#i’m polish and i will confirm that my dad has never walked around the house without SOME type of shoe on.

[whataducktruck]

okay i know this was a low key depressing scene but the best part of the torture scene was thE FACT THAT NATHAN HAD HIS dogs OUT. he was showing his toes to the world when trying to kill his kid.

[apocalypseornaw]

One Condition

For the square "Friends to lovers" on @girl-next-door-writes make me feel bingo

Side note Bobby is alive in this cause screw canon

No real warnings besides cursing and lots of fluff

First meeting

You had just thrown your bags into the trunk of your nova when your cell phone started ringing. You cursed under your breath and ran to the front seat to grab it. You barely glanced at the screen but recognized the number instantly.

You answered with a smile on your face “Bobby! How are you doing?” You could hear other voices in the background but that wasn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence.

Bobby was pretty much one of the few people that tried to coordinate the efforts of hunters and offered a place to crash and or get patched up to those he was close with. “As good as I ever am sweetheart. Look I got some boys here that are hunting a witch and since you’re a bit more attuned with that type of thing from everything your uncle taught you I was wondering if you could lend them a hand” You didn’t even think about it before you said “Of course. I’m about three hours from you but I’ll head that way” if Bobby was asking you to work with them they could be trusted. You heard him call someone in the background an idjit before he told you to drive safe and hung up.

------

“You think this chick can handle a witch better than me and Sam Bobby?” Dean was a bit skeptical about Bobby calling in another hunter to back them up. “Son, her uncle raised her and he was a witch. She didn’t pick up a lot from him but she knows enough to spot the signs and had a few defensive maneuvers up her sleeve. Give her a chance, I’ve known her for years and she’s just as good a hunter as either of you”

The sound of an engine pulling up drew their attention. Sam stepped around the corner from the kitchen with a bottle of water in his hand and motioned to the door “That her?” Bobby tilted his head slightly and listened for a moment before nodding “Yeah that’s her nova” 

Dean and Sam both followed Bobby out to the porch. You parked just behind the impala and killed your engine before climbing out your car. Bobby walked down the steps to greet you and a smile slipped onto your face the moment you saw him “Bobby!” you hugged him and he did his usual checklist to ensure your last hunt was successful and you hadn’t had no recent injuries before finally turning his attention back to the two standing on the porch watching the two of you greet each other “These the boys I told you about” he started so Sam of course stepped up first and extended his hand “I’m Sam. That’s my older brother Dean” you shook Sam’s hand with a smile “Name’s Y/N”

Dean nodded at you but you could see how skeptic he was about working with you. “Hold on..Sam and Dean? John’s sons” Dean nodded again so you turned back to Bobby not meaning to talk about the Winchesters in front of them but needing to ask “I thought they didn’t really work with other hunters? Did they change their policy since their dad died?”

Dean cleared his throat so you looked back at him. He gave you a smile that was much more sarcasm than friendly “Sweetheart we can answer questions for ourselves.” You laughed sharply before replying “My name isn’t sweetheart darling and I was just making sure the two of you had worked up to the point of playing well with others. I see your brother has manners but from where I’m standing I ain’t too impressed with yours”

You brushed past Dean into the house so he begrudgingly followed you. Bobby whispered to Sam “Either they’ll work well together or the witch will be distracted enough by their fighting you should be able to kill her easy enough”

Friends?

“Can I ask you one thing sweetheart” Dean spoke from the other side of the motel room and you cut your eyes up with a raised eyebrow “What?” He motioned to where you were currently painting your nails “I mean what I’m about to say in the least offensive way possible”

“Not a good way to start a conversation with a woman who is armed and can kick your ass but do please continue” you replied and he laughed before holding his hands up defensively “It’s just..you’re a hunter and one of the best I know. You’re pretty badass in my opinion but you always have your nails painted and yeah it’s normally a dark color but I was just curious as to why”

You let a sly grin slip onto your face as you closed the nail polish and placed it back into your bag “It comes in handy” “How so?” he asked so you shot him a wink “You’ll see”

------

Later that night you and the boys headed back to the motel to catch a little sleep before parting ways the next morning. Dean stopped you just outside your room door “C’mon Y/N tell me how you knew who the shifter was” you stopped and leaned back against the doorframe glancing over where Sam was watching you and his older brother with an amused smile.

You held up one hand and wiggled your fingers. Dean looked confused for a moment then realization flashed across his face “Does your nail polish have silver in it?” You grinned “Silver infused basecoat and that my dear is why my nails are always painted” 

He nodded approvingly “Smart and yet again proves my point of why you’re one of the best hunters I know” you touched the tender spot on your side when the shifter had thrown you into a wall and probably would’ve went for a killing blow had Dean not been there “You’re not so bad yourself Dean, in fact I would say you’ve finally learned how to play well with others” Sam laughed but Dean simply grinned “Only took a few years of knowing you huh?”

“What can I say? I’m a miracle worker even with seemingly lost causes” he shook his head with a light laugh “Goodnight Y/N” “Night Dean,Night Sam” after Sam wished you a goodnight you walked into your room and shut the door behind yourself. Who would’ve thought all those years before when you first met the brothers that they’d end up being your two closest friends?

Maybe more?

Dean stopped in his tracks when he walked into Bobby’s living room and saw you curled up on the couch fast asleep. You had grabbed his discarded jacket from the arm of the couch and was using it as a pillow. A small smile slipped onto his face at seeing you were finally resting so he grabbed one of the blankets Bobby kept in the hall closet to spread across your legs. You moved slightly in your sleep and for just a moment he worried he may have woken you up but you were simply burrowing further into his jacket and the blanket.

He walked quietly back into the kitchen and sat down at the table across from Bobby ��She doing ok?” Bobby asked, nodding back towards you.  “Yeah she’s finally asleep. I’ve been worried about her these last few days” in truth you had done something incredibly stupid while also simultaneously brave.

You, him and Sam had gone up against a coven and you’d taken the brunt of a spell protecting him without even knowing what the spell could do. He had felt an ice cold jolt of fear when you’d gone down. He was afraid when he made it to your side that you’d be gone. Thankfully you were stronger than given credit by the witches. They’d gotten you into the impala and Dean hadn’t come under ninety getting you to Bobby’s.

Bobby being well Bobby had an antidote waiting but apparently it’d take a few days to get your system back right after the shock of the spell. The last week and a half you’d gone through shivering spells hard enough you’d cracked a tooth only to spike a fever the next moment.

You hadn’t kept much to eat down and sleep had been out of the question completely. You’d been in and out of it and Dean hadn’t left your side for a second even refusing to go into town if anything was needed. That’s where Sam currently was.

“You care about her don’t you?” Bobby asked, forcing Dean out of his thoughts about you. “What? Of course I do, she’s my friend” Bobby sighed in frustration with the younger man who was like a son to him and just as stubborn “Dean that’s not what I meant” that made Dean really stop to consider what Bobby was saying. Did he have romantic feelings for you?

When was the last time he’d sought another woman? It just seemed natural to spend time with you after a hunt or just crash. When he needed to talk to someone he’d call you if the two of you weren’t around each other. He always looked forward to seeing a smile on your face and when it was because of him? There wasn’t a better feeling. You’d become such an important part of his life over the years he hadn’t even realized it.

When you’d gotten hurt this time and he faced the very real possibility of losing you it had just confirmed what he’d already known deep down. You were who he wanted in his life. You were the most amazing woman he’d ever met, you kept him on his toes and made him strive to be a better man every day although you never missed an opportunity to tell him just how good of a man he already was. “Bobby..” he started but was silenced with a look “Don’t tell me son. Save it for when Y/N wakes up then you two need to have a talk”

------

When you slowly started to wake up you felt like you’d been hit by a bus. Christ what had happened? Everything was a little foggy. You caught a whiff of gunpowder,leather and cinnamon and memories started flooding back. Dean. That damn witch had thrown a spell at him!

You sat up quickly only for a wave of dizziness to push you back down. You then realized your pillow had in fact been Dean’s jacket. Where was he? Was he ok? “Dean?” you called weakly calming slighty when you recognized your surroundings as Bobby’s living room.

You heard footsteps and looked up to see him walking into the room with a worried smile “You’re awake” you nodded slowly being careful to not cause another wave to push you back under and started to sit up much more carefully this time. He stepped forward to help you then sat down next to you so you leaned your head over on his shoulder with your legs curled up under you while you turned to face him on the couch. 

“Are you ok?” you asked, voice slightly muffled due to the fact that your face was buried in his shirt. He laughed slightly which caused you to pull back enough to look at him “Why are you laughing at me?” he raised one hand to gently cup the side of your face “You’re asking if I’m ok while you’ve spent the last week and a half going through everything this side of torture because you decided it was best to shove me out the way and take that blast for yourself” you grimaced slightly “Well at least we’re both alive”

You realized he was still holding your face and probably would’ve been embarrassed had you not been fighting the urge to curl up against his chest and go back to sleep. “Why?” he asked and you were confused for a moment before you realized he was asking why you’d saved him. “Because whether you believe it or not Dean you’re worth saving time and again” he smiled slightly and opened his mouth to talk but you raised a hand before he could “Wait let me get this out while you feel bad and may not make fun of me later if it backfires I can blame it on the after effects”

You might as well confess your feelings now considering you’d nearly died for him. When he nodded you took a deep breath then said “Dean I’ve had feelings for you for a while. I couldn’t very well just let you die. It was worth the risk” “Can I speak now?” he asked with a slight smile so you nodded. He leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to your forehead before saying “I feel the same way about you. When you’re better I want to take you on an actual date, ya know actually romance you but for now thank you and please don’t ever scare me like that again”

You smiled slightly then said “On one condition” “Which is?” he asked so you motioned to his chest “Can I go back to sleep on you?” He laughed and pulled you into his lap “For as long as you want”

 @girl-next-door-writes

[katsukikitten]

So the anniversary of my dad’s death is coming up and I’m in desperate need of a comfort fic or headcanon (idc) where Bakugo finds out s/o’s parent died when they were a kid and they have really bad depression because of it. sry if it’s really specific

Anon I'm sorry to hear of your dad's passing. I'm not sure of your faith and I'm sure you hear this all the time but I believe your dad is looking down on you wanting nothing but the best for you. The dead are always with us, whether it be their souls silently guiding us or in our hearts with their memories. Here is something that will hopefully ease a bit of your pain dear. My dms are always open okay?

Anniversary.

Something was wrong.

Really wrong as your demonor increasingly worsened around the same time of the year.

For the third year in a row.

The ash blonde leans a muscular shoulder in the jam of the door, watching your form curled in on itself beneath the blankets. Stunning eyes staring at your phone as you idly scroll.

Bakugou would say more like staring through your phone as your eyes seem to focus on nothing really at all. The sparkle of joy that sat there was dulled, diminished almost and always around this time of the year.

He just couldn't wrap his head around it despite knowing you so intimately. He was sure he knew everything there was to know about you, from the way your lips curled upward when he said your name in soft tones or when you saw cute baby animals to the way heartfelt family movies had tears running down your cheeks faster than he could react.

Because you surely knew everything about him.

He wasn't sure how to approach this delicate situation.

His heart pounds as he thinks of all the ways his gruff attitude was sure to fuck it all up. Grinding his teeth he leans away from the door shutting it softly as he thinks of the only thing to do.

His thumb hovers over a certain contact in his phone, thinking to call your mother.

But what if...what if that makes the situation even worse? Wouldn't that just make his in law worry?

And worry more that he was a bad husband? Sure the two of you had been dating only a year and a half before he popped the question.

But the moment you soothed the ever hot rage beneath his veins into a small murmur was the moment he knew you were the one.

The other half that he so desperately needed, wanted.

And he wanted to be that for you. To soothe the best he could, to help crush that little demon that sat on your shoulder.

He changes his mind last minute calling an old friend of both his and yours.

"Katsuki! You never call."

"Oi Eiji. I need to ask you something..." His voice comes out harsher than normal still it does not phase the ruby haired man. Long since used to the thorny exterior. He waits patiently for the question to come and when it doesn't Kirishima gives the call his full attention.

"Something's.....wrong?" His gentle giant friend prompts carefully, practically seeing the heated flush creeping up his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

"Yes, with Y/N." He finally sighs out, silently admitting he cannot help you. That he doesn't fucking know HOW to help you. Adding already to the pain of seeing you so....hollow.

"Ah, are they feeling down? It would make sense considering the date." Kirishima says softly, eyes going to the calendar to confirm his theory. Bakugou goes rigid, silently counting to five to ease the malice in his voice.

To no avail.

"What do you mean considering the date?" Kirishima fight back a flinch even over the phone and it dawns on him that maybe you haven't told Bakugou what happened.

"Ah, well..." The red head briefly wages an internal war, was it manly to tell *your* story for you?

Was it right?

Clearly at this point Kiri figured it was probably too hard for you to do so and if the show were on the other foot. If his partner was calling you for better insight to help he'd hope beyond hope you'd tell them for him.

Because he would want nothing more than the comfort from someone he loved the most.

And he figured the same for you.

"Their father passed around this time..." If Kirishima says anything more Bakugou cannot hear it over the blood rushing in his ears. Madder than hell that he did not know.

And not because you didn't tell him, oh no.

Its because he was too stupid to figure it out. To fucking put two and two together.

Finally a word catches Bakugou's attention again before he says a brief thanks hanging up well before the good byes.

It does not take him long to find what he is looking for.

He takes heated steps to your shared bedroom, waltzing through the door with a hammering heart.

"Get up." He bites, pulling the shell of your cocoon away. You whine in protest wanting nothing more than to melt into the mattress until you've become nothing more than stuffing and springs.

But the hot head will not allow it as he bites out another warning. Lying out a quick outfit for you to change into.

Slowly you gather the strength to slip on pants and a shirt over you head. Hair going in every which direction but you do not care.

Or even notice as the weight of the world presses into your shoulders causing them to slump, your chest tight as something gnaws at your slowly dying heart.

Your eyes water as you stare at the back of the man who you so deeply adore.

One day he will be met the same fate, everyone will and the thought of it alone has your knees weak.

Wobbling once more from the weight before you fall to sit on the bed.

Scarlet embers pierce your skin from over his shoulder as he finally finds your brush. Crawling on the bed behind you to tame your unkempt hair. After a few moments he is satisfied with his work of your gorgeous locks finally in the order you like them to be in.

The texture bringing about a bitter sweet feeling on his tongue. You make him so happy and he cannot fathom why you would have kept something so big from him.

But he couldn't fault you for it either. He eases off the bed, hinting for you to follow and when you dont he grabs onto your wrist a yanking you to your feet.

Moving you through the house as you watch him gather odd items. Long spicy sticks and flowers before he slides on his steel toes boots. Glaring at your shoes. You follow easily, slipping them on your feet at the two of you walk what feels like aimlessly for an hour or so.

That is until he makes the last turn making sense of those odd items. Of the incense, of the lillies. You stop dead in your tracks but Bakugou rounds back. Slipping his strong arm around your waist. Pulling you to him as he gently guides you forward.

You cling to him desperately, unsure of how he knows where to go.

Of what row he's in.

But somehow he does. Somehow he figured out the one thing you could never really speak about.

He eyes you to gauge your stability before he rolls up his sleeves, dipping the ladle into a small bucket of water dumping it on the dusty grave.

Shock settles in your bones as you watch taunt muscles scrub away accidental neglect with understanding eyes. Sure to make sure every character was untarnished, the stone polished so nicely you could see the reflection of his burning red eyes.

Of the two suns that always rise even on your darkest days.

A small pop comes from his finger tips before smoke trundles into the air in gray waves and with it the smell of spice and sandalwood. He sets the lillies down for his offering, unsure of what else this great man liked.

Having this been the first time he met him.

You watch as a prideful man places his hands together, bowing his head before his velvety rough voice breaks the silence.

"Thank you."

The building tears burst, spilling over your flushed cheeks like a child. He notices, pulling you to him as he supports you. Nodding towards the grave so you can pay your respects.

And you do, as you cling so desperately to his black shirt. Heart bursting and breaking all at once over this normally rough man.

Doing his best to comfort you during a time so dark you could barely find the will to breath.

But somehow standing here, looking over your father's now shining grave brought a little comfort to you. Pressing your fingers agaisnt the cool stone you almost think you feel his gaze at your back. Hairs sticking up on the base of your neck.

The two of you stand there until the heavily scented stuck burns out, Bakugou silently offers you another. You nod as popping fingers ignite before carefully passing it along to you.

You set it in the burner, stepping back as he wraps his large arms around you. Head resting atop of yours as the sun slowly begins to dip beneath the horizon.

Painting everything in stunning pinks, oranges, and reds.

His lips press to your ear in a kiss softly before he speaks.

"We can leave when you're ready and we can come back whenever you'd like."

Nails bite into strong forearms, somehow things will eventually be okay.

They will eventually be better and in your hearts of hearts you know his soul is resting easy.

Smiling down at you with pride wanting nothing more than for you to live life to the fullest.

And to live on for him.

[phantombmoll]

#The fic that didn't have a name has a name now! Also Is it dark? Yeah Is it hella dark? Maybe I don't think I'll have to put trigger warnings on this because it's more about Peggy and Ted, the investigation is just the thing that brings them together in the first place annnnnnddddddd I think this fic should average at about ten chapters or so when finished, maybe more though. I'm just kind of letting the words and characters carry me along at this point. Reignite - available on AO3 - https://archiveofourown.org/works/30941900/chapters/79329064

#Ted Hastings x OC - Part Two

“You moved in here?” Ted asked, looking around as Peggy fiddled about in her handbag. She brought out a key chain that seemed stuffed. It jangled as she searched for the right one and a smile twitched at the corners of Ted’s mouth. Hardly inconspicuous.

“No, no it’s just-” Peggy paused sliding the key into the lock. “If someone’s watching the house I’d rather them watch this one.” She admitted, stepping over the threshold. A lamp was already on and Ted suspected timers to make it appear someone was still here. Ted wasn’t sure what he’d expected to find, maybe more clutter, something like hoarders. Newspapers taped to walls. The hallway was clear though. A stretching corridor that ran past the stairs and to the back of the house where Ted could see the kitchen.

His timer theory was confirmed as Peggy turned right and he spotted the plug in the wall.

The house was just big enough for its purpose. A living/dining area with a long polished table to the right. The corridor and stairs took the middle of the house and to the left was Peggy’s fathers office and then the kitchen.

On stepping in the open living/dining space looked, for a better word normal. Bookshelves, a wide telly that Ted imagined the footie looked great on. Nik nacks and pictures littered the walls. A glass bookcase contained memorabilia. As Ted turned back towards the wall the door he’d come through was on, a mosaic of paperwork blossomed. Peggy turned over a few paintings and then to Ted’s surprise pushed a bookcase on wheels out of the way revealing more.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph you weren’t wrong about there being a lot here.” Ted breathed. His eyes didn’t know where to land first.

“I’ll get you a drink.” Peggy said her heels clipping along the polished wooden floor until she must have removed them.

Ted moved towards the wall starting to glance over the patchwork of paperwork in front of him. There were, he noted, albeit hidden, gruesome crime scene pictures. Markers on them indicated they were copies, probably from Peggy’s fathers legal practice.

There were symbols circled in red pen, missing persons posters, autopsies, grainy cctv print outs, newspaper clippings. Things were highlighted and connected but for now Ted had no real idea what he was looking at. There was a face he recognised though. Tommy Hunter. A red thread made its way from an outer circle of photographs to another man Ted didn’t recognise.

“Here.” Peggy returned, handing him a whisky in a glass tumbler.

“You remember how I like it.” Ted said, glancing down.

“And what you like.” Peggy nodded towards the glass, encouraging him to take a sip. In her hand she had what Ted suspected was cider.

“Is that your mother?” Ted asked, leaning in towards a picture on the board.

“She’s what got this whole thing started. Well Richard was.”

“Yeah well your da never took that divorce very well.”

“Yeah but that’s not why this started. Richard was creepy, as were his sons.” Peggy rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably and Ted watched her for a minute. “She’s in the Bahamas now I think, mum, some business tycoon called Henry or something.”

“How many times has she been married now?” Ted asked with a brow raised.

“If she marries this one it’ll be six and honestly I’m surprised the police haven’t been onto her yet because it gets a bit black widowy after the third.” Peggy chuckled.

“God that’s not what all this is is it?” Ted asked, gesturing to the wall. Peggy laughed and shook her head but when she looked up at the wall her face fell a little. Something went out behind her eyes and Ted felt it down in his gut. He knew that look. It was the look of someone who knew about evils, knew people were still being hurt but was having to play a waiting game. He knew that look because he’d worn that look himself.

“My dad heard a rumour before he retired. A rumour about Richard Bank’s grandson. A party that got out of hand, all the gossip said it was drugs and violence and it just needed to be hushed up and it was. Dad found out later they paid off journalists, doctors, a few nurses. Which is nothing major in the grand scheme of things. Rich kids causing trouble then parents throwing money at it, is nothing new. Then just after retirement he overheard at an event that Banks' son, Andrew, was in trouble again. Something to do with a party.”

