#it’s also a really nice place to skate gonna go back

[mer-se]

Cute 🖤

[alfredosauce50]

Night at the Museum

[America x reader]

Rating: M Word count: 5, 887 Synopsis: You and Alfred decide to visit New York’s Museum of Natural History for old time’s sake. In a stroke of bad luck, you two get locked in overnight, unaware and unprepared for the dangers lurking within. It’s where history comes alive, and he ends up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a bloodthirsty warlord. The whole time, he’s also wrestling with his feelings for you, and he doesn’t know which is harder. Solipsism: knowledge of anything outside one’s own mind is unsure; the external world and other minds cannot be known and might not exist outside the mind.

“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Man, we haven’t been here since we were little kids,” Alfred took it all in as he made it inside, to where he was greeted by the skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex in an awe-inspiring pose. With its head bowed toward the entrance, he and other patrons were greeted by a set of razor-sharp teeth grinning down with a hunger for the ages. “I wonder if anything’s changed. Probably a lot.”

“A bunch of stuff, actually. But it looks like they did a huge revamp on all the wax figures,” You lifted your gaze from a brochure you collected from the front. The museum of natural history wasn’t half as impressive as the Smithsonian, but it had a special place in both of your hearts. “They’re meant to be super realistic now. You know, the whole ‘history comes alive’ pizazz.”

“Huh. Then what would be the difference between here and Madame Tussaud’s?” He glanced at you.

“The people here are worth remembering.”

“Good point.”

As local New Yorkers, it was tradition to come back every once in a while. Yellow cabs, subway crazies, and the best pizza in the world — there was no other city quite like the Big Apple, and you two decided to swing by during your semester break to reconnect with your roots. Needless to say, it was nice to get away from the upbeat chaos of life on campus.

“You think you’re gonna go to Arthur’s Christmas party?” He asked you, peering around the room of American history. There was a shining stagecoach pulled by four black horses, mannequins in confederate and union uniforms with their guns trained at each other, a giant moose, and eagles watching over everything else.

“Well, we kinda have to. Can you imagine how upset he’d be if we didn’t? He’d probably be heartbroken.”

“Yeah, but I get crazy diarrhea every time.” He scoffed, eyes wide as he recalled blowing up the toilet last year.

”You don’t have to remind me.” You shuddered.

“I know, I was just saying. I was thinking we could go somewhere fun,” Alfred gave you an expectant look as he tried to sell you on it. “We could go skating, or just watch a movie back at my place. What do you say?”

“Hm, I don’t know. I’m really craving his scones.”

“Seriously?” 

”But not as much as our time together,” You smiled, watching him light up. Taking his hand, you pulled him along and said this with a laugh. “I’d rather go to the dumpster with you than the Met. You’re my best friend.”

“Yeah.” He softened his gaze. You said that, but the way you held his hand said otherwise. Or was it because you two were that close? Either way, he was starting to go down the pipeline he swore that he wouldn’t.

”Are you okay?” You asked.

”Yeah, I’m fine.” He adjusted his glasses.

“Wanna kiss it better?” You swung his arm playfully.

Alfred glared at you as the only diversion from the fact that he was blushing. It was so like you to say things like that. You were attractive, and you knew it. With your sense of humor, it made for a dangerous game. But he’d been playing it for a while. He covered your entire face with his hand, then pushed you down to a nearby bench in one clean movement.

”Hey!” 

“Hey yourself.” Alfred walked off with his hands in his pockets, as cool as a cucumber.

This might’ve been all fun and games with you, but you weren’t the loneliest animal on the planet here. Not that it made his feelings for you any less real. He liked you, and not because you were an idea in his head.

You were real, every strange thought and neuron of your imagination. You could be as sharp as a tack when you wanted to be. He loved your mind and the way it worked, or at least when you weren’t tantalizing him.

“Remember when we were little we used to take baths together?” You sprung up out of the blue.

”Barely.” Alfred exhaled, wildly unprepared for what just came out of your mouth. But before he reacted any further, he reminded himself just who he was talking to. “That’s probably why we did it in the first place. Why?”

You were sleeping over that time, as you always did every Friday after your philosophy class. Your things were strewn all over his bedroom, like a half-eaten cup noodle, some snacks, and the clothes you brought over.

While he browsed the rest of the displays in the room, he let himself get immersed in that particular memory.

That was when you caught up with him again, even having the nerve to smile up at him with ‘hehe’ written all over your face. He glowered down at you, but really, he was just happy that you were by his side again.

You had a thirty second rebound before doing or saying the next pain in the ass thing, but he forgave you even faster than that. And it had been that way since horseshoe crabs were the only thing roaming the Earth.

”You think we could fit in the bathtub?”

“If you’re asking if I wanna take a bath with you, it’s an immediate no. We’re way too old for that.”

“You don’t have to be such a prude,” You mumbled, rolling your head away. “I was just wondering.”

“I’m not a prude.” He grumbled.

“And it’s not like I haven’t seen your dick before.”

“Yeah, when I was little!” 

“Can’t imagine it’s grown much since then.”

He glared at the ceiling, not wanting to give you the satisfaction of seeing how embarrassed he was.

As much as he’d like to pull his pants down to prove you wrong, he didn’t. Someone had to uphold a sense of decency around here, even if that person had to be him, the worst possible example of it, if he was one at all.

“If you’re done, I’m gonna go to sleep,” He sat up and twisted around to fluff up his pillow. You were starting to drift off by then, but he didn’t let you off so easily. “Don’t let me catch you peeking or I’ll molest you.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, geez.”

And to think he used to be such a cute kid, kicking his ball over your fence just so he could come over to play. You both grew up since then, and with that, came his awful sense of humor among other things.

But if you asked him, he learned from the best.

“You know the nicest people make the best Nazis?” You asked, walking by a glass display of three wax figures. Sakagawea, a young Shoshone woman who guided Lewis and Clarke on their expedition to the Pacific.

“Do they?” He narrowed his eyes in interest.

“Nice people look the other way and just wanna get along with everybody else.” You said, towing him along. “Have the whole country doing that, plus a heap of propaganda, you could get away with anything.”

“Well, if I was a German, I wouldn’t buy into it.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alfred frowned, genuinely offended. “I’m not a freakin’ racist.”

”Being scorned is your kryptonite,” You pointed out, getting him to roll his eyes. So he didn’t like to deviate from standards, and being a raving right-wing was one at the time. “And trust me when I say you would be.”

”That’s why the second amendment exists,” He smiled sagely with a hint of mischief. “If the government was to push some crazy agenda into us, the rednecks wouldn’t have it. We shape society to what we want.”

”What if the society you want isn’t the society someone else wants?” You asked, stopping in front of an exhibit of a male Algonquin warrior. “We all worship something. What’s normal to you might be crazy for someone else.”

”I guess you’re right,” He agreed, gazing upon the person who lived — and believed — in things drastically different than did. His brows came together as he marveled at the man who stood over him, a chief’s son who had been dead for well over a thousand years.

Allen was his name. He had striking scarlet eyes, dark maroon hair, tawny brown skin, and a toned body from a life of hunting and gathering. As he stared out into the middle distance, there was something uncanny about him, like he could come alive at any second, but didn’t.

“What do you think this guy worshipped?” Alfred murmured faintly, strangely captivated by him.

It was humbling to be in the presence of all of these historical figures, but intimidating to imagine them as people who existed. He was a history nut, and one thing he understood was how astonishingly cruel and violent the past could be. From the swashbuckling tales of the Wild West to the burning sands of Ancient Egypt, everything was best enjoyed from the comforts of his modern American home. Or in this case, a museum.

Where all of the exhibits were mere imitations of the long dead and gone, it would take no less than a miracle for any of them to come back to life. Little did he know, a miracle was exactly what he’d be in for tonight. 

You two poked around some more, eventually ending up in the Northern European section of the museum. Nothing really stood out to him besides the Vikings, who also caught the attention of the general public.

“This man was the greatest viking to have ever lived. Mathias Densen, the king of Danes,” A guide showed off a wax exhibit to a crowd of tourists. You and Alfred were among them, having taken the liberty to tune in.

Some took pictures, others whispered amongst themselves at the impressive lookalike made to imitate a legend out of the sagas. He had blonde hair swept up in the front in an unruly mane, and the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen. With his arm raised and axe in hand, he was frozen in time, suspended in a pose so natural, it looked like he’d bring it down at any given moment.

“He was the most feared warrior in all of Scandinavia. When he threw an axe at his enemy, he never missed. But all blood and gore aside, he will go down in history as one of the best leaders and explorers of all time.”

”Wouldn’t wanna get him angry, huh?” Alfred gave you a side-eye, returning his gaze to the information plate. That was when he saw a portrait of a woman who was supposedly the only one who could go toe-to-toe with his ruthlessness. “You know, she kinda looks like you.”

”Really?” You leaned over. “I don’t see it.”

”No way. You guys are like twins!” He exclaimed.

“Maybe just the eyes.”

“Maybe she’s your long-lost ancestor or something.”

After another hour of walking around and talking, you and Alfred left to get to the exit. It was approaching closing time, and you two were among the last to leave. A security guard stood near the revolving doors, bidding farewell to guests. But before he could acknowledge you two, Alfred stopped and patted around his shirt.

“Shit, I left my glasses.” He winced.

Neither of you two thought it would’ve been problem to go back and retrieve them at the time. Who would’ve thought they’d made the security so much tighter that it would end up the biggest mistake of your lives?

After sweeping room after room, he eventually found them on the ground next to a bench. Sliding them onto his nose, he picked up a brisk jog as he made his way back downstairs. But by then, it was too late.  

“Now let’s get out before we get locked in.”

”Don’t jinx us.” 

”Not gonna happen.” 

And he said that so confidently too. Because when he pushed at the revolving door, it didn’t budge. 

”What’s wrong?” You asked from behind. 

“Nothing, just give me a sec…” He rattled it a few more times, but to no avail. Then, he let out a heavy breath as he admitted the one thing he thought could never happen. “… Okay, I think we’re locked in.”

“You’re joking.” You blurted.

You brushed past him to give the door a strong shake, needing that same taste of defeat before believing it yourself. Sure enough, it was locked shut, and would likely stay locked all the way up til morning.

“Oh my God, we are. What are we gonna do?”

”Call the cops.” He suggested, pulling out his phone to dial 9-11. After a few tries, to which he stared at you tensely with it pressed up to his ear, he found that the call kept failing. “Annnnd the cops aren’t picking up.”

