#i was like ‘ima make a small house’ and then house building got hard

[quidam-sirenae]

So in my smp I just got married so I decided to move next to my spouse. Brought a lil something with me though…

[shyrose57]

YOO BROTHERS ANON BACK FROM THE DEAD? My phone started to fucking die half way (like extreme lag, keyboard stopped working at times, sudden shut offs, etc) and I was too scared to work on this in fear it'd get deleted. But im fucking back and have a new phone so I was able to finally finish. Plus after I finished the Brothers AU stuff I decided I hated Tip of The Iceburg AU lore and wanted to redo it so held off til I got that mostly done. I'm also trying to redo From Future to Past a lil bit but thats going slowly and decided I already waited way to long. Some other stuff happened as well like falling out of the fandom (Breath of The Wild and Linked Universe I got into and am actually still kinda in) then getting tossed back in but, anyway there's some smaller details I left out of Rans time living in the wild but everything here is the big stuff. 

Keep in mind most of this happens when he's just 13. And he never acknowledges or treats his trauma, leaving it to build and affect him more and more over time. 

When Ran first steps out of Mizu and into the world, he has nothing but a sword at his back and a book with little information on how to survive at his hip. The book really only provides him how to make certain things (like tools) and some basic information (Spiders are passive in daytime, how to farm, and basic information about each nether biome). The book acts more like a brief overview of the overworld and little information on how to survive than an actual survival book. Because of this the book is basically useless, Ran eventually uses it as a way of marking down notes and ripping out papers to cover wounds and tie things. He quickly learns that sleeping in high places (like a tree or a hole in a mountain) is the safest possible place to sleep, as no mobs or people can get him. Though due to the nights of constant screaming from mobs, his own internal fighting, and eventual hunting, he develops insomnia and paranoia. Leaving him unable to close his eyes in fear of being ambushed, believing himself to be forever unsafe and in danger. When he does manage to sleep he keeps his weapons nearby (like in his hand or under his pillow) and jumps awake at the slightest sound. 

He moves around constantly, never staying in one place for more than 2 weeks. He eventually finds a snow biome and after seeing the little amount of mobs and knowing the snow is to deep for any sane human to try to travel through, he decides to stay there for a entire year and a half before moving again. During this time he grows both physically and mentally. He goes from being a small, lithe 5'5 13 year old to being a strong 6'7 15 year old. He also uses this time to come to terms with what happened and swear revenge against Ranbob for everything he's been through and everyone who's died. Even when Ran came to terms with what his brother did, the promise "Ill never abandon you." Continues to ring in his head, which does nothing but fuel his hatred, believing his brother has been lying to him ever since he was a child. While also growing his knowledge on the world and his survival knowledge, becoming an almost perfect survivalist. 

When he was first alone and dealing with all the emotions brought upon him, he finds out he's hunted very suddenly. He first approached Raq (who he didn't know at the time) when he was desperate and fresh out of Mizu, asking him if there's any nearby town or city or really anything. Raq pretends to want to help Ran and let's him stay at his camp, giving him food and a warm place to sleep. But its 2 full days later, deep in the night when Raq finally trys to attack him, aiming to incapacitate him. But Ran is able to escape him and run away but not without a injury. 

During the fight Raq manages to hit him, specifically on his left ear. He manages to cut deep, but not deep enough, leaving the top of his ear just barely hanging on. Ran runs away and actually has a bit of a head start due to him tripping Raq. But Raq manages to follow/track him, due to the blood flowing out of Rans ear. Ran eventually realizes Raq is tracking him by the blood trail he's leaving, so he stops, steals himself, and rips off the remaining part of his ear, barely holding back a yell, then Ran pushes his hand down on the wound and continues to run. Raq finds the ear and simply hums, intrigued by the lengths Ran will go to escape, before turning around, deciding to let Ran escape this time, because he knows he'll see him again. Ran continues to run, terrified and borderline crying due to the fear and pain. For the next 3 days he believes he is still being followed by Raq so he continues to run, never resting until he eventually collapses from exhaustion. His ear eventually heals over but never grows back, it becomes a reminder of the fact he is being constantly hunted by people and will never escape them. 

Ran encounters Raq a total of 32 times during his time living out in the wild. And every time Ran manages to get away, though sometimes more injured than others. Eventually it gets to the point Raq greets Ran like a old friend. After their 3rd encounter Raq starts to bring others with him, eventually he has 5 others helping him hunt Ran. Though Ran grows and is able to either outwit them by using traps or is just simply able to avoid them most of the time. Though he still gets hit at times, once he made a mistake and a trap failed, leading to him getting stabbed and passing out cause blood loss.

The Nether is less than kind to Ran but kinder than the overworld. He gets shot a lot from both ghasts and skeletons. And almost falls into lava multiple times. He gets stabbed and trips more times than he can count. But he actually manages to make acquaintance with the Piglins he meets due to him being polite to them and giving them gold for nothing in return. He actually is close enough to them to get directions for free and is even given resistance potions when Ran states he is leaving and not coming back as a farewell and stay safe gift. He ends up staying in the Nether for much longer than a normal person would and becomes adapt at traversing and surviving in it. It almost becomes his safe spot because the hunters have never followed him into the Nether. He would've lived there if he could, but due to the heat he isn't used too and the fact he just despised Ghasts more than the hunters, and they were everywhere in there, he didn't stay. But would often vist. Eventually he found netherite which he quickly covered his first and only diamond sword with. His sword also had the enchantments, sharpness 2, unbreaking 3, and sweaping edge. Over time and use the enchantments dimmed, only faintly remaining. At this point Ran had to flee his snow biome house due to a sudden attack, leaving behind the materials he needed to fix the enchantments and his sword. So he abandoned using it, but kept it cause it helped him through years of fighting, he can't exactly drop and leave it.

Extra stuff I couldn't find a way to fit in:

-Ran manages to find a village but actually gets kicked out cause he punches the blacksmith for upping the price of an iron sword.

-Ran slowly grows more cold, uncaring, rude, and harsh over time due to trauma. He doesn't realize he became this way due to untreated trauma until he arrives to The Pit where Watson is able to help him start to slowly heal. Which is why he becomes more open and joking in The Pit because he feels safe and loved. 

-When the group leaves The Pit he becomes cold and hard again due to habit. Its his way of subconsciously defending himself.

-His body is covered in scars due to the hunters and his brushes with mobs. 

-Ran knows how to tailor his own clothes and has made many different kinds of clothes, all designed for certain biomes. 

-Ran never farmed, he always hunted.

-Ran never really built anything, instead he preferred to dig into the side of a mountain or make shelter in a cave. Its only in the snow biome did he actually build a house. And even then it was very clearly meant to be a temporary house. Though he did end up living there longer than he intended. 

-He was at first extremely reluctant to kill, but was forced to kill hunters and animals multiple times. To the point he became almost numb to it and wouldn't hesitate to kill if he was threatened. 

-He would sometimes dream about his family only for it to end with them being slaughtered, which really messed him up and he would just lay in bed mindlessly every time it happened. These dreams still happen. 

Also a edit to when the brothers met in the Pit, Ran actually gets his hands on a broken trident accidentally left in the arena (its the front end only, and the middle spike is shorter than the rest due to a error when being made) and ends up tripping Ranbob then stabbing the trident into the ground over him (if that makes sense?), actually trapping Ranbob, with the middle spike just above his throat, leaving him unable to move unless he wants to cut his neck and trapped on the ground. 

Tip of The Iceburg:

So Karl's watch is still damaged. And Isaac is still the one to convince him to seek help from the others. But midway through the meeting Phil speaks up, mentioning how he found a book in a ruined village that had a replica of Karl's Watch etched into the cover, but is in a language he's never seen. After passing it around the table no one recognizes it. Everyone's discouraged until Foolish suggests they look for the other Travelers (what ima call the Tales people) and maybe one of them will know. Eventually, with picture pinning of supposedly who could be in their world, they all split off into groups to look. Ran is still the first found, but when he's shown the book he actually confirms a part of it is in a old enderman language that fell off long ago, he's able to translate half of that section but says that Ranbob, who studied old languages much more thoroughly than Ran can do the rest (cause here their still brothers but nothing in Brothers AU happened). Giving everyone hope. Eventually Ranbob gets found and translates the rest, but a great amount is still untranslated, which is a problem. So now its a journey of finding more people and mixing languages to find out the rest. 

A sudden twist to the story happens when Billiam joins, and due to his experience with the egg is actually able to translate a random page in the back of the book (the egg made its own language to prevent its plans being discovered). Where they find out the egg is what broke Karls watch, because to it humans are nothing but entertainment, and it gets joy seeing them suffer and wants to mess with their lives. When it gets revealed to the rest of the SMP what the page says, everyone gets pissed. And even when its found how to get the Travelers home they refuse to leave until the egg is destroyed, a few are mad at it and want revenge, others are scared and want to try to prevent it from coming into their time. Karl eventually relents and lets them join in making a plan to take down the egg.  

Also have some fluff scenarios with the brothers since its been a while:

-There's two types of resistance potions in their world, fire resistance and water resistance. The latter of which the brothers have memorized how to make. Their friends do not know water resistance exists. Which leads to the brothers pranking their friends by drinking some then jumping into a lake. Giving Watson a heartattack and making Isaac sob. The two quickly reemerge seeing their reactions and calm them and reassure them. After the explanation you can bet they got a talking too and where grounded. 

-Ran teaches Ranbob to fight!

-Ranbob teaches Ran to fish, Ran complains the entire time. 

-Ranbob responds by threatening to teach Ran how to farm. Ran stops complaining after that….mostly

-Everyone has found the brothers either asleep against each other or one asleep on the other at least twice. 

-*insert Arthur get out of the tank meme but instead it's Ranbob trying to get Ran out of a tree so he can greet people.*

-Ran has his first night in years without a nightmare! 

Now something else I'm planning to work on soon: What happened to Ranbob after Ran left Mizu?

I hope me sending stuff is still ok after so long of sending nothing. 

Good to have you back, Brothers Anon! And sorry to hear about your phone, that sounds like it must've a day.

--------

Brothers AU:

I see we're back to Traumatize The Brothers Time, fantastic.

The fact that Ran has these items on him is interesting. Did he just have them with him when he was fleeing? Did he have the time to grab them? Was he preparing ahead? What led to him having these useful tools on hand when he was forced to flee?

How does he fare with mobs, being a mob hybrid himself? I think it's somewhat been implied that he's good with Endermen, but what about others?

How do the gladiator gang go about helping with his insomnia and paranoia, if they are aware of it?

What's it like for him during his time in the snow-biome, since he's there for awhile? Does he make a more-permanent camp/shelter? Do anything particularly interesting?

Poor Ran! That must've been quite the shock for him, and I imagine it didn't help his trust issues.

How does he get to the Nether? Does he have a base there? What do the piglins think of him, and vice versa? How does the Nether life effect him overall?

What happened to those materials left behind? Where they discovered? Does he manage to go back and get them on the roadtrip? Do they visit his homes on the trip?

How does the group react to his sudden change when they're leaving? What kind of clothes does he make? Does he ever make some for the others? Does he enjoy it, or is it just because it's necessary?

How do the fishermen feel about the close call with the trident, and what happens to the weapon?

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

Tip Of the Iceberg:

I don't remember if this was mentioned before, but was it Karl's watch that caused the issue then? Who wrote the book? Does the egg have a connection with them?

How do they fare with their plans to take down the Egg(and potentially the Eggpire, if that's a thing here)? How do those with previous experience with Egg feel about this, and what part do they play?

--------

Fluff! At long last!

I love how their thought process went to that. 'We can make water resistance potions, lets jump in a lake in front of our friends'.

That sounds like it should be entertaining.

Ranbob knows how to farm?

That's such a funny mental image. 'Ran, get out of the tree, you have to socialize'. 'Hissing'.

Yay, good for him!

Ooo, what?

Always.

[youllneverknowrac]

Oscar Diaz-First Encounter Pt.2

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You didn’t see Oscar for the rest of the day after he gave you his number. You spent the remainder of school all giddy, not actually believing that he came up and talked to you. Or was even interested in you! His confidence,humor, and attractiveness was enough for you to overlook all the rumors about him being in a gang. You know most people would run, but you felt this weird connection that you couldn’t explain, it was pulling you to find out more about him. To get closer to him. Which is exactly what you planned on doing, but first things first...you had to sneak the house phone off the hook and not get caught.

~

“Good night.” You tell your parents as you sit on the couch, finishing up some homework.

“Night mija.” Your mom says as your dad ruffles your hair,”Be in bed by 10:30!” She calls out as they walk down the hall and into their bedroom.

“Okay, I will.” You reply, annoyed that a bedtime was even a thing at your age. You give them a few minutes, wanting to make sure they didn’t forget anything or just come back in general. You put away your stuff and tip toe to the small table near the front door. You grab the phone and quietly go into your bedroom, locking the door and laying down on your bed to dial the now smeared numbers. It rings a few times before you hear Oscar’s smooth voice answer.

“Who’s this?”

“Wow, did you forget about me already?” You smile,”You gave me your number, remember?”

“Nah, I remember.” He replies with a chuckle,”Just didn’t know if you were actually going to do it with your parents breathing all down your neck and shit.”

“I told you I would do it, did I not?”

“You did Chiquita, you did.”

“Chiquita? Are you ever gonna call me by my name? Or is it easier this way so you don’t get your girls messed up.” You joke

“No girls, you know that.” He says, which you did,”But it’s only day one and Chiquita is one of the more appropriate names I can call you.” He smirks.

“Day one? Who said that there is going to be more days? Getting a bit ahead of yourself don’t ya think?” You say suppressing a giggle, wanting to hear what other pet names he had in mind.

“Nah, I don’t think I am. I’m a go getter and I work hard for what I want.” He says causing you to bite down on your lower lip.

“So you want me?” You ask with a smile,”You don’t even know me Oscar.”

“Ima get to know you though...and from what I know already, I can tell you ain’t gonna disappoint me.”

“I just want to warn you then, it’s not gonna be easy. My parents are really strict and...” You ramble, Oscar cutting you off.

“It ain’t suppose to be easy right?” He asks rhetorically,”I want to get to know you. No matter what obstacles may be in my way.”

“Okay, I’m down...on one condition. Tell me why you’re so interested. No cliche answer either.”

“Well your looks aside, I heard your cute loud ass laugh in the hallway and it caught my attention.”He teases,”Honestly though I could just instantly tell you have this certain aura about you. And it made me want to go up and talk to you. Not even two seconds into the conversation and I knew we were gonna click. Your vibe matched mine.”

“Yeah...I felt that too.” You admit,”Crazy.”

“Crazy, for sure.” He says,”So what do you say to me picking you up tomorrow? I’ll pick you up down the road or something so you’re parents won’t see.”

“I’m glad your catching on.” You tell him seriously, you’re parents were such a nightmare,”I live on third street. I’ll meet you at the stop sign at 7:45. You can’t be late though, I don’t like being late.”

“You got it...Chiquita.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, bright and early.”

“Till tomorrow. Bye, ten dulce sueños(Sweet dreams).”

“Good night Oscar.” You sigh happily into the phone, hanging up and sneakily putting it back on the hook before going to bed. You did in fact have sweet dreams that night.

~

You couldn’t lie and say you didn’t wake up a bit earlier so you could put more of a effort into your look. This was the first time a boy was picking you up, a cute boy at that. So you can’t help but feel confident as the cherry red car comes to a stop in front of you, your pin straightened hair blowing in the wind. You decided on a pair of tight ripped skinny jeans, a white shirt that was a little too tight, and your all white air forces. You paired the outfit with your thin gold hoops and dainty necklace. You didn’t go over board on the make up, just a natural look with bold eyelashes and winged eyeliner, like usual. You had on a hoodie when you left the house not wanting your parents to send you back upstairs to change...it was currently stuffed in your back pack.

“Looking gorgeous.” You hear Oscar call out as he reaches over to push open the passenger side door.

“Thank you, I obviously woke up like this.” You grin as you get in and buckle up, Oscar laughing at that. Your backpack gets thrown to the floorboard,”Nice car.” You compliment

“Thanks Chiquita, I take good care of her.” He grins and pats the dash before putting it in drive and taking off.

“I can tell.” You say as you glance around the small space,”You have siblings...or a kid?” You ask curiously when you see a soccer ball along with some other little toys in the back.

“Little brother.” He answers,”His names Cesar but he might as well be my kid.”Shrugging as the words leave his mouth.

“You don’t have to explain if you don’t want to, but it’s cool you have somebody. I’ve always wanted a sister.” You say

“Yeah, I love his little ass.” Oscar smiles,”But it’s not really much to explain you know? Dads a piece of shit who’s in jail and moms a deadbeat.”

“Well they suck.” You say,”Looks like you’re handling it well for both you and your little brother.” You tell him, leaning over to give his arm a squeeze. Even though you didn’t want to let go, you did a few seconds later.

“Thanks for that, most people just say sorry and try to avoid the subject completely.” He chuckles,”However they do suck, so they should be the ones apologizing, not other people.”

“Exactly.”

“Anyway enough about me, I want to hear about you.” He says as he glances over at you, giving you a wink. You can’t help but blush and look away, not wanting to get embarrassed if he noticed.

“Uh what do you want to know?” You ask with a slight cough,”Just ask and I’ll answer.”

“Aight, favorite color.”

“Pink, or maybe white.”

“Cute.” He chuckles before thinking of something else,”Favorite movie?”

“Don’t really have a favorite but I love the gory slasher type films. Or rom-coms from like the 80’s.”

“Two completely different ends of the scale.” He replies amusingly.

“I like what I like.”

“Yeah, so do I.” He says, glancing at you again when he does and catching your gaze.

“Eyes on the road Oscar Diaz.” You say and bat your full eyelashes at him.

“My fault. The view was just to good.” He adds smoothly.

“Always a charmer.” You playfully groan and lightly shove his side,”On with the questions.”

Oscar laughs and asks you about 30 more random questions until he pulls into a parking spot on school grounds.

“Did you learn enough about me?”

“Never enough, I want to know more. What do you say that we kick it during lunch? Or go to the park when school let’s out.” He asks hopefully

“Well why don’t we do both?” You reply smugly as you grab your bag off of the floor.

“Sounds good. I’ll come by the sophomore hall before lunch, aight? Wait for me there.”

“I will.” You smile as you push open your door and climb out, Oscar doing the same as you join him on the other side,”No backpack?” You ask him when you notice he gets out with just a folder and a pencil in his ear.

“Nah, I gotta carry yours.” He jokes and takes the bag from you, hoisting it on his shoulder,”Let’s go, can’t be late to first period and what not.” He teases, you smile and walk into the building with him, a few more eyes on you that usual. You didn’t care, let people talk because something deep in your gut told you this new ‘relationship’ was going to be a forever type of love.

[evermoreholland]

Questions (Peter Parker x Jewish!Reader)

Title: Questions

Pairing: Peter Parker x Jewish!Reader

Summary: Peter has lived in a Jewish neighborhood the majority of his life, but he has never once tried to learn more about the people living there. That was until he met you.

Requested: No.

Word Count: 1.9k!

Author’s Note: This story is more of a platonic pairing. The reader teaches Peter about her religion because he’s curious. He watches the reader do certain things that she wouldn’t question, but he did because it was different for him.

I am Jewish but some of my facts could still possibly be incorrect. Feel free to correct me and leave feedback.

--

It was your first day at Midtown High and you were nervous. All of your life you have lived in a small town, but you’re family decided to move to a larger community. Your father was appointed to be the new Rabbi at the Modern-Orthodox synagogue in Queens. Although you were happy for him, it was hard to move to a big city. 

It seemed weird to your father at first that you were even going to Midtown. There were many Jewish schools in New York that you could go to. You had a love for science and your mother didn’t mind sending you. You planned study lessons with your father after school so you could still learn Judaic studies.

Your family was Modern-Orthodox. You kept Kosher and Shabbat, which are laws directly from the Torah. However, you didn’t keep all of the typical Orthodox customs. Your mother didn’t wear a sheitel (wig for hair covering), but instead, she would wear scarves or baseball caps. Sometimes she didn’t cover her hair at all. You did participate in all of the Jewish holidays, not just Hanukkah and Passover.

You got ready for school like you normally would. You woke up, you got dressed in your skirt and long sleeve top, and then you prayed. After that, you went to the kitchen to make breakfast for yourself and then prepared your lunch. You saw that your sister, Gilah, hadn’t packed her lunch yet. 

“Gilah, do you need me to help you pack your lunch?” you asked your younger sister. 

“Yes, please. Ima (Hebrew for mom) told me to ask you before we went to school,” she replied. Your sister was 8 and she didn’t know how to pack herself a well-balanced lunch, so you would usually have to help her out. 

You had 3 older brothers and one younger sister. Your brothers were in yeshiva (post high school program for Torah study) and they were out of the house so you took on the job of helping out your younger sister.

You packed lunches for the two of you, grabbed breakfast, and then made your way out the door to walk Gilah and yourself to school.

“Y/N, don’t forget that we need to call Bubbe after school to tell her about our day!” your sister said on your walk. Every day after school you would visit your grandmother and talk to her about your day. Since you moved, you would have to call her instead.

“I could never forget, Gilah,” you said. You dropped Gilah off at school and then made your way to Midtown. When you approached the building your first thought was: This school is huge. Typically, Jewish day schools are much smaller in size. 

You made your way in and honestly, you were a bit overwhelmed by the size of the school. You got your schedule and made your way to your locker. You looked to your right and saw that your locker neighbors with a brown-haired boy. A very cute boy. At least that’s what you saw from his side profile.

“Hi, excuse me?” you asked. Then the boy turned around and you definitely confirmed to yourself that he was cute. 

“Y-yeah?” he stuttered.

“I’m Y/N L/N. Ummm, I’m a junior and I’m new here. I was wondering if you could show me where the lab is?” you asked him. You were here a few minutes early. Doesn’t hurt to ask.

“Sure. I’m actually going there too. I’m Peter by the way. Peter Parker,” he said with a smile. You both then made your way to the lab for your first period class.

“So what made you move here?” Peter asked.

“My dad got a new job,” you said simply.

“What does your dad do?” Peter asked.

“He’s a Rabbi,” you said.

“So you’re Jewish? That’s so cool! Do you happen to live in Forest Hills?” Peter asked. Peter lived in Forest Hills which was mostly a Jewish neighborhood.

“I do actually,” you said.

“I live there too, but I’m not Jewish. I love my neighbors though. I even went to my neighbors Hanukkah party this year!” Peter rambled. “Sorry for rambling.”

“Don’t apologize,” you said and finally you were in the lab.

You were enjoyed Midtown. You liked the classes you were in and the students were really nice. 

It was lunch and you made your way to the cafeteria. You spot Peter at a table with his friends. He locked eyes with you and waved.

“Can I sit with you?” you asked as you approached his table. 

“Sure,” he said as patted the seat next to him. 

You pulled out your lunch bag and then pulled out your salad. Before taking a bite, you said a quick prayer and then ate. Peter noticed you mumbling to yourself.

“Did you say something Y/N?” Peter asked curiously.

“I was just saying a quick prayer. No biggie,” you said as you kept eating. Peter was curious as to why you packed your own lunch. School lunch at Midtown came for free with tuition. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you pack your own lunch?” Peter said.

“Oh, I don’t mind the question. I keep Kosher,” you said. Peter settled for that answer. He didn’t know anything about keeping Kosher, but he didn’t want to pry. He would just look it up later. 

“What is Kosher exactly?” Peter’s friend said.

“Ned! Can we not bother her about every little detail please?” Peter asked Ned.

“It’s okay to ask questions, Peter. In Judaism, people encourage us to ask. We are all about asking questions and learning more,” you said and then Peter urged you to go on.

“The word ‘kosher’ is Hebrew for ‘fit’ or ‘appropriate’, and kosher foods are those foods that are deemed fit by the regulations of kashrut, the Jewish dietary law,” you said.

“Is it really important?” Peter asked. He didn’t want to come off as rude, he genuinely wanted to know. 

“It’s actually one of the most important aspects of our religion. It’s a way to uphold the fundamentals of our beliefs,” you said. “There are specific foods that are deemed appropriate by kashrut such as land animals that have cloven hooves and chew their cud. We’re allowed to eat most birds. And also no shellfish,” you continued.

“So you can’t eat bacon?” Peter asked.

“Correct, pigs don’t chew their cud. Also, they’re super cute,” you said with a giggle. “There are many more laws involving Kosher, such as symbols on snacks and stuff, but I don’t want to bore you.”

“That’s really interesting. Some of my Jewish neighbors don’t do that though,” Peter said.

“That’s because everyone’s on their own level. Not all Jews are the same. Some can be completely secular and only celebrate traditional holidays like Hanukkah, others keep the Sabbath and Kosher and follow all of the laws and customs, and some are in between,” you said.

“What are some of the key fundamentals of Judaism?” Peter said. He wanted to know more. 

