#if you run into me at the grocery store you can say hi diana. at school it's miss b

[britneyshakespeare]

funny thing happened when i was subbing fourth grade technology today. a boy raised his hand when i introduced myself as miss (last name) and said "there used to be someone who looked JUST like you who worked at after care a few years ago."

"that was me >:)"

and he was like... honestly *____*-facing

[flashflashhundredyarddash]

LET'S GOOOOO it literally typed this all up in a google doc to answer this question lol

HAHAHAHA YES

okay so wikipedia tells me very little about barrys childhood so i know nothing about it and the cw backstory doesn’t work for what i want to do so this is just rubixburd’s (trademark) barry allen backstory

when barry’s mom dies he first gets bounced around from distant relative to distant relative and then finally he’s placed with a foster family

by the time he’s like 16/17 he starts working on becoming an emancipated minor because he gets moved around so much and he’s just over it and wants to finish school

one month they set up a seminar for a bunch of foster kids at the police station and it’s shitty for most of it because the cops take one look at them and are treating them like theyre already criminals until they get to the crime lab section and barry is like !!!!!!

so he gets an internship and just spends the whole time following around this old and grumpy doctor that kind of just lets barry do whatever so barry gets to do his own thing

so in the midst of 1) focusing on keeping his grades good until he graduates 2) applying to be emancipated and get his own place 3) applying to colleges 4) balancing an internship 5) working part time at the local grocery store and 6) realizing he probably has adhd barry allen gets superspeed

barry is going through A LOT

his first suit is just an all red tracksuit and his shoes are pretty much ruined every single week lol

the superspeed helps him in that he can now finish things SUPER QUICKLY and clears up his schedule BUT he now has to eat A LOT and his current foster family aren’t dicks but his sad little check from the grocery store doesn’t really cover a lot

so he’s stressing about ALL THIS until one day he’s out on patrol and takes down captain cold (who is the father of leonard snart aka cold jr, who was a former Fellow Troubled Foster Teen with barry and he DID manage to get his own place and his life set up to take care of his sister until his fucking dad broke out of prison and recruited len for his shitty operations so barry beats cold up and then him and len go eat hot dogs or whatever)

when JAY FUCKING GARRICK, FLASH AND MEMBER OF THE FORMER JSA shows up and is like hey are you that new speedy kid and barry is like WHAT THE FUCK, YOU’RE JAY FUCKING GARRICK, FLASH AND MEMBER OF THE FORMER JSA, and jay is like awesome you’re my kid now

jay garrick and joan garrick adopt barry at the ripe old age of 17 lmao

so while all this is going on, the justice league trinity have now become Besties and go around and beat people up together and joan is like oh honey you should go try and make some friends :) and barry is like i am 99% certain that isn’t how this works

(that is how this works)

so he’s not sure what do about That so he just does his own thing with jay (who is retired but still mentors barry and also gave barry like three panic buttons on his suit lmao) ((maybe not retired actually because everyone is younger in this au so maybe jay is younger???))

OH MY GOD BARRY ALLEN IS KID FLASH ELIFNEIL

Flash (jr) meets iris west who runs Central City’s High School Journalism Club and is also a REALLY big superhero fan so all her articles and blog posts are just about the justice league lol. She has a big ass JSA poster.

Yes iris west and lois lane have journalism crushes on each other and follow each other on twitter

Barry winds up meeting green lantern who ends up in central city following some corporate espionage (the rathaways set up a shell company on the west coast to try a hostile takeover of queen consolidated by killing and bribing people, so hal is in central city to bust some heads).

Green lantern runs into (kid?) flash who is investigating the same thing so they spend the week adamantly NOT working together to try and solve the case until finally they’re forced to take down a bunch of bad guys together and then they are BFFs for life.

Jay and joan are convinced hal is barry’s boyfriend despite barry saying ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO GIVE THEM THAT IMPRESSION

Yes jay and joan give hal a shovel talk yes its absolutely terrifying

So anyways yes flash jr and green lantern quickly cement themselves as a duo and then suddenly everybody on earth is being attacked by parademons so they team up with the Justice Trio to stop a hostile takeover of earth and also holy shit there are MARTIANS AND ATLANTEANS NOW

They all decide to become a Formal Team but really they just hang out in bruce’s mansion and eat pizza (because bruce has an allowance and he is Not Allowed to build a superhero hangout club so if he wants to hang out with his friends- I’m sorry, have Strategy Sessions with his Super Serious Justice League, they can do it under the watchful eye of Alfred Pennyworth) ((alfred, jay, joan, martha, and john are the Real Justice League))

Barry knows very little about Actual Fighting because jay and barry are fast enough that they never… actually… learned how to fight so the first few months they know each other is just bruce and diana (and alfred) kicking barry’s ASS while sparring because they’re all used to clark’s superspeed so they can actually fight barry and barry is like :(

Literally EVERYONE on the Teen Justice League is bi it’s so fucking funny

Like obvs regular justice league has so much drama but Teen Justice League just has off the charts levels of drama someone cries over something every other week lmaoooo

[empower-bi-women]

Hi! In case you write for Tim Drake, I’d love if you could write a smut in which Tim and the reader have known each other for long and the sexual tension is obvious but none of them ever acted upon it until now. Thank you very much.

That pesky sexual tension 

Summery: Hi! In case you write for Tim Drake, I’d love if you could write a smut in which Tim and the reader have known each other for long and the sexual tension is obvious but none of them ever acted upon it until now. Thank you very much.

Warnings: SMUT so if you’re not 18 begone thot, spanking, teasing, dirty talk, cheesy writing? 

A/N: I tried to be a little more cute with this one so let me know what you think. And to the anon who requested this I’m sorry it took so long I hope you like it! Also this is my first ask!! So sorry if the format is a little strange I’m still trying to figure it out.

Word count: 3041 

“Timothy Drake, I swear to god give me back my book!” you chased him into the kitchen where he ran to the other side of the counter. 

“Why don't you come over here and make me.” He replied with a teasing smile on his face. You lunged forward across the cold counter top to reach for your book. He laughed at your struggle “Come on Y/N you know you never won a fight against me without someone helping you.” 

Shit he had a point you thought, everyone else was out at the store. You gave up, sitting on the counter with you back to him and pouted. Arms crossed looking towards the open door. Laughing he walked over to face you. 

“Aw come on I was just teasing.” he put his arms down on either side of you, trapping you in but you refused to look at him. “Come on look at me,” he leaned down to try and catch your gaze but you just moved your head. “Y/N?” he looked at you with wide eyes before they narrowed, “Y/N look at me.” His voice dropped into that commanding tone he used on patrol. You couldn’t help but look up to meet those blue eyes that bore into yours. The silence in the room was deafening. He leaned in closer and closer until your breath was his. Noses almost brushing. Lips almost touching. He glanced down at your lips. 

The kitchen door burst open causing the two of you to jump apart as the rest of the boys walked in carrying grocery bags, chatting loudly. Dick and Jason froze in the doorway causing Damian to bump into them from behind. 

“Now what do we have here?” Jason asked in a teasing voice. 

“Nothing. Did you get my coffee?” Tim said, his voice back to normal. 

“Did you put it on the list?” Dick asked, shooting you a strange look as you hopped off the counter, “what were you guys doing in here anyway?” 

“Tim took my book right out of my hands so I had to get it back.” You replied.

“Damn I thought you were finally resolving that pesky sexual tension.” Jason said through a mouth full of marshmallows. 

“Jason!” You, Tim, and Dick all yelled out.

“What! This has been going on for way too long. We were all thinking it” He tried to defend himself. 

“We most certainly were not Master Jason,” Alfred came to save the day, “and please refrain from eating all the food before it's even put away.”

He grumbled before putting the bag away. You snached your book away from Tim before walking into the living room to finish reading. 

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“Come on please Y/N just look it up! It won’t even take five minutes.” Tim pleaded with you, hiding a smile on his face.

“I thought you were the computer wiz, do it yourself.” You replied, not looking at him. He grabbed the back of your chair and spun you to face him. Kneeling down he looked in your eyes. “Please?” his voice was barely above a whisper as he leaned in closer, “for me?” 

Your cheeks heated up. “I’m busy right now, go ask someone else.”

“Ok can you just check this one thing please?” 

“Out!” You spun your chair away from him but he still leaned down and pressed a kiss to your head before walking away.  You shook your head trying to clear the thoughts running through your head of the way his forearms flexed as he gripped the chair arms. The way his bright blue eyes looked like they wanted to devour you whole. Ugh this man is going to kill me you thought. 

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

That night you were working comms with Barbara in the cave. Things were going smoothly until Tim called in.

 “Hey Oracle, hey angel, can you guys find out who that guy over there is and what he's doing please and thank you.” Your eyes went wide at the nickname he gave you. You could see Barbara looking at you out of the corner of your eye and heard Jason and Dick laughing though the comms. You ignored them as your fingers flew across the keyboard as facial rec worked its magic. 

“His name is Jimmy Figgis. He’s fresh out of bellrev, he was in for drug dealing and black mail.” You said into the comms.

“Well it would be a shame if he got caught red handed doing a deal. He would go back to jail.” Barbara chimed in. 

“Looks like we got a stake out boys.” Dick said.

“It's ok guys, I can stay for the drop.” Tim said, his voice low as he settled in for the night, “I'll have Y/N to keep me company, right angel?”  

“I mean it's not like I have a choice do I.” 

Not even half an hour later Tim started to get bored. And his target was you. Barbara had to leave to take care of some other stuff so you were alone. Tim decided it would be a good idea to switch frequencies and mess with you. 

“Hey Y/N, have you ever thought about us while touching yourself?” 

You spat out your coffee. “What the fuck Timothy!” You heard his laughter on the other side of the line. 

“Well I'm just asking because I know for a fact that Dick thinks of Babs and Jason thinks of Diana sometimes but he would never admit it. And I got curious. Who do you think of?” 

You could practically hear the smile in his voice. “Wouldn't you like to know. You really should focus on the stake out instead of my masturbation habits.” 

“Aw angel I can almost see you blushing from here. You look adorable.” 

“Shut up Tim.”

“Have I ever told you how much I love hearing you say my name? It sounds so sweet I can almost imagine what you would sound like screaming it underneath me.”

You froze. You and Tim had always had a flirtatious relationship but this was a new level entirely. This was dangerous territory. “Don't start things you can't finish Timothy.” Your voice was low. 

“Oh believe me angel I always finish. And I make sure my partner does too.” 

You threw your head back in frustration. “Focus on the stake out and we can continue this later.”

“Is that a promise?”

Before you could reply Bruce’s voice crackled through the comms “Red Robin we’re coming to you.” 

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

A few arrests and fight later the bats rolled into the cave. Alfred was on standby with the medical kit but there was no need. You shifted uncomfortably as Tim’s eyes raked over your body, pausing on your legs that were squeezed together, trying and failing to give you relief from the ache in your pussy. He smirked at the site of you waiting for him, all needy. 

“Good job tonight guys. Shower and get some sleep,” Bruce said, taking his cowl off, “I’m looking at you Tim.”

Tim just smiled. You both knew there would be no sleeping tonight. Tim walked over to you, his cowl was off and his dark hair was messy. Fuck he looked good you thought to yourself. The look on his face was calm but you could see something in his eyes. All the years you've known him, you had never seen this look in his eyes. It was dark and lit a fire inside you. 

“Do you still want to do this? Because once we start, I'm not stopping.” his blue eyes stared into yours.

“I believe I have a promise to fulfill.”

He gave you a wicked smile. “I want you upstairs in my room, ten minutes. And no touching yourself.” He tapped your thighs that were pressed together before walking away.

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

Your head was a mess by the time you headed up to Tim’s room. You had bid goodnight to the rest of the boys when your phone chimed. Tim had sent you a picture from the shower. Towel low on his hips showing off his v line, water droplets glistening off his abs, and the way his hand gripped his phone showed off all the muscles and veins in his arms. The wetness between your legs grew with every step towards his room. You knocked on his door, the loud sound of your knuckles against the wood echoed throughout the hallway. 

“Come in.” His voice was muffled by the door. You walked in to find him sitting on a chair across from the bed in nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants. “Lock the door.” His voice was low and commanding, not unlike that day in the kitchen. That same electric energy that you felt then was in the room, now magnified by 100. 

“I'm going to ask you one more time, are you sure you want this?” 

“Yes Tim I’m sure.” 

“Good girl,” the praise sent shivers down your spine, “Take off your clothes and lay down on the bed.” Your heart was beating out of your chest as you slowly took your shirt off. “I don't recommend teasing me angel, it won't work out well for you.” You just smiled as you turned around, taking your pants off while wiggling your ass tauntingly. You didn’t even hear him move before you felt a sharp pain across your backside. You moaned at the contact. 

“Aw does my little angel like pain?” he questioned mockingly before coming down on you again, “I asked you a question Y/N, I expect and answer.” 

“Yes sir.” You heard him laugh behind you. He wrapped his hand in your hair and pulled you up against his warm chest. “Well isn't that a nice surprise. I always knew you had a thing for authority.” His voice was low in your ear. Your head went back to rest on his shoulder as he kissed his way down your neck, sucking and biting the skin there. His movements against your body are slow and calculating. Tim always seemed gentle and calm but the truth is that no one knows how he respresed his emotions, and his needs. But tonight he was going to take whatever he wanted. And you would let him. 

“What do you have to say for yourself?” His hands caressed your skin.

“I’m sorry sir.”

“Sorry for what?”

You took a shallow breath. He was really going to make you work tonight. “For teasing you.” 

He turned you around to face him. “Such a good girl for me, aren’t you?” He said softly, brushing your hair out of your face, before kissing your lips gently. Looking into his eyes you could never tell what he was thinking. His face was calm and passive. That is until he let go. And you would do whatever it takes to see him lose control. Even if that meant misbehaving. 

“Get on the bed for me angel.” he kissed your forehead before turning his back on you but you didn’t move. He grabbed a red tie from his desk and turned around, his eyes widening at the sight of you still standing there. “Did you not hear me?” He raised his eyebrows at you, “I said, get on the bed. Now.” 

You could see the annoyance in his eyes. He was starting to slip, you wouldn’t stop now. 

“Make me.” 

Those two words lit a fire in him. He picked you up easily and threw you onto the bed with such force that you bounced. “I told you not to tease me angel.” He growled as he crawled towards you on the bed. He grabbed your ankle and pulled you towards him so he was hovering over you, arm placed next to your head. His hot breath hit your face. “You were being so good angel, what happened? Why are you being a brat now.” 

You whimpered at his words. His hand slipped down to your panties and rubbed a finger up and down your slit ever so lightly. 

“Tim please.” You begged him. A sharp smack to your thigh brought you out of your daze. 

“I'm sorry, what was that?” his voice has a dangerous edge to it. His eyes were wild, “that not what you're calling me tonight, is it.” 

“Sir, please! Please touch me, I need it.” You pleaded with him. He rolled his hips into yours, putting pressure where you needed him most. 

“Will you listen to me now?” 

“Yes anything you say.” You replied, needing to feel him closer. 

He moved in to kiss you, stopping just before your lips touched. You moved up trying to close the distance but his hand was quick around your throat, forcing you back down. “I'm going to eat this pretty little pussy,” he murmured, “I want you to stay still and you must ask for permission before you cum. Understood?” 

You nodded, desperate for anything he would give you. He removed his hand from your neck and kissed his way down your body to your soaked panties. His rough hands spread your thighs open, leaving a wet kiss on both before pressing a kiss to your clothed clit. You shifted your hips up, trying desperately to get more stimulation. His arm trapped your hips down. 

“Now angel, what did I tell you about moving?” He moved away from where you needed him most. 

“I’m sorry sir, please I need you.” You looked at him with desperate eyes. 

“All these years I’ve known you, you've always been a tease to me. Whether you knew it or not. I've been waiting for so long for this, I’m going to take my sweet time,” he growled, “you can lay there and shut up, it's my turn to tease you now Y/N.” 

He dove back in and licked a long stripe over your panties. Heat washed over your body as you felt your pussy gush at his actions. He slowly pulled them off your body leaving kisses down your legs. Leaving hickeys on your inner thighs. He ran his tongue over the dark red marks he left behind. Throwing your panties somewhere in his room, he came back to your throbbing core. Running a finger through your wetness he cooed at you. “Oh angel you're just soaking wet for me aren't you? I can't wait to taste this sweet little cunt.” 

He licked up your slit, collecting your juices. He moaned at the taste. His tongue flicked against your clit ever so lightly, giving you some stimulation but not enough. One hand snaked up in between your thighs to play with your cunt. 

You threw your head back at the sensation of his tongue and fingers working their magic on your body. His lips wrapped around your clit and sucked. You gasped at the sensation, shivers running down your spine. His finger teased your entrance. 

“You’re fucking drenching me sweetheart. You taste so good when you're like this for me.”

“Please sir I need you.”

“Where do you need me angel?” his finger slid all the way in, “right here?” 

Your eyes rolled back as he finally gave you what you wanted. His finger rubbed against your g spot immediately, making soft moans escape your mouth. “Does that feel good?” 

“Yes” You whimpered. He smacked your thigh. “What was that?” He said roughly, looking up to meet your eyes. 

“I’m sorry, yes it feels good sir.” 

Satisfied with your answer he slowly pumped his finger in and out of you, rubbing your clit in tight circles with his thumb. Before long you were thrashing on the sheets, hands gripping the pillow above your head. Your stomach fluttering as you neared your climax. 

“Are you a good girl?” Tim questioned.

“Yes sir.” you cried out, “please let me cum, please sir.” Your voice was shaking as you tried to control yourself. Out of nowhere he pulled away, licking his fingers as he watched you kick your legs in frustration. 

“What the FUCK Timothy!” You shouted as he got off the bed and walked to his desk. Laughing to himself he reached into a drawer and pulled out a condom. 

“Gotta be safe right?” He said with a smirk on his face.

You sighed. “I thought you were just going to leave me there.”

“That's only if you’re a bad girl but you've been good for me so far, so good that I’ll give you what you want.” He said sliding into you. He leaned down and kissed your forehead as you both caught your breath. Once you adjusted to him you tapped his shoulder to move. 

“You feel so good wrapped around me angel.” Tim whispered softly in your ear, as he thrust his hips into yours. Finally getting what you needed. You wrapped your legs around him pulling him as close as you could. Your lips met in a heated kiss as the knot in your stomach grew impossibly tighter. His hips snapped into yours at a steady rhythm. Your legs trembled as your orgasm approached at a blinding speed.  

Your hips moved to meet his every thrust.  

“Tim I’m gonna cum.” You said breathlessly 

“Just wait angel one more minute.” The pleasure almost overwhelmed you but the need to be good for him won out. “I want you to cum with me in 3,” your nails clawed down his back, “2,” your eyes fluttered shut, “1.” He growled in your ear. 

Your stomach contracted as your body shook with pleasure. His hips stuttered to a stop but his hand kept rubbing you, prolonging your orgasm as long as he could. 

You finally pushed his hand away, the feeling getting to be too much. You both lay there next to each other, catching your breath. 

“So does this mean we’re together?” You asked, your voice small. 

He rolled over to look at you, a big smile on his face. “Definitely.” 