“Well, keep trying! Call Arthur or something.” 

For the next thirty minutes, you both paced around while trying to reach local government services, then friends or loved ones. It slowly became apparent that you two weren’t getting out anytime soon.

You weren’t the type to express it, let alone say it, but you were getting scared and uncomfortable.

So was he, but like hell he’d let it show. Not because he didn’t have the balls to admit it, but it was the last thing you needed right now. You weren’t looking at him, and he knew in an instant that you were on the verge.

“We’re not gonna make it out, are we?”

Alfred was crushed with so much guilt, he couldn’t even react when the lights dimmed, plunging the museum into a pitch-black darkness. His eyes stayed wide with remorse, even when he couldn’t see you anymore.

In that moment, he came over and hugged you as tight as he could, lips pursed in a deep frown. It wasn’t every day that he could hold you like this, but he set aside every shard of his shattered ego to do it.

Even if he had to do it in the dark.

There couldn’t be a better metaphor for his feelings. Alfred had always been too afraid to tell you how he felt, and if he did, he’d do it in a way that was hidden from plain sight. This was one of those times.

It was one thing to admit he was scared. It was another to say he was sorry. But telling you how much you truly meant to him was damn near impossible. So instead of doing any of the above, he let you sleep on him.

He had his back on a cold hard bench while you drifted away. There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight, but this was just his karma. So he stayed like that for the next few hours, to which you began to stir. 

“You good?” He asked in a soft murmur.

”Yeah,” You rubbed your eyes. “Just a little thirsty.”

”I’m pretty sure there’s a fountain outside.” He helped you up, putting on his glasses. “I’ll come with you.” 

”No, it’s fine.” You sighed, getting up to leave the room. 

”Hey,” Alfred softened his gaze, getting you to slow to a stop. He was so exhausted, all of his walls were coming down. And he couldn’t stand to bottle it up inside him any longer. “I’m sorry, okay? This was all my fault.”

”It’s okay. We can’t all be born perfect.” You cracked a smile, walking off. But the happy note only lasted so long once you got to the hallway outside. It was so dark, you could barely see the ground beneath you.

With nothing but the wall lamps to illuminate the empty halls, the institution turned into nothing but a graveyard: a dim labyrinth of the long dead and gone. And like all graveyards, there were ghosts.

The black outline of wax figures lined your peripherals, and you gazed at them nervously as you made your way to the fountain. After a few satisfying gulps, you began making your way back to the room. That was when you heard the echo of footsteps in the distance, too far away to have made sense at the time. Someone was at the end of the hall, and it couldn’t have been Alfred.

“Hello?” You called out to the source.

The shadow of a man appeared around the corner, the details of his wild, upswept hair showing up on the wall. When he revealed himself, he was covered head to toe in thick fur pelts and armor. Your eyes went wide ever so slowly, heart racing as you were struck with this realization. He was a spitting image of the viking you’d seen on display, but he wasn’t just an inanimate statue made of colored wax and glue. He was moving.

Breathing. 

He was alive.

Alfred waited patiently for you to come back, though he regretted letting you go out by yourself. It wasn’t like there was anything out there, but you must’ve been afraid under that bravado you showed him. If only he knew how wrong he’d been. As he sat on the bench, the museum slowly came to life. All of its waxy inhabitants, people gone for centuries, returned from the dead.

And the lights came back on, one by one.

The Viking’s chest heaved for the air that hadn’t filled his lungs in eons. And with eyes as blue as the oceans he sailed across, he stared at you like he had just seen a ghost. They had a light in them they never had before, a consciousness, a soul, and you stared right back. But the way he looked at you was like nothing you’d expect. There wasn’t a trace of hostility in his gaze, but something deeply emotional and coherent.

Not that any of that mattered to you.

You split, running from him as fast as you could and with more adrenaline than what you thought was humanly possible. But then again, what you witnessed was a testament to the impossible. The dead walked, and you were trapped in here with hundreds of them. Whipping your head over your shoulder, you let out a frightened cry when you saw him chasing you. 

Your screams echoed down the hall, and Alfred felt his blood go cold hearing them. But he forced himself to stand, and without a shred of hesitation, he ran outside to look for you. When you weren’t by the fountain, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. And his face, now whiter than a sheet of paper. Where did you go?

“(F/N)!” He yelled, sprinting down the hall.

But more importantly, what was it that made you scream? Whatever it was, he knew he’d never forgive himself if something happened to you. The lights were now on, and he swore he could hear the tapping of what sounded like hundreds of footsteps. There was something around the corner, or someone, he just never would’ve anticipated it beyond his wildest imagination.

“Where are you?” Once be got around the turn, what he saw put a stopper to his thoughts, derailing them with the most fantastical thing he had ever seen. His eyes flew open, and his mouth went agape so he could let out a shaky breath. “What the hell is going on?”

Swathes of people dressed in cultural adornments and even objects were out and about, talking to each other in languages he couldn’t even begin to decipher. Inuits, African tribesmen, and Edwardian socialites walked along the halls like time had just shattered upon itself. Marble sculptures, copper statues, and other pieces of art were moving about like they weren’t made of some kind of rock. There was even a Terracotta soldier, who was accompanied by a Chinese dragon made entirely out of green jade. Elephants, rhinos, and giraffes passed by in a strangely calm fashion like this wasn’t their first rodeo in the museum. Everyone did, except for him. 

“No way.” He whispered, glancing left to right as he picked up a jog. If he wasn’t wrong, everything in the museum had come to life. Was he dreaming? He had to be. In his dazed stupor, he ran into a medieval knight. There was a loud clank, and he would’ve winced from how much it hurt if it weren’t for being spoken to. 

“Excuse me. Watch where you’re going!” 

“Sorry!” He blurted. “I’m so sorry.”

”That’s alright! But you look a bit pale there, kid. What seems to be the problem?” The knight questioned, still wearing his helmet and hiding his face. Aside from his silver armor, he wore pure white garments with a blood red cross — the signature outfit of a crusader knight.

“Oh, um, where do I start?” Alfred panted, speaking in a frazzled manner. Funnily enough, this was the straightest he’d been thinking now that someone was talking to him. “Oh, I know! How the hell is everyone and everything in this museum alive right now?”

“I’d normally have a better answer, but I’ve never read anything like this in the Bible,” The other scratched their head through their helmet inquisitively. “Maybe I missed a chapter. But honestly, I’m just as lost as you are.”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“The Bible. The word of God. Haven’t you heard of it?”

”I know what the Bible is!” Alfred raised his voice into a frustrated hiss, but he instantly felt bad for it. “Sorry. I’m talking to a monk, here. I should be more respectful. But never mind that. I’m looking for my friend. I’m worried something happened to her.”

”I could help you look for her!” 

“That would be great, thank you.” 

”I’m Gilbert. Proud Templar Knight and brother from the Temple of Solomon.” They took off their helmet and held it against their hip, revealing a head of white hair and ruby-red eyes. Then, they outstretched a gloved hand for him with a toothy grin. “Pleasure to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Alfred, uh, son of Arthur, and student hailing from New York,” Alfred improvised awkwardly, giving it a slow, disoriented shake. “Wow. I can’t believe I’m talking to a Crusader knight right now.”

“So where did you last see your friend?” Gilbert asked.

Mathias carried you all the way to the other side of the museum, and you thrashed the whole time, begging him to let you go. When he finally put you down, he kept a firm grip on your hand. You were greeted by other Vikings, and just when you thought you’d be sacrificed like a goat, they broke out in wide smiles.

Besides them speaking in old Norse to you, which you had no way of comprehending, they were more than pleasant to you, even offering you some plastic food, which you politely declined. From the way they acted around you, it was like being with an old friend.

It became clear that they had no intention of harming you, but why they brought you here was still a mystery.

”I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you guys are saying,” You interrupted meekly, darting your nervous eyes between them. They stared at you with blank faces before exchanging confused looks with each other. “Could you please let me go? I don’t want any trouble.”

“Where did you run off to? I haven’t seen you all week. I was worried something happened to you,” Mathias spun you to him, hugging you tightly before putting his hands all over you. “You’re speaking in tongues and acting very strange! We need to get you a doctor.”

”I didn’t understand that either.” You sighed.

”It’s worse than I thought. Somebody get Olaf,” The Dane ordered, summoning another Viking to come over. They took your arm and led you off, much to your dismay. “Look after her for me, friend. In the meantime, I have a man to hunt. He’s the one responsible for this.”

”Hey, wait! Where are you taking me?” You exclaimed, glancing back at Mathias as he left. In that precise moment, your best friend’s words replayed in your mind like a tape. You looked just like his wife, and so much that it had the actual guy fooled. “Oh no. Alfred!” 

It didn’t take a linguist to know that he was in trouble, but there was nothing you could do. Your companions kept you inside their make-shift hut, treating you as one of their own. They laid you down and spoke to you very slowly, so they must’ve thought you had a concussion. Either way, they weren’t letting you out of their sight.

You just hoped Alfred brushed up on his history, because he’d be needing it tonight.

”Where the hell could she be?” Alfred walked with his newest companion. “We checked everywhere!” 

”Actually, we still haven’t checked Northern Europe.” Gilbert corrected, getting the blonde to turn in the direction of said location. But he launched a hand out and grabbed him, pulling him back. “Don’t. It’s suicide.”

”Why?” He frowned.

”It’s occupied by Norse Pagans.” The albino warned, pulling him close for a tantalizing whisper. He glanced around before he continued, almost as if speaking of them would summon them like the devil himself.

”Norse Pagans? You mean Vikings?”

“They came here last week, and it’s been Hell ever since.” Gilbert took his collar as he whispered in a panicked hush. “We sent a missionary up there once, and he came back to us completely dismembered!”

“Oh, fuck.” Alfred dug his hands through his hair, now a nervous wreck as he envisioned the thought. But what made his stomach really churn was the unshakeable thought that it was probably where you were.

For that, he was surprised he hadn’t vomited already. And he almost did when Gilbert went off on a passionate spiel of the Scandinavian heathens and everything they’d done. That was when one appeared at the end of the hall, and it wasn’t just any Scandinavian heathen.

”I mean, he’s okay now, but it was really disturbing.” The other made a face of unease as he recalled the sight. It wasn’t something a person was meant to see in their lifetime, but at least he was in a more dubious position now. “I don’t think they care for God.”

“Dude.”

”What?”