“Lunch break isn’t long enough for that, Peter. You could come over one day and we can have a discussion about it, if you want. Don’t feel pressured though. It’s a lot of information,” you said.

“You free today?” Peter asked. That questioned made you smile. This was all new to you too. All of your life you had Jewish friends so some of this stuff was hard to explain. 

“Yeah. I just need to text my parents to see if they’ll be home,” you said as you began to text your parents. They texted you back and they didn’t really want you bringing a boy home, but you convinced them.

“They gave the okay. I just have to pick up my sister from school, call my grandmother, and then you can come over,” you said.

Peter, Ned, and you exchanged numbers. Ned decided on not coming this time around, which was fine.

Peter was nervous about coming to your house. What if he said something offensive by accident? He also didn’t want to come to your house empty-handed but he didn’t know which Kosher symbols your family held. He decided on shooting you a quick text before going to the store.

Peter: Hey. I don’t want to come to your house empty-handed. What Kosher symbols do you follow? 

You read the text and smiled. He’s so sweet.

Y/N: That’s so sweet of you Peter. We usually get snacks with CRC, OU, and the k with the star around it :)

Peter: Ok thanks. I’ll be there soon.

You were excited that Peter was interested in your religion, but did he actually want to be your friend? Well, maybe he did. You didn’t really know.

He came to your house, treats in hand, and gave a light knock on your front door. He was met with what he assumes to be your mother.

“Hello. You must be Peter, come in,” she said with a welcoming smile.

“I brought you some coffee cake,” Peter said as he handed your mother the treat.

“I love this brand. Thank you, Peter. Y/N, come to the living room. Your friend is here!” your mom said.

“Hey Peter,” you said as you made your way to the living room.

“Hey,” he said.

“My dad should be home soon. He just had to go to prayer services at the synagogue,” you said.

Your father came home about five minutes later and he was eager to learn with you.

“Y/N, what books did you pick out for today’s session?” He asked as he made his way to sit by the two of you.

“Abba, I didn’t pick out any books today,” you said.

“Why not?” He asked.

“Well Mr. L/N... wait, or is it Rabbi L/N?” Peter asked.

“It’s usually Rabbi but whatever you’re comfortable with,” your father said.

“Well anyway, I came over because Y/N was teaching me about Judaism during school because I wanted to know more. We didn’t really finish talking about it,” Peter said.

“Why do you want to know more, Peter?” Your father questioned. 

“Ummmm, maybe it’s because I lived all my life in this neighborhood and I never once acknowledged their religion,” Peter said.

“Maybe that’s because you don’t care about the religion someone’s affiliated with, you just care about the person that they are,” you chi med. 

“I guess so,” Peter said simply.

“Why do you want to know more now?” your father asked.

“Because I met your daughter and I knew that I was going to be friends with the minute I saw her. I want to know more because it’s a part of who she is. I may not be religious but I want to know what makes Y/N the way she is,” Peter said. He was proud of his answer. You were proud of his answer. 

Peter and you got along pretty well after that. You didn’t only talk about your religion. You talked about each other. You realized you liked a lot of the things that Peter liked as well. You’ve been hanging out ever since the first day of school. You really fit in with Peter and his friends. Peter would come over twice a week to hang out with you and to do homework. Peter kept asking questions about Judaism. You were happy to answer. He stopped asking as much because Peter knew that your religion wasn’t the only thing that made you who you are. It is a big part of your identity, but not the only part. He then started more questions about you. You were definitely happy to answer those questions.

--

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Masterlist

[lynndoublelegacy]

just a cool dnd meme i saw

Yook so it’s less a meme and more like. a big ol questionare but hey, might as well do it. originally saw it on @/probablyottrpgideas, go check them out

1. Game Master, Player, or both? Why?

Ok so technically I’ve DMed twice but I really don’t find it fun? and don’t ever want to do it again. so. Player. I like building characters and their connections with fellow PCs more than building worlds

2. When did you start roleplaying? How old were you?

oh god, if we’re talking about roleplaying in general? I’ve been doing it basically as long as I can remember. As a kid I would play House, and then once I got older in like 5th grade I actually started making characters and playing out their stories with friends. Google+ is what made me realize this was actually like, a THING, though, and I got into some roleplaying groups there, then on DevaintArt. Dungeons and Dragons is a newer development? I got into it in late 2018 when my sister’s friend invited us to a one-shot, and... well, yea, I got hooked lol

3. What was the first roleplaying book you ever owned?

dude, bold of you to assume I really own any. I don’t have that kind of money and literally only own the Guide to Wildemount, and that was a gift

4. Describe the first game you ever ran or played in.

I mean... it’s not a game but ima describe the one shot, bc my first campaign was a hot mess without a true storyline and I used the same character for it anyway. I played a tiefling bard called Aisling Kai (I didn’t know this was a cliche combo at this point, and I honestly played her like a rogue with a music motif but Whatever) and we were a little group tasked to figure out why the hell anyone who goes into this cave never comes out. So we go in, make our way through the dungeon, fight some frog people (I made one of their ears bleed just by getting a nat 20 on a performance check to play a high f# on flute, that was fun, FWEET), and turns out yep, theres a hill giant down here. We kicked his ass and collapsed the cave on top of us (dw I think we were fine but my memory is a little screwy)

5. What system did you grow up with? / 6. Which system do you play now?

i learned on and currently play dnd 5e. I don’t really know anything else, but I’m debating checking out Vampire of the Masquerade.

7. Longest campaign you’ve run or played in?

That would be my Tal’Dorei campaign group, aka The Fatefallen! Started in the Fall of 2019 and still going to this day, just played our 45th session last week. I play Ilia Liadon, the drow grave cleric, and the only member of our party who has been there for every single session since the beginning.

8. Where did you meet your current gaming group?

...well first I feel the need to mention that I have 3 different groups (2 of them are on hiatus now for pandemic related reasons but! we’re still groups). My first group (with Aisling) was formed slowly over time as friends adopted friends into the group, I think it started as a school club? but that didn’t last long. The other two started from a different school club as well, though one has since branched out into other people as well. 

9. Strategic combat or dramatic plotlines?

I am a roleplayer first and a gamer second. Give me all of the backstories and dramatic plotlines. Don’t get me wrong, I still like combat, but story takes precedent for me.

10. Favorite RPG genre?

I don’t tend to define myself by genre? But I tend to fall into more of a fantasy, at most arcanapunk style. Give me all of the magic, and magic powered tech.

11. Your first character.

I got into her a little bit earlier, but my first character was Aisling, aka Calypso Kai. She was a homebrew subclass bard with a criminal background, who honestly? should’ve been a rogue. I’ve since rebuilt her into an Assassin Rogue/College of Eloguence Bard multiclasser, but this iteration was like. Baby her, baby me new to dnd, I did not know what I was doing. She tried to be edgy, but my mom energy came through HARD and she just. Never really had a set characterization. She deserves better and I plan on playing her better sometime in the future.

12. Your favorite character.

You are making me choose between my children. BUT, if I had to pick, either Ilia Liadon, or! Ashe Wednesday, a protector aasimar drunken master monk and my profile picture. Ashe also deserved a lot better from their campaign, so I have a massive soft spot for them, they were made during a really tough time in my life (as was Ilia) and was going through an equally rough time in-game, since I made them for a Curse of Strahd campaign without understanding what I was getting into. They’re my little rebellious asshole and I love them dearly, someone get this kid therapy. Ilia, on the other hand, is just... she’s a comfort character for me at this point. mostly soft edges, such a mom- while Ashe was me yelling “come at me” at the world while crying, Ilia was just... embracing it. Making it better. basically, if they actually existed, I would die for both of them.

13. Your most ridiculous character.

I don’t usually play super ridiculous characters, but! I would say Keothi “Bookfinder” Vaimeil counts. She was basically me looking all of the goliath barbarian stereotypes in the eye, and going “nah. she’s a nerd.” She’s literally a massive puppy dog, just the sweetest big old thing, sitting in her house and reading all the books she can get her hands on in order to make up for her amnesia. Oh, and did I mention that she’s a zombie? ...yea. She’s wacky, but I love her.

14. The best in-character line you’ve ever had.

“I need sleep. I don’t even sleep and I need sleep.”

~Ilia, after a particularly tough fight and an emotionally draining day

15. Your most epic death.

Ok so... none of my characters in game have ever actually died during the storyline? Keothi obviously has in her backstory, and Ilia might have in hers as well, it was never explicitly stated, but during the game? Nope. Ashe got stupid close, but nope. Since Keothi is my only death period, and her death was pretty epic, I’m just gonna describe that. Her parents and siblings in her Goliath tribe had all fallen ill, so she decided to go searching for a possible cure, and ended up getting conned into helping this cult, since they said they would cure her family. Turns out, yea, they were lying, they just needed a goliath willing to sacrifice themselves with a cursed sword. They made the mistake of revealing this before Keothi was actually dead, so as she was dying, she brought the entire goddamn cultist temple down to the bottom of the sea and took the cultists with her. The sword was why she was undead, in the Shadowfell, and couldn’t remember anything.

16. Your most disappointing death. 

As mentioned, I’ve never died in campaign, but I feel like I have to mention this one that happened to our party in Curse of Strahd. We were in the death house, all 5 of us, still level 1, and our barbarian falls into a pit trap with spikes. None of us realize she’s actually dead, so we send out paladin down to get her... with the monk, the bard, and the warlock holding the rope. ....yea both of them died.

17. Something that shouldn’t have worked, but it did.

I’m stuck between two options for this one. First one was the time our water genasi paladin/rogue bloodbended our gnome cleric into a bridge to keep her from falling all the way down a ravine. The second time was when our party managed to defend a small seaside town from a pirate raid with just an NPC with Control Water, a ballista, ourselves, and some explosives. Neither should’ve worked, but both did. Having a triton in your party can really come in clutch in a seaside campaign.

18. Something that went hilariously awry.

I have one that’s hilarious and one that’s horrifying. Hilarious one: in my first ever campaign, someone from Aisling’s backstory popped up and our sorcerer went “that’s shady” (to be fair, he was) and then went to investigate BY HIMSELF. He obviously got kidnapped by the mafia, and then we went all stealth mission to break him out. Stealth was immediately abandoned after our other bard used a SCREAMING SWORD to break open the locks, then we proceeded to go out the way we came, setting everything on fire on the way out, and with our bard lying their way out the front door (with the rest of us in tow as “prisoners”) by pretending to be a fellow mafia member. It was great. Horrifying one: Ilia tries to Send to a member of the party who left in order to let him know that a fellow party member had died. Forgot that he left bc his mind was invaded by a previously dead, very evil old god, and ends up trapped there with him for a while. Ended up with all of our main spellcasters trapped in their own heads while the barbarian paced around worriedly and the rogue decided he was going to get smashed instead of worrying himself silly.

19. Your most memorable in-character moment.

There are a LOT in Ilia’s campaign, but! If I had to pick one, it would actually be a pretty recent one involving Ilia and our party’s wizard, Liara. They’re basically the embodiment of head vs heart? Anyway, Liara is currently suffering from something called magic corruption, though idk if suffering is the right word. Anyway! It basically resulted in her getting... possessed? by her own magic during the night during Ilia’s watch, and they had a really, really interesting conversation regarding guilt, death, and grief, and yea basically I love them. Honorable mention to our druid’s death (he’s back and better now, but that was my first long-time death in a game, we didn’t know he was coming back) and also the moment that Ilia realized that her childhood bff/crush had been revived in a new body and that this NPC was her best friend. That was a trip.

20. The coolest item you ever got and how you came to possess it.

I got this item in the revamp of my first ever campaign and nothing has topped it since which is Sad but hey. Anyway! I got this really cool, possibly cursed dagger after I threw a knife at an absolutely eldritch being and it got stuck in him as he transformed. It looked really badass, and allowed me to cast Inflict Wounds on occasion when I stabbed someone with it. So yea, we love that. Honorable mention to my paladin/bloodhunter’s Helm of the Aberrant Gladiator which allows you to basically do a bunch of fear based affects and psychic stuff.

Numbers 21 through 30 don’t apply to me but. yea. enjoy this summary of my dnd history I guess

[chicgeekgirl89]

This Path Alone

Fandom: NCIS

Characters: Ziva David, Tony DiNozzo, Tali David DiNozzo, Adam Eshel

A/N: Many thanks to @wanna-be-bold for being a champion during the writing process on this. I’m woefully out of date on my NCIS info, but I did my best. A look at what might have happened between the farmhouse bombing and the events of “Family First” based on what we now know from Season 17.

                                       XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She’d been making tea in the kitchen in an attempt to help her fall asleep. It was futile, she knew; she didn’t sleep much anymore. When she closed her eyes all her doubts, fears, failures filled her mind until she snapped awake again. Not to mention that every little sound made her jump, made her go check on Tali, who slept in the room next to hers.

The phone had rung and she had been tempted to ignore it, especially when she saw whose name came up on the screen She was too tired for another argument tonight, too exhausted by the pain that came with every, single conversation. She wasn’t going back to Mossad, but they refused to leave her alone. Consult with us on this, just look at this one file, please could we have your input; the requests were endless. She’d left that world behind and still it gave her no respite.

But she wasn’t sleeping anyway so she picked up. “Adam, I don’t—“

“Ziva!” The fear in his voice immediately sharpened her senses and she subconsciously reached for a knife that lay on the counter. “Get out of the house. Get Tali and get out of there now!”

She was already moving toward Tali’s bedroom before he’d even finished speaking. She opened the closet and reached for the go bag she kept there. Old habits died hard, especially when you’d made lots of enemies. Adam was still talking as she moved. “I’m coming to get you.  Get to the road, don’t let anyone see—“

The sound of an explosion drowned out his last words. The world rocked and she went to her knees, the phone falling from her hands and smashing on the floor as Tali started screaming from her bed. “I’m here, I’m here,” Ziva said, crawling toward her, gathering her tightly in her arms. “It’s all right.”

“Ima!” Tali continued to wail as Ziva got to her feet, shouldering the go bag and heading for the door. 

Smoke was filling the hallway but she didn’t see any fire yet. The mortar must have hit the other side of the compound, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t more coming. She had to get them out of here fast.

Choking on the smoke, she headed for the door to the kitchen, but the handle was hot and she stepped back immediately. Barely able to breathe, eyes streaming she made it to the back door and wrenched it open, bursting out into the cool night air. “It’s all right Tali,” she continued to murmur as she staggered away from their home. “It’s all right. Ima is here. We’re all right.”

They were halfway across the yard when the second explosion hit. Ziva doubled over, shielding Tali from any debris that might come their way. It lasted all of ten seconds and then there was nothing but fire behind them and darkness ahead.

The moon hung like a sliver in the sky providing barely enough light for her to stumble over the uneven ground. She reached the road and huddled behind a fallen tree, still holding Tali close to her chest. Tali had stopped wailing but Ziva could feel her little body shaking. At least she thought it was Tali, it might have been her own nerves causing them both to shudder. “Ima?” Tali asked, her little voice croaky and scared.

“Shh,” Ziva soothed, brushing her hair out of her face. “It’s all right. I’m right here. You are safe. It’s just a dream. Just a dream my Tali.”

She had vowed that her daughter would never know fear or pain like this. And she had failed her. Completely and utterly failed the one person in the world who meant everything to her. How had this happened? Who had come after her like this? 

They’d been safe for so long. She’d been too intent on building a life of peace for her child; she must have missed something. She’d become too complacent, too soft. And now they would both pay the price for it.

After what felt like hours she heard the crunching sound of a car coming down the road and stiffened. Tali was nearly asleep in her arms, but her eyes popped open when Ziva shifted. “Ima?”

“It’s all right my love. We’re going for a little ride. Can you be quiet for me?”

Tali nodded, her eyes heavy with sleep. Ziva sent up a prayer that her daughter would remember none of this as she waited, tense, for some sign that the person in the car was Adam and not an enemy come to finish the job.

The car rolled to a stop several meters away, the lights going dark. She heard the door open and close, the sound of footsteps, and she reached deep into the go bag for the gun she’d hidden there. She hadn’t had time to grab any of the rest, so this would have to work for now.

“Ziva?” The whisper was familiar and Ziva bowed her head, taking a shuddering breath of bone deep relief.

“We are here,” she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She stood, shouldering the go bag and Tali once more as Adam joined them. “Oh thank God.” He pulled her into an embrace. “When the phone died I thought—“ He shook his head, eyes searching her. “Are you all right? Are either of you hurt?”

“We are fine. But Adam—“

“Come,” he interrupted her, looking over his shoulder. “We must leave here quickly.”

She buckled Tali into a carseat and then got in the front next to Adam. “Adam, what the hell is going on?” she asked in English as they drove.

Tali’s English was good, but she understood far more Hebrew and Ziva didn’t want her hearing anything that might terrify her more.

“Someone wants you dead,” he said grimly.

“Yes, thank you Adam that is very helpful, but since my child is now traumatized perhaps you could be a little more forthcoming with pertinent information,” she snapped.

Adam glanced in the rearview mirror and she felt her blood run cold. “Do you think someone is following us?” she asked.

“Not yet,” he said, eyes back on the road ahead. “But the press will be here in no time. If we’re seen fleeing the house someone will get suspicious.”

“Adam what are you talking about? Who? Who will get suspicious? Who did this?” Desperation colored her tone. This hadn’t been an accident. It was a targeted attack. An attack on her and her daughter and she wanted to know why right now.

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? How could you not know? You’re the one who called and said to get out of the house.”

“I have eyes and ears everywhere Ziva. I got a last minute tip. I didn’t know if was real or not but…” he took a second to look at her, “apparently it was.”

She looked into the backseat, dread stealing her breath away. She had to get Tali somewhere safe. They needed somewhere to go and figure this out. “Who else knows?” she choked out.

Adam shook his head. “No one. By tomorrow morning the entire world will think you’re dead.”

Ziva felt ill. She put a hand to her head, her stomach churning in her gut. Everyone. Gibbs, Abby, McGee. She swallowed hard. Tony. They would all think she was gone. She’d been lying to them for a long time, but this felt so much worse. So incredibly permanent.

“That’s a good thing Ziva,” Adam said when she didn’t respond. “There’s safety in being dead. You and Tali can go anywhere, do anything without anyone knowing.”

“I was dead once before,” Ziva said. “I don’t have any desire to be again.”

“You’ve had a long night. We can sort everything out later. Right now we have to get you to a safehouse.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “It will be all right.”

                                          XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Again, again!”

Ziva woke slowly, her body stiff, her mouth tasting like ash. “All right one more time.” Adam’s voice drifted through the closed door and Ziva could hear Tali squeal in delight over whatever he was doing. Good. If God still had a single thought to spare her, he would prevent her daughter from ever remembering last night.

She got out of bed and padded into the living room. Adam’s safe house had turned out to be a small apartment. It wasn’t a palace, but it was clean enough and there was no one around here wondering about the small “family” who’d moved in on the spur of the moment. The population was too transient to fret about the comings and goings of new neighbors.

“Ima!” Tali cried the second she spotted her, flinging herself into her mother’s arms. “Good morning!”

“Good morning my love,” Ziva crooned, stroking her hair, rocking her back and forth.

“Me and Adam are playin’,” she said, her little fingers automatically reaching for the necklace hanging around Ziva’s neck.

“Yes I heard.” She looked up at Adam who smiled. 

“She was up early. You needed rest after last night,” he said.

“Thank you.” She turned her attention back to Tali. “Did you have breakfast?”

She nodded. “I eated my fruit.”

“That’s my good girl.”

“Ima when we go home?”

It was like a knife straight through her heart. Tali was a smart little girl. She knew her mother didn’t make it a habit to drag her out of bed in the middle of the night and drive her to a new location. It was too much to hope she might not realize something was amiss. “I don’t know,” Ziva told her honestly. “But look.” She reached for the go bag and pulled out the stuffed dog, thanking god she’d thought to buy a second one when she’d realized what a favorite it was. “Look who came with us.”

“Kalev!” Tali squealed, latching onto the toy and hopping off her mother’s lap to play with him on the floor.

Ziva sat back on her heels and watched her for a moment. She was so young, so innocent. Everything Ziva had been before her life had been stolen from her. She would not let that happen. Not again.

“You’re on the news,” Adam said quietly. “They are reporting on the farmhouse. You need to decide what you want to do Ziva.” His eyes were full of deep concern. “This isn’t going away. If whoever did this finds out you are alive, they won’t stop. You will be in danger, Tali will be in danger—“

“You don’t think I know that?” Ziva said sharply, her eyes flitting to see if Tali had noticed. The child remained playing happily and Ziva lowered her voice, softening it a bit so as to not attract her attention. “I have lived this life a long time Adam. I am not interested in taking my daughter and running forever.”

“Then we will hide you. Somewhere this person will never look.”

Ziva snorted. “Are those to be my only two options? Run with my child in tow or hide like some coward while this person steals away the life I have worked so hard for?” She shook her head. “No. No I will not do that Tali or to myself.”

“I do not see another choice Ziva.”

She swallowed hard, blinking her eyes against the sting of tears. Because she did see another path. A third choice. One that would end on her terms, not those of some murderous stranger. One that would set her free to hunt her adversary down, and also keep Tali safe. She felt her heart quicken. If she did this, she would have to give up everything. “I will confront this person. I will put myself out in the open and have them come to me. And then I will make sure nothing like this ever happens again.”

“You would put Tali in danger that way?” he asked in alarm.

“Of course not!” Ziva said, her voice harsher than she intended.

“Ima?” Tali looked at her, eyes wide.

Ziva forced a smile and switched to Hebrew. “It’s all right my love. Why don’t you see if Kalev wants something for a snack?”

Tali nodded and wandered into the kitchen.

“Ziva, what are you planning to do?” Adam asked warily. It was as if he already sensed the bombshell that was coming.

Ziva struggled to make the words pass her lips, because once she said them, she couldn’t take them back. Once she did this terrible, horrible thing, there would be no changing her mind. “Take her to Tony.”

Adam’s eyes snapped to hers. “What?”

“He…he will take care of her. He can give her the life she deserves to have. He can keep her safe.”

“Ziva, what are you saying?”

“I am saying what we both know too well Adam!” she cried. “That sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. That sometimes love is not enough to keep people together. Tali’s safety is the most important thing. And Tony deserves to know. He will be a good father to her.” She looked away. “She will be happy with him.”

“Ziva she needs you.”

“What she needs is a home with someone who won’t get blown up in the middle of the night,” Ziva said, the words bitter on her tongue. “Take her to Tony. Make him believe…” she swallowed hard, forcing the words past her lips, “make him believe I am gone. That he is her only family now. He will do the right thing.”

“Ziva I won’t let you do this—“

“Good, because that is not your place. You can either help me or you can go. Those are your options. And you can thank God that they are better than the ones I have right now.”

He pressed his lips together and stared at her. “Of course I will help you.”

“Thank you.” She straightened her shoulders and took a breath, fixing a smile in place. “Now if you don’t mind, I will go spend some time with my daughter.”

She turned away so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. And then she brushed them off so that Tali wouldn’t see them either. This was a time to be strong. She went to Tali in the kitchen. “Hello my love. What have you found in here?”

It took only a day to get everything arranged. One incredibly short day of precious time together spent playing and laughing despite the circumstances, despite the fact that Ziva’s heart ached with every word Tali said, every giggle, every cuddle they shared. She tried to hold onto all of it, to bottle it up in her heart so that she could keep it forever safe there.

When Adam returned the next morning she felt a familiar heaviness in her heart. One that she’d hoped she’d never feel again. “It’s time,” Adam said. “Orli is coming. I’ve made excuses but she isn’t going to buy them much longer.”

“What did you tell her?” Ziva asked, staring out the window. It was raining. She would remember that forever. The day she gave up her daughter it was raining outside, the sky grey and ominous.

“That I went to the house. That I slipped past the emergency personnel and pulled Tali from the rubble before the search crews could begin looking. That I was concerned about her safety so I hid her for a few days. That I never found a trace of you.”

Ziva swallowed past the lump in her throat. “She suspects nothing?”

“No.”

“Good. That is good.” She turned to face him. “Everything is arranged?”

“You will fly to D.C. this afternoon on a commercial flight. Orli has arranged a private flight for Tali, me, and herself. Once we have arrived Orli will take Tali to Tony. And I will come to you.”

Ziva nodded. “You will make sure Tali is safe before you come?”

“Of course.” He took her hands. “We will finish this Ziva. I promise.”

She pulled away. She didn’t want his comfort. “Yes. We will.”

It was time. Tali was looking at a book on the sofa and Ziva sat down next to her, pulling her into her arms. She buried her face in Tali’s curls, memorizing the smell of her shampoo, the way her little body felt cradled against her chest. Tali’s fingers came up to play with Ziva’s necklace. “Ima? We going home?” she asked the way she had every few hours since the bombing.

“No my darling. We are not going home today.” She reached for the go bag, her fingers seeking the picture frame she’d put there on the day she’d found out she was pregnant. “Look Tali. Do you know who these people are?”