“Anyway dad, put it down to rumour mongering but things kept coming up and he ended up doing a little digging. He was just curious. Cut to a few years later. Must have been about 8 years ago now. Dad was doing some pro-bono work, an old lawyer that Dad had grown up knowing. The guy starts babbling incoherently, asking if Lucy’s okay, if she’s alright, that he didn’t mean to hurt her. Before dad can get his phone out the nurses come in, say something about watching Dracula and my dad is shuffled out. Dad said he couldn’t get it out of his head though. He couldn’t get out of his head how distressed his old friend had looked. So he started pulling on a thread and this is what he wound up with.” Peggy gestured to the papers around them. “It’s like a club Ted, and they hold ‘pleasure’ parties and gatherings and god knows what else.”

Peggy inhaled, then took a drink. How many times must she have gone over this and still the thought made her sick. It was then Ted knew something much worse than just drugs and gangsters was coming.

“It’s not about power, well, I suppose it is but not in the sense of what I’ve seen before. It’s not about money or blackmail or drugs. It’s about blood and pain and leaving humanity at the door.” Peggy paused for a minute and closed her eyes, holding her drink to her like it might save her from whatever was running through her head.

“From what we can gather it’s an anything goes situation. Whatever you want, they’ll get it. Whatever you want to do or try or indulge in, they will give it to you. You give them a fee and you walk into a room where anything goes and you can call yourself a god.”

“And I know what you’re thinking. People like Tommy Hunter and his friends have parties like that all the time. You hear about it from the poor victims but this isn’t some side operation this is the whole operation Ted. All they do is specialise in these parties. Doctors that stitch people up, doctors that forge death certificates, nurses that get medical grade drugs, policemen who falsify documents, lawyers that help keep things in check, funeral homes that burn bodies. It’s a business. A unique one of a kind business with enough people pulling strings and taping mouths shut that the wider world still hasn’t found out about it.”

“Your da thought someone at the firm was involved?” Ted stated more than asked.

“And he started pulling files.”

“And fell down the rabbit hole.” Ted said the skepticism he’d felt in the bar seeming to leach out of him. “I’m going to need another drink.” He said slowly before finishing the whiskey in his glass.

[artificialqueens]

White Noise (What an Awful Sound) Ch.2 (Crystal/Gigi) - Meta

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter! I’ve been having a lot of fun writing it. Please leave any feedback/opinions/suggests you have, I love reading what people think about my work! :)

“Gigi, breakfast is ready!” The sound of her mother’s voice woke Gigi up. She rolled over to check the time on her phone, 9 am. Ugh, who the hell wakes up this early on a Sunday? Her parents must really be laying into the new “suburban” lifestyle. Breakfast together early every morning, family dinners. Oh maybe they’ll even have movie night! Gigi ignored all the texts she’d received from her friends back home while she was asleep, rolling herself out of bed and walking to the bathroom. She rummaged around in the box labeled “Gigi’s Toiletries” in her mom’s beautiful cursive. Pulling out her face wash and moisturizer before turning to the sink where her toothbrush rested from the night before.

Once back in her room Gigi picked out an outfit for the day. Scanning through the clothes she’d already put away in her closet, she decided on a long, pale green skirt that had a small slit revealing some of her left leg and just a cropped white shirt. Gigi gave herself a quick once over before rushing downstairs.

“My god, would you look at that. Sleeping Beauty has finally joined the rest of the living.” Gigi’s dad said. He was sitting at their dining table sipping coffee out of a mug and scrolling on his phone. Gigi was willing to bet all of her savings he was looking at Facebook. These damn 40’s somethings, always on their goddamn phones. Just shameful.

“There’s so evidence to prove I’m not sleep walking right now.’’ She said, taking a seat next to her father.

“You washed your face, brushed your teeth, and got dressed.” Gigi’s mother replied, poking her head out of the kitchen.

“Right…so what’s for breakfast?” She eyed her father’s plate but he had already eaten what was on it.

“Cereal for you since you decided to take so long.”

“Paul stop it,” Her mom hit his arm playfully before putting a plate of waffles in front of Gigi, “apparently, your father’s version of unpacking the kitchen is only taking out the waffle iron.”

“Hate to say it but I’m not surprised.” Gigi said.

“I am shocked and appalled by how little you two think of me, really. Just wow.” He replied, feigning hurt. Gigi’s dad stood from the table, taking his plate into the kitchen and placing it in the sink. He whispered a small ‘thank you’ before pulling Gigi’s mom in for a kiss. The teen just ignored her parents, public displays of affection were normal in their house. Gigi had a theory that her father was so affectionate to make up for how much time he spent at work back in LA, always hugging, kissing, or holding her mother’s hand just to let her know he’s still there.

“Anyway, Gigi honey, your father and I need to go to the store and get some things for the house. Do you want to come with us?” Gigi just shook her head, she could use this time to unpack her room some more. “Okay, well we should be home before 4. Please don’t forget, we’re going over to have dinner with the Methyd’s at 5.”

“I will be ready, promise.”

Her parents made their way out the front door, her mom yelling something about wearing a jacket if she left the house. Please, like Gigi was gonna leave the house. Where would she go? To hang out with all her friends here in Missouri? No Gigi was going to go back upstairs and unpack her room. She hated living out of boxes, even if it had only been a day. Back home she waited until the very last second to pack up all her things. Nicky, her best friend, had told her to ‘stop stalling and pack your shit already’ to which Gigi argued that she hadn’t been. Now she was willing to admit Nicky had been right. Just because she refused to throw some random crap she’d had all her life into a box didn’t change the fact that the ‘For Sale’ sign outside her house was real. But now Gigi was ready to settle into her new room.

About an hour later Gigi had made good progress on her room. She’d just finished organizing her books when she heard a crash followed by a lot of expletives that she was glad her parents weren’t around to hear. Gigi walked over to her window, trying to see what was going on. She chuckled to herself as she watched Crystal struggle with an easel on her porch. “Oh my god she’s losing a fight to a fucking easel.” Gigi said, slipping on a pair of white sandals before running downstairs and out the front door. She made her away across the street, still smiling at the sight.

“Want some help?” She asked, finally reaching the other girl.

“Jesus, fuck. You were not supposed to see this.” Crystal laughed. She ran a hand through her curls before looking up at Gigi, a fake pout painted across her face. She is way too adorable for her own good, holy shit.

“Well, too bad.” Gigi said. She bent over and started picking all the art supplies that, she guessed, had been knocked over during the struggle.

“I can’t get it to stand up. I don’t know what’s wrong, it was fine up in my room.” Crystal sighed, giving up and letting it drop to the floor. Gigi nodded.

“Okay, well how many times did you let it do that?” She joked.

“I-I may have dropped it three times while dragging it down the stairs, yeah.”

“I think I may know what your problem is.” She said.

“Wow, you know I am so glad Missouri has someone of your intelligence level living in it now. If it wasn’t for you I would still be fighting for my life against that thing.” Crystal pointed in disgust towards where the easel lay on the porch. Gigi just laughed in response. A silence fell over the girls. To Gigi’s surprise, for one of the only few times in her life, it wasn’t an awkward silence. Crystal wasn’t expecting a response from her, instead she turned her attention to focus on organizing her paints.

“Uh, okay, I, um, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out today?” Gigi shifted in her spot, running a hand awkwardly through her hair. Crystal raised her eyebrows and smiled.

“Actually, I’m just not entirely sure I can handle a full day with you,” Crystal said. Gigi’s eyebrows furrowed, “I mean you just have such an overpowering personality.”

“Right, yeah, I’ve heard that about myself many times.” Gigi nodded in relief.  Just as she finished talking Crystal phone vibrated, she pulled it out of her back pocket to check the notification.

“Well Ms. Gigi Goode, you’re in luck. My friend Lux just asked me to go thrifting with her. Wanna come?” Crystal stood up and walked closer to Gigi. She bit her lip while waiting for the brunette’s response.

“Oh um, yeah sure. I’d love to.” Gigi said. In that moment she was positive she would’ve said yes no matter what Crystal invited her to.

Crystal ran inside to grab the keys to her car and say bye to her mom before dashing back to Gigi and grabbing her hand, “Okay let’s go.” She pulled Gigi toward her car, her skin burning where they’d made contact. Crystal’s car was very old and a horrendous mustard color but she loved it because it got her away from her parents. She was the only one in her friend group with a car, which meant all her friends loved it too. Gigi had to admit, Crystal was not a very good driver. She was always just a little bit too far over the speed limit for comfort and drove with her left leg up on the seat. They drove in silence, well Gigi was silent. Crystal couldn’t help but sing along to every song that came on as they made their way in town to the thrift store. Crystal’s taste in music was definitely different from Gigi’s, playing songs from King Princess, Cage the Elephant, and Hozier, whereas Gigi was more of a pop girl. She basically played Dua Lipa on repeat 24/7. Sitting so close to Crystal while Cherry Wine played throughout the car made Gigi feel overwhelmed, she tried to slow her breath as she stared down at where their hands both rested on the console. She resisted the urge to intertwine their fingers together, missing the feeling from earlier. She studied the other girl’s fingers, the way they dance ever so slightly to the music, the chipped purple nail polish she wore. She had rings on almost all of her fingers.

“You okay?” Crystal asked, glancing at Gigi out of the corner of her eye. She looked like she was going to be sick. But as soon as Crystal spoke Gigi snapped out of it, smiling and peeling her eyes away from their hands to look up at Crystal.

“Yeah, just uh- never mind.” Gigi stopped herself from saying something stupid. She felt foolish, she hadn’t even known this girl for 24 hours and she already had the urge to profess her love to her. She didn’t even know if Crystal was gay. Well, actually that’s not true, she listened to King Princess and Lana Del Rey. The girl was definitely some flavor of gay. Plus nobody that dressed like that was straight.

“What? No, tell me!” Crystal pouted.

“It’s nothing. Just your music makes me feel like I’m in a coming-of-age movie or something.” Gigi said. She tried to fight off the blush creeping across her cheeks. Crystal just laughed, making Gigi regret she said it.

“I like to listen to this kind of music when alone or like painting. It makes me feel calm and inspired. Or like I’m gonna be the next great sapphic artist,” Well, shit, there it was. The confirmation Gigi needed to insure her gaydar wasn’t completely broken. She swallowed hard, not wanting to show any reaction. “I just need to find my muse.” Now it was Crystal who was stealing glances at their hands, moving her hand just close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from Gigi’s. Missing that same heat when she reluctantly pulled her hand away so she could pull into a parking spot.

The girls made their way into the small shop that was filled with very loud clothes. The way Crystal dressed suddenly all made sense. There were only three other people in the shop, they were all standing together loudly talking about how horrendous the huge bubble gum pink dress in front of them was.

“Oh thank fuck, finally. Crystal you have to try this on!” One of them said, grabbing the dress off the rack and running up to Crystal. She stopped and gave Gigi a confused, but welcoming look. The girl looked so much like a fairy, Gigi had to suppress the urge to ask her how Tinker Bell was.

“Hi, I’m Daya.” Another girl, the tallest in the group, came up to them and put her hand out for Gigi to shake.

“Gigi,” She said, taking her hand. Gigi couldn’t help but notice how pretty they all were. What the hell is in the Missouri water?

“That’s Lux,” Crystal said pointing to the small blonde who was being swallowed by all the fabric of the dress she was holding, “and that’s Daegan.” Crystal pointed to the girl who was standing next to Daya.

“I really like your hair.” Gigi said, looking at Daegan’s bright pink hair. She wished she could pull off a color like that but alas she was destined to have boring brown hair for the rest of her life.

“Oh, my god thank you.” Daegan said, “I like her, Crystal can we keep her?” She made puppy dog eyes toward the girl who just laughed.

“Excuse me, hello?!” Lux huffed from under the dress, “Can we get back to Crys trying this on please.” She whined.

“Holy shit, yeah babe you have to try it on.” Daya said pushing past Gigi and taking the dress from Lux. Gigi felt her heart drop into her stomach. Babe? Crystal had a girlfriend? Not just that but a fucking hot girlfriend? Ugh the homophobia of it all. Gigi just walked over to the nearest rack and started looking through all the clothes, trying to ignore the giggles coming from Crystal as Daya pushed her into a dressing room.

A few minutes later Crystal emerged from the dressing room, pulling the thick velvet curtain back dramatically. She walked confidently out into the middle of the store and spun around for all her friends to see.

“You’ve never looked better.” Daegan said as she pulled her phone out to take a video of Crystal dancing around like an idiot. Crystal curtsied and let out a ‘thank you’ in a horrible British accent.

“I think we found your prom dress!” Lux added jumping up and down like a little kid. Crystal made a disgusted face.

“I’m not going to prom, and even if I was, I would never wear a dress.” She put a finger in her mouth and pretended to throw up.

“Ugh not this again. Crystal Elizabeth Methyd you’re going to prom, you have to,” Daya crossed her arms and stared sternly at Crystal for a few seconds before giving up and turning to Gigi, “Tell her she has to go to prom.”

Gigi looked between the girls confused. What kind of power did they think she had over Crystal? They’d just met, you couldn’t even classify them as friends yet. Shouldn’t Daya be the one to convince Crystal, she’s the one that’s her girlfriend here not Gigi. “I-I’ve never been to prom before but I’m sure it’s really fun. My mom says everyone should go to at least one of their proms.”

Crystal rolled her eyes, “Your mom sounds like mine.” Why couldn’t her friends just leave it alone? She already told them a million times she wasn’t going, although the thought of seeing Gigi in a prom dress did intrigue her. Crystal turned around and walked back into the dressing room.

The girls stayed in the shop for a couple of hours, trying on ugly hats and way too big sunglasses, before Lux declared that they had to leave because she was hungry. Crystal bought three button up shirts, that Daegan said looked something her dad would wear, and a bright turquoise and pink windbreaker that Gigi’s mom definitely would have owned in the 90’s.

They all climbed into Crystal’s car, Daegan complaining that making her sit in the back was transphobia. Crystal just ignored her and opened the passenger door for Gigi. She felt awkward in the front, shouldn’t Daya be sitting here so they could hold hands or something? Gigi ignored her thoughts, enjoying the way Crystal’s perfume smelled.

Being in the car with Crystal’s friends was very different than being with just Crystal. Daegan immediately stole the AUX to play Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, and Nicki Minaj while Lux complained that she wanted to listen to Grimes. Crystal just ignored them trying to focus on driving with all the yelling going on around her.

They had finally calmed down, Lux accepting that there was no chance in hell Daegan was changing the music for her, until the question of where to eat came up. Daya voted for Taco Bell while Daegan complained that they had Taco Bell last time. Lux suggested Chick Fil A before being shut down by Crystal, reminding her that they no longer supported the restaurant because of their anti-lgbtq beliefs. Lux rolled her eyes while Daegan joked that the only reason she ate there was because their hatred for her existence made it fun.

“What about pizza?” Gigi offered. Before anyone could protest Crystal said yes, giving everyone in the back seat a stern look. They all murmured reluctant okay’s before changing the subject to gossip about someone from school.

They finally pulled into a small pizza place with picnic tables scattered out front and a burnt out sign that read ‘The Big Slice’. Daya and Lux grabbed a picnic table while Crystal and Daegan went in to order, Gigi opted to stay outside and wait for them to come back.

It was kind of awkward without Crystal there and Gigi found herself racking her brain for something to say. The other girls hadn’t said anything since they sat down either, instead staring at their phones.

“Uh, so uh Daya how long have y-you and Crystal been dating?” Gigi asked, nervously looking between her and Lux.

Daya choked back a laugh, “What? Crys and I aren’t dating. Ew that would be like dating my sister.”

“Oh I’m sorry, I-I just heard you call her babe and assumed.” She couldn’t help but feel relieved, hoping her face didn’t show it. Lux busted out laughing at the idea of Crystal and Daya together and couldn’t stop.

“I call everyone babe, don’t worry.” Daya assured her. Gigi swallowed, oh god could she tell that Gigi liked Crystal. She thought she had been discreet when she looked at her but apparently not.

“Oh I’m no-” She started to protest.

“What’s so funny?” Daegen asked as she and Crystal made their way to the table. She sat in between Daya and Lux while Crystal planted herself right next to Gigi.

“S-she,” Lux tried to get out, pointing at Gigi, “she thought you two were dating.” Daegen joined in and after a couple of seconds Daya found herself laughing too. Gigi tried to laugh but it just came out as an awkward chuckle. The only one who wasn’t laughing was Crystal. She wore a horrified expression, her eyes bouncing between Gigi and Daya. “Why, why, uh um why would you think that?” Crystal’s eyebrows furrowed as she turned attention completely to Gigi. But she just shrugged and said it didn’t matter.

The conversation was forgotten as soon as the waitress brought out the pizza and everyone was too busy stuffing their faces to talk about how bad of a couple Crystal and Daya would make.

As time passed it became easier for Gigi to be around Crystal’s friends, she actually enjoyed how loud they all were. With everyone else fighting to talk over each other no one really noticed Gigi’s lack of input. Thank god, she used to hate how her friends back home would always try to pull her into the conversation. Why couldn’t they understand if she had something to say she would goddamn say it.

“Oh shit. It’s almost 4. My parents are gonna be home soon and I promised I would be there to get ready for tonight.” Gigi said looking down at her phone. She started to stand up from the table.

“Oh okay, I’ll uh drive you home.” Crystal said, standing up too.

“You don’t have to, I can just walk or uh call a lyft or something.” Gigi said, secretly hoping Crystal would insist.

“Excuse me, what about us?” Lux whined.

“Also what’s tonight?” Daya asked.

“Huh? Oh Gigi and her parents are coming over for dinner.” Crystal mumbled, knowing there was bound to be teasing from her friends. They all raised their eyebrows but before any of them could say anything inappropriate Crystal pushed Gigi toward her car. Crystal yelled at them to find their own way home.

“I hate you, bitch!” Daegen shouted at Crystal. She just put up her middle finger and held it up as she climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Don’t let her make you listen to One Direction Gigi!” Daya added before Gigi closed her door, unable to hear them anymore. She couldn’t help but laugh.

The drive was quiet, but this time it wasn’t a comfortable silence. Both of them wanting to say something but too afraid to say it. Crystal put on the same music from before, calm love songs that made Gigi feel like she never wanted them to stop driving.

“Why did you think I was dating Daya?” Crystal asked abruptly, pulling Gigi out of her daydream.

Gigi’s eyebrows furrowed, “What?” God why was she bringing this up again? Gigi never wanted to think about that again.

“C’mon I wanna know,” Crystal pouted, “please!” She begged, turning to look at Gigi.

“It’s nothing, I uh, heard her call you babe and I just assumed,” She shrugged trying to look anywhere but at Crystal.

Crystal didn’t respond, instead they just fell back into uncomfortable silence. Gigi tried to come up with something to say. God the one person she actually wanted to talk to and she couldn’t come up a single fucking thing to say.

“This doesn’t sound like One Direction.” Gigi said.

“Yeah I uh, I only bring that out with people I like,” Crystal shot her a devilish smile, “sorry.”

“You’re such an ass, oh my god.” Gigi laughed, hitting Crystal lightly on her shoulder. She watched as Crystal picked up her phone and unlocked it, quickly changing the song to ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ making Gigi laugh even more. “That’s more like it.”

Crystal finally pulled into her driveway, reluctantly putting the car in park. Gigi lingered in the passenger’s seat, not wanting to miss the heat from Crystal’s body. She slowly unbuckled her seat belt, grabbing the handle to the car door.

“So uh, I’ll see you tonight, yeah?” Crystal asked, unbuckling her own seat belt.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m looking forward to it.” Gigi pulled herself out of the car.

She was halfway down Crystal’s driveway when she heard her name. Gigi spun around to face her, “Yeah?”

“I had fun, uh with you,” She stopped as if she was searching for a difficult word, “today. I had fun with you today.” She ran a hand awkwardly through her hair.

Gigi chuckled, “I had fun with you too, Crystal.”

“Okay, good.” Crystal spun around and stumbled cheerfully up the stairs of her porch, turning around to wave at Gigi one last time before disappearing into her house.

Gigi continued walking back to her own house, smiling the entire way.

[cupidmarwani-archive]

Conspiracy (2/?)

When Carlos arrives at the 126, he finds the sole survivor of the old firehouse, Judd Ryder, polishing the bright red paint of their truck. Each little circle of the waxing cloth is almost angry in its precision, Judd’s knuckles white with the force of it. It’s like he knows what Carlos is here for, even before he asks him to gather the crew together. He names them off, one by one: Strickland, Chavez, Marwani, Blake, Gillian and Rosewater. Three more firefighters, and three paramedics. None of them seem worried or concerned about Carlos’ presence, or the absence of their captain and his son. Just like with TK, there’s something not quite right here.

“I’m sorry to inform you all, but Captain Strand was found dead in his home this morning.”

Chavez whistles lowly, looking away. He seems to be the only one at all affected by the news, his eyes going glassy as he crosses his arms. Everyone else keeps staring at him, as though they don’t consider it to be news. Well, Carlos did think that TK couldn’t have killed him alone. And he knows that firefighter crews get tight-knit. They’re closer than family, some of them. 