[kaylans-imagines]

trois: al dente

synopsis: Realising him, his daughter, and his housemates couldn’t live off fast food forever, Tom Holland joins a cooking class.

pairing: single dad! Tom Holland x single mum! reader

warnings: fluff, angst, no-no words, and absolute cuteness from one Miss Autumn Diana Holland and one Mister Lucas Peter Y/L/N.

an: I just want to thank you guys again for the love you have shown this series. it means the world to me. 

series masterlist 

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al dente: cooked so it's still tough when bitten, often referring to pasta

meal: lasagne 

Tom had the best luck. He just had to run into Y/N when he looked ‘horrendous’ as Harry so kindly put it. He had been tasked with getting the groceries while his best mates did the cleaning, which was very much long overdue. Not wanting his young and impressionable daughter, with a knack for repeating words she overhead, Tom brought her along. She had asked him questions on the car ride to Tesco’s. He had given her the warning he always gave her to behave, not that he needed to, she was his perfect princess, and unstrapped her from her seat. 

He was given a list of things they needed for the house, most of it was nonsense, and he wouldn’t get them at all, but he figured he would humour them and get kid-friendly alternates. Setting Autumn into the trolley, he started his walk around the supermarket. Autumn hummed a tune from a show she was obsessed with and would often point out things that caught her attention. He was having a great time, listening to Autumn babble on about what happened at nursery and what Gretchen and Holly did to get in trouble, until he, quite literally, bumped into a familiar woman. Apologies spilt from his mouth before he saw who he bumped into. A familiar giggle stopped his rambling and caused him to look up, making eye contact with gorgeous glowing eyes. 

“Oh, God. Y/N, what are you doing here? That was a stupid question, you’re clearly shopping, I am so sorry,” he apologised before he smiled at her. She brushed him off and smiled, her eyes moving from his face towards the small little girl who sported a cheeky smile, her honey eyes wide and laced with amusement. She thrust her tiny hand towards her and motioned for the older woman to take it. 

“‘M Autumn, but daddy calls me Burrito. Who are you?” her bluntness caused a giggle to slip from Y/N’s lips and Tom to snap his head up to look at her in embarrassment. First, he bumps into her in the cereal aisle and now his three-year-old quite sassily asked her who she was. Sometimes he wished she didn’t know how to speak as well as she did. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Autumn, I’m Y/N. Is this your daddy?” She asked, pointing at Tom with her thumb. Tom was never going to be ashamed of Autumn; she was his pride and joy. The apple of his eyes, the reason he lives, etc., but he silently wished his daughter said no to her question. He hadn’t gathered up the courage to ask Y/N on a date, and he didn’t want to ruin any chances because she found out he had a daughter before he could tell her. He wanted at least one date with her before dropping the bomb that he was a single father and having her ghost him. 

Autumn nodded with a proud smile, her toothy smile wide as she smiled at her father. Tom’s heart swelled at the thought of his daughter being proud of him. Y/N chuckled and opened her mouth to respond before a small body barreled into her leg, holding a box of Jaffa cakes. Y/N nodded her head towards the little boy and laughed as she watched him run towards their trolley and place them in it ever so gently before he wandered the length of the aisle in search of the cereal he wanted. Y/N motioned for him to come back and grabbed ahold of his small hand. 

“Luca, this is Tom and his daughter Autumn, they’re mummy’s friends, can you say hi?” she said slowly while signing it out with her hands. The small boy, who couldn’t be older than six, nodded his head before turning to his mother’s friends. Using his fingers and talking lowly, he introduced himself to the older man and his wife. 

“Hi, my name is Lucas,” he signed with a smile. At that moment, Tom was thankful for briefly considering teaching his daughter sign language when she was a baby. Of course, he couldn’t do so, since he had a fish’s attention span, but he had googled phrases when he was researching it. He was able to catch the phrase and introduced himself with ease. The little boy’s eyes lit up; he wasn’t used to someone making an effort to communicate with him, except for his mother, family, and one school friend. Y/N’s heart swelled as she watched her cute student use his fingers to reply to her son. Every guy she had ever dated or considered dating had all but left when they found out she had son, and the ones who stayed, left when they found out he was deaf. 

“Daddy, why is he using his fingers?” Autumn whispered. Once again mortified at his daughter’s bluntness, her father sent Y/N an apologetic smile before he turned to his daughter. He explained it to her in terms she would understand, she nodded along and turned to her newfound friend with a smile. She threw up her fingers and waved them around, much to Lucas’ confusion and the amusement of his mother. Y/N explained to her son that she was merely trying to say hello but that she didn’t know his language. Autumn, getting frustrated at not interacting with her new friend, motioned for her father to take her out of the trolley and place her on the ground. Tom set her down and watched with pride as his daughter hugged the boy. 

“Uh, we should get going. It was nice to see you outside of class, Tom,” Y/N said shyly. She didn’t want to leave, but she figured that if she stayed any longer and watched Tom interact with her son, and make an effort to communicate with him with Lucas in his comfort zone, she would surely fall in love with him. And his daughter, she was so much like Tom. She was kind and welcoming; she would surely want to claim her as her own but figured that a handsome, made man like Tom, definitely had a wife he kept from the public. She knew he had a daughter, but his relationship status was never discussed on the internet. And she never spent too long on the internet unless it was to research ways to make Lucas’ life as comfortable as possible and the pros and cons of a cochlear implant as of recently. 

Tom was distraught knowing she had a son, not because it was a turn off, but because it likely meant she was in a relationship. And an established one too seeing as her son was no older than six. With a sigh, he agreed and bid his goodbye, quickly getting a box of cereal and leaving the aisle with his three year old happily babbling behind him. She cleared her throat and sent him a weary smile after he stopped and looked at her. 

“Sorry, it’s just, you took my trolley,” as if he couldn’t be more embarrassed. First, he shows up to the supermarket looking less than ideal with two different socks, and an old t-shirt with spit up on it from when Autumn was a baby, then he asks her what she’s doing at a grocery store like a knob, and now, he just has to take her groceries. He just couldn’t catch a break. Sheepishly, he apologised and handed her back her trolley, once again dashing away. Y/N chuckled from her spot before turning towards her son who stared at her with wide hazel eyes under his red glasses.

“Mummy, was that the cute man you told Auntie about?” Lucas signed prompting Y/N to blush, but nodded nonetheless. What kind of mother would be if she lied to her son about a small crush. She asked him what cereal he wanted, effectively changing the topic. He ran off towards the aisle and followed after the small boy, stopping when he held up a box of Frosties. She allowed him to put it in the trolley before they continued on with their shopping. 

Tom had to bribe his daughter pack of Smarties for her to stop laughing at his misfortune, and a box of chocolate biscuits in order for her not to tell her Uncles. He needed to reduce the time she spent with Tuwaine and Harry, they were corrupting his daughter. Autumn sat in her car seat happily munching on her smarties while Tom drove, still reeling at the way he behaved around her, and about how he was smitten with a woman who probably had a family. Autumn still giggled from her carseat from time to time when she remembered how her acted in front of the pretty chef. He would resort to sending her playful glares and threatening to cut her tea time with her nana. 

Calling for the boys to help them unload the groceries, he shuffled inside with Autumn hot on his heels. Helping out by carrying her bag of snacks, she ran towards her bedroom while calling for her uncles to help her dad. Tom rolled his eyes but chuckled. Harrison was the first one out followed by Tuwaine and Harry who all complained about helping, but did it nonetheless. Between the three man, they got the bags inside quickly and left Tom to unpack everything while they searched for Autumn, to undoubtedly wreak havoc in their home. 

Harry came into the kitchen when Tom restocked their fridge and looked at his older brother with giddiness. Tom sent him a questioning glance before turning back towards the fridge causing his younger brother to throw one of Autumn’s toys at him. Tom turned around with offence laced in his eyes and flicked his brother off simultaneously rubbing the sore spot on his head. 

“That was payback for hitting me on the head,” he deadpanned before walking towards him, phone open and ready, “and it was also to get your attention. She followed me back, I figured you might want to you know, do your research on her.” Tom stared at his brother incredoulsly and reached out for the phone only to stop himself. Did he really want to stalk someone, a woman at that, that he had no chance with anymore? Did he want to be as shameless as his younger brother? 

Shaking his head, he softly pushed his phone away from his face before turning back to his groceries; not wanting to be tempted with the offer. Harry snorted before sitting back down and started scrolling on his phone. Tom figured that was the end of his brother’s tampering until he cleared his throat dramatically and started describing his posts to him. 

“And in this one, she’s in France with a cute baby on her hip and they’re in front of the Eiffel Tower. Her caption says,” he proceeded to raise his voice a few octaves and mimicked her voice, even though they had never spoken before, “decided to spend my boy’s first birthday in the city of Love!” Tom rolled his eyes at his brothers exaggerated voice and failed to catch the way his eyes widened the more he scrolled on her page as he now placed groceries in the cupboard. 

“I didn’t know she had a kid,” Harry said, Tom only ignored him, “but I think she’s single, she posted a picture of them together on his recent birthday and said that he was the only love of her life.” 

Tom couldn’t help but feel better at this revelation but he couldn’t know for sure until he found someway to interject it in conversation, or until Harrison does it for him. He really needed to get his act together and talk to her without making himself look like a fool. Harry continued to scroll aimlessly before he cursed and mumbled on about how he liked a picture from two years ago. Tom laughed and left the kitchen, leaving his brother alone in his debacle. Maybe that would teach him to stop stalking people. 

The next class came quickly and once again, he dragged Harrison with him. The blond had no complaints this time around, seeing as his date with the raven haired girl went well and he was going to see her once again. He pulled into the car park and noticed the familiar red car pulling into a spot close to his. Tom watched as she struggled with the supplies in her hand and with her bags and quickly jumped out after turning off the engine. Forgetting about his friend, he locked the door and rushed to offer her his help. With a grateful smile, she allowed for him to carry some of her belongings into the class. They shared pleasantries and talked, both of them ignoring what happened at Tesco’s. They would remain friends even if they couldn’t be together. 

Tom settled down in his seat and pulled out his phone, his eyes widening when he saw Harrison’s very angry messages. He snorted before excusing himself and walking back towards his car, making eye contact with Harrison who flipped him off. He unlocked the door and braced himself for the inevitable hurt the blue eyed man was about to inflict on him. After a rather harsh punch and even harsher words, the two walked back into the classroom and took their spots, flushing under the weight of everyone’s eyes. 

Y/N started her class after the entered the room and walked around after she passed around the recipe papers to them. Harrison and Tom looked at the sheet in confusion, she had never taught this way, she always demonstrated. The two looked around the room and watched as everyone else had started following the recipe, moving about their areas and puting things together. Their eyes widened as they read over the instructions once again. Re-reading a recipe at home after having made the food was one thing, but making food without doing it once was another. They swallowed and pushed down the feeling of doom they were both feeling. 

After nearly smacking Harrison with one of the lasagne noodles and then almost getting sauce on his shoes, they worked on making the food together. Y/N had stopped by occasionally to help them out, and to put out a small grease fire, but left them to their own devices as she continued to walk around. Swallowing his pride, Harrison called for her and asked for her help which she happily gave. She demonstrated how to cut vegetables, how to grate the cheese, and even taught them a new phrase. 

“Al dente; it’s how we refer to pasta when it’s hard but still cooked, which is what we want to do with the lasagne noodles,” she explained softly. Harrison paid attention to her demonstration while Tom focused on her and the way her eyes danced in delight as she explained and her tone was light when she answered any questions they had. With her help, they placed the lasagne in the oven and high fived as they finished without starting a fire or getting into a fight. They thanked her to which she nodded and left them to their devices while they waited. She had instructed the class to get ahead of the cleaning process and do so while they waited so they could leave early. 

Part of Tom didn’t want to leave early, but he knew he would have to. So together, they cleaned up their area and waited for their food to finish cooking. They finished quickly and Harrison ditched him for Violet, the raven haired girl he went on a date with, leaving Tom to pass the time on his phone. A tap on his shoulder brought him out of his scrolling. He looked up and met soft eyes and a warm smile. Y/N.

“I saw Harrison leave you for Violet, figured I would keep you company,” she paused, a panicked look in her eyes, “only if that’s okay with you of course.” Tom nodded and placed his phone down, gesturing for her to take a seat beside him. She thanked him and settled down.

“Your daughter is adorable,” she commented as she watched his screen light up with a message from his mum, his phone screen on display. It was a picture of the three year old at one of his premiers, smiling her toothy smile at the photographers. Tom thanked her and agreed with a fond smile. Autumn was adorable.

“Your son is cute,” he said, causing her to smile, “you and your boyfriend must be happy.” 

“Oh, no boyfriend, just me and Luca,” she informed him, “what about you? You and your partner must be ecstatic to have such a charming little girl running around.” 

“If you’re referring to Harrison, I can assure you we are more than okay with seeing other people, preferably of the opposite gender,” he joked. She laughed and looked at him intently.

“So, there’s no Missus?” she inquired, Tom shook his head. She smiled at his response and opened her mouth to reply before the sound of alarms going off interrupted her. She stood up and instructed everyone to take their dishes out of the oven and check their food, making sure the noodles were soft and easy to cut into. She went around offering everyone the lid to the containers the lasagne was in and helped those who needed, close them. 

Tom handed their container and the keys to the car to Harrison rather roughly and pushed him out the door before walking towards Y/N and clearing his throat, fiddling with his fingers. She sent him a questioning look and rose an eyebrow, waiting for him to talk. 

“Uh, I just wanted to invite you and Lucas to Autumn’s birthday,” no he didn’t, he was fully intending on asking her on a date, “it’s on Saturday. It’s okay if you can’t or simply don’t want to but I think-” 

“We would love to come. Here, you can text me the address, and Luca and I will be there. How old is she turning?” She asked and handed him her phone. He typed in his phone number and smiled at the picture she had set her wallpaper as. It was of her and Lucas, smiling at the camera. Lucas had cake frosting smeared on his face and on his hands which he was placing on her cheek. 

“Four,” she didn’t turn four for another month. Now he had to throw together a quick birthday party and lie to his daughter. All because he couldn’t ask the pretty chef out on a date.

“We’ll be there,” she said, Tom nodded and walked out of the room slowly, until she called his name, “text me. It doesn’t have to be about the party.” She winked and Tom blushed. 

He walked towards the car with a spring in his step and his head in the clouds. He didn’t ask her on a date, but he got her number and she told him to text her. That was better than nothing. Now all he needed to do was throw an impromptu birthday party for his daughter. 

next 

series masterpost

masterlist

taglist:

[dreadpoetssociety]

Hi, Mom!

TW: Abuse

Request: could you write spencer x sister and it’s when he brings his mom back home with him and it’s just pretty much about that. also how diana hits reid once maybe she hits the sister too or instead?? love your work!!

Note: PLEASE read this. I do not know much about schizophrenia and such, and I am in no way saying that anyone with the conditions that this character has in the show is always like this or anything. I just based it off the show (where this has happened before with Diana Reid) and this request, and tried my best not to stigmatize her condition. Also, I’m sorry I’m taking so long on these requests, I’m kinda having a hard time right now, but I’m trying my best!! I hope you enjoy!!!

()()()()()()

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Sister!Reader

It wasn’t very often that you would go with Spencer to visit your mother. As awful as you knew that was, you just couldn’t handle it. Watching her sit there, not know where she is sometimes, who she is sometimes, so many other things, just tore you apart. Having to see her be afraid of things that weren’t really there that you could never truly comprehend enough to help her, combined with her recent diagnosis of early onset Dementia. But mostly, you afraid of experiencing what it would be like for your own mother to forget her own daughter, or at least recognize the difference between her and a hallucination. Granted, you did understand that seeing her less and less would probably make that situation more likely to happen, but you just could never bring yourself to do it. Visiting her just reminded you constantly that you were very literally watching someone fade away, but not seeing her made you scared that you might miss some chances with your mother that you could have experienced with her irregardless of her condition. There were always times here and there where she wasn’t having an episode, and for a short while she was either able to control or differentiate or however it was that it worked and you were able to make some nice memories, but there were also times where this wasn’t the case. It wasn’t at all that she scared you in any way, because so many people see paranoid schizophrenia and automatically think the worst, it was just that it hurt to see her struggle and know you could only do so much to help. But of course, her condition didn’t just effect her in a way that she just saw things like so many people just seem to believe, it effected her behavior, her way of organizing her thoughts, and so much more. It was deeper than just that.

After a very long, and very heart breaking conversation with your brother, you agreed that it would benefit the both of you to maybe have your mother come visit for a few days anyway. She could get some new scenery for a few days and you could both spend the time with her and help her if need be. So when Spencer finally walked through the door with your mother holding his arm, you actually felt relieved. There she was, smiling at you.

“Oh, Y/N, how good it is to see you.” Diana greeted. You physically felt a weight lifted off your chest. All this worry all this time and everything was okay, relatively.

“Hi, Mom!” you said excitedly, hugging her. She smiled and put an arm around your back. You both had let go after a few seconds and Reid showed your mother to the couch.

“Y/N, could you just grab the bag I left at the door for me, please?” Spencer asked. You walked over to the door and picked up a hunter green bag, and peeking inside of it you noticed all the meds and necessary things your mother would need. Your smile faded for a moment, but you placed the bag on the table next to the door. You walked back towards the couches that faced each other and sat on the one opposite of your mother.

“What have you been up to, Mom?” you asked, trying to strike up conversation.

“Oh you know.” she replied, “I want to hear about you! How’s my baby been?” you and Spencer looked at each other for a moment, remembering your little run in with an unsub a few months ago that left you with night terrors and panic attacks and so on, but you very quickly decided that wasn’t something she really needed to know about yet.

“Good.” you replied, “Boring, I guess. Going to work, just got out of school. Typical teenage things.” you chuckled, fakely, of course.

“That’s great, honey. Where are you working?” Diana asked.

“I work at the restaurant nearby, and at the grocery store.”

“You have two jobs?”

“Yeah, I’m trying to save up for a car, and college, I guess.” you said.

“And overworking yourself while you’re at it.” Spencer chimed in.

“Not really, I enjoy working.”

“Well, just make sure to not stress yourself out too much.” your mother smiled.

You talked for a while longer, catching up, and a few hours later your mother was sound asleep. You and Spencer were in the kitchen area making dinner for the three of you together.

“Not so bad, right?” he asked you with a smile.

“Yeah. I was just anxious, I guess.”

“I understand,” he replied, “I hope you feel better about it now. Mom talks about wanting to see you all the time, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I should apologize to her. It’s just sad to know she’s suffering sometimes.” you sighed, “But that’s what we’re here for right? She took care of us for so long despite her issues, so it’s only cool of us to return the favor.”

“Right.” Spence grinned and patted your head, “Dinner is almost ready, why don’t you get her up and ask if she wants to eat with us.”

“Alright.”

You took off your cooking apron and folded it, then placed it into one of the drawers beneath the countertop. You turned the faucet on real quick, with warm water, and washed any food off your hands. You dried them off and headed towards the couch where Diana was sleeping. You put a hand on her shoulder and very gently move her shoulder.

“Hey, Mom, wake up. Are you hungry?” her eyes opened, and suddenly widened.

