL CHAPTER, STRAP IN MY HEARTIES!

Epilogue

So, dang, this epilogue’s pace is the worst.  It’s so bad, if I recounted the events in the order they appeared I feel as if this riff would have a bad pace itself.  

So there’s this detached, braggadocios tone that describes two separate portions of the wedding in two totally separate parts of chapter.  I can boil it down to this actual quote, “The wedding was hailed as a masterpiece of social engineering and physical beauty.”

It starts off with almost an entire page of describing the dress.  I mean sure, but fashion isn’t my thing so my eyes glaze over.  Also that they had to redesign the dress at the last minute cause Maccon gave her a hickey that needed to be hid.  And I mean, isn’t that what we need to educate our young women about?

Man’s every careless sexual impulse needs to be catered to even if it greatly inconveniences everyone else. Why can’t you just cover it up with make-up?  Why is this adult novel treating a marriage of adults like a middle-school dance? WHO KNOoooOoOoooOooOOOWS?????

BUT THIS WAS ALL FOR THE BETTER cause the neckline of her dress inspired London’s fashion for a whole 3 weeks.  

Here’s an accurate attempt at me trying to understand this, “I guess it’s nice to have rich idiots incinerate and rebuild their wardrobe because of a thing you wore once.  But why stop there? I’d create an army of genderqueer flannel-babies out to hate read harmless fiction.”  Yes Faps, your interests are clearly superior to those who like to dress feminine.  Way to go!

We have a full page on the food which was more interesting but in a limited way because I have not had guinea fowl, aspic jelly, pigeons, sole, woodcock pie, pheasant, or grouse. But like, I’m not uncultured or anything! I’ve had alligator meat before! ….oh damn my American is showing real bad right now. DON’T MIND ME I’M JUST GOING TO HIDE BEHIND A WALL OF IMPERIALISTIC WAR CRIMES! But that’s okay cause the British can relate to that.

Personally I’d much rather the story brag about delicious food it’s likely the audience has had before, than just throwing out stuff that sounds period appropriate.  Cause honestly? My imagination does not think any of that would be tasty.   My dream wedding is definitely forcing near a thousand people (most of whom I’ve met only once) to pick at gamey meat and envy my dedication to an inconsiderate buffoon.

But before the wedding officially goes down we have the one and only nice scene.  Alexia wakes up Akeldama early so he can see the sunset before her wedding.  There was no reason for her to do it that day, since it made her late to her own wedding, but dangit it was nice.

However the actual wedding? Phew boy, there is no talk of the actual ceremony.  In fact there’s no cute speeches, dancing, bonding moments between friends or family, or even funny drama of the werewolves clashing with the humans.  I mean it would have been super annoying to have a scene where Alexia’s sister shrieks at one of the werewolves for drinking punch out of a bowl like a dog, and when she tries to rip it from him it spills all over herself.  Cause there’s no reason to cathartically enjoy seeing her sister humiliated but dang…it would have at least been SOMETHING ALMOST FUN!

Three things happened during the reception.

1.)    Alexia and Prof. Lyall hook Ivy up with some BARELY named servant to Maccon and Lyall. Like, you realize the trope of shacking up the side characters is supposed to be this cute little tying together of established characters, usually very different ones? Like it’s supposed to kinda help wrap things up by having separate parts of the story literally cum errr I mean come together.  Like, the obvious and decent choice, would have been Lyall and Ivy.  Hell if you needed Lyall for other nonsense, why not that Haverblink hunk guy Ivy was I THINK drooling over?  Took a fun trope and wasted it.

2.)    Alexia is ~gifted~ the Vampire hive servant Angelique.  Gosh I’m super looking forward to the part where Angelique realizes vampires are chumps and betrays them for the super cool Alexia.  I thought since she was named and pleading with Alexia for help earlier, she’d be damsel’d, or comes back later with more secret info, or was the villain mastermind AFTERALL! NOPE!  This human person with a name, hopes, fears, goals, thoughts, and emotions of her own is given like a decorative silverware basket as a GOD DAMN WEDDING GIFT! AND ALEXIA THINKS THAT’S FINE CAUSE TO HER HUMAN BEINGS ARE PROPERTY AND SHE’S OUR RACISM FIGHTING HERO! HOORAY!

3.)    Sorry to save the most tepid for last but the last thing of note is that Maccon’s werewolf pack, as part of werewolf tradition turn into wolves and just circle around them barking and howling….okay cool cool…but have you considered the more wolf thing to do would totally be for all of them to pee on her. ONE AT A TIME, THEY’RE CIVILIZED!  Her new husband gets all offended that she’s upset at this wholesome tradition.  Alexia secretly plots to bring supernatural genocide back into vogue again.

So on the carriage ride home they fuck but we have an entire book worth of build up for this scene to last 1 page.  Like, I wasn’t even looking forward to it but was still disappointed.  And, of course, this is one of those books that can’t directly mention SEX PARTS which SPOILER ALERT usually makes it confusing if you can’t be fucking straightforward.  Despite being all coy about it there’s the iffy phrase, “had Alexia squirming in such a way as to force the very tip of him inside her whether she willed it or no.”

Yeesh! As hot as you folks may find ravishment, it feels really out of place with a woman who’s supposed to be super horny and into her husband for it to still be written noncommittally like ravishment.

But with a lurch of the carriage he’s blamo balls deep and she says out loud that it hurts.  He DOES look worried and ask her if it still does. So kudos!  However there’s this infuriating line

“Something extremely odd and tingly was beginning to occur in her nether regions.”

Okay you weren’t aroused until he was balls deep, and we’re going to describe this as if a 26 year old woman (whom by the way has described being aroused by this man before, and describes being fascinated with her dad’s dirty books) is bamboozled that a dick in her made her horny.      

(Man looking confused and a bit suspect as he says okay.)

Also “It culminated in the most intriguing second heartbeat emerging around the area where he had impaled himself.”

WHAT!? YOU CAN’T SAY PUSSY BUT WE’RE GOING TO THROW THE WORD IMPALED IN THERE?

(Brittney Spears looking cringed out.)

That gives me the yikes.

She flops over after what sounds like 2 minutes of porking to remark, “Ooo,” said Alexia, fascinated, “it shrinks back down again.  The books didn’t detail that occurrence.”

OKAY 1ST OF ALL YOU LEGIT SAW THIS HAPPEN BEFORE WHEN YOU WERE DRY-HUMPING IN THE DUNGEON, BUT EVEN IF YOU HADN’T, WAS SHE UNDER SOME DELUSION THAT WHEN A DUDE GETS HIS 1ST BONER THAT’S JUST WHAT HIS DICK IS NOW?

YOU’D THINK CODPIECES WOULD STILL BE IN FASHION IF EVERY MAN IS SLINGING AROUND HIS ERECTION 100% OF THE TIME!

WHY ARE YOU SO FUCKING STUPID ALEXIA!?

If you wanted a cute little sexy thing to mention…why not, “Oh my dad’s books never mentioned that it throbbed! Or that it could twitch! Or that it got SO red! Or that it got THAT hard, it’s only full of blood afterall!”

LE SIGH!

So the story ends with the prospect of them gonna fuck sum more.

Say something Nice Faps:

I legit really liked that brief scene where she holds Lord Akeldama’s hand as they watch the sunrise, and he’s crying, and she’s got her head on his shoulder and just PRECIOUS!

Out of the things to brag about at a wedding, food is the top of my list, I can appreciate that she dedicated some time to it.

The sex had a bit of that ravishment flavor but Maccon does check in, and she admits she enjoys it.

IT’S OVER!

[iamwhelmed]

Homesick Ch 5

Okay, I might be having a little too much fun with you guys now. I can’t help it, writing this fic is fun, okay? I get to focus on the DRAMA and my dramatic ass LOVES IT. It’s shorter than the other chapters have been, but I had to leave it off this way.

Summary: Raven finds herself carrying Beast Boy's child and struggles with the fear of losing him and the impending responsibility of being a mother; Starfire finds Robin in a precarious position with another woman. The two leave the tower to live on their own for awhile, just to figure things out. Beast Boy and Robin may be losing their minds, and Cyborg tries to keep everyone together.

Read on AO3

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The Heimweh Ruby was a thing of beauty, red like the blood moon, bright as the flashlights on the guards wandering aimlessly around the warehouses (not a clue he'd gotten by them, and not a clue the ruby was now clasped safely in his hand). It was rare that he stopped to appreciate the beauty in life, but the shine of the jewel in his hand was more than enough for him to give a low whistle. Pretty little thing; Miss Petrovski hadn't the faintest clue how much it was worth, or how hefty her security probably should have been. Didn't matter much. He'd gotten away with it, not so much as a single eye to call the Teen Titans on Heimweh's behalf, what remained of them, anyway. He'd seen the new leading ladies, not quite as impressive as the gothic ballerina or Leeloo's hotter alien sister, but he guessed they'd outgrown running around following orders from a sentient traffic light.

He was almost disappointed.

Red X flipped atop the warehouse's roof, snickering to himself at the oblivious guards a couple floors below. They heard a noise, he guessed, but the way they scratched their heads before going around and repeating the same route they'd failed to guard before, well, they probably hadn't figured out they'd been bamboozled. He sighed and closed the sunroof below him. He'd been hoping for a little more action tonight. His limbs were aching to stretch and tense the way they only could when he fought. And maybe he also wanted to see the Boy Wonder's face as he taunted him again. It'd been too long.

He stood and made his way to the edge of the roof with haste, preparing to duck and roll and make his way back to his base, but he paused, because there were two beauties resting in an embrace at the dock across from his stance on the roof's edge. Should he bother them? Mess up the moment just to be a jerk? He snorted. Oh yeah, absolutely, especially if it meant that he got to fight. "Aw, am I interrupting something?"

They both startled, leaped to their feet. The hot one lit one of her hands, and it was only then that he saw she wasn't in her usual crop top and miniskirt, and the other one wasn't exactly in uniform either. He raised an eyebrow behind his mask, taking in the jeans and blouses with somewhat amused bafflement. They squinted, and he could tell they didn't see him as clearly as he saw them. Perspective helped, he thought as he bounded forward "Don't recognize me? Can't tell by my voice?" He landed, and they both tried to back away from him, only to find that any further back and they'd be very wet and very at his mercy. He snickered. "Now now, ladies, don't go taking a dip just yet" he drew closer, and they inclined their backs to lean further away from him. He held the Heimweh out for them to see, dangling it like the shiny prize that it was in front of their panicked faces. "You've gotta make an attempt to beat this off me, don't ya?"

He grew closer, and Raven growled, low and threatening, a warning for him to stay away. Starfire bristled. "Raven, I will handle things here, please return home."

"What? Starfire-"

"I said I have got the this to be had, go!"

Starfire lunged toward him with one fist. Easy to dodge, simple to counter. He grabbed her wrist and swung right by her, swinging his leg up to hit her back, send her stumbling to the ground. Too late, he realized that she had distracted him as Raven ducked by, but he'd let her. He could handle his own against all of the titans at once. Dealing with one? He'd be out of here long before any help she went to go call for arrived.

Starfire got back up, took aim at his face as she- once again- used her fist instead of a starbolt? He frowned and dodged her easily. "You sure you're feeling up to this, Red?" Starfire swung her leg at his shoulder, and he narrowly missed it.

"I will not allow criminals like you to get away!"

He continued dodging her attacks, too slow to get any real fun out of but too intriguing to ignore. He'd expected more out of a fight with an alien princess, and quite frankly? He was a little annoyed his blood wasn't boiling. "I'm not sure you have a choice here, Cupcake." He threw his own fist at her, aiming for her face, but she moved to block it with both of her forearms. Bad move. He swept her legs out from under her, expecting her to lift off her feet, but instead she fell backwards like a useless human girl. She grunted, and he took the opportunity to climb atop her, pin her wrists at either side of her head. He didn't need to hit her with an X, she was irritatingly, laughably easy to pin. Her eyes widened as his knees grappled either side of her hips, and she fought him the best she could, but for some reason that alien strength he'd personally felt, more than once, simply wasn't there. He'd felt it earlier, when the other one had still been present, the righteous fury he always felt in her when he'd said something particularly flirtatious. That fight was gone now, seeping out of her as he gloves squeezed her skin. "What's going on with you, Red? I was expecting more of a fight."

"I intend to give you one!"