“It was a homicide. After the autopsy, he’ll be released for a burial, or- or whatever service he would have wanted. That would fall to his son, TK, but I imagine he’ll need your support with all that. We’ve just started our investigation, but we will find your captain’s killer, and bring them to justice. Once again, I’m sorry for your loss.”

For a moment, they’re all quiet, but there’s nothing to indicate any sort of grief on their faces, just like with TK. Chavez seems to be the only one affected by the news. A single tear rolls down his cheek. Marwani hugs him in against her side, but otherwise, there is nothing. It’s Judd who breaks the silence. 

“I’m glad the bastard is dead,” he says, and walks away.

At that, Carlos is left to question the team. 

He asks them to take a seat, and pulls out his notebook again to ask them about TK, as a start. “He said that he’s staying with someone named Marjan right now?”

“That would be me.” Marwani- or rather, Marjan- says, lifting her hand slightly. “Captain Strand was a lot, so TK and I have been living together for the past few weeks. He couldn’t take it anymore.”

“And what was it he couldn’t take?”

Marjan looks at Chavez and doesn’t respond. After a moment, she guides him away to cry in peace, away from the questioning. That just leaves Strickland and the paramedics, stoic and unaffected, silent and maybe even smug. None of them seem sad to have lost Captain Strand either, or have any interest in the news that he was murdered. Everything about this investigation is just wrong. Captain Strand was well loved by the community. The people in the neighborhood were happy to see someone reclaim the dreary memorial of a firehouse, and they’ve always been glad to interact with him. From what Carlos heard, he’s popped up on a fair number of local news stories. The whole 126 has. They’re brave and maybe a little reckless, protective of each other, and dedicated to their jobs. And yet, this crew that are so close, don’t seem at all bothered by this. Add that to the implications that Captain Strand wasn’t as good a person as he seems, Carlos has found himself a handful of suspects with clear motives. The only difference between this firehouse and TK Strand is that TK had a key to that house.

“I know this is hard, but it would really help the investigation if one of you could explain to me what it was about your captain that was so bad.”

Gillian looks to Blake, as though for permission. When the woman nods, Gillian begins to speak. “Captain Strand had a really weird thing about TK. He was controlling, to say the least. They lived together and worked together, and Cap would dictate everything TK did. What he could eat, where he could go, who he could talk to. When he first rebuilt this house, he would barely let TK talk to the other firefighters.”

“He took an interest in Mateo, too,” Strickland adds. “Chavez, the one who was crying? Not as intense as with TK, but he was… interested in him.”

“By interested, you mean…?”

“It’s hard to explain, but something wasn’t right,” Blake fills in.

Carlos rubs his face. This is a rough one for too many reasons to count. “Did TK ever tell you that his father had abused him?”

“He didn’t have to. But if he talked to anyone about it, it would have been Mateo or Judd. Mateo knew what Owen was really like, and Judd and TK are like brothers.”

“I’ll have to talk to them both. And Marjan, to make sure TK was with her last night,” Carlos says.

And just like that, Blake is smiling at him. It’s the sort of smile that says he’s stupid, the sort that makes him feel like a scolded child all over again despite the fact that she just told him his prime suspect was likely abused by the victim. While Carlos has looked countless killers in the eyes with this same expression, there’s something more unnerving about how calm she seems. They’re all too at ease. Even if they didn’t like Captain Strand, even if they hated him, they still worked with him every single day. 

“Honestly,” Blake says, “there’s no point in looking into this. The world is a lot better off without that son of a bitch in it.”

When Carlos leaves them behind to look for Marjan and Mateo, he gets this sense that any help TK may have had came from this firehouse. They all hated the victim just as much. Still, he heads over to speak to those two, finding them in the kitchen area with mugs of tea while Mateo blows his nose into a tissue. Poor kid, he didn’t deserve to be involved in this. He seems like the only reasonable one around here, and that unfortunately may be because Captain Strand hurt him too. 

“Could we have a moment?” Carlos asks Marjan.

“Mateo, do you want me to leave or stay?”

Immediately Mateo takes her outstretched hand. “Stay.”

Marjan meets Carlos’ eyes almost with a challenge, pulling up a seat beside Mateo and staying close protectively. It would be sweet in any normal situation, but that’s nowhere near what this mess is. None of them are innocent, except for possibly Mateo. The man is so young, still basically fresh from the academy.

“So, Mateo, I wanted to ask you a couple questions. Your um, your coworkers told me that you and Captain Strand were close?”

He nods. Marjan sends Carlos a warning look. 

“Can you tell me a little more about that? How close were you?”

“Cap, um, he helped me get a job. Hired me, and fought for me to be able to have my exam read to me at the academy. I’m dyslexic. He’s the one who figured that out, actually. Cap was the first person to tell me I was smart.” For a moment, it’s too much. Mateo sobs and wipes his eyes, clings to Marjan when she pulls him close against her chest in a motherly fashion. “He was like a dad to me. I- he treated me just like TK, and- and he believed in me.”

“When you say just like TK…”

“Only the good parts,” Mateo corrects quickly. “He wasn’t mean to me.”

Carlos has to tread lightly. “He was mean to TK, though?”

“Sometimes. When TK pissed him off. But Cap never got mad at me. He cared about me a lot, and he made sure that I always felt good.”

His throat feels tight. 

“And how did he do that, Mateo?”

“I- I don’t wanna talk about it!”

Mateo stands up and leaves. But Marjan doesn’t follow him, just watches him leave and begins to tidy up the kitchen. She must know that Carlos has questions for her too, as she hums to herself and waits for him to ask them.

“TK was staying with you, you said. Last night, was he home the whole night?”

“Never left his room,” Marjan confirms. “He doesn’t leave the house on his own. Captain Strand spent his whole life conditioning that into him. This isn’t worth investigating, Detective. It’s best for everyone if you just let it go.”

@smileofthesun27 @skylark50 @heartofmarjan @chiefsheepbird @ebug2002 @proceduralpassion @cauldronbornkid

[themangledsans0508]

Sleepover Surprises

Tweek approached the pale green house cautiously, clinging the straps of his bags tightly. He didn’t know why he agreed to this, he could be doing anything else tonight. Instead, he was sleeping over at Wendy Testaburger’s house, most likely to be pressed about the details of his relationship. At least it wouldn’t be just the two of them, the New Kid (who’s name he still didn’t know) would also be there.

He liked Wendy well enough, along with Douche-bag, he just got rather stressed when it came to sleepovers, and Wendy could convince anyone to divulge their deepest secrets. Douche-bag, on the other hand, preferred to keep to himself, nobody really knew anything about him, but Wendy trusted the two of them to let them sleepover at her house.

He knocked on the door, hoping that no one would answer and he could just go home, or maybe go to Craig’s house. Alas, no such thing happened, and a tall man answered the door.

“Yes?” He recognized the man as Wendy’s father, confirming he was at the right house.

“Wendy invited me over for a sleepover,” he said, twitching slightly.

“She’s upstairs in her room with some other kid.” He motioned him inside. Tweek looked around the house as he made his way up the stairs. He heard laughter and muffled talking and followed it to Wendy’s room. He knocked first to be polite and not walk in on something he didn’t want to see.

“Come in!” Wendy called. Tweek slowly opened the door and inspected the room.

The room was a soft pink, with a yellow rim around the bottom that looked like clouds. There were flower and animal decals all around, and a few posters. The floor had a teal circle rug with a red bean bag chair and an orange lounge chair. There was also a pink desk and the bed had purple blankets on it.

Wendy and Douche-bag sat on the floor, nail polish spread out between them. There were lots of different shades of pink and purple on display, along with other colors that had not been taken out of the basket yet. Wendy’s nails were painted rose pink, and the pair was currently applying lilac polish to Douche-bag's nails.

“Hey, Tweek! Come sit down! We don’t have to paint your nails, but Willow doesn’t have any nail polish at home so we’re doing them now!”

“Willow? That’s your name?” Tweek asked and Willow nodded. “That’s a pretty weird name for a boy.” Wendy scanned him.

“She’s not a boy, Tweek,” she informed him. Tweek blinked a few times.

“Why didn’t you tell us, dude?” Willow shifted uncomfortably. There were some soft words exchanged between Wendy and Willow before she spoke.

“I’ve lost friends because of it. Before I moved here to South Park. Here, I got jumped by rednecks,” she said quietly. 

“That’s one of the reasons I asked you two to a sleepover. Besides just wanting to hang out, because we have to hang out before you can call me ‘girlfriend’ Tweek, you don’t have those privileges yet. But, you’re both LGBT.” Tweek nodded. He’d heard that acronym before, specifically with Mr Mackey and PC Principal. Neither had really explained what it meant, however.

“I’ve heard that before. What does it mean?” Tweek questioned. Wendy looked at him in surprise.

“You’re not really in the gay community much online, are you? And nobody told you either, Jesus. It’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. There’s also a plus, which incorporates the rest of the community. Since we now have two fully out kids and one partially out, plus at least five I can name who are in the closet, plus myself, I think we should have a pride alliance at our school.”

“What’s a pride alliance?”

“A group for LGBT people so they can support each other, participate in activism, and educate people. Because you guys know that a lot of kids in our school, even LGBT kids, make homophobic and trans-phobic jokes or just know nothing about any of it. Tweek, for a lot of kids, you and Craig were the first gay people they’ve ever met. With Mr Garrison gone, Big Gay Al and Mr Slave keeping to themselves, and Ned and Jimbo running a gun shop and just seeming like your average rednecks. Willow, you’re the first transgender person almost everyone in town has met. We need to raise awareness. Willow, you’ve already told me about some things people have said to and about you.”

Tweek looked at Willow, who was looking away from the group and carefully pulling at the rug so she didn’t ruin her nails. She looked embarrassed like she was ashamed that she had been harassed. 

“What was said to you?” Tweek asked gently.

“You know, like, people called me a tranny, called me a ‘thing’, and said I’m not a real girl because I have a dick. Stuff like that, it’s fine,” she said quietly. Tweek would have never guessed that someone who faced a literal eldritch monster could be so shy. 

“It’s not fine, sis. These things aren’t okay. I know some of these people might be your friends, but it’s still not okay.” Wendy placed a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring gesture with a soft smile on her face.

“Tweek, you and I have heard lots of bad things about gay people in our school. A lot from Cartman, but a lot from other people too.” Tweek nodded, he’d heard a lot of things. Probably the only reason nobody went after him was that he was dating Craig Tucker and that they both had gotten into fights and could hold their own. Plus, Craig was a respected person in their school as someone who didn’t take shit.

“Okay, so I think we need a pride alliance, do you guys agree?” Wendy looked to them for a genuine response. Both Willow and Tweek nodded.

“Great! With that out of the way, now we can really just hang out!” Wendy waved her hands excitedly. 

“Tweek, do you want your nails painted?” Wendy asked. Tweek hesitated. He wanted to try it again as himself and not a metro-sexual, but he didn’t want to break the barrier that kept him safe from ridicule.

He decided fuck it if anyone wanted to cause trouble him or Craig could deal with it.

“Sure, why not!” Tweek grinned. Maybe it would help him stop picking at his nails. Wendy started filing through her containers of polish. She and Willow exchanged words that Tweek couldn’t hear due in part to the clinking of glass. Willow looked him over and whispered to Wendy. Wendy paused for a moment and looked up at Tweek.

“We can do any color you want, but we recommend green or blue. Green compliments your usual outfit, while blue highlights your eyes,” Wendy suggested.

Tweek debated the options. He’d rather not do a different color since he didn’t really know much about fashion and things going together, he wanted to understand it first. Green was his favorite color, but blue was Craig’s favorite color. He decided green, he’d do blue next time.

“Green,” he said. Tweek watched Wendy take out different shades of green and Willow inspect them. After about ten rejected shades, Willow showed one to Wendy. Wendy nodded and turned to Tweek.

“What do you think about this shade? It’s pastel.” Tweek looked at the color. It was only a bit darker than some of the other shades and he didn’t know how they had decided on this specific one.

“Whatever you guys think, you’re the experts,” he shrugged. 

“Well then give me your hand, I’m steadier than Willow since she’s new.” Wendy held his wrist tightly so he wouldn’t twitch and mess up her work while Willow watched.

“You said Willow’s new, well how long have you been painting nails, Willow?” he asked. She counted on her fingers.

“About two weeks, since I only started after we stopped playing with that damned stick. And that’s also when my dad let me start using it.” Tweek recognized her tone of voice. It was the same one he used when he talked to Craig about his parents, one of sadness and bitterness. He wanted to show he understood where she was coming from.

“The only reason my parents accepted me was that it would be good for their business, not because I was their son,” Tweek said bitterly. 

“Guys, I hate to break it to you, but your parents are terrible,” Wendy interrupted. Tweek looked at Wendy with a scowl that wasn’t directed at her.

“You have no idea,” he muttered. 

Willow didn’t say anything, instead, she checked her nails to make sure she hadn’t accidentally smudged the lilac. He noticed Wendy debating something in her head and wondered if he should ask her about it. However, Wendy focused on Tweek’s nails again and he figured she had decided not to say anything.

“Wendy,” Tweek said, “that wasn’t the only real reason you invited us here, right?” Wendy shook her head.

“No, I wanted to hang out, and-” she got a mischievous grin on her face, “ask how your boyfriend is.” Tweek laughed.

“I thought that was a reason.”

“Can you blame her? I had to get you two back together.” Willow said.

“There’s that voice of yours!” Wendy wrapped her arm around Willow’s shoulder and squeezed. 

“Well, I really love your relationship, it’s healthy and it’s a good example of how to support your partner through difficult moments. Like Tweek, I don’t know if you’re open about it but I can tell you have anxiety. And as far as I’ve seen, fighting alongside you two in battle and risking our lives together, Craig really does his best to help you stay grounded,” Willow explained, “Also, I want to try and get more comfortable around you, I think you’re a friend of mine.”

“Aww, Willow, you want to be closer friends with Tweek? I’m glad I planned this sleepover,” Wendy grinned. 

“I mean, everything you said is true as long as he doesn’t start being a jerk. Sometimes he gets moody, but we’re working on that. We have a long time to work everything out,” Tweek disclosed. Wendy nodded.

“Yeah, that makes sense. He might be hot but he also is a dick, to like, everyone but you,” Wendy said. Willow nodded in agreement.

“Wait, that’s my boyfriend! He’s hot but he’s mine. Back off, girlfriend,” Tweek joked. Willow laughed.

“It’s true though, both parts. He is pretty attractive but he seemed to at best tolerate his friends, or downright insult them. He treated me and Jimmy the same and made fun of Clyde constantly. But for you, he makes almost every exception. He’s welcome to touch, sweet words, and emotions. From what I’ve heard, he didn’t even feel emotions. However when I went to get help him and when I gave him the couple’s counselling slip, he actually showed something,” Willow explained. Tweek fidgeted with his hair using his free hand, which had yet to be painted.

“I mean, he does help me get a hold of myself pretty often but sometimes he makes it worse but it’s not like he’s trying, it just happens,” Tweek explained, “Wendy, do you remember when President Garrison made all those tweets about me being this person I’m not and making North Korea hate me?” It took Wendy a few moments of visible confusion to process what he had said.

“That week with the distracted driving and suicide awareness things going on?” she clarified. 

“Yeah, but Craig tried to help me by explaining away my feelings, and we got in a fight. It made me so stressed I skipped school, and I felt terrible until he came home after school and-”

“Wait, did you say came home? Like you two live together? That’s so cute!” Wendy said excitedly. Tweek quickly waved his hands like he could dismiss the words.

“No! No, okay, maybe we basically live together, I go to his house all the time because it’s nice there and he comes over to calm me down or help me but we don’t live together!” Tweek rambled, “I’m going to finish my story. So, he came to my house, and he didn’t try to reason away any of my feelings he just listened. It was nice.”

“That’s what a healthy couple would do,” Willow stated.

“They are a healthy couple,” Wendy retorted half-jokingly.

“I know, healthier than half the married couples I’ve seen here.”

“Yeah, and I never got thanked for showing the school Yaoi art, which got you a boyfriend Tweek.” He felt the tips of his ears heat up. Yeah, that’s how they started fake-dating, and then real dating, but it was also incredibly embarrassing for art of him and Craig to be all over the town.

“That was so embarrassing, it forced me to come out! Craig didn’t even acknowledge how he felt back then, he just decided to ignore it because he felt like he’d be rejected by his friends and family and then he was basically forced into a relationship with me and his dad didn’t accept him at first and our relationship was fake at first and-” Tweek started spilling everything out, his breathing becoming irregular as he talked. His fingers tangled in his hair and he tugged lightly before someone else pulled his hand away from his hair and put it on the ground.

“Tweek, it’s okay. Take deep breaths,” Willow guided. Wendy squeezed his palm on the hand she was about finished with the paint on. He focused on their touch and slowly calmed down.

“Thank you,” he eventually managed to whisper.

“You’re welcome. I understand it’s okay,” Willow assured.

“How did you know how to help me?” he asked.

“Before I got prescribed medications, that’s how my best friend would calm me down.”

“You know, it kind of sucks that touch helps me calm down,” Tweek admitted, “Craig isn’t with me twenty-four seven, and most guys aren’t really into touching. They think it’s gay, it’s just not something they do.”

“That’s one thing us girls have over guys. We’re always touching each other because it’s not gay, it’s how we show we love each other. Tweek, as head of the council of girls, I welcome you to be treated as we treat each other. That means comfort touches,” Wendy declared. Tweek blinked a few times.

“There’s a council of girls?”

“Of course, we’re organised, unlike most of the boys. Sisterhood is no joke,” Wendy said.

“Okay, that makes sense. But you’re the head of them?”

“Yes, Willow is my aid because some of the girls are still sceptical of her, which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. She’s as much a girl as any other member of the council,” Wendy mumbled bitterly. She then let Tweek’s hand go and took his other one. “Don’t fiddle with anything, it’ll ruin the polish. You can move it as soon as I’m done this one. Don’t listen to me and I’ll duct tape your hand so you can’t move it.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Willow, we’ll do your makeup after we’re done Tweek’s nails.”

-

Tweek often had trouble sleeping, in fact, he rarely slept more than an hour at a time. He could only sleep with Craig with him. He was left just staring at the wall, looking at every little detail that the beam on moonlight highlighted. The sound of partying, cars, and the quiet breathing in the room were all he heard.

He turned to face the bed so he could look out the window and found his view partially blocked by a body. Willow was sitting up, staring out the window herself. Her knees were pulled up to her chest. The soft glow of the moon reflected off jer face and highlighted some silent tears that were rolling down her cheek.

“Willow?” he asked quietly. She turned to face him and immediately wiped her eyes.

“Tweek. I thought you were asleep,” she whispered.

“I don’t sleep.”

“Oh.” She slid out of the bed to sit on the floor, looking back to make sure that she hadn’t woken Wendy up. “Maybe you shouldn’t drink all that coffee.”

“No.”

They sat awkwardly, wanting to speak and try to connect to each other and show their understanding of each other. Tweek decided to take the initiative.

“I understand how you feel. About your parents, I mean,” Tweek said.

“No, you don’t,” she spat, “but I appreciate it. Our families are different. You haven’t seen mine. I haven’t seen yours. But I think you’re right. Our families are terrible.” Tweek was taken aback by the venom in her voice. It wasn’t directed at him, but directed at the world.

“I want to understand how people treat you because I think we could be good friends. I just don’t want to say anything wrong. Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I understand what it’s like being trans.”

“You’re smart and kind. We’ll talk about it sometime. We are similar, aren’t we.” Tweek grinned slightly

“Yeah, we are.” Willow silently got up and walked towards Tweek, pulling him into a hug. “You’re a good person, Tweek. Craig is lucky to have you. Stay you, no matter what. Stay you.” She got up and returned to the bed, slipping back under the covers. 

Tweek turned back to face the wall. Maybe it would be nice to have another friend, someone to go to when Craig was unavailable or to just hang out with. 

The sleepover wasn’t terrible in the end.

[findmeintheafterglow]

A Guide to Every Single Newsie

There are way too many of those punks. If you’re new to all this come learn whom is who

Let’s start with some pictures, they’re blurry because it’s surprisingly hard to get a decent screenshot. There are lots of them but hopefully just seeing their faces a few times will help you. Recognizing them just comes with time trust me, I used to struggle to find Race and now I see a pic of someone's feet and am like “ah yes Finch my boy”. Also, I’m only covering the newsies live cast because that’s what you can legally watch and what most people are familiar with. Also, I didn’t want to do every cast member to ever be on Broadway or tour.

Please note some of the things I’m about to say may not be canon but are part of what I know is widely considered true within the fandom. As far as sexuality I may mention it with some characters/who they’re commonly shipped with just so y’all aren’t lost when you see fics and things.

Jack: You know Jack so I’m not going that deep into his character. He’s 17, full name Francis Sullivan, newsie nickname is Cowboy. He’s the leader of the newsies of Lower Manhattan. A charismatic asshole who really just wants meaningful relationships and happiness for those he loves. Undeniably bisexual. Played by Jeremy Jordan.