“Ima!” she said immediately, pointing her little finger directly at Ziva’s face.

“Yes, very good. And who is this?” Ziva tapped Tony’s image.

“Abba,” Tali said.

“Yes,” Ziva said, her heart breaking. “Yes that is your Abba. Tali, you are going to go see Abba.”

“See Abba?” Tali echoed.

“That is right. You are going to go meet your Abba. And he is going to love you,” Ziva choked back a sob, “he is going to love you and take care of you.”

“Ima too?”

Ziva found she was at a loss for words and Tali turned to look at her face. “Ima? You sad?” 

Ziva nodded. “Yes, I am a little sad.”

“It okay Ima. No be sad.” Tali put her hands on Ziva’s cheeks. “No be sad.”

Ziva felt a tear trickle down her cheek. “I love you my Tali. You are my whole world my darling. Remember I love you.”

“Love you Ima,” Tali said, resting her head against Ziva’s chest.

Ziva looked up to find Adam watching, his face stricken. “How can I do this?” she asked helplessly. “How can I leave her?”

“You will do it because you love her,” Adam said. “You will do it because you are her mother and you are strong.”

Ziva cradled her one last time, looking into her face, trying as hard as she could to make the moment last for an eternity.

“Ziva,” Adam said quietly. 

“I know,” she said. “I know.”

She pulled Tali off her lap and set her on the couch. “Be a good girl for Adam. And for your Abba,” she said. “I will see you…I will see you soon.”

“Okay.”

Ziva handed her Kalev and her book then stood, picking up a bag containing a false passport and papers. “Goodbye my darling,” she whispered, pressing a final kiss to Tali’s forehead.

Tali was already absorbed in her book again and Ziva found herself profoundly grateful that she wasn’t crying or calling out for her. She was peaceful, the way she should be. The way every child deserved to be.

Ziva didn’t even look at Adam as she walked past, pausing only long enough to say, “Make sure Tony knows that I am…that I was sorry.”

Adam put a hand on her shoulder. “You have my word.”

Ziva put one foot in front of the other and walked out the door, closing it behind her without looking back. She took a breath, letting a sob escape her lips, just one. One cry to mourn for the life that she’d had and lost. One cry for the daughter who was no longer hers. 

Then she straightened, wiping a hand across her face. She would leave her heart with Tali and in its place would be a stone. One that would keep her alive until they saw each other again. It would make her strong until she got back all she’d lost.

She fingered the necklace around her neck. She would fight. She would win. And she would go home.

[sparklyjojos]

THE SAIMON FAMILY CASE recaps [8/13]

In which we meet the children, Ajiro becomes a Big Damn Hero, and the detectives get a tour combined with even more explanations about magic.

--

Waiting for the morning of January 19th to arrive, Ajiro and Kirigirisu discuss the case once more.

If Tamako was murdered, then how? Did seeing the curtain change colors shock her to death? Kirigirisu muses that since the family is full of magicians, maybe someone hypnotized her in such a way that the color change was a signal for her to drop dead. Ajiro replies that it’s not plausible; hypnosis can’t actually make the subject do something they wouldn’t want to do on at least some level. Hypnotizing even someone with suicidal tendencies into dying would be pretty hard. A more plausible option is that Tamako was already dead before her wheelchair was moved to the stage. If so, then Akiko who brought her there would be the obvious suspect.

The problem is that Akiko was the next person to die. However, if her death really was a murder, then the culprit chose a very unreliable killing method, so maybe it really was just an accident.

Yuuta’s death was likely a murder. The witnesses claimed they saw a man digging a hole in the sand, but maybe that man was actually the culprit burying the body.

Daisen could very well have been murdered; if Takayoshi made it into the mountains and performed the switch without being spotted, then an assassin also could have hidden somewhere. Ajiro theorizes that maybe Yuuta went to Tottori using Daisen’s car, then got murdered, which would make Daisen believe he himself was the intended target. Of course, everything is just a hypothesis.

“The first thing we should be trying to learn is who is targeting who,” Ajiro says. “The target may be Fujita-gumi, but at the same time it may be the Saimons… I think we should keep an eye on the Tsukumos and Tousens as well. I don’t really have a tangible plan on how to do it yet, but—Tensui, you’re here, aren’t you.”

The sliding door to their room moves aside revealing Tensui standing quietly in the dark hallway.

“I had a feeling someone was there,” Ajiro says without surprise while Kirigirisu as always has to take a moment to calm down his pulse.

Just like before, the conversation between the three is done through writing. Tensui proposes that he and Miku will keep the Saimon household under close observation throughout the day.

Kirigirisu has a strange feeling that maybe Tensui is actually the murderer, grasping the chance to get closer to his next victim… but no, that would be stupid, considering the next victim may not even live in Kami-Saimon, and with two Tensuis in existence one could still move freely even if the other one was stuck somewhere.

The detectives can likely trust Takayoshi to keep an eye on the Fujita household too. That awkward anxious man is the last person Kirigirisu would suspect of murder.

This leaves one problem: if one Tensui is going to be watching his family all day, how will he know what the other Tensui is doing and if he’s not in danger?

Do not worry about it, Tensui writes. Whenever I’m out and about, the other I always secludes himself in the shrine. No one other than us can enter it.

By “the shrine”, he means the building on the little island in the middle of the garden’s pond. Before Tensui leaves the room to hide, he asks them to show up at the pond a little later.

--

In the morning, Ajiro and Kirigirisu take a walk through Kami-Saimon’s splendid garden, wondrous in the middle of a bright winter day. The shrine Tensui talked about is visible on the little island at their big koi pond, Ryuugaike. With its octagonal base and roof, the shrine looks highly similar to the famous Yumedono, the “Hall of Dreams” of Houryuu-ji Temple in Ikaruga.

Once the detectives make a circle around the pond, Kirigirisu realizes that not only does the shrine not have any visible entrance, there isn’t even a bridge leading to the island.

“The shrine is called Seiryoin,” Ajiro informs him.

Seiryoin… Kirigirisu imagines it might be written 清涼院 [like the JDC writer’s name], a fitting name for this “pure” and “bright” “temple”. Ajiro doesn’t actually know how the name is supposed to be written, but his pick would be 静療院, a temple of “quiet” “recuperation”. Maybe neither way is correct, who knows.

The detectives are waiting on the shore for Tensui when someone suddenly appears next to them. “Suddenly appears” seems like the right phrase to use, considering the man’s footprints begin in the middle of the snowy field as if he teleported there.

The man is, even more surprisingly, not Soga Tensui, but that quiet contemplative man who played the afro clown in the show: Saimon Akio. (Tamako’s grandson, Akiko’s son, Takayoshi’s and Taishi’s brother.)

“Good morning! Indeed what a good morning we have,” Akio greets them with a kind expression. “But more importantly—look over there!”

He points towards the island, where in front of their very eyes Soga Tensui emerges from the doorless shrine, seemingly phasing out through the stone wall. Then he starts walking into the lake—no, walking on the lake, getting only his soles wet, and casually makes it to the other side away from the detectives. His famous Sea Walk.

“Anyway, I’m going to be the one guiding you around today,” Akio says. It’s only expected, seeing as Tensui will be busy keeping an eye on the house.

--

Akio gives them a sightseeing car trip around town—Tsuwano is small enough that it’s not a far journey. The detectives climb the local torii to get a full look at the town from up high. It’s easy to notice where the Tsukumos and Tousens live; it’s a surprisingly wide space south of town, full of various buildings and trailer houses. The two families’ houses are actually connected with Shimo-Saimon into one complex, demonstrating just how closely their lives are intertwined. The entire complex is called Sanasou (山烏荘)—a strange wordplay on the phrase “the trio’s house” (三羽烏の家).

Akio drives them to Sanasou. As soon as they arrive, they spot a few snowmen and a lot of tiny footprints on the ground, and then several curious children come running their way, some happily shouting seeing Akio. A few kids are still holding snowballs; it seems the adults interrupted one fierce battle.

The oldest child present is Tousen Matoki, looking around grade school age and acting like he’s the kids’ leader.

“Look, look!” Matoki does the thing where you put your right hand in your left jacket sleeve and left hand in your right sleeve, and makes an attempt at a dignified princely expression. “I’m Shoutoku Taishi!”

“Oh come on, Maji-chan, you do this every time,” comments the girl next to him. It’s Matoki’s sister Yomiko, the one who played Koyomi. She may have looked older on stage, and may have seemed a bit creepy with her staring back that one time, but with kids her age around she turns out to be a really nice girl. The nickname Maji-chan probably came from an alternative reading of Matoki’s name and is of course a horrible pun on the word “magician”.

Matoki and Yomiko act quite brave and natural in front of adults they barely know. In comparison, the other girl present—Tsukumo Emu—is hiding behind Yomiko’s back, and even further behind them, keeping careful distance, staring at the adults cautiously, are Tensui’s twin sons, Juku and Joukei.

The twins look pretty much identical, but after several meetings with the family Kirigirisu has learned to somewhat differentiate between them. Joukei is the one lacking confidence and with constant scared look in his eyes. Juku’s eyes just seem emotionless and unimpressed. Though their intense, somehow unnaturally pretty stares are filled with different emotions, they equally make Kirigirisu feel like his consciousness is trying to slip away.

It’s hard to believe that either of the twins would play the cheerful, energetic role of Kotensui. The puppet’s voice must have been dubbed over by another boy.

Apparently the twins got here from Kami-Saimon on their bikes to play with the other children.

“Chisato and Chiaki already got here too,” Joukei informs in a timid voice.

Juku mutters something too low to be heard.

“What did you say, Juku-sama?” Yomiko asks. (Why the ultra-honorifics among children?, Kirigirisu thinks in surprise.)

Beautifully expressionless Juku mutters the same thing a bit louder. It sounds like Kudaranai… Ima wa kudaranai yo… Huh? “This is stupid”? “It’s useless now”? What is?

Before Kirigirisu can figure it out, they hear a woman scream at the top of her lungs.

“Ria! Koma! NEMU!”

Everyone turns to see the most unusual scene. Two Shetland Sheepdogs are running towards them at breakneck speed, pulling a sled with a crying tiny girl—Tsukumo Nemu—and being chased by the trio of Nemu’s terrified mother Yumeji, Matoki and Yomiko’s mother Maki, and the only still single Tsukumo sibling Ranma. Several white doves are flying around in chaos.

“What the… Nemu, watch out!” Akio shouts and runs towards her, Ajiro instantly joining his side.

Before they can reach the sled, the dogs see them approach and react with a sudden swerve, the force involved sending little Nemu flying high in the air.

In an instant, something similar to two long poles zooms past Kirigirisu. He glances back: Kotensui’s Magic Hands are being deployed out of Juku’s sleeves. They reach towards Nemu, and barely, just barely—

—miss their mark.

But Ajiro is already close enough, jumps in the air and grabs the girl before she can hit the ground. Nemu is safe in his arms.

Once everyone catches their breath, the newly arrived adults explain what happened. The dog sled is a toy strictly for the older kids. Nemu had to jump on when no one was looking, scaring the dogs and making them run for the hills.

The white doves flying around belong to Tsukumo Ranma, who takes care of the family’s aviary. Though in his late twenties, he still has a lot of a cheerful child left in him, and perhaps because of that all the kids in the family love him. When the sled incident happened, he was in the middle of loading doves up his sleeves to surprise the children with a Channing Pollock-style illusion, and the birds got out in the chaos.

Teary-eyed Yumeji thanks again and again for saving her daughter. It looks like Ajiro became an instant hit with the kids, too, graduating from an adult stranger to someone they can trust. Even shy Joukei and Emu, even stoic Juku are all smiling at him.

For some reason, Juku’s look of approval and respect towards Ajiro leaves an especially deep impression on Kirigirisu.

--

Akio leads them to the training studio. A few girls are already there: Chisato and Chiaki (Akio’s daughters) along with Akiko (Taishi’s daughter) are training their ribbon-hula hoop routine, while slightly older Tsukumo Seika observes them with a critical eye. The girls stop, not wanting to show the secret to outsiders, but Akio assures them it’s fine; Tensui actually wants them to explain the method to the detectives. Akio leaves for a moment to change into his costume while the girls perform the illusion.

Just like in the show, the girls dance with ribbons which suddenly turn into hula hoops. Chiaki and Chisato successfully make their moving hoops link together, Akiko approaches with her own, and—all the hoops clang down to the ground.

“What are you doing, Akiko?!” Seika yells.

While Akiko is staring on the floor with tears in her eyes, Kirigirisu takes a glance at the hoops… which turn out not to be as normal as he thought.

“She didn’t do it on purpose,” says Akio, suddenly showing up next to them in his clown costume, though without makeup. (How can this man just keep appearing out of thin air?) He picks up a hula hoop and it suddenly returns to being a ribbon with a sound like tape measure retracting.

Akio explains that the ribbon-hoop is a magic prop. What looks like the ribbon’s handle is actually hiding the entire hoop, which can zoom out telescopically in an instant. The resulting hula hoop isn’t actually a closed ring, but has an opening small enough that it can’t be seen while moving fast. The illusion of the Linking Hula Hoops is basically an unusual variation of the famous Linking Rings.

“But linking the hoops while moving so fast… could anyone accomplish such a feat?” Kirigirisu asks despite having already witnessed it a few times.

“We are the Circus of Magic,” Akio says. “Any illusion requires training to polish one’s technique, especially circus acts combined with magic. That’s why these girls are practicing hard every day.”

“And apparently can’t focus at all lately!” Seika comments harshly, but calms down a little when Akio asks her to demonstrate a few more illusions with him.

Akio and Seika first set up the little table from two planks; this too is apparently a special tool that can be bought in a magic shop. Then Akio produces three red balls out of nowhere and passes them to Seika, who turns them white with a stroke. Kirigirisu inspects the balls and realizes they are reversible, just like that handkerchief changing colors that Tensui showed him. (Even stern Seika looks tickled seeing Kirigirisu’s child-like joy as he keeps changing the ball’s color back and forth.)

Akio demonstrates the next part: turning the balls into long pins by inserting them into an empty tube.

“Are you familiar with Doraemon?” he asks.

“Dorae… it that also an illusion?” Kirigiru doesn’t understand why the girls start laughing at him when he says this.

“It’s a very popular comic for children.”

“I’m familiar with it,” Ajiro says. “My son Souya is a fan, so we’ve read through it many times. I think it’s a masterpiece.”

A short explanation on Doraemon follows. Kirigirisu finds the premise fascinating (a time-travelling cat robot from the 22nd century who has a four-dimensional pouch?!) and decides he and Kano will have to check it out later.

Akio invites him to watch the illusion again, but standing behind the table this time. He sets the tube on the table, then retrieves a white pin from inside his clown costume’s front pocket (maybe not as spacious as Doraemon’s pouch, but still big) and hides it behind the tube. So that’s how something can magically appear “from the inside” when the tube is lifted.

Kirigirisu inspects the tube closer and realizes the opening facing up is slightly narrower than the one on the bottom… and that’s because there’s something similar to a small pocket around that opening, where the squishable balls can be hidden. A spectator looking through the tube from its bottom end wouldn’t notice anything suspicious.

Next, another illusion making use of the spectators’ limited angle of view. Akio holds one ball between his fingers and with swift movements makes it magically multiply into three… except the two additional balls are actually just two empty half-spherical shells. What seemed like a single ball actually had those two shells covering it. It’s a variation of the popular illusion known as the Multiplying Billiard Ball.

Finally, Akio performs the Five-Ball Cascade for them, five balls changing colors from white to red in mid-air as they’re juggled. The secret here is astonishingly simple: the balls used for this particular routine have their halves colored differently, white on one side and red on the other. The rest of the act is just a matter of practice.

“A different method is used for the pins changing colors,” Akio explains. “Do you know what that could be, Ajiro?”

“Using a mirror, I think.”

Judging by the girls’ expressions, Ajiro got it right, but Kirigirisu doesn’t understand how on earth a mirror could be used that way.

Each of the three girls takes two white pins and stands in a triangle formation, while Seika heads slightly behind them… and disappears into thin air. The three girls start the juggle, but eventually sneakily throw the white pins behind them where they disappear, only for red pins to be thrown back instead. It’s not that Seika disappeared; she hid behind a large mirror to help with the act.

Kirigirisu understands now how Akio was able to appear out of thin air earlier. Mirrors.

Akio gets to the next illusion. He takes an empty beer bottle, puts it inside his hat… no, just pretends to put it there, while actually hiding it in his chest pocket. So that’s how. The sweets were likewise produced out of his spacious pocket rather than from the hat.

Finally, Akio gives them what looks like a remote control with a small lever, encouraging them to play with it for a second while he’s changing back into normal clothes. The lever turns out to move the arms of those tall three-armed fire stands from the show, opening and closing them back inwards like an umbrella. The stands are designed in such a way that fire can be extinguished in an instant by pushing the arms into the stand.

“Juku’s Magic Hands are a similar mechanical device, though a lot more complicated,” Akio says once he joins them again, then announces that this would be enough explanations for the day.

--

Akio continues to guide them around the place. He leads them to another building—for some unknown reason called Shakuya (杓屋)—where two hammer sharks are swimming in a giant tank under the watchful eye of their caretaker, Tsukumo Souma, the hunchbacked man who’s little Nemu’s father. He doesn’t seem to be one for much conversation.

As they leave the building, they bump into Ranma again—and thank god, because his calming personality is somewhat needed after those sharks. Ranma shows them around the aviary filled with countless dove cages surrounding a cramped aisle in the middle. There’s a particularly big mysterious box with closed double doors in the back.

“Do you keep birds in there too?” Ajiro asks.

“Oh, no. There’s just this big figure of a dove inside. We’ve had it for ages, it serves the role of a god protecting the birds. We call it Onikaru-sama.”

The detectives have already met Ranma, Souma and Miku, so it’s time to head to the main part of Sanasou and meet the fourth Tsukumo sibling, Tsushima, the man looking like a bank employee. That first impression turns out to be close to life, as the man manages the show’s finances, looking as stressed as one can expect considering how much debt they’re in. He’s constantly busy and doesn’t really want to talk to anyone. As they’re leaving, they spot the man’s nervous son, Touji, who quickly hides somewhere.

Tsukumo Karan (Seika’s mother who played the Courtisane Hana Dayuu) then shows them to a room in which elderly Tsukumo Tamako and Tousen Tamako are resting in beds next to each other, under full-time care of Tousen Natsuko. In another room Tsukumo Mitama is similarly caring for her husband Gensui (the old one, known as the magician Soga Tengen in his days).

They quickly leave as to not disturb the seniors. Akio tells the detectives about how decades ago, shortly after the war, the show’s most splendid illusion was the underwater escape as performed by Soga Tengen. One day during practice his son Souma forgot to lock the cage, resulting in the shark viciously biting Tengen. The magician survived, but would never be able to move on his own again. Thirty years later, Tengen still leads his life in bed constantly cared for by his wife Mitama, while Souma still continues to raise sharks in a neighboring building despite protests from a few family members.

The tour comes to an end around noon. Ajiro calls Daisetsu and Miku in turn, making sure everything is fine in the Fujita residence and in Kami-Saimon. Daisetsu says that maybe Ajiro saving Nemu prevented the day’s unlucky accident, so they have nothing to worry about now. Maybe the case is going to stop here? Indeed nothing happens until late evening, so Ajiro and Kirigirisu head to the same bar as the previous night, meeting up with Daisetsu, Takayoshi and Uyama (somehow with an even more pronounced way of sighing “oh, oh!” now) as well as with Hyousen’s son Hyousai. Surely nothing bad will happen before midnight.

Shortly before midnight, they get a message that Tsukumo Mitama was found dead in the bath, where she must have fallen and drowned. It is later ruled as an unfortunate accident.

The case is nowhere near to being over.

--

A month later, on February 19th, Saimon Akio dies due to electrocution when the water filter at the pond malfunctions killing him and all the fish he’s been taking care of. When the body is found, all the water in the pond is dyed red.

--

A month later, on March 19th, Saimon Chisato is found dead from blood loss after apparently cutting off her hand using the Arm Guillotine prop. It is noted that she has been suffering emotional instability from stress related to the Case.

--

A month later, on April 19th, Fujita Daisetsu collapses on his way home from the bar and is taken to the hospital, where he dies from alcohol poisoning.

--

None of the eight cases so far have been deemed suspicious by the police, all of them ruled as either death from natural causes, accidents or suicides. Nevertheless, this perfectly spaced string of cases can’t possibly be a natural occurrence.

Who is the target and who is targeting them?

Perhaps the next month will show us the Case’s another face—or should we say, a mask.

--

[>>>NEXT PART>>>]

[corneliastan13]

Three gifts he gave her on purpose and one he did not.

Three gifts he gave her on purpose and one he did not.

So I had seen this post on Tumblr which I can’t find anymore. But I got inspired to write a story. Three gifts Tony has given Ziva on purpose and one he did not. I hope you like it.

Note: English is not my first language, so I’m sorry if there are any mistakes. I did the best I could.

It has been a few weeks since her return to DC, from that hellhole. So many things have happened and many things she doesn’t want to remember. She wants to forget what happened in Somalia. But the term trying to forget something or someone is so awful. Because you’re never going to forget something when you’re trying to forget it.

There is this one night in the bullpen. They had just wrapped up a case. A fairly difficult one. No one is in the bullpen anymore. Everyone went gone home to their respective families. Her family is NCIS, Gibbs, Tony, McGee, Abby, Ducky and Jimmy. She doesn’t have a husband nor children. But she was fine with that.

She walks out of the ladies room. Tony had just left the building a few minutes ago. They had said goodbye. She told him that she too was going home. But needed to use the ladies room first. She walks back to her desk, to grab her bag and jacket and go home. She looks at her desk. Something is different. It takes her a few seconds to process that there is a small jewelry box waiting for her on her desk. She looks around the bullpen. There is no one left. She moves closer to her desk and grabs the small box. Slowly she opens the small box. Her gaze meets a golden necklace with a Star of David charm. Did he give her this gift? He has probably noticed that she isn’t wearing her old necklace anymore. The one that Saleem took. This new necklace is simple and beautiful and she couldn’t have asked for more. She puts the necklace around her neck. It looks pretty. For a split second she is so caught up in her own world. She needs to thank him. She almost grabs her phone and decides to call him, but he is most likely driving home so he wouldn’t answer her call. In the end, she settles on a note. She grabs a pen and a small notepad and writes him a thank you note, she leaves it on his desk. Sure he finds it tomorrow morning.

…

"Can I show you something?" He asks her while they are sitting in the break room. Yesterday she had found his boarding school picture and since that, he has been acting strange, different. She can’t pinpoint what it is exactly. So when he asks her if he can show her something she says "Yes"

He shows her a photo of a very young beautiful woman with a kid. "Is this your mother?" she asks him a question while she already knows the answer.

"Yes" He answers simply.

“Wow she was--really beautiful,” she tells him. They discuss his mother. "This was the last movie we ever saw together. Right before she---” “The Little Prince" He tells her. "That what is essential is invisible to the eye," she quotes the book. She had read it when she was a little girl. It used to be one of her favourite books. She remembered those night where her and Tali would read to book together, in their bedroom. She sees the look on his face once she spoke these words. "Ziva David did you just quote a movie?" he asks her kind of shocked by her responds. "No.” “I quoted a book that was made into a movie"

The conversation ends, but it was a big step into unexplored territory.

The next day he is in the grocery store picking up some groceries. It has been a while since he made himself some home cooked pasta and he is dying for it. As he walks past the Book and DVD section, he can’t help but look for the Little Prince. They had discussed it yesterday and he might be fooling himself but that conversation really did something with him. So when he finally finds the book, he grabs it and looks at it for a few seconds, deciding if he should buy it or not. Oh, who was he kidding?

Once he is back home, he wraps the book in some wrapping paper. Should he go by her apartment now, or after dinner? Tony DiNozzo, the man who picks up women left and right can’t make a decision if he should drop the present off at his partners place now or after dinner.

In the end he settles on after dinner, so he has some more time to think about what he is going to say. If she would question him.

He has just finished dinner and was heading out the door with the present underneath his arm. It is only a ten minute drive but it felt like an eternity. He stands there outside her apartment door, finding the courage to knock on the damn door. This shouldn’t be this difficult.

He knocks on her door and a few seconds later she opens it. Her hair is down and she is wearing yoga pants and he doesn’t mind it at all, because she looks so good.

"Tony! What are you doing here?" she asks him, because yes it’s late at night.

"Sooo… yesterday when we discussed my mom…" He can’t finish his sentence completely. Not knowing what to say. "So, I was in the grocery store today and I found this so I thought you mind appreciate this" he says as he handed the gift over.

She looks at him full confusion. "Tony, what is this?"

"Just open it."

She walks away from the door to the living room, he closes the door and follows her. She sits on the couch looking at the present she had just been given. She unwraps it and sees that it is a book. The Little Prince. Tears are starting to form in his partner’s eyes. "Thank you Tony, this is really sweet of you" she says. And welcomes him in her warm embrace.

