#i was so sad when i saw none of it was for kids like nooo its so cute..

[goopsims]

before i put too much effort into this has anybody converted the new pjs kit for kids yet AND NOT☝️ put it behind a paywall

[altschmerzes]

Hey there. I am so sorry I triggered you with my response. I had nooo Idea you had abusive parents, I would habe never written that message. I just saw this today (I am not even following you) because of a wonderfull fic of your's I read and I looked you up on tumblr and the post (without the background knowledge I have now) just seemed like a "how annoying are my parents" situation post. Very sorry and I will be sure not to write you again. Just a question- did you ever consider that a new follower or someone how is just in addoration of your fics might stumble across a comment of yours and not have the whole background story and be so insensitive? Not that this is suppossed to make it better, I was astonished though that you thougt someone would write this with knowing the background story (I even wrote i think that I have no Idea how your realtionship is). I will make sure now, to never comment on something I have no clear insight in, that was a big mistake and incosiderated. If it helps, I feel super bad now and at the same time sad for you (for having such a bad moment because of me) and for me (that somone would actually think so low of me, though it does not compare to your problem at all, mine is more a mood, not a problem). have a better day and I am very sorry again. (And my englisch is not so good I am a native spanisch speaker, hope I get across what I meant)

oh i absolutely never assumed you knew anything about my or my situation. it's even in the tags of my original answer. i have repeatedly made it clear that whether or not you know anything about me or my parents is irrelevant. that is the problem. you do not get to lecture strangers about how they talk about their parents. it is just as egregious a massive overstep and insensitively cruel decision to lecture me about it not knowing fuckall about me or my situation as it would be to do it with full knowledge. not knowing anything about me or my parents or the way they abused me is a very clear indication that anything i have to say about them or how 'annoying' i might seem to be finding them is absolutely none of your fucking business.

did you ever consider that it might be extremely insensitive and inappropriate to shame a stranger for how they feel about their parents when you do not know anything about their situation or their life experiences? just a question.

also, people say that stuff to abuse victims all the time knowing full well what's happened to us. it's not a stretch at all. i have had people say directly to me that i should be glad it wasn't worse and my parents are obviously trying, and i can't possibly understand since i'm not a parent yet myself how hard it is to raise a kid. i've had people say all of what you said and much worse while knowing extensive details of what my parents did to me. i've had this come from friends. i envy whatever world you live in where nobody would think to say those things to an abuse victim with the full knowledge they're an abuse victim.

it happens all the time. usually because society has conditioned people to hear stories about conflict of any kind between a parent and child, including adult children, real or fictional or anything, and automatically put themselves in the parent's shoes. it's instinct for so many people to take a parent's side when they do not know, i'll repeat again, fuckall about the situation. it's part of how abuse victims are marginalized and retraumatized and disrespected on a systemic level. children are property, and whiny property at that, and parents are full, complex, rounded people. things like this make it perfectly obvious that this is the case in the minds of way too many.

do some reflecting on your behaviour and your choices. don't do this shit again. do better.

[winderlylandchime]

2/2 of 2x08: ‘why is she acting like this? Is she okay? Oh god, is she sick? What’s wrong deb? Talk to me, redhead! *deb tells vic about ben* please, for the love of everything i own, stop talking. Why are you still talking? I said STOP! Twist your words? Deb, girl..that’s what you said, do you want me to rewind the tapes? AND TO SAY THAT TO VIC?! YOU WISH HE WASNT WHAT NOW? Listen to me Deb, straight still gets hiv. MIKE GET BEHIND ME, I MIGHT HATE YOU BUT I GOT YOU! OH NO HES HEARING HER! WASTING AWAY TO NOTHING? AND SHE SAYS THAT TO VIC OF ALL PEOPLE?! Poor vic. Fought for his life and now his sister says all that?! *pauses the tv and looks at me all scared* just so you know, i would NEVER say something like that to you. I might be an idiot but I’m not *waves his hand at the tv* that dumb…can you get me another soda?’… ‘he’s more sad for vic than himself? Damn, he has his nice moments. Deb, why would he have to tell you about Ben? That is literally none of your business. What’s up with you and Ted? SHE FORBIDS HIM FROM DATING BEN? Man, i hope Ben fucks the shit out of Mike this episode. I’m talking can’t walk for a week type of fuck! Because yall are pissing me off!’ And now the scene with britin is up!!!! ‘Ohhh look at them. Getting busy! Why is Justin talking about Ben? What is going on this episode..Man, ben has to have the craziest hiccups this episode. THATS RIGHT BRI! ITS MIKES DECISION! FINALLY SOMEONE WHO IS SMART! *pauses tv* justin. No. Please never do it raw. You can’t trust anyone THAT much. Cheating exists. And also you and Bri Bri don’t exactly have the most….how shall I put it nicely? Ethical relationship..is that respectful? Idk either way *shakes his head* no blondie! Brian..smack sense into him, don’t encourage him! GOOD BOY! EXACTLY BRIAN! Condoms are your best friend *shakes his pill bottle* next to these lil shits. HE WANTS HIM SAFE! AND HE WANTS HIM AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, YOU MIGHT AS WELL SAY I LOVE YOU! (My name) did you hear that?! He wants him safe! And around! FOR A LONG TIME! That’s like many years! I cannot wait for him to say i love you to Justin! Would be a dope finale. Like *pretends to be brian, ig* “Justin!!! I love you. And i wanna be with you!” Yeah that’s the shit!’ My heart breaks for when he’s gonna see the finale. ‘Brian looks good. Leather jacket, messy hair…i fuck with it. Ohhh i like Brian and this bandana chick! Look at him taking his kid to the park. OH FUCK HER PARENTS *the scene in the park with that random lady comes up* the fuck they do?! I bet Michael just got a boner hearing her say that..Brian..Brian, come on i was rooting for you! Not to be the devil’s advocate but at least his reasoning was nicer in some weird way.’ He just scoffed at the sight of Deb so i’d say he’s doing well ‘Deb..you’ve talked enough. I think you should be quiet for the next 3 episodes..oh vic forgave her way too fast! Couldn’t be me tho’ ‘…no offense but if your parents don’t like you, you really shouldn’t care..but i get it, our greatest fault as human beings is the need we all have to be loved, it’s the only thing we all have in common. *look at me as if he just saw me* ice cream! *goes to get ice cream*’ I honestly wonder how he would watch this if he wasn’t high as a kite. ‘Is justin blowing a strap on?? Go off, i guess! Oh shit oh shit! Oh the dad is having a blast. i am honestly impressed that brian is quiet’ The scene with Ben and Mikey is on and he is not okay ‘NO MIKE NO! I mean do what makes you feel comfortable but NOOO DONT LET THEM GET TO YOU! But also I support your decision but fuck’ this obviously ended with him going for a smoke and is currently outside talking to mom and lying about why he was MIA, he also tried to turn the subject on qaf but failed badly bc his attempt was ‘how would you feel if i had a boyfriend with hiv?’ It was followed by ‘no mom, i im not gay. I’m not. HE IS JUST A FRIEND’ Keep my soul in thoughts and prayers because i am going through it.

AHAHAH YES. Exactly. Deb is such a fucking hypocrite. Ugh she is the worst about Ben’s HIV. And then Michael makes it so fucking awkward when he confronts Debbie IN FRONT OF BEN.

Your brother screaming about a) wearing a condom and b) I WANT YOU SAFE AND I WANT YOU AROUND FOR A LONG TIME is all of us. He is in the fandom. Brian DOES love him.

“our greatest fault as human beings is the need we all have to be loved, it’s the only thing we all have in common” - I know you described him as a himbo but Brother Anon is spitting some serious thoughts here.

Asking your mom how she would react if he had a boyfriend with HIV. I am dyingggggg. I love you brother.

Thoughts & Prayers Anon. You are truly doing the lord’s work.

[analyzingadventure]

Why did I refollow the official Twitter when I know I just end up seeing GG spoilers

Anyways catching up, episodes 52 to 56!

52, Mysterious Lake!

There’s something about the whole kids really trying to hide the Digimon and trying to convince people they’re holograms to the Digimon just walking around visible to everyone and all the people buy that they’re holograms with ease... Like something about this transition makes me sad

(Is it just that the kids having to put in effort every episode would get old and we get it by now so they’re intentionally trying to just smooth that out for the sake of convenience, or is writing around that “plotpoint” an inconvenience to the writers that they just don’t want to deal with anymore?)

(IDK it doesn’t matter really) anyways Ruri is getting dragged into the lake wheee)

He looks so sad when wet lmao

OH THE KAPPA BOSS IS VOICED BY HIROAKI HIRATA HELL YEAH

Man I miss the mid-episode analyzer bits, it’s more fun to get to know the Digimon during the episode rather than AFTER everything is said and done :(

Moisturized once again

“The factory promised this wouldn’t happen again” oh honey, you sweet little thing, you naïve baby

Yeah a kinda mediocre episode

53, King of Knowledge

Wait is this the episode with all four of Koushirou’s VAs

Oh yeah this is the episode, obviously we got Tamura Mutsumi (teen Koushirou in tri.+Kizuna) as Hiro and Kobayashi Yumiko (Psi Koushirou) as Espimon, BUT we ALSO got Takahiro Sakurai (adult Koushirou in 02) as “god of knowledge” (I know who it and yes that’s fun but we’ll get there), as well as the OG Koushirou herself Tenjin Umi as one of the spirit

I love that the staff saw the chance to just bring the Koushirou Levels to the Absolute Max (in a Kiyoshiro episode none the less) and fucking took it, thats fucking funny and great

Kiyo honey you have a problem...

Man this episode is horrifying but in like, a real way...

“You’ve been cheating on me” LMAO JELLYMON

LMAO THE WAY SHE WAS ATTACKING THE FUCKING BOOK

ALRIGHT BA’ALMON LET’S GOOO

LMAO RURI GOING FOR STUPID TRIVIA

HELL YEAH ICK BA’ALMON’S ASS, BEAT HIM AT HIS OWN GAME

THE TWO WERE REAL GHOSTS

HOLY SHIT THAT WAS SO CREEPY

UHHH YEAH GOOD EPISODE

54, Second Sight

God I am not jelly of Hiro’s vibe check ability, whoever the fuck is possessing hito give him that ability pls stop

Okay but Hiro got horns? That’s fucking cool bro, just like, get rid of the migraines and the foresight and Hiro will become Extremely Popular when he’s older

Fujitsumon?! THEY’RE FINALLY GETTING ACKNOWLEDGED AS THEIR OWN LITTLE DIGIMON?! HOLY SHIT HELL YEAH

Gammamon’s so worried about Hiro!!

Poor kiddo ;A;

I fucking love the set up of this episode, like this mess happened because of a Heated Gaming Moment and these two Octomon are absolute idiots. I fucking love this

Look at that mofo, lil shit does not have a single care in the world lmao

Angoramon pwease just carry Hiro in your big soft arms this baby boy is in so much pain ;__;

YEAH KICK ESPIMON’S ASS

Where are the Octomon why aren’t they helping?! Same for Clockmon, dude was helping out like five minutes ago why’d he bail out?!

OH JEEZ ESPIMON GOT LIKE COMPLETELY FUCKED THERE, GOD

Oh there we go the Octomon came out

Okay please take Hiro to rest, baby boy is so tired

This episode would’ve been pretty mediocre, but genuinely the Octomon part was so fucking funny it turned into a good episode

55, Bakeneko

Oh man the animation is so unsettling right off the beginning what the fuck

Gammamon likes cats?! TRULY THIS BABY BOY IS PERFECT

NOOO DON’T DO BODY HORROR WITH THE KITTIES I CAN’T I DON’T WANNA SEE THAT PWESE NOOOOOOOOOO

SMOOTH

Man this episode has really nice animation

Oh, did Bastemon recognize Gammamon? OWO

So why are Ruri and co just not doing anything and are allowing this continue??

OH AIRDRAMON IS BACK

And Bastemon’s scheme as been busted!

I don’t like this animator (still) but the battle animation is still fun

OH SHIT EVEN AIRDRAMON IS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS BATTLE!

And all the meow meows have been freed of Bastemon’s control and they’re all happy lil meow meows ;w;

56, Impurity

Aaand here we go, the reason I’m up at 5 am catching up with GG rn, the thing Twitter spoiled

Aaand we got great animation again this episode, wheeeee

Like, damn the animation is good

“White is the only pure color” hilarious to hear that considdering the color palette of the MotW isn’t white on white lmao

You know you’d think that after like 50 weird incidents were Digimon were making people Do Weird Shit, you’d think the kids could figure out when a Digimon was up to some shit before it was too late

Oh lmao the kids aren’t even safe in the Digital Field due to the mannequins lmao

Ah yes, one of the two things Twitter spoiled

Kuzuhamon (IN MIKO MODE TO BOOT!)

Boy she lookin’ purdy (also it’s so fun to see Miko Mode)

KUZUHAMON CAN SEE ALL, KUZUHAMON KNOWS YOUR SINS

This episode is looking so fucking good like god the animation-- Toei really fucking loves Kuzuha/Sakuyamon huh (it’s what she deserves)

It’s honestly kind of funny how they casually decided to make Miko Mode just A Giant Woman just for funsies

Awe boo combat mode is like average size

Man Kuzuhamon is just whooping ass with absolute fucking ease

I need to pause for a second because I actually thought for a second they were doing fucking Matrix Evolution and I was about to lose my fucking mind but no no no, Hiro isn’t merging with Gammamon, Baby Boy is evolving on his own, oki, oki

Okay. I’m going to try to be nice. Siriusmon looks cute and fine, there isn’t anything wrong with him

But god I did not need another Royal Knight-ass looking Digimon 😭 He looks like a bootleg Omegamon nnnooooooo I wish they just let him turn into a bigger dragon or something

LIKE SIRIUSMON INS’T A BAD DESIGN AND HE FITS THEMATICALLY AND ALL I JUST. I’M TIRED OF THE ROYAL KNIGHT-ESQUE DIGIMON I*M SORRY

Okay okay okay I need to let go and enjoy this dope ass battle animation ‘cause this fucking slaps

The one who sent you to this world? OWO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Oh also BTW since Kuzhamon is a black variant does this mean she’s with Black Agumon and the other variants?? Probably not?? But also no one was there stalking Gammamon at the end of this episode despite his evolution

Yeah it was an alright episode, the animation is really what made it shine

Next episode preview~ OH WAS THAT FUCKING LILITHMON OH SHIT IT IS HER ISN’T IT, OH HELL YEAH????