Davey: Full name is David Jacobs, newsie nickname is Walking Mouth though he’s only addressed by his nickname in the 1992 movie. The most educated, attended school until he was around 17 ish. He’s a doofy little nerd and also mom friend ultimate, I repeat bc this is a defining trait Mom Friend Ultimate. I’m not sure if this is canon but pretty much everyone recognizes that he and his family are Jewish. Played by Ben Fankhauser.

Les: Sassy angel child. Full name Lesley Jacobs. Albert calls him shortstop a few times but it’s not quite a newsie name tm. 10 years old(almost). Also pretty Jewish. He’s kind of an impressionable little firecracker, he looks up to all the newsies but especially Jack. He just has a lot of energy and wants to hang with the big kids. Sass master in training. Buckets of charm packed into about 4 feet of human. Played by Ethan Steiner.

Crutchie: Crutchie! You know him! You’ve already fallen madly in love with him! Lost use of one of his legs to polio. Last name is Morris for sure and a lot of people say his real name is Charlie. Jack’s closest friend. He’s often painted as a pure sunshine boy, he is a pure sunshine boy. However, he is also tough, streetsmart and ready to fight. Very kindhearted and eternally optimistic. Played by Andrew Keenan-Bolger(you may see it abbreviated as AKB).

Race: This boy has lots of names so strap in. Racetrack Higgins is his name, people mostly call him Race not Racetrack. He is also sometimes called Racer. I don’t think this is canon but as a fandom, I think we’ve determined that he’s aggressively Italian and his real first name is Antonio, you may also see Anthony or Tony. Best friends with Albert. Crutchie is Jack’s best friend but Race is sort of Jack’s second in command. Sprace, him and Spot Conlon, are pretty much the biggest ship in Newsies. He’s a gambler and has an affinity for betting on horse races. He sells by the Sheepshead Racetrack hence his nickname. Very easy to recognize because he always has a cigar. The definition of a disaster gay. He has good intentions most of the time but is also a chaotic piece of shit. Played by Ben Tyler Cook(BTC).

Albert: Albert DaSilva is his name, having fantastic hair is his game. Race’s best friend. Personality is similar to Race but a little less chaotic, like he still does dumb things all the time but isn’t nearly as loud. Prankmaster and Sassmaster ultimate. Lives on the lower east side with his dad and two older brothers but generally that fact is ignored and he’s lumped in as living in the lodgings.  His cap is on backwards most of the time which can help you recognize him. Played by Sky Flaherty.

Spot: Spot Conlon, the man, the myth, the legend. Leader of Brooklyn. Comically short but will also soak you without hesitation. Side note bc I didn’t know this for a long time: the newsies call beating someone up “soakin’ ‘em” because you beat them up so bad they’re soaked in blood. Back to Spot, he’s tough as nails but also cares about his boys in Brooklyn a lot. Played by Tommy Bracco.

Elmer: A smart yet small boy. Very good at math and science and somewhat interested in politics. He has 8 older siblings. Polish apparently? I learned this very recently?? A very friendly and sunshiney guy. The newsies make fun of him saying that he’s bad at selling papes. He’s a hardworker. This is definitely not canon but you may see his last name as being Kasprzak. This comes from Evan Kasprzak, the actor who played Elmer in the Papermill and Original Broadway Casts. People like writing about Elmer so they just kinda gave him that last name and it works. Played by Anthony Zas.

Jojo: Jorgelino Josephino De La Guerra where to begin. A good Catholic boy. He was raised by nuns in a cathedral in Harlem. A nice boy, a kind boy. Down for some shenanigans but is generally reasonable and doesn’t want anyone to get hurt. Very ambitious and wants to be a big baller(in KONY he wishes for a solid gold watch I mean). Played by Joshua Burrage.

Buttons: Benjamin Buttons Davenport, what a guy. So I don’t know that he’s actually younger but he definitely reads as a little more youthful. He’s optimistic and easily excitable and overall kinda has this genuine hope and happiness that some of the other guys have lost to the street. He lives with his family and has at least a few siblings but I feel like he has hella. Not gonna be last in line for the tub tonight. Played by Chaz Wolcott.

Romeo: Will flirt with anything that moves. He has very distinctive bright red and blue striped socks if that helps you identify him. Is one of the younger newsies but makes up for it with overconfidence. Very lighthearted, we never see him get too serious. A charmer through and through. Still a very kind and caring guy. Played by Nico DeJesus.

Specs: Specs is a good one. He wears glasses obviously so you can identify him pretty easy. Definitely on the older end of the newsies. There’s no basis for this in canon but I feel like he’s been around longer than Jack. Kind of helps lead and run things with Race and Jack because he’s the most responsible motherfucker in that lodging house. Think kinda like Davy where he’s a bit of a mom but more easygoing, less cautious and more one of the boys. Generally a happy guy and so so sweet. Very forward thinking and genuinely likes selling papes. Played by Jordan Samuels.

Finch: Finch! A personal favorite please show him love. Full name is Patrick Cortes. He has a family(or at least a mom) but ran away when he was little. He carries a slingshot with him a good amount of the time so use that to find him. He’s sarcastic, funny, and always rarin’ to go. Tough but not in an “I’ll fight you” way. He will fight you if needed but it’s more like “Life’s a bitch but look how far I’ve made it”. Kinda like a cool older brother vibe but throw in a good handful of antsy. Played by my main man Iain Young.

Sniper: Mkay it’s time for the tough boi trio, these next three are fighters. Last name is Wah. His dad is named Sam Wah and owns a laundromat above Jacobi’s Deli. You may see him as a girl in fics or hcs because for almost all of the tour he was played by a woman. Boy has aim like no other. He is confirmed to be the quickest and strongest of the newsies. Also sly and cunning. Boy’s like a snake or a fox or whatever simile you prefer but regardless be scared. Has a reputation so people don’t mess with him. Would never hurt another Manhattan boy, he’s scary but he defends his brothers. Played by Daniel Switzer.

Tommy Boy: Don’t know a ton about Tommy Boy but here we go. He’s a man of few words, when he talks his answers are brief and to the point. Not in a mean way though that’s just how he is. Appears to be confrontational as he’s consistently seen stepping to a fight(before the world will know when Jack says “keep your shirt on” and when he scabs he gets in people’s faces). A good dependable guy but kinda mysterious, I would not provoke. Played by Michael Dameski.

Mush: Last name is Myers. First name is possibly Nick? In the real strike, there was a boy named Nick Myers so. He lives in Harlem?? But who cares about canon, ignore that. Mush is a ‘hattan boy. Has a lisp. He considers himself to be the muscle of Manhattan and will throw down for his brothers. When the strikebreakers show up, Jack literally has to hold him back because Mush is just trying to get to those hoes so he can protect the rest of the boys just yellin’ “Nah man I’ll get ‘em”. Very caring and very selfless. Boy’s got muscle but is totally a teddy bear with a heart of gold. I’ve always thought of him as your classic rough and tumble but clean-cut caring all-American boy. Played by Nick Masson.

Henry: Last name is possibly butler after the real life newsboy, Henry Butler but the only confirmed name we have is Henry. Became a newsie at 11 when his dad died and his family lost their deli. Has a mom who he still sees sometimes but doesn’t live with. Boy really likes food. It reminds him of the deli with his dad and also he just really. likes. food. Fairly easygoing, practical, and will call guys out on their bullshit(e.g. whom the fuck cares about being famous). Played by Michael Rios.

Smalls: Smalls! I don’t got much at all but here’s what I know. Very commonly thought about as a girl as Smalls was played by girlsies for all(?) of the Broadway run. Pretty firey or at least high energy. Sometimes headcannoned as being leader of the Bronx because in the normal not filmed staging he’s the one to yell “so’s the Bronx”. Played by Julian DeGuzman.

Mike: Twin brother of Ike. These guys are hard to tell apart because they’re played by actual twins but here are some distinctions. Mike wears a brown cap, a plaid shirt, and green socks. Played by Jacob Guzman.

Ike: Twin brother of Mike. Has a dark grey cap, a striped shirt, pin-striped pants, and brown socks. Both twins seem to be pretty fun-loving. They kinda rough house a lot and are often messing around. Played by David Guzman

Hotshot: A Brooklyn newsie, I don’t really know his deal? A typical production doesn’t have Hotshot in it but he was in the filmed version and was apparently there towards the end of the broadway run. Kind of arrogant and tough. Sometimes seen as Spot’s second. Has literally only ever been played by J.P. Ferreri.

Vince/Myron: Ok so for newsies live they just threw in some extra newsboys for the heck of it and this guy is one of those. I don’t even know his name because the actor who plays him also plays a strikebreaker. On the wiki cast list, it just lists him as playing Vince and Myron with no indication as to who’s the newsie and who’s the strike breaker. Just from the nature of the names I can guess that Vince is the newsie? A big tough Brooklyn boy. Played by Stephen Hernandez.

Willie/Bart: Same deal as Vince/Myron. I’d be willing to guess that Willie is the newsie. Another Brooklyn boy. Played by Andrew Wilson.

Kenny: Also thrown in just for newsies live but I actually know his name. A pretty sunny guy, as far as I can remember he’s always smiling. Not in any of the pictures because he’s not in any of those scenes. It’s the same guy who plays darcy so go to carrying the banner or once and for all and find the guy in the yellow suit. That’s Darcy, Kenny looks just like that but in newsie clothes. Played by Jack Sippel.

Am I about to throw Bill and Darcey in just for kicks? yeah I think I am. Ok so this is a last minute decision and I don’t have pictures for these guys but here we go.

Bill: Not a newsie. Son of William Randolph Hearst, owner of the New York Journal. Full name William Randolph Hearst Jr. Katherine and Darcey’s friend. A sophisticated, classy, educated boy. Not tough in a street way but is kind of cold/reserved or maybe just a bit calculating. You can definitely tell he’s a rich boy by the way he holds himself. Looks like Mush bc they’re played by the same actor. Blue suit. Played by Nick Masson.

Darcey: Not a newsie. Son of Whitelaw Reid, owner of the New York Tribune. Still high class but more excitable and interested in the newsies world. Very kind and always concerned of behalf of others. His sweetness does not equal weakness, when Romeo approaches Kath in Carrying the Banner, he’s ready to handle the situation. Yellow suit. Played by Jack Sippel.

so there we go that is every newsie I could think of and then some. I’m gonna attach the pictures I have of an old wikipedia cast list which is what I use for reference since the one that's on wiki now isn’t great

That’s it! If you actually read all this, God bless you. If I got anything blatantly wrong or if you have any questions please talk to me

[wajjs]

🌻 tell us more ;)

ARE YOU AFTER MY HEART

I'm running out of things to say so I will dip into the "this could be a fic" territory.

So I have a friend I met in school, we were both the new pals in the classroom, right? Anyways at first I didn't talk to him because I was busy making friends over HIM (the band, Killing Loneliness is such a banger) badges and nail polish shades but then we started talking because, well, we were actually sitting next to each other.

Thing is, we became good friends and he knows too much about me but that's another story. I mean he saw me kissing my poor doodle of my own original character. It can't get worse than that. So we keep talking and hanging out and he's there for me when I fail my first final in college (until then I had never failed any exam) and cheers me up and whatever. He's not a physical guy but he tries yada yada. I think "man what a good friend" and carry on.

Hit fast forward a little. Suddenly he starts ditching his group AND our group of friends and keeps asking me to go out for walks with him. Or to the movies. Or to this cool bookstore. Or to "this fits into your highly specific new fixation and I'm casually bringing it into convo" convention. And all the time I'm like "boy what a great friend!"

By this time it's a couple of years since we met. And like yes I'm slow (my ex had to basically yell at me "can't you see i'm flirting with you!!!!!" for me to realize because I was busy vibing to the music) but by that point (years) I'm starting to realize "hey am I crazy or is he staring at my face/lips too much" and "there was totally no need for his hand to rest on my lower waist while I'm squeezing past him through this hallway", and that time I was talking about superman and said hey I'd like what he has with Lois and my friend looks at me, leans in closer and says "I would like the same" and then stares at me for like a minute.

All that gets me thinking "maybe we are going on about this with different expectations in mind". Which a week later was confirmed by him when he says "so my dad asks me when I'm going to date" and stares at me really intensely and my go to thought at the moment (feeling the tension) was to point at a pigeon trying to eat a cigarette butt and say "look at that Robert!" (that's how I call pigeons)

And after that I get back to my house and rethink my whole existence. Like, do I like this guy? Sure, I'm his friend, but that's it, right? And so I come up with scenarios in which we could work as a couple, and for a couple of days I'm like "ok maybe I like him a little?"

By that time our group of friends were texting me like "GET A GRIP AND ASK HIM OUT" and I even had my online friends like "Can'T YOU SEE HE LIKES YOU!" and I don't know about you all but the concept of being liked was so foreign to me I tried to convince myself I liked him like that too

Except it all came crashing down burning when he got too comfy around me and started expressing his views on health care, women's rights & human rights and the like and I hit the breaks like woooooh man that is a can of worms I want nothing to do about, I'm outtie, bye

((Then he stops talking to me for about a month and next thing I know he's dating our mutual friend who, yes, I adore, but they revolve their whole identity around the idea of dating so they aren't too picky about the fish they catch))

[thisdiscontentedwinter]

Stella and the Wolf - Chapter 16

You can read it here on AO3 or find the Tumblr Chapter Index here. 

Stiles drinks half a bottle of water from the stash in Jackson’s car, and uses the rest to clean his face and hands. His head has cleared a little now, making room for a dozen different bodily aches and pains to make themselves known. Some are sharper than others, but Stiles doesn’t think anything’s broken. His chest hurts, and he figures he’ll have a hell of a bruise from the seatbelt this time tomorrow, but it’s nothing worse than he’s copped at lacrosse practice in the past.

He sits on the front steps of the burned-out house, clutching his water bottle. Lydia sits beside him, dabbing at the cuts on his hands occasionally with one of the antiseptic wipes she took out of Chris Argent’s first aid kit.

Jackson sits on the lowest step, his suit jacket unbuttoned and his tie loose.

Crazy to think that the school dance is probably still going on.

“You need to go to the hospital,” Lydia tells him. “You have a concussion.”

Stiles swallows. “I need to find my family.”

Lydia presses her mouth together into a disapproving moue, but she doesn’t argue.

What’s the hospital going to tell Stiles anyway? That he needs to rest? Not going to happen.

He watches the interplay between the wolves and Chris Argent. Derek and Peter stand close together, loose limbed, ready for action. Chris Argent’s orbit intersects with theirs. Not aligned, exactly, but no longer on a collision course. They are making space for one another. Stiles imagines lines drawn around the three of them, moving and reshaping as loyalties and alliances shift, as things that were unknown become known.

Laura was the piece that never fit, and Stiles discovering why hasn’t just changed things between Peter and Derek, he can tell. Chris Argent’s glances at Peter are wary and guarded, but no longer openly hostile.

“So at some point very soon dispatch is going to call my dad and wonder why he doesn’t answer,” Stiles says, swallowing around the painful lump in his throat. The Hales and Chris Argent stop to look at him. “They’ll send backup, and they’ll find the car. And then the whole fucking department will be called out looking for him. For us. So unless everyone wants to answer a bunch of questions from Beacon Hills’ finest, we need to not be here.”

They have to act fast, Stiles is sure of it. And trying to explain the whole werewolf thing to Dad’s deputies isn’t going to speed anything up at all. It’s just going to lead to questions that Stiles can’t begin to have answers to, and possibly an unwilling stay in Eichen House.

Derek stares up at him.  There’s an openness to his expression that Stiles hasn’t seen before, and he hopes that he never forgets. Because, whatever else happens tonight, Stiles did that. Stiles gave him back his uncle, his packmate, his Alpha.

Stiles shifts his gaze to Peter. “Can you find them?”

“They’re bait,” Peter says simply. “They’re meant to be found.”

Stiles likes Peter’s sharp edges and sharper pragmatism. He doesn’t trust them, but he likes them. He understands them. In a crazy world, somehow Peter Hale makes sense.

“What happened with Laura?” he asks, lifting his chin.

“We fought,” Peter says simply. “I remember that much. She tried to control me, but she couldn’t. I wasn’t hers to control.” His gaze slides to Lydia, and narrows, and then back to Stiles.

Redheads who stink of magic, Stiles thinks.

Peter rolls his shoulders. “I had no memory of killing her, but she was dead and I was an Alpha, and what was I supposed to think? Any time that voice inside my skull told me that I would never hurt her, I called it guilt and shut it down. But then Stella found the talisman.”

Stiles has possibly given something back to Peter Hale tonight as well.

“That’s when you knew,” Stiles says. “That’s why you killed the nurse.”

Peter’s top lip lifts, half a smirk, half a growl. “It turns out her hold on me wasn’t quite as unbreakable as she thought.”

Stiles nods, and then lifts his hand to his head because ow.

Derek pads barefoot up the steps. The moonlight shines on the planes of his torso, and wow, how did Stiles ever take so long to realize he was bi? Except it’s not a sexual kind of thrill that jolts through him when Derek sits down beside him. It’s more than that. It goes deeper. It goes all the way to feelings Stiles isn’t used to extending beyond his immediate family: he looks at Derek and he feels safe, and protected, and loved. He hardly fucking knows the guy, not really, but it’s there.

Derek sits down and reaches out and cups Stiles’s jaw with his warm hand. Then he moves it to the back of Stiles’s neck, cradling the base of his skull, and Stiles feels all those floaty feelings he felt before.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking your pain,” Derek says softly.

And something about that feels so overwhelming that Stiles’s eyes sting, and when he blinks tears slide down his cheeks.

It’s confirmation, he thinks.

He stumbled here screaming Derek’s name, begging for Derek’s help, and he was right. He was right.

Derek’s here for him.

He leans in as Derek does the same.

They rest their foreheads together, and Stiles closes his eyes.

He hears the rustle of fabric as Lydia stands up and moves down the steps to wit next to Jackson. He hears the crunch of dead leaves as Chris Argent paces back and forth. He hears the whisper of the wind through the trees.

But he keeps his eyes closed for just a moment longer, because Derek is here, and Derek is helping him, and Derek is strong.  

When he opens them again, Stiles feels strong too.

***

“Kate’s staying at my house,” Chris Argent says. “She wouldn’t have gone back there. But there’s a storage facility over on Henderson Street that she might know. I use it for my work sometimes.”

Peter snorts.

“What?”

“You might know,” Peter says. “But how would I? The bait’s for me, soldier boy, not you. Do you even have a brain in that skull of yours, or does Victoria keep it in her purse alongside your balls?”

Woah. Stiles’s jaw drops.

Chris curls his fingers into fists. “So how would Kate set a trap for you, Hale?”

“Yes, that is the correct question, Christopher,” Peter says with a disarming smile Stiles doesn’t buy for a second. “Well done. But first of all, why did you even come out here tonight?”

“I followed Kate.” Chris winces as he leans down and scoops the first aid kit up off the ground. “I was worried about Allison. Worried Kate was trying to drag her into the family business, and we never wanted that for Ally. I still am worried about her.”

Jackson snorts.

Chris turns to glare at him. “What?”

“It’s the night of the dance,” Jackson says. “Allison and that douchebag McCall are probably fucking like rabbits by now at the Value Inn.”

Like, Jackson is a total dick, but Stiles really has to give him credit for saying that right to the face of an angry man with a gun. Also, he’s totally on the money, and Stiles is glad—and surprised—that for once Scott’s obsession with Allison is saving his life, not endangering it. It makes a change, honestly.

“Oh,” Peter says approvingly while Chris Argent bristles. “I like this one too.”

Jackson sits up straighter.

Peter smirks. “And instead of wasting time puzzling out exactly where your sister might have taken her hostages, I’ve always been a fan of jumping right to the chase. Give me your phone, Christopher.”

Chris Argent digs his phone out of his pocket, unlocks the screen, and tosses it to Peter.

Peter snatches it out of the air like the predator he is. He smirks as he scrolls through the contacts, and then dials.

“No,” he says after someone answers. “It’s not Chris. It’s Peter Hale.” He pauses for a moment. “Bleeding out on the ground in front of me, actually.”

Chris Argent presses his mouth into a thin line but doesn’t disagree.

“What’s it worth to you?” Peter asks, tilting his head slightly. “I see. Very well. Where?”

And then he ends the calls and tosses the phone back to Chris.

“Bad news,” he says. “She doesn’t give a shit if you’re dead. But she wants me and Derek to meet her at the cemetery.”

Chris Argent turns away as he pockets his phone.

Smart, Stiles thinks. The second Dad’s cruiser is found, every deputy in Beacon Hills will descend on the Preserve. The town itself will be a cop-free zone, and the cemetery is far enough away from any residential areas that nobody is likely to hear anything going down at this hour anyway.

It makes sense in another way too.

If Kate couldn’t engineer her showdown here, where she burned the Hales to death, then she’s going to engineer it where they’re buried.

It’s horrifying, but Peter doesn’t seem to notice. He has to be at least ninety percent sociopath, or a better liar than anyone Stiles has ever met. He’s not sure which option is more intimidating.