….

He is packing his bags while she’s in the kitchen making him dinner. She breaks his heart. He is going back to DC alone. While all he wants is to stay with her. She tells him she needs to do this alone. He does his best to convince her otherwise, that she can do this in DC and they can be together, but he has no luck. His clothes are spread all over the bed. He grabs his Ohio state sweatshirt last. No, he thinks, he can’t pack it. So he decides that it is best to leave it here, with her. Because maybe she can find the comfort in it. Just like he did years ago.

So he does his best to hide his shirt. So that she won’t find it immediately. It is his gift to her.

Ziva returns home from the airport. The house feels so empty, he isn’t there, anymore. And the strangest part is that it had never felt this empty before. She looks around her bedroom., what to do next? She drops her jacket on the bed. Cleaning maybe? Taking a shower. So she can begin to forget that he was here. But in the end she does none of these things. She strips off her clothes and slips into bed. The bed she shared with the men she loves, the most. She closes her eyes and drifts off in an unrestful sleep.

Getting out of bed is a disaster. Because his scent is everywhere, she can still feel his arms around her. After a while she decides on taking a shower. And cleaning up the house.

As she is vacuuming her bedroom she notices some sort of fabric laying underneath her bed. She stops and looks underneath her bed. She grabs the fabric and unfolds it. It is his Ohio State sweatshirt. Did he leave this here by accident, or on purpose? Tears stream down her face as she holds his sweatshirt closer to smell it. Oh God, she loves him all the more for it.

…

It is her birthday and she has to admit that she isn’t feeling like herself for a few weeks. She wakes up nauseous and tired and it is hard to get of bed each day. She decides to buy a pregnancy test. She has been thinking about it, even though the doctors told her no. They told her she can’t have children.

It is the longest five minutes of her life. She keeps staring at her watch, unsuccessfully willing time to go faster. When the minute hand moves and her watch tells her that it has been five minutes, she picks up the test in front of her. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

It is going to be negative. You just have a flu, just take better care of yourself, you will be fine. She opens her eyes. Two pink lines. That means pregnant, right? No she can’t be. The doctors told her she can’t have any children, of her own. She picks up the box and reads the instruction again. Two pink lights means pregnant.

It has been a few days since her discovery, and the doctor confirms her pregnancy. She has been in shock and the worst thing is that she feels like she doesn’t deserve this gift. This baby is half hers and half’s Tony’s. A baby convinced out of love. What would his reaction be? Would he want to become a father?

There are many nights where she sits alone on her couch. Thinking about all the wrong and bad things in life. How she is going to bring a child in this world so full of hate? She thinks it is selfish to want this happiness.

Soon, her clothes do not fit anymore, and she needs to buy maternity clothes. She decides to start wearing his sweatshirt, as pyjama, because it smells like him and fits her small body perfectly. One morning she spills yogurt on his Ohio State sweatshirt and she needs to wash it. She knows it is selfish but that simple act makes her cry, because it does not smell like him anymore.

Tali is the light of her life. The little girl looks just like her father. Her eyes, she has his eyes, the emerald green eyes that she fell in love with nearly a decade ago. One morning she wakes up, her daughter lying beside her, in bed. "Ima?" the little girl asks. Ziva opens her eyes. She stares into her daughter’s eyes. The little girl is smiling. She is looking at her pajamas. "Beautiful" she comments as she is touching the letters on his old sweatshirt. "Abba?" the girl wonders. "Yes, my darling, this was Abba’s". The little girl smiles and creeps closer. Moving the sweatshirt up, so she could reach what she is looking for. Even though Tali is eighteen months old she is still breastfeeding. Because she loves the intimate, quality time with her daughter.

A few days later Ziva is cleaning her bedroom. Tali sits on her mother’s bed. She is looking for her father’s old sweatshirt and finds it underneath her mother’s pillow. She tries her very best to unsuccessfully put it on. It is way too heavy and big for her. But that doesn’t matter because it’s Abba’s. "Ima look" the little girl says to her mother.

Ziva looks around and sees her daughter standing on the bed with her father’s sweatshirt on. Tears are starting to form in her eyes. Because when she looks at her daughter she sees Tony. The man on the other side of the world and even though they are oceans apart. This is the best gift he has ever given to her. Their daughter.

[iamknicole]

Fan

Bloodline Family Series

A/N: Warning.... this isn't gonna be pretty.

"I'll be fine," Haleigh laughed into the phone. She thanked the person holding the door for her, not bothering to pay much attention to who it was. "I come here all the time this late. I've gotta get these songs out, KoKo."

"Is Messiah in town?" Koda asked clearly frustrated with his sister.

"No, he's in Seattle. I'm fine," she reiterated stepping into the buildings elevator. "I'll call you when I'm done and headed home."

"You drove there?" Koda asked sucking his teeth. "Look, ima call Mama or Auntie A to come there with you."

She laughed at how overprotective Koda is.

" It's almost 1am, Mama is not about to bring the trips out with Daddy gone and Auntie is not about to get up. You know she probably sleep."

"Fine but be careful. And call me before you walk out that building. I don't care what time it is."

After Haleigh agreed to call her brother, she hung up the call just as the elevator came to a stop to let her out. Her head was down when she exited the elevator, sending a text to Messiah and Ardian.

To My Siah:

Great game, babe. Can't wait to see you 😍😚

To Baby Daddy Ardi:

I hope you and my babies are ok. I miss y'all. I'll pull up. And.... I'm sorry for just walking out on you. 😧😢💙

The engineer was waiting for her inside the studio. He left hey with a few instructions and well wishes before leaving her by herself. Checking her phone she found messages from Koda, Roman and Messiah but nothing from Ardian. Apart of her knew he wouldn't text her back but she hoped.

Three hours and two songs later, Haleigh felt better. All the stress, the thoughts and the emotions she had were out and in lyrical form. There was more written down in her notebook but this would do for now.

She gathered her things and shut everything down better heading out. She called Koda while she waited for the elevator not wanting to hear his mouth about not calling. The siblings talked ass she walked through the building and parking lot.

"Hey, you're Halo, right?"

Haleigh switched the phone from her right hand to her left to look at the stranger talking to her and smiled. He was standing at the back of her SUV with his hands in his pockets. The lights in the parking lot illuminated their faces. She ignored Koda telling her tii get in the car and confirmed her identity.

"This is so dope. I'm your biggest fan," the Caucasian male said happily. "Can I please get a picture with you? I thought that was you earlier but I wasn't sure."

"Yeah," she nodded going over to him, "Why didn't you speak? I would've spoke back."

"You were inn the phone, I didn't want to interrupt. You thanked me, that was enough."

Haleigh put Koda on hold to take the picture, or her phone in hey pocket then hugged the fan. "Make sure you tag me in that picture and make sure I look cute in it."

"Most definitely! Thank you again, Halo."

"You're welcome, hun. Have a good night."

Haleigh put the phone back to her ear before climbing up into her SUV. She switched their call to the car Bluetooth then pulled out.

"Stop bein so fuckin friendly, Hae."

"What? You wanted me to be mean and tell him no? It's not his fault this is the time he ran into me, Koda."

"It's 3 in the morning. He could've been a weirdo or some shit," Koda complained loudly.

"My fans are not weirdos."

"You've read the comments under your pictures, so I know that you know that's a lie, Haleigh."

Haleigh rolled her eyes cruising through the pretty much empty streets. "Well, it's done now and we can't undo it. And where is your fiance? Shouldn't you be in bed with her?"

"She's sleep. I would've been too but my sister took her ass too the studio this late at night."

"Well, I'm almost home now so go on and go to bed. I love you, big head."

Koda sighed hard. "Love you too. Text me when you get in the house and lock up tight."

"Sir, yes, sir, " she joked them disconnected the call.

Haleigh called Ardian as she walked to her porch. It felt odd not speaking to him for so long. She just wanted to hear his voice. And something didn't feel right. She stood on her porch waiting to hear his voice.

"I'm sleep, I call you back," he mumbled into the phone before hanging up.

Humming lowly to herself, Haleigh dropped her phone in her purse and unlocked her front door. Just as she turned the key, she heard footsteps behind her. Her purse feel and most of the contents spilled onto the floor. The next thing she knew she was being pushed into her house. She tripped from the force, catching her balance before she hit the floor. When she turned around she was face to face with the fan from the parking lot.

"You need to leave. Now!" She yelled rooted to her spot.

He smiled small. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure you got in okay. It is pretty late."

Haleigh’s eyes burned wishing she had just stayed home or bright someone with her. She hated that she was avoiding Ardian, he would usually come with her. But then again, had she not been avoiding him she would have needed to go to the studio this late.

The fan took a step towards her, she took one step back.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I just," he sighed, "I wanted to see you in."

"You've seen me in, now leave," she demanded moving back from his attempt to touch her.

He shook his head. The smile turning into a slight frown. "Don't be rude. I'm looking out for you, Halo. I love you. Don't you love me?"

"I don't know you! Leave!"

"You do. I'm Todd. I go to all your shows, I tweet you and tag you in anything I think you'd like."

The name clicked in her head. The few times she's gone through her comments his name came up a lot, he came to any signing he could and he was always popping up on her Twitter feed. Her management and her family knew about him as well.

"Did you follow me, Todd? That's not okay. I don't like that."

She figured yelling wouldn't work so she tried to reason with him. Silently praying it would work.

"No? I just wanted to protect you. Anyone could harm you, ya know? I was helping."

She nodded wiping her tears away. "Okay, you've helped. Now please leave."

Todd stepped forward, grabbing Haleigh to him before she could back away again. She struggled against him. "Don't I get a thank you?"

"Thank you," she said softly.

Fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks.

He stared into her eyes, a small smile on his face. Todd loved her. Loved her more than he should have. Without a second thought he kissed her, trying to ignore her fighting him off. Haleigh but his tongue when he pushed it roughly into her mouth prompting him to break the kids and push her away. As soon as her body hit the floor, Haleigh scrambled away from him leaving him checking his bleeding tongue and she spit his blood out as she ran to her room. Todd ran after her, getting to her closed and locked bedroom door and started to bang on the door.

Haleigh went into her walk in closet, locked it and started to search for her back up phone. Roman had given it to her months ago and her being the person she is tossed it somewhere completely forgetting about it.

She jumped as the banging got louder and couldn't control her crying. Her hands shook so bad that she could barely look through her things. When she found the phone there was a loud boom letting her know he'd broken the door down. Still her hands shook as she dialed the 911.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"There's someone in my house and they won't leave. Please help me," she said info a shaky and strained voice.

"What's your name and are you somewhere safe?"

"Haleigh Reigns. I'm in my closet."

"Is the person near you?" The operator ask trying to locate the call.

"Yes, he kicked down my bedroom door and he's trying to get in here." Haleigh screamed from Todd kicking at the double doors. "He's gonna get in! I need help!"

"Are you at 736 Keyes Drive?"

She screamed out again. "Yes!"

"Stay on the phone, sweetheart. The police are on the way. They're term minutes out."

It didn't matter that they were on the way, he'd gotten in. Haleigh was terrified and screaming. Todd was angry at her for running away. He snatched the phone and threw it at the wall, shattering it.

"Look at what you made me do, Halo. Why'd you make me do that?" He asked taking slow steps towards her then snatched her to him. She cried and screamed for help. "Stop screaming!"

"You're hurting me. Let me go."

"No! You think you're too good for me? Is that what you think?" He asked pushing her to the ground and straddling her. "We'll see about that."

Todd mumbled to himself then cocked his fist back fully prepared to hit her. Her cries almost stopped him. Almost. He punched her face and torso repeatedly ignoring her pain filled screams.

When the police came in and found Haleigh, Todd was gone. He left Haleigh unconscious, battered and bloody on her closet floor. One of the cops recognized her by the pictures around the house and cursed to himself. He knew her, he knew her parents even better. He volunteered to make contact with them while the paramedics rushed her to the hospital.

[dazzlingfantasiesblogs]

Sorry, not Sorry P2

Happy Lowman x Reader

Warnings: Violence, Cheating and SMUT! 18+ only. If under 18 kindly unfollow

Summary: Too long.. Read it. Lol. Over 9,000 Words.. I could not stop..

I worked four hours on this.. almost five... I LOVE it. Let me know loves!

After showering, there was a knock at your door. Walking out in nothing but a towel around your body and one tangled in your hair, You grabbed your gun that was under the table and hid it behind you. Moving the blinds a bit you seen Happy there. “Fuck me…” You whispered annoyed. “I would if you would let me little girl..” Happy looked at you through the small opening of the blinds. You unlocked the door, opening it. “What do you want?” your voice was laced with irritation. He stepped in slightly, soon hearing the click of a gun. “Yeah.. safety’s off.. I’d take your fucking foot out of my house if I were you.  I would not even have to hide the fact I killed you since your trust passing.” Your words shocked Happy even more. He cheated yes, but did the last three years really mean nothing to you?. “Y/n.. please..” Sighing you opened the door, letting him come in. He looked around mesmerized how this small tiny house looked so big inside. It was so clean, and everything had its place. “Let me put on some clothes.” You took off your towel, revealing your naked body. He had only seen you millions of times before naked, just because you where broken up didn’t matter. He was expecting to see hickies or something else honestly, thinking you slept with Jack. Walking up the stairs to your closet, he watched as your hips swayed from side to side. “Fuck..” he groaned trying his hardest not to bust right there. A few moments later you walked down in some booty shorts and a tank top. It said “SOA” with the reaper on the front. It was Koziks. “Did you fucking sleep with my brother?” Happy clenched his fists, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer. “No asshole. It started to down pour when I went to his apartment after we had the grill party. You asked me to drive him home. He said the least he could do was give me a dry shirt from helping him up the stairs in the rain.” Happy shrugged a bit, like he was a turtle in a shell hiding. He knew you would never betray his trust, but the guilt was killing him slowly. “I was going to make a sandwich, do you want one?” He nodded to you sitting at the small bar stool. You took out everything to make a sandwich. Walking passed him you opened the door and laid the screen down. “Boys, breakfast!” soon the dogs appeared sitting at the porch. You poured them each a bowl of food setting it outside for them. They loved eating outside on the porch so after they could go run and play. “You rescued another dog?” Happy watched the dogs eat quickly. “Yes..” You spoke quickly, cutting the sandwiches in half. He watched how you handled the knife.

“You know.. guns are more effective.” You looked behind you seeing the one they called “Tacoma Killer” staring at you as you chucked knifes at the CaraCara girl posters. “Are they though?” You tilted your head with a smirk. Turning around you grabbed his gun, bending his arm back, grabbing your knife and putting it to his throat. “You see.. knifes are so much more concealable.” Happy looked around your body trying to see where you got the knife from. It was small no doubt, but very sharp. You let his hand go, giving him his gun back. “Point proven..” Happy chuckled lowly. He watched you grab your knives off the wall and posters of the porn stars. “Hate porn stars?” He watched your face, waiting for a disgusting face. “Naw, gotta make a dollar some how. If you got the talent and the body, why not?” You took another knife from Imas head shot. “I mean.. besides her.. she is just so skanky..” Happy laughed at this. “Crow eaters will be crow eaters..”

“Here.” She slid the plate to him, hoping on the counter next to him as she bit in the sandwich. He looked at her thicker legs next to him. All he wanted to do was spread them and have her running her finger nails over his head as he licked her. Fuck the sandwich.. He wanted her. She tasted better than any honey. “Thanks little girl..” “Y/N.” you corrected him taking another bite. “Why did you come over?” Happy sighed a bit finishing one half of the sandwich. “Jax needs your help with something.” “So he sent you? Damn he is dumb..” you chuckled under your breath. “Don’t call my pres dumb..” “If the shoe fits.” Truth is, Jax was far from an idiot. Sure he made some dumb calls, but he also made some that saved his club. “I asked to come..” Happy looked at you, watching as you licked your lips after taking a sip of water. “Damn are you dumb..” You hopped off the counter, walking to the fridge grabbing a beer. You grabbed the knife strapped to your thigh, popping the top of the beer. You slid it to him, your fingers touching slightly. Pulling away quickly you took his empty plate and set it in the small dishwasher. “I’ll do it for the club.” Happy nodded once taking a sip of the beer. “Can we talk about us?” Happy stood up, blocking you between the counter and him. “There is no us.” Your words where serious and calm. Happy felt his heart shatter. “I am not like one of these old ladies who will let you walk all over them. Because they love you and need you.” You scoffed at the thought. “I don’t need you. I learned that real quick.” Shoving passed him you grabbed some more water. “I’ll be there at eight.” Happy nodded, finishing his beer, throwing in the trash can. “Bye Lowman.” You spoke with your back turned to him as you walked back up the stairs.

You arrived at the club house, pulling up on your motorcycle. Juice was the first to greet you with a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. “Hey love, how are you?” “Better now that your around.” Juice smiled his million dollar smile. “Why didn’t I choose you?” You kissed his cheek causing him to blush nodding a ‘I don’t know’ nod and shrugging. You walked into the church room as they filed. It was packed with Tacoma and Nevada presidents, VP and sergeant of arms. Including Jack who was Tacomas Sgt. You sat next to Jack and Juice, talking to both as people took their seats. You opened your purse, grabbing a pack of cigs, giving one to Jack, lighting it for him and doing the same for yourself. “Y/N thanks for coming..” Jax came over, kissing your head. “What do you need me for Pres?” Jax nodded. This was not uncommon for you to be so to the point. “I need you to help sneak into the warehouse for us. Since your best with knifes.. even with a silencer, it is still semi-loud.. we need your skills to take out the guards.” Nodding you agreed, taking a puff of the cig. “Your asking a little bitch to do this?! Why not another charter?” The Nevada VP asked rudely. “Watch your fucking tongue!” Happy growled out looking at him with deadly eyes. Even if you were not his, he respected you enough to fight his own brother for disrespecting you. “I bet you fifty bucks, I can hit the tip of the reaper blade from across the room blind folded. “Impossible..” The VP shuddered. “Jack, can I see your bandana?” He nodded, following you to the other side of the room. “Here.” He handed it to you. “VP of Nevada you can even blind fold me.” The VP nodded. He wrapped the blindfold over your eyes. He pretended to throw a punch, you knew it was coming by the wind that hit your face but you stayed still. You grabbed one of your knives on your thigh holster next to your gun. Taking a deep breath, you threw the knife. After hearing a thud, you took off the blindfold. The Charming SOA chuckled lowly, knowing this trick all too well. You seen your knife exactly where you wanted. “Believe me now?” you tilted your head smirking darkly. “Fifty bucks bitch.” You emphasized the word. Causing everyone to laugh. The VP handed you a fifty as you sat back down, going over the details.

Walking out of the club, you and had your arm looped through Jacks and Juices, all of you chuckling like a bunch of teenagers. “What the fuck has all of you whipped over her?” The VP of the Nevada chapter asked Jax. “We are not whipped, more like grateful. I grew up with her, she.. has traveled a lot and very down to earth. She loves the club very much.” Jax smiled at his friend as she laughed hard at something Juice had said.  Getting to your bike you put on your full faced helmet, driving off.

Eventually the club arrived to where you were. You sat on your motorcycle, scrolling threw your phone. “Are you on Tinder?” Happy spoke behind you. “Gotta find a lay someway in this town.” You kept swiping waiting for Jaxs word. “Y/N, go.” You nodded opening up one of your satchels. Sliding on a mask, you jogged to the entrance of the building. Climbing in the window, you remember the blue prints Jax had showed you. It was very dark where you were. Looking off a railing you seen five people playing poker. All of them looking like drug dealers. You quietly made it to the front door. You swung your legs around a mans neck, chocking him out. You grabbed the zipties, tying his hands together and gagged him. You did this four more times at the entrances. Jax might be mad you didn’t use your knives but these guys where not the main issue. “Ready. They are all gagged.” “Good work.” Jax said quietly, knowing you would not kill them. It took about forty seconds before the club burst in, surrounding the five guys.

“HELP!” You hurd a familiar voice. Running up the stairs you seen small crack of light under a door. “Jax.. we got hostages. Take care of the drug dealers I will get them out.” “Copy.. Jack go help y/n.” Jax spoke calmly. “Copy.” Soon Jack was next to you. You kicked the door open and seen four people there. One was unknown, but you seen Unser, Gemma and Lyla. “Jax.. they have your mom, Lyla and Unser… and someone else” “What?!” “I will get them out of here.” You went to Gemmas side, slicing the gag off her. “Untie them.” You slid a knife to Jack who did the same. “Y/n.. There is a bomb attached to the ties. If the pressure lets up it blows.” Your face fell seeing the small detonator. “Jack… go get Opie and Happy. We can not worry Jax.” He nodded agreeing as he ran to get them.

Happy and Opie came next to you. “Opie.. I can slide my finger over the bomb but we only will have thirty seconds to get out of here. I need your help rewire the trigger.” Opie nodded, kissing Lylas, tear covered cheek. Opie traced the wires and seen that is was way more high-tech than he was use too. “Jax.. we have a trigger bomb up here. Everyone needs to get out now!” “Copy!” Jax announced the issue and you looked down the stairway to see everyone scatter. “Jack, Happy get everyone out of here.” “Not without you..” Happy mumbled. “Opie is not going to let anything happen to me. Get them out of here!!” Your voice turned dark, and Happy knew you where not going to change your mind. You watched as Happy grabbed Gemmas and Lylas hand. Jack helping Unser and the other Captive. “Y/N. Hold your finger over the bomb. You nodded pushing it down. He quickly traced wires and cut two of them. “This will give us a minute or a second…” he looked at you slightly scared. “You have kids Opie.. you cannot take that chance.” He nodded sadly to you. “I will be fine. Don’t tell them that I chose to stay.” Opie nodded getting out quickly. You sighed a bit. Why did you always get yourself in these shitty ass predicaments.

Opie ran outside, out of breath. “Where is Y/N!?” Jack and Happy yelled. “She is still in there. She would not let me take no for an answer. “What?!” Happy jogged towards the building, not even thinking. “Y/N.” He whispered to himself. Letting go of the trigger you ran, running as fast as your legs could take you. You seen Happy as you exited the building “Happy no, turn!” He seen you, and smiled slightly. You hurd a beep and felt heat against your back. You covered Happy with your body, both of you flying as the bomb went off. “Help them!” You hurd in the back. Looking up slightly you seen Jack grab you, lifting you up. You looked over to see Happy, getting helped up by Juice. Soon Blackness covered your vision.

 “Then you cut the yellow if it is wrapped around the blue.” Opie showed you as he twisted the wire together. You watched closely and listened more so than you did in school. “If they are wrapped like this, make sure you keep pressure on the donator. Or BOOM!” Opie made an explosion example with his hands. Chuckling at him you nodded. Happy walked in seeing the explosives all over the living room in the house you shared. The two dogs laying on the couch sleeping. “What the hell?” “Hey babe. Opie is teaching about bombs. Just incase.” Opie nodded, standing up to hug his brother. “You never teach anyone..?” “Y/N begged..” Happy laughed a bit and nodded.

Opening your eyes, you felt immense pain on your back. It felt like someone too a serrated knife and sliced it up. “Hold her still!” Chibs yelled. You felt hands on all parts of your body, keeping you still. “What is going on.. everything hurts.. Is Happy ok? Where is Gemma? Lyla? Unser? The random stranger?” you were talking a million miles a minute and barley even opening your eyes. “I am right here y/n.” you opened your eyes fully to his voice,. He was sitting next to your head, gently combing through your hair. “Ah fuck.. my new tattoo..” you realized the cuts must have ruined your back tattoos. Chibs laughed as he worked on getting gravel out of the wounds. “Jack, can you hand me the morphine?” “Yeah.” You hurd Jacks voice, happy to hear everyone made it safe. You felt the push of a needle in one of the cuts. “I swear to gosh you scottsman.. Somebody get me a fucking drink!!!!” You yelled at the top of your lungs.

Soon Juice appeared with a bottle of whisky, putting one of Abels silly straws in it. He set the straw against your lips. You took a sip, almost inhaling it. “Whoa.. slow down beautiful..” Happy combed through your hair once again. You closed your eyes, drifting off back asleep.

“I think she is blacked out… this is the first time she has ever blacked out..” Happy looked at your passed out figure laying in between Lyla and Wendy. You three went on a bender when you where having a rough week and Happy was being an asshole. In all honestly, he was keeping his distance, scared he would ruin his plans to ask for your hand in marriage. “Ill call Jax and Opie to get there girls.” Juice laughed pulling out his burner. Happy lifted you in his arms, walking back to his dorm, laying you on the bed. He pulled off your boots and socks. Slowly lifting up your shirt, peeling it off your body. “Don’t touch me…  am Happys..” You hiccupped drunk. “Babe it is me..” giggling you sat up slightly. Dizziness taking over you fell back down. “Ohh.. so your in to necrophilia..?” Happy shook his back and forth. “You not dead, just passed out. But I would not do that to you. Now go back to sleep hunny.” Happy leaned up, kissing your cheek.