[0xo]

it's still raining-storming really a lot and i'm kind of nervous for my wife to go to work in a few hours...

also nervous because the a/c guy is supposed to come Actually Fix the unit today but i'm worried about him driving in this, and worried it won't be possible to actually do the repairs if it's really wet out because i think replacing the compressor involves electrical wiring and i don't want him to get electrocuted? i mean it would be nice to get the a/c working properly but like. i don't want a dude to risk his life over it??? the rain's been keeping the house cool anyways, and it's really not that big of a deal to wait a day,,, hoping that it works out okay and everyone is safe

driving the kids home was a big scare. on the way to them i had to shelter in a building that got hit by the last tornado that came through - i didn't have a Choice of Building - but everything was okay. then i got the kids but we had to make a stop further from home, so when we went back the storm had picked up again. we had to pull over and shelter in a walmart. i was scared as fuck because if i croak in a storm that's like, sad, but if me AND my sister and her friend get hurt then i think i'd voluntarily send myself to hell actually.

and then when we were headed back to my parents' house, their road was like. flooded badly. i was terrified my van wouldn't make it but i literally couldn't turn around, there was nowhere else to go and we got Another tornado warning but? there wasn't anywhere to go??? and i saw someone else do it, so i just. went slowly. the water was maybe three inches deep but it was hard to tell. anyways i got them home and waited for the flood to subside before going to my house. and that went fine but i saw some really nasty flooding near us. the NEWS was there. we're lucky to be on a hill.

it reminded me too much of the last actual flood, when i got stuck at my brother's house for a week. and we were lucky to be on a hill then too. i almost stopped by the house to see how bad the backyard was... but i just wanted to get home really.

anyways i'm safe and everything is fine, had some scary moments but it turned out okay. i'm mad as fuck that the school director didn't send the kids home early like was originally planned, or just let them stay home altogether, because it was so so so nasty. like four tornado warnings and lots of flash flooding and it took 2+ hours to do what should've taken forty minutes tops.

if i could've picked them up early none of that shit would've happened, and the director KNEW the weather was going to be bad, has known for like a week at this point. it was deeply irresponsible to not At Least follow the plan to let out early? like cmon bro they spent the last hour+ huddled in the basement anyways, that wasn't valuable teaching time. at all. id be surprised if he hasn't already received some strongly worded emails because hoo boy howdy that was a SHITSHOW.

some of her classmates couldn't get home because their school busses couldn't pass the flooded roads!!! those kids were stuck in BUSSES during ACTIVE TORNADO WARNINGS!!!!!!! we literally sheltered with some kids from a bus at the walmart, because their driver was very luckily nearby and made the smart decision to pull over and get inside. it was the safest place to be right then. his supervisor was giving him shit for it but what was he supposed to do, keep driving in an active tornado warning? no! you keep the kids safe!!!!!

but those other kids??? stuck on country roads the busses couldn't turn around on? honestly sounds like a lawsuit because. again. the original plan was to let out early, and this asshat decided not to do it. the roads were not safe, there were actual tornadoes, kids could've DIED on those busses. and some kids were freshly licensed and trying to drive themselves home, that might be their first time driving in rain that intense!

but oh nooo we can't let out two hours early, because there's soooo much to learn in that time. bro state testing is DONE, finals are DONE, let those kids go HOME. i gotta wonder if this dude is from out of state and doesn't realize how serious our weather is, because our tornado season is not a joke! at all!!!!!!! we lose people to them every single year and it's devastating. and this clown was almost TRYING to up the numbers. i really don't understand how you can be in charge of so many kids and seemingly not give a fuck about their safety.

i was nearly crying trying to keep it together and not let the kids know how terrified i was. joking, singing, asking about boy drama, just trying not to let them know that i was afraid. because they needed to truly believe i was going to get them home safely. and i Knew i would, i Knew my van would never let me down, i Knew i've driven in Much Worse and been Absolutely Fine - by myself. not with my baby sister in my car. but i needed them to not be scared.

they didn't seem at all rattled, even when we had to stop, and even going through the floods - i guess teenagers are just unflappable? or maybe i did a good job acting like it wasn't a big deal. i did swear a LOT and they clapped when we pulled in the driveway, and i didn't cry, but holy shit. i don't know if i've ever been so afraid driving.

i have a certain unshakable faith in my van, Brunhilde, because i know she is the best vehicle to ever grace the roads, but i Did Not Like putting her through all that. i wish there was a car equivalent to a dog treat because she earned it. poor girl had to deal with wind and hail and flooding and she didn't even flinch. minivans win every time man, every single time

[zaceouiswriting]

The dead Soldier

Characters: Jordan Parrish x male reader, mentioned Jackson Whittemore 

Universe: Teen Wolf

Warnings: Sad, happy ending

The sand flew through the sky. You hadn’t seen anything else than that in a while now. Your operations in Afghanistan were not over yet and for some reason, the higher-ups did not want you back home yet.

It was just a routine mission. That was until you found an explosive. Trying to get anyone to out that one out, except for one person, who was most likely the best choice to do it. But you just couldn’t.

That was until every single other person, out of any other battalion, that was stationed there or near your position, said no to you asking them to defuse it. Every time pointing their finger at your own specialist. After an hour or so, you had no other choice. Walking into his tent, there he was Jordan, in his half-naked glory.

For a moment you were able to fantasize over him, but as soon as he saw you, he let the shirt that he wanted to put on fall down, so he could salute you. „Captain, sir!“

„Move Parrish.“ As soon as he relaxed again, an almost invisible smile grew on his lips. Taking a step towards you, a hand stopped him in his tracks. Your hand. „I have a mission for you.“ It dawned on him, that you weren’t there for your daily playtime, but for him to risk his life once again.

You were not able to look him in the eyes, as you left the tent a moment later. It did take him only five minutes, before he come out of the tent as well, in full armor. A small team of soldiers together with you tagged with Jordan until a certain point, where you all stood for a moment. One more time did Jordan turn around to you. „Be careful Parrish, I want to see you at the table later!“, you ordered him to be careful. The almost invisible smile from before was now a bright one, for everyone to see.

„When did I not come back, hmm Captain? I’m too good for that!“ In the beginning, you hated his cocky attitude that was right until he saved you from a stepping mine.

„I take you by your word, Parrish. If not I will kick your ass even in death!“

With a low chuckle and a shaking head, he turned around, directly walking to the bomb. Even though you knew he was good, something felt off that day, which was also the reason, why you did not want him to do this one job.

The earth trembled first, before the sound or the massive amount of sand, could be catapulted into the air. „NOOO!“ A scream loud and filled with pain echoed through the sky, just as the sound of the explosion subsided. It was there before the explosion came and only the floor had trembled. Went on through the blasting of the explosion and could even be heard after the sand had settled again.

It took four grown men to hold you back, screaming and fighting back. You had to see if Jordan was okay or not. Nobody looked at the hole right in front of them. Until minutes later, as you fell exhausted onto the ground, crying like a little kid.

One of your men finally could get away, seeing you broken on the floor, ripped his heart into pieces like it was with any other of your men. You were always ready to have fun, make jokes, and fought for them to be able to see their families, and so on.

None of them wanted for you to be even more broken than before. But one had to look if Jordan was alive and if he could be saved. But as the man walked down the hole, there was nothing, except some pieces of his armor. Wherever his pieces were, not there.

As soon as he walked back up the hole a moment later, with just one piece of the shoulder armor that was left. The cries that came out of your mouth, at seeing the only piece left of the soldier you fell in love with.

From the traumatic day to the present three years have gone by. Hundreds of high military personnel got fired after you began to investigate that day further. Where you found out, that this was actually a trap for Jordan because he made problems for the higher-ups and he needed to be discarded.

You went from a Captain to a Colonel in those three years. Most likely to keep you happy, so you won’t open up the disgusting pile of trash that this institution was within. Rotten to the core.

Finally, you went home again. As soon as your parents saw you, their hearts dropped. Believing you never would come back from the sands. They hugged you so tight and you did the same. You always were more open to them, than your brother was, but now you just needed some happiness. So you hugged them even tighter than ever before.

„How is Jackson?“, you asked after you finally let go of them again. Both your parents looked away, you already knew what that meant. „I will talk to him. Is he still at school?“

Twenty minutes later, you stood in front of the school sitting half on your brother's car, the one you had driven before. He did take good care of it.

„Hey asshole, get the fuck off of my car!“, you heard your brother's angry voice. Deeper than before. But that was normal, you had left him when he was still little.

„Your car?“, you challenged with a rather rude voice.

Jackson did not hear your voice correctly or had already forgotten it. He stormed over to you, not able to see your face, he grabbed your shoulder, turned you around, and was about to punch you square in your face, as you stopped his fist with your hand.

His eyes had widened in shock. „What?“, he asked out of breath.

„Is this the way, you speak with your older brother, you little brat?“ Before the army, there would’ve been a joking undertone, even right before the incident with Jordan. Now there was only annoyance and pain.

Jackson though, could not hear any of that. His heartbeat was right in his ear, as he realized that you were finally back home. Before you knew it, he was wrapped around your taller and more muscular frame. To not damage the car, you carried him a bit away. His tears soaked the blue shirt you wore. It was a long time since you wore anything else than the camouflage clothing the army had given you.

Hundreds of other students, parents, and even teachers looked right at you two. You did not care, but had the feeling, that Jackson would. But he didn't, as you pushed him a bit away to look him into his tear-filled eyes. „I knew the little Jackson I left, is still in this hard shell.“

„You talked with them?“, he asked embarrassed. „Yes, and I saw your social media posts. But we can talk about this later, now I want to spend some time, with my favorite brother.“

„I’m your only brother.“ „Biological maybe, you little brat.“ His cheeks flamed up instantly. Slowly he could let go of you, standing there, with his head hanging. As you ruffled through his hair, the people around you gasp in shock. 

For weeks, you did everything you could with Jackson, playing lacrosse, other sports, playing video games, and even meeting his friends. It was one hell of a time. That was until you saw someone you thought looked like Jordan. It wasn’t the first time something like this happens, whenever you dream you see him and sometimes randomly anywhere you would go.

These moments, are more difficult for you, than the night terrors, you waking up screaming, sometimes with a weapon in your hand or punching a wall. Jackson even began to sleep with you in your bed, because he seemed to calm you down a bit. Making your night less loud and less aggressive.

You never told anyone about Jordan, maybe you should have, then your visit to the police station wouldn’t have been such a shock. As you wanted to make a report to someone breaking into your beat-up car. There he was, right in front of you. He did not had looked up from his paperwork, but you knew that it was him.

„Okay, sir could you place state, wha-“ He finally looked up, and what he saw, shocked him just as much as it did with you.

„Jordan?“, you whispered, as you saw the man now in full few. His hair was better styled than in the dunes, his body was still perfect and the uniform was perfect on his body. His arrogance seemed to have vanished, just as did his cheeky remarks.

„What are you doing here?“, he asked you shocked, hoping nobody would find him.

„My family lives here, you knew that.“ You became angry, as you realized that he did not want to see you. He was still alive and never told anyone! How could he outlive that horrible moment?

He could sense your rage, growing bigger any second. „I have mourned for you for THREE YEARS!“, you screamed finally. Letting all this anger out. You grabbed him by his collar punching him right into his perfectly shaped face. Over and over and over again, until it was bloody, but that was not there for long. Not even swerving from all the hits you gave him. He just looked right at you, in sadness and hurt. „Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why did you let me suffer so much?“ You finally broke, the tears you held down for yours broke out. Just as your knees began to lose their power to hold you upright. But Jordan had you like he always did.

„I’m here, don’t worry. I will not go away again. I feared you would hate me, after what I became,“ he lowly rambled, but you were too deep in your own thoughts. The pain that once consumed you was back, holding you captive once again. The only difference was Jordan’s arms around you this time. You would make him pay for all the tears you gave up for him, but also love him like you always did. Even all these years, could not let your love even remotely weaken. There in his arms, you could feel that it was the same with him. You were ready, to die alone. But now you will not have to anymore.

[Masterlist]

[goodlucktai]

Could you write something about natsume getting a hug?? Just, from whoever n for whatever reason. I keep thinking about how no one ever really hugs him n it makes me sad

x

The absolute last person Joji expected to see today was Natsume Takashi.

Joji slows to a stop on the corner of the street, a block away from the train station, and stares shamelessly.

It's been a decade since the last time he saw Natsume, but he recognizes him immediately. Of course he does. His light hair and eyes aside, Joji has thought about him on-and-off since junior high.

Joji remembers that rainy day when he was thirteen, an empty desk in the middle of his eighth grade classroom, Ito leaning over in his chair to whisper, "Did you hear? Natsume was in the ER. He almost died. The police are looking at his foster parents."

It was as if he'd been plunged into a pool of ice water. He sat there, frozen, while their teacher called them to attention for homeroom and announced that Natsume wouldn't be in their class going forward.

What was the last thing Joji had said to him? "It's no wonder your parents didn't want you." Why the hell had he said that? A book, if he remembers right. He'd lent it to Natsume and Natsume gave it back all water-damaged, like he'd gone for a swim with his backpack on. Natsume's eyes were on his hands, on the ruined book, and he'd tried to apologize, said he'd pay for it, but Joji just snatched it away, ticked off.

"This is what I get for trying to help you, I guess. It's no wonder your parents didn't want you."

Joji is almost twenty-four now. He's going into pediatrics. His fiance, Sakura, is a foster parent. She is currently the proud and fiercely protective mother of two beautiful twin girls.

Sora and Miu are terrified of adults and they go everywhere together and sometimes they make up stories. Sometimes they lie, about why their uniforms are torn, why they're home late, why their lunchboxes are covered in dirt. They have this look in their eyes sometimes like they're just waiting to get hurt again.

Sakura has the patience of a saint. She never raises her voice. She stitches their torn uniforms, replaces their lunchboxes, and, on more than one occasion, has marched into their junior high school and threatened the staff with physical violence if her babies come home with bruises one more time.

Needless to say, Sora and Miu adore her. It took them longer to warm up to Joji, but they're there now; no longer flinching when he moves in their direction, greeting him happily when he comes over for breakfast, smiling shyly when he staggers into the apartment underneath the weight of two giant stuffed rabbits that cost nearly half his paycheck, because it's their birthday, Sakura, they need them.

Joji tries to imagine someone telling them "this is why your parents didn't want you" and goes absolutely breathless with rage.

Natsume glances up from his phone to look right at Joji, as if someone had pointed him out. Caught staring, Joji shuffles in place for a moment, and then squares his shoulders and heads over.

He's expecting the Natsume of his memory; he's expecting him to curl his shoulders and duck his head, the way Joji's girls still sometimes do when a stern auntie wants to talk to them.

He's not expecting Natsume to level him with a clear, politely confused gaze. He pockets his phone, and shoves his hands into the front pockets of the cardigan he's wearing; a size too big, like something he borrowed out of someone else's closet, but it's a charming look on him. He's dressed well, in dark-washed jeans and white high-top sneakers, and his silvery hair is long, probably long enough to fall past his shoulders if he didn't have it piled up in a bun. There's a squat calico cat at his feet, glaring up at Joji with judgmental green eyes.

"Can I help you?" Natsume asks kindly. His voice is a shock to the system; Joji remembers him like it was yesterday.

"Oh," Joji says, stymied. It never occurred to him that Natsume might not recognize him in turn. "Um, I'm Watanabe Joji. We were classmates in eighth grade."

"That's right," Natsume says with gratifying quickness. He looks a little embarrassed now and returns Joji's short bow. "Sorry, it's been a long time."

And we weren't exactly friends, he doesn't say, but that common knowledge sits neatly between them.

"Ten years!" Joji replies with some forced enthusiasm. "Is that why you're here?"

"Sorry?"

"The, ah, reunion this weekend? Ito, from our homeroom back then, put together a whole thing. Our whole class is getting together for dinner and drinks."

It occurs to him that Natsume might not have been invited. Joji thinks that's less because he isn't welcome and more because Ito almost certainly didn't have his contact information. The few times his name has come up, Joji's friends have gone quiet and melancholy. A few of them are parents now, or aunts and uncles at least. All of them know better than they did when they were mean, shitty little teenagers.

Joji opens his mouth to assure Natsume that they'd love to have him, but Natsume cuts him off with a laugh.

It's not a mean laugh. It's not unfriendly in the slightest. But it stings anyway, because Natsume is laughing out of pure disbelief.

"No, no," he says, waving a hand, "god, no. Could you imagine?" he adds, glancing down at the cat. The cat huffs, settling a little more solidly against Natsume's ankle. "We're just passing through, actually."

"We?" Joji asks dumbly. Did he mean himself and the cat?

It's Natsume's turn to get cut-off, this time by a long, drawn-out shout of "Takashiiii!"

A short, russet-haired young man around Joji's age comes barreling down the sidewalk toward them at a flat-out run. Joji's first inclination is one of alarm, but Natsume steps forward with his arms outstretched, and the stranger collides with him in an embrace that looks like it hurts.

Natsume is laughing again, but it's softer this time. It's the warmest sound Joji has ever heard him make.

"What's this for?" Natsume is saying, patting him on the back.

"Just missed you," his friend replies.

"You saw him twenty minutes ago, Satoru," comes the exasperated call from further down the road, and Joji glances over to find a small group headed their way, laden with shopping bags.

"Yeah, exactly," Satoru says, leaning back without letting go, just enough to gaze up at Natsume with a cheeky grin. "I'm all Takashi-deficient. It's pretty serious."

"Sounds serious," Natsume replies, and agreeably keeps an arm wrapped around his shoulders as the rest of their group catches up.

A tall, dark-haired man stoops to pick up Natsume's cat, and it settles agreeably in the crook of his arm. The brown-eyed woman beside him lets out a coo, shifting all her bags to one hand so she has one free to scratch it behind the ears.

"We're being rude," the dark-haired man says in a soft, pleasant tone. "Who's this, Takashi?"

Natsume introduces Joji as an old classmate, giving absolutely none of their history away in tone or expression, but somehow all of his friends seem to clue in to something anyway. Their collective demeanor shifts, in an unidentifiable way, even if their polite smiles don't slip an inch as Takashi introduces each of them in turn.