“Let’s go,” Peter says, rolling his shoulders. “I think I’ll drive that Porsche. Derek, you and Stiles can catch a lift with Christopher.”

“He has a plan, right?” Stiles whispers to Derek.

“Usually, yeah.”

Peter smirks as he walks toward them.

“You smell like magic,” Peter Hale says, and extends his hand to Lydia as she sits on the steps.

She regards him silently for a moment, and then allows him to help her to her feet.

Jackson hurries after them as they walk off into the darkness.

***

The moonlight makes such strange shadows on the ground.

Stiles’s feet crunch in the dry leaves as he walks toward Chris Argent’s SUV. “I’m sorry I didn’t come for you,” he murmurs. “I’m sorry I left you here with her.”

His hand twitches by his side, and Derek catches it.

“Stiles, I know. I had a little sister too. I would have done anything to protect her.”

Ahead of them, the tight line of Chris Argent’s shoulder stiffens even further.

Stiles squeezes Derek’s hand. “I’m still sorry though.”

He glances at Derek in the moonlight.

“You look nice,” Derek says at last, and Stiles remembers he’s wearing his shirt and tie from the dance still. Dress pants and polished shoes. Everything got a little crumpled in the crash, and there’s blood on his button-up shirt now, so Stiles figures Derek is lying. It’s a nice lie though.

“So do you,” he says, and then realizes how bad that sounds given Derek is wearing next to nothing. His face heats up. “Um. Can we forget I said that?”

“For now,” Derek agrees seriously, and then his mouth quirks up at the corners. “But we’ll revisit it later.”

Stiles barks out an ugly, surprised sound that’s almost a laugh. Who knew Derek could be funny? Gallows humor, probably, but Stiles will take it.

“We’ll get them back, Stiles,” Derek says. “Stella and your dad. I promise.”

Stiles attempts his own gallows humor. “Or die trying?”

Derek doesn’t smile. “Yes,” he says. “Or die trying.”

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Of Farms Fairs & Fame (Part 13)

The rain didn’t let up in the days to come, in fact, it only seemed to be growing heavier as the days passed. To the point where Azula was growing used to having to drive around in it. The television flickered in the background as she, Zuko, and their father had dinner.

“Reckon it’s gonna stop any time soon?” Zuko asked.

“I reckon that this weather ain’t normal.” Ozai shrugged. “This might as well be a summer storm, the way it keeps carrying on.”

“Honestly, I’m tired a bein’ soaked by the time I get into school.”

Waving his fork about, Zuko replied. “Yeah, same here.”

“Folks on T.V say it’s supposed to get worse.” Ozai mumbled.

Frankly, Azula wasn’t sure how that was even possible. She just knew that she wanted some sunshine back. She hadn’t been able to visit Sokka in days with the roads so flooded. She  and Zuko barely made it to school and she was growing worried that they’d end up having to walk if the road conditions grew any worse. And walking all those miles in the rain wouldn’t be an easy feat.

She stole a glance through the window, but between the rain and the night she could see very little. Lightning provided only a brief glance at the now-harvested fields. “‘Suppose I should check on our cows.” Ozai pushed his chair in. “When I git back you can show me yer song.”

Azula nodded. It still needed to be polished up, but the storms had delayed the contest anyhow. Too much interference with the power to run a decent radio show contest, is what they had told her. Not that she had any complaints.

“What’d you write ‘bout?” Zuko asked.

“Watchin’ the rain with a pig.” She replied. She’d have held Spade up if she could have, but Ozai had a strict no pigs at the table rule. Even if he didn’t, she couldn’t imagine that Spade was going to leave his hiding spot any time soon. The poor thing hated thunder almost as much as TyLee.  

Ozai re-entered with a dripping beard, a mud splashed face, and a scowl. “Cows are fine. I will shower ‘n then you can show me yer song.”

Zuko chuckled when the man was out of earshot. “Them cows never did get along with dad.”

Azula shrugged.

.oOo.

“I’m gonna head off early.” Zuko announced. He could claim that he had to beat the rain all he wanted, Azula knew that it was just an excuse to see Mai. The sky was rather clear anyhow, so it was a poor excuse, but she didn’t call him on it. Instead she fixed herself a bowl of cereal and listened to the weather man drone on. Her father refused to miss the early morning and late night forecasts.

Azula pushed in her chair and rinsed her bowl. “I’m gonna go pick Sokka up.”

“Y’all be careful. You know how the weather can be.” Ozai called from the other room.

She decided to herself that they would have cancelled classes if the weather was of any real concern but she responded with an, “I will,” regardless.

The roads were still a mess of small debris and slush, she’d have to get to washing her car after the weather cleared. But at least they were driveable. By the time she pulled into Sokka’s driveway the clouds were beginning to brew again. Azula sighed, she could have sworn that the weather man had announced, at the very least, a clear morning commute. She gave the horn a good honk or two.    

She caught a silhouette jolt behind the curtain and then it scrambled out of the house. Clumsily, Sokka climbed into her truck, seemingly unphased by the growing grey. “Good mornin’, Azula.”  

She peered at the sky. “Eh...could be a better one.” She heard the first rumble of thunder. “A much better one.”

She backed out of the driveway, unhappy to see a thick rain of muck instead of a cloud of dust. They had driven only to the first turn when Sokka spoke, “min’ if I tern on the radio?”

“Good luck gettin’ any reception.” She lifted her shoulders in a half shrug that didn’t take her hands off of the wheel. Had the roads been a little nicer, she would have chanced a full on shrug. She watched Sokka turn the dial to the left and then to the right. As expected, he only found faint static to show for his efforts. He clicked the radio off.

“So how are ya gonna do that whole concert thingy?”

“It’s been postponed.” She replied. “I ain’t complainin’ though. I’d like to have a lil’ more time with my song. To practice ‘n maybe change some things, ya know?”

Sokka nodded. He gave a jerk at a particularly loud bang sent courtesy of some nasty looking clouds. She thought of poor Spade, hiding under her bed and then of TyLee who was probably shivering, bedbound and home alone for a few extra recovery days. Azula almost wanted to skip school and visit the girl. But she didn’t want to hear another ‘good grades and hard work’ lecture from her father. The rain was coming down now, mercilessly so. “Shit.” She whispered to herself. She wasn’t one for that kind of speak, but she has had it with this weather. She could barely see where she was going.

“Ya think ya should pull over?”

She looked at the time and bit her lip. “Probably.” They should have called classes off anyways. If they gave her a hard time, then they could hear it from her father. She pulled off to the side of the road, put the truck in park, and folded her arms over her chest.

“Thinkin’ that ya shoulda stayed home taday?” Sokka asked.

“Yup.”

Sokka laughed, though Azula couldn’t see what was so funny. Just as soon as it started, the rain seemed to lighten up until it was little more than a couple of heavy drops now and again. But Azula didn’t resume the drive, something chilled her. Something she couldn’t place. She unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the truck.

“What are ya doin’?” Sokka asked.

Azula held up a hand and he went silent. Silent, just like everything else in the field around them. She listened for the rain, for the call of birds for anything. Her tension only grew.

It was so quiet.

So very quiet.

A sense of foreboding stirred in her belly.

She knew this quiet.

It was the same quite that came before Lu Ten’s death.

“Sokka, run.”

She didn’t need to say it, the look of dread on his face and his steady flow of profanities said that he was already well aware of their predicament.

She fixed her eyes  on the sky. A shrill whine cut into the quiet and her heart picked up that much more. It was the kind of confirmation that set what she already knew into stone.  

She looked around almost frantically, everything was flat. So uselessly flat. Not a barn in sight, abandoned no otherwise. She looked back towards the truck, her stomach sinking even further at the horrific rumble.

She could see it clearly, the look on Iroh’s face, when he came knocking on their doorbell to tell his brother about how Lu Ten had been ripped right from his hiding place under the overpass they sought shelter under. It was why her uncle cringed at the first flash of lightning no matter how mellow the storm.

“Whaddo we do?” She barely heard him over the rumble.

She simply grabbed his hand and pulled him back into the truck. She hustled to fasten her seatbelt as that sickly green sky glared mockingly down at her.

“I thought we weren’t suppos’ta try ta out run ‘em!”

“Myth!” Azula shouted. “There ain’t no safe way ta do this one.” After Lu Ten’s demise, Iroh had insisted that they researched tornado safety tips. She had, but that didn’t stop the man from drilling the facts he’d learned into her head. “They say that if you can’t find a place ta hide then yer best chance might be to drive away, fast as possible.” She was pretty sure that, that’s what she had read. Granted most of her sources advised that folks should do such only if they knew for sure which direction the twister was heading in, but she left that out. She also vaguely recalled reading somewhere that there weren’t many options for people facing a twister head on. It was behind them though, perhaps they had a chance.

Azula threw the truck into drive and accelerated, steady but fast. The last thing they needed was for her to flip the vehicle herself. The engine roared, but not loud enough to overpower the freight train rattle of the tornado.

“Shit.” Sokka hissed again. It wasn’t doing anything to ease the anxiety welling up.

“Which direction is it gonin’?”

“I...I think…” He trailed off.

“Sokka!”

“It’s hard ta tell!”

The peddle was practically to the floor, the fields rolled by in a blur. Azula couldn’t recall a time she drove so fast, much less on roads so muddy. Lord help her, what if she lost control? They’d be dead as soon as it happened. The sky opened into a rain again.

No, she realized. It was too heavy to be rain.

The sky was spitting hail at her. She hoped...prayed that the windshield would hold.

“Which way’s it goin’, Sokka!?” She yelled again.

“I think. I think that it’s right behind us.”

She gripped the steering wheel tighter. There had to be a house somewhere, at that point she wouldn’t be any opposed to kicking in someone’s door and rushing into the basement with a, “howdy y’all, fine weather we’re havin’.”

“What’s ma gonna do? What’s Kat gonna do?” She heard Sokka whimper. She didn’t dare glance behind her.

Still she couldn’t help but ask the same about Iroh and Zuko. About her father.

Azula heard a harsh thump and spiderwebs formed on the glass. It was becoming harder to drive against the wind, the streets were flooding with broken fence posts and tree twigs and fragments of furniture, so carelessly chucked about by the twister.  

Through a torrent of unrelenting rain and hail she could see a structure looming tauntingly close. From Sokka’s posture, knelt over in a silent prayer she knew that they didn’t have much time. She threw the truck in park and yanked him from the truck. “Sokka, c’mon.”

Doing so she caught a glimpse of death. It was humblingly large, a stark reminder of just what mama nature could do. There were flashes of electricity as power lines snapped and flailed before getting sucked in like spaghetti twisting around a fork.

Azula dragged Sokka towards the house. He had to be in some sort of daze. “Dammit, Sokka, help me open this here thing.” She kicked at the door. The ‘for rent’ sign flapped wildly. “Fuck!” She shouts as the thing ripped from the ground and lodged itself in the door. It was just enough to snap the man into action. He threw his body against the door until it caved, sending the both of them crashing to the floor. They scrambled clumsily to their feet and frantically searched for the basement door.

Azula pried it open, with the sound of rattling abandoned kitchen utensils haunting her ears. It smelled of musk and mold in there. Like something rotting, a healthy helping of spiders and other critters occupied the space with them. But in comparison they seemed harmless.

The shatter of glass told her that the windows had busted. She gripped Sokka’s arm. As she pulled herself closer, she could feel him shaking. Or maybe she was. More likely, they were both trembling. They  could have been up there, only a moment or two longer and they could have been part of the debris. She heard a particularly loud bang and something poked through the ceiling.

The rumbling was growing softer.

Softer and softer until it was as dreadfully quiet as before the storm.

Azula wasn’t sure just how long they’d stayed put for.

She hadn’t realized she had been crying until Sokka wiped the tears from her eyes. The product of stress and relief. She allowed for a switch, she was now in his arms, his face buried in her hair. Another few minutes slipped by before Azula slowly got to her feet and even slowlier crept up the stairs.

She didn’t know exactly what she expected to see, but it wasn’t a clear view of the mutilated field. The northmost wall had been torn away completely, pipes leaking and remaining boards bobbing perilously. There was an entire motorboat wedged into the floor.

Unsure of how well the structure would withstand, Azula stepped around the wreckage with as much caution as she could. It mattered little that the place had been free of furniture when they entered, it was filled with it now; broken dolls, couch cushions, and lampshades.

“Look at this.” Sokka pointed.

At first she saw only a bike, bent and twisted with a wheel still spinning. She followed his finger further to see combine laying toppled, its cutterbar facing skyward. “They shoulda cancelled class.” Ozai was going to have a fit for sure.

“Ya don’t say.” Sokka muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

She hoped that Zuko was alright, that he’d left early enough to either miss it or be in the school building when the twister touched down. She reached into her pocket, groaning in defeat at the realization that she’d left it in her truck. Which--she looked around--may either be completely gone and swept away or that shiny red thing buried under a heap of trees and part of the roof. It would be one more thing for Ozai to fuss over, that truck was fairly new.

She picked her way through the pile of debris until she found herself a seat, a battered lawnchair. “Make yerself comfy, Sokka, this could take a while.”

The wind tousled her hair, gently and soothingly, a stark contrast to the force it had once been. Sokka rubbed at her shoulders. She noticed a streak of red on his forehead. His cheeks and clothes were coated in mud. She couldn’t imagine that she was in a much better state. She was soaked to the core.

“I’m glad yer okay.” Sokka noted.

She squeezed his hand. The sun beat down and the sound of birds was slowly coming back. The world was coming back to life. What a morning it had been.

[maree-ff]

Como Estan?: Part I

CAMILA

Staring at the clock I nibbled at my thumb nail tasting the polish against my tongue. I’ve been eyeballing the clock ever since I watched the boys leave the house. Jorden was scheduled to take his driving test this morning and although he’s been preparing since last year, I’m nervous! Ever since Jorden spoke his first words in Spanish he’s been progressing so much faster. However, his lisp is still heavily intact and he still needs time to learn and process information on certain subjects.

Watching Jorden transition from newborn to infant to toddler to child and finally to a teenager has been such an emotional roller coaster. There’s been so many changes in him that I’ve had to adjust to over the years. It’s hard to come to terms with him being sixteen years old now.

I often forget how old Andre and I are but once a birthday rolls around for one of our kids, I swear I have an emotional meltdown. Thank goodness for great genes, a healthy sex life, my wonderful diet, continuous exercise and a stress free life or else I’d look so run down. Aside from the growth of my babies, my world has remained at peace.  

Hearing heavy footsteps draw closer I wiped my eyes and shuffled around in the kitchen. Andre has been joking around a lot more than usual about every little thing and I’ve felt so disconnected and bothered to every punch line. It’s nearing that time of the month for me so of course I’m feeling overly emotional and withdrawn. At least towards him. Around the kids I’m a little sweeter.

Jorden taking that test to determine whether or not he can drive is shaking me to my core. The last thing I want is for Jorden to believe that I’m not happy for him or that I don’t support his desire to have more freedom. That’s not the case by any means. I’m just scared that he’s going to come home defeated and with terrible news. Every encounter he has with new people in the world has always had me on the edge of my seat. Just like I spoke on when he was four, I didn’t send Jorden to public school like his sisters. I couldn’t bear the thought of kids teasing him or teachers treating him like he was slow.

I searched high and low for an awesome home school teacher and when I did I begged her for her services. Coincidentally she was teaching a few other kids who were exactly like my baby boy at the time. Andre and I argued for a while about granting Jorden the access to having social interaction with kids his age. He has always had that. Not once have I robbed our son of the opportunity to have a social life. I had my many reasons for Jorden and for myself about why I didn’t want to send him to public school. Sadly when Jorden turned thirteen he began begging to go to school in a setting where he can meet other kids at every turn. He wanted the typical classroom, ride the school bus, have gym class with the cute girl experience.

Of course I gave in. I couldn’t tell Jorden no. After Andre and I talked we decided on private school. The most accredited, diverse and costly private school in the state of California has been Jorden's home for the last three years.

“Baby, where you at?” Andre yelling throughout the house for me shook me up. I can’t wait to get through these next five days of hell so I can go back to normal!

“I’m upstairs babe.” Taking a deep breath I opened the refrigerator to find something to take my mind off of Jorden’s test. The anxiety is kicking into overdrive and I need to tame it before I snap on this sweet man of mine.

“Hey..you’re avoiding me again. You know that right?” He started off.

I glanced over my right shoulder seeing him sport a look of dissatisfaction.

“Aw honey I’m sorry..” closing the refrigerator I turned around to find him standing directly behind me. I jumped and used the appliance for support. “I haven’t been avoiding you. I’m on edge and I hope you understand why.” I explained.

“Of course I do. You’re waiting for Jo to get home so we can find out how the test went and you're about to get a visit from the bitch from hell.” There he goes again with the jokes. This one actually made me laugh though.

Playfully punching him in the stomach I traded the fridge for his body to support my weight. “You’re not funny, asshole.”

“Clearly I’m a little funny or else you wouldn’t have laughed. Is there something else bothering you that I should know about?” He asked, wrapping both arms around me. I disagreed and wedged my face in between his chest and arm so he couldn’t see my face. Kissing my hairline he separated us. “Come on Cam, seriously. What else is going on? You don’t think he did okay?” He pressed the issue with concern.

Meeting his eyes I shrugged. My response was pathetic but it was a gut reaction. “I’m not doubting that he passed. I’m doubtful of the other people around him. Don’t you worry that people treat him like he’s beneath them when we’re not around? The possibility of Jorden being bullied by any means or ran up on doesn’t keep you up at night? Even a little bit?” I questioned.

“I’d be lying if I said no. Camila, of course I worry. But I know Jorden well enough to trust in his abilities to brush that shit off. He’s a tough kid. He’s got very thick skin and I know he can handle himself by any means. We raised him to have faith in himself. We raised him to never allow anyone, us included, to deter him away from his goals and dreams.” Hearing Dre confirm that he’s just as concerned as I am about how our son is treated put me in a positive headspace.

“All I have ever wanted for our kids is for them to be given a fair chance. Jorden especially. He’s never been like any kid I’ve ever met and being that he’s ours I want to him to know that I’m always fighting for him. I want him to know that we are always fighting to honor his name and his right to be treated fairly. I don’t care how old any of us get. Our kids are our babies. At least to me they always will be.” I felt emotions slap me in the face as tears rolled down both cheeks. The liquid made contact with my collarbones and flowed on down from there.

Andre coddles me exactly the way I desire. He provides me with more than enough affection when I’m feeling overly sensitive.

“Mom..pop..where are you?!” The sound of Jorden’s voice made the hair on my arms stand up.

“He’s home. He’s back, Dre!” I panicked. I squeezed and clenched at his shirt sleeves listening to Jorden walk up the stairs.

“I know that baby I can hear him too you know. Relax, don’t let him see you all worked up remember? We talked about this.” He coached me through my miniature episode and hugged me tighter.

Jorden appeared in front us and as much as I wanted to spazz and get answers out of him, I remained put.

“Hi baby. How was your day?” I quizzed him in a soothing yet normally toned voice. I masked my concern so he wouldn’t be alarmed.

He hesitated, “productive but good. Can’t complain. What’s wrong?” He asked. I watched him set his things down as Brix and Blu made their entrance.

“Nothing, I’m fine. So..” I trained off.

“How did it go?” Dre spoke up. His hands drawing circles on my lower and upper back keep me locked in place.  

“It went good. I passed.” This beautiful and grand smile of relief on my baby’s face set me off. I burst into tears as I allowed the good news to register in my brain.

“Ma, why you are crying? Are you not happy that I passed?” He freaked.

Snapping my head up and breaking away from Andre I closed the distance between Jo and I. I hugged him close, smelling his new favorite body wash on his clothes. I can’t believe my youngest child can legally drive without another adult present in a vehicle now.

“Mom..talk to me. Estas asustando a mi.” Jorden spoke in my ear, hugging me firmly.

Disagreeing I rocked us from side to side. Cupping the back of his head I turned my face to lay against his shoulder. “No baby, I am so happy for you. Estoy tan orgulloso de ti.” I whispered.

“Thank you mama. I couldn’t come home without good news. After all, I have been studying for this test since last year. I’m just happy that you and dad are proud of me.” We hugged a bit longer and separated so he and Andre could have their own moment.

“I told you, didn’t I boy?” Dre laughed.

“Yeah yeah whatever. I told you!” Jo and Andre struck up playful, stupid conversation about who was right over who. I however still have some questions.

“Were they rude to you up there? I mean did anyone give you a hard time?” Playing with my hair I leaned against the counter feeling Brix sit next to me.

“Not really, no.” Jorden denied.

“Not really? What do you mean “not really”?

“Okay..well there was one dude who kept staring at me funny when my proctor was going over some of the rules before we went out on the road. I’m not sure why he was grilling me so hard. Maybe because I asked the lady to repeat herself four times but I didn’t let him get under my skin. Other than that all else was cool. No complaints.” Jorden had this look on his face that begged for me not to flip out or press him for more information.