“Babygirl, wake up. You need to eat.” Groaning you opened your eyes seeing Jack. He held a sandwich on a plate and some chips. You closed and reopened your eyes again. Trying to sit up, you whimpered. You felt two hands sturdy you. Looking back you seen Happy looking away from you slightly. You grabbed the sandwich and took a bite. Letting out a slight moan you decided to eat more. After finishing it you handed the plate back to Jack. “Thanks..” He nodded to you. Jack leaned into your ear whispering “Talk to him.. he refuses to leave your side..” Jack pulled away, winking to you. He shut the door behind him. Happy stood staring at the wall. “I can leave your dorm.. if you want so you can rest..” Happy’s eyes fell to you. “No.. I don’t want to rest.. I just wanna be close to you.. and I know you don’t want me touching you.. so this is as close as I will get.” He looked down at the carpet. He had a slight smile on his face remembering the first time he ever seen you. “What are you smiling at.. and sit down, your making me uncomfortable..” Happy looked at you shocked, saying he could be so close to you. He nodded taking his big boots off. “I am remembering the first time I ever laid eyes on you.”

“Talk to her like that again and I will fucking bury you piece of shit!” your held a man by his collar up against the wall. “Wow..” Happy looked at a woman who was slightly thicker, but fit., holding a man against the wall, who should have been way too heavy for her. “Haha.. that is Y/N. You will see her a lot at the club. She is good friends to the club.” Juice pointed to you. “Ow..” Juice watched as you hit the man in the face, dropping him. You grabbed the woman he was with, holding her by the waist crossing the street. The woman hugged you tightly, thanking you. “Hey, it is ok. I am y/n.” “Shelly.” You nodded to her. “Shelly this is Juice, Juice, this is Shelly.” Shelly chuckled blushing a bit. He grabbed her hand kissing it. “Shelly I gotta go, make sure you don’t go back with that douch bag” She nodded to you and followed Juice. “Hey Killah.” You brushed passed Happy, leaving him utterly confused. You where the most beautiful hurricane he ever laid his eyes on.

“Oh yeah.. what did you think?” Happy smiled wider at the thought “How amazing you where for kicking a grown mans ass. Then pawning a random woman on Juice and walking passed me, calling me ‘killah’ as you put it and just bouncing.” Happy grumbled a bit. “What about the second time.. the stories are helping me relax..” He nodded to you. “Help me sit up and move on my side so I can look at you?” Happy nodded, helping you turn on your other side. He started to talk about the second time as you watched him talk.

“Shut up Tig.” He hurd her angelic voice before he seen her. Telling his brother to shut up. He walked into the main club house, sitting on the bar top. “No seriously doll.. when can we have a go in the sheets..?” “Well… how about….” Tigs eyes widened. “Never.” You hopped off the table, walking up to Happy. You put your hand on his chest as he froze. “I’d rather sleep with this sexy man right here. Has the whole ‘I could kill you with a look vibe.’” Happy looked down at you, his face etched with discomfort. “Oh don’t act like you wouldn’t want it.” He took a deep breath, watching as you walked away. Wendy walked in the room, shrieking at seeing you. You ran in her arms hugging her rightly. “Hey Beautiful!” you smiled to your friend. You hurd the door open and shut, seeing Abel walk in, Jax behind hm. “Auntie Y/N!!” Abel ran straight to your arms. You picked him up kissing the little boys cheek. “Auntie has a present for you..” Abel clapped his little hands together excitedly. “Here..” You skimmed in your purse pulling out a small coloring book with crayons. “Coloring book, motorcycles edition!” Abel hugged around your neck tight. “Carful little man, your strong your going to choke me..” He squeezed harder laughing. “Oh no.. oh no.. Abels got me…” you faked choking, carefully falling to the ground with Abel in your arms. Happy watched as you played with the presidents kid. Everyone laughing along with the show you put on. “Daddy look! Cycle like yours and uncle Happys!!” Abel ran to Happys feet, pointing at a motorcycle. Happy knelt down so he was face to face with the little one. “Yes it is lil man.” Happy kissed his head, Abel walking to the table, starting to color his book. “Thanks y/n.” Jax kissed your head walking to the bar. “Hey Love, there is a party tonight. Tacoma is coming down.  You need to get laid girl! So… ahh come on.” Wendy winked at you. “I don’t need a man to get me off thank you.” Wendy chuckled at that.

“I remember hearing that, thinking.. damn… I wish I could get her off..” Happy spoke giggling to himself. “What happened that night?” You spoke adjusting yourself so you laid your head in his lap. He gently laid his hand on your head, combing through your hair.

Walking into the club you looked around. You wore a ripped up SOA t-shirt and some shorts. Your dark red combat boots on. You spotted Wendy talking with Jax and Opie. Sauntering over you hugged Wendy and kissed Opies and Jaxs cheek. “Hey all.” The boys smiled at you, getting you a shot. That’s when the night started. You kept doing shots with them, back to back. You had a very high tolerance for liquor, but after the twelfth shot in two hours, you felt dizzy. It was a good, hazy buzz that you had going for you. “Gotta pee…Gotta break the seal!” you laughed at yourself, sliding off the barstool in the most unsexy of fashion. Gliding over to the door, you walked out, the cool air hitting you. “Where are you going beautiful?’ you seen a patch walking over to you, someone you had not seen before. “To go pee.” You mumbled. You refused to use the clubhouse bathrooms, scared you might get an std. You always went into Gemma’s office bathroom. “Aww I see.. wanna go have some fun.” The patch grabbed your wrist, trying to pull you too him. “Let me go asshole..” your voice slurring slightly. “Aww come on baby..” he wrapped an arm around your waist, grabbing your ass. Jumping slightly, you went to grab your pocket knife. “Hey douche bag, the lady said no!” you seen a fist collide with the guys face as he fell to the ground. Almost bringing you with him. You felt strong arms wrap around you, holding your jelly like body up. “Happy?” He shrugged a bit. “Where you following me?” he nodded no. “I was getting a screw driver out of the shop. Was teaching someone how to fix a bent handle bar.” His voice was low and raspy. “Well thanks for being my knight in shining armor handsome.” You smiled at Happy, causing his heart to beat a bit faster. “Is the door locked to the shop… gotta use the restroom.” He nodded yes, and walked over with you. He unlocked the door and let you in. You disappeared and reappeared a few minutes later. “Damn I love that smelly soap Gemma has..” you smelt your hands, going to dry them off on your shorts. “Out of paper towels.” Happy grabbed your hands, having your wipe them on his jeans. “Aww you didn’t have to do that.” He smiled to you nodding. He turned to the lock the door and followed behind you. “You know Happy.. as much of a threat as people make you seem, your actually a chill ass person.” You hiccupped a bit, grabbing a cig from your back pocket. You handed him one as well, he took out his lighter, lighting yours then his.

“I remember that. I was like ‘Why the fuck did he wipe my hand on his jeans’” Feeling his fingers loop a strand of hair behind you ear he looked down at you. His eyes showed vulnerability. They showed regret clear as day. “Your perfect..” He whispered staring at your profile. “What else happened that night?” you asked turning slightly, causing pain. “Ah shit what about my dogs!!” all of assuden you shot up looking around. “They are out in the yard with Tig. Lay back down.” You nodded, curious to how he broke into your house. You laid back down in the same position.

“So where are you from?” Happy asked you, sitting next to you on the picnic table. “Tacoma actually. Moved to Charming when I was 18.” Happy nodded to you, listening. “You?” happy was not one to talk about himself much. “Long story.” You respected his answer, not pushing him further. “So Jax tells me your good with knifes..” “Yeah… Id like to think so. I have no clue why.. I guess throwing things at a target as a kid payed off. I like bows and arrows too but, you can’t really conceal that..” you gave a toothy smile to him. “You asked JAx about me?” Happy felt his face get slightly red. “Well.. you know.. you.. I am um.. new here.. well newer here..” you laughed at him stuttering. “Seems like you’re a little frazzled.” “You are fucking intimidating.” Happy spoke clearly. “Awww thank you!” You wrapped your arms around his neck, taking it as a compliment. Happy would be lying if he said he didn’t like having you hugging him. You smelt of cherry and vanilla, causing his brain to swoon slightly. Wondering what you tasted like. Pulling away you took a sip of the beer Happy had gotten you when you passed through the club house. “So.. do you have a boyfriend.. is he a patch?” Happy was worried of the answer, this girl almost seemed to good to be true. “Haha.. fuck no. Men cause problems.. I already have 99 of them.” Happy nodded a bit. “Truth is.. been with one guy. Broke my heart so badly, I don’t think I could recover.” “What he do?” Happy looked at your face, reading you intently. “I grew up in a bad part of Tacoma.. The guy I was with for a few years, came here with me. I walked in on him cheating on me with my boss at the time.” Happy scrunched his face. “I don’t trust guys. They think with there dicks. I trust most of the Charming guys though in SOA. They usually have my back.”

He wanted to kiss her, the whole time he told the story. It was their story. He loved her more than anything or anyone. He broke her heart into a million piece, but he would try and put them back together, for as long as he and her was alive. “Happy you look upset. What’s wrong?” Your voice calm, with a hint worry. “I can’t kiss you.. I can’t make love to you.. I can’t watch you sleep, and hear you cussing someone out in your sleep.. knowing now that it is probably me your cussing out.. I can’t hear you humming in the kitchen as you make us a delicious meal… I can’t see you playing with our dogs in the backyard for hours on end.. I can’t kiss you in front of the whole club to show who you belong too..” you put a finger to his plump lips. “Happy.. just keep telling stories ok? They make me feel better.” He nodded.

The next time you seen him was when you went for a jog around Charming. You stopped in the dinner, your whole body covered in sweat. “Hey Leah, can I get a water please and a blueberry muffin?” you smiled to her. “Sure thing Y/N.” She left and came back with water and a muffin. You went to take out your card from your leggings pocket. “No need. That gentleman over there paid for you.” You trailed her eye sight to see Happy, giving a slight wave to you. “Thanks Leah.” She smiled to you going to help the only two other customers. You walked over to Happy, seeing him drinking black coffee. “What are you running from?” He asked casually like it was normal and no a joke. “My demons.” He choked on his coffee when he took a sip laughing. “Touche..” he nodded to you. “Thank you for paying for my muffin. Also kicking that guys ass a few weeks ago.. and letting me dry my hands on you…. Also for letting me vent.” Happy nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “So seriously? Why are you running?” you debated on telling him the truth. “I need to lose weight.. not happy with how I look.” Happy set down his coffee, looking you up and down. Even under the table. “Why?” was all he could say. “Your beautiful.” “I am not looking for compliments.. that is not why I told you..” “That is not why I said that Y/N. I asked. Your gorgeous. Your thick fit. Or Sexy as I like to put it.” You chuckled at his words. “I also do it to make sure I have my endurance up. Never know when SOA or anyone in this damn town will make an enemy.” He nodded honestly. You hurd a loud clank on the door of the diner. Looking over you seen two people with guns walk in. “Give me all the money!” they wore masks, and talked directly at Leah. The two customers started screaming. You stood up calmly. Your hand behind your back. Happy seen the steak knife in your hand. He grabbed his gun from his holster standing up as well. “Leave her alone.” You spoke to the front masked man. Leah stared at you with pleading eye. The man pointed the gun at you, you didn’t flinch. This was not the first fucking time you stared at the barrel of a gun. Sighing you laughed a bit. “What are you laughing at Bitch!” the man went to hit you with a gun and you dodged him, elbowing him in the solar plexus. Grabbing the gun you pointed it at him. “Drop your weapon or I shoot him.” “Y/N!” Happy tackled you and the man to the ground as shot rang from the outside. Good thing the diner was basically empty you though. Seeing the man try to grab his weapon you stabbed him in the hand. Happy kept covering you. “Happy.. aim for the mans foot..” Happy nodded, shooting the other masked man in the legs. “Call Jax and get them down here. Leah, get behind the counter!” You yelled out. You seen a mother and kid behind a booth shaking and crying. “Happy we gotta get the hostages out of here.” Truthfully Happy wanted to get you out of here. However, he seen the small kid with terror on his face. Sliding on the ground you peaked over the window to see three armed men outside. “Alright you two.. Stay low, I will cover you. Get behind the bar of the diner with Leah.” The mother nodded. “Happy cover me!” You stood up and shot out the window, taking one man out. You watched the mother and kid get behind the bar. You looked over to see the man who was unconscious previously about to stab Happy. You raised the gun and shot the man in the shoulder. You herd sirens in the distance, along with motorcycles. The men dropped their weapons once they were surrounded. Three police men came in, one of them Unser. “Sheriff.” You spoke calmly. Unser helped Happy and you up. “Your bleeding y/n!” You looked down seeing the chunk of glass stuck in your stomach. “Fuck.. just perfect.” You seen the blood soak your shirt. “Man.. I really liked this shirt.” “Y/n!” Leah ran over to you. “Are you ok?” you asked her looking for injury. “No and yes. You and Happy saved everyone in the diner.” You smiled nodding. “Feeling kinda light headed yall..” you lost your footing, Happy pushed past Unser catching you. “Whoa.. thanks sexy..” you smiled at him. “Happy, Y/N!” you hazily looked over to see Jax, Chibs and Juice. “Hey boys.” You waved. “We gotta get her to the hospital!” Unser yelled. Happy picked you up in his arms, walking you to the ambulance.

“Ugh.. I remember that.” You lifted up your shirt seeing the scar on your tummy. “Such an ugly scar…” your rubbed your fingers on it. “I cant wear a two piece… not like I would before..” you chuckled. “Your beautiful, shut up.” Happy leaned over, rubbing the scar as well.

After giving your statement to the police, you got to go home. Wendy was nice enough to pick you up and drop you off. Letting out your two dogs while you where being stitched up. “Bye hun, Gemma will be by later to check on you.” You nodded waving from your porch. Walking into your house, making some coffee, you sat on the couch trying to not itch the stiches. You hurd a knock at your door. “Gemma already?” You opened the door to see Happy standing there with some flowers. “Here…” He handed them to you confused on how the hell this was supposed to go. “Aww.. thanks. What are they for?” Happy narrowed his eye slightly “You saved me. Girls like flowers.” “Happy.. you saved me first.” He nodded, watching as you walked to put them in a vase. “They are beautiful. Finally add some color here.” He nodded. You motion for him to come in and take a seat. He took off his boots and set them by the door. “Coffee?” He nodded as you poured him some in a mug. Repeating the process you carefully sat down. “Crazy day huh?” he nodded staring at you. “You ok Hap?” he smiled inside at the nickname. He looked at your lips, gulping slightly. Fuck he wanted to kiss you. What the fuck was happening to him. He had the urge to hit it and not quit it. What the fuck! He kept repeating to himself. “Hap?” he shook his head slightly. “I am fine.” You smiled go him. He hurd a growl and looked around. “Sorry.. hungy. Gotta go grocery shopping. Was waiting for Gemma to help. I cant lift more then five pounds.” You spoke standing up, looking at your empty cupboards. “I can take you.. however I only have my bike. “I have my Charger in the garage. However you really don’t have too. I am sure you got better things to do.” He nodded no, standing up, finishing his hot coffee, ignoring the scolding feeling. “Hap, I could have just put it in the fridge and reheated.” You laughed a bit. He lifted up the garage door for you, seeing the black charger. “Fuck.. that is a beautiful car..” He mumbled. “Cool, glad you like it.” Your threw the keys and he caught them. “You want me to drive.?” You nodded to him. “I have pain pills in my system.” You got in the passenger seat, leaning back, then buckling your seatbelt. Happy got in doing the same. He adjusted the mirrors and turned the car on. “damn… sounds wonderful..” He noticed how clean it sounded when it started. The radio was on and you instantly started singing. ‘Love me like you do’ by Ellie Golding played. Happy raised an eyebrow slightly. “Change it, and I will cut you.” He laughed nodding, turning it up for you. “I’ll let you set the pace, because I am not thinking straight, my head spinning around, I cant see clear no more. What are you waiting for? Love me like you do!” You sang along, your voice at the same tempo at the singers. Happy listened the words, thinking about how he felt for you. The song ended as Happy pulled into the grocery store. You opened the door, he did the same thing. He locked the car, and was by your side quickly. Walking in you grabbed a cart, leaning on it slightly as you walked, trying to alleviate some pressure on your stiches. Your butt slightly poking out as you walked. Groaning slightly, Happy wanted to have his hand on your ass as you walked. You two started talking about random things as you picked out groceries. Happy could not believe something so mundane could be so fun. Fuck he was in trouble. He needed to get his emotions in check. “Hey Jeff, can I get a pound of the hamburger please?” “Y/N! Hey girl! Sure thing!” the man lighting up when he seen her. Happy watched as the two talked. She was so personable with people. “Thanks Jeff. See you boo! Say ‘Hi’ to your wife for me!” He waved, waving back you turned around putting the meat in the cart. Strolling down the frozen food, you shivered slightly. “You cold y/n?” you nodded to him slightly. He took off his kutte, taking off his white t-shirt, helping your put it over your tanktop. He slid his kutte back on over his black beater. “Thanks Hap” He nodded. He watched as you tried to reach some ice cream cones. “Here.” He picked up your legs gently, helping you grab them. He walked you back to the cart. You giggled a bit noticing he was not letting you down. “Happy put me down..” He twirled you around gently not to hurt your side. You laughed harder. He set you down smiling at you. “Be right back, going to grab crackers.” The aisle was packed, so you slipped on through, grabbing a box. You walked back to him and seen girl trying to talk to him. His face read annoyed. He looked down at the girl. Usually he would take a girl home and fuck her and kick her out. Yet, he felt nothing towards this girl. “Hey bitch back off.” You walked over to Happy. The girl rolled her eyes at you. “y/n.. you don’t date.” You knew this girl all too well. She was one of the girls at the club. You were slightly surprised Happy didn’t know her. You grabbed Happy by the neck, lifting his face to yours, kissing him deeply. Slipping your tongue in his mouth. Happy was shocked, quickly snapping out of it. Your tongue was a damn drug. It was so sweet and man did you know how to move it. After you parted ways you looked back at the girl shocked. “Come near him again.. I fucking dare you.” She turned and left, walking away quickly, swaying her hips.  At the check out line, you paid. Happy put the bags in the cart for you. He also pushed it, not wanting you to push too much weight. Happy opened the trunk putting the bags in. thinking about that kiss and if he should question it.

“That was the best fucking kiss of my life.” Happy spoke looking down at you. “What about all the others with me?” “So good.. we went together well. Fuck I miss kissing you..” He stared at your lips, slightly biting his. “You can kiss me..” you whispered. Truth is, being alone again didn’t bother you once you left Happy. However unlike your last broken heart, this one left you slightly empty. He grabbed your face gently in his oversized hands. Kissing you gently. He tried to pour all his love in the kiss, worried that this would be the last kiss. He slid his tongue in your mouth, lifting you up, setting you in his lap, wrapping your legs around his waist. You pulled away looking at him smiling slightly. “Still the best damn kisser.” He whispered against your lips. “Keep talking.”

Getting back to the house, Happy grabbed all of the groceries and the case of beer. You slowly put things away in the kitchen, breaking down the bags and sliding them under your sink. “Boys, dinner time.” The dogs came through the dog door, sitting down, waiting for their food. Happy took off his boots, watching as you poured them food. “So about that kiss?” you froze slightly. You thought you where home free. “What about it?” you glanced over you shoulder trying to read his expression. “Best kiss of my life..” He mumbled. Washing your hands, you walked over to him, drying them on his pants laughing. “I doubt it..” he nodded no to you. “Seriously… no way you have only been with one guy.. have you slept with more? Like one night stands?” you laughed at the intrusion of a question. “I have kissed guys and Wendy and Lyla.. because of a drinking game.. but.. no. I had one, one night stand and felt disgusting after. I don’t believe just giving my body away like that. Scares me honestly.” Happy grabbed your waist, lifting your chin up gently looking in your eyes. His eyes where so dark, mysterious. “What the fuck are you doing to me..?” He pushed his lips against yours again. His tongue swirled with yours. A small whimper left your lips. Not one of pain but pleasure. “Hey Y/N you home baby?!” Gemma walked in to Happy kissing you deeply. Your face was bright red when you pulled away. “Guess that answers my question.” You nodded to her. “Hey Gem..” Happy nodded to her. “Happy..?” “Umm…” you where unsure how to handle this situation. “Beer anyone?” Happy laughed a bit, nodding. Gemma laughed a bit confused as well agreeing. You grabbed three beers, they where still warm unfortunately. Grabbing your knife from your pocket, you opened the caps, not realizing they where twist off. “So…. What is going on with you two?” the queen smirked, taking out a cig. “Umm..” “I like her a lot.” Happy spoke up smiling at you. “So are you a thing?” you where unsure what to think, hell you just kissed him today. No way would the Tacoma killer settle down. You broke your own rule about letting your self feel something. “We are together. She is mine.” Your eyes went wide staring at Happy. “I swear to stay loyal.” “You better, or I will cut your dick off myself.” Gemma smiled at Happy. “Where are my pups? I brought them a bone.” You whistled. The dogs ran in, sitting next to Gemma.

Knowing he remembered that day made you smile. “I lied to you.. I didn’t stay loyal. So for the rest of my life. I will be alone.” Happy looked you in your eyes. No hint of lying or guilt tripping. “No..” you whispered. “You will find someone else.” Happy laid his head on your shoulder. “I’d rather die.. then it not be you…” “Don’t say that..” you pressed you lips against his again. He kissed back gently. You felt something wet against your cheek. You pulled away to see tears roll down his cheek. The sight took your breath away, he may have hurt you.. but he was feeling the repercussions of it. It was killing him.

Walking hand in hand you smiled. He kissed your hand as you both walked into the diner. He wanted to take you to breakfast. After talking to Leah and how they rebuild went, she refused to let you guys pay and you left. “I gotta go to work baby girl.” He kissed your lips before hopping on his motorcycle. You waved to him and went inside.

Later that day you walked into TM. He hurd you voice and smiled to himself, finishing up the oil change. “Thanks Gemma, let me know if you need help sorting the papers.” She nodded to you. You walked into the club house, talking to Chucky. “What is my girl doing here?” you turned around smiling at him. “Gotta get the oil done in the Charger. Usually id do it myself but still can’t lift much.” Happy made his way to you, picking you up, hugging you. His face against your breaths. “Come on.. Y/N your with Happy?” Chucky nodded ‘no’ laughing. Rolling his eyes, he pressed his lips to yours hard. Biting your lip slightly. “Are you trying to turn me on at work?” He whispered in your ear. “Wearing my shirt that I let you wear and some shorts?” “If that turns you on we are in trouble.” “WHAT THE FUCK?!” Jax and Tig walked in. “What?” You yelled at them. “You tamed Happy?” Jax asked, a smirk breaking out on his face. “No. More like the other way around. We are new at this, leave us alone assholes.” Happy smiled at you. “Holy shit… he smiles..” Tig fake gasped. Grabbing a knife from your boot you threw it towards him. It cut a piece of Tigs hair off. “Shut the fuck up Tig!” you kicked out of Happys grasp. He grabbed you by the waist as you flailed trying to get to Tig.  “You can kill him later baby. I know a place to bury a body.” “Scariest fucking couple ever..” Jax spoke slightly worried.

“Jax was so scared for the longest time that we would be the modern Bonnie and Clyde” laying your head on his shoulder he rocked back and forth, peppering kisses in your hair. “He had a right to be worried. We where so synced at times it was scary. From me needing to pick up something on my way home, to you sensing I needed to relieve stress.” Happy whispered in your hair. “Not mention all the orgasms.” You chuckled a bit after saying it. Both of you laughing like kids who say a naughty word.