All but Nishimura Satoru, still tucked up against Natsume's side, who gives Joji a positively poisonous look.

"Okay, Satchan, you're going to lose privileges if you can't be nice," Kitamoto says dryly, and extracts him from Natsume's person with a deftness that speaks of years of practice.

"Nooo," Nishimura says, but it's curbed quickly by Shibata shoving a bag at him and snapping, "Carry this! It's that stupid lucky cat statue you just had to have, and it's heavy!"

"It looks just like sensei! Tooru loves it, too!"

"I do," Taki admits.

It's a warm afternoon, right at the end of August, the sky turning golden with the beginnings of dusk. Joji still manages to feel cold.

He grew up, but Natsume did, too. He always regretted what he did, he always wondered if Natsume was okay, wherever he went, but Natsume hasn't seemed to spare him a second thought. He's got his own friends now; bright, kind people who look like they'd raise hell for him. Who run to meet him.

Joji missed the chance to have a place in Natsume's life. He's a footnote, now, and not a very good one.

"Jojojojo!"

The bright voices have him spinning around, forgetting everything else, and he lights up when he spots Sora and Miu waving at him from the other side of the street. Sakura has a firm hold on their jackets so they can't go spilling out into the street until the pedestrian crossing sign lights up, and then she releases them like a couple of eager hunting dogs.

Natsume's friends shuffle to one side politely, and Joji steps forward to catch his girls when they reach him. They're so beautiful and he missed them so much, this weekend they were away to visit Sakura's parents. He kisses them each on the head, and then kisses Sakura on the head in the name of fairness, and it makes all three of them laugh.

Taki coos just like she did with the cat, hands clasped together under her chin.

"What sweet girls!" she says. "Are they yours, Watanabe?"

"Yes," Joji says proudly, putting one arm around each of their shoulders. They've come so far, not hiding behind him from the group of strangers, even if they press into his sides shyly. "This is Miu, and this is Sora. We're adopting them."

Sakura shifts her weight imperceptibly, a barely-there tell. Waiting, he knows, for the surprise, or outright condemnation. She's dealt with a lot of bullshit for taking these kids in, from family and ex-friends and even total strangers. It rolls right off her, and she usually gives as good as she gets, but she hates when Sora and Miu have to hear it. They don't deserve to hear it.

Joji will have to explain it to her, later, why he brought it up. Why he knew it would be safe to bring it up in front of these strangers.

Sure enough, all their faces soften immediately, a gentle transformation. Natsume crouches, gazing at the twins with an expression that Joji remembers from his childhood. The delicate resilience, the willingness to reach out even if he got hurt.

The look on his face ten years ago when he handed back that ruined book, owning up to his mistake and trying to fix it, buying Joji a replacement even after Joji said something unthinking and cruel.

"I was adopted, too," he says.

"Really?" Sora asks quietly.

"Really," Natsume tells her. "My parents died when I was little. I wasn't an easy child to care for, even though it wasn't my fault, so I got passed around a lot. It took me a long time to find my place, but I found it. Did you find yours?"

"I think so," Sora says, glancing around Joji at her sister.

"Me, too," Miu adds.

Sakura clutches Joji's hand hard enough to bruise. She won't cry here and now, but he already knows it's going to be an ice-cream-for-dinner kind of night.

Natsume looks up to meet Joji's eyes when he says, "That's good. I'm glad to hear it."

It's forgiveness. Joji hears it plain as day. He didn't get a chance to ask for it-- isn't sure he deserves it-- but there it is, freely given. And it's reassurance, too.

When Joji's daughters used to curl their shoulders and duck their heads, it would always tug at the memory of a boy he used to know, who was as kind as he was desperate for kindness.

Now, he thinks, when his girls are making a mess of the kitchen trying to follow a pancake recipe with their friends, or dragging a stray cat inside with big, hopeful eyes, it'll remind him of this afternoon. Natsume's clear, bright eyes, and the protective cluster of friends surrounding him.

The world wasn't fair to him; it left a mountain in his life that he had to climb, complete with all its pitfalls and crumbling paths and bad weather.

And here he is on the other side, goodness intact. Smiling. Loved.

He found his place. Sora and Miu found theirs.

And god, if that doesn't give Joji hope for everyone else.

"It was nice to see you," he says thickly, hoping Natsume hears his honesty. "Don't come to the reunion, that was-- a stupid thing to say, but-- would you-- dinner?"

Natsume hears it. He tilts his head, considering, and then says, "We missed our train, anyway."

"And I'm starving," Tanuma says agreeably. Clearly, he says it more to agree with Natsume than anything.

Nishimura is the hardest sell, watching Joji with hard eyes. But then his gaze dips to Sora and Miu, and all his sharp edges go soft, like butter melting in the sun. After a handful of tense seconds, he visibly gives up on his anger with a huff. His friends, watching patiently, all give absurd little cheers when it's clear he's on board.

"Fine, but if you live farther than three feet away, we're getting an Uber," Shibata threatens, rustling the shopping bags in his hands with annoyed fervor.

They drift in the direction of Joji's home, and Kitamoto talks Shibata down from the Uber with the promise of ducking into a 7-Eleven for ice creams instead, and Taki and Sakura are fast friends, rolling their sleeves up to compare tattoos-- Taki's is a strange, occult-looking circle that Joji makes a mental note to ask about-- and Tanuma lets Sora carry the fat cat, while Miu pets it with reverent fingers.

Natsume walks beside Joji, calm and unhurried, with Nishimura on his other side. He grew up with so much grace.

"Can I add you to the class groupchat?" he asks without thinking.

"Good luck with that," Nishimura butts in, not unkindly. "He's the most unreliable texter you've ever met. He left me on read for like two days once, and we live together."

"You'd have better luck with an email," Natsume says apologetically.

It's more than Joji thought he'd get; they exchange contact information, in the middle of this chaotic, noisy group making its way down the street toward the well-lit combini on the corner and then, beyond that, home.

Natsume doesn't seem to have any interest in reconnecting with his old classmates, and Joji doesn't blame him for that. Even though it will certainly piss Ito off to be kept in the dark, even just for a few days, Joji decides it's for the best.

Nishimura's goodwill can't be stretched that far.

[peggyrose19]

Speak Now

This is a purely self-indulgent fic cause apparently that’s how I process emotions. So do with that what you will. But anyways. 

It's been months since the last time Sirius and Remus saw each other. But in a week they leave for college on opposite sides of the country. They reunite one last time, to say goodbye and confess some secrets.

THURSDAY

Sirius (8:52pm): hey when do you leave for school?

Remus (8:55pm): The 26th, why?

Sirius (8:55pm): oh good i leave the 25th

Sirius (8:56pm): i’m trying to see everyone before i leave. wanna hang out this week?

Remus stared down at his phone for a long moment. He and Sirius hadn’t seen each other since graduation, since Sirius had left the week after, traveling across the country to visit family against his will. They hadn’t talked much since then, and Remus couldn't figure out why. But he missed him.

The fact that he was also in love with him was unrelated, of course.

Remus (8:58pm): Sure

***

They set plans for that Saturday evening, at Remus' house in the country. His parents were away, up the coast for a friend's wedding. Secretly, Remus was glad they wouldn't be there; it guaranteed fewer questions. Plus, he liked having the house to himself every once in a while and, after all summer with his mom working from home, he was glad for a little peace and quiet. Not that Sirius Black could ever be described as peaceful or quiet.

The knock on the door came far too soon. With a deep breath, Remus steeled himself and opened the door.

Sirius stood before him, very much real and not just a figment of his imagination.

"Remus!" he exclaimed, and hugged him tightly. "I've missed you."

"Missed you too," Remus muttered into Sirius' shoulder, subtly breathing in the familiar smell of fresh air, leather, and his mother's perfume.

Sirius pulled back with a wide grin, and Remus was frozen all over again. He'd thought it would be easier this time, that time and space would have lessened the want in his heart. But it only seemed to make it worse, as he asked how Sirius was and he immediately launched into a story.

It was like no time had passed at all. Sirius talked and suddenly Remus was 16 again, realizing he was in love with his best friend and not knowing what to do about it. It wasn't easier at all, it was harder. It was so much harder. But he pasted on that mask, pasted on a smile, and pretended he wasn't falling apart inside.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Remus demanded some time later, watching Sirius trying to start a fire, and completely butchering it in the process.

Sirius looked up from his pile of sticks with a guilty smile. "Starting a fire?"

"That is so not how you do that."

"Okay then Mr. Expert, how do you start a fire then?"

"I'll show you," Remus snipped, and he snatched the matches from Sirius' hand, fighting back a fond smile. The banter always had come easy to them.

Carefully, Remus cleared the fire pit of ashes and coals before grabbing a few newspapers from the nearby pile.

"You have to shake them out and then crumple 'em back up," he murmured, demonstrating. Sirius watched, smiling. Once the newspapers were crumpled, Remus set them in the middle of the pit, the taking a few small sticks from Sirius' hand. "Now you use the kindling." He began laying it down across the paper. "And create a pyramid. Once you have that done, you can add some bigger pieces." Sirius readily handed over a few larger sticks, and Remus placed them next, careful not the knock the whole thing over.

"Can I light it?" Sirius asked eagerly.

"Sure. Make sure to light the paper."

Sirius gave him a nod. "Yes sir."

Remus just rolled his eyes. But Sirius did as instructed, and soon they had a crackling fire going. Once the wood had caught, Remus added a few logs to keep it going and sat back down beside Sirius.

"How'd you learn to do that?" Sirius asked. The night was quiet around them, save the pops from the fire and the hum of insects.

"My dad taught me when I was little."

Sirius seemed to hear the sadness tinging his voice. "D'you miss him a lot?" he asked. Grief wasn't something Sirius was familiar with, not this kind. He didn't care about his family. Not that Remus could blame him. But still, he'd done everything right when Remus' father had passed six years before.

"Yeah," Remus admitted, voice soft. "I wish he was here. Big things happening, y'know?"

"Yeah. I can't believe we're leaving."

"Part of me wasn't sure we'd ever make it."

"I'm gonna miss you."

Remus looked over at Sirius. He stared resolutely at the fire, shadows dancing across his face. "Me too."

"Remus," Sirius started, "I need you to know something."

"Okay?"

"Okay." Sirius took a deep breath. He didn't look away from the fire. "You remember I had a girlfriend last summer?"

Remus frowned. "Yeah?"

"Right. Well. That was fake. I'm actually gay."

"Oh." Remus had not expected that. Although, in truth, he'd suspected for a while. One did not look at Sirius Black and think "straight", generally speaking, of course. But Sirius didn't need to know that. "Well. That's great, Sirius. Thanks for telling me."

Sirius just swallowed. "Right. Yup. That's not what I need to tell you."

Now Remus was getting concerned. Sirius never acted like this; the last time he'd been this squirrely, Remus had found out his mother abused him. He tried not to panic. They may not have talked in months before this but he'd never stopped caring.

"Sirius, what's going on?"

"I like you," he blurted. Then, "Shit."

"Oh."

It was all Remus could think to say. He'd imagined this happening many times, imagined what he'd say, what Sirius would say. He'd thought up a hundred different scenarios. But none of them had prepared them for his fantasies becoming real.

"I'm not expecting anything else back, obviously," Sirius rambled. "I just wanted you to know. Clear the air. I-"

"Sirius, stop."

He shut his mouth with a snap.

"I'm not upset at you." It was all he could think to say. Sirius didn't say anything. Remus swallowed. "And I... I like you, too. A lot."

Sirius stared at him. "That's not funny."

Remus felt his heart begin to shatter. "It's not a joke."

"That's not funny?" His voice broke.

"C'mere."

Conflicting emotions flashed across Sirius' face, but he stood and walked over. Wordlessly, Remus opened his arms and Sirius sank into them.

"I'm not kidding, love," he whispered. "I've liked you for like, three years now. I was just too scared to say anything."

Sirius pulled back and looked Remus in the eye. He didn't say anything for a long time, just looked. Remus couldn't look away, mesmerized by the emotion in those grey eyes. But after a while, Sirius leaned forward again and kissed him.  

It felt as though the whole world stopped and started again in a single instant. It felt like fireworks went off. It felt like everything had righted itself.

The kiss was by no means perfect; it was messy and wet and awkward. But Sirius tasted like smoke and vanilla, and he was holding Remus close. And when he kissed Remus a second time, more sure this time, it was even better.

Remus didn't know long they spent like that, kissing in the fading daylight, the fire crackling along beside them. All he knew was that Sirius was warm on his lap, and his mouth soft and sure. He didn't ever want to stop. Luckily for him, Sirius didn't seem to want that either.

"Stay tonight?" Remus asked in a whisper, and Sirius just nodded.

***

MONDAY

Remus (10:21am): You left your sweater here

Sirius (10:21am): oh no whatever shall i do

Remus (10:22am): I guess you'll just have to swing by and pick it up

Remus (10:22am): Wouldn't want to forget it when you leave

Sirius (10:23am): no we certainly can't have that

Remus (10:23am): hmmmm

Sirius (10:24am): you're wearing it aren't you

Remus (10:24am): It's quite comfortable, I have to say

Sirius (10:24am): keep it then

Remus (10:25am): *pouty face*

Sirius (10:25am): nooo why the pouty face

Remus (10:26am): Guess I just won't get to see you today then, if you don't want it back

Sirius (10:26am): ahh i see

Sirius (10:26am): i'll have to stop by for one of your sweaters

Remus (10:27am): *smiley face*

Sirius (10:27am): see you soon <3

[wolfish-trickster]

Advent kisses

21/24

Loki x female!reader

Word count: 1 167

Summary: Instead of chocolates, kisses are going to be recieved everyday until Christmas.

Tag list: @gaitwae @lucywrites02 @modestlyabsurd @winterfrostsarmy @spaceyempress @thefridgeismybestie @laramoonworld @birdgirl90 @nickkie1129 @loki-yoursaviourishere

"I think we should've chosen a smaller one," Tony scratched the back of his head. All boys were outside, trying to figure out how to fit the giant tree Tony and Rhodey chose inside. Girls took Clint's kids ice skating and shopping for baking ingredients. All the "hard work" was left to them.

"I told you it won't fit throught the door, but nooo, you sad it had to be big and tall enough for the ceiling. How are we supposed to fit it in?" Steve walked around the tree.

Thor was tossing his hammer in the air out of boredom. "Can't we just put it somewhere outside and not worry about it? Why do you even need a dead tree inside your house? To smell how it rots?"

Loki chuckled at his brother's comment. He was standing afar, watching them grow desperate. He was there to only enjoy the show and practice his new abilities. He was playing with a little snowflake, making it go inbetween his fingers and around his hand.

"It's tradition Thor, we are not breaking traditions."

"How about I make a hole in the roof, you two," Vision pointed at Tony and Rhodey, "pick it up and Sam will manoeuvre it inside the living room?"

"Pepper will kill us if we do that," Tony stroked his facial hair. He sighed. "Let's do it the old fashion way."

"Which is?" Sam was affraid of the answer.

Tony rolled his sleeves up. "Push until that bastard is in. Or until the door brakes. What comes first."

All of them pushed the giant tree into the small door. Loki had to conceal his laugh with seidr. All of them grunted and huffed and the tree didn't move one bit.

"What if Bruce brings out the big guy to help us-?" "NO!" everyone yelled at Sam.

He muttered. "It was just an idea..."

After what felt like 20 minutes of them pushing Loki moved his golden glowing fingers making the tree shrink suddenly. None of the boys expected that and all of them fell into the doorway, one on top of the other. They were all squeezed on top of eachother grunting and cursing. Loki couldn't help it and he full on laughed.

"You could do that THE WHOLE TIME?" Bucky didn't yell often, but when he did, he must've been really frustrated.

"Why is Buck yelling?" Loki heard little Copper's voice from behind him.

"Loki, what did you do now?" he turned around and saw your pretty face.

He smiled charmingly. "Just a little bit of fun my dear," he bent down to pick up the miniature tree and carried it inside the house. He made it big again and watched as all of the team took down their jackets and coats. You came to him and hugged him to greet him. After the shock he hugged you back, one hand around your shoulders, the other holding your head. You've never done anything like that before, not that he was complaining. He felt he was getting somewhere. A step closer to your heart, hopefully.