“All that matters is that you passed. What you wanna do tonight? In honor of your good news, we can go wherever you want and do whatever you want.” Andre’s proposal sparked so much excitement in Jorden’s eyes.

“There are limits, you two.” I warned.

“I’m a grown ass man so limits don’t apply to me. So what do you-”

“Daddy!” Zoe’s voice spooked us all.

“What the hell is she doing here?” Andre shuffled to the kitchen entrance at the sound of Zoe rushing around to find us.

“Mom! Jo! Where are you guys?” Zoe continued to yell and run throughout the house.

“Zo, what are you doing here? I thought you had to work today?” Dre quizzed. I stepped around Brix to see Zoe and Andre talking.

“Never mind that! I can’t get ahold of Kenja.” She clutched the stair railing while fixing her top. Recalling her mentioning Kenja I walked closer to them.

“What do you mean you can’t reach her? She just got a new phone and I know the area she lives in works well with her service. How long have you been trying to get a hold of her?” I’m doing my absolute best to not think too seriously into this situation but this isn’t a light subject matter.

“I’ve called her over fifty times and not one of my calls was answered! I’m scared but I don’t know what else to do!” She rambled.

“Camila, you need to change. Jo, call your grandfather and Zoe you get in the truck. Go.” All of us broke off into a frenzy to get out of this house and an hour down the road. I ransacked through my wardrobe throwing on a modest outfit.

“Andre, I’m scar-”

“Maree, not now, okay? Finished getting dressed and let’s go.” His warning reeked of panic but he’s trying to mask it so I don’t have a panic attack. I did as he said to do but stood still watching to him pace.

“Andre..” I sighed. He turned to face me no longer capable of denying how I feel about what’s currently happening. Andre and I huddled together not using words to fill in the silence. Every fiber in my being is screaming that Kenja is in trouble. The look in Andre’s eyes is telling me that he’s thinking the exact same thing.

With no regard at all I set free the tears as my only way of showcasing what I’m thinking.

“Camila, stop it. You can’t think like that. She’s fine. Our little girl is okay.” He pet my hair and encouraged me to think positively.

“But babe what if she’s not? What if she’s no-”

“Camila, stop it! Don’t think like that. Put your shoes on. We have to go.” I listened to him knowing that he means well. I hurriedly slid my feet into a pair of sneakers, following him downstairs. Once we were in the truck I decided to try Kenja’s cell, hopeful that she would answer.  

I left her a voicemail and held onto my cell with a vice grip during the drive to her apartment. Andre to my surprise drove the speed limit not once flooring it on the gas. Each of us were on edge in different ways. My worst fear is for either one of my kids to become a victim to domestic violence by anyone for any reason. Kenja, since she witnessed the first hand what Damon did to the both of us. In Zoe’s case, she involuntarily fell victim to being molested at a young age. Not only that but Chris murdered her birth mother. Graciously, my son has not had been harmed in any way.

Although my daughters are old enough to make their own decisions regarding relationships, I will always worry about them. Nothing can eliminate that fear I have deep rooted inside of me.

When we made it a visitor spot just outside her building I saw cops and emergency responders. I didn’t hesitate to jump out of the passenger seat and make a break for it up to her floor. I’ve never ran this fast in my entire life. I’ve never had to until this moment. From behind I could hear both of my kids and Andre yelling my name but I didn’t care. I pushed my way through everyone not bothering to explain my urgency. One of the officers tried grabbing me and I lunged at him. I didn’t actually hit him but I did shove him with every ounce of strength I had. For a guy his size, he stumbled and lost his footing. Ducking under the yellow tape I scrambled through Kenja’s apartment looking high and low for her.

“Ma’am, you cannot be back here. This is a crime scene.” Someone tried warning me.

Swiftly turning around I caught my breath before speaking. “Stay the fuck out of my way!” I barked at him.

Walking away from him I zipped through the remainder of Kenja’s place finding her passed out on the floor by her bed. Normally my fight or flight response would kick in. This time, that gut reaction failed to hit me and in place of that, seeing my daughter unconscious brought me to my knees. I cried the whole way over as I crawled to her side. Checking to see if she was breathing I carefully lifted her head onto my legs. “Oh baby I’m so sorry.” I sobbed.

Throwing my hair over my shoulder so it wasn’t in Ev’s face I pushed her curls out of the way to get a better look at her. At first glance I don’t see any bruises on her neck, chest, face, arms or legs. Her skin is cold, she doesn’t have a pulse and her skin looks paler than usual. My brain is swimming with ideas as to what happened to her.

“Camila, where you at?”

“Mom!”

“Back here!” I didn’t bother to look up as I continued to try and wake Kenja up. “Come on nena, wake up.” I sniffled. “C’mon love, please wake up.” I begged. I stayed still for a moment to see no change in her state. That’s when I did a little more searching. Lifting her shirt I checked out her abdomen. The alarming sight of a slight protrusion ignited that fight or flight reaction. “My sweet baby..” I gasped. I watched my tear fall onto her shirt as I felt underneath of her for any blood. When I raised my hand I felt my eyes twitch at how thick the consistency of her blood is.

“You cannot be back here!” Someone shouted.

I glanced up to see three officers failing to hold Andre and Jorden back from this room. Zoe pushed past the smaller officer and came to kneel beside me.

“Mom, what happened?” She panicked.

I showed her my hand and placed hers on Kenja’s lower abdomen. The color in Zoe’s face faded quickly.

“No..” she whispered.

“Where is he? Where the fuck is he at?” Andre yelled.

“Dad calm down..”

“Sir, Mr. Amaad is in custody. You need to relax and step back so we can do our job.”

“Fuck you and fuck him! I want to see him!”

“Pop, come on man, stop. He’s not worth it.” Jorden intervening is exactly what I need.

“Nah man, I want to see his smug ass face so I can beat the shit out of him. I told you that little nigga was no good for her. I told you so, Jo! He was trouble from the jump and I’m the only one that saw it!” Andre’s fuming and I understand but I need him to calm down.

“Andre, please.” I spoke up. He looked over at me and forcefully shoved the cop out of his way. He trudged over, taking his hat off slowly as he came closer. He knelt beside me not moving.  

“Is she breathing?” He mumbled.

“No.” I sniffled. We had to clear out of the way so the EMTs could get Evelyn onto the stretcher and down to the ambulance. The kids and Dre were hot on their tails. I stayed behind to grab some of Kenja’s important documents and I packed a couple of bags. Each were filled with her favorite wardrobe pieces and personal items. The cops weren’t telling me much of anything so I left the apartment.

The ride to the hospital was dead silent. Andre pushed this truck with all his might. There wasn’t a chance in hell that he would lose track of the ambulance carrying our daughter.

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

Leaning on Andre for support I sipped on my tea continuing to pray for good news. Kenja had to have an emergency blood transfusion so I donated. She and I are the same blood type and I just happened to have the perfect amount of iron in my system today. Jorden and Zoe fell asleep but I woke them up to send them to grab something to eat.

“I just want to hear something already.” Andre muttered from beside me. “I’m sick of waiting around. I want to see her.” He complained.

“I know baby. Here.” I offered him my cup only to watch him decline. “Papa, please.” I begged of him.

He gave in, drinking some, handing me the cup back once he had enough. The sound of footsteps drawing close earned our attention to the kids coming back.

“You get enough to eat?” I questioned them both.

“Plenty. We got something for you guys too when you want it.” Zoe sat down next her dad and Jo sat next to me. The four of us were once again silent waiting to find out how the transfusion went.

We sat alone for another half hour before someone came out to speak to us. Andre jumped up but I urged him to stay seated. I convinced him to stay behind so I could talk to with the doctor. Andre would bombard the poor woman with questions and he wouldn’t think twice about how his tone comes out.

“Just be honest. I can handle it.” I scanned her eyes with my arms folded across my chest.

“Your daughter is stable as are her vitals. She’s resting right now. The blood transfusion was a complete success, thank you for donating. It’s a blessing that you two are an exact match. Without you I don’t know how else we would’ve found such an eager and ready donor in time.” She smiled gently.

“So..she’s going to be alright? Is there anything else? When can we see her?”

“Oh yes, she will be just fine. I would advise that she stay here overnight for further observation. I wouldn’t want to take any risks with her health. You all can go in and see her. But I do suggest you all to keep the talking to a minimum so she doesn’t have to strain her voice. She’s still very weak as I imagine and she needs all of her strength for a speedy recovery.” She said.

“I don’t want my husband to hear this but I need you to tell me how far along she was. And I understand the patient-doctor confidentiality but this is my daughter. I have an idea but I want to be crystal clear about the facts.”

To be continued.......

[castellankurze]

A Completely Normal Secret

More anime bullshit.  Tagging @starcunning, @lordcaliginous, @tamsynspeaks, and @mystictheurge as per standard operating procedure.  No combat in this one, just slice of life anime fluff.

Shouko and Saika go on their first real date, but Saika has a secret she’s been keeping from Shouko and the rest of the Completely Normal Study Group.

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

The Honda’s engine thrummed as she pulled into the driveway.  There was just barely enough room to park behind a car that looked like it had been washed recently.  Shutting off the engine, Shouko pulled off her helmet and shook out her dark blue hair before looking up at the building in front of her.  It looked like most houses in Hitachinaka, really, nothing extra or strange to mark it out as special.  The girl on the motorcycle sucked in her lips for a moment and then looked down at her helmet, turning it around so that she could see eye-to-eye with the visor, as if it could offer her any answers.  Then she nodded and took a breath to fortify herself with a soft "'kay" and hung the helmet from the handlebar before swinging herself off the seat.  

She hadn't worn all her leathers today, just her favorite jacket, the black one lined in red to match her bike.  She unzipped and doffed said garment, holding onto it with a couple of fingers to hang it off her shoulder for the traditional too-cool look.  Goosebumps immediately formed on her arms thanks to the short sleeves of her shirt - November was really too late to be running around in such a thing, but it would only be for a minute.  The door loomed before her and she stopped in front of it, setting her feet at shoulder-width and squaring her shoulders as if anticipating having to brace against some kind of attack.  Then she took a breath and reached out to ring the bell.

Saika must have heard the bike coming, because it was only a couple of seconds before the door opened up to reveal her grinning face.  "Hi, Shouko!  Aren't you cold?" she asked with a blink of her eyes.

Shouko grinned, already feeling a bit more at ease now she'd seen Saika's face.  "Nah.  I don't get cold."

"Well, come in anyway," Saika said, stepping back from the door to let Shouko follow her in, letting her toe her sneakers off.  Saika's house was a lot like Shouko's own, it turned out, but it was...different.  A hard thing to put a finger on in the handful of seconds she had to look around.  There was more...stuff.  Pictures hung on the walls.  Furniture.  It was a far cry from the minimalist decorations of Shouko's own residence.  Probably had something to do with a family living there full-time instead of two people, one of whom was absent more than two-thirds of any given month.  Shouko noticed a framed picture of a slightly younger Saika, standing and giving the V sign with a set of five other girls.  Shouko guessed that they must have been Saika's friends before her transfer.

"Mom, Shouko's here!" Saika called out, and Shouko snapped her attention back to the present as her heart jumped into her throat.

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

"See?  That wasn't so bad?" Saika chirped as the door closed behind them and they made their way back towards the bike.

"Your dad is actually kinda cool," Shouko admitted as she shrugged back into her jacket.  "I was half expecting the shotgun treatment."

Saika giggled and oh-my-god'ed.  "I told him not to be mean." "Well, thanks.  Your mom was way tougher, anyway." Saika sighed a little.  "I think the whole thing with the bike kind of worries her a little bit.  And deep down...I think she's still kind of hoping one day I'll meet a nice boy and settle down."  Saika shrugged. Shouko smiled a little bit.  By now they had reached the bike and she was able to reach out and pluck her helmet from the handlebar she'd left it on.  "Well, give her my apologies.  I'm neither of those things," she said with a smirk. Saika rolled her eyes a little, but Shouko could see some color in her face.  “Anyway, everything went great.  I can't believe you were so nervous!"

"I still can't believe you've never been bowling," Shouko said, changing the subject as she lifted a leg to slide into her seat.  She'd left the spare helmet clipped to the tail end of the motorcycle, and Saika undid the strap to dutifully pull it on before hopping on behind her.

"Well, now I'm gonna learn, right?" she asked as Shouko pulled on her own helmet and started the bike.

"You better believe it," Shouko replied as she looked around and carefully started to walk the bike back out of the driveway.  Once they were in the street, she shifted into drive and accelerated slowly, just in case anyone was watching.  The pillion seat had a strap to hold on to, and Shouko grinned under her helmet, remembering the first time she'd given Saika a ride home from school.  'You're really expected to hold on to this?' 'It's tougher than it looks. If you want you can just hold on to me instead.'  She'd grinned then, too, and despite her flirtations earlier in the day Saika had blushed.  'Oh...okay!'

Saika's arms slipped around her waist with less hesitancy now, and Shouko no longer felt the November cold as she gunned the throttle and the Fireblade leaped beneath them.

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

"This place is so 80s," was Saika's declaration ten feet into the bowling alley.

"Most of these places were built back then," Shouko confirmed.  The pair of them were walking across a carpet that looking like someone had taken a thousand stencils and every type of neon paint they could find and dumped everything in together.  "It kinda became a look."

"It's great," Saika said definitively, and Shouko couldn't help but grin.

"Okay," she said once they'd secured lane 20 at the end of the row.  "Shoes and balls."

"Ah, yes, the debutante manifesto," Saika said, with a bland-faced innocence that made Shouko snort.

"Don't worry so much about the printed size, cause they're always weird," she said as they went to the shoe rack.  "Just try to find something comfortable."

"I swear these are actually two different sizes," Saika said at one point, hopping on one foot.

"Told you."

Saika found a ball that fit her hand, one painted with swirl of green that almost matched her eyes, while Shouko grabbed one of the plain ones.  "So," she said as they returned and she shucked her heavy jacket into one of the seats.  Then she glanced meaningfully at the alley and looked back to Saika.  "Do you think we should have gotten the lane bumpers?" she asked, trying to keep a straight face.

Saika cocked her head and stuck out her tongue.  "You go first, then.  Show me how it's done," she said, folding her arms and lifting her chin defiantly.

Shouko grinned and stepped out onto the polished wood, hefting the weight of the bowling ball and eyeing the lane.  Truth was, she was a little rusty.  She hadn't been bowling since...well she'd still been with the gymnastics team back then.  She shook her head to dislodge the thought and stepped, pulling her arm back and swinging, timing her release perfectly to send the ball rolling down the ally and crashing into the pins, knocking over nine of the ten in a clatter.

Saika whooped.  "That means you get to go again, right?"

"Yep," Shouko confirmed, holding her hand over the air vent as she waited for the ball to come back.  

"Well, get 'em.  I believe in you," Saika said, with absolute dead-serious conviction.  Shouko gave her a thumbs-up as the conveyor belt rumbled and disgorged her ball, and stepping back up to the line she made good on Saika's belief, dealing the last defiant pin a glancing blow that knocked it off to one side.

She held out a fist and Saika tapped it with her own, grinning as she slid out from her seat and shook out her hands.  "Okay.  So...you hold it with your middle fingers right?" she asked, waiting while the pinsetter did its work.

"Yeah.  Here, Let me...is it okay if I...?" she asked, hesitating.

"Oh, yeah, of course," Saika confirmed, and Shouko setpped up behind her, bracketing Saika's arms with her own to guide her hands.

"You can kind of think of it like drawing your bow, except you gotta step forward when you fire a shot," she explained as she helped Saika adjust her stance, her chest to the shorter girl's back.

"Okay, so not like archery at all," Saika replied with a little smile.

"Listen, I'm trying," she said with a stern expression, and Saika laughed.

"Alright, let me give it a try."  She stepped up, her movements less confidant than Shouko's own, and the way she rolled the ball was almost dainty, but for a first-timer her aim was pretty good, knocking over the three pins on the rightmost side of the set.  She cheered a little and pumped a fist as Shouko clapped.  The next ball went almost right down the center, knocking over all but the last two pins on the left.  Saika huffed a bit, but her smile reasserted itself pretty quickly as she came back to the seats and accepted a congratulatory high-five.

"Eight out of ten is pretty damn good for your first time out," Shouko assured her.  "I was half-expecting you to throw it in the gutter."

"Is that what you did on your first time?" Saika asked.

"No!" Shouko said, in a tone that made it clear that was exactly what had happened.  Saika cackled as the biker stood and went up for another frame, knocking the pins down for another spare.  Saika put the ball right down the center on her next turn, only to end up with the dreaded 7-10 split.  "You gotta try hitting the outside of one of the pins so it knocks over the other one," Shouko advised, and Saika stuck her tongue out the corner of her mouth for a moment in concentraction before she sent the ball angling in towards one of the pins, only for it to drop into the gutter just short of its intended mark.

"Darn it," Saika said, blowing a short raspberry at the defiant pin.

"Yeah, those splits suck," Shouko agreed, then cocked an ear as she listened to the music change, rolling her eyes.  "No, nevermind, that sucks."

"What? Saika asked with a raised brow as she sat back down nearby and crossed her legs, bouncing one foot.  "You don't like pop?"

"I don't know, I mean, like, I don't hate it, I guess," Shouko deliberated as the pinsetter did its work.  "It's just all so...plastic, you know?  I mean, you listen to rock or metal and you can hear the guitarist really dig into the strings, you can feel the edge to it.  This pop idol stuff, it's just all..." she waved her hands.  "It's all prepackaged, with everything just sanded down, I mean, I know the girls really bust their butts, I'm not trying to bad-mouth them, but it's like it's all just a front, it's all so...toothless."

"There's some truth in that," Saika agreed with a nod, and leaned forward to rest her cheek in one hand, looking at Shouko with a contemplative expression.  "You really are the real thing, huh?" she murmured.

Shouko blinked.  "What do you mean?" she asked.

Saika colored a little bit.  "I mean...you ride a motorcycle.  You cut class.  You talk back to people who give you a hard time.  You carry a knife.  You smoke.  You listen to hard rock.  You really are the whole picture of a total rebel," she said, smiling a little sheepishly as she said the words.

Shouko felt her face heating a little bit as she grinned back, and she almost said 'that's the idea' but cut herself off just in time and instead winked and replied "you know it."

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

Saika proved to be a quick enough learner that Shouko had to brush the rust off and tighten up her game before long, muttering about 'damn archers' and their hand-eye coordination.  She won the first game by twenty pins, but on the second it was down to single digits for the last three frames, with both of them finishing in the 130s.  

"Loser buys dinner?" Saika asked sweetly at the beginning of the third game.

"No, but only 'cause I said I would buy," Shouko replied.  "Besides, buying you dinner makes me anything but a loser," she added on impulse with a wink.  Saika flushed and guttered her first ball, crossing her arms and glaring daggers at Shouko afterwards as the latter tried desperately to swallow her laughter, folding both hands over her mouth to do so.  She gave her a break, though, and threw her own first frame with her eyes closed, knocking over only a pair of pins.  The rest of the game was as tight as the last, and was ultimately decided when Saika lucked into a strike in her last frame, the bonus points from which put her over the top.  Shouko clapped and gave a cheer as Saika bounced in celebration and pumped a fist, and their noise attracted some looks that lingered on the scoreboard.

Despite losing, Shouko was feeling pretty smug as they handed in their equipment, garnering a few murmurs behind their backs.

Weekends were busy enough that they hung out in the arcade attached to the alley while they waited for a table to come up in the restaurant next door.  Shouko had played many of the games growing up, and noted with quiet pride that SKO still appeared on a few of the top ten screens.  She decided to show off with one of the gun games and put money into both slots, two-handing the guns for Saika's amusement and enjoying the attention for a minute or so before handing one off to her.

"How the heck do you aim so well with these things?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Well, don't do what I'm doing," Shouko said with a laugh.  She'd been standing as if poised for an old-time duel, flank towards the machine with her gun held out at arm's length, canted almost in a stereotypical gangster-style.  "I'm used to messing with these games.  You mind if I show you...?" she asked, setting her gun down on the console and raising an arm slightly.

"Oh.  Sure," Saika said, and let Shouko slide in behind her, taking her arms and ensuring she put both hands on the gun and adjusted her stance.  The blonde glanced back at one point with what looked like a smug grin, and she noted "you keep finding ways to get your arms around me, huh?"

Shouko froze and then coughed, knowing her face was going bright red.  "Uh...s-sorry," she said as she dropped her arms.

"It's okay," Saika reassured her with a wink.  "I do like that you asked, for the record."

"Well...that's good, then," Shouko said in lieu of anything smarter to say as she retrieved her gun and the pair kept on playing.

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

The restaurant was crowded, predictably, and noisy with the sound of someone singing.  "Oh yeah, I forgot they do karaoke here," she said as they got led to one of the two-person tables in the middle of the floor.

"That's fine, the noise doesn't bother me," Saika said as she slid into a chair.

"Do you wanna sing?" Shouko asked with a grin as she did likewise.

"No.  I think you should," Saika replied with a sudden smirk.  "That's my prize for winning game three.  You owe me a song."