That's not what her eyes said. Her eyes read helpless, scared, angry, but what concerned him most was docile. Acquiesce. He wasn't sure if that piqued his interest or peeved him all the more. He squeezed her wrists again, pushed them into the ground, and she cried out for it. "Why aren't you using your powers?" He narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to her, mask brushing the tip of her nose. He waited for those green eyes to burn with pure heat, but he still saw her pupils. "Why aren't you fighting me?"

"I am!"

"You're not!" He dug her wrists even further into the ground to make a point. "Tell me why you won't fight me!"

Then the air left him as he was suddenly lifted up by his torso.

He let go of Starfire's wrists, surprised as the sudden squeeze in his lungs. He winced as the black fist pulled him into the air, tightened its grip with such malice he swore it was trying to force his organs one way or the other- up or down. "Starfire!" He cracked one eye open to see the other one had returned, and her powers seemed to be working just fine. Why had Starfire been the one to step up to fight him then? Why had Raven been protected instead of doing the protecting? "Let's go! The rest of the Titans should be here any-!" She winced, and the fist around his body suddenly grew a lot weaker.

Starfire sat up, more fear in her eyes than he'd seen in the entirety of their fight, maybe in every fight. "Raven!"

Red X grunted and gripped the finger closest to his hands, heaving as air returned to him. He ripped it apart, the aura dissipated, and he dropped to the ground, wheezing. Starfire scurried away. Oh you're not getting off that easy! He pulled some x's from his belt, sifting them through his fingers so he could release three at a time, right at their stupid little-

He stopped. Raven had fallen to her knees, and Starfire was right there beside her, holding her hand. "Raven! What is the matter? Raven!" If he thought he'd had trouble breathing, Raven looked like every puff was hardly enough to keep her lungs satisfied. Her breathing was shallow, came and went in quick motions. Starfire's presence seemed to help, but Raven was in agony, he could tell. Her face scrunched up so tight it looked like her nose would pop right off, lips curved into a snarl, one that wasn't directed at him. "Raven, are you-?"

"Star, I need-" her voice came out strangled, hardly audible between her grinding teeth. "Hospital. Now!"

Hospital? Not the tower? What could that be about? Red X sat up on one knee, one hand still clutching his chest where she'd turned him into a living stress ball. It didn't matter, it wasn't his problem. As she'd said (if she'd been telling the truth), the Titans were going to be here any minute, it wasn't a great idea to stick around much longer. Then he saw the pool of blood collecting between her thighs, soaking her jeans, and he knew exactly what had happened.

Starfire made the move to pick Raven up, carry her, but hadn't expected the extra hands over her own. Red X hardly paid her any mind as she gasped. "Take it easy, breath in. Breath out. We'll get you to a doctor, don't worry. You're gonna be fine."

Starfire frowned at Red X as he tore his cape from his back and wrapped it around Raven like a blanket, slipping his arms under her legs to carry her bridal style. He turned to her and nodded in the other direction. "The nearest hospital is .2 miles this way. Think you can keep up?" Starfire, between the astonishment, alarm, and doubt, managed to nod. Red X cradled Raven's head against his chest, turning to run in the direction of the hospital.

Along the way he asked her simple things, like if she knew if there'd been weight loss (not that she could tell), back pain (plenty), or cramping ("not the kind you get after you eat something bad, real cramping, the kind that makes you double-over" he'd said, to which she'd told him Raven hadn't mentioned any, no). She watched him as he used his grappling hook to propel them faster, as he carried Raven over rooftops and skylines and hardly paused to be sure that Starfire had kept up, though every now and then he'd call to her to be sure he hadn't lost her. He hadn't. She was too worried about Raven, too scared for her life- for the life of her snarglpref. She hadn't initially trusted Red X to haul her friend to the nearest doctor, but she could feel, maybe as an extension of Raven's powers, that he was focused on getting her medical attention, had thought for little else the last three minutes.

"She been feeling light-headed?"

"I believe she has experienced the fatigue that is considered normal."

"No fainting?"

"No," Starfire watched as he landed atop the hospital, leaping to land beside him with something akin to dread gripping her heart as he pulled Raven closer and aimed his grappling hook for the nearest ambulance. "Please, do you think she has-?"

"I'm no doctor, I couldn't tell you." He gestured for her to come closer, and she obliged, wrapping her arms around his neck as he hoisted them down to the first floor of the emergency room. Raven whimpered, and he shushed her. "Shh, it's gonna be okay. We've got you." Starfire brushed the hair out of Raven's face, but she couldn't help glancing back up to Red X. She pulled away and followed from a distance as he handed her off to the medical staff, eyes catching the gentle way he passed her, how she could still hear him whispering to Raven that things would be okay, that they'd be okay.

With a start, she realized that once again, she was floating.

It was nearly 3:30 in the morning when the alarm started going off- a warehouse in the eastern part of Jump City. Red X. The guard who'd triggered the alarm said that he'd been after a priceless ruby, the Jewel of Heimweh. This wouldn't be easy, especially at such an early hour, but it was their job, and Red X was on his list…

"Okay, so.. Who is Red X exactly?"

"Don't know. Some guy who stole my tools."

Batgirl raised an eyebrow behind her mask, looking decidedly more herself in her actual suit. She'd fixed it from the fiasco of a first night in Jump City. Took some time, but a little help from Robin and Cyborg had rendered it ready for duty earlier that night. "And you haven't figured out who he is yet?"

Her head was set at his shoulder, arms wrapped as securely as possible around him as they sped down the highway on his R-Cycle. Part of her snickered at the glower she knew he was wearing. He was so much like Batman, so much like his father, and she doubted he'd want to hear it. "He's good. Too good. He knows all my moves, all my tricks. Like he was there with me when Br- when Batman was training me."

Barbara hummed, and despite her wishes, she let herself stray to think about a crowbar, a haunting laugh, and red- so much red. She let herself wonder, but Robin didn't know. Robin had no idea he wasn't the only Boy Wonder anymore- well, he was again now, she supposed. "Maybe he kinda was…" If Robin heard her, he didn't give any indication of it.

Beast Boy glanced around, not seeing anything to suggest Red X, the most annoying, kick-buttingly mysterious dude he'd ever known, had been there. When he looked to Cyborg, he'd found he'd come to a similar conclusion, looking just as lost as he felt. They both shrugged at each other. Terra looked under the dock, checking to be sure he wasn't just hiding so that he wouldn't get his rear end kicked in. He wasn't, and upon having exhausted all of her ideas, she joined Cyborg and Beast Boy in the noncommittal shrugging.

Robin and Batgirl emerged from the warehouse, followed by a very frazzled-looking head of security. "Find anything?"

Cyborg shook his head. "No trace."

Robin grunted and cupped his chin between his thumb. "The Heimweh Ruby is definitely gone. It's not like him to disappear without a fight."

"Maybe he didn't?" Batgirl pointed to a darker corner of the warehouse, the very edge where the docks came to an end, and the moonlight didn't quite hit. There was a dark puddle, not quite dry, but not fresh. Robin approached it, bending down to stick one gloved finger in the murky mud. It was thick, exactly the consistency he'd been expecting. He rolled it between his fingers, then briefly sniffed at it.

"Blood."

"Blood?" Terra glanced around to see if there were any other traces, but that singular puddle was all they had to go on. "Was he bleeding? Did he hurt someone?"

Robin shrugged. "Not sure. Beast Boy, think you can track him down with this?"

"Uhh, assuming it's his blood, yeah." Beast Boy came to Robin's side, shifted into a dog. He sniffed at the blood on Robin's fingers, then seemed to pause, as if confused. The rest of the titans watched as Beast Boy's head tilted to the side, registering the smell, but every second that passed left him looking more and more distraught. He moved away from Robin's hand, instead opting to sniff the puddle directly. He should have gotten it after the first few sniffs, but for some reason he continued sniffing. The rest of the group grew increasingly unsettled, watching him smell, pause, then dig his nose in it some more, like he couldn't quite place it, but it wasn't that. Robin cocked an eyebrow.

"Beast Boy?"

The green dog pulled away, morphing back into their friend, but the haunted look on his face left more to the imagination than expected. His eyes were wide, and when he looked at Robin, he was looking right past him. "I… I dunno how to say this…" Terra bent down and pressed a supportive hand to his shoulder, but he hardly knew she was there. Robin waited for him to talk, not wanting to force it out of him. Red X was clearly long gone from here, but the look in Beast Boy's eye (he knew it well, had seen it in Bruce's eyes, had felt his own well with tears as they looked that same way years and years and years ago) said there was something more pressing. He too placed a hand to Beast Boy's shoulder and squeezed, seemed to get the reaction he was looking for. Beast Boy's wide eyes turned on him, as if only now realizing he was there. He choked a few times, couldn't get the words out, but eventually he said: "That's not Red X's blood. That's Raven's."

[lizzy-c807fanfics]

The Jones Family Candy Store 2.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Jones brothers have decided to renovate and update their business to include a web page. In their quest to do so they happen to meet two blondes with amazing skills that promise to do the impossible and have it complete for Christmas. Neither of them expected to be swept off of their feet in the process. This story is lots of Holiday fluff. 8 chapter story - all chapters will be posted soon!

Chapter 2

The thought of seeing Emma again seemed to start a fire within him. He may have even sang while he was in the shower. He dressed quickly and made sure to dab on a little cologne before he left. If he didn’t make a good impression on her in this suit there would be no hope for him.

Killian arrived promptly at 7:30 in front of the hall where the charity ball was being held. There were cars lined up waiting to be parked by the valets. He straightened his black bow tie and waited patiently for the attendant. When it was his turn he slipped out of the car, took the ticket and tucked it into his suit jacket front pocket. He quickly checked his hair in the car window smoothing back a stray strand and then proceeded towards the door to wait in line with the others.

He scanned the crowd looking for Emma.  He recognized a lot of people in line as they were also patrons from his shop. He also realized it had been quite some time since he’d left the shop and actually socialized in town based on the reactions he was getting.  In fact he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out for fun. His usual routine had him up early working at the shop and then falling into bed after a quick meal when he got home late.

He was about to go in when he felt a slap on his back. “Hello Brother, nice to see you still clean up well.”

He turned around after the sting of the slap to face his older brother looking dapper as ever. “Ah, Liam, same to you.”

They each handed the woman their tickets and proceeded into the hall. It was nicely decorated in a cloud like theme, light blue linens and white puffy cloud centerpieces lit the table in. There was also a band playing light tones on stage with a number of patrons on the dance floor in front.  

“So, what time are you meeting Ms. Arendelle?” he asked.

Liam grabbed a flute of champagne from a member of the wait staff. “Ah, well, Elsa and I don’t exactly have a meeting time.”

He tilted his head and smiled. ”I thought she invited you?”

“I didn’t say that, I said I got tickets from her.” He said gulping out of his flute.

“Ah, so she bamboozled you into purchasing the tickets with her feminine wiles.” Laughed Killian.

“In due time little brother. Isn’t that Emma over there?”

Killian looked in the direction that Liam nodded towards immediately. It was indeed Emma, and she looked beautiful in a light pale pink gown. Her hair was swept off her shoulders exposing her neck and shoulders. He closed his mouth and licked his lips. “Aye, that’s her.” He grinned.

Liam handed him two flutes of champagne. “I suggest you go over and try out your lines before some other lucky man asks her to dance.”

He blinked moving his focus from Emma back to Liam. “Thanks, if I’m lucky I won’t see you until later.” He winked.

Liam laughed. “We shalll see. While you are out there mingle with the folks and talk about the upgrades to the shop. That is the other reason that I got the tickets. I wanted to spread the word about our expansion.”

“I should have known Liam Jones wasn’t just about coming out for fun tonight.” Said Killian.

“What’s the harm? Good Luck.”

Killian nodded and moved quickly towards Emma. He nodded hello to several people he recognized but kept focused on Emma and not spilling the drinks. She was talking to a woman who looked familiar when he got in viewing distance of her. He proceeded cautiously until she recognized him and smiled. He was just about to speak when another man came up behind Emma and wrapped his arm around her perfect waist and whispered in her ear.

Suddenly it felt like the oxygen was let out of the room.  He quickly fought for different words than he’d planned.  “Hello, Emma. Thought you might like a drink.”

She took the flute from him and her lurker seemed to tighten his grip on her. “Thank you. Nice to see you here. I didn’t know you were coming.”

“My brother bought some tickets last minute from Elsa Arendelle. She said she knew you.”

Emma nodded and smiled. “Yes, I’ve worked with her firm on a few projects. Is she going to be your web designer?”