“Who are you?” she yelled, which quickly grabbed Spencer’s attention, and he realized then that having you do that was a mistake, and he should’ve handled your mother instead.

“Mom, it’s your daughter, Y/N.” you said, anxiously hoping she’d remember.

“You’re not my daughter.” she cried out.

“Y/N-“ Spencer began, but was quickly cut off by an unexpected sound. You felt your cheek start to sting. You froze for a second before slowly standing up straight and backing up, with tears having started to well up in your eyes. You put your hand on the area where your own mother had just hit you. You knew full heartedly that it wasn’t her fault, and you didn’t blame her at all, and she just didn’t recognize you and thought she was in danger, but still. This was the exact thing you were worried about. Your mother was still upset, and Spencer went to her first, understandably. You just stood there in shock.

“Mom, Mom, it’s Spencer, you’re okay.” you heard in the background, and heard the sigh of relief from Diana as she saw him.

“Thank God, that girl was trying to say she was my daughter. I think she was trying to hurt me.” and from there, you blocked everything out, and just headed towards your room. You decided you weren’t hungry, and just laid in your bed, facing the wall. And you just laid there. You weren’t sure for how long.

Spencer eventually knocked at your door, to which you just ignored, but he came in anyway.

“Y/N, are you okay?” he asked.

“She hit me, Spence. She didn’t even know who I was.” you whispered. He sighed to himself and sat at the end of your bed.

“Y/N, I know it’s hard. She’s done it to me, too.”

“She has?” you turned your body around to face him, “Why didn’t you say anything.”

“I try not to think much about it. Y/N, these things can happen sometimes. But you have to know that Mom doesn’t mean it. She can’t help it.” he explained, “This isn’t all the time, though. You know that. We’ve talked about stigmas revolving around this before.”

“I know it’s not her fault. I know it doesn’t happen all the time or with everyone, but it still sucks. It’s not even the fact that she hit me, just that she didn’t recognize me.” you cried. He hugged you tightly for a moment.

“I know.” was all he said to you. You knew that this didn’t happen for everyone, and that it did for select few, and on occasion your mother just had bad days, but you loved her. She was your mother. After sitting with Spencer for a while, you composed yourself, and felt better about what had happened. You walked back out of your room to see Diana at the dinner table, smiling.

“Hey, Y/N. Why don’t you eat with us?” she asked. You nodded and sat down next to her, and her smile faded, “Why’s your cheek all red, did something happen?”

“No, nothing happened.” you smiled. You figured it was best for now not to tell her about it, “Let’s eat.”

Diana was mostly alright for the rest of her visit, and you had an amazing time with her. You decided from then on that you would visit her more regularly, and that even hough what you had initially been afraid of happened, that you wouldn’t just think the worst like so many other people do. You knew in your heart that she loved you and Spencer, and you knew that it wasn’t an all-time thing, and hell, maybe it would never even happen again. You hugged her as she left.

“I’ll see you soon, Mom.” you smiled.

“I hope so, my baby.” she put a hand on your face, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

[elisaphoenix13]

Family Bonds

"Trade you my turkey sandwich for yours."

William stares at his twin as he slurps his soda noisely, ignoring the annoyed look Cassie is giving him from across the table. He had adopted quite a few mannerisms from the family after he finally felt comfortable expressing himself, and the noisy drinking could have easily been learned from Harley or Peter. Thomas didn't even look bothered. He just lifted the top slice of bread to show the fixings of the sandwich and it was enough explanation for his seemingly weird question.

It was devoid of honey mustard. William despised the stuff, but for some reason Thomas loved it. It was disgusting and he had no problem shoving the sandwich in front of him over to his twin. Once he got his blessedly honey mustard free sandwich from Thomas, he finally set his can of soda down.

"Mom probably wasn't paying attention when he was putting our lunches together." Thomas says.

"I don't blame him. He was frazzled this morning because Valerie and Lucy are sick." Cassie points out and then takes a bite of her salad. "Tony has meetings all day today so he can't help with them."

"How do you even know this? You weren't upstairs at all this morning." William points out.

"Dude, she's Mom's underling. Cassie is starting to just know things." Thomas snorts.

Cassie smiles. "Actually, he texted me and asked me to pick up some medicine for them after school. But I'm flattered you think I'm at that level."

"You are." The twins say in unison.

Cassie just rolled her eyes in response and they ate their lunch with the usual chatter. Classes, teachers, assignments, the newest rumor, and what they planned to do after school. The three of them normally walked home together (or William portaled them if he was up to it), and one of the things they knew they were going to do is go buy some medicine. Cassie also said she wanted to pick up some stuff to bake and decorate cupcakes and when Thomas asked about the occasion, she said it was just because. William didn't mind. He really liked her baking, not just because it always tasted amazing, but she also did a really great job decorating them. She even decorated them without going overboard with the icing which some professionals did.

The amount of icing should not equal the size of the cupcake.

"Maybe we can pick up some strawberries and whipped cream? Val likes to share those with me." William says.

"Sure. Mom said we could pick up whatever snacks we want anyway." Cassie replies.

"I need more pens too." Thomas says around his mouthful of sandwich.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Cassie huffs.

William half expected his twin to open his mouth just to gross Cassie out, but Thomas didn't and instead chewed and swallowed his food. Stephen reprimanded him for it on occasion as well, so it was probably finally starting to sink in. When they finished their lunches and tossed their garbage into the nearest trash can, the bell rang for class and they said their temporary goodbyes before they headed to their classes. William had a class by himself next period, but Thomas and Cassie had their next class together. In the past, when he didn't have classes with Thomas or Cassie, he used to feel alone. Now he didn't care. School actually got a lot better for him and his brother ever since Stephen and Tony took them in.

They used to be bullied for jumping from one foster home to another, for the crappy clothes each home barely managed to put on their backs...and they even went days without food, bathing, or adequate sleep. It was depressing. William and Thomas decided they would prefer to live on the streets than deal with more abuse, and it was barely a week later when Cassie brought Stephen to them. At the time, William barely trusted her, but he trusted her enough for him and his brother to go home with them. Maybe it was some kind of desperate hope that it would be different than before, that they would be shown the care and love they deserved.

When it was, William and Thomas didn't know what to do. Right off the bat they were given a hot meal, a hot shower, warm beds, quality clothing...an endless list of things. William was personally afraid that it was too good to be true, but as time went on, nothing changed. Well nothing except him and Thomas being moved up to the penthouse once Tony was done building their rooms. The penthouse was huge and probably had room for five more bedrooms, but it was nice to be close to their new parents and siblings. The twins, of course, still went downstairs to visit Wanda and Vision for movies or lunches, but being upstairs made them happy. At least William. He enjoyed the feeling of family he got from the two men and the other kids. He even felt part of it. He was part of it.

Now he was happily in a relationship with Harley, and he also enjoyed spending time with Valerie. He was one of the few she would spend time with if Stephen wasn't available and it made him feel special. He also liked that she was so easy to please. If he needed to keep an eye on her, he could put on her favorite movie and she would lay with him until she ultimately fell asleep, or she would color while he did his homework. Just like Diana followed Cassie around a lot, William had his own little duckling following him.

When the school day was finally over, he went to his locker to put away the books he didn't need and Thomas and Cassie met him just as he was closing it.

"Ready to go?" Cassie asks.

"Yeah. Maybe I'll help with Val today." William says.

"Mom will probably appreciate it. Apparently Tony has work he needs to do and can't put it off any longer." She says as they walk out of the building.

They walk as quickly as they can to the nearest store, and William has to keep himself from laughing when he notices how antsy Thomas seems to be. He was constantly found bouncing his knee while sitting or looking ready to bolt when standing that one would think Stephen and Tony didn't regularly try to give him a place to run as much as he wanted. Which wasn't the case. Their mother always opened a portal to the lake house for Thomas when he looked ready to vibrate out of his skin or whenever he asked. William was a little luckier that he could practice his magic as long as he was careful.

Cassie was quick to find the medicine Stephen wanted for the little girls, and then the three teens gathered the snacks they wanted before heading to the front to buy everything. Usually they would be picking up Diana by now but she had a half day so someone else picked her up. All they had to do was walk home. William teleported them this time because they had cold items that he wanted to stay cold when he made his and Valerie's usual snack.

"Hey Mom!" Thomas grabs the box of cheez-its that Stephen was already holding out for him when they arrived. "Thanks!" He says before running into his room.

"Here's the medicine." Cassie says as she digs it out of the grocery bag and hands it to Stephen.

"Oh, good. Thank you. It's time for their next dose." Stephen sighs as he digs out a small medicine cup and also a medicine dropper. "I knew I had just enough until you kids got home. Would you mind taking Diana downstairs with you for tonight?"

"Sure!"

William pulls out the strawberries and whipped cream and joins Stephen at the counter to cut the fruit. He could hear Cassie telling Diana to get her homework, toothbrush, and pajamas together and saw Lucy sleeping in the playpen in the living room. Considering that Stephen looked a little tired when they got home, one or both of the girls had been fussing all day because they weren't feeling well, but William was intent on helping him out now.

"Is Val asleep?" William asks Stephen.

"Maybe. She's in bed watching The Little Mermaid if she's not." He replies as he gently places the cup filled with pink gloop in front of the teen. "Don't let her have too much whipped cream and make sure she finishes this please."

"Okay."

William scoops the strawberry pieces into a bowl and some whipped cream into a smaller bowl before gathering them together and grabbing the medicine and juice box that Stephen also set in front of him. He also grabbed a breakfast bed tray on his way out of the kitchen so Valerie would be able to access the snacks easier and not spill. William had put his backpack down on one of the stools at the counter so it was out of the way, but if he didn't grab it soon, he was pretty sure he would find it in his bedroom. Stephen knew he was good about taking it straight to his bedroom, but considering the circumstances, he would send it to William's bedroom through a small gateway. So he left it on the stool in favor of getting up to Valerie.

She was sharing Diana's room now that Stephen and Tony had moved the toddler out of their room, but she was still prone to getting up in the middle of the night and climbing into bed next to Stephen. Once she was past that stage, she would be moved permanently into her own room. It was already ready for her, and she used it to play in and sometimes for naps, but Diana's room was closer to the master bedroom. Valerie's was closer to William's, and he fully expected to find her in his bed when she was in her room.

Diana and Cassie pass by William as he walks into the bedroom, and he closes the door once they leave and turns to look at Valerie in her bed. She was awake and blearily watching her favorite movie as William placed everything on the nightstand so he can set up the tray. When she notices his presence, she immediately makes room for him and he lays on the bed next to her, smiling when she snuggles into his side.

"Hey angel. Brought you a snack." He says softly.

"Berries?" Valerie whispers.

"You know it. You gotta take some medicine first though okay?"

"Yucky." She makes a face when William grabs it from the nightstand but takes it and drinks it anyway.

"You can wash it down with juice and strawberries." William laughs and grabs the juice box and opens it while the little girl sits up. "Here you go."

"Thank you Liam." She says quietly and sips her juice.

"You're welcome."

He then grabbed the two bowls and put them on the tray that he had set up over her legs and she puts her juice box on it to eat some of the fruit. William didn't even have to cut her off from the whipped cream. Valerie didn't seem very interested in eating much of it, and he was able to make up for it since she didn't double dip. He made sure to teach her not to do that when she started sharing snacks with him.

"Can you stay?" Valerie asks softly after a few minutes.

"Like sleep in here?"

"Uh-huh."

The teen looks over at Diana's bed and then back at Valerie. "Sure. Dia is gonna stay with Cassie tonight so I can sleep in her bed."

The smile his answer brought to his little sister's face was worth it. He was almost one hundred percent certain she would crawl into bed with him eventually but he wasn't worried about getting sick. If he did, it wouldn't be a big deal. Stephen would undoubtedly stay home again and make sure William was taken care of despite the fact that he was older than the girls and capable of taking care of himself, but the teen was happy knowing he had someone to go to for something as simple as not feeling well. He didn't really have that luxury when he was in the other homes. The foster parents would basically tell him to suck it up and go to school anyway. He learned to suffer in silence after a few times of that happening.

He and Thomas even did their silent suffering after being taken in by Stephen and Tony, but the silence didn't last long. Stephen very quickly found out (as Harley and Peter warned it would happen) and he gently scolded them for not going to him. The sorcerer dropped everything to take care of them and it was the best thing the twins ever experienced. Stephen brought them soup, medicine, and made sure they were warm and comfortable enough. William hardly noticed he was sick.

Stephen came into the room about an hour later, and halfway through Cinderella, to find Valerie cocooned in her blankets against William and sleeping soundly. The teen had since set the tray aside to get more comfortable and he pointed to the empty medicine cup before the sorcerer could even ask.

"She took it all."

Stephen smiles softly. "Thank you. Tony is finally done with work so he's taking care of Lucy now. Did you want to get up?"

"No. I'm okay for now. I told her I would sleep in here with her tonight anyway." William replies quietly so not to disturb the toddler.

"I'm sure that will keep her from being scared. Any requests for dinner?" Stephen asks.

"Food."

The sorcerer looks at him flatly. "You're no longer allowed to date Harley. He's clearly rubbing off on you."

William smiles. He knew Stephen wasn't actually serious, and the smile his mother gave him before leaving the room was confirmation. He ended up having to eat dinner in the room with Valerie when Harley brought it up for them later that night, and he did his homework on Diana's bed while Valerie watched another movie before going to bed for the night. Fortunately he didn't have much homework and was able to go to bed at a decent time, and he double checked to make sure his sister was asleep and okay before he went to sleep.

As he predicted, he woke up with Valerie in bed next to him, curled against his side, and the plus side?

Her fever had broken.

[hateswifi]

Rising from the Ashes: Of Nicknames and Luck

So this is Part Five here is to my Master List and Part Four. Enjoy!! I just felt like... hey why not post two today? So that’s what I did, I hope you enjoy these shenanigans.

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

Back with Marinette now in her hotel room, she decides to unpack a bit and look for an apartment offer online using the hand-me-down laptop Chloe had given her. 

After about an hour, she decides to take a break from apartment hunting and go to the grocery store even though she couldn’t exactly cook anything from her hotel room. She could at least make some good sandwiches.

When she got to the grocery store and after she had collected everything she needed which included: bread, peanut butter, jelly, chicken, lettuce, tomato, and some chips she hadn’t heard of before. The cashier looked her up and down then asked. “Are you the Ice Prince's girlfriend?”

“I’m no one's girlfriend. You must be confusing me with someone else,” she said as she paid then left. On her walk home she heard a bing: someone said they would meet with her about renting an apartment. The person was the manager of a building owned by Wayne Enterprises. They said she would like to meet Marinette at one o'clock: two hours from now. She decided on a salad for lunch because she had something so sugary for breakfast. She still wanted to keep a somewhat healthy diet.

She sits down and decides to check out what Diana recommended last night. She Googles ‘Gotham's Heroes' results immediately came up with Batman, Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, and lastly a traffic light looking boy named, Robin. Seriously, who designed that outfit? If she ever met him she would have some words with him. She sighed while checking the time: twelve-thirty. She grabbed her stuff and left quickly.

“Hello my name is Marinette, I’m here to talk with,” she pauses, looking at her phone. “a Ms. Simms.”

“I’ll call her,” the receptionist said reaching then dialing on the phone. “Hello, Ms. Simms your one o’clock is here, Miss Marinette? Of course.” She hangs up then stands. “Please follow me.” They walk quietly into an office. She knocks on the door. 

“Enter,” a voice says from inside. “Hello, Marinette. My name is Sarah Simms. Please come take a seat.”

“So I recently moved here and need an apartment. I already have a way to pay for it, I got a job on Monday,” Marinette said, sitting across from Sarah. 

“Well want to visit the apartment?” Sarah asked, standing. 

“That would be lovely,” Marinette says, following. 

“So the last tenant left their stuff here which includes a fridge-freezer combo, a table, a couple of chairs, a couch, and two beds, one queen and one twin. They also left a smaller television,” she finishes, opening the door. The apartment was on the third floor with a decent view. “The rent would be six hundred a month and you would need to sign a year contract with a down payment of a hundred today.”

“This sounds almost too good to be true!” Marinette smiles after she finishes looking around the apartment she says. “Where can I sign?”

“Let’s head to my office and I’ll print the papers,” Sarah said, smiling as they left the apartment. 

After the papers were signed and money was paid, Marinette left for the hotel grabbed her stuff and checked out. She smiles for the first time in quite a while she was happy and proud of herself. 

She heard ringing as she dropped her stuff: it was Chloe. She immediately picked up. “Hey, Mar, how’s the second day of your new life,” Chloe asked, her voice crackling over the line a bit. 

“It has been pretty good. I got up early and went to a park close to the hotel I was staying at. This dog tackled me and the dog’s owner felt bad, so he took me to breakfast. His name is Damian, I really hope to see him again… crap he ran off before I could get his number,” she pauses falling on the couch. 

“Sounds like someone has a crush?” Chloe asks, Marinette can hear Chloe’s smirk through the phone. 

“I only met him once. After that, I went grocery shopping. Also, I got an apartment! Most of it is already furnished all I have to buy some basic things like pots, pans, plates, utensils, towels, and you know little things like that,” Marinette explained. 

“That’s great Mar. I’m so happy for you!” Chloe said.

“How was your day going?” Marinette asked. 

“I miss you a lot and life is quite boring without you. Lila was talking crap about you again,” Chloe answered. 

“I don’t even care at this point, as long as we know the truth. She doesn’t affect me anymore,” Marinette explained. 

“I know it just makes me angry knowing that her lies are so terrible,” Chloe sighed. 

“I know I’m sorry I’m not there, but I couldn’t stay in Paris. There is too much trauma and no family left for me,” Marinette explained. 

“Marinette I’m family. Luka, Adrien, and Kagami. We’re all your family! We all love and miss you!” Chloe exclaimed angrily, then hung up. 

Marinette sighed and plopped on the couch then turned on the small tv that was just across from her. It was some celebrity news so she changed it and watched an English cartoon instead as she checked her Twitter feed, which is still based on Paris. Chat had given the announcement of her leaving Paris, along with an announcement of no longer endorsing the Ladyblog after a post of Lila being love rivals with Ryuko for Viperon. Chat also announced that the rest of the team would continue with patrols. 

She hung out for the rest of the day making a list of things she needs to get. She would go to buy things after work tomorrow. She made herself a chicken, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. She then went to bed early so she could be on time for work which starts at seven.

When she woke up to her blaring alarm at six-twenty she put on a pink long-sleeved sweater, which she tucked into a black high waisted shirt with a belt. She paired her outfit with kitty black heels. She also put her hair up in princess bun. 

She rushed to work and arrived on time. She greets Diana and put her purse in the back. 

“Marinette in a little bit there will higher class customers in need of suits. I would appreciate it if you would measure them. They are as I said celebrities and like their privacy, please respect that,” Diana explains. Not long after Diana finished speaking a group of people walked in four of them to be exact. 

“Welcome, Bruce, Dick, Jason, and Tim. Damian is not with you?” Diana asks as they entered the store.

“No, he had a class this morning,” Bruce informed Diana of the changed plans.

“But it is to my understanding that he also needed a suit,” Daina states. 

“That is true, I was wondering if I could call in a favor,” he asks.