"H-hey!" Shouko protested.  "I'm already buying you dinner, I never agreed to go up and sing!  Besides, I won two out of three!"

"Yes, but it was my first time bowling," Saika said, before reaching out and touching her fingertips to the back of Shouko's hand.  "I'm just teasing, you don't have to get up at all if you don't want to."

"Uh uh, it's a pride thing now, my girl went and called me out," Shouko said, shrugging her jacket off onto the back of the chair.  "I'll get a regular cheeseburger," she added as Saika clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes widening, and with a wink she made her way over to the song list, flipping through it and grinning down at it as she spied a familiar American title.  Then it was just a matter of waiting for the current guy to finish his song, taking the proffered mic and punching in the info.  Shouko had just enough time to cough and clear her throat, licking her lips.

A drumbeat picked up, followed quickly by a fizzling electric guitar riff and a set of clapping sounds on the beat.  "Saw her standin' there by the record machine," she growled into the mic, looking in Saika's direction and grinning as she waved tentatively.  Shouko knew she was blushing, but she powered through the awkward feeling as she tried her best to replicate Joan Jett's sexy purr.  A few people, either feeling the beat or else out of pity, joined in on the clap and gave her a hand on the chorus, though she could tell she'd raised a couple eyebrows by switching the genders - but damned if she was gonna sing it any different than she was used to.

She got a polite round of applause when it was done and she passed the mic off to someone else who'd worked up the courage before striding back to their table, basking in one bit of applause in particular as Saika clapped for her.  "That was badass," the blonde enthused.

"Yeah?  You liked it?" Shouko asked, knowing she was fishing but unable to help herself.

"You did great," Saika confirmed with a nod that set her long hair to swaying.  "That was very brave."

"Nah," Shouko said, drinking some of her water.  "Just really dumb."

"Sometimes they're the same thing," Saika replied with a tap of her finger on Shouko's knuckle.

"Lucky for me, then," she said with a wink of one magenta eye, and Saika shot her a good-humored but nonetheless admonishing look.

After the adrenaline rush of actually getting up in front of people and singing right to Saika, Shouko was ravenous, and devoured her burger almost as soon as it showed up, forgoing good manners in favor of tearing into the thing as if it were going to get up and run away if she gave it half a second to escape.  "Do you want a second one?" Saika asked, looking a little bemused.

"Uh uh," Shouko said as she self-consciously cleaned her mouth.  "I just...really worked up an appetite there."  Thanks to said appetite, she was left picking slowly at a few of her fries while Saika ate her own dinner.  When she was almost finished Shouko slid out of her chair to visit the bathroom.

It was while she was gone that a much older man came up to the table and asked, hesitantly, "Excuse me?"

Saika blinked her eyes and reared slightly.  "Yes?"

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

Shouko paused on the way back from the bathroom.  There was an old guy standing by the table who sure didn't look like a waiter and Saika was scrawling something on a piece of paper.  She handed it to him with a smile and the man bowed, folding it - it looked like a receipt - with great care as if it were something precious and saying what looked like a goodbye before turning and walking towards another table at the far end of the room.

Shouko bit at her lip.  What should she do?  Saika hadn't seen her...

No, time to do something dumb.  Or brave.  So she squared her shoulders and walked back to the table, dropping back into her seat.  "Hey."

"Hey!" Saika replied.

"So...I was coming back and...I guess I saw something I don't know if I should have?" she asked, trying to word the question carefully and knowing she'd failed miserably.

Saika's face froze for a second.  "Oh...you saw the old man," she said slowly.

Shouko nodded.  "Uh huh."  Saika worried at her lip for a moment and Shouko felt a piece of her resolve break.  "If it's none of my business, you can say-" she started, offering an out.

"No...no...it's something that you'd find out about sooner or later," Saika said with a sigh.  "I kind of hoped it would be a little longer."

"What's up, are you okay?  This isn't like an Aratani thing, is it?" she asked, a sudden red alert going off in her head.

"No, no, god no, not at all," Saika hastened to reassure her.  She pressed her hands together and likewise pressed her lips together for a long moment, clearly marshaling her thoughts.  "I think maybe it would be easier to show you," she finally said, pushing out her chair and standing.  "Stay there," she added as Shouko started to rise to join her.  Confused, Shouko watched as Saika made her way over towards the karaoke machine and picked up the catalog, flipping through it for a minute or two before punching in a set of numbers and taking up the mic which had been sitting unused for the last few minutes since the last singer had finished up.

A guitar started up, considerably less hard-edged than the one that had presaged Shouko's own song, and then Saika started singing.  It was some pop song Shouko had never heard before, typically saccharine, but wow, Saika sang it really well.  Really, really well, almost as if it had been written for her.  Shouko wasn't the only one who noticed, either, as heads turned and some of the closest folks stopped talking or slowed their meals.  Then Shouko noticed someone holding up a phone.  What, really?  Yeah, Saika was singing it well but that was a little over-

Then Saika hit a note and held it, and Shouko saw another phone or two coming out, and suddenly the bottom dropped out of her stomach as the realization hit.  Saika wasn't just singing it like it had been written for her...it had been!  Shouko's mouth fell open as she watched, nonplussed, as the girl she primarily knew as a bubbly and optimistic classmate and hunter of demons stood up and belted out a song about...meeting again someday?  Damn, in her shock she'd stopped listening to the lyrics.

Too soon, it ended, and Saika dropped a gracious bow to a general round of applause and cheers, and she put away the microphone and made her way back to the table, smiling a little sheepishly as she slid back into her seat and the crowd went back to their own business.  "You...y-you sing?" Shouko asked dumbly.

Saika glanced down for a moment.  "I used to," she said.  "I...left that behind.  It was nice a lot of the time, but it could be...hard."

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

"Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

"Are you Miss Saika Oishi?"

"I...I'm afraid you might-"

"Please, I'm so sorry to bother you, but my granddaughter loved Vanilla Dream.  Could I beg you to sign something for me?  She would treasure it."

"Well...alright, what's her name?"

"Naoko."

To Naoko - DREAM BIG!!  ~Oishi Saika

"Thank you so much.  I'm so sorry to have imposed.  Have a wonderful evening."

"You too!"

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

"He seemed like a nice enough man, but, you know...that was pretty much the minimum of what it was like.  People always making demands on your time, on your...well."  Saika had leaned onto the table a bit, and Shouko saw her scratch at her elbows.  She put her hand out on the table, palm down, and Saika reached out to touch her fingers with a little smile.  Shouko smiled back.

"Don't spread this around, but...I used to do gymnastics.  I wasn't huge into it or anything," she hastened to add as Saika raised her eyebrows.  "But...I think I kinda know what you're talking about."  A moment of quiet passed between them, and Saika just nodded slowly.  Then Shouko blinked as a realization came.  "That picture of you back home, the one of you and the other girls all giving the V sign, that was your idol group, wasn't it?"

"Uh huh!" Saika confirmed.  "Vanilla Dream!  I still miss them, sometimes, ever since we- Shouko are you okay?" she asked sharply, blinking as Shouko's face went nearly as red as the magenta in her eyes and she snatched back both hands to cover her mouth.

"I shit-talked idol groups right to your face," Shouko stage-whispered, suddenly wishing the chair would collapse under her and just drop her through the floor.

"It's okay!  It's okay, oh god it's okay!"  Saika hastened to reassure her, reaching out with both hands until Shouko lowered her own once more and placed them in Saika's waiting pair.  "It's really okay, I promise, it's nothing I haven't heard before, and way, way worse."

Shouko grinned weakly and squeezed Saika's hands.  She squeezed back and Shouko felt her heart skip a beat.  "You ready to go?" she asked, and Saika nodded.

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

It was well after dark by the time she pulled up to Saika's house, but not so late that she'd feel bad about the engine revving as she pulled into the driveway once more and braced her feet before shutting the thing off and doffing her helmet so she could say goodnight properly.  Saika slipped off the bike and clipped the spare helmet strap back around the seat handle, shaking out her blonde hair and using one hand to tuck a few stray locks behind her ear.  "I had a great time tonight.  Maybe sometime we can take the whole group?"

"We'll beat the pants off 'em?" Shouko prompted with a grin, and Saika bobbed her head enthusiastically.

"Absolutely," she said with a thumbs-up.  "Drive safely, okay?"

"I will," Shouko promised.  "I'll see you Monday?"

"Of course.  Sleep well."

"You too."  Saika seemed on the verge of saying more, but then she simply took a breath and leaned in.  Shouko had just enough time to lift her chin before Saika's mouth found her own, and for a minute her bare cheeks didn't feel the November cold, and even after they separated warmth seemed to run all through her like she'd sat in front of a heater or summoned up her daggers.  "G'night," she murmured.

Saika, whose face looked as warm as her own felt, bobbed once more.  "Goodnight," she said, and made her way to the front door.  Shouko waited until she'd stepped past the threshold, waved one more time, and then pulled her helmet back on.

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

It was a few nights later that Shouko stayed up late at her battlestation, Twitch running in the background, her face illuminated by her monitor, the red from her keyboard, and the reflection from some of the blacklight in her posters as she listened to music.  She'd torn the plastic off the CDs and left the crumpled remains in the wastebasket.  It was pretty much what she'd expected - feel-good enthusiasm for life and love and so on.  Vanilla Dream's quirk was that they really worked that 'dream' part of their name; almost all their songs mentioned living in dreams, or waking up from dreams, or fighting for your dreams, or making dreams a reality, all that kind of thing.

It was...kind of endearing in its sweetness.  And a couple of the songs weren't bad.  If nothing else they'd had a really good sound mixer.  Kind of a shame they'd only done two albums.

It was as she was meaning to swap back to her Twitch channel that Shouko misclicked on the CD file in her computer, and thereby noticed something - a file at the bottom of the playlist that hadn't run.  It didn't play when she clicked on it, either, giving an error message.  Shouko frowned and sat forward and poked at the mystery track.  It was supposed to be a sound file, but it was like someone had intentionally botched the coding, adding a bit of nonsense that borked the last line.  With a shrug, Shouko deleted the scrap and re-saved the file in a proper format before running it again.

It started with a sound like bells, and then suddenly Saika's voice filled her ears, slow and sad in sharp contrast to most of the idol group's oeuvre.  "I can hold my breath..." Saika sang gently, and Shouko leaned back from her computer, listening as Saika sang, seemingly, right to her, about all the things that she could do, even though every word sounded hollow.

"But I'm only human," Saika sang, "and I bleed when I fall down; I'm only human, and I crash and I break down..."

Shouko's hand found her cigarettes and she lit one, inhaling the smoke as the song washed over her.

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

The hall was dark, filled with the strange foreboding that seemed to inhabit every inch of the place.  Kanako supported Erika as she walked, the taller girl's body a mass of cuts and bruising, while Miyumi likewise helped Takuya to walk, the boy still murmuring nonsense under his breath and laughing weakly from time to him.  Shizuka denied any help, but walked as gingerly as if with each step she might put her foot down on broken glass.

None of them were in good shape, but it would have been a whole lot worse if Saika hadn't shown up to bail them out.  The blonde girl led the way, her radiant bow lighting the darkness of the twilight realm.  Shouko took a couple of longer steps that strained her legs a bit to draw even with her, plucking her cigarette from her mouth as she spoke.  "Hey, Saika," she said, her voice hoarse after all the shouting she'd been doing.

"Yes, Shouko?"

"Just wanted to say...thanks for saving us," Shouko said, kind of lamely, but Saika beamed, and Shouko had trouble not smiling back at the bubbly blonde.

"Of course!  It was a good thing I made it when I did!"

"And hey," Shouko added, briefly looking away to conceal a tinge of embarrassment.  She'd only known Saika for a couple days, she shouldn't be...  "Just wanted to say...I know you said back there that you're not all angels but...you sure look like one to me, right now."

Saika went bright red, her green eyes widening, and she seemed at a loss for words.

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

"'Cause I'm only human," the song played on, "and I bleed when I fall down; I'm only human, and I crash and I break down..."

Shouko let the song play out and sat in silence for a minute or two, letting the smoke trail from her cigarette.  Then she sat up and brought up Discord.  It was late, but...

[Fireblade]: hey do you got a minute

The words sat on the screen for a minute before a typing notification showed up.

[Shining JUSTICE]: Yeah, I'm here!  What's up? [Fireblade]: well [Fireblade]: I wanted to let you know [Fireblade]: I bought a couple cds this weekend [Shining JUSTICE]: ... [Shining JUSTICE]: You didn't. [Fireblade]: yep [Shining JUSTICE]: OMG [Fireblade]: let's just say I kinda like one pop group now =p [Shining JUSTICE]: I'm dying!!!! [Shining JUSTICE]: I can't BELIEVE [Shining JUSTICE]: You went out and got both? [Fireblade]: yeah.   [Fireblade]: your lead tracks are the best, obviously =p [Shining JUSTICE]: OBVIOUSLY :P [Shining JUSTICE]: You're biased. [Fireblade]: a little bit [Fireblade]: but I really wanted to let you know [Fireblade]: I found the hidden track on the 2nd album [Shining JUSTICE]: ...

A second later the phone buzzed.

"Yo?" Shouko asked.

"You found that, huh?" Saika's voice was quiet.

"Yeah.  I saw it in the list and wondered what was up with this weird file...I'm sorry if I shouldn't have," she hastened to add.

"No, it's okay.  I'm glad someone heard it.  They said they cut it from the album list because it was a cover, but..."

"Too heavy for pop idol stuff, huh," Shouko said.

"Yeah.  You know, I never heard of someone finding out about it.  I guess we weren't really popular enough for people to go digging."

"Well...guess you just needed the right fan, huh?"

"I guess," Saika said, and Shouko could hear the smile in her tone.  "I knew right from the start it wasn't going to make it to the album, but it really felt like something I needed, you know?"

"Yeah.  Hey..."

"Hm?"

Shouko blinked her eyes, staring up at her ceiling.  "You ever need anything, I'm here for you," she finally said.

"Thank you, Shouko," Saika said softly.  "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Promise."

[cryptidwizard]

Okay, I got one: Mikey and April doing a slumber party. Shenanigans.

okay so i actually tried writing this a few times when i was without my computer for two months but then completely forgot about it. i’m sorry for the wait and hope it was worth it. fic under the cut! tumblr is fucky and didn’t space it correctly so heres an ao3 link

April lovedher new friends, how could she not? They had saved her life, helped her findher father, taught her to protect herself, trained her as one of their own,befriended her in a time she had felt so alone, and became family to them. Theywere a little strange sure, but they were her’s. Leonardo was like a loveableolder brother, sort of nerdy but a welcome and reassuring presence. Raphael wasan enthusiastic and passionate brother, a little intense but a great sparringpartner. Donatello was smart, a genius even, sure she didn’t return hisfeelings and saw him more as family, but she still cared about him. (Besidesshe was still struggling to deal with her crush on her best friend Irma.)Michelangelo however, she felt closest to. He was fun and like a ray ofsunshine despite the darkness of the sewers. He was talented and the sweetyounger brother you always wanted to have, mischief and pranks aside. So, whenMikey had nervously asked her if she wanted to have a sleepover with him likepeople always did in tv shows he’d watch, she jumped at the chance, grinningwildly. So, Aprilhad told her father she was sleeping over at a friend’s house, loaded down withsome face masks and other fun sleepover supplies (nontoxic to mutant turtles ofcourse, she had done her own research and had asked Donnie to make sure). Sure,she had gone all out but this was Mikey, he was like a baby brother and he hadnever had a human friend or a sleepover. So, it became April’s mission to makethis the best sleepover ever. The turtles had offered to meet her and walk herto the lair, but she insisted she was okay, feeling confident with her weaponof choice the Tessan and a large can of pepper spray. After ashort trip through the sewers she arrived in the abandoned subway station,leaping over the turnstiles. April knew the others already knew she was here,from Donnie’s security cameras no doubt. Her suspicions were confirmed when anexcited shriek of “APRIL!!” sounded the room and she was pulled into anenthusiastic hug. She laughed and returned the hug, jeez she had gotten a lotstronger since training to be a kunoichi but wow the turtles were strong. “Hi Mikey! Are you prepared for your first and best sleepover ever?” She asked,faking a serious tone as her grinning companion released her from his hug trap.“Hell yeah I am!” Mikey shouted, barely containing his excitement.An annoyed “Language.” came from beloved stick in the mud older brother Leofrom the kitchen. April and Mikey exchanged looks, muffling their giggles. “Right sorry, I meant shell yeah I am!” He shouted again. April snorted atMikey’s attempt to recover from cursing. He took her hand and enthusiasticallylead her to his room, she waved to Leo as they passed by the kitchen, havingalready briefed the three brothers and Sensei on her sleepover plans.April letout a low and impressed whistle upon seeing Mikey’s room, he had cleaned up forher, aww. There were no left-over pizza slices or boxes left around! MasterSplinter couldn’t even get Mikey to clean his room, she kind of felt honored. The orange mask clad turtle noticed her expression and grinned, pretty proud ofhimself, “I know right? That’s how hyped I am.” April snickered and pulled outher duffle bag which had been filled to the brim with fun sleepover things todo, sure it was kind of middle school of her but hey Mikey has never done thisbefore, so she was pulling out all the stops. “Okay so I know you like makeup and pretty stuff like that, so I grabbed someof my makeup kits from when I was younger and some stuff Irma left at my house.I also got facemasks and nail polish along with some of those sleepover gamesmy dad got for me to get to know my friends with. Sound good?” She asked,pulling out some of the supplies, sure she wasn’t that into makeup and all thatbut upon seeing the amount of excited emojis Mikey had sent upon hearing shehad stuff like that in the group chat she just had to bring some. Mikey openedhis mouth to ask a question, but April beat him to it, “And yeah everything is mutantturtle safe I already asked Donnie about it, we don’t want your skin gettingfucky again.” Mikey nodded satisfied with the answer, shuddering at the thoughtof his shellacne.He brightened again, “Sounds awesome! Let’s do this!” April grinned and the funbegan. They put on some cheesy movie Mikey had rented, vowing to watch the actionflick that April had brought afterwards. She was now demonstrating how to paintnails on Mikey’s, thankfully since he had less fingers than she did it got donefaster. When April had asked what colors Mikey answered, blue, red, and purple.She arched an eyebrow at him, a smile on her face, it was no wonder why he hadchosen those colors. Mikey grinned, “Okay they’reaesthetically pleasing colors but I also love my dumb brothers.” He retorted,pretending to pout but not bothering to fully mask his smile. April rolled hereyes with a grin and finished up painting his nails. “Whatdya think?” She asked, she wasn’t the best with painting nails, but shehad nail polish remover packed and cleaned up her mistakes. Michelangelo beamed, “Oooh fancy I approve.” He said in a fake haughty tone ofvoice. April snickered and moved on to his toes, “Once they dry you can do mine if youwant.” She offered, Mikey nodded excitedly. After finishing she held out herhand for her friend to paint, trusting him to do a good job since he was themost artistic of the turtles after all. (Besides she would’ve let him do iteven if he couldn’t paint for shit.) “What colordyou want?” He asked. April thought for a moment and shrugged, “Surprise me.” Mikey grinned and gotto work as April turned her attention back towards the movie, assuring Mikeyshe wouldn’t peak. An enthusiastic “Ta-da!” distracted her from the movie, shelooked down at her nails. She smiled softly, her heart effectively warmed. Thecolors Mikey had chosen were blue, red, purple, orange, and yellow. Judgingfrom the turtle’s expression and her regular outfit, yellow represented her. “Y’know cause you’re like an honorary Hamato now…” He said softly, Aprilblinked rapidly, a grin spreading across her face. “I love it.” She said pulling him into a hug.Mikey giggled, “Hey c’mon don’t mess up my nails!” He complained, obviouslyjoking. The girl began to laugh, “You sound like Irma.” Mikey began to paint her toes when his grin became catlike, “Ooh Irma huh? Is she the goth girl you arealways making goo-goo eyes at whenever we were shadowing you to make sure youwere safe from the Kraang?” He asked, a smug tone in his voice as if he alreadyknew the answer. April’s face reddened, and she resisted the instinctive urgeto kick her friend in the face and bolt.“W-what?! No!” She exclaimed, hiding her flushed face with her still dryinghands.Mikey made a pouting noise sounding like a kicked puppy, “C’mon Apriillllllll,you’re a Hamato nowwww you gotta tell me, your sweet innocent baby brother.” Heprotested. April sent a mock glare at him, jeez now she knew why Mikey had hisolder brothers wrapped around his finger.She sighed, “Okay one, pulling the family card like that is cold. Two, you areanything but innocent. Three, stop grinning like that. Four, y-yeah that’s her…She’s so cute Mikey you don’t understand!”He finished painting her toes looking satisfied with his handiwork before leaningin close, “Tell me everything.” He replied, a serious expression on his face,poorly masking his smug grin.After a long-winded explanation of just how pretty Irma’s eyes were and abouthow they met, and Irma’s kissable lips April let out a loud groan. “I’m so gayMikester, I don’t even know my sexuality yet but I’m so gay.”Mikey giggled, bumping her shoulder reassuringly with his, “Don’t worry aboutit, Leo practically has a heart attack every time he sees a cute boy on patroland he still claims he’s straight. You’ll figure it out.” He reassured. April looked up at him from where he was doing her makeup, armed with aneyeshadow brush. “How’d you get so wise?”“I took a bunch of quizzes on BuzzFeed, I’m pan ace. Close your eyes.” Hereplied, she complied and closed her eyes, wrinkling her nose as she felt thepowder tickle her eyelids. After he finished she looked up again, “Huh, cool. I had no idea.” Mikey grinned, posing almost dramatically, added with the fact she had alreadydone his makeup he looked pretty great. “Of course you didn’t, I’m like anonion. I got layers.” He replied, struggling to keep a serious expression onhis face.April groaned loudly, “You did. Not. Just quote Shrek. Mikey no stop laughingI’m gonna pepper spray you.” She said deadpan, both knowing she was joking.Mikey stuck a defiant tongue out at her. He brightened, “Wait I just had two, (2) great ideas. First, you take someselfies and send them to Irma. And second, we water balloon my poorunsuspecting brothers.”April grinned widely, “Let’s do it.”After taking some pictures together and a few of just themselves April sentsome to Irma. They then loaded up on water balloons, Mikey already having abunch prefilled. She didn’t ask why, he was Doctor Prankenstein after all. Theysnuck out into the lair, keeping their feet light with ease given they both hadsome degree of ninja training. Raph was in the dojo practicing getting out someenergy, Donnie was in the lab, Leo was in the kitchen making tea. “Okay, to get away with an assault of this scale all at once we gotta getDonnie first, he might help since you are on my side. Then we gotta get Raphand we have to flip him, he’ll be so impressed he won’t yell. Then we get Leo,he’ll be expecting my attack with big bro instincts so you gotta get him withyours.” Mikey informed just above a whisper, April nodded seriously. They entered the lab, Donnie was working on something by the algae pool. Theduo had entered via the garage entrance rather than the clunky metal door of thelair hoping to not alert Donnie. He didn’t look up, “Oh hey Mikey I’m justcollecting some sampl- “Donatello began to say before being interrupted by awater balloon colliding with his shell, surprising him and sending him tumblinginto the pool. April let out a startled and soft laugh,“Sorry Don, do us a favor and don’t tell?” She asked, pulling him from thepool. Donnie looked bewildered and was dripping wet, he grabbed a towel from adesk, having fallen in the pool before. He opened his mouth as if to complain before catching a glimpse of the pleadingand gleeful look on April’s face before shutting it and sighing, “Okay but onlyif you are getting Raph too.”Mikey grinned wickedly, “Of course.” They slipped into the dojo, Raph was jamming out to some loud rock music withhis earbuds and hadn’t heard them come in. They gave two quick thumbs up toDonnie who was waiting in the living room with an exasperated expression. Mikeynodded to April wordlessly saying it was her turn and she pulled back and flungthe water balloon to Raph’s shell. Before he had time to react they rushedforward and grabbed both of his arms, Mikey’s leg slipping out and trippingRaph’s using the momentum to flip him over both of their shoulders. He lookedup at them stunned, taking out his earbuds. “…Nice shot.” He said surprised.Mikey and April grinned and high-fived.Last was Leo, but he was going to be the most difficult. Mikey had complainedin the past that Leo had some crazy way of telling every time he was going topull a prank, he’d bested him before but never all three of his brothers in onenight. With April’s help he was going down. Leo was sipping his tea, his Space Heroes marathon just ended so now he wasrelaxing. He swore he heard something, he frowned, narrowing his eyes andunconsciously slipped into a defensive stance. A water balloon whizzed towardshim, he dodged narrowly, it splattering on the wall behind him. “Mikeeeeeeey.” He said in his annoying big brother tone. Suddenly a waterballoon came from the ceiling and landed dead center on his plastron. He made asurprised noise as April and Mikey leaped down from the rafters they hadclimbed in order to get the drop on him, both incredibly proud of themselves.“How- how did you?” He began to ask, slightly incredulous and a littleimpressed. “We’ll never tell! Just another shocking attack by the hands of DoctorPrankenstein and Lady Pranksalot!” Mikey yelled loudly, a wide and satisfiedgrin on his face. April giggled, struggling not to burst into laughter. Donnieand Raph filed in, both still damp before pulling out a pizza from the fridgeand placing it in the microwave.Leo sighed, a fondly exasperated look on his face. “Nice job enlisting April inyour plan.” He scanned their smug faces for a second before frowning inconfusion. “Are… Are you both wearing makeup?” He asked.Mikey and April nodded, “Yeah bro makeovers are a huge part of sleepovers, duh.”Mikey replied, stealing a spare slice of pizza that had just been removed fromthe microwave, not caring the cheese slightly burned his fingers.Leo thought for a moment, “Can… Can you do mine?” The Hamatos sans Splinter who retired to bed early were all lounging on thecouch, wearing facemasks having removed their makeup after plenty ofshenanigans. April and Mikey wordlessly fist bumped, satisfied that they haddragged the others into their fun. Raph grumbled, “I can’t believe you both talked me into this.”Donnie who was blowing on his freshly painted nails to dry them looked over athim, rolling his eyes. “Raph please the second Mikey said facemasks youinsisted on trying some out. Your skincare routine is almost as intense as Leo’s.”The turtle in question made an offended noise at the teasing of his skincare.April snickered, normally she dreaded this kind of thing and avoided sleepoverswhenever possible but with the turtles she didn’t mind and if it meant spendingtime with them all aside from missions and training she’d jump at the chance todo it again. She sighed contently, feeling at home in the abandoned subwaystation of all places surrounded by the mutants who had become her family. 