Emma’s eyes were focused on him as if she could see into his soul. If she didn’t have the leech holding onto her he’d have seen it as a green light to try out some of his lines. He shook out the thoughts. “Yes, she impressed Liam and the fact that she’d mentioned her previous work with you sold him on her firm too.”

“That’s great.”

“Emma are you going to introduce me?” asked the leech.

“Oh, yes I’m sorry. Killian this is Walsh. Walsh this is Killian, he’s part owner of the Candy Store I told you about.”

Killian extended his hand to the leech, if only to get him to let up from holding her. He shook his hand with great vigor and happily smiled inside when he noticed Walsh shake his hand at his side after.

“So you’re the Candy store owner.” Asked Walsh.

He sensed condescension in his tone. “Aye, what is it that you do Wallace?”

“It’s Walsh. I’m an antiques dealer a few towns over.” He replied.

Killian took a long swig out of his flute. “Sounds very interesting.”

“Oh, it is. You’d be surprised what people throw away.” He said enthusiastically.

“Excuse me, I need to go talk to my mother. Nice to see you Killian.” Said Emma.

He nodded and watched as she walked away, only then realizing that Walsh had continued to drivel on about his business. He just continued to nod as he spoke wishing that things would have turned out differently. When Walsh seemed to finally take a breath he took his chance to exit.  He noticed Granny standing towards the dance floor. “It was nice meeting you Walsh but I see a lady that could use a dance partner over there. Please excuse me.”

“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you as well. I’m sure we’ll see each other again if you are working with Emma.”

He cringed at the thought. “Aye, have a good night.” He walked towards Granny and was hopeful she’d go along with his escape plan. “Good evening Granny, care for a dance?”

The older woman looked at him like he was crazy then she smiled. “I guess since you’re asking.”

He took the woman’s hand and lead her onto the floor. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“What’s this really about?” she asked through a smile.

“I needed to ditch a certain git who wouldn’t shut up.”

“Good, so you haven’t lost your mind then. Ok spin me for good measure then let me be. This is too much for my old feet.”

He laughed. “Thanks for your help.”

He spun her slowly and then they exited the dance floor gracefully. “I owe you one Granny.”

“No payment required. “she grinned after she saw her friends watching with jealousy written all over their faces.  

He moved towards the door now that his exit strategy had worked.  He was beginning to remember why the quaint cozy shop and inventory seemed like a good idea. No chance of hurt feelings when you are surrounded by sugary sweets.

He managed to zip through the crowd and avoid further conversation, he wasn’t really sure what he would say in that moment anyway. He’d finally found Liam in the back of the hall close to the bar. He was talking closely with Elsa so he decided it would be best to head towards the door instead. He’d just catch up with his brother in the morning.

He was just about to exit when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He was just about to read Liam the riot act when he stopped himself at the beautiful vision in front of him. “Emma.”

“Hey, it’s early. Are you leaving already?” she asked.

“Aye, I’m doing inventory tonight.” He covered instead of saying what he really felt.

“Oh, well I’m glad you came for a little while. Thanks for the champagne earlier.” She said staring directly into his soul with her beautiful emerald eyes.

“Don’t mention it. I’ll see you on Monday?” he asked hopeful.

She smiled. “Bright and early. I hope that’s ok.”

He grinned brightly. “Perfect.”

“I’m sorry about Walsh.” She blurted.

He shook his head. “What?”

“Walsh, leaving you alone back there. He’s a talker, I know. I’m sorry about that.” She said.

“Oh, it’s fine. He sure does love his business but I know what that’s like.”

She laughed and touched his shoulder lightly. “I’m sure you do.”

He looked briefly down at her dainty hand on his shoulder and then back towards her beautiful face. “Aye. Goodnight Emma.”

She removed her hand slowly. “Goodnight Killian.”

He left her reluctantly but felt if he stayed he would be in danger and now he needed to focus on their professional relationship. He’d be working with her for the next 5 weeks for the launch. He got to the valet stand without passing a second glance back towards her feeling defeated, but after he handed in his ticket he couldn’t help but look back.

She was still there watching. He smiled and waved. She seemed flustered and waved back.  Perhaps this wasn’t over just yet. He’d see her Monday, bright and early. That thought got him through the rest of the night.

[davidcarner]

Sarah vs The Life Unexpected Ch 2, Baggage Handler

A/N:  Uh, wow!  You guys seem to really like this one, so thanks!  Due to the tremendous response, I decided to get Chapter 2 out ASAP!  Thank Steampunk. Chuckster for this story going up at all she told me to post it!  For those wondering, there may be angst, but not much, and you never have to worry about Bryce, Lou, Shaw, Hannah, Cole, Forrest, or any other random. This is meant to be pure family fluff, with some romance, maybe a lot of romance, and I’m not sure how good I am at it.  I hope you continue to enjoy

Disclaimer:  I don’t own Chuck, nor my house, but I do own my car….

 Sarah walked into the apartment a little before 5:30.  She saw the curtain flicker in the living room as she got to the fountain.  She was tired, but a happy tired.  She had found a small lead on Piranha, and she was looking forward to tomorrow morning.  She wanted to roll her eyes at herself.  She had gotten along fine for the last five years without Chuck Bartowski, she was sure she could get along fine now without him.  Can you really?  She shook off the thoughts and looked at the two co-conspirators in the kitchen, apparently making dinner.  

“Miss Molly,” she said, trying to sound stern, but failing.  Molly and Emma turned toward her.  “I thought we agreed this morning that you wouldn’t talk to Mr. Chuck about ordering from the stork.”

“We did,” Molly agreed. “I told him that you were going to talk to him about that.  Did you?” Sarah went pale, while Emma tried to find anyway she could to hold the laughter inside of her.  

“We may have talked about Jerry being a problem,” she got out, not sure how in twelve hours she had lost control of her social life.  Because you don’t have one.  Emma went back to working on dinner and tried to get Molly to do the same, but she was grinning ear to ear.  She went over, got her mother a cup of coffee and brought it to her.  “Thank you,” Sarah said, hugging her and kissing her cheek.  She sat down to enjoy her coffee, knowing Molly wasn’t going anywhere for a few minutes until she found out what she wanted to know.  Molly had a future as an interrogator one day if she chose to.  

“Soooo,” Molly said, looking at her mother expectantly.

“Soooo what?”

“You like him, don’t you?” she said quickly, grinning.  Sarah couldn’t help but smile at her daughter’s infectious enthusiasm.

“Maybe,” she said shrugging, going back to her coffee.

“I know you do,” Molly said smugly.  Sarah turned toward Molly, drawing herself up, smiling, and trying to battle wits with the five year old, but knowing she was losing.  “First,” she said holding up one finger.  Emma and Sarah both barked a laugh at the sight.  “You didn’t tell me we couldn’t talk about him anymore, which you said we wouldn’t if you didn’t like him.”

“I did say that,” Sarah admitted.  She looked over at her daughter who had a gleam in her eye.  Sarah was now curious.  “If there’s a first, then there has to be a second.”

“Second,” she said, and gave a dramatic pause.  “He gave me a note to give you,” she said quietly.  Sarah reached for her daughter, but Molly scampered away laughing.  Sarah looked at Emma.

“You’re in on this!” she accused, a smile covering her face.  Emma held her hands up innocently, but her smile gave her away.  Molly held a piece of paper up.  Sarah shrugged, leaned back in her chair, and enjoyed her coffee.

“It has his phone number on it,” Molly said.  Sarah sat there, not caring, fighting to keep the grin off of her face.  

“You should probably give that to her soon, Molly,” Emma said.  Sarah shrugged.

“Whatever,” she said, trying to appear that she didn’t care.  Emma watched her daughter as she spoke.

“Well, it could be kind of hard to explain to Mr. Chuck when he gets here in a few minutes.”  Sarah shot up out her chair, nearly spilling her coffee.

“What!?  He’s coming here!?  Tonight!?”  

“Molly’s Wii isn’t working right, and we had his number, so…” Emma decided it was pointless talking, because Sarah had dashed through the house to her bedroom.  Emma turned to Molly.  “Did we make a mistake on this one?”  Molly shook her head, grinning.

“Nope, Mom needs a friend,” and with that, she skipped into her mother’s room, laid the note on the desk, and skipped back to the room she shared with her grandmother.  Emma walked into Sarah’s bedroom where she held the note. Sarah looked up.

“I’ve not been this nervous to open a note since Billy Tompkins gave me one in 4th grade. Mom, I used to be a CIA agent. I’m sweating, the last time I was sweating there was gunplay involved!”

“Calm down, Sweetie,” Emma said hugging her.  She looked at her daughter.  “It’s those eyes isn’t it?”  Sarah nearly slumped.

“Ugh!  And, the curls making the animal shapes, and the smile,” she turned to her mom.  “Mom that smile…I am gushing.  I don’t gush.”  Emma laughed…not just laughed, but belly laughed, as if she had been told the greatest joke in the world.  

“I used to be upset that I never got to go through this with you in high school, but this…this has made it all worthwhile.”  Sarah came over and sat down beside her.

“Mom,” she nearly whined. “He told me he had a lot of baggage. I told him I could be his baggage handler,” and with that she put her head in her hands, embarrassed.  Emma laughed again.

“He’s good with kids,” Emma said.  Sarah jerked her head up.

“You knew about him and Molly,” she said, not asked.  Emma smiled and nodded.  “You set me up this morning because of that.”  Emma nodded.  Sarah sighed. “I told him I was bringing Molly to school each morning to spend more time with her.”  Emma put her arm around her daughter.

“You met him for what, five minutes?”  Sarah nodded. “And, you’re that far gone?” Sarah nodded again.  “Read the note, wear the white floral dress and the tan sweater, and calm down.  He’s probably just as nervous as you are.”  Sarah gave her a pointed look and started to chuckle.  “Well, maybe he’s not,” and with that she left Sarah alone. Sarah picked open the note and read it.

Sarah,

I realized I never got your number this morning.  You’ll find mine at the bottom. You’re right, I could use a friend, the problem is I’m not sure how to be a good one right now, but if you need to talk, about anything, feel free to call, text, or…I guess that’s all that you can do.  I didn’t say it this morning, but as a kid who got left by his parents, what you’re doing for Molly can’t be put into words.  It will mean more to her than you’ll ever know.

Chuck

Sarah smiled after she read the letter, picked up her phone, and added Chuck to her contacts.  She then paused, and typed out a quick message. I hear I’m going to see you in a little while, looking forward to it, Sarah. She pressed send, nodded, and hurried to change clothes.  Her phone went off, and she picked it up.  I feel like you may have gotten bamboozled by those two…again…I can call your mom and tell her Clara’s being fussy and we can do it another night.  Sarah smiled. Watching out for her, and they weren’t even a couple, this guy, was he for real… I may have gotten bamboozled…again…but I AM looking forward to it.  Sarah smiled, and less than a minute later she heard a knock on the door.  She came out of her room, and saw him in the doorway, Molly beaming up at him.  He looked her way for confirmation that it was okay to come in.  She smiled, and tilted her head to come in.

“Hey, Chuck,” she said. “Glad you could make it.”  Chuck smiled at her.

“Thanks for having me.”

“Anytime,” she heard herself say.  What am I doing?  She started to say something else when there was another knock. Molly opened the door and there stood Carina and John.  “Casey, Carina, why are you here?”

“I saw him and wondered if Grimes was with him,” Casey said.  

“I think they went out dancing tonight, Big Guy.  You know Morgan is a little scared of you.”  Casey grunted.

“Only a little?” he asked. Chuck laughed.  

“Terrified is the word I would use, but he’s trying to be cool in front of you,” Chuck said. Carina was all sorts of confused, and suddenly understanding dawned on Casey’s face.

“Does someone want to tell me how everyone knows each other?” Carina asked.  John turned toward Carina.

“Not now, Carina,” John whispered.  Carina was a little surprised.  Chuck ran his fingers through his hair.

“Well, John is Alex’s dad, who is dating Morgan, and he came by the offices one day, and that’s how we met,” Chuck began.  “My niece, Clara goes to the same preschool as Sarah’s daughter, Molly, and I’m here to fix the Wii and have dinner.”  Chuck paused for a second and saw the pain on John’s face.  He turned to Sarah.  “You know, John, my bad, Casey, is a really good guy.  He had a talk with me that day.”  Sarah turned to Casey.

“He was in a bad place, who wouldn’t be,” Casey said.  Chuck looked around, realizing where he was, in his old apartment, where he and his sister had lived for years.  Emotion started to get the best of him.

“Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” Chuck said to Sarah.  “I told you I had a lot of baggage.”  Sarah looked at Carina.  Carina nodded toward him.  Emma and Molly were in the kitchen watching, they had no idea what to do.  Sarah stepped towards Chuck, and gently took his hand.  He looked at her, tears in his eyes, his heart breaking.  His eyes that looked into her soul that morning were clouded with pain that she hadn’t seen in a long time, and when she had they were in the mirror looking back at her.

“I told you I could be your baggage handler,” she said softly.  “So, let’s have it.”  Chuck barked a laugh, and it broke the tension in the room.  “We’re all friends here.”

“I mean what I said that day, Bartowski,” Casey said.  Sarah shook her head, when did this washed out NSA kill machine become the epitome of lady feeling?  “She’d be proud of you.  You didn’t quit, and you could have.  Not only that, you’ve taken on the biggest responsibility in the world.”  He paused and looked at Sarah.  “Walker understands that.”

“It’s more than that, Casey,” Sarah said softly.  “This used to be Chuck and his sister’s apartment.”

“Oh, hell,” Casey muttered. “Maybe-”

“No, it’s okay,” Chuck said. “I had a lot of great memories here, and Ellie would be proud of the family that’s here now.  Besides I live in the house the two of them bought, it’s just there’s more memories here, you know.”  Chuck felt someone hugging his leg and looked down and saw Molly.  He ruffled her hair and smiled at him.

“When did you two meet, Casey?” Carina asked softly.  Clara started fussing, and Chuck picked her up.  

“About three months ago,” Casey replied.

“They had only died a few weeks earlier,” Chuck said.  “I wasn’t in the best place.  Clara was only 8 months old, Morgan had to run the company for a while, while I tried to figure out how to be a guardian and grieve over the loss of the rest of my family.  This gal,” who he blew a raspberry on her belly, making her giggle, “Probably saved my life, because I had to, as someone so eloquently put it, ‘Pull my head out of my ass,’ and raise her.”

“Casey, the charmer,” Sarah said.  She held her hands out and Chuck passed Clara off to Sarah.  As Sarah held her, she watched Molly to see if she was jealous.

“I’m going to be Clara’s big sister,” Molly said to Casey and Carina.  The two looked at Chuck and he shrugged.

“She decided to adopt her,” he said with a grin.  “I think Molly knows more about family not being blood related than anyone.”  Molly grinned up at him.

“I have an Uncle Casey and an Aunt Carina who aren’t blood related, and a mommy and a granny and a little sister who aren’t blood related.”  She paused for a second, and then as she headed back to the kitchen threw in.  “One day, I’ll have a daddy who isn’t blood related.”

“Sweetie, I have to meet someone, fall in love, all of that,” Sarah said patiently.

“Well, Mr. Chuck is right there, so get to it, and I really want a little brother,” she said as she walked out of the room.  Emma nearly dropped the food, and the other four went quiet.  Sarah couldn’t look at Chuck.

“Well then,” Chuck began. “I’m going to look at the Wii,” and with that he walked over to the TV.  Carina held her hands out and took Clara.  John tickled her stomach and she laughed.  Carina gave Sarah a head nod toward Chuck and Sarah nodded.  She walked over to him.  “Sarah, I can show you how to fix this, but it’s going to be a lot of technobabble.”  He looked at her, grinning.  Sarah grinned back, with an eyebrow raised.  “See this black cord plugged into the surge protector.”  She nodded.  “We call that the power cord.”

“Shouldn’t it be plugged into the machine?” she asked.  Chuck’s jaw dropped, and she swatted him on the shoulder when she realized he was messing with her.  “I really did get bamboozled again,” she said softly.  “I’m glad.”  Chuck looked up, surprised.  “Are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said shrugging.  “Younger girls like me a lot,” he paused and thought about what he said.  “That sounded so much better in my head.” Sarah laughed, knowing what he was trying to say.

“No, I meant, earlier. This place, it must be hard,” Sarah said.  Chuck looked around, and shook his head.

“I mean, I’m okay, but sometimes…” he paused and collected himself.  “The only family I have is an 11 month old child, who’s my sister, who raised me.  Seriously, I have baggage.”  Sarah took his hand again.

“Seriously, I can handle it.”  She grinned. “Any old girlfriends?”  Chuck dropped his head.  

“I’ve not had any real relationship in nearly 9 years.  My girlfriend dumped me for Bryce Larkin, my roommate-”

“Bryce Larkin?” Sarah asked, her mouth opened.  Chuck turned toward Sarah

“You know him?”  Sarah couldn’t say anything.  “You dated him?”  Sarah nodded.

“It was a while ago,” she began.  

“I need to step outside a second, get some air,” Chuck said.  Sarah nodded.  He spoke very softly.  “Will you come with me?”  She looked up at him, and saw those eyes again that were so hurt.  She nodded.  Casey and Carina had Clara over in the kitchen with Emma and Molly.

“We’ll be right back,” Sarah said.  Chuck walked over to the fountain and sat down.  Sarah looked at the spot beside him and Chuck nodded.

“Sorry,” he began. “When she dumped me, I sat in that apartment for five years, working at the Buy-More, watching life go by, not living, just watching.  Then Morgan and I made a game, and we turned life around.  I thought, maybe, just maybe I was about to move on and get my personal life together.  Ellie and Awesome got married.  I threw my everything into the company, the game was coming along great, they had their baby, and just when I got to where the company was manageable, they die in that horrible accident, and I’m her guardian.”

“Father,” Sarah said softly. “You’re her father, Chuck.  I get calling yourself Uncle Chuck so she won’t forget her parents, but you’re her father.  I also understand not getting out there.  I haven’t dated in over five years.”  She chuckled.  “Bryce actually dumped me because of Molly.  What he didn’t know is I had kinda realized I didn’t really care for him, and I had started to already move on.”

“Casey was right, you really do get a lot of this,” he said looking at her.  She smiled and nodded.  Chuck looked down and then back at her, grinning.  “I used to have a lot of important conversations with Ellie here,” he said softly.

“Have you really grieved over them?” she asked.  Chuck shrugged, his eyes full of tears.  She scooted closer and put her arm around him.

“Sarah, I know I’ve said it a few times, but I’m gonna say it one more time to give you the chance to get away.”  Chuck looked at her, and she sat there smiling at him, rubbing her hand up and down his arm.  “I have a lot of baggage.”  She knew she shouldn’t, but she leaned in and pecked him on the lips.

“I got it,” she said. Chuck’s eyes had all the thanks she needed.

“I could really use a friend,” he said softly.

“I’ve got it,” she said. “What’s the rest of your baggage?” He looked at her confused. “That’s it?” she asked, honestly shocked.  She looked out at the apartment, grinning.

“Isn’t that enough?”

“I’m going to tell you something that you can’t tell anyone else.  I only tell my friends, okay?”  Chuck nodded.  “I used to be in the CIA.”  Chuck shook his head chuckling, and then he realized she was telling the truth.  It struck him.  Here he was, with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, who had a heart of gold, and she was a former CIA agent.  “Wetwork,” she said softly.  Chuck’s eyes got wide.  He took his thumb and slid it across his throat as a question.  She nodded.  “It gets worse, my dad was, is, a con artist.”  Chuck nodded, slowly.  

“Okay, maybe I don’t have the baggage I thought.”  Sarah laughed.  No matter how bad things were with him, he seemed to make her laugh.  She liked that…a lot.

“Chuck, your past doesn’t define you, your past is your past.  Everyone deserves a second chance.”

“Didn’t I already get my second chance?”  She turned, looked at him, and leaned in very close.

“Maybe it’s a very long second chance, or maybe it’s a third chance,” she said very softly, her lips inches from his.  He swallowed. “Whatever it is, maybe you should just take it.”

“If only I had a friend who could help me out,” Chuck said just as softly.  Sarah nodded.

“I got you.”

“Are you two kissing yet?” Molly yelled from the door.

“Well, if we were we’re not now,” Sarah yelled back.  Molly squeed and ran back inside.  Sarah laid her head on Chuck’s shoulder.  “Perhaps we should go eat dinner.”

“Casey and Carina staying?”

“Do you mind?”  Chuck grinned.

“The more the merrier,” Chuck replied.  “Besides they’re your friends, excuse me family, and since I don’t have any…”

“Uh, go find your own friends,” she said, giving him a playfull shove.

“Okay,” he said moping. Sarah laughed, and pushed him inside.

“We were about to leave,” Carina said as they entered.  Sarah shook her head.

“Stay, everything’s fine, it’s just a little emotionally overwhelming for Chuck, and the fact someone keeps bamboozling him,” Sarah said, looking at Molly.  Chuck walked over and picked Molly up.

“You do know if you want me to come over, all you have to do is ask?” Chuck said.  Molly giggled.

“I was worried Mommy might say no,” Molly replied.

“She might, and sometimes I might, but not because I don’t want to see you, but because I can’t because of Clara, or I have to work, or…” Chuck trailed off.

“You have a hot date?” Carina offered.  Chuck turned to her, laughing.

“On that one, it’s probably a no.”  Carina looked over at Sarah, who was fighting a grin.

“Maybe you can come over and have a hot date.”  Chuck’s eyes got wide.

“You’re getting as bad as this one,” he said, and raspberried her cheek.  Molly squealed.  Chuck sat her down and they all sat down and started eating.  

“Sarah, did you ever find a computer expert?” Chuck asked.

“Nope, still looking for a geek,” Casey answered.  

“Nerds,” Chuck corrected. Casey looked up at him.  “We, prefer the term, nerd.”  Sarah laughed.  “What happens if you don’t find one?”  The three members of Burton Industries looked at each other and shrugged.

“It wouldn’t be ideal,” Sarah started.

“We could go under,” Carina corrected.  Sarah tried to shush her.  “Look blondie if your friend who is a boy can ask the question we can answer it.” Sarah gave her a look, and then one to Chuck as if to say, ‘sorry.’  Chuck grinned at her.  Carina looked at him seriously.  “Everything these days is cyber security, and we don’t have anyone like we need.  The problem is the kind we need, costs way too much.  If we were to find a former hacker we could leverage them into a better deal on our terms.”

“That sounds like blackmail,” Chuck said.  Casey shrugged.

“We’re keeping someone out of jail who deserves to go there, like that Piranha guy.”  Chuck nearly choked on his food.  

“Who?” he asked, his voice going a bit high.

“Piranha,” Sarah answered. “He’s a world class hacker.”

“I’ve heard of him,” Chuck said cautiously.  Everyone turned toward him.  “I’m a computer guy, I hear stuff.  I hear he’s a good dude, retired.”

“Not for long,” Casey said chuckling.  Sarah noticed Chuck being uncomfortable.  

“Chuck, he broke the law, we need help fixing things that other hackers are doing.  We’re keeping him out of jail,” she explained, hoping she wasn’t frightening him off.  In the past she would keep things like this to herself, but by being open she had learned she was much happier.  

“What if I worked for you?” Chuck asked softly.  Sarah put her fork down, smiling.

“Is that what this is about?”  Sarah looked at her two teammates and then back to Chuck.  “We have plenty of time to find this guy.  It’s not like we’re going to shut down tomorrow.”

“But you will, right?” Chuck asked.  “If you don’t find him, you’ll close down.”  Sarah shrugged.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.  “Don’t worry about it, we’re really good at what we do.”

“We’ll find him Bartowski,” Casey said, tearing the meat off of his fork and chewing.  “There’s nowhere he can hide.”

“That’s very comforting,” Chuck said, feeling queasy.  The conversation turned to other topics, but Chuck kept very quiet.  After the meal, it was time for Molly to go to bed. Chuck started to pack up his things. Sarah walked up close to him.

“Can you stay awhile?” Chuck turned toward her and gave her a smile.

“I would love to, but it’s been a lot tonight, for the both of us,” he said, opening and arm and giving her a hug.  He pulled away.  “I didn’t realize how much this place meant to me.”

“I hope it’s not a problem,” she said worried.  Chuck gave her his biggest smile.  What just happened to my knees?  

“Are you kidding me, this is great,” he said.  “As long as I can bring Clara by to tell her the great things that happened here to her mom and dad…”

“Anytime,” Sarah said. “You too.  You’re welcomed anytime.”

“Might want to keep window locked,” Chuck said leaning forward and whispering in her ear.  “I used to call it the Morgan door, back in the day.”

“It’s now the Carina door,” Sarah said with her own wry smile.  “See you tomorrow?”  Chuck had a confused look on his face.