”That’s the Viking I saw earlier today.” Alfred whispered, locking eyes with Mathias who stood no more than three hundred feet away from him. In the next three seconds, the Dane broke into a sprint, charging at him at a terrifying speed like a mad bull. He let out a wheeze, likely the sound of his soul escaping his body. “Aaaand he’s running at us. Well, this has been a good life.”

”God hasn’t forsaken us yet!” Gilbert unsheathed a gleaming longsword, swinging it in impressive circles.  

Mathias launched an axe at him, and it spun through the air so fast, it passed as nothing but a white flash.

It cut Gilbert’s head clean off, getting it to land on the ground with a thump. There was no blood or flesh, just a cross-section of wax where he was decapitated. While he had his face planted on the floor, he said this in a muffled voice. “So that’s what that feels like.” 

But Alfred had already fled by then.

He never stuck around to see his friend lose his dignity, much less his own. He whimpered a little as he pumped his legs as fast as he could. He was running on so much adrenaline, his bloodstream may as well have been battery acid. But not everybody could outrun a Viking, and he would’ve eaten it if it weren’t for the arm that shot out from the side, pulling him into a room.

When he turned to the stranger who’d saved him, he recognized him to be the native Algonquin warrior he’d seen earlier that day. Only this time, he was perfectly canny and had an unrivaled sharpness that would end up ensuring his survival. While Mathias ran by outside with his pelts and armor clinking away, Allen put a finger up to his mouth to get him to stay deathly still.

But above all else, quiet.

There they crouched, hidden from plain sight like the watchful forces of nature. In the most tense ten seconds of their lives, they stared at each other, cerulean and scarlet eyes as wide as they could get them. For a moment, Alfred forgot he was being chased, deeply enchanted by the person in front of him. He was quite literally gazing back into history, a thousand years into the past to be precise. But once the coast was clear, he went back to hyperventilating. He was still in shock from everything that just happened, and the first thing he let out was an excited, albeit exasperated gasp. 

“Oh my God. You just saved my life. Thank you!” 

”Don’t mention it.” Allen took his bow off so he could arm himself with it. Then, he peered outside the door, making sure there weren’t any Vikings in the area. Turning back to the blonde, he pulled an arrow from his quiver without breaking eye contact. “I’ve been tracking that guy for days, and this is the craziest I’ve ever seen him. You have any idea why he would be after you?”

“How should I know? I don’t know the guy personally!” Alfred exclaimed, following him out into the hall. 

“You must’ve done something to piss him off.”

”But I didn’t do anything!” 

“Then he wouldn’t waste his time chasing you when he’d rather search for his girlfriend.” Allen remarked. “One of my pals can speak his language, and he says he’s been looking for her ever since he got here.”

“Fuck, that’s it. Why didn’t I think of it before?”

They ran to the elevator, to which he pressed the button for the basement. It had always been on the tip of his tongue, but the whirlwind of a night left his head more scrambled than he thought. And now that he had it all pieced together, he came up with a plan to save you.

“I came here with my friend, and she looks exactly like his wife. He must’ve seen us together. But it’s okay, I have an idea. They must have extra wax figures in storage, right? If she’s as important as they say, they must have her tucked away down here somewhere.”

“Okay, so we do a trade-off.”

”Exactly.”

”Smart.” Allen pursed his lips, thoroughly impressed.

The doors slid open and thus, they began their search, sweeping the entire basement for the reason why the museum had turned into a war zone. After an hour or so, Alfred heard someone banging away and calling for help from inside a tall wooden crate. A woman, and she sounded just like you. He and Allen walked up to it, then cracked it open like a treasure chest. Lo and behold, it was your doppelgänger, but dressed in the height of fashion from what was a thousand years ago.

“I think we found our girl.” He murmured in awe.

The three of you got back to the elevator. It was a given that the you from the Viking age was a little hesitant to get into such a tight box, but Allen had a way with body language. He made a few gestures to let you know where he was taking you. What more was that these two men had just broken you out of an even tighter box, so you had no reason not to trust them. 

“You know, I meant to ask, but doesn’t it bother you that there is a living, breathing, homicidal axe-wielding maniac running around the museum every night?” Alfred asked, feeling strangely calm now that he sensed that the night’s excitement was coming to an end. 

“We’re not alive the way you’re alive,” Allen told him. That was right. As magical as it was to have the museum come to life, it wasn’t real. History had done its course. He spoke with power and humility as he confronted that fact, and for that, he seemed to be at peace. “We’ve had our shot. But you still have yours.”

“I have the craziest chills right now.”

”But also because we’re made of wax.”

“Okay, that makes more sense.” Alfred laughed a little, turning to him. ”So how come you speak English?”

”I’ve been on display here for years,” Allen grinned, walking out now that the elevator doors opened. They returned to the bustling halls of the Museum of Natural History, where history had really come to life that night. “New York is my home. Always has been.”

”Explains the accent.” 

It didn’t take long to track down Mathias again, and when he finally laid eyes on the one he’d been searching for, he turned into an entirely different person. His anger, terror, and everything that made him a legend, had all but melted into a deep emotional coherence.

He was nothing but a man now. A man with his own joys and sorrows like everybody else.

He dropped his ax and ran up to his long-lost love, picking her up and embracing her after what felt like an eternity. He finally found her again after a thousand years, and the scene was quite profound to behold.

But if you asked Alfred, it wasn’t as touching as his reunion with you. He found you in the hall of Northern Europe, holed up in a tent and rubbing your eyes. They were red from crying, and the way you looked at him was something he’d burn in his mind forever. And the way you hugged him, a feeling he’d never get tired of.

”I knew you’d come.” You squeezed him.

“Of course I came,” He squeezed you back, burying his face into the crooked of your neck. “But maybe it’s time that I switch out my glasses for some contact lenses. Don’t wanna keep losing them like I did tonight.”

“No way!” You gushed. “I like the way you look now.”

”Yeah?” He smiled rosily. From that outburst alone, he knew you’d forgiven him for everything that happened. But from the sound of things, you had a much easier time than he did. On the way home, he enthused you on the people he met and his close brushes with death. 

“You ever hear of a term called solipsism?” You asked. 

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” He shook his head.

“It’s the concept that everything around you doesn’t exist and is made up by your own mind,” You explained, stopping him in the middle of the street. It was dawn by then, and the rising sun cast a golden glow over your tender smile. “But if everything around me is just my imagination, you’re the best thing I’ve come up with.”

His eyes went wide, shocked by how sweet you just were. Just like that, everything he ever pined away for didn’t matter anymore. He was worth more to you than an adventure of a lifetime because he was that adventure. But at the same time, Alfred fell even harder for you, and it showed in the way his gaze softened. 

”Right back at you, sport.” 

[chirpingfromthebox]

An Incredibly Biased Primer to the Minnesota Frost Roster

First of all, you should know that I am by no means a hockey expert. I was never one for playing sports, and most of my hockey knowledge comes from watching MN Wild games back in the days before I got too busy with school and never got back to it. So take what I say with a grain of salt. I like who I like and I don't have any real knowledge of the NCAA nor the lore of women's hockey history. But I love hearing from all the wonderful hockey players, and NCAA fans, and general WoHo historians, and everyone else on here who are so much more knowledgeable than I. (as well as just the other fans like myself).

In any case here is my very biased guide to some of the big names (imho) on the Frost's roster to give any new fans a place to start. Especially because our team is all about the drama and we deserve nice things for daring to ride the chaos coaster.

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Unlike every other hockey player list in the world, I'm not going to start with the Forwards.

Defenders are my favorite and so I'm gonna start with them!

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Defenders

And because this is my list, I'm also gonna start with my favorite player and first in the number order:

Lee Stecklein!

Stecklein is a 6 foot tall master of defense and one of the alternate captains for the Frost (so if you see an "A" on someone's jersey that's what that means). And she has won basically everything there is to win.

An Olympic gold medal? Yes. An NCAA National Championship? 3 of them. An Isobel Cup? Yep. What about an IIHF Championship? U18 or World Championship, you ask? It doesn't matter, because she's done both. She has since retired from the National Team, but was a staple on it for a long time.

After I started watching the PWHL last season she was the player that really caught my eye. Even though the camera wants to follow the action, I am often trying to look at what defenders are doing and I kept noticing #2, because she was always where the opposing offensive wanted to be. You'd swear she can see 5 seconds into the future, because she is just consistently exactly where she needs to be.

And, maybe this is neither here nor there, but I swear she is also just an incredibly graceful skater. Any hockey players out there please confirm or deny this. While a lot of players skate like they're attacking the ice, Stecklein seems to glide across it.

Okay, okay, enough gushing here's some things to note. She had the most penalty minutes of any Frost player last season. But she laughingly claims this was due to refs being inconsistent with where exactly the line was on how league was calling penalties at the beginning. So don't expect her to repeat that distinction.

In terms of defense she often goes under the radar because she's a shutdown defender more than an offensive one. So don't expect her to be racking up points this season. But anytime the Frost is in trouble expect to see her on the ice. She's big, she has incredible hockey sense, and a leading force both on and off the ice for the Frost's defense.

Her skill on defense AND as a leader is a big part of why I think the Frost's defense is something for other teams have to take real seriously.

Sophie Jaques

Jaques was the Patty Kazmaier award winner in 2023. She was part also part of one of the biggest stories of season one: Boston trading Jaques to Minnesota for Susanna Tapani. This was a pretty big deal because Jaques was Boston's 2nd round draft pick and Tapani was Minnesota's 5th round pick! So this was a pretty massive trade.

It was also notable for being a genius move by both teams. Both players went on to really excel on their new teams in ways they hadn't been before. Consider this, during the 7 games she played for Boston she had 0 goals and 0 assists. Then she goes to Minnesota, they have complete faith in her, she starts working with Lee Stecklein, and then in her 15 regular season games with MN she had 2 goals and 8 assists. (She also nearly got the championship winning goal for Minnesota in the Finals, but that's a whole different story.)

Unlike Stecklein, Jaques is an offensive defender. You can expect her to be a part of some big plays and part of the defense line when they want a d-pair with some bite.

Also, if you're like me and sometimes have letters shift around on you a little bit, you should note that there is no "C" in her name and it's pronounced "Jakes."

Claire Thompson

Thompson was our first round draft pick this season. It was also a pick that really fucked up everyone's predictions for the draft. It was generally thought at the time that Minnesota would want to grab Cayla Barnes. Also that it would probably be a Canadian team that went for Thompson as she was part of the Canadian national team that won the World Championship in 2021 and the Olympic Gold in 2022.