“Well, I can’t because I’m leaving to visit my family, but I’m sure I could ask my new employee, Marinette, to go take his measurements,” Diana said, looking for Marinette.

“I’m right here, Diana,” she says, exiting the back room. “I was grabbing the measuring tape, a notebook, and a pencil.”

“Oh my god! You’re Demon Spawn’s girlfriend!” Dick yells, running up to her.

“I’m no one's girlfriend,” Marinette says back then mutters in Mandarin. “Why does everyone keep asking that.”

Jason hears what she says and responds in Mandarin. “Because people saw you out--”. Dick elbowed him before he could finish not wanting to blow Damian’s secret. “We mistook you for someone else.”

“What was that for!” Jason exclaims. 

“I’ll tell you later,” Dick mutters.

“Ok so now that's over, please take the boys to the back to take their measurements,” Diana said, pointing the boys to follow her. In the back, Dick stood on a platform so Marinette could measure him.

“So Marinette,” Dick started being cut off. 

“I am pretty sure Diana didn’t say my name. How do you know me?” Marinette paused her measuring of Dick. “Would you be able to step down? I have to measure your shoulder blades.”

“I heard Diana say it,” Dick says as he stepped down. He felt her feather-light touch dance across his back as she measured him. She then stepped in front of him measuring his chest then arms. 

“How old are you and how long have you been working here?” Tim asks, staring at the petite girl while she works. 

“Ummm… today is my first day working here, but I am experienced in the fashion world. I don't want to talk about my past work because this is my new beginning and I turned eighteen about two months ago,” Marinette said, measuring her legs.

“We’re all about new beginnings, that's why Bruce adopted us,” Jason chimed in.

“They’re not pretentious like how I thought Americans would act,” Marinette mutters in French. 

“Thanks, but we’re not like most Americans,” Dick responds, looking down at the now flustered girl.

“I’m sorry to assume. In Paris, most Americans are shown as fools or snobs. I’ve only met a couple before today. How many languages do you all speak?” Marinette asked, working faster while keeping her head down.

“We all speak, English, French, Mandarin, Spanish, and Italian, but our youngest brother also speaks Slavonic and Arabic,” Tim explained.

“Ok, you’re all down Ummm… I’m sorry I never caught your names,” She speaks softly while backing up to give Dick room.

“You don't know us?” Dick asked shocked.

“Diana said you guys were celebrities, but I don’t pay attention to famous people unless they’re from the fashion industry and I haven’t exactly caught up on American celebrities yet,” Marinette explained.

“Well I’m Jason Todd-Wayne, this is my younger brother Tim Drake-Wayne, and my oldest brother Dick Grayson-Wayne,” Jason said, pointing at each of them as he talked.

“Ok, which one of you wants to go next,” Marinette asked, looking between the younger two of the trio.

“He’ll go next,” Jason said, pushing Tim forward.

“So you said you’ve only met a couple of people we know a bunch of people would you be able to tell us who you met?” Tim asked.

“The first person I met Diana she is quite nice, I don’t know much about her though. The second person I met was a guy named Damian. His dog, Titus, tackled me, so I guess he felt bad, we met at the park across from where I was staying. He wanted to make it up to me by breakfast, which was so delicious. I had waffles!  I met my landlord, Sarah Simms, she seems a bit distant, but I barely know her. Then I met you guys, your dad seems cold, but you guys are quite nice,” Marinette explains as she finishes up with Tim. 

“Are you and Damian friends now? You sound quite fond of him,” Jason asks as he takes Tim’s place. 

“He ran off to take a call or something as I was going to ask for his number, it’s truly a shame he was nice,” Marinette says then blushes and looks down. “And he was handsome not going to lie.”

“Aww someone has a crush?” Dick asks. 

“I’ve only met him once, but if I ever met him again I would ask him out, he was so nice, so kind,” Marinette sighs, looking lost in thought. 

“Are we sure she’s talking about the same person?” Tim asks in Italian. “She looks smitten by him.”

“We have to get them together! She would be so good for him,” Dick answers in Italian. 

“Guys I’m pretty sure Damian doesn’t want us to interfere,” Jason responds, holding out his arms for her to measure. 

“I’m all done. I’ll go call Diana to see what she wants me to do with the measurements,” Marinette says as she gets up and leaves. 

“She’s perfect for him. Think he hasn’t dated or been open with anyone before maybe she could be a first,” Tim says still in Italian. “Also she’s adorable!”

“You guys decided to talk in Italian while she was working? She thought that you guys don’t like her and we’re going to have her be fired, but she may have been overthinking,” Bruce said, entering the measuring room. 

“Damian was nice to that girl. She likes him. He likes her!” Dick exclaims, standing up.  

“Well it’s a good thing she’s coming over tomorrow to take Damian’s measurements,” Bruce smirked. 

“She is, what time?” Jason asked. 

“You’re not to disturb them. If there’s a girl out there he won’t send off or a girl who won’t run to the hills, we have to at least try to set them up,” Bruce said. 

After Marinette left the boys she went to give the measurements to Diana. 

“Here you go,” Marinette said, cheerfully. 

“Thank you. Also tomorrow there’s one more boy’s measurement to do. Bruce said he would pay extra if you go to the manor after the boutique's closing. Would you be able to take the boy’s measurements?” Diana asks taking the notepad. 

“That will be easy, but would you be able to tell me the address?” Marinette asked, pulling out her phone ready to type the address. 

“Bruce said he would send a car,” Diana informed Marinette. “May I have your address to give to him for his driver?”

“Yes, I live in Wayne Apartments, which is ironic because you know they’re the Waynes,” Marinette said, laughing. 

“That’s so funny!” Dick said, pointing at Bruce. “You’re friends with us, the Waynes, and you live in a building he owns.”

“To be fair I’ve only been in America for three days and I already have a job and an apartment. I think that’s pretty good,” Marinette says, crossing her arms. 

“I would also say pretty lucky, Spot,” Diana says as Marinette blushes. 

"Bye Sunshine!" Dick calls as he goes to open the door.

“Thank you, guys! I guess I’ll see you tomorrow!” She waves to them as they leave. The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly, she designed a bit while there weren't any customers in the store. 

Diana closes her shop around seven o’clock, her business is thriving. She goes home eats some food then grabs her money to buy the stuff on the list she made earlier. She left quickly and went to the closest store. She finished shopping and when she got home put the stuff away. She then took a shower and went to bed.

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

Tag list (Open):

@northernbluetongue @melhuney @ladysblackcat @sturchling @otaku4312 @g-arya @smolplantmum @bluefyoto94 @echpr @moonlightstar64 @thesunanditsangel @cutechip @heaven428 @elmokingkong @kass-is-weird @niza13149 @urbanpineapplefarmer @ginamarie1512 @chocolatecatstheron @crazylittlemunchkin 

[myriadimagines]

Preference: DC (DCEU)

— they catch you stealing from them

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Diana Prince, Dinah Lance, Harley Quinn, Helena Bertinelli, Renee Montoya 

Warnings: stealing?

Requester: anonymous

Request: “Preference for stealing from each of the birds of prey / Bruce Wayne and Diana prince and them catching you”

A/N: i hope it’s okay!

— BRUCE WAYNE

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Bruce’s deep voice startles you, and you jolt upright as you realise that you’ve trick to pickpocket none other than Bruce Wayne’s wallet. Your face immediately turns red, and all street smarts you’ve learned your entire life flies out the window. Apologies tumble out of your mouth, and you become even more unnerved upon seeing Bruce’s amused smile. Little do you know, that Bruce’s mind is already at work, sizing you up as he’s trying to judge whether or not you’ve got potential to be an apprentice of his. You’re quick, blend into the crowd, and already got a nifty skillset most people don’t have. He’d let you off with a stern warning, but would start keeping an eye out for you, observing you. He thinks he can shape you into someone great.

— CASSANDRA CAIN

“Hey! That’s mine, asshole!”

You barely had time to turn around upon hearing a voice yell at you before Cassandra practically tackled you into the pavement. You squirmed to get her off you, and Cassandra dug around in your pockets until she snatches the watch you lifted off her out of your jacket pocket. She’d shove you away, claiming that she snatched the watch first, before sprinting away from you. You’d angrily chase after her, claiming that she’s not the only pickpocket on the street. After a little bit of wrestling back and forth, you’d reluctantly let Cassandra have the watch, but not after claiming you could steal something more expensive anything. Before you know it, you and Cassandra are having a competition to steal who can steal the most in an hour. 

— DIANA PRINCE

“You have quite an eye. That is a very expensive artefact.”

You freeze upon hearing a voice behind you, and you slowly turn to face Diana, who raises an eyebrow at you with an amused smile on your face. You had planned a heist at the Louvre, planning to steal a greek bust after closing time. You had planned it all out, made sure to disable the cameras, enter when the guards weren’t inside, but you hadn’t counted on Wonder Woman catching you. She of course wouldn’t let you leave with the bust, sternly insisting that you put it back before she forces you too. Afterwards, she’d insist on knowing why you’d want to steal, wanting to know if you were doing it just for the hell of it, or if you were in desperate need of money. Your motivations would help Diana figure out what kind of person you are.

— DINAH LANCE

“Nuh-uh, not today.”

Dinah whipped around, grabbing your arm and twisting it as she’d feel you try to snatch her wallet out of the back pocket of her pants. She’d yank you towards her, sizing you up as she’d look you up and down, before shooting you a look as she’d tell you you’re messing with the wrong person. She’d roughly push you away, telling you to scram before she has to get nasty, raising an eyebrow at you as she’d wait for you to run off. When you don’t, she’d let out a laugh, wondering if you have a death wish or something, or if you want her to kick your ass. Feeling a tiny bit of sympathy for you, she’d figure you’re probably just trying to survive, and she’d give you a fiver or a tenner, telling you to use it to buy some food for yourself and telling you to run off.

�� HARLEY QUINN

“Get your grubby little hands off me, ya rascal!”

Harley swatted your hands away, pulling a face and sticking her tongue out at you upon catching you trying to snatch her wallet out of her pockets at the local grocery store. She’d frown at you, narrowing her eyes as she’d size you up, threatening you as she’d ask if you knew who you were trying to steal from. When she realises you’re probably just trying to get some money to eat, she’d lean closer to you, loudly whispering that there are better ways to steal things and get away with it. Dumping some stuff into her cart, and asking you to choose something for yourself, she’d tilt her head towards the door, asking if you’re in or not. When you say you are, she’d tell you to follow her lead, and the two of you would sprint out the store together with all your stolen groceries. 

— HELENA BERTINELLI

“Do you know who I am?”

Helena had you pinned up against a wall before you could even try to steal the keys to her motorcycle from her leather jacket. She had a knife pulled at your throat, and you realised you had probably the worst luck when it came to pickpocketing. When she’d realise you’re not really a threat, just a low-level thief, she’d let you go, figuring you’re not worth killing. She’d tell you to scram, but not before telling you to spread the word not to try and steal from or mess with her, Huntress. She’d get a little flustered when she’d see the confusion on your face, clearly not accustomed with the name and not really taking her seriously, and she’d probably end up yelling at you for you to leave before she changes her mind and kicks your ass.

— RENEE MONTOYA

“You! Hands above your head!” 

Renee had caught you trying to steal evidence from the precinct in order to get rid of evidence that was being held against your friend. You immediately groaned in frustration, angry at being caught, before you reluctantly turned to face Renee. Renee was pissed, especially since you were stealing evidence from her case, and she’d immediately try to handcuff you and bring you in. Unfortunately for her, you put up a big fight, thrashing and kicking and refusing to be arrested. In the end, you’d manage to barely get away from her, and Renee would make it her personal mission to track you down and bring you to justice, working day and night to find out, and it was definitely personal since you had messed with her. 

tag list: @gofandomsandotherstuff / @hauntedpocdreamer / @cnco-babes / @doot-doot-danvers / @melody-of-scream / @real-fbi / @natalia-helena-alianova-romanov / @myfriendmagislit / @imagine-lcorp / @lgbtonystarks / @fangirlsarah16​ / @batfam16 / @fairytalesforever / @cryinqxlouds​

[sleepnginstardust]

Orc Boyfriend (Torug 2/???)

It’s me again! So, Covid-19 has me under a shelter in place order for the next three weeks. Of which my job isn’t going to pay me for. So I’m writing for some stress relief. And Torug and Diana are just too cute, so hopefully, this helps y’all out!

The next day, Diana closed the shop a little bit early and unlocked the door that led to her apartment. Taking the steps two at a time she whistled as she unlocked her door. Placing her keys in a bowl on the entryway table. She slipped off her shoes and padded into her living room. Books covered one side and a couple of plants hung from the rafters.

She meandered towards the kitchen and started pulling out the makings for pasta carbonara. It was simple and filling. As she made the sauce and cooked the meat. Diana looked out her window and across the street. Torug was pulling what looked like a new fridge out of the back of his truck, the same Onikuma from before got out of the passenger side of the truck and a very pretty woman pulled up behind them. She got out of the car and hugged Torug. As she went to kiss Torug on the cheek, Diana’s eyes went wide. 

Then her fire alarm went off. Diana whipped her head around and saw she had left the pancetta on the stove. The smoke was billowing up and Diana could see some flames. Grabbing a pan lid she slams the lid on the fire and turns off the stove. She ran to the window and opened the window. She started coughing.

“Are you okay?!” Looking down Diana saw Torug, the Onikuma and the woman who had joined them, standing on the street on the sidewalk next to her building.  Diana waved her hand and smiled.

“I’m fine! But my pancetta isn’t! Sorry!” Torug looked up and smiled at her. He raised his hand and Diana smiled. 

“What’s the pancetta for?” The onikuma asked and the woman next to him looked up and nodded. Diana thought for a moment.

“Give me a moment!” at that Diana pulled back inside and made her way to the door. She shoved her feet into a pair of flats and grabbed a sweater. She made her way out the back door of her apartment and made her way down the stairs. Coming to a stop in front of the Onikuma and the woman. Catching her breath Diana looked up and smiled.

“Oh gosh sorry, it’s kind of rude of me to just yell at you all from my window. The pancetta was for Pasta Carbonara, but I guess I’m going to have to run to the grocers again. I hope Dameron has pancetta in stock. By the way, I don’t actually know your names. Torug never mentioned them.” At this Torug blushed and started mumbling something.

“Torug! I’ve known you for 15 years and you forget to even tell people my name?!” The onikuma roared. Torug looked only mildly ashamed. The woman started laughing.

“I would have gotten to it, sooner or later. I just forgot.” The onikuma thumped Torug on the back and laughed.

“I’m Banko and this is my wife Erica.” The woman smiled and gave affirmative noise.

“Did Torug even ask you to dinner? It was part of trying to apologize for Banko destroying a part of your inventory.” Torug looked up and gave Diana a quick shake of his head, but Diana was oblivious as to what he meant by that.

“He asked me out alright but I don’t think it was in the way you wanted him too?” Torug spluttered, at the same time both Banko and Erica turned to look at Torug. Who surprisingly look embarrassed.

“I wanted to get to know my neighbor?” Banko roared with laughter, slapping Torug on the back harder than before. Torug wincing each time he slapped his back. Erica shook her head and smiled.

“Of course you did, not like you hadn’t seen her when you first toured the place and all of a sudden made an offer.” Torug turned an even darker shade of red.

“I- What?!” Diana blushed and looked at Erica and Banko than to Torug. Diana didn’t even remember the realtor showing the building to anyone, let alone someone as memorable as Torug. Trying to wrack her brain she couldn’t think of anything. Torug coughed.

“It was three months ago, I told the realtor that I was thinking about it. Then You came out of the front door of your store wearing some sort of lacey dress. And those ridiculous lace-up sandals that went up to your knees.” At this point, Diana wondered if Orcs could drool because Torug looked like he was about too. Banko slapped Torug on the back. 

“Torug we’re in public if you keep going on like that we may get arrested. I don’t want that happening again.” Erica started laughing. Diana was just confused.

“Wait again? What happened the first time?” Banko gave a startled look. Torug looked down and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. Erica grabbed Diana’s arm.

“It’s not as bad as it sounds. When I first Banko in my small town, “Inter-species” relationships were looked down upon. Well Torug and him were on a construction crew working at the town hall. One day some of the older men in town took issue with our relationship and tried to beat the “sickness” out of me. Torug and Banto caught them and well let's just say that they were lucky to get away with their lives. The county prosecutors tried to say that they were barely intelligent, and could never be “fully human”. It was a mess. Both of them were in jail for almost a year. They got some amazing help from a Dullahan and a whole group of other lawyers.” Diana’s face had gone white. 

“Oh my god, I didn’t realize there were still places like that. I’m so sorry.” She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Torug.

“It was several years ago, we’re fine. We came out of it alright. Plus if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have been here to try and sweep you off your feet.” Torug said while Banko laughed and hugged Erica.

“Now, You need to go to the grocery store? I need groceries and have no idea where this store is. Could you maybe show us the way there?” Diana looked down and gave a small sigh. She threw her arms around Torugs waist. Her arms couldn’t reach all the way around his waist but she felt him reach arms around her as well. She moved back and smiled, but faltered when she felt her phone buzz.

 “Just grabbed a lyft, should be there in 45.” 

“Oh no! I Forgot about girls night!” She pushed Torug further away who kept a slight hold on her. She poked Torug’s stomach and he pulled back. “Okay let's go! Those two are coming in from Jhorrel’s place outside of the city so I have about 30 minutes to go to the store, make dinner decant some wine, and hopefully be put together enough so they aren’t questioning me like I’m a murder suspect! Or something.” 

Diana started walking quickly down the street, hoping Torug and the other two were following. She was trying not to think about what Erica had told her. It’d had sounded like there had been so much more to the story than what Erica had said but she had felt awkward asking about it. She had known that in some more rural areas people were less tolerant. She had even heard about some towns that were either “human only” but she thought Jhorrel had been embellishing a little.

“Diana, Diana! Can you slow down a bit? Erica and Banko weren’t expecting to run a marathon.” Diana stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. Just in time for Torug to run into her. 

As Diana started to fall she felt two arms reach for her and lift her up, and up. Until Torug had picked her up bridal style. Diana felt her face flush, hearing clapping she whipped her head around to see Elora standing just outside of her store with a toothy grin on her face.

“Ah Diana, ‘not looking too hard’ I see? Set her down big guy, I hate having to crane my neck to see people.” Elora gave Diana a knowing smile. 

“I’ve got some baked goods Jhorrel ordered so give me a moment and I’ll grab them for you. And you!” She said pointing a finger towards Torug. “Don’t do anything to her and keep her feet on the ground! I want more great grandbabies but not just yet, you hear!”

“Elora! I barely know him! And you’re not even related to me!” Diana was crimson as Erica and Banko came up next to them. Elora waved her hand around.

“It doesn’t matter, you're still closer in miles to than my own grandchildren. So you’re my grandchild, or did you think I have a weekly tea with all of my neighbors?” Diana gave up and threw her hands in the air. 

“Ugh, I don’t have time for this.  We will talk more on Sunday! I’ve got friends coming over and I need to get to the store still!” Elora laughed and looked at Diana.