“I thought the dinner and games was tonight…Sorry, you meant in the morning at preschool, my bad,” Chuck said with a grin.  I can’t believe I’m about to do this.

“Why not both?” she asked. Chuck nodded slowly.

“Okay, I guess I owe Molly some games anyway.”

“And if you want to stay later your welcome to,” Sarah said.  What am I doing!?!  

“Careful Agent Walker, I just might,” Chuck said, and headed out the door.  He got to the fountain, turned, waved goodnight, and headed to his car. He got there, blew out a breath and muttered to himself.  “Don’t. Freak.  Out.”      

[uzyplus]

15. September 2019 Mysterious Girlfriend X Hello, it's been a while, hasn't it? The reason for that is basically that I haven’t finished a single anime in these past months, well I have read quite a lot of manga and manhua which I don’t really like writing about, just too lazy to do that. I finished about 21 of em or am currently reading + like 40 on webcomics I think?

Another thing I’d like to mention is that youjo senki movie falls under it’s anime, so no post for that.

Now to anime: I watched all 13 episodes of it and read manga from ch36 as it was the exact point where anime left out. Watching school romance after such a long time sure felt refreshing, I really enjoyed like the first 5 or so episodes of anime, had quite a good laugh at it. It was just so cute and satisfying to watch, well I went to sleep and picked it up again the next day. Well I have to say that the whole saliva thing was getting quite overplayed at this point and maybe a bit disgusting at times (me without knowing that I’ll have manga worth 1 day to read still ahead). Well I got to enjoy it in the end ~for some reason I get happier watching things at late hours~ the ending for anime was kinda disappointing ~not to mention it didn’t make any sense in contrast with what we know from manga~ But well it did good, coz it was interesting enough for me to pick up manga after all. Well I forgot to mention at the beginning that I didn’t like Mikoto’s voice at first, it just seemed so off when she screamed or laughed ~well screamed~ but otherwise it was really lovely, I mean she did that psycho laugh like twice during the whole show and it just happened to be during first episode. First episode seemed sooooo~ long (might be coz I just didn’t bother speeding playback speed up...) but well I think that most of the development happened there anyway. I really liked the speed their relationship was developing at, nice and slow, there’s no need to rush things up, just take your time, you’re just 17 after all. Actually I figured out their age on ep13, oh boy I need to pay more attention to some details~ Well I was thinking they were like 14-15 coz of the whole: first kiss, first xxx deal, kids usually pay attention to it during that age or a bit sooner, I mean I haven’t given myself these questions since like 15yo, so yea, their age quite surprised me. Another thing to mention is that the saliva was just too thick the whole time, I mean what is it a honey? ~Well it surely tasted sweet so maybe?~ So now I should write something about manga, hmmmm~ that’ll be pretty hard considering I pretty much skip some text pretty often and then again I read it around 10pm-1am so my brain was pretty much dead at that time already. Well I will try, but first imma go post this thing so that for some reason I won’t lose it and do a quick manga recap. It’s sure a good idea to start writing this at 10pm when it’s Monday and I had 9 lessons with 0 one, uff~

Alright, I just remembered there was that Aika girl. At first I thought she would appear just once or twice during the story, for the last time when he bought that Imai Monoka album and would talk him out of it or something. After a while she started to annoy me, coz of her way too intimate and often contacts with Akira and after a while I pretty much started to hate her for trying to bewitch him all the time. In the end she didn't turn out to be a bad character at all, she just wanted to find someone that would love her, even if she didn't love him and not leave her as all the guys she loved. 

Then there's Ryouko who harassed Akira pretty much without stating a reason. I assume she had a slight crush for mc, considering she proposed to be his secondary girl I g? Out of all the romances happening throughout the story I found her the best.

It's a big letdown that Akira never told Ueno who's his girlfriend, I mean some other characters knew it, but he never told it to his best friend, ah.

I don't really have anything to write about the movie part, about the Valentine's part: I thought Youko's gotta see the black chocolate package and realize their relationship or something, but in the end it wasn't a box, but just a foil wrapping or whatever, there goes my fantasies~I don't even know why I thought it was a box~ 

Akira was also quite smart, I mean I would never realize if I didn't see them or he said them, like the naked apron for example. It was really enjoyable watching their newlyweds-like scenes, also really looked forward to their kiss, which I assumed their daily routine would eventually turn into and that's where I was totally bamboozled. I mean why would you do that? It totally disappointed me, Youjo kissed her boyfriend, Oka and Ryouko as well and you tell me that you'd rather continue having her finger in your mouth than actually kiss her? Now I wonder who was the actual reason for such a slow and long relationship development. That would be an epic way how to end the story, I mean seriously, you were looking forward that kiss for some chapters now and you just let it all go. Alright alright, nevermind, it's your story, live it however you want, imma just curl up in the corner of my room and fantasize about how nice it would have been... humph~

Well overall I think it's somewhere around +2,5 and +3, imma decide that tomorrow ~morning is wiser than evening~ (actually this phase sounds rather plain in English, it sounds a bit better in my language to me) Also imma pick a pic for this tomorrow coz it's nearing 11:30pm now and I want to sleep ~there's also this one fly annoying me rn~

Wow, this actually turned out to be the longest post I've ever written and I'm pretty confident that I'll write more to it tomorrow coz I haven't talked about main characters that much yet

Hello, how have you been? This lazy ass pleb just totally left this post alone incomplete for like 3 days... and now doesn’t really remember what he wanted to write, well just perfect...

Alright, I guess I ended up somewhere around mc and mh I g? Eh, all that pops into my head is Real girl, which I started reading yesterday. 

Another reread later~ wait let me actually reread this whole thing so I’d get a general idea what it was about, coz I have 0 clue whatsoever.

Okay, sooo~ Mc was a fairly decent guy, he knew when he was hurting Mikoto and stopped in time, one thing that I wasn’t so ok with was that any girl could sway his mind, any girl wearing bikini, any pantsu, anything really ~which even irl I cannot understand when all the guys immediately apply fgo target focus skill, while I’m like: Protection from Arrows A~ (if you understood that you should play fgo a bit less) 

Mh, well what can I say about her? She was all cute, blushing occasionally, sometimes Akira did the blushing for her... I cannot really say whether she was jealous at times, it seemed she was quite confident in their bond to be jealous, and well every time Akira’s mind was swinging towards other girls she just gave him lewds to rewrite his mind, quite a powerful strategy I’ll have to say. She called Akira pervert few times... who was it that got totally naked like 3 times when giving Akira saliva? I really liked her scissors’ techniques, although mc didn’t seem to share my passion. She reminds me of these stray cats, that you have to approach really slowly in order to feed, coz otherwise they run ~well minecraft ocelots basically~  Every time she was about do some sports I thought for myself that she cannot do it ~coz she seems too much like the chuunibyou type~ then realized she was actually really athletic... it happened like 3 times or more, it was annoying, brain just doesn’t learn. I think I covered pretty much every thing I planned on covering and forgot what I wasn’t supposed to, so I cannot really continue writing anything now that I have no clue whether I already wrote it or not... ~splitting post and writing it with 3 day gap seems like pretty stupid thing to do~   +2,5

finally my soul’s in peace

[robininthelabyrinth]

Fic: The Swiftest Course (Ao3) (Chapter 5/8)

Fandom: Flash, DC’s Legends Pairing: Barry Allen/Leonard Snart/Mick Rory, Eddie Thawne/Iris West Summary:

Barry of Allen is on his way to the capital of Tortall for the final part of his knight training, hiding a secret that could threaten his career there. He’s determined to keep his head down and not get into trouble.

He isn’t expecting to meet Len, Corus’ Rogue, or his right-hand man, Mick. Or meet Princess Iris and his new friends, Cisco and Caitlin.

He certainly wasn’t expecting to be roped into adventure.

(It’s the Gods’ fault, really.)

A/N: For joyous-lee, who purchased one of my stories for the FandomTrumpsHate event. She requested a Tortall AU, with Barry as Alanna. Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope you enjoy it!

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“I swear, they’re practically asking for us to break in,” Len murmurs as he slips through the window of Castle Perilous.

“No kidding,” Mick says. “Candy from a baby.”

“Let’s go visit the ladies’ quarters, grab some gems, and then we’ll find Barry and Iris,” Len says. “Business before pleasure, after all.”

He promised his thieves that the Rogue would pull a heist on Castle Perilous, after all. He just didn't expect it to be this easy.

A scary reputation works wonders, but only on people who know it.

Mick nods.

“You good?” Len checks.

Mick rolls his eyes at him. “You’d think you’d worry less, now,” he grumbles, his shoulders rising up to his ears defensively, even though that wasn’t what Len was referring to.

They didn't talk about the revelation that Mick’s mother was a goddess of some variety until they were alone, despite Barry’s inquisitive looks and Iris’ leading questions. Len alone knows the story of Mick’s family: how he became possessed with the firebug fits at a young age, drawn to the fire as the sole method of quenching his anxiety, delighting in watching the flames jump and dance; how he lit one fire too many, and it spread too far, too fast, until it consumed the house and Mick’s family with it, while he was locked into the firebug fit and unable to call for aid or even a warning; how the village he lived in cast him out afterward, disgusted with the local knight’s finding that Mick had not intended any harm and had not been to blame. How Mick wandered, alone but for his knack for making fire, through the woods and the plains and the swamps until he had walked all the way to Corus.

Mick’s story involved both a mother and a father. Neither had ever given any hint that he was not a true-born member of the family, much less what goddess was involved.

It's a bit of a touchy subject. Only Len is allowed to touch on it, and only because he knows when to drop it and when to joke about it, like now.

Len widens his eyes. “But Mick,” he whines theatrically, “I’m not worried at all, unless you mean about the legions of worshippers that will no doubt appear once you ascend to the heavens in a burst of light…”

Mick sniggers. “You’re a dick.”

“Business first,” Len reminds him.

Getting the jewels is easy enough. Finding Barry and Iris, it turns out, is even easier – they’re walking away from the ladies’ quarters, their pockets full, and they hear them coming down the hallway, their voices echoing ahead of them.

“So you don’t have any idea what the spell affecting you was?” Barry asks. He’s speaking in a low voice, but Len can still hear him. It’s also clearly not the first time he’s asked; if Len was a betting man, he’d say Barry’s likely been asking it all week. He’d certainly asked it at least three times on the way back from Gorilla City.

“Nope,” Iris says, equally frustrated. “Solovar said it was subtle.”

“It can’t be that subtle.”

“Sure it can be,” Len says cheerfully, coming out of a dark corner.

They both spin around. “Len! Mick!” Barry yelps. “This is Castle Perilous, you can’t be in here!”

“And yet, look and see it happening,” Len says.

“But – how…?”

“The windows were wide open.”

“That’s because it’s hot,” Iris says, but she’s hiding a smile. “Tell me you aren’t stealing anything.”

“I don’t like to lie to you,” Len says, smirking at her as she rolls her eyes and mouths ‘Rogue’ as if it’s an insult. “But I’ve been thinking about it – subtle bespelling’s pretty hard to do, but there’s a couple of ways I can think of it to go.”

“Oh?”

“Favor,” Mick says, having discussed it with Len. “Having the good opinion of the princess counts for a lot, and it’d be pretty subtle.”

"I don't think I really favored anyone," Iris objects. "Not really." She frowns. "Wait - not Eddie?"

Len is surprised into a snort. "Don't be absurd."

"I don't feel any different, thinking about him," she observes.

"Also, he's - Eddie," Len says, which really should say everything. Eddie is a terrible thief, being as he is honest, stalwart, and true, always willing to believe the best of others but with a practical understanding of people, good judgment and strength of will that keeps him from being gullible. Len eventually gave up and got him a legit job selling in one of the Rogues' offshoot pawnshops, and he's been doing brisk trade ever since. Honest trade, no less, and the Provosts' Men keep raiding him because they can't figure out his game. It distracts them from the real Rogues' games in the area; Len wishes he'd thought of using honesty to bamboozle the Provost years ago.

"He has a point," Barry says, shooting Len a warm, fond look.

Len feels his lips quirk up instinctively in response, and that just won't do. "Speaking of good points that I have, let’s go back to what we discussed on the way back to Castle Perilous, Barry. Have you given any more thought to my offer of running lessons?"

Barry sighs.

"You should," Iris says. "If you refuse to get, uh, formal training."

"Given the disadvantages of formal training include being shipped off to the mountains for the next ten years," Barry says, "that answer isn't changing."