After you parted he held out a steaming cup of tea for you. Your fingers brushed his as you took it and his heart sped up.

"It's a big tree, we'll kill the whole day decorating it," you pointed out as you sipped.

Steve got out from the pile of heroes on the floor. "Let's start then," he rolled his sleeves up and fished out a string of colourful lights and started untying it.

Rhodey and Tony got Clint's kids on their shoulders and flew into the air so they could hang the string on the high spots. Loki grabbed a golden star and wanted to put it on top with seidr when you stopped him. "No, we have to put it on the last."

"Alright, but," he made the star disappear into his pocket dimension, "I'll be the one to put it there," he smirked at you.

You rolled your eyes and hanged a little plushie angel on the lower branch.

He moved to the back of the tree. No one even tried to decorate it. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it can't look good. Loki knew what it felt like to be abandoned. He hung some shiny trinkets on the branches. He took a step back. Aesthetically not bad. Could use more golden ornaments to balance out the green.

As he walked around to get more decorations from the boxes he noticed you, standing on your tippy toes trying to put a little glass snowflake on a higher branch. He walked over to you, placed his hands on your waist and lifted you up.

You yelped a little and held onto his hands. "Don't let go of me."

"I don't plan to. Even if I did, you won't fall up and we can always find you on the ground," he said jokingly.

He felt how you rolled your eyes as you hanged it. "Okay. Mission accomplished, can you put me down now?" Loki smirked, threw you into the air and caught you in his arms bridal style. "See? I told you can't fall up," he practically felt the heat radiating from your face.

"Hey you two, less flirting and more decorating," Clint told them.

"Clint, let them be," Laura told her husband as Loki let you stand on your feet again.

You stood on his left, grabbed a red ball and looked for a good place to hang it. Loki kept his eyes on you. It was good looking at your face, he could look at it the whole day and won't get bored. Your eyes lit up when you found the right branch. You stretched your right hand in front of Loki to hang it there, your too big red sweater exposing your shoulder. Loki caught your hand with his own and kept it outstretched. He put his palm on your waist to keep you close to him. He lowered his head and kissed the exposed skin in front of him. It was so sweet. He doesn't think he can last two more days without tasting your lips.

He let you go and coughed awkwardly. "I think that's a perfect place, darling," he felt blush creeping up to his cheeks.

You played with your hair. "Thanks. I noticed you went behind the tree, what did you do there?"

Instead of answer he took your hand and lead you there. You smiled upon seeing his creation. "You know, it reminds me of you. Green and gold. You also smell like a pine tree sometimes. I like it."

He didn' know if you liked how he smelled or how he decorated the tree. What he did know was he couldn't wait for Chistmas Eve.

[dorkylittleweirdo]

the lesbian himbo solidarity post

okay so. basically this dude named max was in my anatomy class and we sat next to each other for the whole year so we had No Choice but to vibe

~

so he’s a Large football jock and i’m smol. we were both seniors tho and there were only three seniors in that class so we bonded over that. so he looks,, really scary tbh. like. ya know. the Exact type of person who would bully you and call you slurs. so i was like “oh god oh god oh god” every class bc i was like “this is it, this is the day i Die by his hand”

~

the first time we really vibed was when i came from culinary one friday bc i had culinary right before anatomy. and i had Cookies. a lot of them. and i had them in a little brown paper bag sitting right in the corner of my desk just bc like why not. cue max rolling up to class, throwing his stuff down and coming up Right Next To Me and Intensely eyeing the bag before going “hey jc, whatcha got there”. and i went “...cookies from my culinary class” and he just “👀👀” so i go “do you,, do you want one?”.  g r a b s  the bag while yelling “HELL YEAH” and really excitedly just eats a cookie and i just go “you can,, you can just take the bag if you want”. he obviously took the bag. we were Bros from that day on

~

i was Notorious for being the Class Nerd bc i loved anatomy and i had over 100% in the class. he was Not as into anatomy and just wanted to vibe and i feel that bc i had a class like that too, so i just gave him my notes and warm up answers to copy bc i’m Like That. we had like,, a system in place, so he would tell jokes or just say random shit and i’d kinda laugh and vibe while taking notes

~

one time i was kinda tired and staring off into space and he rolled up to class and goes “jcccc why are you saaaad :((” and i was like “i,, i’m not???” and he was like super confident that i was Going Through It and was like “you can’t lie to me, i already saw that sad face” i’m like “you mean my Normal Face???”. but so while i was taking notes that day, he leaned over and drew a lil happy face on my packet, so i looked over and smiled at him. aND NOT EVEN A MINUTE LATER, he leans back over and turns it into a dick. and i go “b r o  i gotta turn this shit in i’m gonna get in trouble?????” and he Panicked on my behalf, Stood Up in his seat,  Y E L L S  to the teacher “SIR, I DREW A  M A L E  G E N I T A L I A  ON JC’S NOTES, IT’S NOT HER FAULT”. teacher just Looks over at us, blinks, goes back to his lecture. my face is Red, max turns to me,  w i n k s, and goes “i gochu”

~

so my group Abandoned Me one day for a lab bc neither of them were there and i rolled up to the teacher like “k i’ll be Stabbing A Brain alone today” and my teacher’s like “but??? you need to Poke A Brain With A Group” and i go “but i have None Friends and my group mates aren’t here”. so max heard this whole interaction go down and is like “jc i Cannot Believe, you’re gonna group with us”. drags me over to some other people who sit near us that i anxiously vibe with, who had apparently been struggling to stab the labels into the brain for like seven minutes before i rolled up. max goes “okay guys jc’s in our group”. everyone’s hype. i labeled it, filled out the sheet, let everyone copy it, and all of us vibed for like half an hour

~

he was struggling to label to bones in the body for our warm up. two minutes in he goes “damn i know like,, four of these. jc how many do you know”, looks over at my worksheet, his eyes pop out of his damn skull. “JC ARE YOU FUCKIN SERIOUS”. holds up my worksheet that’s completely filled out, points aggressively at it while looking at our teacher, “ARE YOU SEEIN THIS SHIT???”

~

straight up asked if i was a mom one time bc he said i give off “mom vibes”. his response to me not wanting kids was “really??? i want like six”. appreciated me saying “oh, well i want a career” a little too much bc he couldn’t stop laughing

~

a regular occurrence was me finishing a worksheet really fast and standing to turn it in, then max going “sit your ass back down, i needa see that” followed by “bro i appreciate you actually letting me copy your shit but Please write neater”. his handwriting was worse than mine and he could read my writing but he likes to Complain

~

another Regular Occurrence was me finishing a test in about five minutes followed by him yelling “JC ARE YOU  F U C K I N G  KIDDING ME”

~

i’d bring food from culinary a lot and he’d just go “👀” and i would just give it to him and he’d be so excited and go “jc you’re the best” while proceeding to shove a cupcake down his face or whatever else it was i brought while  M O A N I N G

~

he asked me one time why i’m so nervous around him, and he was probably expecting me to say some shit like “oh nooo i’m not i’m just Shy tm” but i Instantly responded with “bc you look like you’re gonna call me a slur in the 7/11″ and he was so genuinely upset and he goes “noooo jc D: i’m not a baseball boy” and i Died

~

some dude smacked him on the back of his head and he goes “OW MY-” looks at me, “hey jc, what’s the back of the head called again?” and i go “the occipital” and he’s like “great, thanks”, turns around again to the other dude, “MY  O C C I P I T A L”

~

“jc have you ever been depressed” “max i have depression” “sick, you should listen to this band”

~

he slowly tried to put something on my desk and i was still adjusting to “okay not everyone is gonna hit me” and thought he was trying to do like a fistbump or something. and he goes “oh no i wasn’t-” and i’m like “oKaY yEaH iT’S fiNe”, he puts whatever lil eraser on my desk then goes “NO NO, GIVE ME SOME JC” and fistbumped me but it still Haunts Me bc he Was Not Trying To Do That

~

“i’m gonna go as a cop for halloween” “...okay max” “all i have to do is wear a wifebeater shirt” “i-” “because. because ya know. cops beat their wives”

~

asked what kind of music i listen to once, and i went “uh,, it depends” he goes “what are you listening to now??” aND I HAD TO GO “um,, bruises and bitemarks” and he screeched bc whatever he was expecting from the shy quiet girl who sits next to him, it was Not That

~

so i wasn’t sure how to like,, come out but i have a bunch of gay pins on my backpack so i didn’t know if he knew or not. but then one time he just starts asking the people around him if they would kiss/date someone of the same gender. so i go “i mean,, yeah” and he goes “wait really” and i was Scared tm bc oh god here it comes. i go “yeah” he goes “full gay or like bi” and i was like “full,, full gay. i’m a lesbian” and he’s like “BROOOO THAT’S SICK :D” and he was so genuinely excited that i like girls

~

ever since he found out that i’m a lesbian, he would move his desk reeeeaaally close to mine to show me pictures of girls and be like “hey hey what do you think of her”, trying to invite me to parties so he could set me up with someone, attempting to be my wingman

~

he constantly shoved one of his earbuds into my ear so i could bop to his music with him. set his phone on my desk a few times so i could choose something and i go “oh no, i have garbage taste in music” and he goes “well i don’t, that’s why you’re choosing from my playlist” and i just Sat there like “wow okay but also that’s valid”. he shockingly had a few songs on there that i listen to, so we vibed to those. he listened to my playlists a couple times and he’d be like “most of these are either depressing, horny, or gay, and that sums you up pretty well” and i was Offended but he’s right

~

“hey jc, what’s the bone that sounds like my name” “...maxilla???” “fuck yeah, there’s a bone named after me”

~

asked me if i ever had a girlfriend before and i was like “n o  :((((” and he’s like “on god bro, you gonna get you some pussy”

~

every time he’d see me out of class, he point at me and wave really aggressively and be like “HI JC :D” and i’d kinda wave back really shyly while watching him tell whoever he was with that we were bros. after a couple times, i asked him next class why he waved at me and he’s like “why wouldn’t i??” and i go “um. bc you’re pretty popular and well liked and nobody knows i exist and i’m pretty uncool????” and he deadass is like “J C  NOO YOU’RE REALLY COOL WYM PEOPLE LIKE YOU” and that’s how i found out that people actually knew me bc a bunch of the football guys i talked to in anatomy would point me out when they saw me bc they liked vibing with me so that was A Time. made sense why random people would like,, nod at me while walking by

~

i brought cookies for my teachers and friends on valentine’s day and i gave max a couple and i was like “hey i’m giving these to all my friends so like here” and he just “jc you consider us friends???” and i thought he was gonna laugh at me and i just went “ah,,, yeah” and he was So Excited

[plethora-of-imagines]

Human Custom

AN: So this fic started as an anon that just kept getting longer and became it’s own fic. Which is why I am not yet done answering anons. The idea was so soft and let me tell you anon, I spent many nights just rereading this prompt and thinking it was so very soft. I’m not too happy with how the Master sounds in this as it is more from his POV and I don’t have a great grasp on Dhawan!Master’s POV but I tried my best!

Word Count: 1773

Description: Written based off of this anon

Tag List: @c-s-stars @queerconfusionthings @how-masterful @truthbehindthemysteries

The Master huffed and rolled his eyes at all of the gaudy Valentine's gifts still on display in the store. He honestly believed they should just throw them all out the second it was the 15th. It was bad enough to have to see them before the “most romantic day of the year”. He couldn’t believe that he had to subject himself to this just because you had forgotten something while doing the shopping. Of course, you couldn’t just do without. So someone had to go get what you forgot. Lucky him.

To be fair he probably shouldn’t have volunteered to go for you so you didn’t have to feel embarrassed about the shop staff seeing you come back for something. You had been absolutely adorable when you pressed your face into his chest bemoaning your forgetfulness. It had made him forget how much he hated going shopping like this on Earth. It reminded him too much of the 77 years he had been trapped without a TARDIS. Which always left him in a touchy, annoyed mood.

The two teen boys blocking his way past as they slowly walked down the aisle were pissing him off too. If it wouldn’t cause even more trouble for him he would just TCE them both and be done with it. He took a deep breath. He would just push past them soon and continue on his way. It was fine. He would get what you had forgotten and you would jokingly call him "your hero". Giving him a soft, loving kiss for his troubles. It would be worth the annoyances to make you happy.

The Master had no choice but to listen to the two kid's conversation with the volume they were talking at. Wonderful.

“Look man, it’s complete bullshit that she didn’t tell you she was moving until yesterday!”

“She just wanted us to have a normal date before telling me that we would be going long-distance okay?”

The Master wanted to roll his eyes so hard that they fell out of his skull. He did not want to be stuck listening to lower lifeforms and their romantic struggles. He settled instead for slowly dragging his hand down his face. 

"I'm just gonna get her one of those stereotypical bears holding a heart stuffed animals to give her before she moves. It's on sale so it's not going to cost me much if she does end up breaking up with me."

"Fair enough, man. It's your money."

Stereotypical bear? Was this some customary holiday gift or something? The Master had to admit he was curious.

Then he saw them. Dozens of bears of different sizes and colors. Most of which were holding a heart-shaped pillow with the words "I love you" on it. He wanted to be disgusted by them but then the image of you clutching and cuddling a bear after falling asleep while waiting for him to join you entered his thoughts. You would probably love it, and it would be absolutely precious seeing you cuddling a stuffed animal he got for you. He needed to get one for you now. The image would consume his mind until he gave in to it.

He examined a few of them trying to decide which one would be the least insufferable to buy and carry back to you. They all seemed too human of a gift. He couldn't see himself handing you one of these. Besides none of them were the size he imagined. The Master wanted it to be half the size of you, something you could curl around comfortably. Something inhumanly soft for you to smush your face into as he teased you for your bed head and sleepy expression after waking up.

This store may be too human but humans spread across the universe in the future taking their customs and holidays with them. It shouldn't be too hard to find something that fit what he pictured. Something big, soft, and decidedly not human-like. And none of that cliche "I love you" on a heart stuff. He could get something much more profound for you.

The Master rushed back towards the TARDIS. He knew just where to go to get what he wanted. Brushing past you he began to take off immediately. 

"Did you get the milk?” You asked in bewilderment at his hasty actions.

“They were out.”

Well fuck. He forgot that there had been a reason he was in that store in the first place. Perhaps he shouldn't have rushed off in such a hurry.

“They were out of milk,” your tone was completely flat.

You definitely didn’t believe his lie. Why didn’t he think of a believable lie instead of just saying the first thing he thought of?

“Okay, fine! I thought of something that I need to buy before I got to the milk. Two birds, one stone situation. I can get both the milk and what I need from the store I am going to.”

You wrapped your arms around him, leaning your head against his body. His body relaxing as you held onto him. He loved you so much for being so understanding.

"Okay, Master. As long as we do get some milk. We really need some so I can bake and you can make us hot chocolate. I'm still jealous that you make hot chocolate so much better than I do. One day I'll learn your secret."

Closing his eyes for just a moment the Master enjoyed the comfort of your embrace. Once the TARDIS landed he reluctantly left your arms. He had a plan to accomplish.

"I'll be back. And this time I won't forget to grab some milk."

"Oooh, you did forget. You admit it!"

He playfully booped your nose. Anyone other than you talking to him like that wouldn't survive the next minute. When you did it, it was fine. In fact, it was encouraged.  He loved it when you were playful with him. He wanted you to have no fear of him, to treat him like an ordinary person. Even if he couldn't be any further from ordinary.

"Well if someone else hadn't forgotten in the first place we wouldn't be in this position."

You covered your face with your hands as you flusteredly cried out, "Nooo, don't remind me!" with a laugh. You were too adorable to handle. He would never get over it. If he ever lost you somewhere - and he would never dare lose you- he could just describe you as adorable and you would be quickly found.

His errand didn’t take long at all, especially when he chose to have the inhuman stuffed animal sent to the TARDIS by teleportation. In no time at all, he was back by your side smiling to himself as he presented you with the milk. He had been successful in getting just the right stuffed animal for you. You would be wonderfully surprised.

"Did you get what you needed?"

You were soft in your curiosity. Not pushing too much for an answer but expressing your interest in what he did.

"Yes. It should be here shortly. I asked for it to be packaged and sent so I didn't have to carry it and the milk."