Hearing a knock at your door, you seen Happy through the peep hole. It was pouring out and he was soaked. “Come in..” you grabbed his hand when you opened the door. He grabbed your face in his hands, backing you up the wall, capturing your lips in his frantically. The door still open, the rain pounding hard at the patio. Pulling away you looked in his eyes. “Babe.. what is wrong?” Happy shut the door, taking off of his boots. You helped him out of his kutte. “I got some of your clothes, sec.” you sprinted to your room and came back with sweat pants and a shirt. You walked out and he was in his boxers. You handed him the clothes. As he changed you grabbed two beers and joint. Sitting on the huge couch, Happy sat next to you. “Hun, tell me what’s wrong. We have been dating for two months but I have known the club for a long time. Please.. let me help you. Don’t block me out.” He looked at you nodding. You sparked the joint, taking a hit and passing it to him. You watched him relax instantly. “Sometimes… doing this shit for the club.. I put up the facade that I love it. I usually do.. but sometimes it gets to be too much. We had a.. thing to do” you nodded knowing what he meant. “I went home, took a shower and passed out. I had a dream that I found you. Dead. Blood was everywhere. I was holding your body tight. I looked in a mirror and seen it was my gun that killed you.” Listening you seen his hands start to shake. You grabbed the joint from his hand, taking a long puff. Setting it in the ashtray, you sat up and sat in his lap. “Look at me Happy Lowman.” You grabbed his chin, in your hands. You felt his stubble on your finger-tips. He looked into your light eyes. “Happy, I have lived alone and protected myself for a long time. I will not die by SOA. You will not be the reason. Promise.” He didn’t know how you were able to make that promise. However he believed every word. Loving you was seeping into his mind. He needed to make love to you. You cured his pain and he wanted to repay you in the most intimate of ways. “Let me make love to you…” Happy whispered against your lips. “Please..” it had been two months since your first kiss. You wanted to make sure he was not in it for the sex. You looked into his eyes. He needed this, he needed to feel you alive underneath him. “Ok..” Happy picked you up, walking to your bed room that he held you so often since you started dating. His lips never left yours. The kiss was hungry, wanting and so very passionate. “You don’t have any STDs right.” He chuckled against your lips. “None. I always wrap it up.” Ignoring the thought of him with other women, he must of felt you stop slightly. “Only girl I ever want is you..” He pushed his hips against you. He was hard.. so hard. He kissed down your neck. Biting it. His teeth sinking in the soft flesh, he created a suction. He kept sucking leaving a dark purple mark on your neck. You slid his shirt up his body, throwing it. You looked at him and traced the tattoos on his chest and down his stomach. He went to lift your shirt and you stopped him. “Let me see you… all of you..” you were nervous. You were not those stick figures that he surely slept with before. You allowed him to lift your shirt up. He seen you where not wearing a bra. Wanting you was something he could not get out of his head for two months. You where utterly perfect. He kissed the valley of your breasts, leaving dark hickeys over them. He sucked on you left nipple, and then the right. His lips sliding over every inch of your body. “Fuck..” you moaned as he kissed your stomach, kissing the now scar that was left from the diner incident. He unbuttoned your black jean shorts and unzipped them. Sliding them down your legs, he took your laced panties with them. He held your legs open, looking down at you. You went to grab a pillow to cover your face embarrassed. He grabbed the pillow throwing it. “No.. your mine right? I think you are a fucking gift from above… so beautiful.. I don’t deserve you..” he whispered against your thigh. “Yes you do.. don’t talk about above when we are doing this.” He chucked and kissed up and down your legs. He pressed a kiss to your clit, pushing his tongue against it. He growled, grabbing your hips, sliding you against his face. He could not believe how fucking good you tasted. His tongue slid down to your entrance, prodding it with his tongue. “Please..” you whimpered, sliding your fingers over his head. Pushing a finger against your entrance, he slowly slid it in. Watching your back arch, a thin layer of sweat covering your body. This was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. Sure he had done this before, but you reacted to his touch like his perfect mate. He sucked your clit, rolling his tongue over and over against it. “Please!” he gently bit slightly and you seen white. He felt your cum coat his finger and licked it off. His mouth back against your entrance licking the rest up. “Happy..” you looked down at him. Pupils dilated and so disheveled. He slid down his pants and boxers. “Condom?” you shook your head no, wanting to feel all of him. “I am on B.C.” he nodded to you. Usually he would never not wear one. However, he wanted to feel you against him. He leaned up, capturing your lips with his. He twirled his tongue over your lips, slightly biting your bottom lip. “This might hurt..” you nodded to him. He knew you had not had sex in a long time. You felt his head push in. gasping your arms flew around his back hugging him. He kissed your head, pushing in more. Relishing in on how good you felt, he could have came right then. Your walls squeezed him so tightly he thought it was impossible. You looked into his eyes, seeing love pour out of them. You nodded to him and he pushed in fully. He kissed up and down the side of your face. He grabbed your hands, holding them as he pulled out and pushed back in. “Happy..” your eyes rolled to the back of your head, his name kept slipping out of your lips. He felt so good, so fulfilled. “You weere made for me.” He pushed against you more, his chest against yours. “I am going to cum..” moaning in his mouth. He lifted you in his arms as he turned around. You sat on him, moving up and down as he sat against the headboard. He pushed up to meet your bounce. Your lips entangled together. Letting out a whimper, he pushed all the way in you, causing you to cum. He bit your shoulder, feeling you clench on him. Soon cumming after you. You laid against his chest. His arms wrapped around you. “It may be too soon, but I love you y/n..”

You smiled remembering that night and every detail. “I love you Happy..” his eyes met yours shocked.

Two weeks later

“Hey babe.” Happy slid behind you, kissing your cheek as you helped Gemma at the bake sale. “Hey, I think Jax was looking for you.” He nodded kissing Gemmas head as he went to find Jax. “So how are things going?” Gemma plated some food for the next customer. “Taking things slow. He knows he is on thin ice. Gemma laughed high-fiving you. “I am glad you didn’t give up on you two.” You nodded to her popping some brownie in your mouth. “What happened to Jack?” “He and I where never a thing. Truth is I knew him years ago before Happy. Saved me from a motorcycle accident. I am here because of him. He joined SOA in Tacoma. He is falling for that new bartender you had. Been coming down every week to see her.

Getting back to the club, Happy swatted your ass as you carried in the left overs. “Best ass in the world.” “Shut up Lowman.” You shook your head laughing. “Why? MY GIRL HAS THE BEST ASS HERE!” he shouted. Rolling your eyes you put the food away. “I gotta get going though, gotta check on pups.” You yelled to Happy. “Alright babe, I’ll swing by after Church.” He kissed your lips deeply. Surprising you by picking you up and slamming you against the kitchen wall. He moved your face over, leaving a deep hickey on your neck. “Since I have to wait to put my crow back on you.” Moaning as he licked the hickey. You nodded to him. “If having you forever means going slow, I will be a fucking tortoise.” You snickered at him and pushed him away. “Love you baby..” he spoke happily. “Love you too Lowman.”.

[averymessyxmas]

Chapter 1: 25 Days before Christmas

Vada aka Sky: 

Location: New, York

 "So, as you guys know our Holiday collection has dropped and thanks to Sky our magazine has been flying off the shelf for the cover you did with the McKinney’s, bravo Sky our amazing stylist" Denise my boss said as she hugged me. Ever since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of being a fashion designer, I'm not there yet but I am a top stylist for the well-known Black Magazine Essence. I worked my ass off to be where I am today. I have the idea life, a Condo in New York, A 2019 Mercedes Benz all black with leather interior, a gorgeous boyfriend who is about to be a Doctor who I been with since College, so almost 9 years, I’m blessed. "Congrats Sky on the sellout" Maurice my coworker said. I smiled as I walked out of the building, I grabbed the keys from Valet and got into my Benz.

 "There she is my beautiful chocolate queen" Michael my boyfriend said to me as I walked into my condo, he was there holding roses, Michael Thompson God’s gift to me, how can I be so blessed to get a fine ass man like this who loves every inch of me, mmm. I leaned in and kissed him, smiling from ear to ear. "Baby, you didn't have to give me roses". He smiled at me and kissed all over me. I heard music playing it was "Best Part" By H.E.R. Michael grabbed my hand and led me to the living room that was well lit with small candles and the floor was covered in red rose petals. "Michael what is going on?" I asked nervously. He kept smirking, he grabbed a box off the table and got down on one knee, "I wanted to do this since our first time meeting at the Coffee Shop in Brooklyn but I wanted to make sure I was the man you needed me to be, and I wanted to wait for you to fully form into the rose I knew you would blossom into, I had this plan in my head of sitting down with your father and asking him for your hand but I can’t wait any longer so with that being said Vada Sky Richards will you marry me?” I nodded my head not being able to say anything, tears were pouring down my face like a water fall. “YES!” I managed to scream out, he put the ring on my finger and got up to kiss me. “I love you so much Sky” he said. “I love you, omg this feels so crazy I’m bout to be a wife, shit your wife!”. He softly smiled then grabbed my hands and sat me down. “There’s one thing though baby, I’m not going to marry you until I can have a conversation with your father and finally meet your family, it’s been 10years since you been home, you never talk about your family, you know everything about me and my family, you see my family more than your own but I know nothing about yours”. I sighed softly. “Michael we been through this, I don’t like talking about this”. He nodded and grabbed my hand, “I can’t marry you until I can see it for myself, I’m sorry Sky” He lightly took the ring off my finger and stared at it. I got up annoyed and went to the bedroom and screamed in my hand. I laid on the bed and looked at the ceiling. “God why? I was SOOO close”. I heard Michael leave the house, I pulled out my phone and stared at my mom’s number. “Come on Sky just do it, for Michael, for the ring”. I pressed the phone symbol and nervously bit at my lip as the phone dialed. “Richards Residence, Sharice speaking”. I heard my mother say. I sighed. “Hi Mom, its Sky” I said. “Who?” She said, I sighed I knew my mom only knew me as Vada. “Its Vada”. I could hear the annoyance in her voice. “You need some money or something Vada, you only ever call when you need something” I rolled my eyes. “No mom I called because I’m coming to Atlanta, I thought it be nice to spend Christmas with the family again like old times” I said sounding genuine although I was cringing. I could hear her laugh. “We haven’t had Christmas together as a family since before you went off to college and that was 10 years ago”. “Well mom, I’m coming home” I said. “Okay Vada well your brothers and sisters will be happy to see you” She said. “And Mom, I’m bringing my boyfriend Michael” I could here a smile in her voice. “Okay well then we look forward to meeting him Vay, your Grandma is going to be so happy to hear this”. After I got off the phone with my mom, I heard Michael come back in, he opened the room door and looked at me. “So, you want to go to Atlanta and meet the Richards family?” I asked. He smiled and nodded. “My ring sir?” I asked, he shook his head, “Nope, now I can do it right with your Pops and all”. I fake smiled. “Oh lovely”.

  Janessa:

Location: L.A.

 “Chase! Please stop crying for Mommy, Dylan! Help please” My husband Dylan walked into the room “What’s up baby?” I looked at him annoyed. “Your son is what’s up, I can’t work and take care of him and you at the same time Dylan, I understand that you got hurt and you’re going through a rough time, because you tore your ACL, but you still need to help out, we can’t afford this house or anything anymore with your checks, that shit is wearing thin” I stressed. He picked up our 2-year-old son Chase and looked at me. “Nessa, I’m trying to find something just give me some time to heal first, and I promise you, Ima find a job”. I nodded. Dylan used to play overseas, but he tore his ACL and can no longer play basketball. We were living a good life until that happened now its on me to carry us until he gets him a solid job. I was in the middle of sending in my last spreads for job my when my mom called. “Hello Mother” I said. “Are you coming to Atlanta for Christmas?” She said. I sighed. “Mom like last year and the year before no, it’s hard trying to get a flight last minute in L.A.” I lied to her. “Well okay your dad has that money you asked for, he said you need to come get it personally” She said. I groaned. “Okay mom, but a lot has happened in 4 years since you last seen me” I said. “Janessa I’m your mother I don’t care just bring your ass” She said and hung up. Dylan stood by the door playing with Chase. “Your family still doesn’t know you have a whole family of your own?” He asked. I nodded. “Well the last time dad met you he wasn’t so happy that you were umm white, so in order to keep getting money from him since I’m daddy’s favorite girl next to Nori, I just keep quiet” I said. He smiled, “Go to your family, and we will see you when you get back” He stated. I shook my head. “I’ll get the money first then I’ll introduce my family to my family. I mean were married now he has no say anymore”. I said so sure of what I was saying but inside I knew this was not going to go well once shit hits the fan, I’ve been hiding this for 3years.

  Nori:

Location: Atlanta

“You have 15minutes, no touching” The guard told me as I walked into Visitation. “Hey beautiful” Andre said to me as I walked in. Andre is 3 years older then me, We attended the same college and been together since my freshman year. He had got locked up on a drug charge 5 months ago. I tried to hold back my tears. I hadn’t seen him since his first week in Jail, I been avoiding him cause I didn’t want to see him in here caged up like this, plus other shit came up. Now seeing him, I couldn’t hold back. He had grown facial hair and looked rough. “Nor, don’t cry baby”. He tried to console me. “No touching!” The guards yelled. He clenched his fist. “You see me girl fucking crying!” He yelled. “Aye Dobbs chill out or the visit is over”. He sighed. “How you been, I see you got a little thick since I been in here, you ain’t been up here in a minute?” He said looking at me. I wiped my face and fixed my curls up into a bun. “I’m straight, just been busy with majorette practice, and games and shit, um plus I got finals this week then I’m going home for Christmas. What happened to your face?”. I said examining the scar I had just noticed above his eyebrow. He laughed a little. “I’m known a college rich kid with a drug charge in a prison with niggas that really be about that life, Nor it’s either fight or be somebody bitch” He stated. I nodded. He looked down at his hands. “I’ll be out before New Year’s, my lawyer said he can get this charge off my record and I can continue out my last year and graduate and be somebody, for you”. I smiled at the thought. “I was hoping you would be able to meet my family this Christmas but If my daddy finds out I’m dating a nigga in jail, he will not approve” I said. He shook his head. “I ain’t no criminal Nor, I got caught with coke that wasn’t mine in my car” I nodded. “I know, hopefully everything works out, for you” I said. He smiled. “3 more weeks baby, and I’m out. I can hug and kiss on you”. I blushed at the thought, I been feeling alone lately but I know it was hard for him being in here. “2 minutes left in mate” The guard said. I sighed. “When am I going to see you again?” He asked curiously, I can see the sadness in his face. “Soon, I promise I’ll make time” I told him. I got up and he kissed my hand. “I love you Nori” I smiled and mouthed it back. I walked out of the prison feeling sad, my twin Narkim was blasting Lil Baby and Gunna “Drip too Hard”. Narkim and I are fraternal twins, he was born 1 minute before me, we don’t look anything alike but we share a weird bond that most people call a “Twin Sense” He always knows my mood, if I’m sick or if somethings wrong vice versa, we can’t hide anything from one another. He unlocked the door for me. “How it go?” He asked. I shrugged. “Okay, I guess” I said. He kept looking at me. “You tell him?” He asked. I looked at him crazy. “Tell him what?” I asked. “We are twins fam, whatever going on with you, be going on with me and I’m a nigga” He said laughing. I smiled. “No, I haven’t”. I said. He shook his head. “Well if my mama and daddy find out, you in trouble” Narkim said. I pushed him. “If mommy and daddy find out you been selling for Mack your deader than me, and you dropped out of College, so I keep your secrets, you keep mine” I stated. “We twins, you my ride or die” He laughed. I felt my phone buzz. “Mommy calling” I said to Narkim. I put her on speaker. “Hey baby girl” My mom said. “Wazzam Mommy” Narkim said. “Good both my babies on the phone, so your sisters are coming for Christmas, and so is your brother MJ” She said. “Vada and Janessa in the same room?” Narkim said. I laughed. “It’s been 10 years since we all been together, Damien was 6 and you guys were 10, now you guys are all grown up this is going to be a good Christmas, It better be your Grandma Rudy is coming down here, and so are your cousins please don’t embarrass me or your father, plus we have an announcement to make” She said. We looked at each other. “Okay mommy we will be there” I said. “Yeah mommy and tell G-ma Rudy bring the Henny in a bottle this time and not in her travel shampoo containers” Narkim said. I nudged him. “You know what bye” she ended the call. I shook my head at him. “Now she knows Grandma Rudy be giving us liquor” I said. He shrugged. “Mommy said her and Daddy making an announcement, what do you think that means?” I asked Narkim. “After all them times they been arguing, I think its prob a divorce” He said. I rolled my eyes. Since I was born all I knew was my parents being together, even if shit was going sour they could at least just stick out. Narkim pulled up at my dorm. “Aight sis, I got business with Mack to tend to, I’ll pick you up late this week to head back to Mama and Daddy’s”. I leaned into the car window. “Please be safe Nar, you know Mack be with the shits, I said”. He smirked. “If anything happens to me, you’ll know sis, and Ima G, I aint worried bout nothing, and stop stealing my hoodies yo”. I laughed and leaned back as he sped off.

 Narkim:

Location: Atlanta

 After I dropped my sister off, I pulled up at Mack’s spot. Mack is my boss, my supplier. He gives me the goods and I sell it for him and get 20% back. It doesn’t seem like a lot but trust me, I got my own spot in Buckhead, and Im pushing a range, it’s a lot. My parents think I won my car from saving up when I was working at foot locker. This money got me all the clothes, shit and hoes I want. I walked into the spot. “Yo was up college boy” Mack said. I smiled. “What’s good boss”. I dapped him up. “I got a big delivery for you little nigga, going to get my pockets fat and yours, you down?” He asked. I nodded. Mack is not somebody to mess with word on the streets is he make niggas go missing, He only let a select few in his crew, he let me in cause my big bro MJ used to be down with him back in school, and he respect him a lot. “I got a big ass delivery coming on the 19th of December be here to come get it young blood, and oh yeah how’s your fine twin sister doing, I hear she got thick? He asked. I clenched my jaw, I hated when niggas tried to get at my twin like that. “She good, got her head in the books” I stated. He smiled. “That’s good keep an eye on her” I nodded and sighed. I talked with the crew for a minute for I headed over to Blue Flame’s where my girl Nisha worked. “Hey Narkim” This stripper Kit Kat said to me smirking. All the hoes want me, I’m convinced. “Yo where’s Nish?” I asked. She grabbed at my shirt. “In the back baby” She said. I smiled at her and nodded. I walked to the back and knocked on the dressing room door. Nisha’s friend Havana let me in. “Hey baby” I said as I kissed her cheek. She was putting all her money in the bag. “I told you, I got you” I told her. She smiled at me. “I know, but I like to get shit on my own”. I winked at her. “I love an Independent woman”. She rolled her eyes. “So look my fam having a family Christmas dinner and I know you ain’t got no fam like that, so I want you to meet my family”. I told her. She looked up at me and started laughing. “Boy bye” She said. I sat on the counter as she continued counting. “Im for real shawty” I said. She just looked at me. “Okay, I’ll come but if you folks start asking what my career is, I’m a stripper and I make money moves” She said. I laughed at her. “Nah, just say you a professional dancer, you trying to give madukes a heart attack shawty” I said. She laughed. Nisha and I been together for a little minute, I was serious about her being that she’s my number one, my main chick, my wifey and I wanted her to know it”.

  Damien:

Location: Atlanta

 “Damien Lamar Richards” Ms. Madison said to me breathlessly as she buttoned up her blouse. I zipped up my pants and smirked her. “Yes, Ms. Madison”. She kissed me some more. “We can’t do this anymore, I could lose my job”. I nodded nonchalantly, because she said this more than once, I mostly fuck with girls my age, but Ms. Madison was bad as hell and a challenge, plus she was a woman not know childish ass little girl. “I hear you Kristen” I said leaving her teachers closet. I grabbed my book bag, and was about to leave. “So do I get an A for fucking, I mean for my essay?” I smirked. She shook her head. “Damien it doesn’t work like that? But I can make that happen” She said. I smiled. “Thanks Ms. Madison, your tutoring really helps”. I laughed and walked out. I wasn’t in love with Ms. Madison, but she had a thing for me, and sometimes I get jealous. It makes me feel like I’m the shit to be smashing my English Teacher. I got in my car and drove to my house. “Hey Damien!” My mom called out to me. “Yes”. I closed the front door behind me and locked it. I walked into the kitchen and hugged her. “Hey, my baby boy, how was tutoring?” She asked. I smiled. “Good, I’m really getting better” I said. She smiled at me. “Well your sister Vada and Janessa are coming down and so is MJ” She told me. I looked at her crazy. “Who died mama?” I asked. She laughed. “Nobody, this is just the first family Christmas were having together since you were very young, and I’m excited to have the whole family under one roof”. She said washing off the lettuce. I chewed at my bottom lip. “They know Dad lives in another house?” I asked. She groaned. “No and I want to keep it that way till the time is right, lets get them all here first, catch up on moments lost then we will tell them until then you keep your mouth shut Damien” She said looking at me sternly. “Hey I ain’t saying shit” I said. She looked at me with a serious look. “Aye watch your mouth”. I kissed her cheek and smiled. “I love you mama” She rolled her eyes. “Mmmhm watch that mouth”. I grabbed a cookie and ran upstairs to chat with Nylah, my best friend. Nylah and I been best friends since we were babies. She always made me feel like myself. “What’s up fool” She said laughing. We were on facetime. I laughed at her. “What’s up La-La?”. She made a silly face. “Where were you after school?” She asked. I shrugged. “Tutoring” I lied. Even though she was my best friend I couldn’t tell her I was smashing our English Teacher.  

   Malcom Jr aka MJ:

Location: Washington, D.C.

 I sat on the couch watching the Falcons play the Dolphins. “Stop it Leiana! Give it baccckkk” My 5-year-old son Christian called for his 9-year-old sister Leiana to give his tablet charger back. “I need to charge mine too” She wined. I got up and shushed them. “Ayye yall stop it, Daddy watching the Falcons play”. They continued fussing at each other, I was about to get up when my wife Danielle walked in the house. “Yes Mark, I know that the deadline is this Friday, I will try my best to get in by then” She started giggling. “Shussh Mark, you know I will”. I tried to get her attention and she brushed me off to go to our bedroom and close the door. I sighed, always working late and shit. I paused the game and walked into the room she was giggling more in the room. She looked over at me and put her finger up. “Okay Mark, Ill see you tomorrow” She smiled and looked at me. “Hi Baby” She said taking off her shoes. “You aint seen your kids arguing in the living room?” I asked her. She looked at me. “Honey your like right there, I’m just coming home from a long day of work” She said. I folded my arms. “So, I don’t work? I bust my ass for this family every day, you barely see the kids”. I stressed, she sucked her teeth in. “Malcom come on don’t start this tonight we been having a great week, don’t start this again” She said. I waved her off and walked towards the door. “Malcom, please soon we will have time together as a family, your mother called me today” She said. I stood by the door and looked at her. “She wants us to come to Georgia for Christmas”. I groaned. “Why?” I asked. I hadn’t been down there since we had Christian. “She said it’s a big family gathering, and she wants us all there”. I nodded. “Aight”. She got up and kissed on my face. “Stop making that face MJ” She said. It felt nice getting some attention from my wife. I smiled a little. “Maybe I can cook and then after the game we can make another movie” She said winking at me. I smirked. “Aight bet, but Ima hold you to it” She smirked back and nodded. I walked out the room, and got the kids situated so they weren’t fighting anymore and continued to watch the game. I realized an hour and half and passed, she was still in the room. I got up and went to the door, I heard a soft giggle. I put my ear on the phone. “No, I’m going to Atlanta to visit family, I knowwww I wish I could be there with you too, well I got to go, I can’t wait to see you tomorrow”. I instantly thought about that white nigga Mark at her job. My fist clenched as I swung open the door, Danielle jumped. “Jesus Malcom you scared me!, Yeah um I see you tomorrow, you too bye” She rushed off the phone. “What happened to dinner?” I asked. She palmed her face. “OMG honey, Okay let me go order a pizza, Im so sorry” She got up and ran to change her clothes. “Baby, can you order a pizza?” She asked. “Yeah” I said. I seen her phone lying on the bed and I went to grab it. She walked out the closet, she came up to me and smiled and looked at me with a puppy dog face. “Please?” I smiled softly. “Okay”. “Oh goodness I got to look at my schedule for my meeting tomorrow, she grabbed her phone from my hand and went in the bathroom. I was curious to know if she was cheating on me.

[shyrose57]

Brothers anon, sorry its been like 2 days since I last submitted something! I've been busy and whenever I finally had time to sit down and write this all its like 1 in the morning. I hope its still ok for me to send these.

🌹 anon ima respond to you first, your The Deal au could be the reason why and how Ranboos and Dreams soul got mixed and linked together. But then a problem is how did it pass to Ranbob? In my au, each person has their own soul basically. And while certain attributes like DNA can be passed through bloodlines, souls can't, as their unique to their person. 

What left Ranbob vulnerable to Dream is that he was seen as the star student. The apprentice everyone wanted. He always got perfect grades and was seen as the smartest in the City. This did not go well. As Ranbob was put under a ton of pressure to always stay perfect and get everything right. When his grades started to slip and his chosen mentor started to put even more work on him, his mentality started to suffer. With him losing sleep and starting to not care for himself or do the basic necessities like eating or drinking, all in an effort to be "perfect". Its through this need, and weakened state over all, Dream's presence was able to slip in and convince him to let him help.

Benjamin is 30, Isaac 29, Cletus is 24, and Charles is 27. 

When Ranbob first told Ran about the Dream mask and how he wasnt himself, Ran did not believe him at all. And kept saying that he needs to stop lying and fess up to what he did and pay for it. Others tried to convince him that his brother really wasn't in control of himself, but was met with strong skepticism, scoffs, and disbelief. With Ran not beliving that was the truth at all.