My knowledge on her is limited, but from what I do know she's an interesting pick. It was a bit of a gamble by Minnesota because she had taken a year off hockey to study for med school. But from what I've seen from her she was on Team Canada for a reason. A defense player that's also a goal-scoring threat.

She could lead to some really interesting d-pairs this season. Like a hyper offense combo of Jaques and Thomspon? Things could get really spicy there. She could go a long way to giving Minnesota some really interesting ways to utilize their defense this season.

Maggie Flaherty

The best smile on the team. A ray of sunshine. Scored Minnesota's first goal of the playoffs [in game 3!] and stoked the fires to victory. Dances like no one's watching. And a solid defender. She's a delightful human being and will bring you much joy.

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

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Okay, okay, we can talk about Offense now. Since you INSIST.

Forwards

Kendall Coyne Schofield

Let's start out with our captain and a pivotal figure in the founding of the league. She had recently given birth last season and still managed to lead the team to a championship, so imagine what she'll be able to do now!

She is well known for being fast. She's only 5'2" so between her acceleration and her skating skill, if she slips past the defense she's a hard one to catch. Now a seasoned WoHo veteran she's also capable of being a real play maker. And even though she's small she can fight out a puck from the corners with the best of them.

If I tried to list everything she's done in and for women's hockey we'd be here all day.

She's probably the most serious of the PWHL captains and is the type to speak with her actions more than her words. So you generally won't see her blowing up on social media. She's also my favorite captain to transcribe in interviews because she is incredibly terse.

Taylor Heise

The one, the only, the first ever draft pick in the PWHL! She was out for part of the season for an injury and still managed to be a big goal scorer for Minnesota. When she came back she wasn't playing at her usual level until the playoffs. But if she plays the way she did in the playoffs this season? Oooo, it'll be spicy.

She is currently rocking a knee brace though, but she isn't on the long term injury list? So we'll have to see how she's feeling. Hopefully she avoids further injury this season.

Her talent on the ice in undeniable and she's more than likely a future captain for the team. But trust me, you don't need me to tell you that. Her play will speak for itself when she takes the ice.

What you can't tell from the game footage is that she is one of the most gracious and gregarious members of the team. If you go to any home games this year be on the lookout for her if you head to the autograph table after the game. Even when she isn't on table duty she often comes up to say hi to fans, take pictures, and sign autographs.

Truly just such a friendly and generous person. I have yet to see a fan walk away from her without a big ol' smile on their face.

Also notable for being BFFs with her fellow Frost forward Grace Zumwinkle, who she played with in college.

Grace Zumwinkle

Truly a force of nature.

Heise might get more attention, but don't get it twisted, Zumwinkle is currently the best forward on the team.

Yes, the stats are busted because of Heise's injury. But it's still fact. I don't care. Fight me.

Zummie has the distinction of getting the first hat trick in the PWHL. Which she did in her first game of the season! She was tied with Sarah Nurse for 2nd most goals in the regular season (at 11 goals). She also rightly won the award for rookie of the year. And honestly it wasn't even close. [Emma Maltais fans will disagree here, and I respect their case, she was great too, but they are also wrong. Fight me.]

She was Minnesota's 3rd round draft pick in year one. Darwitz knew that Zum and Heise worked well together and purposefully wanted to get the pair together.

I don't know why, but I feel like a lot of people sleep on Zumwinkle. I rarely hear of her when people are talking about the league powerhouses. But trust me, she's not a player to underestimate.

Her BFF antics with Heise are also a source of great joy and delight to all.

Michela Cava

Cava is an interesting case. She has a laundry list of accolades and championships to her name. She's won the SDHL championship. She's won the ZhHL championship. She's won the PHF championship. And now she's won a PWHL championship too!

She was a solid forward during the regular season. I wouldn't say she really lived up to her full potential, but she was definitely a strong player nevertheless.

But in the playoffs? Oh ho ho! *chef's kiss*

Cava has a bit of a reputation for leaving nothing on the ice when it comes to playoffs. If I'm not mistaken she was actually the playoff MVP for every one of those championships she won before coming to the PWHL? And she went full tilt once again!

Even though Heise ended up winning the Playoff MVP last season Cava tied her for points! [Cava went 4 goals, 4 assists; Heise went 5 goals, 3 assists].

So in a worst case scenario she is a really solid forward. In a best case scenario? She runs over the opposition all season.

Now, as a Frost fan, I'm going to assume that you're at least partially here for the delicious drama. So let me point out to you that last season Cava played on the Frost with her girlfriend Emma Greco. However, this year Greco plays for Boston. Which means any MN v. BOS game will have a little extra spice.

Kelly Pannek

The Frost's other alternate captain.

...I'm sorry...I just looked her up to make sure I had my facts straight and saw something wild and now I need to address it. Apparently she set the state record in high school for quickest hat trick with 3 goals in 22 seconds?? I mean, wtf! That goalie probably still wakes up in a cold sweat some nights from that.

Okay, back on task. Pannek actually played with Lee Stecklein in college for the University of Minnesota [Stecklein was a year ahead of her]. And like Stecklein she has won basically everything there is to win. [This is why her new beer is called "Been There, Won That."]

During last regular season she was 16th in the league in terms of points, so she was definitely in the upper echelon. [for the record Kendall Coyne Schofield was 13th, and Grace Zumwinkle was 7th.]

So definitely expect Pannek to be making things happen this season.

Liz Schepers

Okay, so hear me out.

Yes, Schepers had 0 goals and 3 assists during the regular season. BUT if you want to see what she's capable of just look at the playoffs. She was an absolute menace to Toronto!

In the first 3 goals Minnesota had against them, every single one of them came from a Schepers assist. Another way to say that is that she assisted with every Frost goal of Games 3 and 4. (The team didn't score at all in the first two games, but we won't talk about that)

Who knows what will happen this season. All I'm saying is that if Schepers starts to pop off, I will thoroughly not be surprised.

Also she has an adorable dog named Rookie. So you know, there are multiple reasons to look out for her.

Klára Hymlárová

You'll have to ask someone more familiar with international play knowledge for the scoop here. She was our 3rd round draft pick though and I'm curious to find out what they saw in her. All I know is that she was a top player for the Czech national team. Check out this little article for some more insider knowledge on what she can bring to a team.

I'm dying to see how all these international players are gonna change the play of the game, so I'll be keeping an eye on her and seeing what transpires.

Goalies

Saving the most important position for last: our goalies!

Minnesota was the only team last season to fully embrace a goalie tandem style. Everyone else had their main goalie and tended to only swap them out when they wanted to give them a break. [Except for Ottawa who never wanted to give Maschmeyer a break.]

And this tandem was incredibly effective! So if you too love goalies you're in luck, because you'll get to see both of them on a regular basis. Plus it has the added bonus of making every game a little more exciting by wondering who will be starting that game.

This duo was so effective that Minnesota is the only team this season to put their 3rd goalie on reserve. It's an interesting move to be sure, and yet it does make sense because they are the only team that really knows exactly what they want to do for goalies this season.

But who are these goalies who we have so much trust in?

Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney of course!

Hensley was Minnesota's 2nd round draft pick last season, so that should give you a clue of how badly Darwitz wanted her on the team. She's a lover of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. And more importantly one of the U.S. national team's go-to goalie picks for quite a while now.

And I bet you're wondering, has she won a gold medal? Yes! She has. But interestingly enough when she won it in 2018 and she wasn't the starting goalie that year (although she did shutout Russia). Who was the starting goalie that year?

Maddie Rooney!

If you want to get a sense of just how stacked the PWHL's goalie lineups are consider this: Rooney wasn't drafted at all! Minnesota invited her to training camp and then signed her there. A friggin' gold medal-level goalie went undrafted. I mean, talk about an epic training camp pickup.

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There are plenty more players on the team, but these are the ones that I think are the most notable / just some of my favorites. This is probably riddled with typos and mistakes, but whatever! I'm really tired and need to get to bed. If I missed anyone's favorite, be sure to let us know. As well as giving us the run down of what makes them so cool. ;)

[aliaology]

THE BEST DAY

summary: older hughes sister and her mama ellen hughes ⭐️

pairings: ellen hughes x daughter!hughes!reader

fluff fluff fluff its also lowkey so bad n short

five years old

it was getting cold in toronto. your big coat fell to your knees as you looked up at your mom with a big grin on your face. she held your seven month old brother as your father held quinn’s hands, helping him skate.

you carefully moved around on the ice, scared to fall. you do well for a solid few seconds before falling straight on your butt, causing your mom to laugh.

instead of crying, you look up smiling at her, immediately getting up from the ice. you quickly skate past her before slipping again. another laugh erupts from your mothers throat.

the sky is slowly turning gold as it sets, signaling it was time to go home. you whine as your mom takes your skates off.

your dad holds baby jack now. quinn is sitting beside you, legs kicking back and forth as he waits for help. your mom slides your boots on and immediately you get off the bench, hugging her legs with a whine.

“i dont want to leave yet.” you groaned. your words muffled due to her pants. she just chuckled and helped quinn.

then, on the ride home, you were fast asleep.

when you woke up, you still had five minutes left until you got home, and both quinn and jack were asleep.

you wondered why the trees changed colors over time, watching them as you passed by each and every one.

you also wondered how your mom wasnt scared that your dad was driving, he speeds!

you rub your eyes.