"I'll be back soon then. I'm just going to go put this away before I manage to forget."

Perfect. By the time you got back to the console room, the box should be here for you to open. He watched you leave. The moment you were gone he lowered the TARDIS shields so that the gift could be delivered. Just as he put the shields back up you walked back in.

"What did you need to get? The box is huge!"

"Open it and find out."

You gave him a wary look as if you feared that he was playing a prank on you. The Master didn't let it bother him, your reaction should more than makeup for your minor distrust. It’s not as if it wasn’t justified. He had played pranks on you this way before. The joyous laughter and smile on your face when you pulled the stuffed animal out of the box sped his hearts up. It was some weird combination of a bunch of standard anatomy of different animal species found in the universe. With fins, tentacles, and antenna. Half the size of you, you could just barely bring your arms completely around it. He had made sure that it was as soft as possible, softer than any other stuffed animal in the universe.

Gasping, you moaned out into the stuffed animal as you smushed your face into it. "Master it's so soft!"

You pranced over to him, your face still pressed into the stuffed animal. You were ever more precious and adorable than he had imagined you would be.

You popped your head out from behind the stuffed animal to ask him curiously, " what does it say, Master?".

He didn't want to admit what it said. It almost felt embarrassing to say.

"What? Don't you know?"

"I can guess but you know that I can't read it! The TARDIS likes teasing me too much."

You playfully pouted at the TARDIS by looking up towards the ceiling. In truth, the reason the TARDIS rarely translated for you within her walls was to ensure the two of you spent time together. The Master never tried to hide how much he adored holding you in his lap as he read to you for hours. So his TARDIS created opportunities for him but refusing to translate while you were in the TARDIS if not necessary. He sighed. He might as well tell you before you assumed it was something as generic as "I love you" written on the heart.

"It says, you are my universe."

He messed up. You had tears starting to form in your eyes. What had he done? This was a terrible idea. His hands moved to cradle your face, prepared to wipe away any tears.

"Oh no, don't cry! Shh, shh , sh. It's okay."

"Sorry, I just- this is just really sweet and I'm a bit overwhelmed. M' not sad if that's what you're worried about Master."

Shifting the stuffed animal to one side you moved in close to hug him. Pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Your lips as sweet and soft as they always were. He could never tire of the sensation of your lips against each other.

"I love you, Master."

It wasn't the first time you had said it. But his heart swelled all the same as this time he held you close in his arms.

[shadow--writer]

She Lives in Daydreams With me

Song title. 

Maeve x Lucas. Let’s try this again, from the top. 3.7k

TW: none!

@dela-png​

She didn’t know why she decided to walk to the beach to read. She had a perfectly good nook in her house by the windows. Perfect for reading with a little tea. Unbothered. By herself. No risk of seeing Lucas. 

But nooo she was walking to the beach. To read. Because she totally didn’t have other motives or hopes. Not her, no sir. She was only going out to get fresh air and read a little on the beach far away from the docks and any prying eyes. 

Wasn’t going to see if she could make amends with a certain someone. 

Absolutely not. 

The sun was hidden by dark clouds, and the smell of saltwater and fish overpowered the smell of rain.

She felt herself light up a little at the prospect of rain. It was always a nice change of pace from how hot it got in Vesuvia. 

Pausing her walk at the edge of the beach, she looked up at the sky once more. Though she hoped it would start later. She didn’t plan on getting rained on while she read on the beach. 

Chewing on her lower lip she lowered her gaze, picking up her skirt with her book in her hands. The sound of laughter filled the air, making her turn to locate the sound. 

Lucas. 

She flinched away. Oh no. No. He was here (of course he was, idiot, he worked here). 

The laughter paused, she peeked over through her lashes. She and Lucas locked eyes. 

They stared at one another for a moment before she quickly turned away, and started walking down the beach at a brisk pace. 

Her heels sunk into the soft surf as she walked, nose buried in her book. 

Oh no no no no-

“So, what are you doing here?” someone asked, making her jump. 

“I-Isn’t it obvious?” she replied (curse her stuttering), not looking up from her book. She knew his voice. “I’m reading. Peacefully. Not bothering anyone. On the beach since I need fresh air.”

He kept her pace, she didn’t bother looking up at him. Sure she was mad at him for taking her words out of context, and he was still mad at her for breaking things off. And of course Amani was pissed at the both of them. And this was turning into a real mess. 

Granted she wasn’t really mad. She was just annoyed. She didn’t have any right to be mad at him. 

She just wondered if she waited too long to say that.

“Why the beach of all places? You knew I’d be here. Did you just want to see me?” He poked her side. She swatted his hand away with her book, shooting him an unimpressed glare. 

“Am I not allowed to come to the beach for some quality time alone?” she asked with a tiny huff and an eye roll. “It’s going to rain soon anyways, I thought I’d come out here before it did.”

His face fell. “Rain?” His tone made it very clear he was not happy about it. 

“The rain is lovely!”

“Well maybe I don’t like it!”

“Well, we’re going to disagree on this one.”

“We’re going to disagree on a lot of things.”

Her back straightened a little. That sounded almost like a promise. Some little part of her hoped it was. 

“This is one battle you aren’t gonna win,” she said, tucking her book under her arm so she could look up at him. “The rain is wonderful. You clearly haven’t gone exploring in it. Or done anything fun.”

He made a face. “It’s dreary, lazy and makes everything seem sad.”

“Mmm but have you ever danced with someone in it? Played in the mud? Just stare up at the clouds and let it wash over your face?”

“What fantasy are you living in? The rain is sad weather. You can’t go out and do anything. You’re stuck at home with whatever thoughts you have.”

“And I thought you were the fun one,” she said, pushing back her hair a little. “But you just sound like a downer.”

“Downers don’t get sick from playing around in the rain.”

“But downers don’t get to really live.”

He paused. “You aren’t going to change my mind on this one. The rain keeps people cooped up. Sometimes it lasts for a long time. It’s miserable.”

“You clearly haven’t spent the day with someone you loved then. Rainy days are much better with people you love.” She smiled a little at the thought of her dad tackling her into the mud and then sliding down a hill. They gave her aunt a fright when they came home like that. 

“Are...rainy days better?”

“Yes. Very much so.” She turned to look out at the water, spotting a nice place to sit. She would get sand in her dress but she really didn’t care. Some sand flew up around her skirt when she sat down. 

“The view is lovely without the sun,” he offered. 

She let out a tiny sigh from where she sat. “Aren’t you mad at me?”

He stared at her in disbelief. “Mad? No. More like annoyed. What gave you the idea I was mad?”

Well...annoyed was better than mad at least. She winced, she did reject his attempt at a kiss. That had come back to bite her many times. She turned away from him. “Uh huh. Don’t you have work to do?”

He sat in the sand beside her. “Nope! Taking my break early.” He looked at her. “Hm, feels like you’re trying to get rid of me. Ouch.”

She let out a tiny chuff, crossing her legs and resting her elbow on her right knee (furthest away from him). She rested her cheek on her fist, the skin squishing a bit. “Hmph, what if I am?” She looked at him from the corner of her eye. 

He scooted closer to her, sitting in the same way but with a smile. “Well then I’ll just keep bothering you.”

She looked away again. “What if I ignore you until you have to go back to work?”

“I’ll just keep bugging you until you talk to me.”

She let out a tiny huff. “If you’re on break why are you spending it with me?”

He imitated her huff with a little grin. “Well maybe I missed you.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Maybe I missed you too.” He flicked the tip of her nose gently, she wrinkled it at the touch, making him crack a tiny smile. 

As annoyed with him as she was in that moment, she could admit she did miss him.

She wondered if Amani talked to him about what happened. 

Letting out a tiny sigh, she gave into him. She leaned into his shoulder, him leaning back. They sat there, looking at the water, pressed against one another in a small silence. It sent her heart racing a little, with heat rising to her face in a comfortable way. 

Okay yeah, maybe she missed him way more than she thought she did. 

“So...did you read the book I gave you?” he asked softly, shifting his hand over to cover hers. Her heart startled, body warming even more at the touch. It was a weird feeling, like she was cold but hot at the same time. 

“Thumbelina?”

“Mmhmm.” 

“I did.”

“Well?”

She smiled to herself. “I did enjoy it.” She looked at him, resting her chin on his shoulder. “You gave me an ugly nickname?”

His face reddened. “Look, I thought it was pretty.”

She raised her voice in pitch. “‘You shall not be called Thumbelina!’ said the spirit of the flower to her. ‘That is an ugly name, and you are much too pretty for that,” she quoted back to him. “Ugly name.”

He made a face at her, she made one back. 

“...so you just have that memorized?”

She felt her cheeks warm. “I um. I...read it?”

“You can memorize things from reading it once?!”

“N-No.”

“Then how?”

“I read it...a lot,” she muttered, turning to look away from him again. Her hair fell in a curtain around her face, disguising her red cheeks. Fine she’d admit to herself. She read it because of him. She would’ve never picked it up otherwise.

“T-Though the ending was a bit strange. It was so...happy.”

“...what’s wrong with a happy ending?”

“Sometimes they aren’t realistic.”

“...it’s a fairy tale. What fairy tales are you reading?”

“I haven’t read one since I was a kid. Why do you like fairy tales so much anyways?” she asked, staring out at the water. Anything to not meet his eyes while she fought her blush. 

She could feel him staring at her, and then he let out a little sigh. His hand was still clasped over hers. “It’s what we grew up listening to. I like them a lot because of my mom. Sometimes my aunts would read them to us, that is, if they didn’t pick fights on politics before bed.”

“Mmm, that's fun.”

“What? You didn’t get stuff read to you? Any fairy tales you like?” He prodded her side gently. She let out a tiny squeak, trying to swat him away.

“Well there’s one my momma would read to us.”

“Is it good?”

She smiled with a tiny hum. “The best.”

He pretended to settle down, she turned her head slightly to look at him again. 

He nodded at her with a smile. It made the corners of his eyes crinkle. Each of his smiles was a bit different, this one had a childlike wonder to it. “Well then, you have the stage.” 

“It’s called Tír na nÓg.”

He blinked. “Uh. Sorry I’m not familiar in uh…”

“Gaelic?” she said with an affectionate smile. The awkwardness of their situation was slowly melting away. “Most aren’t. It means uh...Land of the…” she pursed her lips. Gods what was that word? She snapped her fingers, trying to think. “Opposite of old. It’s not youth uhhh…”

“...young?”

She snapped again, grinning. “Yeah! Land of the Young. Tír na nÓg, land of the young. One of our oldest tales.”

“How does it go?”

“The most famous tale with Tír na nÓg is the story of Oisín and Niamh. Oisín was out hunting with his father when they saw something in the ocean. They feared invasion so they prepared but came to find the most beautiful woman emerge from the sea. Her name was Niamh, a fairy from the famed lands of Tír na nÓg. She was the daughter of the sea god.”

Lucas was a bit bouncy with excitement beside her, watching her intensely. She blushed, turning away. She was so very not used to the excitement. 

“T-The men were afraid of her due to her great powers. But Oisín introduced himself and they fell in love.” Her eyes softened a little as she relaxed. Her mom got so animated when she told this one. “Niamh was bound to go home, but she invited the great warrior to come with her to Tír na nÓg. No mortals could enter the fairy realm unless invited, so he bid farewell to his family and warriors and went with her.”

“Oisín was offered the wealth of treasures from Tír na nÓg. Eternal youth, everlasting beauty, health and happiness with his true love. But time came when he missed his family. Niamh gave him her horse but warned him he must not touch mortal ground or he would become mortal again and never be able to return to her.”

Lucas was starting to look...well not less interested, but a little more concerned. She liked how easy it was to read him. He was like an open book, and she wanted to read more on those pages. 

He was...a story she didn’t understand but wanted to. She always thought eyes were the windows to the soul, just like the old saying. You could tell a lot about someone based on their eyes and the way he was looking at her now sent the butterflies fluttering.

She pursed her lips to keep from stuttering again. “When he came home, he could not find his family nor his fellow warriors. Everyone had simply vanished. Eventually, he came across three men and asked where they had all gone. The three men said the same thing. His family was long since dead. Time moved much slower in Tír na nÓg, and realizing this Oisín fell to the ground in despair, immediately turning into an old man. He died later of a broken heart, never seeing Niamh or his family again.”

Lucas stopped moving and was dead silent for a moment.

Then another. 

“...that’s it?”

“Uh yeah! My mom would tell that one to us a lot.”

His words were slow as he thought them over, a frown pulling at his mouth. “Did she...ever tell you other stories? Ones with happier endings?”

“Well there was the one about Changelings. Fairies would come into homes, steal babies and replace them with something that almost was exactly like the baby but something was usually off. It usually was the eyes or teeth. They had sharp teeth. I think one she told us was how when the parents found out about the changeling it tore them to pieces. She usually told that one to get us to behave though…so no?”

He shifted closer to her, letting go of her hand to rest his hand behind her back. She missed his touch almost immediately. “How about I tell a story instead?”

She feigned offense. “What, mine not good enough?”

“No! No it was great but um...how about something without someone falling over and dying?”

She giggled. “So no stories without happy endings?”

“Life is unhappy enough,” he said with a lopsided smile. “Why should fiction be the same?”

She let out a tiny hum, resting her head on his shoulder. “Fair enough. Do go on, my good sir.”

He dramatically cleared his throat. “Once upon a time.”

“Oh wow that’s unique.”

He poked her side, making her let out a tiny squeak. “I’m telling the story,” he joked, arm going around her waist, tapping lightly on her hip. 

“Once upon a time, there lived a masked princess. She lived up high in her ivory tower, and was content with living her life alone all up high. The princess wore a mask of purple and blue, the only thing it revealed were her eyes. They were a brilliant dark blue that reflected everything she was looking at. Like mirrors. Usually they reflected a book or the stars at night.”

She chewed on her lower lip as she listened. He was a good storyteller, it came with hearing so many as a child she guessed. 

“Once upon a time there lived a knight,” he continued on. “The knight came from a proud family as well, growing up hearing stories about the masked princess in the ivory tower. The knight grew up to be a very threatening man, with a full suit of armour.”

“But he had a big heart and defended the people he loved?” she asked softly, making him jolt beside her. 

“Y-Yes,” he stuttered, not meeting her eyes as she looked up at him. He cleared his throat again, the sound more nervous this time. The tips of his ears were red. “The knight traveled far and wide to find the masked princess, for he wanted to be her protector. He had heard stories of the princess and people trying to get to her tower. But when he found the princess he was surprised to find she was in no need, or want, to be rescued or protected by the knight.”

“How rude,” she joked, making him laugh. 

“He called up to the masked lady, asking what he could possibly do to be able to protect her. He was willing to try anything. She said she wanted to be able to take her mask off around her knights, so she sent him on trials to prove himself. He did things he hadn’t done in years, shedding the armour he wore to protect himself along the way.”

“What kind of trials?”

“Stuff that made him let his guard down. Once he even stood outside her tower and just talked to her, opening up like he never had. But once he had shed all the armour weighing him down, he climbed the tower to see the princess face to face, only wearing his helmet. Seeing her up close shocked the knight for even masked, she was the loveliest thing he had seen. The legends had failed to share about her beauty.”

“Her hair was pure silver, falling over her shoulders and back. Her eyes, just like the stories said, were like blue mirrors. His final trial was just like the one on the other side of the tower, but this time he was light enough to come up to visit her. He visited her every day when he could, bringing her little gifts from his journey there. She in return shared with him her little secrets.”

“One day, he climbed the tower and the masked princess wasn’t there. The room was a mess, her bed ruined and her things thrown about. He left, panicked about the lady he was training to protect. He worried about failing her before even passing his trials. For weeks he searched for her, but he did not find her.”

His voice was a bit heavy as he spoke. He stumbled over some of his words and paused around others. 

“Then one day he did find her. All alone in the forest, dress torn and mask broken at her feet. She had been taken in the night, but the princess was a great warrior and defeated them. She was just avoiding the knight since she did not have her mask, and was scared of being vulnerable with him like he had been with her.”

“Did he take off his helmet when he saw her?” she asked, fiddling with her skirt. She was terrible to tell stories to. Asking too many questions instead of listening.

But he didn’t seem to mind. 