"Then what's wrong with this? You already go to Mick and Len for fighting lessons."

"Which you're doing pretty good at," Mick says.

"Mick doesn't compliment people lightly," Len tells Barry, who already knows that and is glowing with pride as a result. "We can reserve half or even two thirds of your lesson time for, uh, running."

"Oh, fine," Barry says with a sigh. Iris smiles a victorious smile, which makes Len suspect that she has something to do with his agreement; he doesn't care, really. He's just happy Barry's going to keep coming down to see them every week.

Hmm. Len hadn't realized he so looked forward to Barry's company. He'll have to discuss the issue with Mick.

Though, he notes to himself, judging by Mick's fond, somewhat possessive expression when he looks at Barry, he doesn't think Mick will an issue so much as an opportunity.

"Maybe tell me about the last week," Mick tells Iris. "Maybe we'll see something you lot missed."

"I guess," Iris says.

"You're going to be disappointed," Barry adds.

They are. A knight-in-training's life is apparently hideously boring and repetitive. Class, training, chores, sleep; class, training, chores, sleep; training, then class, then chores, then sleep, just to mix it up.

"No wonder you haven't figured out the spell," Len mutters. "You haven't done anything."

"Corus is more interesting," Iris concedes.

"Though we do have an extra class tomorrow," Barry grumbles. "With Eobard."

"Thawne Eobard of Bergen?" Len asks.

"That's the one. And before you say anything, Iris, I know you think he's nice - everyone thinks he's nice - but I just plain old don't like him, so you can stop trying to argue me into it."

Iris isn't arguing, though, she's frowning. "Eobard," she says. "I said he was - nice?"

"Oh yeah," Barry says. "You say he's nice, Cisco says he's nice, Caitlin says he's nice..."

"I'd use plenty of words to describe him," Iris says, frowning deeper. "Good ally, yes, but nice? He's not nice. He's a dick."

Len and Mick look at each other.

Barry is frowning, now, too. "But you - we had an argument about this just the other week, before we went to the city! I was complaining about how much he brought up the hidden city legend, and you said I was being rude because he was just being nice, and I told you it practically sounded like he was daring you to go -"

"I think," Len interjects, "that we've found our spell. And our spellcaster."

"Eobard?!" Iris exclaims. "Don't be ridiculous. He's a good ally; he's never given us any reason -"

"A good ally with a murky past," Len reminds her. "The Thawnes have always been good allies of Tortall - at least, they were before they were all slaughtered to a man, and far-cousin Eobard suddenly took the throne."

That gives Iris pause. "We didn't really do a proper investigation of that," she murmurs. "Not really. I thought it odd, at the time, and - I think I was pressing Dad to let me do it, actually, since it was an opportunity to travel - but then we dropped it, for some reason. I don't remember why."

Len and Mick exchange glances again.

"Barry," Mick says, "exactly how many people did you say called Eobard 'nice'? Specifically 'nice'?"

Barry's starting to look pretty upset himself. "All of them," he says. "All the knights-in-training in our class, for sure; plenty of others, too. That first day, we were talking about the Thawne's past, remember? With Caitlin and Cisco? I didn't pay any attention that day because I thought Caitlin would cover me the way she always does, with her perfect memory and note-taking, but all she could tell me about that class was that he'd talked a bit about his role in his government...and then she said he was 'nice', too."

"Exactly how often does this Thawne guy come talk to your knights' classes?" Len asks. He's concerned he knows the answer.

Iris looks pretty grim. "Every year," she says. "For the last three, at least. And he does it for knights sometimes, too."

"There has to be a base spell," Mick says. "If it's all the same -"

Len's nodding. "That makes sense."

"I'm not sure I understand," Iris says.

"I do," Barry says. "I read up a lot on magery for, uh, obvious reasons, but if you want one spell to affect a lot of people the same way, it's easier to build a spell apparatus somewhere safe and then use something else, a conduit, to apply the spell to people."

"A light source of some type," Len says. "A mirror, a lamp, even reflections in a jewel would do it."

Iris and Barry glance at each other.

"You think..?" Barry starts.

"That stupid yellow jewel he's always playing with," Iris says. "He brings it out for meetings like with the knights, but keeps it away the rest of the time - I thought he was just nervous around crowds or something, but he isn't the rest of the time - the more fool me-"

"You were bespelled," Barry reminds her.

"By a spell you apparently missed by being bad at class," Iris says, scowling.

"I wanted to see my mother," Barry says, shrugging. "I couldn't focus...wait, do you think she's affected? She's the spymaster!"

"I think we have to assume everyone is affected," Iris says. "Or else someone else would've noticed it - the King’s Mage, for one thing! Master Darhk! Why didn't he notice?"

"How friendly is he with Thawne?" Len asks.

Iris winces. "Very. They agree on - many things."

"Many things, some of which have become policy, if I guess it," Len says.

Iris' jaw tightens, confirming his suspicions.

"We have to stop them," Barry says.

"But how?" Iris says. "If everyone's affected -"

"The spell basis has to be close to its victims in the beginning to get it going," Len says. "It'll be in the palace. If we find it, and destroy it..."

"Everyone breaks free," Iris says, nodding.

"I could use my speed if we need to," Barry says. "You all say I'm barely recognizable as a man when I do it; we could get in places, search them..."

"Yes, that'll work," Iris says. "Then we need to -"

"Princess Iris!" a voice shouts from down the hallway. "Princess Iris!"

"Here!" she shouts back, scowling and turning towards the voice. Len and Mick sink back into the shadows.

A page boy runs down the hallway, panting. "Princess Iris," he says. "Oh, Princess -"

Iris frowns, clearly alarmed. "What? What is it? What's happened?"

"Your family - Corus - it's all been hit -"

"Hit?! What do you mean? With what?!"

"Disease," the page whispers. "They're all sick and getting sicker - oh, Princess. They say it's the Sweating Sickness."

-----

The Sweating Sickness, terror of the reign of King Roald I, is in modern times known to have been an artificial disease, created by Roger of Conté. It was particularly pernicious, designed to kill first the mages who could heal or determine what the sickness was, and then the common folk, and only then the royal family. As far as anyone knew, the secret to conjuring it was lost with Roger's death, and it had never been seen again.

At least, until now.

"Who is the person sending it?" Iris demands of Mick. "How do we stop it?"

Mick shakes his head mutely. He's slow and he knows it, and Len knows it, and Barry knows it, and Iris' new-found belief in Mick's omniscience has obscured her memory of its faults.

Barry recalls how Len explained it to him in an aside - how Mick has always been slow to process things, slow to recall words, slow in a way that had made people scoff at him for being unintelligent, but how he always came up with an answer in the end and only Len with his perfect memory could match answer to question. Barry suggested to Len that perhaps that was the answer, that the two were related - if Mick was a demigod, then perhaps he was somewhat omniscient in a non-joking sense, but he was processing that vast knowledge through a human mind and as a result even simple answers or words could at times come slowly. Len agreed, but warned Barry that it was a sensitive subject.

"It also," Len said, "gives rise yet again to the question of what goddess? Assuming we know of her."

"The Goddess doesn't bear children herself, she adopts them; and at any rate she is known for wisdom, not all-knowledge," Barry replied. "Gainel, perhaps? He's a god of dreams, he's as close as the gods get to omniscient, and he's known for taking the shapes of others..."

"Mick seems far too practical for that," Len said doubtfully.

And then they stopped, because Mick was coming, and the topic upsets him. Barry doesn't want Mick upset.

That's why he steps forward now. "Iris," he says. "You can't force foreknowledge. You know that."

"The last time the Sweating Sickness came to Corus, it killed thousands," Iris snaps. "We have to - we have to do something."

"We're a lot more advanced than they were then," Barry says. "We have the mage universities, and a lot more trained mages."

"And the King’s Mage potentially in league with the enemy!" Iris exclaims. She shakes her head, upset. "We have to find that model."

"You can't do that without returning to Corus," Len says. He's been packing his things all day to return himself; the Rogue no more abandoned his people in a crisis than the royal family did. "When I'm there, I'll look -"

"You'll be busy with organizing the criminals and the poor," Iris says. "They need treatment as much as the rich, after all."

"And they'll get it," Len confirms. "Even if I have to steal it."

"I have no doubt," Iris says. "That's why the office of the Rogue has been permitted to flourish all these years. But you're wrong about one assumption - I am also returning to Corus."

"What?!" Barry yelps.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Iris carried her point; Barry had to admit she had one. As a member of the royal family, she was a potential target of the Sweating Sickness, and they didn’t want it to spread outside of Corus if it didn’t have to. At the very least, she had been forced to concede that she would remain outside of the city in a small camp, instead of actively walking into the diseased city.

Barry also successfully insisted on being part of the group that comes back with her. Cisco and Caitlin as well.

He’d finished his packing earlier and gone off with Len to try to find Mick – Mick had disappeared earlier, claiming that he needed to light a fire and looking antsy. Barry hoped Mick was all right; he liked Mick.

He liked Mick a lot, actually. He's seen how people will sometimes overlook Mick because he's overshadowed by Len's exuberant personality, but Barry's always appreciated Mick's quiet confidence, the rare but heartfelt compliments, his deadpan sense of humor...

Oh, crap. Does Barry have a crush on Mick? He thought the one he had on Len was bad enough!

“I see him,” Len says.

Barry puts aside his newfound concern and squints up ahead, where an old warehouse by the river is on fire, yes, but it’s also already ringed with firefighters prepped to fight it. “How’d they find it so fast?”

"Already scheduled demolition," Len replies in a murmur. "I get Mick a list of all of 'em going on."

Barry nods, relieved. He knows Mick's a firebug, doesn't hold it against him, but he wasn't really looking forward to carting buckets of well-water to help put something out.

Mick is standing by the edge of the fire, staring at it, his pupils dilated, his mouth slightly agape. Barry doesn't need Len to tell him to take a seat next to Mick's unmoving form. He already knows they might be here a while.

It's nearly half an hour before Mick stirs.

"Mick?" Len says immediately. "I'm here. Barry, too."

Mick nods mutely. "Thanks," he rasps.

Len hands him the cup of water he retrieved for him at the start. It's warm now, of course, after so long by the fire, but Mick still gulps it down gratefully.

"Just a fit?" Barry asks, as gently as he can. "Or did you see something?"

Mick wipes his mouth clean. "I have to go," he tells them.

Both Len and Barry droop a bit.

"Not now," Mick clarifies. "But - when you go back to Corus, I'm not coming with you."

"You're not?" Len says sharply. "What do you mean?"

"I have something I need to do," Mick says. "Something only I can do; something that needs to be done."

"Can we help?" Barry asks immediately.

Mick looks at him fondly, and Len's glance is no less tender. Barry blushes a bit. Having them look at him that way...

"No," Mick says. "You have to stop the Sickness. And Eobard. Be careful; someone willing to bespell a foreign power in their own palace has tricks up his sleeve."

"I'll be careful."

"And what about me?" Len asks, his voice strange and strangled. "What'll I do without my right hand?"

Mick puts a hand on Len's shoulder. "I'll come back to you," he says comfortingly. "But this is something that's gotta be done."

Len swallows, hard, and nods. "But not now," he says.

"Not now," Mick agrees. "Tomorrow."

Len puts his hand on Mick's.

Barry feels his cheeks flush and he averts his eyes. He's always thought that Len and Mick were so beautiful - both of them, each in their own way, Len's wiry strength next to Mick's burly breadth and thick muscles - and he's always suspected that they were lovers, thought about it late at night when he's alone, dreamt of it, but...

Well. This is not a moment for him. This is a moment for them.

"Hey, Barry," Len says, his eyes flickering to Mick in that way they had, instant understanding at a glance.

"Ye-yeah?" Barry asks, having to clear his throat. "I was just going to head back to Castle Perilous, actually, now that I think about it -"

Mick's hand falls on Barry's shoulder, heavy and warm. "Don't go," he says.

"No," Len says, "don't go, Barry."

"But -" Barry says helplessly. "Don't you - I don't know - don't you want to be alone?"

They glance at each other, then turn and regard Barry with shark-like smiles. "We do," Len says. "We just want to be alone with you."

"If you get our meaning," Mick says, his voice low and deep and just right to send shivers down Barry's spine.

"This isn't some sort of 'you're probably going to die' thing, is it?" Barry asks weakly. He's pretty sure he's going to say yes even if it is.

"No," Mick says. "We like you."

"And we have it on pretty good authority that you like us," Len says.

Barry licks his lips.

They both watch the movement.