“Okay, tea on Sunday then. I’ll bake the treats, you bring the tea. Now don’t think you’re getting out of talking about him though.” Elora pointed at Torug, who had the decency to turn away. Banko and Erica were looking sheepish, Diana gave an exasperated sigh and hugged Elora. “I say go for it dear, someone like that doesn’t come around often. Also, his ass is amazing.”

“Elora why?!” Elora laughed and walked back into her shop, where her assistant was helping some very curious onlookers. 

“Sooo uh, what did she say?” Diana looked at Torug.

“Nothing important,” Diana said as she started walking towards the end of the street. “Come on, I don’t have a lot of time and I still need to show you where the store is!”

[waitineedaname]

oooooo maybe a davekat meetcute? idk ne specific meetcutes but the more embarassing the better

shoutout to @bandersnatchbandwidth for helping come up with this concept AND the wonderful cat names. I loved writing this lol

—

“Princess Diana!”

What the fuck.

“Princess Diana of Southern Texas, my sweet angel baby, come here.”

Why. Why couldn’t Karkat have normal neighbors.

He peered out his kitchen window, bewildered and groggy. It was way too early to have to listen to the virtual strangers in his nearby vicinity lose their minds. His window looked directly into his nextdoor neighbors backyard. Dave… something. They’d barely interacted since he’d moved in, nothing beyond nods of greeting if they run into each other outside or the occasional “hey the mailman gave me your mail by mistake” “oh hey sick dude, thanks.” But of course, thanks to Karkat’s spectacular luck, he was having to witness Dave wander around in his yard in a bathrobe and boxers and not much else. 

“C’mere, beautiful, lemme get you back inside where it’s safe.” Dave continued to coo. What the hell was he talking about? Karkat watched his half naked neighbor crouch down at something, and then watched a ball of white fluff bolt to the opposite corner of the yard. He practically felt Dave’s groan in his own chest.

“Princess Diana, I’m begging you.” Dave approached the bush where his cat was now hiding with caution. “Come on, you’re not meant to be outside. Come back inside where it’s safe. I just got you groomed and now you’re dirty, this is just uncalled for.” He squatted in front of the shrub and Karkat had to try not to laugh as how absurd he looked. The cat was so small, but she clearly had an attitude. “Let me take you inside and I’ll open up a can of wet food and we’ll get our brushing on and you can do that thing where you massage my legs all cute and basically shred me to bits. You’re not meant to be usin’ those claws for hunting out here, you only know clawing up my knee, so come on, c’mere darling. You like the sound of wet food, ri- oh for fucks sake, don’t go further away.”

Okay, this was getting kind of ridiculous. Karkat wasn’t sure what drew him onto his porch other than the fact that he just couldn’t watch this anymore.

“Hey.” Karkat called out. Dave jumped like he’d forgotten other people could see him outside acting like a lunatic. “Do you need help?”

“Oh, hey man.” The cooing voice had turned off and was replaced with false casualness. “Sorry if I woke you or something, it’s just my cat decided to make a fuckin’ run for it. I’ll get her, though, don’t worry about it.”

“Let me see what I can do.” Karkat said before he could think it through. He was already walking over to the fence, though, so it wasn’t like he could back out now. He somehow managed to climb over it without completely falling on his ass, and then he and the cat were behind the same bush. Princess Diana of Southern Texas stared at him like ‘how the fuck did you get here?’ but she didn’t give any more complaint than a single betrayed yowl when he scooped her up in his arms.

“Holy shit.” Dave whispered in awe. “Bro, she doesn’t even let me hold her, the fuck.”

“I have plenty of experience in picking up ornery cats, trust me.” Karkat scratched her under the chin, and she suddenly looked a lot less ornery as her golden eyes drooped shut in satisfaction. “Are you gonna get the door or what?”

“Oh, fuck, yeah.” Dave jogged ahead of him to the door and Karkat gently tossed the cat inside. Dave shut the door before she could make a run for it again. “Seriously, I owe you so much, dude. Where the fuck did you learn to wrangle cats like that?”

“Like I said, I have a lot of experience. If you counted the number of people she tolerates on your hands, the result would be one solitary middle finger.” Karkat demonstrated and was pleased when it startled a single solitary laugh out of his neighbor.

“Can I meet him?” Dave asked, and Karkat blinked at him. Dave immediately looked embarrassed. “Uh, after I get dressed, that is. Or not, sorry, I dunno why I asked.”

Karkat did the mental math and decided fuck it, his morning was already abnormal. “I can’t give any promises he’ll like you, but sure, I guess.”

“Cool. Be right back, dude.” Dave disappeared inside, leaving Karkat to stand on his back porch, questioning his life decisions.

Karkat eventually decided it was probably for the best if he got dressed too since he was still wearing the sweatpants and thin t-shirt he’d slept in. He’d only just managed to pull on a clean pair of jeans when Dave knocked at his door.

“Do you like pears?” Dave blurted out before Karkat could even greet him.

“The fuck.” Karkat stared at him blankly. “Uh, yeah, I guess I like pears?”

“Do you want some?” Dave held up a bag of pear, and Karkat continued to look bewildered. “It’s just- My friend Jade grows pears, and she offered me some and I was like ‘sure, why the hell not’ because I thought she’d give me, like, four maybe, but she gave me eighty-two pears, and I just. I have no fucking use for eighty-two pears. So I thought maybe you’d like some as, like, thanks for making sure my cat’s attempt to tap into her wild roots didn’t extend past our cute little suburban fence.”

“I don’t- You don’t have to pay me for saving your cat’s life! I was just being a good samaritan for once in my goddamn life! Maybe this will be the one thing to tip the karmic scales and get the universe to stop fucking me over, but you don’t-”

“Karkat.” Dave cut him off. Karkat was surprised he remembered his name. “I have eighty-two pears. This is more for my benefit than yours.”

Karkat heaved a great sigh and took the bag of pears. “Fine. You wanted to see TB - she’s on the couch.”

“TB?” Dave asked, peering over at the couch while Karkat led him inside.

“Trash Bag. My cat.”

“Doesn’t TB also stand for tuberculosis?”

“What’s your point.”

Dave huffed a laugh. “Where is she?” 

“Right here.” Karkat dropped the pears on the kitchen counter, then went to the couch to scoop up the gray lump of fur. Said gray lump of fur yowled like a diseased possum getting tossed around in a garbage truck. Dave gasped in barely restrained delight.

“Dude, I thought she was a throw pillow.”

“Sometimes she acts like one.” Karkat huffed, petting Trash Bag’s head. She’d started purring as soon as she realized it was him holding her, and drool was already starting to collect in the folds of her squashed face. 

“Can I pet her?”

“You can try.” Karkat held her out a little, and Dave extended a hand for her to sniff. Trash Bag turned amber eyes on him, immediately identified him as Not-Karkat, and fluffed up even more than she was naturally, a congested growl forming in her throat. 

“Yikes.” Dave pulled his hand away.

“Yeah, she’s like that.” Karkat pulled her back to his chest and she went back to her gloopy purring. 

“She sure likes you though.”

“There’s probably some sick irony that the cat that doesn’t like anyone likes the most unlikable person.” Karkat rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t resist cooing a little when TB licked his finger.

“I don’t think you’re unlikable.” Dave said. Karkat looked up and found him wearing a similar expression to when he asked if he could meet his cat: the look of someone whose mouth has a tendency to say things before his brain catches up.

“No fucking offense, but you don’t really know me.”

“I mean. Yeah, no, I don’t, but. I dunno, you seem like a cool dude?” Dave scratched at the curls at the back of his head. “I know I haven’t really been that neighborly, but I’m having some friends together this weekend, and uh. Well, we’re calling it a ‘barbecue’-” He said with gratuitous quotation marks, “But it’s more like a potluck where Jade dumps all her excess fruits and vegetables on my table and Jake declares he definitely knows how to grill better than we do - which he does, but that’s not saying much - and June brings a metric fuckton of weird snacks she impulse bought at an Asian grocery store. You can come? If you want? You don’t have to, but it could be fun, um. If you want. And if my friends get too overwhelming, you can always duck inside and hang out with my cats.”

Karkat considered the offer, surprised. Trash Bag grunted at him and he resumed scratching under her chin. “Yeah, fuck it, why not. I don’t have anything better to do.”

“Hell yeah. Just come over at like five on Saturday.” Dave bounced on his heels a little bit, fidgety. “Nice to meet you, Trash Bag.” She wheezed, and Dave huffed a short laugh. “See you later, man. Thanks for the help.”

“Don’t mention it. Keep Princess Diana inside more, alright?”

“I’ll do my best.” Dave gave him a half wave, then jogged down the front stairs and meandered to his house. 

Well. Karkat supposed he could have worse neighbors.

[queennicoleinboots]

Taco Mac with Colonel Mac, part 1

Colonel Mac and I were shopping at Kroger while we waited for Mr. Williamson and his wife, Jewel to join us. Joebear was playing League of Legends in the bear cave and swearing and growling at fellow players. Bruce the Ace of Brake-fixing and his wife, Megara were arguing about the next meeting of the Secret American Society of Sexually Frustrated Goats. Michael the Great Arc Angel and Paul the Goat were filling tax documents and trying to help the common man. Meanwhile, Colonel Mac and I ran into the Sexually-Frustrated Kool-Aid Man.

"Hey! Kool-Aid's here!" the Sexually-Frustrated Kool-Aid Man said as he was jacking off in the middle of the floral section.

"That's apparent," Colonel Mac said. His Southern accent is extremely funny to listen to. I would love to hear him recite the Gettysburg Address or sing the National Anthem.

"I'M SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED!!!" he yelled as he burst through the wall to leave Kroger.

I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

A random Karen who was wearing a NK-95 mask was walking briskly through the store with her basket of organic goods and shouting, "What an ignorant asshole! He wasn't wearing a mask!"

Colonel Mac just stared at her and blinked before he rode away from her. He stared straight ahead as we went to produce. Then he spoke, "She forgot to mention that breaking through six feet wide of drywall WAS why the Sexually-Frustrated Kool-Aid Man was ignorant. Not to mention yelling that he was sexually-frustrated added to his level of ignorance."

Colonel Mac had a great voice. He was correct.

"He must be a Republican," I said as I was looking through half-rotted produce. Fresh produce has stopped existing since the early twenty-tens.

"That is the ONLY way in which he is not ignorant!" Colonel Mac said as he put his bear finger in the air. Colonel Mac was a diehard Republican. He hated Jim Carrey. The only movie he liked Jim Carrey in was Liar Liar. He hoped Jim Carrey went back to Canada because he couldn't stand how democratic he was.

"Ugh!!! I hate buying produce. Every time I buy it, it just needs up in the garbage!" I said loudly in frustration. I gave up and bought the four organic vine tomatoes that were already packaged.

"IN YOUR GARBAGE!" the Grinch who happened to look like the one in the Jim Carrey movie in 2000.

Colonel Mac rode up to him and asked, "Are you a Democrat?"

"Why yyyyyeeeessss I am! Why do you ask?" the Grinch asked.

"Because you sound a helllll of a lot like Jim Carrey!" Colonel Mac said.

"Why yes. I'm related to him!" the Grinch shouted.

Colonel Mac backed away and started to help me look for some decent spinach.

"I'M HIS UNCLE'S COUSIN'S SISTER'S MOTHER'S BROTHER'S FATHER'S NIECE'S AUNT'S GRANDFATHER'S GRANDMOTHER'S DAUGHTER'S SON'S FORMER BUNK MATE IN THE GULF WAR!!!!" he shouted. Every mother fucker in the produce section looked at him.

"What does that make you?!" another Karen shouted.

"ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" he shouted before his laughter boomed throughout the store. Finally, something interesting happens in this place that doesn't involve fucking Peter Parker.

Peter Parker hates Kroger and going out during Covid-19. I'm convinced that he and his mother really are living underground and saying "Fuck the world." That's why I only see that asshole in the swamp every now and then.

"Ugh. More organic stuff. Are you a Karen?" Colonel Mac asked as he saw me put OrganicGirl Spinach in the cart.

"Yesssssssss! I am!" I hissed at him as I was trying to get out of the garden of rotted vegetables and fruits.

All of a sudden, Paul the Goat charged in the produce aisle and bleated loudly. "I can't take the government anymore! I can't take the conspiracy! And most of all, I will not stand for our poisoned food supply or KARENS!!!!" he shouted. "Hiyah!" He was quickly checking the produce and throwing the spongy, rotted fruit at the Karens in the store.

I hid my basket in a corner and started rolling on the floor laughing.

"NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL QUALITY CONTROL!" Colonel Mac yelled as he laughed and slapped his knee.

The Grinch yelled, "AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE!!!!" He then hobbled after the Karens to terrorize them.

The Karens were running for their lives.

Mr. Williamson and Jewel literally walked in the store before the Karens rushed to the cashiers to pay for their groceries. "Okay, time to go, Jewel. Let's come back later when all of this craziness isn't going on," he spoke as they turned around.

The Grinch was making all kinds of barking noises as he hobbled around every aisle to terrorize customers. Paul the Goat was bleating and throwing rotted produce like it was going out of style.

The manager of Kroger came out and started laughing out of shock.

"You should work here instead, Paul! You're great at quality control. Besides, this is more like Robin Hood than doing tax work!" I shouted in the midst of belly laughter.

Paul the Goat bleated. "I should! It's much better than my actual job. And more fun! Fuck rotted produce. And fuck Karens!" he said excitedly with another bleat.

The manager stumbled over to Paul the Goat while laughing. "You're hired as the head produce manager! Apparently, the current produce manager is a Karen."

Sure enough, the fat produce manager walked out with her brown hair right near her chin and wore ugly glasses over her blue eyes. She was the biggest Karen I ever saw. I wanted to fucking beat her with my cart.

Paul the Goat bleated loudly and sounded like a trumpet before he threw rotten peaches, rotten bell peppers, and rotted bags of green beans at her.

Smeagull hobbled in the store and was eating the rotted fruit on the floor. The Grinch came over and started eating it as well before he yelled, "IN YOUR GARBAGE!!!!" again.

"You have to pay for that!!!" the store manager yelled.

"MY PRECIOUS!!!!!" Smeagull shouted as he threw the ring at the store manager while he continued to eat.

The store manager put the ring on his finger before he took it off and put it with his keys to the store. "Thank you, Smeagull. You now can eat all the rotten produce you want for life!" (Pays to be a swamp golem.)

The Grinch hobbled over to the store manager before asking, "Are you hiring?" He then smiled with crooked, half-rotted teeth. Come to think of it, he looked like a typical Georgia swamp creature.

"Yes! Yes, I am," the store manager said. "We need a stock person and entertainer. Georgia is too fucking boring."

"I'm your guy. Let me eat the rotten fruit and meat that would end up in your garbage, and that will be all the payment I require," the Grinch said as he tapped his fingers on both hands together.

"You're hired!" the store manager exclaimed. (See? There are jobs if you don't mind eating rotted, poisonous processed food for the rest of your short life. Well, the Grinch is immortal, buuuutttt nobody seems to give a fuck about that right now.)

"FUCK! I FORGOT THE ONIONS!!!" I shouted.

Paul the Goat threw a rotted one at me. "Here you go. Damn Karen," he said.

"Thank you but no thank you," I said as I threw it at another Karen. "I'll try again at Publix."

"Can we at least buy the taco shells, taco seasonings, and the salsa here? Publix is expensive," Colonel Mac said.

"Agreed," I said.

So Colonel Mac and I went to look for the items before Joebear called me. I answered, "BAE WHUHHH!!!!"

Joebear growled his trademark growl before he said, "OH MY GOD GET IN THERE! FUCKING PUSSIES!!! This fucking team. Get the fuck out of here, dude." He was swearing at League of Legends.

"Bae Whuhhh! You don't know what I've been through today. I'm trying to get the fuck out of here," I said and laughed.

"This would be an easy win if people would stop being retarded," Joebear said.

"Yes, BAEWHUHH. But people are retarded. Smeagull and the Grinch get to eat rotted fruits and vegetables for life," I said.

Colonel Mac snickered in the background as he put Ortega taco shells and McCormick taco seasoning in the cart. At least he grabbed the Simple Truth medium salsa.

"The fuck is wrong with them?" Joebear asked.

"I don't know, bae!" I said.

Colonel Mac almost went to the check out line before he yelled "FUCK I FORGOT THE MACARONI AND CHEESE!"

"Get Simple Truth or Annie's!" I shouted at Colonel Mac.

Joebear sighed softly.

"We're making Taco Mac, Bae Whuh," I said.

Joebear's stomach growled in response.

Colonel Mac grabbed five boxes of macaroni and cheese and put them in the cart. Then we sat our fat asses six feet apart from the other customers/Karens in the store. The Karens had rotten vegetable/fruit guts in their hair and on their clothes. Paul the Goat was still throwing rotten fruits and vegetables at Karens. Smeagull hobbled out of the store with a bag of rotten meat.

The Grinch was singing Christmas Carols in the middle of July.

"DID YOU SEE THAT?!" Joebear shouted. His stomach growled.

"Yes Bae Whuhh. It was ridiculous. Christmas in July!" I shouted.

"GET THIS FUCKING BITCH!!!!" Joebear shouted before sighing.

Apparently Paul the Goat heard Joebear from where he was and threw a rotted lime at a baby boomer Karen. He missed and hit another Karen.

"Can we get her?!" Joebear asked. He was bitching about Jinx in League of Legends. "The fuck out of here!"

Colonel Mac and I checked out and got the fuck out of there.

The Sexually-Frustrated Kool-Aid Man was fucking the Hawaiian Punch Man in the parking lot when Colonel Mac and I were on our way to Publix.

At least Joebear's team killed an inhibitor and grew some fucking balls. It is a rough game for no reason. Diana went a fucked-up build from what Joebear was telling me. It was like his team was trying to make it hard.

Speaking of hard times, Colonel Mac's van wouldn't crank up. So, I had to take all the groceries in my van and run the AC while we waited for AAA. What a nightmare.

"They're going to fuck around with our jungle. Darius always charges after me. It's like UGHHHH!!!!! We went damage! AH HA!!! No wonder we're losing! The fuck out of here, dude! The fuck out of here, dude! Fuck you! Fuck you! No, fuck you! Get em Y! Get em Y! Get a kill for once!!! We're losing because of Xin. If he would have gone tank, we would have been fine. Go! GOGOGOGOGOGO!!! It doesn't matter just go! Why are we stopping? Look at all this fucking bullshit!!!" Joebear said and sighed as Colonel Mac was contacting AAA.

All right, next game. Next chapter. Next story.

[skycrystal23]

Artemis - The Best Single Aunt Around

Summary: Artemis Lian Crock is probably the best single Aunt around. At least she believes so because she doesn’t know any other woman who juggles  raising their niece, being a superhero, working as a social worker, and just trying to function being technically a mother and an adult. This is just a look into her crazy mommish life. 

Characters: Artemis Crock, Will Harper, Lian Harper, M’gann M’orzz, Wally West {mentioned}, Dick Grayson {mentioned}, Barbara Gordon {mentioned}

Warnings: None

Words: 1661

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

           Artemis Lian Crock was probably the most hardworking single Aunt she knew. Then again, she didn’t know many women her age that were juggling raising their niece, being a superhero, working as a social worker, and just trying to function being technically a mother and an adult. What Artemis has learned is that adulting is a lot of work. She’s glad she has Will, the Harper clone, to help out around the house and with Lian otherwise she would go insane. It was a Wednesday morning, seven to be exact, when her alarm went off signaling that she needed to wake up and start her day.