He nodded. “In the time separated from her the knight realized he had fallen in love with the masked princess. He just didn’t know it until she was gone. So he took off his helmet, the final piece of armour he had to shed, and asked her to come with him. Away from the forest. Away from her tower.”

“And?”

“Well, she did say yes. Eventually.” Maeve snorted. “The knight was very persuasive.”

“Oh I’m sure.”

“But he took her home with him, away from the thieves, and her isolation.”

“And they lived happily ever after?”

He laughed. “Well, something like that.”

“So did someone read that to you? Can’t say I’ve heard of it.”

His cheeks grew rosy. “My uh...mom read it to me.” 

He was lying. 

His voice got reedier when he lied. 

But why was he even lying?

There was a lull of silence. “Look...Thumbelina.” She stiffened at the nickname, looking back over at him. He let go of her waist. “I’m...sorry for getting so mad at you over the whole language misunderstanding.”

“Did Amani talk to you?”

His neck flushed as he rubbed the bandages on his hands. “...yeah. Says she talked to you too.”

“Did she...say what we talked about?”

“Nothing much. Just told me we should apologize to one another. So I thought...if I saw you at the beach it would be a good time to talk. Didn’t realize I’d see you so soon after making that promise to myself.”

“I’m sorry for trying to...well distance myself. I don’t…” She pursed her lips, looking away from him. Her voice was breathy and soft. “I’m sorry.”

“Can I...get a reason why?” 

“You got...close. And it scared me.”

“Was I too much?”

Her head snapped up. “No, no! You were fine. I was the problem.”

“I know...Gaelic is used for more than insults, I’m sorry for…”

“Jumping off a cliff to a conclusion?”

He snorted, bumping their shoulders together. “Yeah.”

She stared up at the clouds. “You’ll...come to see me again, right?”

“I want to. Do you want me to?”

“...yes. Please.” Her voice was soft even to her ears. “I would...really like to keep seeing you.”

“Then why’d you stop?”

She looked away from him, drawing in the sand with a finger. “Story for another time.”

His eyes widened in understanding. “Ah, I see. That’s okay. I’m...glad you’re talking to me again. I um...wasn’t lying when I said I missed you.”

“Me neither.”

“Amani was right,” he said with a chuckle. “We’re uhh...”

“Hopeless?”

“Exactly.”

They both looked up. “It’s going to rain soon. You can smell it,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

She opened them as she looked back at him. He seemed deep in thought. “I should get home before it starts pouring.” She got to her feet, rocking back onto her heels as she dusted some of the sand off her skirt. 

He made a face. “Yeah and I’ll be stuck in it. Working.”

She smiled. “Aww that’s too bad. Not my fault you took a job working outside by the ocean.”

He made a face, making her giggle. “I probably won’t work in the days after. Not much we can do in the rain unless we’re on boats. So, spend the day with me maybe? Without all the hostility and depressingly grim fairy tales?”

“As...friends?” she asked, holding out a hand to help him up. 

There was a flare of emotions in his eyes. Different ones. She couldn’t place them. 

“Yeah.” He almost sounded disappointed, but he covered it with a smile. He took her hand, she helped him stand. Not that he needed much help. He didn’t let go of her hand for a moment, the bandages around his palms soft against her skin. They must’ve been new. 

He let his hand drop, and offered her another smile. Lopsided. Made her heart flop in weird ways. Friends, Maeve. Friends. “As friends.”

Only as friends. 

That was more than she could’ve hoped for.

But she was glad all the same. 

[umbrellasource]

my thoughts on season 2

or rather, a list of things i didn’t like about it and a few things i did. spoiler warning, of course :~)

hello friends, thank you for joining me on my journey to convince the world to hate season 2 - I’M KIDDING LOL i liked season 2, but there are quite a few things i wasn’t that happy with and i’m going to cry about them like a baby now.

1. my second biggest disappoint with this season... NO HAZEL!!! i’m devastated!!!! i absolutely love hazel’s character and the depth cameron britton brought to the role.. i can’t believe they killed him so quickly :( maybe cameron had other work commitments but man i’m so sad. i seriously felt the lack of his presence this season and it was a dynamic that was sorely missed imo. the swedes could never.

2. the plot moved slower than i’d like. season 1 was very well paced, it felt non-stop, and like they were always working towards a goal, moving somewhere. some parts of season 2 felt slow or like things had come to a standstill and we were just watching them live rather than seeing them work towards something. which is fine if that’s what you’re into, but for me i think TUA works best when it’s GOGOGO like in season 1, and when it wasn’t, we had really intimate character moments, which i felt season 2 lacked.

3. the music didn’t hit as hard :( when i think of season 1 i can immediatley name a multitude of iconic scenes with the soundtrack - five murdering everyone in the doughnut shop, the bowling alley fight, i think we’re alone now OF COURSE, the slowmo montage to all die young, hazel and chacha burning the prosthetics building, gerard’s cover of happy together, five walking through the apocalypse to noel gallagher, run boy run, etcetcetc. those all just came off the top of my head. when thinking about season 2 i can only name two scenes off the top of my head (frank sinatra and backstreet boys). which is pretty sad.

4. the characterisation felt weaker overall. it didn’t feel as complex or deep whereas i felt season 1 really delved into each character and explored them a lot more. they all felt slightly watered down, especially luther, oh my god!! they turned him into a characeture whose only purpose is to eat a lot of food and pull silly faces. that was really disappointing. i’d hoped we’d get some scenes with him where he’d discuss all the pressure put on him by their dad, the guilt he feels for screwing up, insecurity etc. the scene with him and five in the club only scratched the surface. plus, allison only mentioned her daughter two times? it was really bizarre to me, it literally seemed like she’d forgotten about her. and speaking of forgetting family members... 

5. why does nobody give a shit about ben. i’m fuMING. they all saw ben in the season 1 finale and then they didn’t even care to mention him other than five asking if ben was there once, only once the family were all back together mind you, and when klaus said no, none of them even questioned it. despite the fact that klaus very clearly is talking/bickering with a spirit in front of them several times. none of the are like ‘uuhh klaus are you talking to ben or like...’ and that is really goddamn sad. ben deserved so much better.

6. ben’s arc in general! this is my biggest disappointment with this season. personally i’d really hoped they’d go the route that klaus would learn to control his powers and manifest ben in the real world for limited periods of time, like when ben punched him in the face or when ben pulled klaus and diego out from under the falling roof of the academy. and then eventually, when the show ended, ben could ~move on~ and go to the afterlife after being able to spend time with his family. but nooo. he’s back to being invisible, uncared about, forgotten and miserable. i like that they let him possess klaus for a bit and experience the world again, that was nice. though when it turned out klaus had already slept with his crush and she called him d*ddy i did my bigget sigh ever. and he’s just gone now. he doesn’t even get to go to heaven. he’s just. nothing. and vanya is the only one who even acknowledged it (other than klaus obviously). i swear to god, if season 3 doesn’t do a scene where klaus ~dies~ for a bit and goes to the afterlife again and sees ben there, i will RIOT. 

7. didn’t much like klaus’ storyline this season either. the cult thing was a bit weird and wasn’t done in the way i’d expected them to do it at all. i thought klaus would be a lot more sombre and serious this season too without the drugs to distract him, but he still acted high and Quirky the whole time, which is a shame, i’d love to have seen some more depth added to his character. plus, i thought he took the drugs because the ghosts were always bothering him.. we literally didn’t see any other than ben. also the stuff with dave was... Not Good. the kid they cast as dave had zero chemistry with klaus/robert, and he looked super young so it was.. kind of weird to see klaus be all like I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU. and i don’t think it even went anywhere. it just seemed pointless to me.

8. i felt like the fallout from the previous season was really glossed over. like vanya just forgot everything and everyone else is kinda like *shrugs* ah well. idk man i feel like there would’ve been a much bigger emotional cost and internal turmoil than there was. 

9. i hated the ending. sorry. it felt really ~generic superhero story~, as did the siblings vs commission thing in the last episode, which TUA isn’t supposed to be. and emo ‘ben’ made me cringe gfhjskkdfj. plus the oopsy we did a timeline fucky thing is getting a lil old now but whatever. plus the sparrow academy means a bunch of new characters which means screentime will get even more split from the main siblings, which i don’t want. 

so yeah.. i have some gripes with season 2. that said....

i did like some things!! i loved vanya having a female love interest, hell yeah. i loved five meeting old five, their dynamic was really fun and the dude who played old five was great, i feel like he really delivered his lines the same way aidan does. lila was cool too, i really liked the actress, she did great. seeing the siblings get closer was really nice too. 

overall, i’d give the season a 6.5/10, so yeah, i did still enjoy it!!! i just don’t think it was as good as season 1, by quite a long way, and i have some things i didn’t like. feel free to disagree with me tho, i’m just a big dumb idiot. and thanks for reading :~)

[lovemesomesurveys]

Your ex taps you on the shoulder and says, “I still love you.” You say? That would never happen, but for the sake of this question I’d certainly be surprised and caught off guard to say the very least for a lot of reasons. I would just be like wtf?? Do you play video games? Sometimes.

Do you spend a lot of time with family? Yeah.

Is your house more than two stories tall? Nope.

Have you ever hit your significant other? Has he/she ever hit you? >> I've never been in a physically abusive relationship, thankfully. <<<

What makes you an attractive person? (Talk about your personality too!) Nothing.

What color is your hairbrush/comb? It’s rose gold.

What snacks do you have available in your household atm? Chips and dip, crackers, cookies...

Has anyone recently told you that they like you, or find you attractive? No.

Are you attracted to the last person you Facebook messaged? No.

Do you care about anyone that doesn’t care about you? I don’t think so.

Was your last Facebook friend requests from a male or female? I don't remember.

Which one of your relatives is most likely to embarrass you? None.

When was the last time you ate a bar of chocolate? I had a mini Kit Kat yesterday if that counts.

Do you play any games on Facebook? Nope.

What would you like to get a degree in? I have a degree in psych.

Do you wake up a lot in the middle of the night? I don’t even go to bed until the early morning hours.

Would you prefer to read a book, watch a movie or TV show, or play a video game? >> I mean, that obviously depends on what I'm in the mood for at the time. <<< Exactly. I enjoy all those things.

Do you usually get popcorn or soda at the movie theater? Both.

What genre of films do you like the best? I’ve listed this a few times recently and don’t feel like doing so now.

How many bank accounts do you have? Just one.

Have you ever had the flu? Yeah.

What is your goal for the next few months? Get through each day and try to improve some health stuff.

Have you ever had some kind of sleep-disorder? How did it affect your life? My sleep schedule is completely messed up.

Have you ever had food poisoning before? Describe the experience. Yes. It’s a very unpleasant experience.

Funny, charming, cute, romantic, smart - choose only 2 for the opposite sex. Funny and smart.

Have you ever let somebody use you? Why did you do it? :/

You can go back in time & change something in your mom’s past - what is it? I don’t want to share what, but there’s definitely something I would change for her.

Do you know anybody who is around the exact same size as you? Who? No.

Ever been to a haunted house? How scared were you? Yeah. I’m a big scardy cat and went through the whole thing having my friend push me through while I mostly kept my eyes closed lmaooo. I kept anticipating things or someone jumping out at me.

Been on any websites today you wouldn’t want your parents to see? No.

Which is worse: dusting or mopping? I would say dusting. Did you pull a senior prank? No.

Did you graduate? Yes.

Have you ever been unfaithful in a serious relationship? No.

What was the last song you listened to? I don’t remember.

Are you one of those lucky people with 20/20 vision? Nope, hence the glasses.

Is fashion one of your interests? >> It is, I think fashion is intensely interesting and fun.

Do you think you’ll eventually find that special someone? It’s hard to imagine that happening for me, honestly.

Do you care what people think? Yes, but not as much as I used to. 

Is acting something you enjoy? No.

What was the last thing you broke/sprained? My leg when I was a kid.

Have you ever fought with a friend because of their boyfriend/girlfriend? Because of yours? No.

Has a stranger ever yelled at you for your language? No.

Whose house, other than yours and your families’, are you most comfortable at? I’m most comfortable at my own house.

Has any of your friends’ family ever yelled at you? No.

Did you ever play a sport as a little kid? Did you enjoy it? Nope.

Did you ever watch the show Full House? Yeah.

Is there a celebrity you are just DETERMINED to marry? No.

Have you ever burned someone’s picture? No.

What’s the longest hike you’ve ever been on? I’ve never been on a hike.

Would you ever get a lip tattoo? No.

Who is the first person of the opposite sex that pops into your head? My ex.

Do your parents smoke cigarettes? Nope.

What does one of your T-shirts have written on it? I’m currently wearing an Hey Arnold shirt with Arnold and Helga plucking a flower on it and it has “I hate him” repeated a few times and then at the bottom it says, “I love him.” 

Name a pet you definitely wouldn’t want. Any reptile or insect.

Would you prefer your partner smaller or taller? Taller. Most people are taller than me anyway.

Do you enjoy going through old pictures? Yes.

Do you believe people when they say they don’t judge people? No.

What did you love the most about the town you grew up in? That my family was here.

What’s a movie that you laughed the hardest during? Hmm.

What’s a movie you cried the hardest during? The Fault in Our Stars is one that really, really got to me when I first saw it. I bawled. 

What’s your favorite restaurant? I don’t have a particular favorite.

Is there a dessert you don’t like? Not a pie fan.

Favorite album? Hybrid Theory and Meteora.

What’s a book that you read because everyone else was reading it? I got into Twilight and The Hunger Games that way. I ended up becoming really into both, though.

Underwater or outer space? Both terrify me.

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

Kittens or puppies? Puppies

Bird watching or whale watching? Bird. I have an irrational fear of whales.

What was your best subject in school? English.

What was your worst subject in school? Math.

What is one thing you wish you knew in high school? Uhhh.

Who is your fashion icon? I don’t have one. 

Diamonds or pearls? Both are nice.

What color dress did you wear to prom? It was white with gold flecks.

What’s your favorite plot-twist? Thats a broad question. There’s been a lot of plot twists in various movies, books, TV shows, and life itself, ha, that really got me.

Honestly, are you jealous of someone right now? No.

Honestly, when was the last time you REALLY cried your heart out? A few days ago. Had a full on panic attack, too, which was fun.

Ever pop someone else’s pimple? Ew, NO. I find that so disgusting.

Do you need to return anyone’s phone call? No.

Who are you closest to? My mom and brother.

Have you ever had a bad concert experience? No.

Are you currently sad about anything? Sad is just part of me.

Have you had any form of exercise today? I haven’t even gotten out of bed, yet, but I can assure you no exercising will be going on today.

Can you handle blood? Nooo.

Has any place hired you underage for a job? No. I didn’t try to apply for a job either though, so.

Have you ever carried a concealed weapon? No.

Are you currently searching for a job? No.

Does eating breakfast make you sick? >> Nah. There was a short period of time when it did, back in the day, but now eating shortly after waking is almost a necessity for me. <<< Same, actually. The past few months I’ve gotten into the regular routine of having breakfast. 

[trickster-4]

Luz is Shabranigdo !?

Chapter 4

Sorry it’s been a while, this chapter was uncooperative.. Gonna take a nap..

“So Eda’s ancestor met me in Atlantis…” Luz sat down on a nearby stump. She felt herself struggling to smile.. It was a small light in comparison to the destruction that happened.. Yet, Eda the second closest thing she had to a mother and the most wonderful person she had met was born because of those past actions.. Who knows maybe there were other small lights? “She ended up becoming a witch.. “

“You know the Clawthorne Family has been a very prominent family.. History changing in fact…”

“Really?”

“Yup.. They were responsible for a lot of reformations..” Amity had a look of pride in her eyes.. Her eye’s grew a little sad as nostalgia grew in her thoughts.. She used to consider it an honor to study under Lilith.. “They broke down a lot of caste systems.. Put an end to a lot of insane laws.. People called them Heroes… Sadly much of their changes were undone by the rise of Emperor Belos.. But, when people think powerful witches from ancient history they tend to think Lina Inverse-Clawthorne..”

“I think I remember her..” Luz blushed at the memory of the most tsundere witch she could remember. “She and Gourry were so in love, but he was so dumb..” She laughed at the memory of their arguments, chases, and how they fought over food.. “It took a long time for him to actually realize that much less confess it..”

“Reaally?”