“i had the best day today” you yawned.

thirteen years old

your friends were mean. really mean. they kicked you from the lunch table, stopped inviting you to hangouts. every class you had with them, they’d ignore you or leave you alone during partner projects.

it came to the point where you were crying as you got home. you opened the door, tears falling down your cheeks as you threw your bag to the floor.

upon hearing the sound, your mother rushed towards you. “hey, hey, honey whats wrong?” she asked.

she immediately pulled you into an embrace. you cried on her shoulder, “why are they all so mean mama? im nothing but nice!” you cried.

she sighed and held you tight. when she pulled away, her hands stayed on your shoulders. “lets go for a drive, okay?” she spoke.

you nodded and wiped your tears as she grabbed the keys.

you both drove and drove until you were a few towns away, where no one would know you guys. you talked, and talked, and talked.

you told her everything that had been going on. everything that they were saying and doing to you. after ranting, she took you window shopping until you forgot all of their names.

when you made it home, you got scared. who were you gonna talk to at school? but then you remembered, you still have the laughter when you’re with your mom.

it may take awhile to feel better but,

“i had the best day with you.” you told.

you have an excellent father. one whos strength makes you stronger. one whos smarts may not always be at its peak but hits it every now and then. one whos cared for you to his very core.

you have perfect younger brothers, who you believe are better than you, inside and out. but altogether you guys are a perfect family.

you grew up in a pretty home, one where you had space to run and hide, and call yours. one where you were able to paint your room a bright pink.

and that place, was where you had the best days of your life.

twenty five years old

you were searching through your old stuff. there you found a camera and immediately you got to charging it. you were three, your mother was still pregnant with quinn.

she set up your paint set in the kitchen, knowing it’d be easier to pick up. in the video, she talked to you. asked what you were painting. to which you responded, “a princess!”

it was a bad painting of a princess on a pirate ship, a really bad painting. so bad, you laughed through your tears as you watched it in your lonesome apartment.

the camera zoomed in to your mother, your father obviously being the one to take the video. shes the prettiest lady in the whole wide world.

now you know why the trees change colors. you know your mother was on your side, even when you were wrong, like when you pushed a kid for calling a teacher ‘stupid’ in the fourth grade.

you were grateful for her, for her watching you shine and become who you were today. you dont know if she knows, but, you always had the best days with her.

ynhughes

liked by elblue_06, jackhughes and others

ynhughes you always know how to make me laugh. miss u mama, better visit more

comments have been disabled.

is this like.,, good..,

tags; @slaythehousebootsdown13 , @outrunangelss , @um-mads , @bqbylon , @whoreforthehughesbrothers , @p3nislawd , @queenmendes , @absolutelyhugh3s , @hockeyboysarehot ,

[cosmichorrorsarestillnicerthanme]

Juri, Cammy, and Ibuki reacting to their S/O casually walking in with severe injuries and when asked they respond: "Tis but a scratch"

I absolutely LOVED writing this, it really let me go all kinds of crazy, especially with Cammy's part, allowed me to tap into the more unhinged side of my writings.

Now, that aside, your wish is my command!

When you barged into the garage, drenched in blood, and looking like you just walked out of being a no name extra in a Tarantino film who existed only to be shot, stabbed, and otherwise beaten to death, Juri was rightfully concerned.

Doubly so when you started tearing the place apart and asked, in a voice that was WAY to calm for someone who was in the condition you were in “Where the crowbar was”.

Now, Juri likes to think she is a pretty brave lady.

I mean, she’s done all kinds of crazy things that have her skating the edge between life and death before.

Right now however, she got the feeling that she wanted no part of what was going on with you right now.

It also didn’t help that she was more than a little bit scaroused by this.

So, she handed you the crowbar and asked.

“So… you… uh… good?”

“Never been better! Why do you ask?” you responded as a pool of blood started to form under your feet.

“Well all of… that.” Juri stated as she gestured to all of you with her hands.

“Oh don’t worry, it's not mine. Most of it at least.Tis but a scratch! As they say.  Anywho! I’ll be back before dinner! Love you!” You exclaimed as you turned on your heel and walked out from the way you came, leaving Juri standing in the middle of the garage.

“Yup, definitely scaraoused.” Juri declared to herself before turning on her heel to return to what she was doing beforehand.

Cammy was not the type of person who shook easy.

However, the person she loved bursting into the home the two of you shared, drenched in blood and covered in wounds, was more than enough to leave her… concerned.

Doubly so when you took a kitchen knife and made your way back the way you came.

Luckily, she managed to catch up to you beforehand.

“Oh! Heya Cammy! How are you doing dear?” you asked her, completely ignoring your wounds.

“I’m doing… fine. How about you?” Cammy asked, deeply concerned for your state right now.

“Doing great! And don’t worry about all this, Tis but a scratch!” you exclaimed with a smile as you moved to move past Cammy who stopped you.

“How about… we take a little trip to the hospital first!” Cammy suggested as she wrapped her hand around you and gently took the knife out of your hand.

“Oh, okay, but I… I uh… I had something to do first, there was this blonde guy in a mask, a real weird guy. Had this claw, real, real strange.” You muttered, the blood loss already getting to you.

“Yeaaah… we’re gonna be taking a nice little trip to the hospital. They’ll have jello!” Cammy exclaimed as she wrapped her arms to guide you out the door.

“Ooh! Jello!” you happily stated with a smile.

The last thing Ibuki expected to see after finishing her training for the day was you, covered in blood, a knife sticking out of your back, knuckles bleeding heavily, blood pouring down the side of your face, and you carrying a metal bat as you walked down the street.

Ibuki, being a semi-normal person and excellent girlfriend, found this a tad concerning, and so, decided she should probably check up on you.

“Uh… hey there.” Ibuki greeted, the concern in her voice completely unmissable.

“Hey Ibuki! How’s it going?” You asked, paying absolutely no mind to the condition you were in at the moment.

“Good… it's uh… going good. You know you have a knife in your back right?” she asked you, growing more and more concerned with each passing second.

“Yup! Hurts like you wouldn’t believe! But don’t worry, Tis but a scratch! Now, if you’ll excuse me! I have some ruffians to finish speaking to in this parking Garage.” you happily exclaimed before walking into said Parking Garage.

Shortly following this, Ibuki heard the sound of a metal bat cracking open someone’s skull and a scream of pain, followed by the sound of a metal bat breaking bones, and just causing a great deal of unpleasantness to a fairly large group of people.

A very short ten minutes later, you walked out of the Parking Garage, your formerly pristine bat now blooddrenched and dented in several places.

“Now then Ibuki, what were we talking about before?” you asked, a massive smile on your face.

“I… think we were talking about… going to the hospital!” Ibuki exclaimed.

“Really? Well then! Let's go!” you declared joyously.

[tammyu-2]

HMMMM can i request 2012mikey dating headcannons 😁😁😁😁

Ask and you will receive

🫡

TMNT 2012 MIKEY DATING HCS

Usage of the pronoun she, one usage of y/n, swearing kinda, Mikey being adorable, nothing else.

Alot of ppl don't write for mickey yet he is the most loved one

You guys met at Mr. murakami's restaurant. You always preferred going to places at night because it was quieter and the scenery was nice.

Mr. Murakami had added these pizza pocket things to the menu, and you had to try it out. As they say, great minds think alike, and Mikey had the same idea. He had been tired of his brothers always eating all the takeout he got, so he decided to sneak out to go get some for himself. He then bumped into you.

The silence that followed after you guys locked eyes was so long that you would have thought you two were mute. Like you are mainly confused. Should you run? Should you be scared? Should you dap him up??

He is sitting here like,'What did Leo say you should do when you get spotted in public?'. He tried to act like a turtle but was unaware of what sounds a normal turtle makes because they are mainly quiet. So he stuck with:

"Turtle turtle"

"What the actual fuck-"

It was safe to say that it was a confusing start. You both were starving, tho so like you two shook hands, became friends, and ate pizza pockets together.

When you two became wore acquainted, he is absolutely CLUELESS on his crush on you. Like wdym yall are just homies. Like he just fw that much. At this point, the turtles know about you, so he blabs about you to them sooooo much.

"Oh y/n is coming around today."

"She was really sad today."

"Did you know she didn't know how to skate??"

"OH she actually is learning the guitar I like it's sorta badass."

"Mikey, oh my gosh, shut up about her! Do you like her or something??"

This comment has him thinking. Does he like you? He asks Donnie for help, and Dontron indeed confirms that Mikey has a romantic crush on you.

"Oh cool... what do I do about it?"

He knows what a crush is because Donnie is head over heals for april, but like, what now? This earns a sigh from Donnie as he dumbs down what a crush is to him, and Mikey goes full-on realization mode.

I don't think he would immediately tell you. I think he will just keep that information in mind but still make it very obvious cause he doesn't care. Like help you out and stuff. Complimenting how good you are at stuff. Sprouting out sentences that imply that he likes you.

"Yo! Your boots look absolutely fire today."

"I just finished the comic you told me about. It was sick!"

"You should probably get out of here dude the kraang is gonna bust the place, and I'd rather you not get hurt."

"You wanna go get some pizza pockets? Just you and me."

Like he would do this noticeably enough that his brothers have to bring it up. Like it's proper sibling etiquette. The classic "How's your girlfriend?" And "Dude, you're so in love with her!" Is to be expected.

Now, one day, he finds a roller skating park that's empty at night. He decided it would be the perfect opportunity to hand out with his favorite person. Also, to teach you how to skate.

He invited you, and you said yes. You guys go, and it's actually locked up at night. But you guys bypass the locks easily. He patiently helps you onto the bored as you pray that you don't somehow fall on your face or break something by just standing on the board with no gear except a helmet.

After a while of close calls and you two being silly, you could finally skate slowly ... with no ramps. Baby steps baby steps.

After a bit, you two sit on top of a ramp just talking about anything, really. Then Mikey confesses to you that he likes you. You say you like him back, and he's all like

"Cool cool cool nice awesome amazing sick fire totally nice."

Leave him alone it's his first time being this flustered. He usually isn't the one who would manage to get a partner in the first place.

When you two start dating, you guys become disgustingly cute. Like you guys take every opportunity to cuddle or just be physically close to one another. You both heavily touch starved. It's like you two read comics together with you up to his plastron with one of his arms wrapped around you and the other holding his comic.

You introduce him to your favorite cartoons and things and you guys have date nights where you two get alot of pizza and sweets and junk food and watch your favorite series that you had non stop thinking about in that week.

You're not allowed the battlefield mostly because Leo says this, but yeah. So, during a fight, Mikey likes to talk about you. He's clingy, is what I'm saying. He could write an essay if he had the attention span and the vocabulary.

But over all he loves youuuu. Like he really fw you. You're the type to bounce off each other's energy and match each other's vibe. It's cute but annoying for others. Poor raph....

Hope you enjoyed it. I hope you liked it. This was super cute to write. I liked it. :>

But that's all from me toodles

~Tammy<3

[afreakingdork]

Attempted Execute of Non-Executable Memory - Chapter 10

RotTMNT Michelangelo x Kendra

We're peeling out in this week's chapter art by @dryad-druid

Rated: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings/Tags: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Revenge, Falling In Love, Love, Romance, Dating, Aged-Up Mutant Ninja Turtles, Love Confessions, Human/Turtle Relationships (TMNT), Step-Parents, Neglect, First Kiss, First Generation Immigrant Kids, Acculturation, Loss/Removal of Cultural Identity, Incarceration, Prison Time, I flesh Out Kendra’s Character, Character Exploration, Character Study, I Give Kendra a Backstory

Synopsis: After hitting the lowest of lows, Kendra has carved out a simple life for herself. She’s content enough to live this way until opportunity walks through her place of employment in the form of an orange turtle mutant. She just needs to get close enough to him to plant a virus in his infuriating brother’s servers, but will she be infected long the way?