           She turned over and slammed her hand down on the alarm clock, a habit she hasn’t broken since her days as a teenager. Her sleepy gaze caught the framed picture of her and Wally from years ago before he…died. It took a few years, but she wasn’t overwhelmed with sadness when she thought or spoke about him. If anything, she would smile. Brucely was still curled up on the other side of the bed when she slipped out of the blankets and walked to her closet. If Wally was still here, he would be surprised that Artemis, the Artemis Crock, was a social worker. After he died the job just sort of fit. She has seen all the terrible things that children go through as a hero and she understands how it feels to grow up in an environment that isn’t the greatest for a child to grow up in.

           Her closet on one side was business attire and on the other was her everyday comfy clothes she would wear around the house or out to the store. There was a box on the top shelf to the left with the faded words ‘Wally’s Things’ scrawled in black marker. She had yet to open that box. She pulled on her usual attire, a blouse and dress pants with a pair of heels and headed out into the hallway. Will was already in there cooking breakfast with Lian already dressed and in her highchair. She took a seat and within seconds had a plate of pancakes and bacon on the table in front of her. Her grey eyes looked up to Will who was hurrying back to the stove to continue flipping pancakes.

           Artemis arched a curious brow at him. He was trying to butter her up and she didn’t know why. She began cutting her pancakes, flashing a sweet smile to Lian who watched her intently from her highchair. “So, I’m assuming there’s something you need me to do today.” She mused while shoving a piece of pancake in her mouth. He laughed nervously and looked over his shoulder at the blonde seated at the table. “Alright so I may or may not have accidentally scheduled a few meetings with big name clients today and forgot I had to pick up Lian from daycare so do you think you can do it?” He asked all in one breath.

“You do know I have like five-thousand things to do today right?”

“And now you’ll have five-thousand-one things to do today.”

           Artemis rolled her eyes just as Lian giggled. She turned her head to look at the child who looked so much like Will and sighed. How could she say no to an adorable face like that? “Fine, but you owe me.” She said scoffing down the rest of her breakfast and standing up. Before leaving she fixed herself up in the washroom and grabbed her workbag from the living room. Will had Lian at the front door with her little backpack strapped onto her back. Artemis placed her hands on her hips and looked down at her niece, “Ready to go little missy?” She asked with a smile.

“Yes!” Lian exclaimed reaching for her Aunt’s hand.

           As they left the house Artemis saw Will mouth ‘thank you’ to her from the front door as she strapped Lian into her car seat. There were many things Artemis had to do today so she was in super-Aunt mode. She dropped Lian off at daycare early and sped off to work in the heart of Star City. Hours past by as she slowly dealt with the piles of cases left on her desk and check-ups on children in their placements. She clocked out at six o’clock and headed straight over to the daycare to pick up Lian. “Alright we have 10 minutes to be at Megan’s house before we are considered late, do you think we can do that?” She asked as she headed to the car with Lian.

“Yes!” Lian exclaimed.

           They went through a nearby Zeta-tube and exited through the Zeta-tube in Megan and Connor’s garage. There was an array of motorcycles in the process of being fixed, tools messily thrown around the floor as she dodged them with Lian in her arms. The last thing she wanted was Lian to grab a greasy tool and get the grease all over her clothes. Everyone was already there confirming to her that she was indeed late to the annual dinner. Megan thought it was a good idea to have the old crew come over for dinner at least once a month, the dinner placement switching every month. Last month Dick took them all out to a fancy restaurant in Gotham, he said he didn’t know how to cook and that his apartment was embarrassing.

           She knew that was a fat lie because unlike everyone else she knew that Dick and Barbara were living together, and he just hasn’t told anyone yet that they were dating. Next month dinner would be hosted by Artemis, she was nervous because she only knew how to cook one meal and with Lian running around the house was bound to be a mess. “Artemis! Lian!” Megan shouted as she flew down from the deck and across the lawn to embrace her best friend.

“Hey Megan.” Artemis said, slightly stiff from the sudden hug.

           Dinner went by swimmingly, Lian being thoroughly entertained by her friends who cooed over her. She had to leave by eight o’clock which was earlier than she would’ve liked but Lian needed rest. She bid her friends farewell, probably seeing them another time this week for a mission anyways, and Zetaed back to Star City. When she reached her car and put Lian, who was fast asleep in her car seat she then remembered that she needed to go shopping. It was a relief to know that most stores were open until ten o’clock nowadays.

           The grocery store was practically dead when she arrived, carrying Lian with her. The three-year old was passed out in the car as Artemis leisurely strolled through the store grabbing the items, she had written down earlier in the week on her list. She hummed along to the music playing quietly through the store, a yawn escaping her lips as she stood at the cash register watching her items be scanned and bagged. She pulled into the driveway of her and Will’s home at nine-thirty. The sky had long gone dark as she carried Lian as well as the bags of groceries inside the house in one trip.

           Will was home in the kitchen making a sandwich, he was dressed in his work uniform. It looked like he had only arrived home a few minutes ago. “Good, you can put all these away.” She said dropping the bags on the floor in front of him with a smirk. He gaped at all of the different items she had brought home. “And when you’re putting them away put the eggs in the egg container in the fridge, don’t just slide the carton in.” She instructed while walking down the hallway. God, when had she become such a mom? Egg containers? She felt older than she actually was sometimes.

           Lian started to wake up while she was being dressed in her Wonder Woman pyjamas. She was a huge fan of Diana; she would always jump up and down when she saw her on television. “Can I have a story?” Lian asked when Artemis placed her underneath her blankets. Artemis glanced over at the clock on the bedside table and nodded kicking off her heels and climbing into the child’s bed. She sat on top of the blankets, ankles crossed, with Lian snuggling into her side. “This is a story about a stubborn archer and a foolish speedster…” she said softly.

           By the time she finished her story Lian was fast asleep next to her. Artemis smiled down at the little girl and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. A shadow past by the door, the figure backing up and peering into the room. Will’s smile was warm and endearing when he saw the two curled up together. Artemis was glad for her soft mattress when she landed face first into it when she dragged herself into her bedroom at the opposite end of the hallway. She set her alarm again for seven am to begin her day once again. Before closing her eyes, she stared at the picture of her and Wally again. “Goodnight Wally.” She whispered as she closed her eyes.

           Her phone buzzed around three in the morning. Both of her eyes popped open as she quickly sat up and looked at her phone. The bright screen was blinding as she read the messages from Dick. There was a mission and she needed to report to the WatchTower immediately. Her day had yet to end as she was beamed up to the WatchTower via the nearby Zeta-tube. “Tigress, B07.” The robotic voice announced. She stretched her arms and rolled her shoulders as she walked over to the group of heroes awaiting their debriefing. “I really am the best single Aunt around.” She mumbled to herself as she stood with the group.

And she was, she really was.

[muse539]

Here We Lie in the Shadows

Chapter Two: An Undisclosed Location

Read on Ao3 <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26168980/chapters/65884303#main">here</a>

...

The kitchen had a back door that led out into an alleyway. Staff were already silently guiding people outside.

Honestly, this place does have really great service.

“Where are we going?” Bellamy asked, once he and Clarke made it outside.

She shushed him before grabbing his hand once more, tugging him away from the restaurant and city center.

“No,” Bellamy tugged his hand free from Clarke’s. “I’m not going any further until you tell me who you are.”

Clarke grabbed Bellamy’s hand and began tugging once more. “My name is Clarke Griffin, and I work for the NSA. That’s all I can say right now, because if we stay here we’re both going to die. Come on! ”

Dumbfounded, Bellamy blindly followed.

An NSA agent? Why was she sitting with me then? Where is she taking me? Why did those people want to kill us?

Clarke and Bellamy ran through dilapidated alley after dilapidated alley. Some of the smells, the sourness of urine, the stench of weed, the warmth of rotting garbage, would surely linger on Bellamy’s clothes, something he didn’t relish.

Occasionally, Clarke and Bellamy would have to duck behind old wooden pallets or dumpsters to avoid being spotted by policemen or any people Clarke deemed suspicious. Bellamy still didn’t understand what was happening.

After 15 minutes of running, Clarke paused on a made road. “Come on.” She made a sudden left and pulled Bellamy into a thrift shop and walked directly up to a clerk.

“Sorry, Ma’am, we’re closed.” The clerk silently cursed the high schooler she’d hired for not locking the door before he left.

Clarke, wasting no time, pulled out her federal ID. “Ma’am, this is a matter of national security, we need to change our clothes. I apologize for the intrusion, but there is no time for debate.” Clarke pulled out a $50 bill and placed it onto the counter before turning away, pulling Bellamy towards the many clothing racks.

The clerk blanched and stumbled out: “Uh, yeah, go ahead.”

Clarke was already pressing clothes into Bellamy’s hands. “Go change.”

“Why do we need to change?” Clarke was already tearing off her dress and slouching into a large flannel. Bellamy tried his best not to stare.

“We can’t risk being followed, and I don’t know if the gunmen got a good look at us before we made it out. Change. ”

Wordlessly, Bellamy stripped off his suit coat and dress shirt and replaced them with a blue henley and soft leather jacket. He replaced his slacks with jeans while Clarke swapped her heels for more sensible sneakers.

Minutes later, they were back out on the street and running through Chicago’s alleyways. Eventually, Clarke hailed a cab.

“Calumet Park, and step on it.” She pressed a bill into the cab driver’s hand. His eyes widened.

“Uh, yeah, uh, right away, Ma’am.”

15 silent minutes later, the cab pulled to a stop in front of Calumet Park. The wheels had hardly stopped moving before Clarke threw open the door and set off into the park.

“What’s in the park?” Bellamy asked.

Clark grunted as she stumbled over some uneven pavement, Bellamy quickly grabbed her arm to hold her up. “Nothing, but if the cab driver gets questioned, he’ll say we went into the park.”

What the hell have I gotten myself into? Bellamy wondered as they walked through the park.

Eventually, they made it to the other side, and set off again down dilapidated streets. The city was dark now, but Clarke and Bellamy still found themselves avoiding streetlamps, trying, as best as they could, to disappear.

They found themselves in front of a rundown flower shop next to a Chinese restaurant. “Sandela’s,” the sign read. The windows were dark. Clarke walked up to the door and buzzed the intercom five times, first two quick buzzes, then three drawn out. There was a faint thud as the door unlocked. Clarke pulled open the door and entered, Bellamy following closely behind.

On the back wall, there was a large metal shelf, like the kind you’d find in a grocery store. Clarke reached behind the left edge of the shelf, and suddenly it swung out like a door, revealing a staircase.

“Woah.”

“Come on.”

Bellamy and Clarke ascended the staircase, which dead-ended into a door. Clarke knocked 5 more times, and the door swung open.

“Clarke, thank god!” A brunette woman threw her arms around Clarke, who returned the hug fiercely.

“Harper,” Clarke sighed.

“Miller and I were so worried when we heard Arcadia got blown up! We thought Echo finally got you! Is this Agent Blake?”

Both women turned to look at Bellamy. “Not quite,” Clarke said.

“Well, I suppose you both better get in here and explain, then,” a deep voice said, a man’s face appeared over Harper’s pale shoulder.

---

“Okay, so, let me make sure I’ve got this straight.” The man, Miller, said. “You show up to Arcadia, where Agent Blake said that they would be waiting for you. You get seated with this guy-”

“Bellamy.”

“Right, Bellamy. So you get seated with Bellamy, who somehow knows the answer to your code conversation-”

“I’m a history professor, of course I know the Roman emperors!”

“Yeah, sure, but that specific Roman emperor? Out of all of them? I mean, what are the odds!”

The apartment was nice, if sparse. Outdated wood paneling covered the wall behind the stained couch. There was a small kitchenette around the corner from the front door. A door to a small bathroom was beside the couch, and next to that there was a modest bedroom, complete with a set of bunk beds.

Bellamy frowned at the conversation.

“That’s besides the point.  Where is the actual Agent Blake?” Harper asked, taking a seat next to Miller after pressing granola bars into Clarke and Bellamy’s hands.

Bellamy thought they were a little dry.

Clarke threw her hands up. “I wish I knew!”

“I think I might know who you were looking for.”

Clarke turned to Bellamy. “ What? ”

He put his hands up in a placating manner. “I still don’t know for sure, but the only other person I can think of who would fit all of the criteria you knew about would be my sister. But she’s a-” he used air quotes, “‘social media influencer,’ not a CIA agent!”

“A lot of special agents hide their jobs from family and friends, it’s probably not as far of a stretch as you think… And with social media as her cover, it would be pretty easy to justify all of the travel she would have to do,” Harper explained.

“What’s your sister’s name,” Clarke demanded.

“Octavia.”

“Like Augustus’s sister, which you said when I asked you.” She sighed.

“Yeah, I’m the one who named her.”

Miller snorted. “Nerd.” Harper smacked his arm.

“Have you been in contact with Octavia recently?” Clarke asked.

Bellamy sighed and began picking at his fingernails. “No. She and I don’t exactly see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. She thinks I’m overbearing, I think she’s immature, things like that.”

“Could you call her now?”

“Uh, yeah-” Bellamy fumbled in his pocket for his phone, discarding the granola bar on the coffee table. “Sure.” He dialed, and it rang, but went to voicemail, as always. “Hey, O. So, this is a little hard to explain, but I’m with some NSA agents right now, and I think they might be looking for you. So if you could, ah, call me back, that would be great. And while you’re at it, maybe explain what the hell is going on?” He ended the call.

“Well,” Miller sighed. “Best we can do now is wait.”

“No it isn’t. Agent Blake - Octavia - told me that if for some reason she couldn’t make it, she would leave instructions hidden at Arcadia.”

Harper frowned at Clarke. “So she’d leave instructions, but not, oh, you know, hang around long enough to tell you to your face?”

Bellamy snorted. “That sounds like Octavia.”

“She must have gotten called away for some reason.” Clarke sighed. “It’s probably for the best, or Echo may have gotten both of us.”

Frowning, Bellamy asked, “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned that. What’s Echo?”

Miller leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “Not what, who. Echo is an assassin.”

Eyes wide, Bellamy turned to Clarke, “You have an assassin after you? Why?”

“For knowing things I shouldn't.”

“Care to elaborate on that?”

Clarke stares Bellamy down for a few seconds, thinking it over. Harper leaned in her direction. “You might as well. He’s involved now.”

“Yeah, there’s no going back now,” Miller added. “Not after Arcadia.”

Clarke sighed, breaking eye contact with Bellamy to send her friends a small smile. “You’re right.” She turned back to Bellamy. “You know the president?”

“Wallace? Yeah, why?”

“Do you like him?”

“Not particularly. I’m still not really sure how he won, what with Jaha winning the popular vote.”

Bellamy always had a bad feeling about President Cage Wallace. He rubbed Bellamy the wrong way, in ways that Bellamy simply couldn’t explain. Bellamy supposed it wasn’t Wallace’s fault that he had Resting Evil Face, though Bellamy didn’t exactly love Wallace’s politics either.

“That’s the problem.” Clarke sighed. “He didn’t win. Too many things didn’t add up, so Miller, Harper, and I looked into it, and we uncovered things that Cage wanted to stay buried.”

The mood in the room turned somber. Bellamy could only imagine the anxiety, the fear of suspecting something and having it be true. “How did you guys know?”

A grumble from Miller, “We uncovered an email record between Cage and Diana Sydney.”

Bellamy frowned. “The head of Azgeda? I thought they hated the government.”

“They do.” Clarke sighed again, heavy. “But with Cage on their side, now they have the power. Cage promised them he would follow their lead if they got him elected, so Azgeda rigged the election.”

“Seriously?”

Harper piped up, “Well, officially, we don’t know. But we strongly suspect, based off of, you know, the assassin that’s been sent after us. The CIA has been looking into the situation as well, and Agent Blake was supposed to give Clarke the information we needed to confirm our suspicions, and, well-”

“Octavia wasn’t there.”

Harper nodded.

Eyes wide, Bellamy put his head in his hands. “Is my sister in danger?” He murmured.

Clarke placed a comforting hand onto Bellamy’s shoulder. “I don’t know. Maybe. And maybe that’s why she didn’t show tonight. But I know how we can find out.”

“How?” Miller asked.

“She was supposed to leave a note at Arcadia, remember?”

“Yeah, but Echo shot up the place. Not much time to leave a note during that.”

Harper interjected, “No, but if she was around Arcadia earlier in the day…?”

“Exactly,” Clarke nodded. “I’m hoping she was able to get to Arcadia and leave instructions before I ever got there, so she wasn’t seen.”

Bellamy lifted his head. “Even if she did, that doesn’t mean much now. The place is in ruins, and people would be suspicious if they saw you rummaging around.”

Clarke’s shoulder lifted and fell. “It’s our only choice.”

---

“This is a terrible idea!” Bellamy’s harsh whisper cut through the tense silence he and Clarke were sitting in.

“It’s our only choice, Bellamy.” She began to move towards Arcadia’s ruined doorway, taking care to stay away from any prying eyes.

“You know what? I have that phrase. It’s an oxymoron and I hate it and you’re going to get us killed. Why am I even here? It’s not like I-”

“ Please shut up.”

Bellamy grumbled, but did as she asked.

Slowly, they picked their way closer to the building. There was police tape sectioning off the ruined façade from the street, not that it made much of a difference. Any passersby could easily slip inside, with the lack of surveillance.

As they got closer, their silent footsteps were slowly replaced with ones punctuated by glass cracking and rubbing against stone. Clarke didn’t move any further than the doorway before she started gently rifling through the displaced stone.

“The note is out here?” Bellamy asked.

“I don’t know.” Clarke sighed, and sat back on her haunches. “But I can’t imagine Octavia made it inside. Then she’d have that overbearing host to contend with.”

Bellamy frowned. “I thought their service was magnificent.” Clarke silenced him with a glare. He grunted and began helping Clarke look through the rocks.

Several minutes passed. “I’m not sure there’s anything here, Clarke, it’s just a bunch of-”

“Found it!”

“I stand corrected.” Bellamy walked over to where Clarke was kneeling next to a large stone pot. She has pushed it aside, revealing a folded piece of paper wedged between the bottom of the façade and the sidewalk. Clarke used her keys to scrape it out.

“‘Dock 52 - AB,’” Clarke read. She turned to Bellamy. “Any idea what that means? She’s your sister.”

“I mean, Octavia lives in LA most of the time, so maybe it’s a place near the beach?”

“That makes sense - let’s go.” Clarke began to move away from the ruined building.

“Woah, wait-” Bellamy grabbed her arm, Clarke stared at his hand until he released her. “Just like that? You’re ready to go to LA based on a hunch?”

Clarke pressed her hands to her eyes. “I don’t exactly have another choice, Bellamy! I need the information that Octavia has, otherwise we don’t have a case against Wallace! Does he seem like the kind of man to leave office peacefully, just because he was asked? He has already sent an assassin after me that’s crazy enough to blow up a restaurant-” she threw a hand towards the rubble around them, “-full of innocents, even though I don’t even have any substantial evidence against him!”