[peaky-yamyam]

Neighbours: Part 3 - Tommy Shelby

The Gift

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | 

Bang on an hour later, the butler opens the door for Tommy and Charlie. I'd spent the last forty-five minutes trying to keep my nerves in check: I’d wrapped my ankle more securely and taken a few swigs of left over morphine from the last time; changed, and then changed again when I realised riding may be a possibility; polished my boots that were bound to get muddy; and made four nervous laps of the house checking that everything was in order. Stupid of me really, my father has only ever kept the best staff and the house is never anything short of immaculate, all it serves to do is worsen the dull throbbing pain in my ankle.

I hear Charlie whisper a quiet “woah” as he enters and I can't help but smile as I remember the same reaction many a childhood friend had when they’d enter the prestigious reception hall; a grand staircase and gold leaf accents encasing a shiny marble floor is undeniable impressive, and a blatant display of my father's wealth - which is all I can see it for.

“Happy birthday Charlie!” I call as I descend the stairs in front of them.

Tommy gives him a nudge which prompts a rushed, “thank you” before he goes back to turning circles as he admires the numerous portraits hanging along the walls.

“Good morning Tommy.”

“Mornin’,” he replies, before turning his attention to a particular portrait - one I've tried many a time to remove, without success - and waggles his finger at it.

“That you?” he asks, and I can tell that he's trying to stop a smile as he takes in the childhood image of myself, donned in a ridiculously frilly dress, hair curled in tight ringlets, the background painted as if I were in a forest, surrounded by wildlife.

I scrunch my nose up, “Would you believe me if I said it wasn't?”

“No… You still wear dresses like that? Because that is something I'd love to see,” he says as he walks past me, voice hushed so Charlie doesn't overhear and I can't help the blush that creeps up my cheeks at the feel of his breath tickling my neck.

“Umm, right, you can have your present in a bit Charlie - ” I say, trying to steer the conversation towards the actual reason they're here.

“Present?” Charlie interrupts, eyes bright.

“Did your father not tell you that was why you were coming round?”

“No! What is it? Where is it?”

I can't help but grin at his enthusiasm and I catch Tommy watching me out the corner of my eye. He quickly turns away when I look at him though and I make a note to be conscious of his coy glances in the future.

“It's a surprise, you can have it soon, but first of all I need to check on my horses. A few of them have had foals you see and I need to make sure they're all alright.”

“Can I see the babies?” he asks.

“You can see the two that are in the field, this way” I prompt, gesturing through the house. Without invite, Charlie rushes next to me and takes my hand, his small fingers gripping mine tightly and his legs speed to keep up.

“Are there lots of them?” he asks, swinging both our arms as he walks.

“A few, yes.”

“Are they boys or girls?”

“Both, I’ve got two boys and three girls.”

“What’s their names?”

“Well that's where I need your assistance Charlie,” I reply and Tommy smiles as I catch his eye.

I open the door to the grounds and we walk to the field in silence, Charlie and Tommy taking in the expansive gardens and elaborate flower arrangements, framed with immaculate bushes and trees. I can feel Tommy’s eyes on me and I know he’s likely dying to make a snide comment about the theatricals of the whole house, however he manages to keep whatever he’s thinking to himself.

I point the foals out to Charlie who sprints to the fence, climbing up on the bottom rung to get a better vantage point and I park myself next to him, ducking down a little so I can see things from his point of view, motioning to the field on our left.

“That foal there, is one of the girls, have you heard of a racehorse called Seabak?”

Charlie shakes his head, but I notice that I’ve caught Tommy’s attention.

“Well he’s her dad, and her mom is that horse over there. She’s one of mine, not a race horse but she’s bloody fast.”

“What’s the baby’s name?”Charlie asks, transfixed with watching the foal lark around the field.

“Summertime Sandy.”

“Who’s that one over there?” he says, pointing to the foal in front of us.

“That is Imposing Libation and Daisy Dollar’s son.” Charlie seems uninterested but Tommy lets out a low whistle and I turn to see him leant on the fence admiring the foal who’s made his way over to us. “I told you they were well bred,” I say with a smile.

“Why have they all got silly names?” Charlie asks, stroking his hand gently down the foal’s muzzle.

“They’re race horses, race horses have silly names.”

“What’s his name?” he asks with a giggle as the horse snuffles his palm.

“See Charlie, this is where I need your help, because he doesn’t have a name yet.”

“Why not?”

“Well, he’s not mine…” Charlie turns to me, brows scrunched in adorable confusion.

“Whose is he?”

“He’s yours, he’s your birthday present!”

“Really?” he asks, already trying to climb over the fence to get a better reach at the small horse in front of him.

“Yes, he’ll need to stay here for a bit longer and he’ll need training but I can help you with that, but first of all he needs a name,” I explain, supporting his arm as he hops the last rung.

He thinks about it for all of a few seconds before making his decision. “I’m going to call him Toby, or does he need to have a stupid name?” Charlie says, running his hands through the horse's mane.

“No, Toby’s a great name.”

Charlie walks his way around the foal, trailing a hand across his back as I assume Tommy’s taught him, broad smile plastered across his face.

“Dad! Look, Miss Crawford got me horse!”

“I know son,” Tommy replies dryly, and as Charlie turns back to the horse, Tommy grabs my elbow and directs me just out of earshot. “That must be the most sought after foal in the country, gotta be worth thousands of pounds and that’s before you even train it.”

“Well they’ll have another-”

“Not the point, I can’t accept it as a gift. It’s worth far too much money.”

“Well you can be the one to tell him that then...” I say, nodding behind him at Charlie, who’s still giggling and smiling. “Just let him have it, without sounding like a complete and utter tosser, I have more money than I know what to do with. He’s happy, and… it means I get to see more of you.”

Tommy glances away and takes a deep breath before turning back to me with a smirk.

“I’ve done some research on you,” he admits, pointing an accusatory finger at me. “You’ve trained or bred the majority of the most successful racehorses, not only here but across the world-”

“That’s why I have so much money,” I interject, with a smile. “What’s your point?”

“Just interesting to know…”

I feel like there's a veiled insulation that I’m missing, some kind of promise that Tommy’s making that I can't quite put my finger on, but before I have any more time to dwell on it, he shouts over to Charlie.

“What do you say?”

“Thank you so much, this is the best present ever!” Charlie calls back.

“Say goodbye to the horse, you can see him again tomorrow.”

“But-”

“We've got to get ready for your party! Gotta make sure the Lees are setting everything up right,” he adds under his breath. “Seven o’clock,” he orders at me once Charlie is by his side.

“Seven o’clock,” I confirm with a nod, and with that Tommy directs Charlie back towards the house.

I watch them walk a small distance, voices hushed as they discuss something between themselves, and I can't help but feel a pang in my chest, guilt and sadness at the thought that Grace should be walking with them, that I should be gifting horses to children of my own.

“Tommy!” I call out before I can stop myself, prepared to call the whole thing off. But as they both turn round, broad smiles are spread across across each of their beautiful faces, my words stick in my throat. “I, umm… What's the dress code for tonight?” He looks at me confused, so I elaborate, “Black tie, white tie, casual dinner?”

Tommy scoffs, “Just wear what you'd normally wear to a kids birthday party.”

“Tommy, I don't mean for this to cause any offence at all, but I doubt any child's party I've been to before is going to be of the same caliber as this one…”

“Just wear something nice that you don't mind getting dirty. Oh and make sure you can move about in it. We’ll see you later this evening.”

And with that they’re off again, leaving me to ponder my entire wardrobe for something appropriate to wear.

[garden-ghoul]

fellowship of the bloggening, part 1

I’m reading it here. I look at the table of contents and go “oh for fuck’s sake” because the prologue is “concerning hobbits... concerning pipeweed.” I’m. not reading the prologue. No I’m reading “concerning hobbits” because I really want to know how and when they happened.

This is really cute, hobbits are basically like... brownies, according to Johnald. And some of them are only two feet tall??? LITTLE

The beginning of Hobbits lies far back in the Elder Days that are now lost and forgotten. Only the Elves still preserve any records of that vanished time, and their traditions are concerned almost entirely with their own history, in which Men appear seldom and Hobbits are not mentioned at all. Yet it is clear that Hobbits had, in fact, lived quietly in Middle-earth for many long years before other folk became even aware of them.

nooooooo why must elves be so

like that

Anyway, we also learn that there are still Dunedain settlements in Eriador, including one notable one that’s actually at Bree! I love the. weird mismatch of naming seriousness here. You have your very olde Numenorean and elvish names like Eriador, and then most of the settlements in Eriador have names like Hobbiton and Bree and Brandywine. It’s very charming, like a hermit crab that has moved into an extremely fancy looking conch shell. An adorable transplant. It is here mentioned that the first hobbits appearing in historical record politely asked the high king of Arnor if they could move in, in exchange for road maintenance. Too cute!

To the last battle at Fornost with the Witch-lord of Angmar they sent some bowmen to the aid of the king, or so they maintained, though no tales of Men record it.

::3

And with that it’s time for

A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY

We begin with an accounting of what everyone thinks about Bilbo Baggins! Everyone is kind of dubious about him because of his eternal youth thing, but he’s very free with his riches and consequently the less well-off hobbits love him. It says he didn’t have many friends until some of his young cousins grew up. He and Frodo share a birthday, so on Frodo’s coming of age birthday Bilbo will be 111 and they’re having a huge party! 

Holy shit. Sam’s dad is named Ham Gamgee. I’m so tickled. This next bit is a bunch of gossip and baseless speculation on Frodo’s family history by Gaffer & co. They keep calling everything and everyone queer, which is great, because it confirms Frodo is 100% not straight. I think he might be a bit old for Sam but I suppose we shall see.

Dwarves and a fire wizard have showed up a bit early for the party, and Hobbiton is getting stoked. Bilbo mails out invitations to everybody individually instead of just saying “everyone can come to the party,” and with that plus their replies (also by post) the post office is completely swamped for a week. He’s having fun with everyone. I do have to wonder how he got word to the dwarves, though. What kind of mail is there between Eriador and Erebor?

Oh here’s a cute tidbit about hobbit culture: at a party, both the hosts and guests give gifts, and so:

Actually in Hobbiton and Bywater every day in the year it was somebody’s birthday, so that every hobbit in those parts had a fair chance of at least one present at least once a week. But they never got tired of them.

I also like to imagine that Gandalf had a lot of fun designing firecrackers. Like, he does have serious wizard business to do. But also he has the firegays from his ring, and so. Anyway there is a Special Dinner that only 144 people are invited to. Good grief, how can Bilbo possibly still be rich enough to put on a party for like 1000 people? Bilbo makes a speech, with which everyone quickly gets very bored because they are all drunk, but the real point was to be an asshole and vanish mysteriously to make a point (Gandalf adds some pyrotechnics for effect, bless him). Frodo appreciates his joke, but is sad that he’s going to be leaving, and just can’t party any more.

Bilbo and Gandalf argue over leaving the ring to Frodo, Bilbo runs off with some dwarves (we never find out who!) and then people show up at Bag End to get presents Bilbo has left them with passive-aggressive notes on. Then everyone thinks it’s just a free-for-all take-Bilbo’s-stuff party and they swarm the house and poor Frodo has to lie down, leaving Merry in charge. The Sackville-Bagginses come to insult him by saying he’s a Brandybuck, not a Baggins!!

‘Did you hear that, Merry? That was an insult, if you like,’ said Frodo as he shut the door on her.

‘It was a compliment,’ said Merry Brandybuck, ‘and so, of course, not true.’

Cute. I like Merry’s sass. Frodo kicks out a bunch of people who are trying to dig up his cellar and collapses, just in time for Gandalf to come and say he is fleeing like a 

SHADOW OF THE PAST

Do you like my transitions? I’m polishing them.

Frodo continues to throw Bilbo a birthday party every year, instead of mourning as would be proper. I think he’s too embarrassed to throw a birthday party for himself but still wants to have a party, bless his heart.

he was sometimes seen far from home walking in the hills and woods under the starlight. Merry and Pippin suspected that he visited the Elves at times, as Bilbo had done.

Where are these elves? There are elves in the Shire? What?

WELL. Around Frodo’s 50th birthday, a lot of elves start passing through on the way to the Gray Havens, as well as the usual dwarves going to and from the Blue Mountains. Elves are leaving Middle Earth in rapidly increasing numbers because of some very troubling rumors about Sauron. Gandalf turns up to discuss this with Frodo, and during an awkward silence they hear “the sound of Sam Gamgee cutting the lawn.” Sorry, what?? This poor boy is cutting Frodo’s lawn by hand?? With like, a scythe?? WHY? Does Frodo really seem like the type of person who cares how well-shorn his lawn is? I fucking hate lawn culture.

Leaving that aside there’s some ring history I guess. Here’s a very interesting thing, though: Gandalf says the inscription on the ring is in “the language of Mordor.” Why does Sauron have his own language? ...what language did they speak before, in Angband? I can’t believe Mr Jolkien has been SO REMISS as to let us stay ignorant of an entire language and its cultural origins!! Anyway if I had to guess I would say the old language of Morgoth’s holdings would end up being some kind of odd Sindarin-Beorian-Quenya creole, given who lived and worked (in slavery) there. But the higher-ups would surely speak whatever language they were already speaking... Quenya? Is Quenya a language invented by the Ainur and then handed down to the Eldar? No it’s not, it has common roots with Sindarin. I have to assume there’s an Ainur language that Morgoth and Sauron knew, but they probably wouldn’t use it with their orc lieutenants and such... and thus I feel better saying that Angband Creole is the historical basis for the language of Mordor, although obviously it will have evolved a lot and mixed with the languages of goblins and such that Sauron ended up recruiting.

Listen. If there’s not an actual note in the appendix about this I’m going to be pisséd. Oh, I’m sure someone’s written a paper on it, though.

Oh! We also get to know about the seven rings--he managed to recover three of them, but the other four were eaten by dragons. Just the way they would have wanted to go. Gandalf also gives a... troublingly detailed account of how Smeagol came to possess the one ring? He adds that Smeagol’s friend came up from the river with weeds and mud in his hair. Which like, I guess you can extrapolate that from him being in a river but why add it?? He even comes up with specific terms of endearment... Smeagol calls Deagol ‘my love,’ which I can ONLY take to mean they were dating. This makes Smeagol’s imminent murder of Deagol all the more tragic.

Also we learn that Gandalf hunted down Smeagol and questioned him to find a lot of this out! Smeagol had been sneaking around basically everywhere, eating people’s children and the like (!!), and only failed to actually get into the shire because wood-elves were protecting the borders. Eventually years later when Aragon helped find him again, they realized he had been to Mordor and been tortured for information there.

Frodo is very frightened at this point, and almost makes himself try to destroy the ring, but instead realizes he has put it back in his pocket. This is terrifying!! Holy shit I would lose my mind with fear if this happened to me. Also I enjoy the ridiculously high specific heat of magic rings. So Frodo decides to keep the ring safe for now, and to go away from the Shire:

‘I should like to save the Shire, if I could - though there have been times when I thought the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words, and have felt that an earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them. But I don’t feel like that now. I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind, safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable: I shall know that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand there again.’

It’s That Feel, back once again. This was something I was thinking a lot about wrt to the Lay of Leithian and Children of Hurin; how different Beren and Luthien’s outlooks are based on “feeling that you have a homeland” or not; how profoundly affected Turin is by feeling he has no place to go back to. I wonder if this is something Johnald thought a lot about during the war. It’s terrible here, so terrible, but there is somewhere peaceful to come home to. I haven’t felt that in so long, and I very much wish to again some day.