Watson was very shocked but quickly reorganized himself cause he had to calm Jackie, and its only after Jackie fell asleep he was like "Oh fuck. I really am the dad huh?" Jackie was embarrassed at first but after some prodding did say how he truly saw Watson as a dad figure in his life. And everyone had different reactions to Watson suddenly accepting and fitting into the dad role. Jackie was excited and immediately started calling him dad and asking him awkward dad questions "Dad whats puberty?" "Uhhh-" "Dad where do babies come from?" "Ask your dad about that!" "But you are my dad!" Ran seemed indifferent about it but Watson can tell he's revealed to have someone to talk too, and someone to go to if things get to much. Grievous keeps sating he doesn't need a dad but he's the one that goes to Watson the most for things like hugs, comfort, and advice. 

Jackie and Grievous do everything. They rig the battle field so if someone steps in a certain area water will shoot up into their face, Grievous usually taunts and distracts opponents so Jackie can sneak up behind them and just latch onto them and cover their eyes while giggling like a madman as the opponent screams and runs around trying to get him off. Jackie regularly pulls peoples seat out from under them, while Grievous scares them and makes them choke or drop something. But they do know peoples limits. Like for Ran, no water related pranks (there was an incident where Grievous spilled a whole bucket of water on him and Ran got severe burns and had to stay in the hospital ward for a few days), for Watson don't mess with his bow or arrows, he will stab you. And for eachother, Jackie, no pranks that leave him alone for extended periods of time or makes it seems like everyone is gone/left. For Grievous no pranks centered around food or drinks (like putting toothpaste in his sandwich or putting pepper in his beer). 

Ran and Jackie have a 50/50 win if that makes sense. They both win and lose pretty often. They play games like Spoons, Go Fish, Dart Throwing (Watson needs to be present for this one), something similar to Cards Against Humanity, Poker (everyone plays during this one), and Tic Tac Toe. 

Sometimes Jackie loves being the smallest and other times hates it. He hates it when Ran steals something of his and holds it above his head, he sometimes resorts to aggressively climbing Ran to get it but Ran tends to just pluck him off, and people make fun of him in a mean natured way (he's fine with light teasing). But he loves it when he rides Ran's shoulders or can duck under peoples legs and trip em. Because he's also small and fast he's hard to catch and that definitely comes in handy during fights. No ones particularly protective of eachother (excluding Ran who's protective of everyone), because they know none of them like being babied and they can all hold their own, though they will quickly flock to help eachother if they need it. Ran definitely flaunts it whenever their in a agurement. 

There is a area under the fighting arena of the pit where they stay. Theres separate rooms for everyone, training areas, dinning areas, and just chilling areas. Theres even extra rooms meant for often visiting friends (Like Genevieve) and some for storage of weapons which also holds things to sharpen them or get new ones. The Pit itself is in the middle of a gaint city, so there are tons of stores and food areas around. And because of a high salary the King gives them they go out quite often, often eating out and browsing stores when their not training or sleeping. 

If by other combinations you mean like Ran-Jackie, Ran-Grievous, Watson-Jackie, and Watson-Grievous then it highly varies. Watson and Jackie are by far the worst team, their styles just don't match and constantly but heads during battles. Watson and Grievous are probably the best out of the 4 teams because Grievous can be serious and works well with Watson as he's much more willing to change his fighting style to accommodate whats needed. Ran and Jackie are like Jackie and Grievous, but they aren't nearly as insane. Rather Ran provides distractions while fighting to give Jackie time to sneak up behind them. Ran also is the only one able to actually throw Jackie, which they sometimes do during battles. And Ran and Grievous work well together, but not as much as Watson and Grievous, its just a few things of both their styles don't match or could potentially cause problems.

He's clumsy flat out, he isn't used to having full control and needs to get used to certain things like walking or talking again. He is also severely dehydrated and malnutritished because Dream didn't care enough to drink or eat. He's also incredibly skittish and scared easily. He and Cletus's relationship isn't solved fast at all, it takes months and the work of everyone to get the two comfortable around eachother. They start by putting Cletus on watching duty, where he watches over Ranbob to make sure he's eating and drinking and resting while not tiring himself out. Then after a month or 2 Isaac, Benjamin, and Charles start purposely leaving the two in a room alone toghere to get them to talk stuff out. It takes 3 months until their comfortable enough with eachother to willingly talk and hang out. Oh the house building attempts went aboustely awful. They sometimes fell on Ranbob! And when they didn't they just collapsed or got blown away by the wind, but Isaac did ofter help a few times and showed him multiple different ways to make sure the walls stay up and keep the cold out. 

Ran is very unhappy with Ranbobs haunting, he thinks their kind of like Ranbob in which they've all killed people and considers them a threat at first, but when he sees how his haunting likes and interacts with Ranbob's, he losens up a bit, his group trusts them, so he has to trust them a little bit. But he doesn't trust them or like them nearly as much as he trusts and likes his haunting. 

Im guessing you mean who from the two groups get along the easiest. Most of them take a while to get to know eachother, like a few hours. But after that their all really close. Charles and Jackie, Cletus and Grievous, and Benjamin, Isaac, and Watson are the groups that get along really well really fast. 

Im honestly probably am going to go for them adventuring outside the City to try to get the brothers to get along again. Mostly cause I thought of the idea that what if Watson, Jackie, and Grievous all lie to Ran, and while they are actually going on an adventure, they lie to him that his brother and his group isn't coming. Then when its much to late for Ran to back out, Watson just goes "Oh yeah! Your brother and his group are traveling with us. And you can't do anything about it." And Ran just sits there shocked. 

Ran and Ranbob are both subtle protective of their group. With Ranbob never really getting aggressive or going into overbearing. But for Ran, if someone in his group is injured badly enough or if there's a big enough threat he does get overbearing and extremely aggressive towards whatever/whoever the threat is *cough cough Ranbob cough*. Ranbob tends to be very physical, listening more to a certain instincts that tell him to constantly have a view on or hold his family, as if he doesnt see or touch them for a long time he gets very anxious and panicky, thinking his family is dead and that he's all alone again. His group understands this and so tends to not stray to far away from Ranbob. He will also follow his group like a lost puppy at times. Ran while listens more to the instinct that tells him at random times to make sure his family is ok and to bond with them. The bonding leads to him randomly grabbing them and just sitting down with them, most likely playing games. While the random urge to check on them has led to him waking them up during the middle of the night or interrupting his own conversation or others conversations just to ask if their ok. His took a while to understand why he does it, but now if he wakes them up or drags them somewhere, they know to go along with it and comfort him during those times. 

Hybrids are rare! Especially aggressive or netural type mobs like Ran, Ranbob, and Porkius are. Their actually seen as monsters and are chased out or hunted in other city's because people aren't accepting of them. Theres very few city's like Subbin that fully welcome and are even led by hybrids. So there are more hybrids in Subbin, than there is anywhere else. 

Sorry this is so long ':)

Asks are always welcome here, and don’t worry about taking a bit or anything. The questions aren’t going anywhere, there’s plenty of time. 

Here’s that for you,🌹anon.

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

1: Wow, Ranbob’s really going through it, huh? Does he ever start to fall back on that need to be ‘perfect’ while with the others? If so, how do they deal with that? And how is he with others offering to help him? If he even can really recall falling under Dream’s thrall, by accepting such an offer, how does he react to others doing the same, even if their intentions are far different?

2: So we’ve settled all the ages down, nice. You figure out anything for their backstory yet? And how do their ages affect their relationships with one another? Does Benjamin take the lead a lot? Or is he more of a follower that still has a lot of say? Who met who first?

3: So Ran’s obviously going to be awhile before he believes what went down. Still, I can’t imagine he’d have been as willing to go along with his hauntings little roadtrip plan if he wasn’t swayed at least a bit, since I can’t imagine he wouldn’t have put his foot down if he truly though Ranbob had done what he did. Why exactly does he go along with it? Does some small part of him want to give his brother a chance? Is he just confident he can overpower him, and looking for an opportunity to settle the score? Does he see something that makes him hope a bit? What’s going down there, anon?

4: On one hand, very adorable. One the other hand, poor Watson. Does Jackie actually not know that stuff, or does he do that just to mess with his new father figure? It seems like they all take to it pretty well overall though.

5: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Two people to truly fear. How many people straight up forfeit when faced with this combination? It seems like they’ve had some interesting times, good and bad. How’d those play out? As for those last two, I’m sensing a bit of a backstory. Why does Grievous not like stuff being put into his food? And why’s Jackie not good with being left?

6: So it’s fifty/fifty, huh? Who wins the most at what games? And uh, Watson has to be present for Dart Throwing. What happened there? How’s everyone’s poker faces? Who’s got the best luck in games of chance?

7: A love/hate relationship with height. I feel ya, Jackie. Very funny to imagine though, Jackie just, physically climbing up Ran. How tall even is this guy?? How do they deal with meaner teasing, not just from the gladiators, but from general bullies? Not everybody’s as friendly as some of the Pit fighters, after all. And how do the fishermen react with their fighting skills? Obviously, they must know how to fight somewhat, to have entered the Pit, but the gladiators do this for a living. How much is the difference in skill level? And does the gang ever get to show off just how skilled they are? 

8: Their home sounds very nice, honestly, I wished I could live there, minus the people. What’s everyone’s rooms look like? How have they personalized them? Which brings up another question-what kind of interests and hobbies do they have? What kind of things do they do that aren’t fighting and related to such? And they must be pretty well known, to have such high pay. Any of them have an arena title, or some sort of stage name? How many people can recognize the city’s top gladiators on sight? And how do they get around that, when they don’t want to be seen? How do people feel about them in general?

9: All these team ups sound terrifying, and I wouldn’t want to be facing them. How do they deal with it when they get a bad match up? Do they just stay out of each other’s way? Try to take their opponents out quick? Make it one on one? Ran and Jackie have to be my favorite team up, solely for the fact that you’ve said Ran straight up throws him. Like?? Imagine coming to the King’s Pit, a well known, popular place, hoping to prove yourself, and then getting taking out by a flying midget, just tossed at you by a ridiculously tall endermen hybrid. How would you feel?? 

10: Ranbob is just really going through the ringer here. How many times does he just drop stuff, or trip over his feet? Does he ever get better, or does he still retain a clumsy streak? If so, how does Ran react to that? It’s very good he and Cletus bond! Are they just as close as the others, or is there still a bit of distance? How often does Ranbob forget to eat or drink, or really just take a break? How long does it take to get him to start remembering to do that stuff again? 

Does he ever slip up while with the gladiators? Also, in a room? Do the fisherman expand their house more, or do they just leave them in the house? Does Ranbob ever get his own house up? If so, does he use it at all, or is it more for storage? And how many times did he fall asleep out there, get injured, or not realize it was about to rain? How long did it take before Benjamin or Charles put their foot down and make him stay in for a bit?

Has Ranbob ever even dealt with rain before, or a storm above water? If not, how’d he react to it? 

11: Oh, boy, Ran. Your concerns are understandable, but definitely going to lead to some angst. Is he just on edge the whole time? How many times does he just glare at them, or straight up steal one of his haunting back a few feet away from Ranbob’s? Are the fishermen ever worried he might hurt them?

12: How do both hybrids deal with their groups bonding? I imagine Ranbob’s pretty happy with it, but how about Ran? As you said, he doesn’t seem to be the biggest fan of these guys. 

13: Roadtrip! Gotta love a roadtrip! What kind of places do they head? Any transportation, or is it just walking, enjoying nature? Do they go on an adventure to look for something cool? What’re they getting up to?

14: So Ran and Ranbob both act on their instincts in different ways. How do they feel about seeing how the other acts? What happens if any of the fishermen stray too far, or get separated from Ranbob? Same question to Ran. Ran just...like...picks up members of his haunting? Do people just see him walk around with them dangling in his arms? He must be pretty strong. How often does he do this? How else do their instincts lead to them acting? Cuddle piles, picking up blocks, keeping their groups close together, ect?

15: So Subbin’s pretty much a safe space for hybrids? Interesting. But since the groups are heading out, does this mean they run into some trouble outside of the city? And is there ever trouble within it? 

Other questions: Does Karl play any further part in this, or has he already played his role for good? Does the gang ever end up back at Mizu? Do any of the group have a pet or something similar? With there be any sort of connection to other Tales, even if only slightly, or will they be solely focused on these two? Does Ranbob pick up his studies of Ranboo as best he can once he’s free, or does he leave it all behind entirely?

Thanks for the ask, this AU’s become quite interesting. I can’t wait to see where it goes!

[yuki7900archive]

Movie!Nya x Female Reader Part 2

Instead of linking all the parts on each part ((did that make sense? I hope so)), ima make a master post after it’s all posted cos its just a load easier

She didn't even get the chance to explain, as pretty much seconds after you had all started walking off to class, something else went off. A siren. Not like a sea siren, but a warning siren. Kind of like one used in wars to alert people of enemy planes invading or attacking. You were confused, rightfully so, as students began running frantically and hiding, screaming in fear. Your new friends had stopped and gritted their teeth as they stood and looked between each other. Why weren't they reacting the same way as everyone else?

"H-Here, (Y/N) we gotta go hide." Nya had taken your hand and ran off in the opposite direction to the guys. They ran back in the direction of their lockers whilst you two headed the other way. Why had you all separated yourselves like this? What was going on?

She led you around the school, trying to find a free hiding spot for you both. She wasn't having much success, as everyone had already picked a place to take cover. You could feel vibrations in the ground, along with a lot of shrieking and explosions coming from outside. Your heart froze as the pair of you went from classroom to classroom trying to find a safe spot.

"N-Nya?" You had gripped her hand tightly in fear. Your voice wavered as you called her name. "What's happening." The girl looked back at you and bit her lip as she kept walking. Eventually figuring that there was nowhere left in school left for you two to hide, she began heading  back the way you'd came for the exit.

"We're under attack." She squeezed back. "From Lord Garmadon." You had gasped. His dad was a warlord! That's why everyone hated Lloyd. It all finally fell into place. They blamed him for all that was going on. But...But that wasn't fair! His dad was the one doing the damage, not him. How could they hate Lloyd? He hadn't done anything to them.

You had remained quiet as Nya dragged you along, helping you climb over larger pieces of rubble trying to find a place of safety. This was extremely difficult, unsurprisingly. You had looked around and seen all the destruction, your face falling. You really wanted to go back home. You wished this was all some crazy dream and you'd wake up in bed at your old house. But you knew it wasn't a dream, and that was the most terrifying part. A literal nightmare from which there was no awakening. You thought that was some cliche line in a book to make everything seem ten times more dramatic but no, this was reality right now, and reality was scaring the shit out of you.

"Damn it!" The teenager growled and ran a hand through her hair. She was looking frantically left and right, figuring out what to do in this situation. As she did that, you heard a ferocious roar come from above, causing you to look up and see a giant, green mechanical dragon soar through the sky. You were confused this morning, now you were outright dumbfounded. Nya had also looked up and sighed. "Okay, that'll buy some time..." You heard her mutter.

"Why is there a dragon in the sky?" You hadn't taken your eyes off the thing as it blasted green flames at what looked like floating metal jellyfish- Okay, what was with all the flying mechanical animals?

"It's the Green Ninja." She explained. "When Garmadon attacks, the Secret Ninja Force comes to protect everyone. That's their job."

"The Secret Ninja Force? This city is nuts." Nya had laughed.

"Yeah, just a little." She saw a small alleyway and tugged on your hand. "Come on, There's a ship on the other side of town I can take you to. But we gotta move now." You had nodded, not questioning her and doing as told. After all, she knew what she was doing, and you didn't have a clue.

You both ran through all the rubble, you were doing your best to keep up but you weren't as athletic as her it seemed, as you ran out of breath after a few minutes of running. You could hear the rumbles get louder and louder, making it harder for you to run as the ground kept shaking. You had seen another large mech zoom past as you went in the alleyway, this time a giant white tank that shot ice from two turrets. It had blocked off the entrance when you had gone through as it attacked some weird crab-like mech's on the ground, so there was no turning back now. Shortly after you had began to lose steam and fall behind Nya, and she noticed straight away as you collapsed on the ground. She ran back to you and knelt by your side.

"S-Sorry I...I can't..." You coughed.

"It's okay (Y/N), this is all new for ya', I don't expect you to be able to sprint for so long." She rubbed your back as she panted herself, regaining some of her lost energy. "We'll be okay for a little bit. Like I said the ninja will buy us some time. And if we keep going through narrows spaces and alleyways then-"She was cut off when a laser blast came from the other end of the street, passing just over your heads and hitting the ice wall behind, melting a small hole into it. You had looked up and seen a crab mech there, along with a large number of soldiers in...fish themed gear? Ugh, whatever, you were done questioning everything at this point.

They had started to slowly approach you both, them all grinning wildly as their leader spoke to you. "Looks like we've found more recruits for the Shark Army." You felt panic set in, knowing you couldn't run away. You were totally surrounded as they edged closer and closer. It was then that you felt more fear, as Nya stood in front of you, punching her fists and cracking her knuckles. She had glared at them and spat to the ground.

"That's what you think, ugly." She got in a fight stance and you looked at her with concern and worry. Was she seriously gonna take on all these soldiers by herself? Was she insane? They were all laughing at her even now at the absurdity.

"We have a fighter! Are you sure you don't want to just sit and make this easy for us? Wouldn't want to hurt you before you'd even gotten back to the lair." Nya had scoffed and laughed this time.

"Don't worry about me fish face, you just worry about all the bones in your body that are gonna break." She had confidence. A lot of it. So much of it it actually made you confident in her. She could do this, you knew she could. And with that, the man had shrugged and told his men to attack you both, watching as his soldiers charged.

You had covered your face, bracing for impact, only for nothing to come your way. You glanced up and saw the first soldier to approach Nya to be met with swift fist straight to the face. They had fallen to the floor, unconscious. You had gasped, your mouth agape as you watched the man smash into the ground, blood pouring out his mouth. After that brief slow-motion punch, everything caught up to speed as she grabbed a female soldier by the arm and spun her 360 degrees, bashing into two other soldiers and causing them to topple on the floor in a heap. As they scrambled to their feet, she smashed another guy in the stomach with the back of her heel and slammed him into the gravel.

The girl fought on as you regained your breath, pummelling one enemy after the other with ease. Your chest was heaving due to all the running you had done, but Nya gave you a chance to gain some lost strength. You knew after this you'd still have a long way to run before you got to safety, so resting was important at this moment you had. Nya somehow wasn't slowing down, which amazed you. She'd run everywhere and was now beating up bad guys without breaking a sweat. She was amazing...

But even the best lost their lucky streak eventually, and soon enough she got tripped up by one general who was on the floor, knocking her foot and causing her to fall on her back. She landed with a thud and gritted her teeth, hissing in pain. You hurried to her side.

"Nya!" You took her hand and helped her sit up, her giving you a small smile. You were cut off quickly by laughter coming from the guy sat in the crab mech. He pinched the metal claws and grinned, running straight for you both. Your heart raced, but before you could even get up and try to escape, it had already caught your ankle and clamped onto you, dragging you along the floor. You screamed and clawed at the ground, trying to grip the concrete flooring, but it was no use. All the bits you could grip were cracks and only tore off from the rest of the slates as you were hauled away. You seethed in pain as the ground rubbed against your bare skin. It stung so much.

"(Y/N)!" You heard Nya cry, seeing her have to fight her way through all the soldiers again. You didn't think she'd make it this time, as you rounded the corner and lost sight of her. You kept trying to break free, but the grip was too tight, and your ankle was bleeding from the pincers holding you hostage. You thought all hope was lost for sure. You were about to accept that fate too. That is until a large hammer came out of nowhere and landed directly in the driver's face.

You heard him shriek as he fell out of the vehicle and landed on the floor in a heap, a barrage of ice arrows being shot at the mech and stop it in its place. You stayed in place until a ninja in black came and tore the pincers apart, freeing your bleeding ankle. You had scrambled and sobbed, breathing hard with tears streaming down your face. You were frightened beyond belief. You thought for sure you were going to be taken. Or even worse, die.

"Are you okay?" The voice asked you, he gently picked you up and placed you to rest against the side of a building wall.

"Y-Yeah, I am now." You sniffed, hot tears still pouring out from your eyes. You weren't okay. Not at all. "But my friend is down that alleyway! These guys came and she tried to fight them off-"

"It's okay! The White Ninja is getting her now." You nodded and spluttered. As you tried to calm yourself down, the ninja was sorting out your ankle, stopping the bleeding with a bit of torn fabric from the unconscious enemy soldier's clothing. He had made sure to secure it around your leg before retrieving his hammer and walking back over to you. You saw him grimace at the dried red stains on his weapon. "Guess I threw a little too hard."

That somehow made you laugh a bit. This whole day had quickly turned into a train wreck. It was nice to laugh, its just what you needed. Even though you supposed you were technically laughing at the thought of a man bleeding out (possibly to death) after being decked with a big stone hammer. Suddenly a worrying thought sprung to mind.

"My mom..." You muttered before your eyes widened. "Oh god, my mom!"

"Relax, try not to think the worst." He attempted to comfort you, crouching next to you and holding your shoulder. "She's probably been evacuated to the edge of the city with everyone else."

You took a deep breath. Yes. Be positive. Everything was gonna be okay.

It was then that both Nya and the White Ninja came running around the corner to where both you and the Black Ninja sat. You had grinned upon seeing the ravenette, and she seemed to do the same thing as she skidded in front of you. She hugged you tightly for a few seconds and you felt your cheeks heat up a little. Without thinking too much of it you hugged her back just as tightly. When she pulled away she looked at the two ninjas who were stood in front of you.

"Thank you." They nodded their heads in unison.

"No problem. Need us to get you to the edge of the city?" The male in black inquired but Nya shook her head.

"The warehouse at the pier." They both widened their eyes and furrowed their brows. After giving each other a brief glance of concern, they looked back at the girl.

"A-Are you sure? Not the evacuation point?" They asked again and Nya gave a assured nod as you clung to her arm. You didn't want to let go of her again, scared you'd be taken away.

"I know the old man on the boat will look after her until all this is over. Please." She begged them. They didn't seem overly confident but they agreed to. You went with the White Ninja in the Ice mech as Nya went in the Quake mech. You were reluctant to be separated from your friend again, but you knew it was for the better, so you put your feelings of dread aside and sat in the back seat of the Ice Tank until you'd reached safety. You didn't look out the window, scrunching up and hiding behind the chair in front of you. You were currently trying to ignore all the blasting and booming you could hear going on just outside. The other ninja were communicating with each other, some making puns and jokes as they fought against the oncoming army. You weren't sure whether to laugh or be angry. You chose for now to be neither, too agitated from the events of the day so far. It wasn't even 12PM and you were already so done.

Another few minutes later and the vehicle came to a stop at the pier, which was closer to the enemy than you had been when you were on the other side of town. The ninja assisted you in getting out of the tank, despite your shaking from how close Garmadon's men now were to you, and helping you limp over to Nya. She thanked the pair of them and walked with you to the ship that sat peacefully on the ocean water. The old man that Nya had mentioned before stood and watched as more and more mechs kept emerging from the ocean. He didn't seem too worried. That man had some courage. He seemed to have this calming aura about him to, which actually helped you with your nerves as you both hobbled over.

"Wu!" Nya had cried out, getting the old man's attention. He turned and his eyes also widened, rushing over to help.

"Nya, who is this?" He asked the girl but she shook her head.

"No time to explain! I couldn't find her a hiding spot so I tried to get her here. But Garmadon's men attacked and hurt her ankle." Wu took a hold of you, putting one of yours arm around his shoulder. "Can you heal her? I gotta get out there and help!"

"What? Nya-" You tried to argue back but you were interrupted by the old man as he responded to her.

"Of course, now go." The ravenette nodded and rushed off inside the warehouse. You tried calling after her but the old man turned you both around and helped get you on the ship.

- - -

An hour or so later and the chaos died down, total silence upstairs. Wu had sat beside you the entire time, having made you both some tea. It was odd tasting, and you'd never had anything like it before, but you liked it. He had simply talked to you, trying to take your mind off of everything. Well, there had been that one odd occasion about half an hour in some soliders had come down from the stairs, a note in hand from Garmadon. You thought it would be this super serious message or something, but no. It was far from it. It was some message about how Wu was a, and I quote, "big stupid dumb dumb with a stupid beard that matches your stupid face." You had blinked, furrowing your brows as your lips parted, utterly speechless. Garmadon, this terrifying evil warlord who had injured and killed countless, wrote that exact same message.

"What in the..." You had quietly uttered, Wu turning to look at you as he stood up from his seat.

"He's my older brother." He stated, like it would explain everything to you.

"This is how brothers talk to each other?"

"Not generally at this age." Wu shrugged and grabbed his walking stick. "But what you don't know is that my brother is a moron." With that he had started beating up all the soldiers in that room, taking them out one by one and momentarily leaving as he fought soldiers on the stairs and on the top deck. You had kept your eyes on the unconscious men and women on the floor, scared they'd wake up and try attacking you again. Luckily they didn't and the old man came back downstairs to haul them away. You don't know what he did with them, and you didn't dare ask either.