Bellamy remained silent, stunned. Clarke’s eyes softened slightly. “Look, I’m sorry you got dragged into this. I’m sure you had other plans. But you’ve been seen with me. Echo probably thinks you’re a contact, so now she’s hunting you, too.”

Bellamy sucked in a breath. I am so far out of my element. “Okay. So what do we do?”

“For now, we go back and tell Harper and Miller what we found. Then we split for LA.” Clarke began walking once again. Bellamy followed her.

“Before we do that, I have one request.”

Clarke stared at Bellamy out of the corner of her eye and sighed. “What? We don’t exactly have time to waste.”

---

“Clarke, this is Archimedes.” Bellamy held up the fat tabby.

Clarke first stared at the cat, then dragged her eyes to Bellamy’s face. “You have a cat. And you named it Archimedes? God, you really are a nerd.”

“ History professor.”

“Nerd.”

Bellamy sighed. “Whatever. Just let me grab some clothes and take Archimedes to Mrs. Acton’s place, then we can leave.”

Bellamy’s apartment was a modest one-bedroom. He kept his decorations simple, Clarke supposed, if present at all. The walls were noticeably bare, with the exception of what looked like a family picture next to what Clarke presumed was the bedroom door.

Clarke examined it. In the photo, a younger version of Bellamy stood next to an attractive brunette, whose arm was around another man. Bellamy was smiling, but it looked strained. They were in front of a Christmas tree. “Is this Octavia?”

Bellamy resurfaced from his room, duffel slung over his shoulder and cat food in his arms, to find Clarke with her nose almost pressed against the photo. “Yeah. And that’s her husband, Lincoln.”

“Ah, is that why you look like you’re in pain? You don’t like the guy?”

Bellamy huffed. “No. I mean, I wish she hadn’t married a guy twice her age, but Lincoln is a good guy. No, O and I just tend not to get along. That was the day she told me that she was moving.”

“Hmmm,” was Clarke’s only response. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah, just let me grab Archimedes.”

“Is there a reason you can’t just ask your neighbor to come and feed him? We really are in a hurry, and they likely know we’ve been here. We shouldn’t have come.”

Bellamy sighed. “Mrs. Acton is 93 and deaf, Clarke, and she doesn’t have a key. Layoff. And some of us don’t have clothes stashed in safe houses. If I’m going to run across the entire country after my sister, I’m doing it in my own underwear, as nice as Miller is to offer.”

Clarke snorted. Who is this guy? “Fine. Let’s go.”

After dropping Bellamy’s cat off with his neighbor- “Of course Bellamy! I’d love the company. No, no, put your money away.”- they were finally off. Clarke felt like she hadn’t taken a breath until she was pulling away from the curb in her newly-acquired rental. Bellamy felt similarly, though that was mainly due to the tension that was rolling off of Clarke in waves.

The sun had just begun to set as they pulled onto the highway. Bellamy had so many questions he wanted to ask Clarke, but something in her expression silenced him. When Clarke didn’t offer any conversation herself, Bellamy soon drifted off. It had been a long day, Bellamy reasoned. And if Clarke wasn’t going to talk, then Bellamy was going to sleep while he had the chance.

Clarke looked over when Bellamy’s head lolled forward. His mouth was slightly open, and his breaths came out in short puffs from his nose. In the darkness of the car and the slowly setting sun, Clarke smiled, just slightly.

...

I hope you guys liked it!

[elisaphoenix13]

Attack Of The...Fruit?

Stephen scrutinizes the apples in front of him while Valerie grabs the edge of the stand to peek at the abundance of fruit and vegetables while simultaneously sticking close to his leg. She was always easy to shop with since he didn't have to worry about her wandering off, and he loved seeing the curiosity fill her big blue eyes. Sometimes she helped pick out the produce, and other times she was content to just watch her mother do it himself. The rest of the kids, including Cassie, were wandering around the rest of the store to help grab what was on the list or to make a sad attempt at putting their choice junk food in the cart with their haul.

"...Mom?" William says softly from the other side of the stand.

"Hmm?" Stephen acknowledges as he grabs a couple of decent apples.

"Can we get more strawberries?" The teen asks carefully.

The fact that William was even asking for something made Stephen happy. It was a big step from what the twins were like when they first moved in, and Stephen and Tony had to take baby steps with them. They were a little forceful about things the twins needed, but things they wanted? They started taking Harley and Peter along on their shopping trips because those two always asked for at least one thing. The twins had seen that even if they were told no, it was said gently and Stephen sent them off to go put whatever it was back. It also helped that Peter had been in their shoes once upon a time. While he wasn't between foster homes or out on the streets, he still didn't like asking for things unless he needed them.

He even explained it to Thomas and William.

"Of course. Why don't you grab some whipped cream to go with it?" Stephen nods toward the back.

William lights up and walks off to retrieve a can of whipped cream after placing a container of strawberries into the basket. It was during this that Valerie gently tugged on Stephen's pant leg and pointed toward a shorter stand with mangoes piled on top of it. They must have been in season if they were on sale.

"Mama...fwuit?" The baby asks softly.

"Do you want to try one?" He asks and smiles when she nods. "Alright. Go ahead and grab one."

Valerie looks between him and the stand uncertainly and when he makes no movement, she walks the few feet over to the stand. She was always nervous to leave his side, but she was slowly starting to detach from it willingly. It always made Stephen want to gather her up in his arms and firmly reattach her to him, in the metaphorical (and somewhat literal) sense. She was his baby and he wasn't sure if he was ready for her to grow up yet.

He watches as his youngest daughter looks at the pile of mangoes with a calculating gaze, and then reaches up to grab one. She was very smart for her age and knew what fruit she could grab without sending the rest tumbling to the ground, and did just that before walking back to Stephen to hold it up to him. The sorcerer takes it with a smile and puts it in the cart, chuckling when she gently grips onto Athena's fur.

The wolf was so well behaved in public settings like this, that they were able to get away with making her a service animal. Tony had her licensed and even got her a vest for outings like this. And her being a service animal wasn't a total lie either. She helped with Valerie. If she were to ever get seperated from the family, Athena was to either find a safe place for her to wait for someone to find her, or she would follow a familiar scent to find a family or team member. It depended on the location and amount of people, and fortunately nothing had happened yet.

Athena was almost just as attached to Stephen as Valerie was. It made it easier for the baby to stay close when she wanted to walk since Stephen was a bit too tall for her to hold onto his belt loops.

"Good job." He praises and makes his way to the cereal aisle.

There was where William rejoined them with a can of whipped cream which he promptly put into the basket, and then Peter with his armful of list items. And of course the bag of Doritos he thought he cleverly hid. Stephen gave him a knowing look so that the teen was aware that he had noticed, but didn't say anything. Every once in a while he let the boys get away with a snack of their choosing. Today was one of those days.

A small gust of wind blows past the sorcerer and he huffs fondly. "Thomas, what have I told you about running indoors?"

"Sorry! But they have white cheddar Cheez-Its on sale!" The older twin says excitedly and Stephen rolls his eyes.

"As much as we appreciate that you're trying to save money, we don't notice when we save fifty cents. You can get those whether they're on sale or not." Stephen reminds him.

Thomas sighs. "I know. It's a habit."

"There's nothing wrong with that, but I don't want you to worry about money, okay?" Stephen assures the twins and Harley cackles as he joins them with Cassie and Diana.

"Yeah, Dad sneezes out money. Probably wipes--"

Stephen clears his throat, and while Harley didn't finish his sentence, he still grinned. He and the girls put their haul of groceries and chosen snacks in the cart, and after Stephen tells them all to choose a box of cereal, they take the cart up front and check out. Cassie was really only along to help and get herself some snacks since she had gone shopping with her parents earlier in the week. Once everything was bought, everyone grabbed some bags and walked outside where Stephen opened a portal in a secluded corner and they all went through.

Bags were placed on the counter and table, and Athena laid in her usual spot next to the counter after Peter helped take off her harness. While the kids put away the groceries, Valerie finds her mango and holds it up for Stephen. He takes it and washes it before asking Harley to cut it for her and places her in her highchair while they wait.

When there's a small jingling noise, the sorcerer looks down, expecting Tibbs to be at his feet waiting for treats...but he watched Flynn dash into the kitchen instead. He zooms around in his excitement, and then stops very briefly to show the black collar around his neck. Cassie makes a noise between a laugh and a sigh when the fox starts zooming around the floor again.

"Papa got him a collar this morning. Flynn's...very excited and proud about it." She explains as the celestial himself walks past the kitchen toward the living room with Scott.

"The little shit needed one. He goes everywhere with me when he can and one of these days he's going to get lost." Quill grumbles.

Flynn yips happily and runs after the god to climb up his leg and up to his shoulders, not even breaking Quill's stride to the living room. Stephen wasn't even surprised how well they were synced to each other, or in this case, how well Flynn was synced to Quill. The tiny bell on the collar with the fox's tags was probably for everyone's safety since Flynn was notorious for coming out of nowhere and tripping people up around Quill.

"Here you go, Val." Harley says as he places some pieces of mango on the tray in front of her.

"Tank you." She says softly before picking up a piece and eating it.

Stephen helped with the rest of the groceries and sent the other kids off with their snacks to do as they pleased. Only William sat at the table, which currently held the jigsaw puzzle he and the younger twin were slowly working on. It was supposed to be a picture of a Japanese garden when they finished but so far all they got finished was the border and the koi pond. It was a three thousand piece puzzle that would take them some time to complete since they hadn't sat down with it since the day they started it. They usually put a couple pieces together before moving on when they couldn't sit down, but it was their thing. A way to spend time together.

As Stephen puts together some cheese and crackers for Diana (as requested), he hears a whine of discomfort. He looks over at Valerie and William and finds the teen looking at the baby in shock and opening his mouth.

"Mom!" He finally says, and points to Valerie when he sees that Stephen is looking at him.

"What's wrong?" He asks in concern, rounding the counter to walk over and look at the baby.

William didn't need to answer. Stephen saw immediately what had worried the boy, and it sent a spike of panic through him very briefly. Valerie's face, neck, and arms were covered in red splotches that obviously itched if the baby scratching was indication. Stephen reaches out to pick her up, and looks at William as he points to the tray still holding a few pieces of mango.

"Wash and sanitize that thoroughly, please. Scott! Can you go get the Benadryl from the medicine cabinet?" Stephen calls out.

"Uh...sure." Was the thief's reply. He must have heard the urgency in the sorcerer's voice because it barely took him a minute to get the medicine to Stephen and see why it was needed. "Oh man. What was it?"

"Mangoes. She's never had them before." Stephen answers and takes the small cup once Scott measures out a small dose.

"She gonna be okay?" He asks.

"This seems to be her only reaction. She'll be uncomfortable for a little bit but she'll be fine."

Stephen helps Valerie drink the medicine, and she curls against him with a whine when she finishes. While Scott returns the medicine, the sorcerer gently rubs her back and hushes her gently in an attempt to soothe her. William had not only cleaned up the tray, but the rest of the chair as well, even if it was all overkill. As a distraction, Stephen sits at the table with her and works on the puzzle with William after asking Cassie to finish making Diana's snack, and it was about an hour later when Tony got home from half a day of meetings.

It didn't take him long to notice the baby's condition when he approached Stephen to give him a greeting kiss. "Povero topolina," he murmurs and kisses the top of her head.

"Mangoes." Stephen answers his husband's unanswered, forming question. "We'll have to monitor some of her food."

Tony nods. "Friday, add mangoes to the baby's allergy list please."

"Yes Boss."

They had lists for every kid in case of emergencies, sleepovers, for doctors, or however else they might need them. Mint was added to Peter's list when Tony came up with the idea, and now all they had to do was ask Friday to add to the lists when needed. She even scanned for the allergens when products were in full view. Sometimes things were overlooked. It definitely kept Peter from living in the bathroom a few times.

"She's falling asleep." Tony says quietly and Stephen nods as he places a piece of the puzzle correctly.

"I gave her Benadryl. It will help her sleep through the worst of it and treat the reaction."

"Want me to take her up to bed?"

"No. It's alright. Thank you." Stephen answers softly.

Tony nods. "Let me know if you change your mind."

Fortunately, Valerie was fine by the next afternoon after Stephen gave her a second dose before bed. The problem was that she didn't understand why she couldn't have the rest of her mango. She enjoyed it, but Stephen had told her no and it broke his heart to see her crestfallen expression when he explained that it made her sick. Valerie seemed to understand to an extent and was happy to eat some of William's strawberries as an alternative. She certainly enjoyed letting the boy spray a little bit of whipped cream in her mouth.

Strawberries and cream were something William only shared with Stephen and Valerie. And to the doctor's amusement, Harley. If Thomas, Peter, or Cassie tried to take some, William would grab the bowl and turn away with it with an impish smile.

"Berry!" Valerie demands, and Stephen watches as William turns away from the puzzle they were sitting down for again, and feeds the baby a small piece of strawberry.

Cassie had Diana, and now William had Valerie. Stephen wasn't complaining. At least not right now.

He might have an issue with it when it starts the separation process from Stephen.

[hateswifi]

Rising from the Ashes: Of Revelations and Mistakes

So this is Part Eight here is to my Master List and Part Seven.

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

She got up the next day and went to work for the half-day of work. Diana only opens the boutique from seven to one. Marinette also asked her to stay after the store's closing to work on some design because she needs to borrow the sewing machine. She drew an off the shoulder ribbed sky blue long sleeve shirt, she sewed high waisted ripped black jeans. Diana had stayed back to check out her work and close up after she was done. She loved the outfit it was simple but nice. Luka's solo had inspired her to make the outfit and she couldn't wait to show him.

When she finished cleaning up and showing off her outfit it was three-thirty. She headed to the grocery store to pick up stuff to make Chicken Cordon Bleu Skillet. She needs to buy penne, butter, garlic, heavy cream, ham, parmesan, and chicken. Her mama used to make it for her when she was young and she hasn't had it in forever.

After she was almost done cooking, she heard a knock at the door. She answered it and saw her prince. She smiles while saying. "Hello, Prince, come on in, foods almost finished baking, only five minutes left."

"Hey, Angel," he said, kissing her cheek. "I love your outfit. Is it new?"

"Yes, I made it after work. Would you be able to set the table?" Marinette asked, holding out two plates with forks on top.

"It would be my pleasure," Damian said taking the plates then placed them. "So what inspired you to make the outfit, was it Nightwing?"

"No, it wasn't Nightwing. I watched Luka play yesterday, he won the best guitar solo," Marinette called over her shoulder as she opened the oven, taking out the skillet.

"Luka is the bluenette, a bit older than the rest of your friends, and is in a band, right?" Damian asked, looking for cups in her cabinet.

"Yes. I'm surprised you remember that" she said, putting the skillet on the table. "He played at Uncle Jagged's competition with his band and by himself yesterday. He won the best guitar solo."

"That's great," Damian said, pulling out her seat.

"Thank you, such a gentleman, prince," Marinette said, serving both of them. "Bon Appetit."

"This is delicious. Where'd you learn how to cook?" Damian asks taking another bite.

"This is the meal my mother made me when I was young. I haven't had it in forever and I wanted to give you a taste from something of my childhood," Marinette explained. They chat as they eat. When they're done eating they clean-up which ends up in a water fight after Marinette flicked water onto him as he was drying dishes.

Damian won the water battle or so he thought. He had caught her in between the sink and himself. She leaned up and kissed him, he thought he had the victory in the bag until she broke the kiss with a splash and a giggle.

"I win," She says, bopping his nose. She then walks into the living area and sits down on the couch saying. "Want to watch a movie?"

"What do you have?" Damian asked, sitting down beside her.

"My friend gave me Tangled before I left, would you like to watch it?" Marinette said, snuggling into his embrace.

"I've never seen it before," Damian said.

"Well we were making jokes about Rapunzel being Adrien due to his blonde hair and being held practically as a prisoner in his house by Gabe," Marinette said, turning on the movie.

Halfway through the movie, they both fell asleep on the couch. Marinette's alarm went off the next morning, but she didn't hear it. She didn't wake up till twenty minutes later when Damian's alarm went off. They woke up in a confused blushing mess.

"I guess we fell asleep," Damian yawned, stretching.

Marinette checked the time cursing. "Crap, I'm almost late for work."

"Would you like me to drive you?" Damian said standing up and grabbing his keys.

"That would be wonderful. I just have to get change real quick," Marinette said, walking down the hall. She throws on one of her older Jagged Stone shirts, which was worn by Uncle Jagged, ripped jeans and converse. She put her hair up in two small buns on her head.

She runs downstairs and jumps into Damian's waiting cars. Marinette smiles. "Thank you so much for the ride."

"Thank you so much for dinner last night," Damian said, driving the car. When they got there Damian got out of the car quickly and opened the door for her. She then opened the boutique door for her.

"Hi, Diana, sorry I'm late. I woke up late because we fell asleep watching a movie," Marinette said, walking to the back to put her stuff down.

"Hi Diana, it's been a while. How have you been?" Damian asks.

"Pretty good. Life has been easier since my little spot has entered my life," Diana said, sweeping the floor.

"Life has been brighter since my Angel has entered my life. Thank you for sending her to do my measurement," Damian said, with a smitten smile.

"What do you need me to do?" Marinette asked, emerging from the back.

"Well, the suits you took measurements for are done, why don't you go with Damian to tailor them?" Diana asks.

"I have a class right now and my brothers have work. Marinette, can I pick you up after work so you can tailor the suits?" Damian asks.

"That would be more efficient anyway. We have a couple of clients coming in today to get measurements and maybe an original design," Diana said, checking her agenda.

"Ok, Prince, I'll see you after work," Marinette said, going on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"Bye, Angel," Damian said, leaving the boutique.

"So what happened to being no one's girlfriend?" Diana teased with a smirk.

"Well Damian is just so sweet and he asked me out on Friday," Marinette recalled with a smile and butterflies in her stomach.

"You got one of the coldest people in the city to be your boyfriend and you've only been here for a week," Diana said, picking up the dust in a dustpan. "I like your shirt, but I don't recognize the artist."

"My Uncle Jagged, well-adopted uncle, he is popular in France and Western America. He gave this to me because he wanted me to fix a hole. I left it in Chloe's room for when he would be back in Paris but he didn't come back in time. I did design some of his merchandise, including this one."

"Well, that is lovely. Oh! I almost forgot to tell a customer came early this morning, she had seen you leaving in your outfit and she asked where she could find the outfit. I told her to come back later to talk to you," Diana said, excitedly.

"That's awesome!" Marinette said, folding a shirt. They work on little things until a woman walks in. "Hello welcome to Lucky Spot, I'm Marinette, how can I help?"

"Were you the one wearing that beautiful blue off the shoulder shirt yesterday?" the small redhead asked, looking Marinette up and down.

"Yes, I made it before I left the store. My friend, Luka, inspired me. So what's up?" Marinette said, stepping out from the counter.

"Could you design an outfit for my bridal shower?" she asks.

"Come to the back and I'll take your measurements and you can tell me what you're looking for," Marinette says, beckoning the woman to follow her to the back. They talk and the red-head woman, who was named Scarlette, told Marinette a blue shirt and white skirt. Marinette finished taking the measurements, she started drawing out the design.