Also available on Ao3

First 🧡 Previous

“Illegal or not illegal?” Mikey asked as soon as Kendra walked up to him.

She reviewed where he was sitting on a curb wearing a backpack that had two skateboards strapped into it. “Which part?”

“Where I teach you to ride.” He smiled up at her.

She was getting far too used to the warm feeling that inspired. “What else goes into that choice?”

He was prepared for the secondary question. “Do you want people to see you wipe out or not?”

“It’s like that, huh?”

“Yeah. One of those sports.”

She debated quietly. She supposed there was no mood of hers that was good enough to want to partake in humiliation. Falling was sure to conjure that, but if it was a given when it came to skateboarding then it was also unavoidable. The little study she had done online hadn’t amounted to much. Tutorial videos were painfully belittling and often had literal children as their dummies to learn. The entirety of the sport itself, if it could be called that, did not hold her interest and she had moved on with the mind that this would be a one-off thing. “If it wasn’t me you were teaching, where would you bring some rando?”

“Hamilton Bridge.” He spoke instantly. “Good flat areas off to the side. Nice vibe. Brooklyn Banks, maybe, depending on where we were.”

She hummed lightly and debated sitting down.

“Thanks for doing this.”

“We’re kind of past the point of running off your energy.” 

“Eh, I always got some of that to spare.” He finally hopped up to his feet.

“One of those for me?” She gestured to the boards.

“Yup!” He turned to show her. “Guess which one!”

She spun the cyan wheels of one and could sort of see scales on the board itself. “Hm, I wonder.”

“Dragon warrior, heads up!” He turned back around before she could glimpse his.

“How are you moving your exalted one?” She asked with a turned out finger.

“Public transport or if you wanted… something really wild…?” He had a playful air.

She should have thought twice.

She had the forethought.

‘Something wild’ and that of the ‘really’ variety by Mikey’s definition was bound to be something she didn’t care for.

She was also trying.

Trying to take her next step.

Trying to embody her new self.

Trying to find renewed interest.

He was part of that vision.

She was inclined to trust that much.

“Break it down for me.” She demanded and unfurled her fingers.

In a blur, he twirled the backpack to his front, flipped the flap, and dove down into it to reveal a helmet, which he slapped into her palm. “I’m gonna go all in on my razzmatazz. We’ll get from point here to point there while doing a freestyle street skate routine. That’s aerial stunts, showing off, the feel of flying, falling, and almost crashing, except I would never let you actually fall. At least not yet. Not from like a building height.”

She turned the helmet over since it landed upside-down and it appeared utilitarian for what she expected of Mikey.

She gave a hopeless grin at it.

She looked up to find him admiring the headgear. “Kill me and I will figure out whatever mystic bullshit I need to haunt you forever.”

“I’ll draw up the spell!” He closed the backpack.

She put her helmet on and he got his board free. “Show me that.”

He flipped it to show her the deck. “New board! I painted an updated version of the design I had from when I was a kid. Sentimental junk. It’s an awesome turtle skull that’s on fire!”

“What happened to your old board?” She pulled her chin strap tight.

“Oh, I broke it.” He tucked his board under his arm and helped her adjust the straps on the side.

She stared at him dully.

“I broke a lot of boards. I’ve been skateboarding since I was like 10.”

“Same time you met April?”

“Probably!” He shrugged a little too nonchalant.

“You’ll kill me. I’m going to die. I’ll be dead.” She cursed herself in a haunt.

“No, no!” He feigned a fuss and put his board down. “So…?” 

“Fine! Yes. Hurry up!” 

He chuckled. “We feeling loose? Wanna stretch?”

“I want to live.” She rolled her shoulders regardless.

“You will. You’ll never feel more alive. Better than jetpacking. I’ll top it all.”

“Brag much.”

“You’ll see, just watch.” He positively gleamed and bowed to offer her his skateboard.

She moved toward the board, but didn’t step up.

He put an authoritative foot on it and took her waist while urging her on.

She pretended to be put out when their hips met.

“Come on, you gotta get up here to be ready.” He downright purred.

“Yeah, yeah.” She pushed him lightly.

“Hold on for me?”

“For you. Not to you?”

“You’d do that anyway.”

She turned her head away as she pressed closer to him.

She blindly felt into his form and delicately skirted his shoulders until she found a grip around his shell.

In a light hop, he lifted her up onto the board.

“Knees bent helps with balance.” He instructed.

She flexed slightly.

He adjusted both their footings on the board before he kicked off.

They picked up speed quickly and he led the movements. From weaving around pedestrians, he used both his hold and their pressed bodies to indicate to her which way to lean. It was only when she was almost doing it on muscle memory did he kick off the curb. They landed in the street and she felt a flare of wariness as they dove into traffic. They maneuvered lights at a rapid pace and she keenly felt the moment his core clenched.

She went from holding his shoulders to nearly wringing his neck.

He kicked back up a curb, a mailbox, an awning, and finally a fire escape before his body revved with energy. In a tug with his free hand, he grabbed the very air before it turned into glowing chains. They had a hollow look in the daylight, but they still sparkled as he used them as a whip. Metal hit metal and with a roll of his wrist, he caught the length and they shot into the sky.

It was just as he described.

The feel of flying.

The threat of falling.

Only the force of the wind kept his board to their feet and his angles to keep it there showed how many times he had done this. Instead of doing actual calculations, he felt out physics in its natural state. Each twist and curve was painted in exact paraboles and he knew just when to throw out another length of chain. It connected to whatever distant object would keep them moving without ever dropping their momentum. 

She could tell he was holding back. While they flew from building to building like some neighborhood arachnid poster boy, Mikey was obviously telegraphing his moves. She knew it was for her sake. With his history of duping her under the guise of surprise, it was a sort of welcome action. At the same time, Kendra knew her aerial limits and he wasn’t even close to the adrenaline she had conjured on her own time.

“No-!” She fought the wind as they skated down a rooftop. “No tricks!?”

“Tricks?” He chirped into a grind.

“Yeah.” She squeezed him and leaned to kick off to the next building. “Afraid to up the ante?”

“Me?” He had them leave the board for a moment.

Her stomach flew into her throat with the thrill.

They landed and Mikey wove side to side. “Watch this!”

With a slight bump, he physically asked if she would move.

They were still in motion and Kendra was a little creaky in stepping back. It was the only direction she could go since she had been perched on the nose of the board. There was limited time with the current roof running out, but she managed to slip behind him before the edge came up. She readied for one more, but flailed into another as Mikey kickflipped to change direction. She secured her arms around his waist as they headed straight for a roof access door. This time, he bent his knees to show her when and she was ready with a tight squeeze when he jumped the board onto it. There he engaged all his muscles in a fit of control and kicked off the door so hard that they both shot out horizontally.

Kendra thought the board was a goner, but Mikey twisted. It subverted her world and it turned further upside-down when Mikey caught the ledge they almost flew over with a single arm. For one solid moment, he held them there and she noticed how his other arm had brought the board with them. With clear intent, he made sure the board was adjusted just so before he kicked it like a hacky sack. Building up momentum, he bounced his foot one last time and sent the skateboard straight up into the air. She didn’t have time to watch it as they began to lower. With all his strength in a single arm, he bent at the elbow and she felt the small slack in her helmet give along with all the blood to her brain. 

In a single flex, he flung both of them up in the direction he had sent the board. 

A delighted cackle erupted from her throat as they made contact and spun. Mikey’s mystic energy burst with sparks and they rotated an amount of degrees that she lost count of. Gravity then caught hold and pulled them down with Mikey crouching as he got the board underfoot again. She followed along, glued to him, and he caught the nose of his board to aim. They hurtled downward where a few pedestrians glimpsed them and screamed.

“EAT YOUR HEART OUT!!!” She yelled as they soared past the onlookers. 

They hit a sloped skylight with a force that shattered the windows. Her laughter tinkled along with the glass and they rode down the metal casing before clacking onto another roof. From there it was a few more jumps and flips before they neared the river roads. It was a stepwise dropping process to get them safely to the ground and they skated in a cool down among the sidewalks.

The concrete soon ran out and Mikey turned the board to grind to a halt. The moment she perceived they were safe, she jumped to bowl him over. “Mikey!”

He stumbled off the board and tried to wrangle her.

She crawled over him to keep out of his grasp. “That was great and I do not compliment people!”

“Is that so!? Let me enjoy it! Stop moving!” He couldn’t get his hands on her.

“We have got to do that again! Take me swinging through the city! No wait! Better yet, let me make a jetpack and together-!”

She stopped and he instinctively did the same.

“Or… you can take me. Yeah…”

“Kendra…” He finally got her around to his front.

“I forgot for a second. It’s fine.”

“I don’t think it is.”

“There’s nothing to do about it.” She pulled away.

He let her and only took one sidestep to get the board.

“Can’t do tech. It’s a slippery slope. I fix things sometimes, but that’s it. It’s not illegal, but you get it.”

“Sure, but-”

“Trust me.” She gave him a serious glance from her profile.

He was momentarily stunned and nodded.

She hopped a few steps. “That was good! Ugh! I missed that feeling!! The rush!!”

She gave a yell to the hill they were about to descend.

Mikey continued to watch her.

She breathed out like she hadn’t in a long time.

“Feels good. I feel alive!”

“Gonna feel real good when you nail one of those tricks yourself.”

“That won’t be the same.” She spoke breezily.

“No?”

“How could it?!”

Mikey hummed as if he knew something.

“You spike my wheels or something?”

“No!” He leapt ahead so he could walk backwards in front of her. “It’s that satisfaction of doing it yourself! I have a feeling…!”

“What?”

He continued his silence with a bobbing of his brow ridge.

“What?!” She picked up the pace.

He made it obvious that he would run.

She felt good enough to chase after him.

He let her catch him at the gates of the skate park and she added on the treat of a giggle as they hugged. He clucked happily and his expression was warm enough to toast s’mores on. She held out, but couldn’t keep looking as she surveyed the people here. There were several groups of lanky twenty-somethings. A few parents with kids and some rogue teens that put on the most egregious aura. Kendra knew their type as she had been one and planned to steer clear.