"So," Wu had poured another cup of tea for you, handing you a cookie too. "How come you moved to Ninjago? Not exactly the safest place to live." You took the cookie and tea, thanking him and sipping on the strange tasting liquid before nibbling at your food.

"Mom needed to come here for work-related stuff. Apparently, they were low on staff here so she had to relocate. Whether they were low on staff because people left or because they'd been killed, I think I'd rather not know..." Your voice trailed off a little and you quietly ate and drank. The old man sat next to you had hummed.

"I understand this must be terrifying for you." Wu frowned and twiddled his thumbs. "First day here and already your life has been at stake." You hadn't said anything in response, just looking down at your lap.

"I can tell you are worried about your friends. But I can assure you, they will be fine. They deal with this on a regular basis, they know what to do when this happens." You gave a small sigh and bit into your cookie again. You looked back at him.

"Why do people stay here if this keeps happening?" You had asked the man, furrowing your brows. It was the one thing you just didn't understand. They could leave if they wanted to, move away and start a new life someplace else, yet they chose to stay here. Why was that?

"I am not too sure myself. It was like this when I was your age too. A lot of creatures would come to the city and wreck havoc but, still everyone stayed. Back then there was no such thing as the Secret Ninja Force, only the Elemental Masters. And the Elemental Masters protected the city from all that attacked. That's what kept people around back then, because they had warriors who risked their lives for others, who kept them safe. It gave them hope. I suppose the Ninja do the same job as we did." You listened to him ramble.

"Are the Ninja the same as Elemental Masters?"

"The Ninja ARE Elemental Masters." He corrected you. "Just a different name and a new generation." You looked down at the tea in your cup, swirling it around gently and watching it move in its clockwise rotation. Images of what happened before sprung to mind, images of the fight. You thought about how you'd had to stop, how you'd run out of breath. Nya risked her life to protect you, she beat up everybody in her path to keep you safe. Then the time came for you to do the same, throw yourself in front of her and allow yourself to be taken. You hadn't though. Instead your first through was running, and instead you allowed yourself to get dragged away. You were weak. You felt ashamed. You didn't want to be the damsel, you hated that idea.

"Do they all have to be?" You had muttered softly, afraid to ask him. There was a pause.

"No, they don't." Wu stood up upon hearing loud noises from above. "That will be the ninja with their mechs. Excuse me for a moment." With that he left you by yourself again, slowly making his way up the stairs in order to greet the team upon their arrival back. He wasn't gone for too long, two, possibly three minutes at the most, but those minutes just seemed to last an eternity. You couldn't even distract yourself by focusing on pain in your leg, as that tea you had seemed to have some kind of magical effect on you and had completely numbed the pain. You couldn't have been happier to hear multiple footsteps stomping down the stairs. Yet somehow you still managed to smile wider upon seeing the first person to enter be Nya.

She launched herself to your side, sitting on the stool Wu had sat in previously and scooting it closer to the bed. As she did that you noticed she wasn't in the same attire he had been in earlier, now changed in a grey gi with an armoured skirt. "Are you alright? You're looking a lot better than you did when I dropped you off here." She fussed over you, looking over your face and clothes to see the dirt and blood marks still there.

"Y-Yeah, uh." You felt your cheeks heating up again. "Wu's been looking after me." She sighed and grinned as the rest of your friends crowded around the bed, all of them also changed out of their usual clothing and now in gi's too. You saw two you recognised, the black and white gi's that Cole and Zane wore. It was then it clicked in your mind and your heart began pounding.

"So...You're a ninja?" Nya nodded and briefly glanced away.

"Yeah."

"Well...that explains how you could run for so long and then pummel a load of bad guys without even breaking a sweat." She had laughed and nodded along with the other ninja. They didn't speak, merely watched you two interact. You then stopped smiling and frowned, looking down to the floor and placing your cup and cookie on the table side. You squeezed the bed sheets in your hands. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"What? (Y/N), it's okay-"

"But it isn't okay." You stopped her before she could finish. "You could've got hurt. Other's could've got hurt. You had to protect me instead of innocent civilians because I couldn't just run."

It was her turn to stop you, grabbing your chin and forcing you to look her in the eyes as she frowned at you. It was then you noticed what beautiful eyes she actually had. Ocean blue. You could stare into them forever. You heart was racing in your chest as you felt yourself blush from the embarrassment. "It's my job to protect people who need protecting. Don't feel bad. So long as you are safe that is all that matters to me, okay?"

Your face was as bright a red as Kai's clothes, you were fairly certain, as her fingers slipped from your chin and she reached for the make shift bandaging around your leg. "Let's see if the tea worked." You were in a daze for a few seconds before you finally snapped out of it, feeling the fabric fall away. When it dropped to the bed your eyes widened, because your leg was totally healed. It was like it had never even been touched. No wonder you couldn't feel any pain; there were no cuts there anymore. That had really freaked you out. You couldn't believe your eyes. You brought your leg up close to your face and kept your eyes locked onto the bit where the crab mech's pincers had sunk into your flesh. Your fingers trailed against the now smooth skin as you mouthed curses to yourself. This caused the ninja to laugh audibly.

"Is that the strangest thing to happen to you today?" Kai had grinned at you. You blinked and finally let your leg down on the bed again.

"I...don't know..." You ran a hand through your hair and sighed, flopping onto the bed. "I need to go and find my mom..."

"Don't worry, she's at my place." Lloyd informed you. "My mom's looking after her." What an utter relief.

[paravosnico]

22-23

About a month or so late on this post...I was thinking of writing a reflection of what being “22″ was like. Let’s see how much I can remember lmao. 

I entered the workforce at 21 years old.. by the time I turned 22, I had already worked for a little over 2 months. I found a room to rent in a small white house with 2 roommates, and bought my first car. 

OKAY I don’t feel like storytelling so ima just make some bullet points of “significant events” that happened:

-moved into airbnb. loved the hosts...they basically adopted me and became my Californian grandparents. They introduced me to their families and I became good friends with Grandma Brenda’s grandniece, Liz. 

-bought a 2015 Acura TLX. She’s a beauty

-moved into house with 2 roommates. 

-celebrated birthday with Sebastian, a new friend I made. 

-hung out with him quite a bit (drove to LA almost every week) to escape my town... went to my first music festival with him where he got fucked up and I had to drive him home lmao. he admitted he had feelings for me, twice. The second time was pretty much the day(?) right before he started working. We didn’t hang out after that. 

-Dom came to visit. I was a little moody nearing the end of his trip, and he called me out on it. Eventually admitted I wasn’t very happy... I cried when we parted

-Switched to night shift around July aka switched teams. transition was rough. I felt a sense of separation anxiety from my original team... I had a difficult time feeling present at work, which affected my performance. my connections score dropped, I was feeling severe anxiety, and I was depressed af. I eventually pulled myself together right before Peak.

-switched to another team late October. felt this team [of associates] was a good match for me, although I struggled with my leadership team. my boss got fired... he was an angry man lol. he meant well but couldn’t control his feelings very well aka couldn’t handle a stressful environment, and outwardly projected that onto us. 

-took a break and went to DC, caught up with a bunch of friends. visited my best friend in Utah, first. brought a boy home for the first time.. ended up being a wonderful night.

-switched to a new building on a whim. already talked to parents who agreed I should quit. new building was like 10x the size of my old building.. again, I didn't feel very present. finally quit my job mid-May. 

overall, 2018 was rough. I had a hard time adjusting to a full-time work schedule.. and it was hard building close relationships. I felt confused, and unhappy, anxious, and depressed. I was making good money, and was living well, but I didn’t feel fulfilled...... I felt like life didn’t have meaning. I felt like I wasn’t on the right path. I know many new graduates feel this way.. many I’ve talked to don’t actually like their jobs.  

on the bright side, I didnt feel sad or anxious after ending the “relationship” I had with one of my associates. or like, it took only 2 weeks to get over the initial heartbreak. I truly feel like this was the end of a cycle for me relating to anxiety in my romantic relationship. ive come to be at peace and even accept the idea that what’s meant to be will be, and that you can’t force certain things. 

[thefruitsofloveff]

Chapter 13.

King

1 Week Later

Monday 7:20 am

“So, How you liking this new house baby?”.

I questioned Sanaa as I got her ready for her first day at her and Trent’s new school. She smiled brightly, still rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“I love it daddy. I’m ready for school too”.

I laughed, sitting on her bed and looking around. After I got all the stuff out here 2 days ago, the whole weekend was dedicated to getting Tiana and the kids settled in. Now it’s back to reality for me. I gotta fly back to NY in a hour for the day to handle some last minute shit, so I wont be able to see Sanaa and Trent off too school. But I’m sure Tiana will have it all under control. 

“I’m glad. Because daddy put his hard earned money into this house with his Princess in mind”.

She laughed, shaking her head and walking over to her dresser. Looking in the mirror she fixed her shirt then put lotion on her face. Walking back over, she handed me some oil for her hair. I looked at her with a confused expression.

“Put a little in the middle of your hand and rub it through my hair”.

I chuckled, doing as she said and moved my fingers through her coils.

“I met the 2 girls down the street. She was like how old are you and I said 8 and she said do you have a sister and I said no I have 2 brother-”

“You introduce Titan and Trent as your brothers.”.

She chuckled, getting up and closing the oil.

“Yes. I use to only say Titan because Trent is annoying, but I guess they are both my brothers now”.

I laughed and nodded. My head. 

“I guess so. Come on Baby”.

Grabbing her book bag, we walked out of her room and all the way down the hall to Trent’s. He smiled, jumping out of Tiana’s lap and grabbing his own book bag.

“Is she ready? I’m ready? My book bag is all together”.

Tiana smacked her teeth, putting his bush on the dresser and rubbing lotion on his face.

“Are w-:

“Downstairs Downstairs!”.

I cut Sanaa off from talking, following behind them as they spoke and talked while walking down the stairs.

“Do we take french classes, or we always talk french?”.

Sanaa questioned, sitting at the breakfast bar with a  bowl of cereal Pollie made in front of them. I shrugged, looking at my watch and adjusting it.

“It’s both baby, you’ll have a french class, but all your teachers are french, so basically you’ll be speaking and learning it everyday”.

Tiana interjected. Sanaa smiled and took a spoonful of golden grahams into her mouth.

“I think it’s cool. So i can talk to people here”.

I laughed at Trent and ruffled his head.

“Yeah you right. Cause they speak a lot of it here in Nola”.

Walking over to Tiana, I placed my hands on her waist turning her body towards me. Leaning down I pecked her lips and smiled, looking at her sleepy face. It was sexy actually, made me wanna dig in them guts like how I did last night, but I gotta go and catch this jet before I miss it.

“What time will you be back home?”.

“3 hour flight, 2 hour meeting, 1 hour lunch, 3 hour flight again... I’ll be back around 5 this afternoon”.

He smacked her teeth, pulling me into a hug and holding me tight. I smiled, kissing the crown of her head and hugging her a bit tighter.

“I know, but luckily these type of trips only occur once every 3 months. But I gotta go”.

I kissed her lips once more, before waving to the kids and heading out the door. Looking down at my phone, I cursed lowly to myself as another text came in from Terence.

From: Terrence

Where the fuck you at nigga. This shit is set to take off in 10 minutes

I laughed to myself, quickly hopping in my Bentley and pulling off.

To: Terrence

Nigga I can make that. I’m on the way now.

Throwing my phone on the passenger seat, I buckled my seat belt and sped down the Nola streets to the airport.

Tiana

11:20 am

Ever since I dropped the kids off this morning, I’ve been running around like crazy. Not only enjoying all Nola has to offer, but also picking up more stuff for the house. I decided to let Polly have the day to herself, I had Titan so it was just him and I.

I exhaled, enjoying the beautiful warm weather. Back in New York it would be freezing right now, but not here. The weather was just right. 

“Here Papi”. 

I handed him a small piece of shrimp from my gumbo. He frowned as he adjusted his taste buds to the new taste. I laughed, watching him finish then grab for my bowl.

“Aye no, sit back.Hold on”.

Sitting him back down in the high chair, I grabbed a bag from his bag and placed it around his neck. Pushing up his sleeves I then grabbing a small plate and placed some food on his plate. I laughed as he dived in and smiled. His fat ass.

I looked back to my phone. Scrolling through and looking for a University near by. I promised myself I was gonna go back to school, and that’s what I’m gonna do. No more making excuses, there’s no need to especially since King is offering to help me along the way. I’m really appreciative of him. I’m truly blessed and so glad God placed him in our lives. 

My train of thoughts were broken bu a man and women in the booth behind me talking loud as hell.

“Kimberly, we have these kids here and nobody to coordinate the outfits. This shoot has to be sent off to Gucci TOMORROW”

My mouth dropped a little. Gucci campaigning here in Nola. Wow, I wouldn’t have thought here. It’s kinda secluded and it’s own little world. I turned my head a little and continued to be nosey.

“Listen. I’m sure we can find someon-”

“The shoot is in 2 hours. We don’t have that much time”.

I began to think. I could do it, Lord knows I love fashion and design. I don’t wanna butt in but God has a funny way off doing things.

Standing up a bit, I walked to the side of their booth and smiled.

“I couldn’t help but notice you needed a coordinator”.

They nodded and shrugged their shoulders.

“Ok? And?”

I kept my cool. Her ass was obviously getting smart. But I had to remember I ain’t the same women I use to be.

“I could coordinate”

“No thank you we-”

“No no. Actually I’m open to suggestions Kimberly”

I smiled as the man interrupted her and smiled at me nodding.

“I’m from New York. I know a a lot about design and fashion. I’d love to help”.

He looked at me hard, tapping his stand on the table. Finally he responded.

“Well I’m desperate. Please don’t make a fool of me”.

I nodded with a small, shaking his hand as he extended it.

“Are you avail-”

“Absolutely”. .

King

11: 30

“How’s it going man. New house, New lady, More Kids?”

Terrence questioned.

I laughed, sitting back in the chair and shrugging my shoulder. 

“I’s good man. I’m loving it so far. Only God knows the future. Nevermind me though. When you gonna get you a a Mrs?”.

I questioned. He smacked his teeth and shook his head. Terrence was one go my best friends. We came in this shit together, and been boys since Middle school. He’s never been the tie them down type. He just fuck them and kick em to the curb. I use to be the same way but that lifestyle gets old.

“Never nigga. You know me. I never love em. Bitches ain’t sh-”

Before he could finish his dumb ass statement, My old secretary opened the door to my old office.

“Someone name Lourdes is here to see you?”.

I stood up nodding. I remembered that was Tiana’s cousin. What the fuck was she doing here?.

I bond cringed as she walked in with a battered face. Running beside her, I helped her in the door then closed the door behind her.

“Yo, Lourdes what’s good?”.

“Dominic, He’s looking for Tiana. I wouldn’t tell him shit and he fucked my face up on the stoop”.

I shook my head then looked at Terrence. This nigga been overstepping his boundaries. I think it’s best that I go see him. Man to man about this shit.

“If I asked you were he be at could you tall me”

Terrence hopped up and stood beside me.

“Yo what you doin-”

I cut him off and raised my hand looking back at Lourdes. She paused for a moment then nodded slowly. I nodded, placing my hand on her shoulder and rubbing it.

“Ima uh. Ima get you up out of here. We leave for New Orleans around 5. I’ll have my boy here take you to get your stuff, then you can fly back with us. You can stay in the guest bed room. Find a job and get on your feet iight?”.

She nodded. I stood up from the chair. Grabbing my  jacket and keys.

“Ayo, Ima meet ya’ll at the airport. I got something to handle. Lourdes text me the spot. Now”.

Terrence began speaking but I ignored him, walking out the office an closing the door behind me.I looked down at my phone smiling at the text from Lourdes. I got his ass.

4:00 pm

I pulled up to the location that Lourdes had gave me. Placing the car in park, I blew some air out of my mouth before hopping out of the rental. Grabbing my .45 from my duffel bag,I put the silencer on it then placed it in the back of my pants and walked up the steps and through the building. I stepped off on the 7th floor and walked down the hall.

227 A. 226 B 225 C 226 D

I stopped, and knocked on the door. I listened as some rustling game from behind the door. Standing patiently, I watched as it swung open. His eyes widen and he laughed.

“What the fuck. Ain’t you the nigga that’s getting me time?”.

I laughed. I shrugged my shoulder and nodded.

“Yeah. Guilty”.

Not waiting for him to invite me in, I stepped passed him and stopped in the middle of the living room. I watched as he closed the door and held a stare off with me.

“What your tight suit. Feds ass doing up in Bedford Stuyvesant ”.

I laughed shaking my head.

“Nigga I grew up here. I paved the way for ya’ll little niggas. Little do you know. But I’m here to talk about Lourdes and Tiana. I seen what you did to Lourdes”.

He chucked and shrugged his shoulders. Grabbing a cigarette, he put it in his mouth and lit it up,

“And nigga. The fuck you here talking about some bitches for. Either way. Them bitches gonna die. And Ima see to that sh-”

Before he could finish, I quickly pulled the .45 from my back. Backing up, I shot him once in the stomach and once in the chest. I watched him drop down the floor, suffering. Stepped towards him, I smashed the cigarette with my shoes and bend down beside his ear.

“See that’s the problem... I don’t play behind Tiana. And I’ma die and kill for him”.

I smiled, watching as he chocked on his own blood. Backing out the apartment, I closed the door. Making sure nobody was around I walked down the hallway calmly and hopped on the elevator. 

Back to New Orleans

[skillesswriter]

250 Story Arc - Week 1, Part 01-07

The First Chapter

Maria was tired when she woke up this morning. It was only natural, she worked long hours and still had to get up before the sun. That and it was only Wednesday. Yet, as the days flew buy it was less about what day it was and more the lack of sleep she was getting. The bags were heavy under her soft brown eyes they wanted to be closed. She rubbed them with a yawn and then she had to ignore the cry of her soft, warm bed. Just five more minutes, it whispered to her, you could get up then. She got off her bed pulling a hair tie from the overused dresser beside her bed and tied her black hair into a ponytail to ensure it would stay out of the way. For a minute she stood there, slowly accepting her fate. She was up. She was up and there was nothing left to do but start her day. She opened the dresser drawer and dressed appropriately for the chores she had to do before she could leave the house and go to work. The chores were simple, replace the water and remove the dust that was blown inside the house and anything else needed to prepare for the day. She finished just as the sun was starting to rise. Its light reached inside the house even though the sun was hidden by the surrounding buildings. It was then that she cooked food for herself and aging father.

Part 02

Just as she finished cooking, the creaking of the floorboards told her that her father had awoken. She set the table and turned just in time to see her father enter the kitchen. Maria greeted him with a smile, “Good morning, Papa!” He acknowledged her with a grunt. He then moved to the table and sat. Looking over his meal he took a deep sigh and, with not a word spoken, he started to eat. Maria's heart sank a little at his reaction, but this was nothing new. She couldn’t compete with the food he ate in the past. She sat down beside him, gave a short prayer before starting on her food. She enjoyed her meal with him. It was the only time she was able to eat with her family. She wanted to enjoy it, wanted to have a nice long conversation but that wasn't going to happen. Instead, she ate much faster than him, she had to. Her shift was starting soon and they couldn't afford it if she was late. She would have already left, but this was the only time she could spend with her family. “How is the food?” she asked when she finished. Her father answered in a broken voice as she was taking her plate to the sink to rinse and clean. “I used to have people cook some truly wonderful meals for me, and now im reduced down to this crap.” it stung, but Maria was still happy. He's talking today!

Part 03

He usually just grunted out his greetings in the mornings. Neglecting any conversation she tried to have with him and left her alone. As if she was a stranger living in his home. She was drawn in by his out of place words. Maria felt her heart sore, those distasteful words had brought her a small bit of happiness. She wanted to continue the conversation, to continue talking with him. “Really? What was your favorite!” she asked, it was an innocent question, but her father’s reaction was violent. slamming his fist on the table he shouted at her, “never you mind that girl!” with that he was finished, he left his food and stormed away. Maria took a breath, then cleaned up after him. She wouldn't be sad. She wouldn’t be angry. She was used to his actions, his temper. She knew the reason behind them. After she cleaned up the kitchen she changed into her work uniform. It was a simple black dress with red lined stitching and embroidery and a white cover sheet. It was the maid uniform for the kingdoms castle maids. After she dressed she fixed her hair into a bun and left for work. She called out to her father just before she left. “I'm off Papa, I’ll be back! Don’t worry Papa, I’ll be back!” she spoke twice, she had to let him know that she would be back, she wouldn't abandon him. She waited for him to respond. But he would never would.

Part 04

With a breath, she turned away from the door. She took the same route she used every day. While the castle was clearly visible from her house and its large, imposing figure loomed down on the residence, she still needed to hurry. She couldn't ever be late for work, especially today. The prince was just a few days away until he came of age. Today they were going to hold a party to celebrate that fact. While speculation circled around the kingdom with about having it before he actually came of age, everyone was excited. None more so then the castle staff that knew him well. He was a charming young boy who treated everyone with the same respect and dignity that they hadn't known in the old regime. It was this reason more than ever that she couldn't be late today. It was important for everyone that they pulled this one off without any problems besetting the royal family. She had made good time and was able to arrive at the back gate with barely any time to spare. Luck was on her side, however. The guard on duty was a friend.

“Hello, little Maria! Cutting it close today?”

“Something came up at home, but I think I’ll make it in time!”

“Sure, sure. hurry up inside then. We Can’t be late today, he finally made it, It’s going to be a grand time!”

“Thank you Clyde! Yes, it’s going to be spectacular” she would make sure of it!

Part 05

Maria thanked Clyde and crossed the gate in a dash. She reached the servant's entrance of the castle when it opened. Is was sudden and Maria collided with the door. She hadn't expected anyone to use it at this time of day. She was spared major injury because the door caught her. The individual on the other side wasn't so lucky. A loud thump confirmed they slammed against the floor. Maria pulled the door open and apologize. Her words were caught in her throat when she saw who was laid out on the floor. “Az!?” she forgot herself for a moment at the sight of the young man as he picked himself off the floor. Only when he addressed her did she remember herself. “Oh, hey Mar-mar! Looks light I got caught!” “caught? What are you- I mean! Prince Azurath, what are you doing here?” Azarath chucked at Maria’s perplexing question. “Come on Mar-mar, there isn’t anyone here, drop the formalities already.” Shaking her head furiously she informed him that, “I can’t do that, Prince Azurath!” She really couldn’t. It was true, no one else was around. However, if anyone was to find her, a simple castle maid, talking to the prince casually then she would be in a lot of trouble, even if he said it was fine. Especially after she just attacked. Accident or no, her actions were an attack on the prince. She would be in a lot of trouble. Forget about being dismissed, she’d be hung!

Part 06

“But what are you doing here!?” Maria cried. “Isn’t it obvious? I'm escaping!” His words set her in a panic.“Escaping!? What- !!!” Azurath quickly pushed his hands onto Maria’s mouth, silencing her. She tried to cry out but couldn’t. the prince looked behind him and back at her taking on hand and brought its index finger to his lips, “shhh, you can't be to loud Mar-mar, Thomas is bound to hear you!” Maria nodded and repeated her question as a whisper. “Well you see, they keep talking on and on about the ceremony. It seems like such a pain you know? So ima skip it.” it took her a few blinks before she understood what he just said, “Skip your age ceremony!?” how could he! They all worked so hard She thought he was better than that. “You can’t do that!”

“What?”

“Do you know how hard everyone is working. For you! You need to take responsibility!”

“Responsibility!?”

“that's right! This is your coming of age! you’re no longer a child today, you’re a man!” she gave him a lecture until, “Okay! I get it ill show up, but I do need a brake! Just for a bit!”

“not going to happen, you don't want to embarrass yourself tonight, do you?” she was to much for him, but then again she always was. He was the only Prince and air. He wasn't used to anyone besides his father and tutors giving him trouble. But she was a different story altogether.

Part 07

“Oh no! My head hurts, what has this maid done to me!” Azurath put a hand on his forehead and cried out in pain, a smile on his lips. Maria’s eyes widened in a panic, “What are you doing!” With a wink of his eye he told her, “if i’m going down i’m taking you with me!” Was she too hard on him? Did he not understand the difference in there punishment? Ignoring her inner strife, the prince continued. “It hurts. Oh the pain, oh, the misery and torment! Don’t forget the torment!… haha” she didn't hear the sarcasm embedded in his words, nor the the laughter pouring from his lips. Her life was in danger!

She caved “Okay, okay! I didn't see anything. I didn't see anything!” laughing at her panicked cry the prince gave her a mocking bow. As he stood he caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips. An odd feeling crept into Marias heart when he released her hand from his kiss, “thank you Lady Maria. I will see you tonight!” He wiped the tears from her eyes then sped off before her heart could recover. She watched him go with a warmth in her soul “What do you think your doing standing there! What's all the commotion about!” the cold morning air returned in the form of an icy voice that made Maria to jump. She turned to its source to find the worst possible person. “Madam L’ane!?” the Housekeeper.