"We've discussed it," Len says.

"We're not opposed to keeping you," Mick adds.

"Not like you don't come over every week already," Len agrees.

"You suit us both," Mick says.

"So, Barry, how about it?"

Oh, well, if they put it that way...

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"I can't believe you spent your packing time getting laid," Iris grumbles as they set out by horse.

"You're just jealous because Eddie's still in Corus," Barry says. He's still languid and relaxed all over; he knows it's driving Iris mad with jealousy and amusement both, but he can't help glowing about it. Len and Mick - they're something special. Each one of them alone, and together they're even more extraordinary.

"Yes," Iris says. "Yes, yes I am."

"We'll find the model," Barry assures her.

"My father’s guards are turning over the entire city looking for the spell that’s causing the Sickness," Iris says unhappily. "It’s not like they don’t know it’s an artificial illness; everyone knows that. But nothing’s been found yet."

"They don't know where to look," Barry says. "We do. We're almost there, Iris."

"We have to stop the Sickness before we can do anything else," Iris says. "Even before we go for whatever spell Eobard is casting. People are dying. I just - is it bad that I hope that it's all one big plot? Because if it's someone else..."

"It's not," Barry says. He's sure of it.

Well, Len is sure of it, having surveilled Eobard for a few hours, and Barry trusts his judgment of people. Len says he's good at smelling rats.

Speaking of rats -

Barry reaches for his pocket to confirm that Faithful is still sleeping there. Mick gave him to Barry on his way out of the city earlier, telling him to take good care of his pet; Barry promised he would.

Faithful makes a small, satisfied squeaking noise when Barry runs his fingers through his fur.

"You can't intend to carry him everywhere," Iris notes.

"Mick said to take care of him," Barry replies. "And he likes riding in my pocket. I don't see the problem."

Iris sighs dramatically, but Barry knows she doesn't mean it. She's worried about Mick's mysterious mission, too. It’s not like him.

Arriving at the impromptu camp set up at Corus' edge, in the park reserve, doesn't make anything better. Eobard frustratingly goes straight into the city proper, walking through each district without a hint of fear, talking to people and rallying morale in the way Iris would love to do but can't for the sake of her people. She's a royal and a target; she can't risk bringing more sickness with her.

Eobard's efforts - noble and selfless as they appear - would be very effective, very subtle propaganda; poisonous treason disguised as aid, a way to make the city residents think of Eobard as 'appropriately kingly' in a crisis the way the royal family isn't. And it would work, too, but for one very special feature of Corus politics.

In Tortall, the royal family rules the country and is beloved by the people of its capital city, that much is true. But when a crisis comes, they are expected to focus on the bigger picture, while the citizens of Corus turn for succor to a different source.

Only one King walks the streets of Corus in a crisis, and he is not the King of Tortall.

The sheer flood of relief that greets Len when he returns is visible, faces relaxing, shoulders easing, tension disappearing although fear is not gone. The office of the Rogue has evolved over the years, gaining in influence and power, but it remains, as ever, the figure to whom the poor give their trust when the politicians fail them.

They call the Rogue the poor man's last resort.

In the last centuries, that role has grown. The Rogue, the city knows, cares first for the city which houses the treasure he steals. Unlike the royals, he has never abandoned Corus, remaining steadfast; he moderates the violence in the streets and fights against the unfairness of the Provosts' Men when no one else will. If he fails in his duty, he is murdered by another who takes his place; if there are no such contenders, the city itself rejects the Rogue, robbing him of his legitimacy, until one worthy of the role steps forward.

The Rogue doesn’t just steal. He rules.

He protects.

When a sickness comes, the Rogue fights, threatens, and steals his people what resources they need. Every poor man who ever dropped a few pennies to the Rogue's tithe, every woman who's ever remained politely blank to the Provost's questions – they all know who has their back.

Eddie has been leading the charge in demanding that the healers of Corus treat the poor, too, right alongside the rich who can pay for the privilege, but the city's aristocracy has been slow and resistant to his efforts, no matter how prettily worded. The poor have given Eddie their support as the public face of the Rogue’s efforts, but their support means little in the courts, which have their own fears and their own interests.

After Len arrives, things change.

Barry doesn't know if it's blackmail or bribes or threats or something else, but suddenly the machinery of the city begins to move. Nobles who were earlier indifferent to the city suddenly start singing a very different tune, opening their coffers and lending their votes to strengthen the city hospitals as well as the private ones frequented by nobles. A band of street-cleaners comes together, entirely voluntary and – if asked – spontaneous, and the streets of Corus shine like never before in an effort to stem the spread of the Sickness. Water is carted in from wells outside the city and people wait in line for it, drinking nothing else regardless of temptation. The city abruptly obeys the king’s curfew as if Mithros himself had imposed it, where before you could be guaranteed to find a good half of the city out and about after hours and damn what the Provost might say.

Len's legion of bully-men are the only ones out after hours. Where before their role was to patrol the city for unauthorized crime, to intimidate those criminals who failed to pay the Rogue's tithe, to keep an eye out for any sign of the Provost’s men coming too close to a job, it is different in the sickness. They run errands, they do chores, they beat the crap out of anyone they find outside, but they are easily summoned to any house that finds itself in desperate need of night-time excursions with a penny-whistle, which had been left on each doorstep. The house whispers through the door its needs and the men do whatever night-time task is necessary, dropping off parcels and delivering assurances. And at each dawn, Len’s legion of men turn themselves over en masse to the mages and doctors sworn to the Rogue, who examine them for any sign of illness.

The Sickness' spread is ground down to almost a halt. Yes, new cases continued to appear every day, but far, far fewer. Even a magical sickness needs be transmitted by regular means.

Barry breathes a sigh of relief.

Len has bought them time.

Iris frowns when she sees Eobard, whose annoyance is well-hidden, making a point to stop by Master Darhk on a daily basis to get, as he says publically and often to the news circulars’ men, "regular updates" on the crisis.

"He's implying we don't," Iris says bitterly to Barry. "The Rogue does a lot, but it's the regular folks that follow him in times of need, not the nobles - and it's the nobles he's playing up to."

"I've seen him with the Rathaways," Barry says. "Among others."

"They're very rich, very powerful - and they don't much like my dad, ever since he banned them from court after they cast out their son for being deaf and therefore, in their eyes, 'imperfect'." Iris sighs. "They'll be able to spread whatever he says. Everyone knows they have a grudge, but as long as my dad continues to favor Eobard, praising him sounds like it's praising Dad - for now - and gives them extra credibility. Have we found anything yet?"

"No," Barry says. "Luckily we weren't here when the first wave hit - all the mages are at half-power or worse."

"All of them? Not just the healers?"

"All of them," Barry confirms. "Corus was the target - historians are agreeing that before the actual Sickness was released, a preliminary version went through the city, invisible, and stuck to anyone using magery."

"Damnit," Iris says. "But we were out of town..."

"But we're knights," he reminds her. "The majority of the mages are in the original training center in the City of the Gods or in the universities or outposts where they serve, all scattered all across the country, and they don't dare come here for fear of catching the sickness. All the mages Corus did have were in the desert, remember, because of that unrest; they were all there, instead of out on individual tasks, and they all rushed back to try and fight the Sickness before they realized what it was."

"Very effective," Iris says bitterly. "Almost as if the caster of the Sickness knew it would happen - oh, wait. They probably did."

Barry, helpless, puts a hand on her shoulder. Iris smiles at him, a small, tremulous thing. "Thanks, Barry. I know you're trying your best."

"Want me to get you Eddie?" Barry offers. Eddie always could take Iris' mind off her troubles.

"No," Iris sighs wistfully. "He's doing good work in the city. That's more important."

"Let me at least get you a letter," Barry presses. "I'm searching the palace anyway - a detour to the city won't take that long, with my speed."

Iris pauses, reluctant to ask for anything so self-interested, but Barry can see that she wants it.

"I'll do it," he promises her, and smiles. "It'll give me an excuse to see Len."

"Well, if that's the case, then yes," Iris says, a real smile curling her lips this time. "But be careful!"

"I will."

Barry hugs her, then goes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barry heads to the palace first. He's been here every day this past week without fail. He’s already searched Eobard and Darhk's quarters without any luck, so he's widened his search, but despite zipping along the corridors like a flash of lightning, he’s just not finding anything. No mage-working, no circle, not even some vaguely suspicious-looking books. Nothing at all.

Damnit.

Barry sighs and veers off to the city. At least he’ll achieve something.

Barry runs into the city, looking for the Rogue.

He sees the signs of the Sickness everywhere he goes - what seems like a flash of light and a whoosh to everyone else seems, to him, like a mild jog, long enough to pay attention to things around him. Sometimes, like now, he wishes he didn't; the signs of illness are all around. The people scurrying through the streets like they're scared, the houses with the shutters painted black to warn of contamination, the tired-looking healers staggering on to their next patient -

There's an audible squeak.

Barry slows for a moment, unsure for a moment what is making the sound, but in that moment, Faithful slips out of his pocket and onto the street, streaking towards the next corner.

Barry yelps - visions of a disappointed Mick dancing before his eyes - and dashes after the rat.

Faithful is fast - he gets around the corner and halfway down the block before Barry catches up - but luckily he doesn't go down a pipe or somewhere Barry can't follow and so Barry scoops him right up, coming to a halt in a secluded cranny in the mostly-empty street.

"Don't do that," he hisses at Faithful, still vibrating at super-speed to try to hide his identity. "Do you know what Mick would do to me if I lost you?"

Faithful squeaks apologetically.

Barry shakes his head and sighs. "Sorry for snapping," he says, only mildly embarrassed by the fact that he's talking to a rat.

Faithful nuzzles at him forgivingly.

Barry sighs and slides Faithful back into his pocket, looking around the street to see if anyone likely to report him to the knight's court saw him, but there's no one he has to worry about around.

No, now that he looks, he can tell that there's nobody around. Every house's shutters are black and there's a musty sort of smell, like the whole street is empty - not just people hiding inside, no, but empty.

Dead.

Barry swallows. "Oh, Faithful, where did you lead me," he murmurs. A dead street, where nothing moves but the wind in the empty awnings and the shapeless ghostly form moving down the main street -

Wait. What?!

Barry peeks out. It's not quite shapeless, but it's definitely translucent. Like a ghost, if ghosts come in the shape of giant rats with huge, putrid pus-filled sores all over -

Barry's eyes go wide as all the scary stories of his childhood hit him all at once.

"Oh Goddess," he whispers. "It's Malady."

Malady - one of the three Sorrows released upon the world during the Immortals War. The avatar of sickness and pestilence. Most deadly of the Three.

What the fuck.

Faithful squeaks.

"Shhhhh!" Barry hisses. He does not want to get Malady's attention.

Luckily, the giant ghostly rat drags itself onward, down the street, head hanging low and swaying from side to side, nose crinkling just like Faithful does when he's annoyed. It doesn't look like it's particularly upbeat about going about its duties, which isn't what all the stories say about its vicious pleasure in illness. Barry's not sure if it's because of Len's brutally efficient anti-illness measures or if it's something else.

Faithful squeaks again.

Barry looks down at Faithful's strange purple eyes. He's about to shush him again, but -

He wouldn't have found Malady if Faithful hadn't come this way. He's still not sure why he can see Malady, unless it’s because of the fact that he’s vibrating at super speed; but he wouldn’t have thought to look. And, well, if Mick's a demi-god, then there's no reason...

No, that's absurd. Faithful was a cat, not a rat. The stories are pretty clear on that.

But, still...

"What is it?" Barry whispers to Faithful, feeling a bit stupid.

Faithful squeaks again and crawls out of Barry's pocket into his hands. He's facing away from Malady, studying something behind him which Barry doesn't entirely understand - there's a Sorrow! Right there! How are you not looking at it?! - but Barry obediently turns to see what Faithful is looking at.

He doesn't see it at first, even starts doubting himself and thinking Faithful's looking for some snack, but then it flickers in the corner of his eye.

It's -

He's not sure how to describe it.

There's a wavering yellow ribbon, barely visible, trailing through the air. It's incredibly thin - scarcely a ribbon, even - but it flickers when the light catches on it sometimes, floating gently in the wind.

It extends back quite some distance, turning around the far block just at the edge of Barry's vision, and it goes forward to - Barry turns to follow the line -

It goes straight to Malady, wrapped around the ghostly rat's throat as it trudges onwards.

Barry doesn't understand.

Faithful squeaks, satisfied, and dives back into Barry's pocket.