Mikey squeezed her to attention.

“Ready?” She told him as if she hadn’t been canvassing and broke free to enter. “Hurry up!”

“Mhm.” He teased as he followed after.

She jogged over to an open space that was a good distance from other patrons. “What will I accomplish in one day? An Ollie? I read about the mechanics of the typical tricks.”

“First things first…!” Mikey set the backpack down and unlatched her board. He then dug into the bag itself and produced a set of black and teal objects. “We gotta get you into the top priority… Safety!”

She placed that they were pads. “No.”

“You’ll want them when you fall the first time.” He walked them over to her.

“I’m not five!”

“Kendra…”

“You never put on a helmet!”

“I have this whole situation.” He swept a hand over his body. “And kneepads! I’ve been wearing kneepads the whole time! I made kneepads a fashion statement back when you were working that little French hat!” 

She gasped full offense. 

He smirked. 

She outright snorted her dismissal and returned to the subject at hand. “Whatever! They look dumb!”

“Think of your joints!”

“Think of how stupid I’ll look!”

“Dumber when you get hurt…!”

“Ugh!” She snatched them from him. “If I get called a dork one time!”

A quick inventory separated the pad sets and she correctly shoved one arm through the necessary padding. Mikey came around to harmlessly help, but she rebuffed him. Since she was doing what he asked, he let it slide and switched to pulling out her board from his bag instead. He lined it up with his and waited out as she got both knees strapped in.

When she stood, she felt like she hobbled.

She must have because he suddenly chewed his lip.

She seethed.

“I’m taking them off.”

“No! You’re so cute!!” He withered toward her.

She didn’t dodge and let him fall against her. “Idiot.”

“Your idiot.”

“Unfortunately.”

He smiled wide. “Let’s get on those boards.”

Without holding her hand, he led them over and talked her through the process. He wasn’t demeaning, which she never outwardly thanked. She instead gave him her attention, something she found to be a far more precious commodity, and followed his guidance. She was soon walking the board around, which gradually gave way to her being able to glide on it. The ride then took her to turns and that morphed into the side to side weaves that she had seen him do during his roof stunts.

Her pads didn’t allow her the right range of motion.

They capped her knees where she needed to bend to get the right level of stability.

They hindered her arms where she needed those to act as her true ballast.

“I think you’re ready to go down a bank!” Mikey kicked up his board into his hands.

“Sure, but first…” She got a steady foot on the ground before she ripped the Velcro off one of her pads.

“Uh…!” Mikey wandered towards her.

“I’ve plateaued. I won’t progress like this! They’re in the way!” She went for the other elbow pad.

“That’s not how that works!” He complained.

“I’m fine. I haven’t fallen yet.”

“Again, that’s not-!”

“Which bank?” She eyed the parts of the park available.

“Uh, that one…” Mikey feebly pointed.

She knew the mechanics of kicking the board up as he had, but didn’t have near the same amount of effortless skill. Instead of leaving a mistake up to chance, she simply stepped off her board and ducked down to yank it off the ground in a fluid motion. She grabbed the trucks and hoisted the board up.

He was immediately on her and blocked her with his body. “Oh, hell no!”

“W-what?” She squawked against him.

“That’s called a mall grab. Don’t do that. Only posers do that.” He pulled her board from her.

“What? Why?”

“It means you probably got your stuff from the mall and you’re showing off. I made your board custom.”

“Custom?” She pushed on the wood in his grip to glimpse it.

She had long noticed the colored wheels, but the graphic on the deck hadn’t caught her eye. For the dragon warrior he described her as, the bottom of her board was a series of scales that represented said creature’s body. Now flipped up to the light, she could see an iridescent sheen to the paint and the faint shape of brush strokes.

“How… custom…?” She appreciated the detail.

“I didn’t carve it out if that’s what you’re thinking. I could if I wanted, but there’s all this layering and pressure sensitivity things so keep them safe. We didn’t have that much time, so I did some mental math, eyeballed your measurements, and got a board your size and did all the detailing.” He rubbed down the design. “You know, striping whatever was there before, a devil head I think, and sanding and painting.” 

“It’s pretty tame…”

“I didn’t want to assume. The designs are personal. Not to show off, but for you. You can build it up. Put stickers on it or I can paint something else. It’s totally yours.”

“Mine?” 

“Mhm.” 

“I didn’t plan on making skateboarding a recurring thing.” She revealed lamely. 

“So?” 

“So what else am I gonna do with this?” 

“It’ll make pretty cool wall art!” He gripped the edge of the board. “You hold it like this by the way. Grip tape out.”

 She nodded and did as he instructed.

He was quiet for a second. “That… none of this makes you a poser though.”

“I know. I’m a noob.”

“You’re doing great.”

“Save it for when I really am.” She headed toward the closest bank.

He trailed after.

She felt echoes of other times.

It wasn’t like she had been to a skate park before, but she had once been taken to an empty parking lot. Under the guise of getting donuts, her dad had gone around to the trunk instead of the shop. Even at age six, she had tried to correct his folly, but found him pulling out a bike. He set it down and gave it a pat to the seat and hadn’t needed to say more. It had been a sweet gesture and a nice day when he taught her to ride. The glazed rings tasted all the sweeter knowing she had hit some milestone.

She was on the platform of the bank and Mikey had been rattling off instructions beside her. The slope was barely 15 degrees. Looking down it was a joke for how much he was talking. This was patently a ramp for beginners and she had acknowledged she was such. She would do this as many times as necessary to make the movements stick and move onto something else.

There were easy to visualize steps.

“Want me to hold your hand going down the first time?” Her partner asked genially.

“This is shorter than a curb and you didn’t hold my hand when we were hurtling through the sky.” She glimpsed him.

“No, but I was leading then and this is you; it’s new.”

“I’ve got it. Assume the stance.” She demonstrated how she knew to stand with her feet perpendicular to the board. “Knees bent.” She squatted lower. “Ride down.”

“Sure.” He stepped back. “Of course.”

She readied herself and prepared to kick off.

It was a quick change for her feet.

She would need to rotate and get into that stance.

She played how to do so several times before chancing it.

She celebrated when her feet hit the board perfectly.

She cheered at the speed she achieved.

She readied her body with her knees bent to take the drift.

The skateboard tipped with a click and went down the slope.

She rode it until her center of gravity leaned too far back and in a quick slide of the wheels, they soared out from under her. Mikey yelled and her elbows made contact with the bank before he could reach her. The slick surface was worn smooth and she slid the few feet down to where a metal band lined the edge of the bank. Her ass bounced on the metal as it brought her to a halt.

“Kendra!” Mikey slid down to her on his kneepads. “You okay?”

“Don’t!” She flinched away from him.

“I’m not…” His protest was gentle.

“You are! I saw! I know what I…” She winced as she tried to glimpse her elbows.

They weren’t torn, but there was a heat rash from the slide.

Instead of weeping, they just shined up with blood that would never drip.

She clicked her tongue away from it.

“Go ahead.”

“I’m not going to.”

“’I told you so.’” She said it for him.

“I wouldn’t.”

“Why not!?” She turned to him. “It’s so easy! Low hanging fruit.”

“Then it’s boring.” He said simply.

She frowned deeply.

He stared back.

She disengaged because she had no choice.

He sat with her as she folded her legs up.

“This isn’t like riding a bike.”

“There is BMX.”

“Not what I meant!”

He quieted.

“You don’t fall.”

He was ready with a retort that she could tell was saying he could.

She hadn’t.

She never had.

Her dad was there.

The utility of her bike had run out when her mom had gotten sick.

It wasn’t the same, she reasoned. Nothing that reminded her of those times ever was. Falling off a skateboard was nothing like losing her mom and she knew the recurrence was just part of some grieving process. Mikey and all the research she had done were all clear. You fell when skateboarding. You fell; that was learning how to ride. This sport had a prerequisite of ground time to develop one’s skills.

Was it disheartening because that self-fulfilling prophecy came true?

Was it frustrating because Mikey hadn’t been the fall back she thought?

Was it her damned insistence that she didn’t need a safety net?

Like she never had.

Because she always stupidly acted before thinking of the consequences.

She was goal-oriented in the positive sense of the word.

A buzz worthy note to be picked up by resume software.

She adjusted her helmet.

She would sting and she would get back up. She would be sore and she would try again. She would survive this and reach success, but not on this bank. This slope was a joke and she needed higher. Kendra spied one that was at least twice this height and made that a goal. There was also dropping in, but that felt a little lofty for her first day.

“Is it too late to put the pads back on?” She asked quietly.

“Nope. I got alcohol wipes in my bag.”

“Get them?” She asked without looking.

“Course.” He tapped her to signal he was going.

She used the time alone to talk herself up to her feet. Mikey helped wipe her elbows off and she powered through the nettles of the disinfectant. She then got the pads back on and he complimented her battle armor. She liked the change in perspective on the objects and felt the horn sound to signal a charge.

In time, she was skating down the slope with ease. Her issue had been her body. While she accounted for the weight distribution, she had neglected to keep her body level with the shifting angle of the board. It was all about following through and she needed to lean forward where forces pushed her back. She knew that all too well and how to face them head on. 

They moved embankments and skated together. Mikey wove expertly around her and encouraged her. She chased after him for speed and was cut off by those teens. It caused her second fall, but this time, she saw nothing but red as she stopped herself with her palms. She used the rashed digits to lash out, but Mikey was already berating them before her claws could land. He took their fight to the battle ground they were in and skated circles around them. They were soon praising him and asking for lessons, but he turned them down in favor of his star pupil that, he warned, they would soon have to watch out for.

They visibly gagged at the display, but Kendra clung to him for the sake of making them sicker. It ran them off and then she stayed close because she was already there. Mikey reminisced about when he used to challenge his brother to skateboard offs to settle disputes. He never used to win due to their larger size so he was forced to get creative. Where they had power, he trained his balance. His ‘one with the board’ mantra was something he spent hours perfecting. In a quick flip, he demonstrated how he could balance on the board on one finger while it was only on two wheels and said his family hadn’t dared to pick a fight with him in years. 

She appreciated crushing one's foes and offered him her sense of pride. 

It made him smile and she spied a faint teeter.

As if the ground itself betrayed him, the board shot out from his person and he flopped into a heap that only made him laugh. “See!”

She knelt down to help him up.

“We all do it. It always happens” He took her hand with great care. “Even to me.”

Instead of up, she pulled him to her lips.