"I'll this done at the end of the week and I'll text you the price tomorrow," Marinette said, leading Scarlette from the back. "Have a good day, I'll keep you updated."

"Thank you, Nette, have a good day," Scarlette said, leaving the shop.

"So, it sounds like that went well," Diana said, waving goodbye to a customer.

"It went so well! I want to talk to you about the money. I'll give you a cut of it," Marinette said. "I'll pay you for the material and a bit extra."

"That sounds great. So for this upcoming week, we are closed for the day before Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, and Christmas," Diana said, closing her agenda. "Also I just bought a new sewing machine. I want you to take the sewing machine from the back as a Christmas gift."

"Seriously! Thank you so much!" Marinette exclaimed, hugging Diana. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything."

"Don't worry about it you're starting your new life here in America," Diana said, breaking the hug.

The rest of the day was uneventful. At the end of the day, Marinette packed up the sewing machine and grabbed the completed suits she needs to tailor. When she was done taking the needed materials for Scarlette's outfit, a car was waiting outside, presumably to take her to the manor. Damian got out of the back and opened the door.

"Hey, Angel, I'll grab this if you open the trunk," Damian said, taking the stuff. She opened the trunk and then got in the back of the car.

"Hey, Alfred, how have you been?" Marinette asked, buckling her seat belt. Damian slid in the seat next to her, closed the door, and buckled.

"Pretty good, Miss Marinette. I'm going to make dinner when we arrive at the manor, so we can all eat when the suits are finished," Alfred explained, pulling out into the street and traffic.

"How was your day, Angel," Damian said, holding her hand.

"It was good, someone saw my outfit yesterday and commissioned me to make her a bridal shower outfit," Marinette said with a smile.

"I'm so proud of you," Damian said, kissing her head.

"Thank you, Prince," Marinette said, hugging him.

"Angel, would you join us for Christmas?" Damian asked, kissing her hand.

"I... I would love that. I thought I was going to be alone," Marinette said, tears forming in her eyes.

"Yes, Angel I would love to spend Christmas with you. Please never cry again," he said, wiping her tears.

"Thank you so much. You are a prince," Marinette said, hiding into his shoulder.

"We've arrived Master Damian, Miss Marinette," Alfred said, pressing the button to open the gate. When they park Damian opens the car door and the manor door for her.

"Sunshine! I didn't know you were coming today," Dick screamed, looking down on them from the stairs.

"I was asked to tailor the suits to make sure they fit fine. What are you guys wearing these for?" Marinette asked, holding them up.

"I'll go get the rest of the young masters," Alfred said, walking down the hall.

"Can I go first?" Dick asks, running downstairs three stairs at a time.

"I guess," Marinette said, turning to Damian. "Prince, you coming?"

"I'll join you in a minute. I'm going to wait for my brothers," Damian said, kissing her hand.

"Ooooh! Prince! I prefer Demon Spawn," Dick teases as Marinette blushes. She slaps his arm and starts to walk down the hall. "Wait, you don't know where you're going!" he called after her."

"Then show me. I have to get these done," Marinette says, pausing her walking.

"Follow me. Damian we're going to be in the parlor," Dick called back over his shoulder. "So you're dating the Ice Prince."

"I don't know how he got that name, but he isn't as mean as people said. He's so sweet, kind, and such a gentleman," Marinette said, reminiscing of their time together, a smitten smile spreading across her face.

"Awww! You like him a lot!" Dick cooed, opening the door to the parlor.

"He is my boyfriend. Would you get changed quickly so I can tailor your suit," Marinette said, handing him his suit. He left to get changed.

"Did I hear that right?" Jason exclaimed, bursting through the door. He hugged her and spun her in a circle. "You, an actual angel, is dating Demon Spawn?"

"Put me down," She giggles. Once she was safely on the ground, she confirmed what he had said.

"I'm happy for you guys," Tim said. sitting down on the couch.

"That is quite exciting," Bruce says, opening the door.

"Father, this is my girlfriend, Marinette," Damian said, introducing them. "Marinette this is my father, Bruce."

"Hell, Mr. Wayne, it's a pleasure to meet you," Marinette said, sticking out a hand.

"Hello, Marinette, please just call me Bruce," He responded, shaking her hand.

"Ok, I'm ready," Dick says, entering the room again. "Hey, Bruce. Can you believe that Demon Spawn got a girlfriend."

"I had faith in him," Bruce said, he then left the room.

"Ok, Dick stand over there and the person going next please go get changed. Dick, is there any place that is to lose?"

"Could you make the biceps a bit tighter along with the ankles," Dick asks, holding out his arms.

She starts working immediately and she finishes what he asks quickly and precisely. Jason goes next, he asked for the shoulder to be a bit tighter, which she completed. Half-way through Tim's fitting, a bang from the door interrupted her.

"Oh my gosh! Jason wasn't lying!" a boy with black hair, and blue eyes burst in. He was wearing a red hoodie, ripped blue jeans, and red converse. He also was wearing black glasses. "I'm Jon Kent!"

"Who?" Marinette asked, standing up.

"I'm Jon Kent, Damian's best friend, and I'm disappointed he didn't bother to tell me he got a girlfriend," Jon said, plopping down on the couch next to Damian.

"My friends are in a different country and I already told them! Do best friends have different traditions in America?" Marinette asked, sitting down on the other side of Damian.

"No," Damian said, pinching his nose. "It's just I knew he would pester me."

"Aww, I knew you loved me!" Jon said.

"Well, I have to get back to tailoring. Damian, please go get in your suit," Marinette said, sewing the last bit of Tim's sleeve. When she was done with Tim's fitting, Damian walked in his suit. She blushes seeing him all dressed up.

"Angel, like what you see?" Damian smirks, looking at the flustered girl.

"J..Just get over her... here," Marinette stammers. "Where does it need to be tighter?"

"Just the biceps and shoulders," he said.

She starts working quickly. Her fingers dance across his arms as she sews them a bit tighter as he asked. When she was standing in front of him to sew the last part of the sleeve he leaned down and kissed her head, which made her smile.

"All done, Prince," She says smiling up at her boyfriend. She then hugs him. Little do they know Jon took a picture of that moment and sent it to Jason.

Jason immediately posted this tweet with the picture Jon took.

@realJaSonToDd

'Look at it! They're official thanks @JonKent2015. They're adorable together. Love the Sunshine that stumbled into our lives! <3 #Daminette #DemonSpaw'sgirlfriend'

"Thank you, Angel. I'm going to get changed, Alfred will be here in a couple of minutes to show you to the dining room," Damian said, leaving the room. The rest of the boys, except Jon, had left to do other things before dinner.

"So how'd you meet the Ice Prince, "Jon asked, turning towards her.

"Titus tackled me when I first moved here. He then bought me breakfast to say sorry. Diana, my boss, sent me here to do Damian's measurements. Then he took me out to this small cafe the next day. Then he asked me to be his girlfriend," Marinette smiles, thinking about her boyfriend.

"You love him don't you," Jon says, looking her in the eyes.

"I only met him a little more than a week ago, but I really like him," Marinette said not meeting his eyes a blush spreading across her cheeks. A knock came, she and Jon stood up to follow Alfred.

"I already knew Master Jon, was coming. I could feel it," Alfred said, opening the door to the dining room. Most of the family was already sitting down. Damian walked in behind them.

"Sit here, Angel," He said, pulling out a seat.

"Wait that's not fair I want to sit next to her too!" Dick said, shoving Jon out of the way. "Sorry, Jon, but I want to sit next to this Sunshine.

"I get it," Jon shrugs sitting on the other side of Dick. "She's nice and pretty sweet."

Dick takes out his phone to take a selfie with her. "Smile!"

"Make sure you don't post that please," Marinette said after the selfie was taken.

They ate dinner together in a surprisingly happy chatter. The dinner seemed so homey. "I haven't eaten a family dinner in forever. It's so nice to see you guys so close and together," She smiles, collecting plates to bring to the kitchen.

"You don't have to clean up Angel, you're our guest," Damian says, taking the stack of dirty plates from her hands.

"But I want to help," she says, collecting the silverware she also took the stack of plates before he could object.

"Damian, I need to talk to you," Jon said, pulling him aside before he could follow her into the kitchen.

"What?" He groaned as he was dragged into the hall.

"There's something wrong about her," Jon started, Damian stiffened. "She is very injured. I saw it when she was tailoring your suit, with my x-ray vision."

"What do you mean?" Damian asked his voice stern.

"She has recent burns, which is normal if they were on her hands, but the scar tissue was all over her back. She has remnants of a stab wound in her side. She also has multiple broken bones that looked healed ridiculously fast," Jon explained. "I want my dad to take a look at it."

"You will do no such thing. Here's the thing about her, she is a hero of Paris. There is only one problem there's something called Miraculous cure that heals everything. Maybe it doesn't heal everything," Damian said.

"How'd you know?" Marinette said closing the door behind her she opened her purse. "Ya know what, I gotta get going. No one was supposed to know. Tikki, Spots on." After a flash of pink light, they heard footsteps and they look just in time to see her jumping out the closest window.

"Marinette!" Damian screams, running toward the window she had jumped out of. "What have you done!?"

"I was trying to help! I was worried about her well being," Jon exclaimed backing up.

"We heard screams, what happened? Where's Marinette, she was coming out to ask if you guys wanted dessert," Jason asked bursting through the doors.

"She's gone! Jon made her leave," Damian screamed, shoving Jon.

"It's not my fault I was worried. She looked broken," Jon said, shoving him back.

"I can't lose her over this! I... I really really like her. I invited her to Christmas dinner and everything," Damian said, falling to the ground. "I didn't even say good-bye. I swear, Jon if I don't see her again, you'll be answering to me."

"I was worried about her well being--" he started.

"But you wanted to call Clark, just freak her out more, why don't you?" Damian said, slamming the door shut

"Damian, she told me herself she really likes you! Her face was so pink when she was talking about how much she liked you! Dude, I don't think she will leave you over this," Jon said, following him.

"You don't know that though! I can't lose her, she makes my life brighter," Damian said through his bedroom door. He was sitting on the ground looking on his phone. He screamed Twitter was blowing up again.

"Jon! You sent a picture of Marinette and me to Jason!" He exclaimed, slamming open the door.

"Ya, why? I couldn't believe that you were being kind and I wanted to show Jason and how'd you know?" Jon asked, backing up.

"He posted that picture! The hashtags DemonSpawn'sgirlfriend and Daminette are trending!" he said.

"Her face isn't in the picture," Jon reasons.

"It doesn't matter look it!" Damian said, holding out his phone with Twitter opened.

@GotahmOfficialNews

'It only makes sense that Sunshine as @realJaSonToDd put it would melt the heart of Damian Wayne a.k.a. Ice Prince and only blood heir to Bruce Wayne. Who is she? How did they meet? Does she have a cute nickname for him? These are things we need to know!'

"I didn't realize he was going to post it! I just wanted to show him how sweet you were being with her!" Jon reasoned. Damian slammed the door again and started punching his punching bag that his Father had added in when he turned thirteen and had to replace it when he was fifteen.

Marinette arrived home at eight in the night crying, knowing that she would have to leave. No one was supposed to know about her being Ladybug because it endangers them. She decides to put on the Notebook at least they had a happy ending. It hadn't been this hard getting over Adrien, why does it hurt so much right now? 'Because you stupidly fell in love,' her mind supplied.

After she finished watching the Notebook, she transforms and flies across the cold winter night. She lands on a building that isn't Wayne Enterprises and faces away from it. She sits out in the cold for a while thinking about where she could go. She was sad because she had already started building a life here and she already had to throw it away not even two weeks into it. Her thoughts were brought back to the present by the sound of feet crunching the snow behind her.

Big oof of a cliff hanger. Haven’t done one like these before, enjoy.

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

Tag list (Open):

@northernbluetongue @melhuney @ladysblackcat @sturchling @otaku4312 @g-arya @smolplantmum @bluefyoto94 @echpr @moonlightstar64 @thesunanditsangel @cutechip @heaven428 @elmokingkong @kass-is-weird @niza13149 @urbanpineapplefarmer @ginamarie1512 @chocolatecatstheron @iggy-of-fans @crazylittlemunchkin @komatsuna-yuki @weird-pale-blonde-person @ellerahs @sinnamonroill @daminett4life @queenmj10 @indecisive-mess-named-me

[dontshootmespence]

Becoming Real: No Regrets

In this installment of Becoming Real, it’s only been about a week and a half since Grandma Diana passed away. She’s still devastated and has to deal with another loss. @coveofmemories @the-slytherin-ice-queen @cosmicjennifer @mxolh @ultrarebelheart @remember-me-forever-silent-angel @tinyplanet-explorers @burnbrightdoll

                                                              ----

The day after the funeral, Diana went back to school. She’d already missed two days and she could easily fall seriously behind if she stayed out - though that’s what she wanted to do more than anything. 

Her grandma was gone.

She felt like she was walking through quicksand as she traveled from class to class. Her friends did their best to cheer her up, but even their cheery voices turned to muffles in her ears. Good thing she had thought ahead, realizing she probably wouldn’t be able to focus, because she’d come up with an idea and asked her professors if they cared. Thankfully, they didn’t, so she ended up recording her lectures for a few days so she could go over them when she could focus more. 

On top of that, she knew what was coming - Malin was going to break up with her. She’d gotten accepted onto her show and would undoubtedly win; her babe was super talented. Between losing her grandma and her first love, she wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to keep it together. 

“Hey, baby,” Spencer said softly, opening the door and peeking his head in. “How’re you doing?” He came in and closed the door behind him, coming to sit on her bed. He knew his mother’s death would be hard on her, but he wasn’t aware of how much until now. “A lot on your mind?”

Her eyes were so heavy. All she wanted to do was sleep for a week or two, wake up, and have none of this ever happen. Putting down her pen and notebook, she rubbed at her eyes, attempting and failing to wipe the sleep away. “Yea,” she said, swallowing hard. “I miss grandma...I know we hadn’t seen in each other in a while before she...” she couldn’t say it yet. “But she used to read Harry Potter to me, and now she’s not here. And I can’t focus, so I’m falling behind in my classes, and on top of that Malin got onto her show, so she’s probably going to break up with me. I just...” Diana’s eyes flooded with tears that brimmed along her eyelids before finally running over. “Why does life have to be hard when you get older?”

Spencer brought his arm around her neck and brought her toward his chest. “I’m so sorry,” he said softly. “You said it yourself though. Grandma is always with you.” She just missed her so much. The idea that she’d never be able to hear her grandmother’s voice again broke her heart. Diana got her snark from her Daddy and namesake. As his daughter cried into his shoulder, he whispered into her hair. “I miss her too. So much.”

For a few moments, they sat there in silence. “When it comes to school, Dad and I meant it. Do the best you can. And when it comes to Malin, I’m sorry. I know it’s not easy to lose your first love.” Without thinking, she almost asked who his first love was, but she caught herself. She’d never want to bring up bad memories of Maeve. At least Malin wasn’t dying, she was just pursuing her dream. “Dad and I are here when you need us.”

“I’m supposed to meet up with Malin in a little bit to talk. I may grab Ben and Jerry’s on the way back to drown my sorrows. Should I bring some for you and Dad?”

He thought about it for a few moments, but then he figured he’d just lost his mother so he should be allowed to drown his sorrows in ice cream too. “Yea, peanut butter cup for Dad, obviously, and for me...mint chip.”

When Diana looked at her phone, she noted the time and decided to get going to see Malin. She knew what was coming and she just wanted to get it over with. “Okay, Daddy,” she said softly, giving him a hug as she headed toward the door. “I’ll see you later. Love you.”

“Love you, too, sweetheart.”

                                                             ----

Instead of meeting at the ice cream place down the block as they’d originally planned, Malin asked if she could drive to the music store. Malin was going to pick up a new guitar. When Diana stepped inside, she took in the scent of new instruments. It was a smell she couldn’t really describe, but she did love it. 

Malin turned to meet her gaze and gave her a strained smile. “Hey babe,” she said, giving her a soft peck on the lips. 

“Hey.” Diana squeezed her hand. Neither one wanted to start out the conversation, but it had to be done, so Diana spoke up. “You’re leaving, right?”

As Malin nodded her head, the tears started to sting at her eyes. “This is what I’ve always wanted...I didn’t realize at the time...”

“That we would start dating?”

“Yea. Di, I’m so sorry.” She clasped her hand to her mouth as a sob bubbled up from her throat. “It’s just, I’ve always wanted to sing for a living, and I might actually get the chance, and...”

Diana brought her finger up to her girlfriend’s lips. “I would never want you to pick me over this,” she said honestly. And she did mean it. “I’d never want you to have any regrets.” Diana wanted only the best for Malin and this had always been her dream, so she knew that to ask her to stay would be unfair. “You’re gonna go on this show. I’m going to be watching from home and voting like crazy, and you’re totally gonna win because you are the most skilled guitarist I’ve ever seen and you have the voice of a rock angel. I do want you to know though...that you’ll always be my first love.”

They hadn’t actually said they loved each other yet. It was probably coming soon, but Diana wanted her to know how she felt even though it was over. “I love you, too,” she said, bringing her tear-stained face within inches of Diana’s. “So much. Thank you for not asking me to stay.”

Never. Diana couldn’t do that to her. As they looked around the store, Malin settled on a guitar, that was going to be a gift from her parents. Once she was finished with her purchase, the two stepped outside of the store. “We can continue to text right? And call?” Diana asked. Even if she wasn’t going to date her anymore, she still cared for Malin and wanted to be able to talk every now and then.

Malin nodded excitedly. “Absolutely.” She leaned in, and for another few moments, their foreheads rested against one another. But as time came to a close, Malin pressed her lips to Diana’s one last time. “I love you, Di.”

“I love you, too, Malin.” She felt the bile rising in her throat and she turned around quickly to go get ice cream - which was absolutely necessary. “And Malin? I meant what I said. I’m gonna be watching from home and forcing both my fathers to stay up late at night voting.” With a smile, they blew each other and parted ways. As sad as Diana was, Malin was going to live her dream; she couldn’t stand in the way of that.

                                                            ----

Diana had wandered between her meeting with Malin, the grocery store, and back home, unable to focus very well. But after about an hour, she returned home, three pints of ice cream in hand. “How’d it go?” Luke asked. He’d returned home a bit earlier and had already been briefed by his husband on what was happening between Malin and Diana. 

Immediately, he hopped up off the couch and wrapped his arms around Diana, who’d burst into tears. “I’m sorry.”

“I love her,” she said softly. “This hurts.”

“I know, baby, I know.” After a moment, he reached for the bag in her hands. “That’s what ice cream is for.”

She sat down in between them and pulled out a movie. “I need Elle Woods.” Legally Blonde never failed to make her smile. The move started and Diana told them both of her conversation with Malin.

“So we’re going to be up late at night voting for Malin?” Spencer asked.

“Yes. I promised.”

“I think we can handle that.” He smiled.

Diana hated this. Growing up. Losing people. None of it was fun. But thankfully, she had great fathers and great friends to help her through - well that, peanut butter cup ice cream and Elle Woods. But no matter how she felt right now, she’d make it through.