Barry doesn't understand.

Malady turns the corner, disappearing out of Barry's sight, and Barry breathes out a sigh of relief. Then he goes to find Len.

This clearly calls for a conference.

"Can you spare me a minute?" he asks Len, who looks like he hasn't slept in days.

Len looks up from his paperwork, where he's scratching down payment totals and the lists of the sick. The lists of the dead. "I can spare you ten," he says, rubbing his eyes. When Len says a number, he means it.

Barry nods, wraps his arms around him, and sprints.

As Len had theorized, Barry's speed either makes him stronger or everything else feel lighter; carrying Len is no difficulty at all.

It takes nearly twenty seconds to drop Len off at the edge of the camp where Iris is keeping watch for him; forty more to double back and collect Eddie.

Iris is blinking. "A letter from Eddie," she says. "We agreed - a letter. Not that it's not great to see you in person, Eddie."

"What," Eddie says blankly. "What?"

"I'm a speed mage," Barry tells him. "Don't tell anybody."

"Why are we here?" Len asks. "Nine minutes."

"I need your help," Barry says. "I saw Malady."

"We've all been seeing the malady, Barry," Iris says. "We're facing an epidemic of the Sweating Sickness."

"No! Not a malady, Malady! Itself!"

Len's eyes narrow. "The Sorrow?"

"Yes! It was going down a dead street - there was a ribbon tied around its neck - "

"A ribbon," Eddie says, frowning. "A long, thin ribbon?"

Barry blinks. He hadn't actually expected Eddie to be useful, which he admits is not the most generous thought; Eddie's extremely competent when he's not mooning over Iris. He'd just assumed Eddie would be there for Iris and stand in at least a little their missing fourth.

Not that anyone could fill Mick's place.

"Yes," Barry says. "Exactly so."

"Where I'm from," Eddie says, studying his hands, "there's a practice of string-magery. It's taught to everyone: if you can bind it in string made of spirit, you can control it. Not perfectly, but, well -"

"That must be it," Iris exclaims, reaching out to take Eddie's hands and squeezing them. "Barry, no one knows how the Sweating Sickness was first formed, or where Roger of Conté learned it -"

"Eddie, where are you from?" Len cuts in.

"I - I'm from Bergen," Eddie says.

"That's what I thought," Len says smugly.

Iris has gone still. "Thawne Eobard's land," she says.

Eddie flinches, oddly enough. He must not like his monarch.

"It was a yellow ribbon," Barry adds. "Same yellow that Eobard always wears - and the string went back some ways."

"We need to unbind Malady," Len says.

"Unbind a Sorrow?" Iris yelps. "That's a terrible idea. We can't just - let it run loose!"

"Malady's natural state is running loose," Len says. "We make it uncomfortable with our medicines and our cleanliness, but it is meant to roam free and cull our numbers where we don't take enough care, to remind us that it is always a threat. It's a fact of nature."

"But what if it strikes at us?"

"Better a natural malady," Len says grimly, "than the Sickness. Cholera I can hold off and fight, that's a city-man's disease. The Sickness is unnatural."

"Artificial," Barry says. "No wonder Malady looked, uh, peeved."

"Peeved," Eddie says disbelievingly. "Isn't it supposed to look like a rat?"

Barry pulls Faithful out of his pocket. Len barks a laugh and reaches out to scratch Faithful's chin. "Of course," he says. "Mick. Shoulda known. Barry, time for me to go back."

"But we haven't figured out how to fix this!" Barry exclaims.

"What you need is simple: gloves that don't let illness through. You have a doctor and a weaver. Use them. I need to go back now, Barry."

"Me, too," Eddie says, looking at Iris longingly.

Barry sighs, but he runs them both back, Len first, Eddie second. He leaves Len with a kiss and Eddie with an apology, though judging by his blush Iris used the forty seconds they were alone to good use.

Then he returns to a pleased looking Iris. "So," he says, rubbing his face. "Malady. Which Len thinks I can deal with using gloves."

"If Malady doesn't want to be doing what it's doing, it might let you untie it," Iris says reasonably.

"Touching Malady means horrible, awful death, Iris."

She winces. "Point. Well, as Len says, we just need to make sure you can untie Malady without touching it."

"With a doctor and a weaver?" Barry asks. "Len's not normally so cryptic."

Iris grins. "Oh, that wasn't cryptic at all - or haven't Cisco and Caitlin told you all about their families' favorite hobbies?"

Barry smacks his forehead. Of course! Caitlin's mother heads up one of the largest hospitals on the northern border, and Cisco's family were clothiers, and clothiers were one part design and the rest weaving.

"Will they believe us?" he asks. It's been hard, having to keep their suspicions of Eobard from them, but Iris and Barry had decided that they couldn't risk the possibility that Eobard's spell had a trigger to make its subjects inform him of any investigation or threat against him.

"We don't have to tell them about Eobard," Iris decides. "Everyone knows that the Sickness is man-made."

"But how to explain how I happened to see it? They don't know about - well - me."

Iris bites her lip. "That one I don't know."

Barry swallows. "Well, then," he says. "That just means I ought to explain. I trust them - on everything other than Eobard, anyway - and they're my friends. They should know."

Iris touches his shoulder. "They won't mind."

[djrelentless]

“And I Am The Troublemaker...”

June 26, 2013 at 5:07am

The date was June 24th, 2013. I had been up all night editing music for my performances for Pride Week in Toronto. I was just about to got to bed when I decided to give facebook one more look before I retired for the morning. Checking through my feed I came across a post of a photo of Jada Hudson and Daytona Betch with the hashtag “playing basket ball”. Now, normally that wouldn’t bother me, but the fact that Daytona Betch was in “blackface” really caught my attention. When I woke up later that day, my husband came across the photo and found several more. Apparently Daytona’s performance was a huge hit.

Then I got to thinking....since I have been here there seems to be a theme of mocking races almost every year in Toronto. When I speak to my friends back in the states, they often mention how nice Canadians are. They always talk about how progressive the laws are here and what a great Parliament you have in your government. I have even bragged to my friends of color how nice it is to go into a department store and not be followed around by security. And almost all of my friends praise the Healthcare system.

So, when my husband decided to speak out on facebook about how he felt about “Blackface in 2013” it must have come to be a shock to those who enjoyed the show on Sunday night on Church Street, because they all came out to defend Daytona. They weren’t defending “blackface”.....they were defending their friend and beloved bad girl on the mic. The gyrl who is known for being a little rude  and highly inappropriate when hosting her shows. She is revered for this. People love her for it. I personally don’t care for that kind of conduct when hosting a show. I believe this kind of behavior on the mic would eventually lead to some kind of misunderstanding.

So, as the day went on, more and more people chimed in. Some agreeing that “blackface” has no place in our communities and others showing their support for Daytona. I wasn’t surprised. She is very popular on Church Street. I was kinda surprised at some of their defensive statements, bringing up people who impersonate Michael Jackson and even the movie “White Chicks” in comparison to the hatred and separatism that “blackface” has played in degrading and demeaning black people.

Let’s see....after reading about the Royal Canadian Legion ordering its Campbellford, Ontario chapter to close while police investigated a person in a Ku Klux klan robe led another man in “blackface” around on a noose winning first prize in a Halloween costume contest in 2010 on a site called “ChimpOut” and then most recently reading about the firefighter who went on a facebook rant about Travyon Martin I have been a little sensative to racial issues lately.

http://www.chimpout.com/forum/showthread.php?148540-Niggers-complain-after-KKK-costume-wins-Halloween-contest

http://gizmodo.com/5910442/dirtbag-racist-firefighter-demoted-for-idiotic-facebook-rant-about-travyon-martin

And with a member of the Boylesque doing blackface to pay tribute to fellow member Mahogany Storm and two different performances by Donnarama where she upset some Asains in the audience at the “To Haiti With Love” Benefit in 2010 and most recently offending the Queer Muslim Community last December, it does seem that racial issues are still at hand today.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/rahim-thawer/drag-toronto_b_2323047.html

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Hiphop_group_heckled_at_Toronto_Pride-10498.aspx

After the Yes Yes Ya’ll incident at the 2011 Toronto Pride, it was very apparent that there was something bubbling under the surface. And then on Tuesday I was attacked for on facebook for blowing this whole thing out of proportion. The person even said that I didn’t have compassion for Daytona’s feelings on this matter:

“I have a huge problem with Mr & Mrs Jade Elektra, they decided to put Daytona Betch on blast for how she looked on sunday, they weren't at the show, they didn't see the crowd's reaction but they want to sit back and throw shade, no one denies racism happens but it's not lurking behind every bush and it's not born into the hearts of everyone. it's something Racism is something people learn it's not something born within us and to sit back and pretty much smear Daytona with those implications is so uncool, this is someone Ms Jade you have worked with for years according to you, would it have been too much for you Ms Jade or Mr Jade to PM her and say, "maybe doing what you did was not a good idea" I mean the event was over and done and this wasn't a regular part of her act, wouldn't it have been a more HUMANE thing to do than to call her out for a public flogging.

Have any of you considered how she felt or is currently feeling because of this or do you think applying the makeup somehow eliminated the person beneath it and her feelings. In your heat to bring truth, justice and the american way to our sad and pathetic shores do you forget something called compassion?

Do u think she did this to intentionally upset the racial apple cart, every other person who stepped up to take a piece of her were not at the show sunday night but that doesn't stop you 2 from being the voice of the canadian people.

Ms Jade you had some dirty dealings with one (name removed) some time ago, no one splashed your picture all over facebook and held you up to public scrutiny did they, you also had some less than joyful partings with some bars in the village but they didn't put you on blast.

You just don't throw someone under the bus for a first offense, were you trying to be the voice of the people who were at the show that didn't complain to you that they weren't offended and they found the whole thing funny, sometimes people do things with no thought of race... IT HAPPENS but thankfully there are people like you Mr & Mrs Jade to remind us that there is racial disharmony even when there are none, thanks alot ;)

Ms Jade Daytona is loved and admired because she is rude, crass, and all sort of mean but mostly because she is entertaining, you should try being entertaining sometime, it might be a new and exciting experience for you.”

I decided to leave the post as it was. The person thought that they were really calling me out. In fact, I kinda got the impression from this post and a few of the others that some people feel like I am causing trouble because of my opinion. I mean....since other black people of the community are supporting Daytona I must be jealous of her or just want to appear superior. Funny...I believe there is enough room in our community and on our stages for all of our differences. I may not be someone’s cup of tea, but then again one of the oldest racial slaps in the face may just not be the cat’s meow for others.

My reply to this post was:

“We all know that Daytona is a loved figure on Church Street. I even said I don't believe she is a racist. But like I said.."if you gotta ask if something is okay, it probably isn't okay". I gave my opinion and that was that. Several people have given their opinion, but obviously mine has struck a nerve with you. As for my reputation on Church Street....I have worked at all of the venues in some form or fashion. I have never done anything onstage that was considered to be offensive. That's not my style of performance. Miscommunications and different views points of what is entertaining have ended a couple of my shows, but I have more than proved myself as an entertainer and producer. As for (name removed)...whatever he has told you is his opinion. If he had stayed in contact with me during Pride week of 2010 he would have went on the Bermuda trip in which I booked a few gyrls for a show that I produced. It was the show director in Bermuda who made the final decision not to include him (and he knows that). His actions of not showing up for his scheduled show at Crews cost him his job. I had nothing to do with that. I was one of the people who vouched for him to get his own show. So, if he wants to hold a grudge for something that he did....so be it. If this is your intent of "putting me on blast", bring it on! I have been very transparent in my attempts to create shows and help the community. Blackface in 2013 is just not a good idea.”

I guess the most disturbing thing about the timing of this incident is it is the beginning of Pride Week. It’s also the same day that George Zimmerman’s trial started and Paula Deen lost her job at The Food Network for admitting to using the N-word. So, it would seem that racial issues are actually on everyone’s minds these days.

At the end of the day my opinion has not changed. Back in 2011 I wrote a blog about Spike Lee’s movie, “Bamboozled”. In it I talked about the history of “blackface” and my own experiences with racism in the south. One of the comments from a local black gay citizen on my husband’s thread said:

“we're not American huabout american hin, we're Canadian immigrants and most of us dont really care about American History ... black people everywhere in the world understands the negativity of racism brother...trust me.....we all experience it no matter where we are from and none of us like it.....some of us will respond very aggressively when its directed towards us.....but this was not that...and personally, i dont see Daytona as racist in any way shape or form.”