“Yeah it took end of the world nonsense..” Luz shook her head in utter disappointment at that kind of boneheaded ignorance. “You know.. I originally thought the reason I was.. punished was darker.. That I tried to destroy the world for the laughs...”

“Yeah I heard..” Amity gazed at Luz with concern and worry.. “Don’t forget we just saw that your soul was literally ripped apart seven ways.. Soul fragmentation can make people unstable.. Memories can get jumbled up even when the pieces go back when they’re supposed to be.. My guess is the memories of your punishment got mixed with the memories of your later fragments.”

“I hope there’s not gonna be anymore problems..”Luz turned away from Amity. This had been a harrowing experience and Eda had pushed Amity to go through it with her.. Letting her see all these issues.. It grated on certain learned instincts.

“Hey don’t worry Luz.. We’re with you.. Okay?”

“Okay..” Luz lit up again. She hugged Amity tightly before reaching into her pocket and pulled the bell. “Let’s go..” She rang it twice..

Seconds later…

Luz woke up to see Lilith chained with her staff currently lying in Eda’s grip. Amity got up not too soon after and a sour frown grew on her face..

“Lilith..”

“Amity..”

“You wanna run it by me how Luz was a threat to you and how that justified lethal force?”

“She’s the lord of darkness! Literally the source of all dark magic..”

“She was a fourteen year-old girl barely my age struggling with magic. No offense..”

“None taken..”

“And you had to the gall to kidnap her to threaten just to get an advantage over Eda. How is that civilized? How is that any better than how you say the wild witches were.. If her powers hadn’t woke up..”

“But, she didn’t die… Frankly I’m not certain anything could kill her..”

“You did all this to secure your place with a tyrant..”

“That’s treason..”

“Is it really treason if the civilization isn’t worth preserving? … eight hundred thousand people…”

“..Excuse me?” Lilith’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Amity with growing fear and desperation. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing her apprentice couldn’t know could she? “What are you talking about?”

“What does she mean Amity?”

“… Our population is dwindling Luz.. There are witches disappearing from time to time..” Amity pinned Lilith with a glare.. “Their palismans are taken, artifacts destroyed, and research burned.. He’s feeding on us isn’t he?”

“…..I won’t say another word..”

“Right because of your little collar..”

Everyone turned to look at Luz who was startled before rubbing the back of her head with an embarrassed smile.. “Ooh right sorry about that still have Atlantis on the brain.. The contract in her wrist reminds me of the sigil contracts the nobles used to use for their slaves… I mean the spell work is almost exactly alike… This is reaally uncomfortably for me now..”

“Wait you’re saying the coven system is based on Atlantean Slavery?”

“Basically? I mean think about it you can control any potential avenues for the middle class mages.. And keep them from being a potential threat by making them weaker..”

“In that case were would Lilith have been?” Eda grinned towards her sister eyes filled mischievous mirth

“A highly valued tutor or courtesan. Based on her limiters and tracking glyphs..”

“Courtesan?!” An infuriated Lilith growled.

“Limiter?!”

“Ha that’s rich imagine conservative Lilith as a courtesan..” Eda grinned as Lilith began to blush and fume.. She decided against pushing it any further given there kids in the room. “So not a noble?”

“I can’t really say Atlantean Witches were really weird about family lineage…” Luz had to resist the urge to facepalm. That ideology was so stupid.. Ceifeed had originally noticed a number of genetic illness arising from harmful genes.. He had repaired the damage, but complained about having to do it so often.. So he taught his priests how to fix the problems… Some people heard his words and went completely off the wall and started obsessing over linage and blood.. “If they knew about your ancestor originally being a human slave girl.. They’d get all twitchy.. That said no Nobles ever had them.. They were the only free mages who never wore such degrading things..”

“Ha looks like between you and me I’m the only nobility..” Eda laughed to herself.. “That said human ancestor?”

“Indeed please explain.”

“Edalin she was a first generation witch a real prodigy.. She was born human and acquired magic later in life..” Luz smiled as she thought fondly of the child. “Good kid glad to see she got to become a witch.”

“Wait Edalin the Uniter was a human slave girl?!” Lilith shouted with shock she suddenly felt lightheaded… And fainted..

“Uh Lilith?”

“Is she gonna be okay?”

“That used to happen to her a lot as kids..”

“Yeesh someone is a lightweight for heavy truths.” Luz shook her head with amusement.

“Yup.. By the way Amity your mom called I told you were spending some time with the dark lord doing some rituals here and she was welcome to pick you up but she backed off did for some strange reason..”

There was silence through the house. Amity looked afraid and worried. Her mom has come here to this place.. Her mother was always an unstoppable force of nature whenever she wanted to get something. It was the same with her father as well. Their way or no way.

“.. Uh Amity are your parents Ceifeed worshippers?” Luz questioned curiously.

“No they’re agnostic.. But, I think they may have seen your clash with Emperor Bellows so they definitely believe now…”

“Wait how would they have seen that?”

“Some activist group called anoma-witch broadcasted it on all our arcane transmissions… “ Amity smiled as she recalled the shock of her family. The twins had dropped their pancakes onto the floor Elmira cried shortly after.. Her father was aghast and shocked at the sheer gall of such an attack on the seat of their government. Her mother on the other hand she looked absolutely terrified.

“… Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Nooo!! I don’t want people using that spell!!!” Luz shouted in a panicked voice smashing her hand into the wall. She looked at the ground horrified remembering how that spell was gleefully and carelessly given to the Atlantean military branch who used to it conquer the surrounding nations.. She nearly started hyperventilating before Amity touched her shoulder.. Luz looked to Amity.. “Please tell me that words from that spell were scrubbed from the audio…”

“It actually was.. They must have known what would happen..”

“Thank goodness.. I can never use that spell again… It felt so right..” Luz looked horrified as she remembered how she felt in that moment that sadistic glee in her heart and the fear in Lilith’s eyes.. The thought of watching the life in her eyes drain away. She felt that dark magic wasn’t worth it.. “It’s so enticing, intoxicating, and I won’t use it again… And I don’t want anyone else to use it either..”

“Luz… You can’t be afraid of dark magic.. It’s literally half of all spells you use.. “ Amity invited Luz to sit with her.. Luz sighed before sitting next to the green haired witch.. “After the fall of Atlantis when the gods vanished.. Many of the the spells we witches used no longer functioned.. We were scared afraid that our powers would disappear one day yet they never did.. Magic persisted and grew stronger once more.. Eventually we discovered that much of your and Ceifeed’s energies had been infused in us and the earth.. And we learned how to mold and shape the magic you left us.. This is what mortal magic is… Yet despite it’s unpleasant origins it amazing and wonderful.. Dark magic your magic.. it’s half of what you love so much Luz.. You contributed to something wonderful so please don’t be afraid of it..”

“.. Yeah you’re right.. You know even at my worst when forced to I began to care for Edalin..” Luz perked up as she thought about all the friends that were supporting her throughout all of this. Willow, Gus, Eda, King, A-And Amity.. She looked at the green haired witch noting the gentleness and compassion.. “Thank you so much Amity..” She took of Amity tightly hugging her closely..

“You’re welcome..”

As the room was occupied with the drama no one noticed the flow of magic emanating from Lilith’s clothing. A quick concealment ward casted by the Emperor shielded his astral presence from detection.

“Well well Lilith you played your role magnificently. You were so terrified of me and concerned with warning your sister that you failed to notice the scrying sigils in your cloak..”Emperor Belos eyes glowed as he began to search for the Owl House for two things… He looked through the living room, before moving to the kitchen, and then through the various bedrooms. The Emperor would sigh in annoyance, as it turned out it seems the Owl lady kept the key on herself at all times.. But, on the other hand… The human’s device was left out on her desk.. “Little Luz you really must keep an eye on your personal effects like this.. “ He gingerly sunk a finger into the device and his mind began to tear through the meager password protection.. “Hmm Camilla Noceda..” Belos spent time his time reading through Luz’s texts learning what he could of her.

He began to laugh upon realizing that there was only one more thing necessary to force Luz into his plans.. A few minutes later he cut the connection from the scrying symbols.

The Emperor began to form a new spell using the evocative nature of Old Magic as a base for it.. “I call the one who brought forth the dawn. The one who tirelessly heals during the day and night. The blind one who does not understand the true nature of things..”

“Quaint..” Belos noted as a red circle began to form in the air before erupting into a portal.. It was unstable but it would last for his purposes.. “Let’s see..” He reached in and pulled hard retrieving a middle aged Dominican woman wearing a blue nurse’s outfit. “Ah now you must be Luz Noceda’s mother..” He smiled as a look of fear, recognition, and anger grew in the woman’s eyes at the mention of that name.

“Bastardo!! ¡¿Qué le hiciste a mi hija?!!” Camilla stopped speaking as the strange masked man began to shush her and she suddenly noticed how much bigger he was than her.. “What did you do to my daughter?! If you’ve hurt her!”

“I have done nothing of the sort, but I will if she doesn’t do exactly as I say..”

Meanwhile back at the Owl House…

Lilith woke up with a headache she was still in chains and her arms were getting pretty sore. She sighed and spun her fingers dematerializing the chains.

“Well done Lilith my faithful servant..”

“Emperor Belos… How are yo.. The Coven Brand..”

“Indeed.. You did just as I planned inform your sister and her apprentice that I have her mother..”

“Sir that’s..”

“Tell them that she will give me the key by midnight or I will have fun testing any number of lethal spells on human physiology..”

“….”

“Oh that reminds me by the way Lilith you’re fired. You can pick up anything you left behind here, but you’re no longer welcome to employment in my services.. Have fun doing whatever is you like to do in your spare time..”

“….” Lilith sat there in silence as the connection was severed.. She felt her world falling apart her hand shook as the coven glyph dissolved from her wrist. Years of sacrifice, constantly plotting, and countless hours of competing to stay at the top to be the Emperor’s most favored servant.. And this was her reward after giving him everything… A long distance banishment laced with false kindness.. Her head fell into her hands and she began to cry..

Eda Luz and Amity hearing Lilith crying approached her. They noticed she was free and Eda raised her staff, but then lowered it realizing that her tears were very much real. “Well this was awkward..”Eda really hoped this breakdown wasn’t about the deathhex she sent to Lilith’s mailbox..

“Uh Lilith?”

“I-I messed up… Belos told me I was free to go..” Lilith then slowly looked to Luz in fear.. “I never knew please believe I didn’t know..”

“What did you do?” Luz’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Lilith.

“… Belos placed several spells he was here seconds ago in astral form looking for the key.. He found the next best thing the location and name of your mother..”

“How?!”

“Even if that bonehead got that information it’s impossible for him to do anything with it..” Eda placed a calming hand on Luz’s shoulder. “Nothing will come of it.”

“You underestimate him Edalyn.” Lilith shook her head terror in her eyes. “Belos knows more about the ancient magic than most mortals.. He summoned your mother here..”

“How!! She’s not a mage, dragon, or demon?!” Luz couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her mother the woman who flinched during Halloween had a presence in the astral realm strong enough to be summoned.. How was that even possible!?

“She gave birth to you.. You are the source of all black magic.. And in order to give birth to you your mother was altered enough to survive your reemergence into this world. That’s enough magic for certain summoning rituals to work.”

“… I have to go..”

“Luz..”

“It’s my mother!!” Luz screamed.. Her eyes glowed red as she made her way to the door dark bat-like wings began to form on her back.. “I’m going to find her..”

“Stop..” Eda sighed at her apprentice’s foolish attitude.. This was a trap more than likely he was planning something the question is what.. “I’ll fly us it’ll give us time to discuss a plan.”

“Thank you Edalyn..” She gave her a relived hug her wings disappeared as they dissolved into shadow.. Luz let go slowly and began to look towards the door with worry and concern.

“Your welcome..” Edalyn reassured her apprentice gently as they all walked together towards the door.

Belos’s palace…

“Go to hell!”

“Ha.. Tell me do you know what your daughter really is?”

“I know that she’s a better person than you’ll ever be..”

“Perhaps it’s all a matter of perspective.. Shabranigdo the demon god of darkness and in the ancient world the lord of black magic and in the modern world the source of dark magic..” Belos gestured towards an ancient demonic statue with fangs, horns, wings, and ruby eyes. Camilla stared at the strange relic wondering what the ancient history of this old god had to do with her and her family. “She was one of the patron gods of ancient Atlantis and sunk it when it served it’s purpose.. It’s half of all magic part of the very fabric of our being. And I plan to control it..”

“.. What do your stories have to do with my daughter!?”

“Tell me was her birth troublesome? Where there sudden storms on that day? Did ash began to fall from the sky when it was finally over?”

“… Yes..” Camilla was stunned by this stranger listing the various events that surrounded Luz’s birth. “I don’t see what that has to do with..”

“All three occurrences are symptoms of a demonic birth.. Usually if there it’s one it’s a common demon.. two occurrence mean a demon of considerable strength. Three occurrences.. The demon god was prophesied to display all three symptoms on the hour of it’s rebirth with a human as the mother.. Shabranigdo the progenitor of the demon race..”

“… Are you saying my daughter is the devil?” Camilla scoffed.

“… To many people she would be such.. she is the original destroyer… Countless civilizations have been destroyed by the spells she created.. Such is her purpose and nature..”

“You’re insane..”

“Maybe..” Belos shrugged uncaringly. “It doesn’t mean I am not right.”

Outside Belos’s Palace…

Luz Noceda approached the Emperor’s Palace alone the numerous guards moved aside all while her very presence caused the Emperor’s various scrying spells to leave specific blank spots for her friends to exploit.. Numerous restrictive spells around Luz collapsed as she was wreathed in a crimson dark aura. Numerous Witches felt the malevolence from her and backed away in fear.. Several flowers around the palace began to crumble into ash as they aged at an accelerated rate…

Kikimora guarded the chamber the Emperor was waiting in for Luz. She shook at the sheer malevolence in Luz’s presence ancient instincts told her that this was her progenitor, her maker..

“Move aside speck..” Luz spoke with an old cruel authority in her voice ..

“.. M-My lord awaits you..” The demonic woman stuttered as she stepped aside and the door opened for the dark god.

As Luz stepped forward she sighed Amity, Eda, and Lilith would have to move fast.. Belos was powerful she could feel his presence.. It felt corrupted so twisted in a way a mortal could not be.. He was feeding on something powerful enough to give even the greatest of her old servants an impossible task.. And she was comparatively inexperienced, granted she had immeasurable knowledge as the lord of black magic, but Luz couldn’t use that knowledge reliably due to the emotional baggage.. However.. She extended a hand and imagined the fire glyph before drawing a crimson circle.. A powerful fireball grew in her palm..

“Perfect..” Luz Noceda stepped inside waking into the chamber. She began to notice two things, this room was dimly lit and that it wasn’t the throne room. Emperor Belos was seated in a chair at the end his eyes glowing blue menacingly. “Let my mother go!” She shouted with determination.

[13-reasons-ideas]

Can’t Go Back Part 5

A few hours later, Dr. Marcus came out and let us know the surgery was successful. “Depending on how his body reacts to coming off the anaesthesia, you may be able to go home tonight. I’ll send him home with a prescription for pain medication. He will be in recovery for a while, but you can see him after he is back in his room.”

“That sounds great. Thank you, doctor.”

Scott and I sat and talked while we waited. He had refused to go to school or leave my side while Monty was in surgery or recovery. I sent him home when Monty was out of recovery and we knew everything was okay. Dr. Marcus called me into his room again to discuss things.

“Everything went well and I am confident you will make a full recovery if you stick to our recovery plan.”

“That’s great news. What is the plan exactly?” Monty asked.

“You will need to take it easy for the next little while. It's important to keep your leg elevated, apply ice to your knee and rest as much as possible. I would like you to be on crutches for anywhere from one to two weeks, if you have discomfort after two weeks, continue with crutches on and off for about two more weeks. Or until your discomfort has lessened. Around two to four weeks you can try to begin bearing weight on your leg but do not go too hard too fast. It’s about baby steps. You will also begin physical therapy around this time. Your therapist will recommend multiple times a week in the beginning to try and get as much range of motion back as possible. With continued therapy and care, I see no reason as to why you would be unable to return to playing sports in the time you would like. But that is only if you are careful and not ignoring what you are supposed to be doing.” “So in other words, my life will be PT and maybe walking at some point, for the next four to nine months?”

“Essentially, yes. I recommend ibuprofen or an anti-inflammatory for the pain, in addition to the icing schedule we discussed last night. Additionally, I understand you are newlyweds, but physical intimacy is going to have to take a backseat to healing.”

I squeezed Monty’s hand. I think that is the part he is going to take the most issue with. He looked at the doctor with sad eyes. It’s not like you’ll die of no sex dearest husband.

“I understand that may not be the best news, I was a newlywed once too. But once you have range of motion and can bear weight on your leg, we can discuss clearing you for that as well. I see no reason that it would be a four to six months before clearance item. Plus, do you really want to be the guy who re-tore his ACL having sex?”

Monty smirked. “No. You do not. It sounds cool, but it’s really not. Your friends will laugh at you.”

“Coach Kerba would kill you. Besides, we have the rest of our lives for that.” I added.

“I guess that’s fair.” He grumbled.

After some practice with the crutches, he was cleared to go home. I wasn’t really in the mood to cook anything, so I ordered us pizza when we got home, and Monty was situated on the couch with his leg elevated on a few pillows on the coffee table. I had a feeling he was going to make good on his vow to “annoy me for the rest of my life” in the coming weeks. I went to our room to change into pyjamas and put my wedding set on while we waited for the pizza to arrive.

It arrived shortly after and he made a face at my vegetable pizza, “don’t worry. I got you pepperoni. You don’t have to eat vegetables today.”

“Good.” He smiled and I plopped myself down on the couch. After arguing about what to watch for a while, we settled on a rerun of Law & Order: SVU. This one seemed less intense as some of the other episodes.

“So, everyone knows now.” I said, placing my fork down after finishing a slice of pizza.

“Yeah, they do. I still don’t understand why you eat pizza with a fork by the way.”

“You said you would stop giving me crap about it you jerk. And it’s only certain kinds when they’re hot. This one just happens to be one of them.” I laughed, poking his arm.

“Hey, I’m injured.” He protested; feigning being affronted.

“Your leg is injured. Your arm is fine.”

“Whatever.”

“Does this mean I can wear my set to school now?” I asked, pondering the idea as I twisted my engagement ring around.

“I was going to wear my ring, so I don’t see why you couldn’t wear yours.”

“Okay.” I kissed his cheek and cleared the dishes into the dishwasher. We spent the rest of the evening cuddled on the couch, arguing playfully about what to watch when one show ended.

I woke up the following morning wrapped in Monty’s arms. I don’t think I will ever get tired of this. I watched him sleep, snoring softly for a few minutes before our alarm went off. “hhuummggg.” Monty groaned.

“Babe, it’s time to wake up.”

“Nooo. Sleep.”

“I know but we need to go to school.”

“No.”

I sighed, “fine, I’ll tell you what. I’m going to go brush my teeth and make coffee. By the time I’m back in here, I would like you to at least be sitting up. Preferably, you would have pants on.”

“Mhmm. Yes dear.”

Shaking my head and throwing back the covers, I got up and went about my business. I decided to give him a couple more minutes to get himself up so I got dressed and grabbed a slice of pizza for each of us for lunch. When I got back in our room to check his progress, he was still snuggled up under the covers. “Montgomery. You need to get up.”

He let out a long sigh, “fine. If I have to.”

“You do. I’m not facing the music on my own. Leftover pizza okay for lunch?”

“Yeah that’s fine.” He grumbled, sleepily. I’m not entirely sure he knows what I asked him.

“Do you want an Advil?”

“No, I think I’m good for now. Thanks, though babe.” I watched him sit up and begin to get himself ready. I knew it was going to take him longer than usual, which is why I insisted he get up now. Once he had some coffee and toast in his system, he was a lot more personable. Before we left for school, I made sure to put on my wedding set. It felt odd to wear it in public, but also incredibly satisfying.

I drove us to school early to meet Scott and Justin for some moral support. “He let you drive the Jeep?” Scott asked as soon as I had parked, and we were out of the car.

“Well considering he physically can’t drive right now and the fact that if it gets in an accident, it’s also my problem, yes. He let me drive.”

“Even still. I’m surprised. How’re you feeling, man?”

“Eh, it hurts but it’s not like I can’t manage it.”

“Do you want an Advil?” I asked quickly.

“No Addy. I’m fine. And I can administer my own medication, I am an adult after all.”

“I know. I just don’t know how else to help is all.”

“I know. You make good coffee though. That helps.”

“Right, right. Coffee. That’s why you married her.” Justin laughed.

“Well if you really want to know why I married her….” Monty teased.

“La la la la la. I’m not listening.” Justin exclaimed, covering his ears.

It was still early, but we decided to make our way inside to our lockers anyway. The few people in the halls stopped to watch us with curious eyes. I was nervous to make eye contact with any of them, so I kept my head down. We were almost at my locker when a student got up the nerve to stop us and say something. I think his name was David or something. I recognized him from my ninth grade French class. “Hey. I was at the game and saw that hit. I’m sorry you got hurt.” He said to Monty. He blinked in surprise, none of our group expecting that kind of response. The kid turned his attention to me, and Monty moved in front of me slightly. “Use your wifely influence to make sure he’s on the sidelines at every game. Maybe then he can talk some sense into the team.” He looked down at my left hand, briefly examining my ring. “Good choice. See you guys around.” He nodded and waved as he walked away. The students around us stood silently. We were all stunned. After we broke out of our shock and shared amazed looks, the four of us made our ways to our lockers. Chatter had resumed once again but grew eerily silent as I gathered my books. They’re here.

Justin spoke up when he noticed my friends approaching, “she’s had a long couple of days guys.” Monty sucked in a breath, likely preparing to tell them to fuck off.

“We just want to talk to her.” Clay told Justin. They still hadn’t acknowledged me or Monty.

“I think you said enough the other night Clay.”

“Addison?” Alex prompted.

“Hmm?” I responded.

“Can we talk? Alone?”

“Depends. I’m pretty sure whatever you want to say to me can be said in front of them.”

“We’d really rather not….”

“I’m not sure if you realize this, but I’m injured. I can’t even stand up on my own. It’s not like I can hurt you or anything.”

“Still.”

“Fine. But just know that I’m going to tell him what you say anyway.”

“That’s fine.” Jessica said.

The boys took that as their cue to leave, but not before Monty leaned down to kiss me softly. “I’ll see you at lunch.” He muttered against my lips. I nodded. My friends looked uncomfortable and I heard Scott talking to Monty as they walked away.

“You smug bastard.”

I hadn’t noticed that Justin stayed behind until I felt his hand on my shoulder, causing me to jump. I was too focused on the impending explosions from my friends. Before they began, Tyler came up to our tense little group. Great. “Hey guys. Hey Addison.”

“Hi Tyler.” I greeted. “How are you?”

“I’m alright. How are you doing?”

“I’m alright.” My friends watched our exchange with their breath held. This is so awkward. Will somebody please mention the elephant in the hallway?

“You guys really did it?”

“Got married?” He nodded. Thank you. “Yeah. It’s all legal. New last name and everything. Publicly at least. Still waiting on all of the changes to be processed everywhere. Some places take longer than others.”

“Huh. Explains why he’s been so mellow lately.”

“You haven’t experienced getting him out of bed in the morning. But yes, for the most part he is pretty mellowed out.”

“Interesting. I have to go meet Mack in the dark room. Bye guys.”

“Bye Tyler.” We all said. There was an awkward pause.

“Did… that really just happen?” Clay asked.

“I think so?” Jessica replied.

“Maybe he realizes he doesn’t have a say in who I spend the rest of my life with.” I muttered.

“Well he’s not exactly your best friend in the world Addy.” Alex said. I shrugged and saw Zach coming towards us. Hopefully he takes this okay.

“You got freaking married and didn’t tell anyone?” He asked, immediately after arriving at my locker.

“She told me.” Justin offered. I shot him a glare. Thanks for the help dipwad.

“Yeah.” I said, lamely. It’s not like I could deny it at this point.

“Why? I mean, he’s Monty.”

“Thanks Zach. I hadn’t noticed the identity of my husband.” I replied.

“That’s not what I meant. I mean, you married Monty Addison.”

“And your point is, what exactly?”

“He’s nothing like you.” Clay said.

“Which brings me back to, your point is…?”

“He isn’t the relationship and marriage type.”

“Well, evidently, he is. I have the diamond and the paperwork to prove it,” showing them my ring to prove my point. I was slowly growing tired of their loosely veiled distaste for my choice.

“He’s an asshole to like everyone. He doesn’t like any- did he pick that?” Jess stated.

“Yeah, he did. I was there. He saw it and knew it was the one.” Justin replied.

“It’s so… nice. And big.”

“Thank you? And it’s not that big. Its only point seven five carats. He said she said something about the setting making it look bigger than it actually is.”

“Wow. I didn’t have him pegged as a guy who knew diamonds.”

“I don’t think he did. But he knows how to pick ‘em.”

“I’ll say. Anyway, as I was saying. He’s an ass. To everybody. All the time.”

“Not to me.”

“Well you’re apparently married to him.” Clay grumbled, haughtily.

“Even before we got together, he wasn’t an ass to me. We weren’t friends by any means, but he wasn’t really that much of an ass.”

“Lucky you.”

“Clay, lay-” Justin started.

“Okay. If you’re just going to be a dick about this, then we don’t need to have this conversation Clay.” My friends blinked at me in shock. Clay looked at me harshly for a second before coming to his senses and looking at me like a dog with his tail between his legs.

“I’m sorry Addison. This is just kind of a big shock. You got married and didn’t tell any of us. Yes Justin, we know you knew.”

“I told you not to be an ass to her about this the other night. I told you she wouldn’t take any of your crap.”

“How did this all happen?”

“It’s a long story.”

“When did this all happen?”

“One of Bryce’s parties in tenth grade….” I trailed off.

“You’ve been together for almost two years and never said anything to us?

“Yes?”

“Don’t ever let us tell you you cant keep a secret again.” Zach said.

“I still don’t understand why Addison?” Alex asked, trying to be civil but I could hear the undercurrent of anger in his tone.

“I can’t really explain why I chose him Alex. Sometimes there is no explanation. I didn’t start dating him at sixteen like ‘I’m going to marry this guy.’ It was just fun in the beginning. The forbidden-ness of it all was thrilling. And then the longer it went on, I started to think that maybe this was right for me. For us.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I mean, I wanted to. Until we told Justin I had every intention of telling you. But then I was hit with a reality check. Realistically, Justin only took it as well as he did because I’m his best friend. I knew you guys would be mad and freak out, just like you are now. Don’t even try to deny it. You would have.”

“Even still. We would have been mad, but we would have come around Addy.” Clay said.

“Really? It took like eight years for you to like Justin and he literally had to live with you for that to happen. You expect me to believe that you would have been okay with me dating Monty?”

“Maybe…?” He squeaked.

“Exactly. So it was just easier not telling you guys. Or anyone aside from our parents and select people.”

“You told his parents?”

“Yup.” I said, checking my watch. “But that is a story for another day, I’m afraid. I have to get to class.”

“It better be a story for another day. I want to hear how that went.” Alex said, excited by the prospect of that story. That wasn’t the exciting one yet, bud.

“So does this mean things are okay for now?” My friends nodded.

“Yeah. I take it you’re sitting with him at lunch?”

“Yeah.”

“We will see you around Mrs. de la Cruz.” Zach smirked. I rolled my eyes at him.

“Not my mother-in-law. Addy is fine.” With that, Justin and I walked away. It wasn’t the best conversation and it certainly wouldn’t be the last, but it was better than I think any of us were anticipating.

People stared at me in class and I heard a couple of comments that weren’t worth repeating about various aspects of our relationship, but it could have been a much worse few hours. When I arrived in the cafeteria and made my way over to where Monty and the rest of the team had congregated, I could tell something was up. Monty was sitting, his leg elevated on the seat across from him, wearing a very displeased look on his face. The group looked up at me and back to him.

“What?” I asked.

“I think he grabbed your lunch by mistake.” Charlie chuckled.

“What are you talking about?” I asked again as I sat down and pulled out what I thought was my lunch. When I opened it and saw a slice of pepperoni, I understood what the problem was. “Oh, I see. I’ll trade you if I can have your fruit snacks.”

“You don’t like fruit snacks. And technically they’re our fruit snacks.”

“Exactly why I said your fruit snacks. You hide them in the cart and think I don’t notice until I make lunch. Here.” I said as we traded lunches. I smiled as a pulled out my leftovers.

“What is that?” Garrison asked, staring at the slice.

“Vegetable pizza.”

“And he looked like you tried to feed him wet dog food because, why exactly?”

I turned to Monty, “would you like to explain why you don’t like it? Or shall I?”

“No. It’s fine. I just don’t like it.”

I laughed out loud at his response, “it’s because it has vegetables on it. He doesn’t like vegetables.”

“I like vegetables. Sometimes.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to eat them once in a while, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” He sighed and chucked a fruit snack at me. I turned to his friends.

“I married a nineteen-year-old child.”

“Yes. Yes you did.”

His teammates and I chatted for a while pleasantly until Bryce showed up. They seemed to take a very quick liking to me. “Hey guys. Addison.”

“Walker.” I replied as the kids around table chimed in heys of varying tone.

“So, it really wasn’t Justin. Didn’t think you would let Monty here get within ten feet of you by yourself, let alone be close enough to have-.”

I squeezed Monty’s hand tightly to keep him in check and he winced. Michael opened his mouth to step in, but I beat him to it, “wasn’t your business then. Not your business now. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re only so interested in my sex life because you wish it was you.”

Garrison choked on his water and coughed while the other boys around him watched our interaction with various looks of shock and amusement on their faces. “Interested in sex… with you?”

“You heard me.”

“I’d think long and hard about your next comment Bryce.” Monty told him, darkly.

“Oh really?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m your brother.”

“And she’s my wife.”

“Dude what about bros before-.”

Once again, he was cut off, this time by Charlie. “Are you that fucking dumb? Are you trying to get your ass kicked?” Bryce simply looked at him, his head tilted slightly.

“He can’t do anything to me. His leg is screwed. Sorry you got hurt by the way.”

“Awe Scotty. He thought I meant Monty. Isn’t that sweet?”

“The sweetest.” Scott replied, holding his hand to his heart.

“No. I don’t mean him. I meant her.”

Bryce looked at me, sitting sweetly slowly eating my granola bar. “Uh huh. Her. Right.” My gaze turned dark and my brow arched, threateningly.

“Try me. I may be small, but that just makes it easier for me to hit you where it hurts.”

He gulped. “O-okay. Sorry. Comments will be kept to myself.”

Monty turned his attention to me and smiled lovingly. I smiled brightly back at him and watched as he picked up one of Michael’s grapes and chucked it at me. I barely had time to move to catch it in my mouth to avoid being hit in the eye. “Why you little….”

“You love me.”

“I do.” I sighed, dreamily. While I had him caught off guard, I threw his fruit snack back at him. I hit his head and landed in his lap. He turned and looked at me, a look of fake shock and anger on his face.

“And she calls him a child.” Garrison muttered.

“You should see them when they try to decide on a movie or tv show to watch. It’s literally like watching five-year-old kids argue over their favourite toy.” Scott muttered back.

“Or when she tries to get him out of bed in the mornings. She has to literally bribe him sometimes. Calls me other times to physically remove him from the bed.” Charlie added.

“Almost called you this morning actually.” I said.

“I wasn’t that bad. And you were asking a lot of me Addy.”

“Montgomery. I asked you to sit up and put pants on.”

“I had surgery on my leg Addison.”

“And yet, you had no issue putting pants on when we left the hospital darling.”

“That was different.”

“How?”

“It wasn’t the morning then.”

I looked at his friends, a dumbstruck look on my face. “Everyday. The only time he didn’t object to getting up was the one day on our honeymoon I wanted to sleep in.”

“I was promised Curio Coffee waffles. The way you and your parents raved about them, I assumed they were something special. They were by the way.”

“I said nothing about waffles at five in the morning on a Saturday.” Monty grumbled unintelligibly in response as the bell rang.

“Fuck. If I knew lunch with you two was going to be this entertaining, I would have made you tell people a long time ago.” Scott laughed.

“You’ve been keeping a gem from us Monty. You’re welcome to sit and share stories anytime Addy.” Garrison told me.