He languished against her for a moment and broke apart with the spark of an idea. “Let’s do a kickflip!”

“Sure.” She shook her head at him.

Again, all the physics made sense on paper, but hitting those necessary points with the precision she wanted came with muscles she hadn’t used. Over and over the board whacked into her knees pads and she rued the wood for trying to get through them. Mikey was amused by her gloating and helped her in the hop. He would lift her up like a dancer and she kicked the board. It took another dozen tries until it landed how they both wanted and he dropped her right down onto it the moment it did.

She skated away with her arms up and pumping.

It threw off her gravity and she flayed, but stayed upright.

This took learning.

There was no immediate greatness.

One practiced.

One refined code.

A perfect program wasn’t born without trial or error.

With time wearing on, dropping into the bowl was chosen as her last task for the date. They discussed options for what to do after and decided to start with tea. There was a place with fruit ones nearby that seemed alright and helped offset the daunting nature of hooking her board at the edge of the precipice. She was familiar with this sort of drop as she longed to hurl herself over them, but without her usual bravado, it seemed especially deep.

Mikey stood stoic beside her and made it clear that he wasn’t going to attempt his until she did hers.

He would chase her.

She wasn’t going to crash this time.

He would be there and ready.

Her weight was on the back of the board to keep it level, but she got that preparatory foot ready to push forward.  

Mikey did the same.

She bent her knees.

He mirrored her.

She readied herself with a small wiggle.

Mikey chuckled softly to himself.

There was no call to action as she let her weight drop.

She only kept herself parallel to the board.

She had to steel herself to stay in line.

In a rush and bottoming out of her stomach from the speed, she skated straight into the bowl with Mikey right beside her.

She went partially up the next ramp, but didn’t bother giving it a kick of momentum. She slid right back into the bottom and ran straight off the board in her excitement. She saw glimpses of her little self cheering for riding without her dad’s hand and she turned to Mikey who similarly scooped her up to celebrate. He propped her on his shoulder to show her off and one of the teens from earlier who had stuck around joined in the congratulations.

Kendra blamed adrenaline for her warm cheeks as she was sat down.

“Now that!” Mikey shouted. “Was amazing! You can’t take that from me! First try! That’s my girl!!”

She swatted him lightly, but leaned into him. “That deserves a treat.”

“Oh! Treat time! Tea? You ready?” He kicked up both their boards.

Kendra caught hers and Mikey rounded her with excited screams to hype her up more.

She laughed.

He ate up the sound as he came back around to her front.

“Martabak would be good.”

“What’s that?!” His attention popped.

“Kinda… like a pancake? It’s sweet and special… I guess. I learned it from-I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. It’s like the only thing I can cook. That and basics: ramen, scrambled eggs, fried rice, sandwiches.”

“You can make that!?” He leaned too far into her. “Not the other stuff, but that martabak thing?” 

She pushed his excitement down. “I guess!”

He dropped to his knees to beg. “Make it for me.”

He hadn’t even said please and she was sort of impressed. “They aren’t that good.”

“I don’t care! Cook for me!”

“Mikey!”

“I will do this all the way to the tea place.”

“Mikey!!”

“For weeks if I have to!”

“No!”

He inhaled a single time, not enough for what he prepared to do, and immediately began to say ‘please’ over and over and over.

“Stop! No! Fine! Whatever! I’ll make them! You’re not allowed to complain when it’s mid!”

“Yes!” He twirled up into the air to make a video game-esque power pose. “Wait! No! It won’t be mid and oh!”

“What now!?” She tipped her board to grab his bag.

“Cooking show date!”

“What?!” She reared incredulously.

“Yes! Let’s do it! It’s perfect! I need pictures of you anyway and videos are like pictures that move! I feel like I’m missing out! We’ve been on so many dates now and I will start forgetting and I don’t have evidence of all the tricks you did today! Your first time skateboarding!? What am I even doing!?”

“You are not going camera dad on me.”

“I’ll get all your good angles?” He rounded her while making a rectangle with his hands.

“Pain in the ass.”

“Does it still hurt?” He lowered his pseudo-lens.

“Kiss it and make it better.” She sneered and got hold of his backpack. He had a blush to him that was knocked clean off as she chucked the object at his midsection with all her force.

(Check out behind the scenes for this fic and more on my Patreon. You can follow me there, here, or the tag #AENEMfic for updates)

We got a big 10-4 check on betas @tmntxthings and @unrestrainedhotsoup that means Chez Dork is doing well!

[spiderfunkz]

i saw ur recent post and now hear my out *drumroll* tasm peter parker teaching an S/O how to skateboard/skateboarding dates with an S/O <3

✧.* dirty converses

— summary : it's a boring sunday afternoon, so peter decides to take you skateboarding.

— pairings : tasm!peter parker x gn!reader

— word count : 0,6k

— warnings : fluff, established relationship, a kiss, reader almost falling whoops, pet names, not proofread.

a/n : *drumroll* here it is!! sorry it took so long butttt i hope u enjoy it <33 also i am no skater so sorry for any mistakes abt that.

peter has always loved skateboarding, it's something he can use as a distraction from everything, something he can do to feel some sort of freedom and joy.

ever since uncle ben gifted him his first board on his 9th birthday, he's been skating almost everyday. especially on sunday afternoons, the day where all the homework and essays are finished, the day where there are no chores due, and the day where he can just relax and skate till his legs go numb.

and now it's another sunday afternoon. peter's walking to your house, with a small flower on one hand, and his skateboard on the other. he's been dying to teach you how to skate for longer than ever, and when you finally agreed to learn today he did not hesitate to walk out of his house and run to yours.

you were waiting near the steps outside of your house, playing with the laces of your dirty converses. maybe you should get new, clean ones. you wait for a bit.

peter arrives, grinning from ear to ear. "hi, i uh got you this." he hands you the small flower. "for luck, in case you fall and break your ankles." he jokes — "you're mean." you reply as he helps you stand up.

"do you wanna just skate here? you're neighbourhood seems nice." he asks, "or- or we can go to the skate park." — "i could go for a walk to the skate park." you answer, peter smiles.

the walk was nice. you kept the flower peter gave in your pocket, a few petals peeking out. you felt the warmth of peter's hand and the cool breeze of summer.

the skate park was quiet, a few kids who were there left a few minutes later. "at least no ones here to see you fall." peter teases. "are you saying i'm gonna fall?" you reply. "no, because you have the best teacher of all time." peter smiles, teeth showing. you roll your eyes at his sarcastic tone.

peter helps you balance on the board first, his hands holding your waist gently, making sure you don't fall. "just relax, i got you." peter reassures. you balance carefully on the board, peter's hands letting go slowly.

"see? you're a natural, we can go to the basic's now like pushing off and stopping." he continued. peter demonstrated the move, you carefully try and copy it.

but i don't think falling was part of the steps — "careful there!" peter caught you as you were about to fall, he helps you get back on your feet. "it's alright, everyone falls on their first try." he attempts to cheer you up.

peter continues to guide you and help you through all the basics of skating. complimenting you every time you did a step correctly.

"see? i told you you're a natural, bubs." he kisses you on the cheek.

you continue to spend the afternoon with peter at the skate park. sitting near the ramps, you see peter skate from afar. you watch how his hair falls perfectly in place, how the glow of the sun beautifully captures his movements, you watch as he lands a trick, giving you a smile and a thumbs up before walking towards you.

he sits next to you. the sun begins to set, casting a warm golden hue over the skate park. "did you see the trick i landed there?" he pointed, "yeah! you should teach me that sometime." you suggest, "i will, you've gotten really good at this you know? i had a really good time with you today." peter remarks.

"i had a really good time with you too, pete." you smile.

sunday afternoons might be your favorite now.

[onim5]

Isekai Au

Chapter 6: Idk

Portgas D. Ace x Female Reader

Warnings: None

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

Ace had been to a lot of different stuff the past few days. Restaurants, bath house, cinema, but the absolute worst part was the fact you had bought him not one, not two, but around forty-three gifts and such. He didn't even know what to do with most! He had his own roller skates all of sudden, and ice skates! When Ace came, he had nothing, and now he owned more than he ever had. And every time he tries to tell you no, you already bought it! Ace sighed, looking at the three bags he now had. Sure, for the majority of time, you were off working. But the moment you got back, boy, you had something new for him. And every time, you use the same excuse.

"I'm on vacation. And I can't let you ruin it by stopping me from going." And then you had forced him to come with! And who has vacation and work at the same time?

"Ace, are you ready to go to the airport?" You called out. Ace grumbled but took his bags and yours to the elevator, apparently.

"Do you have airplanes in your world?" You asked curiously. Ace thought for a while.

"We don't have anything called that," Ace confirms as he places the bags in a car that has one more name, a taxi. We soon came to the airport and, let's just say Ace got nervous.

"How is that gigantic thing gonna fly?" Ace asks while pointing at the plane. He feels how a lot a strange unsure feeling settles in him.

"If it didn't fly, we wouldn't be here." You answered, patting him on the shoulder. Then you continued walking, and Ace followed. Inside the building, it was huge, really huge. You two put your bags on a moving thing and then got checked for something. Luckily though, both passed. He unsurely sat on foot on the moving stairs. And then stood unsure on it.

"I guess you guys don't have escalators?" You comment as you walk off the step. Ace practically jumped over, too scared to touch the end line.

"No, we don't." Ace grumbled.

Ace and you waited, doing rock, paper, scissors, and other stuff. Then, it was time to get into the big thing. Ace follows closely behind you.

"Don't do anything dirty on the plane." The flight attendant comments as you two walked past. Ace blush makes a little bigger distance between you. It was the billionth time someone thought you two were dating. The worst part is that Ace can't even blame them! If he saw a man and a woman around the same age, he also assumed that. Especially if the man is following around like a lost puppy. Ace sighs at that thought. He really feels like one.

Settling down in the plane, Ace gets the window spot, and you are in the middle. A young, handsome man sits down next to you and a weird feeling places in Ace's chest.

"Hello, the name's Jason Bacon." The man introduced with a wink. Though that wink had definitely different meanings to you and Ace.

"I'm Y/n L/n, and this is my boyfriend Portgas D. Ace." I said, gesturing to Ace. He looked away to hide his shock and flustered state. Why did you say that?!

"Dosen't seem like he has much interest in you." Jason comments leaning closer to you. Ace snaps his head in Jason's direction. Jason sees the glare Ace gives him and leans as far away from you as possible.

There must be a different way to ask someone to start dating here. Ace thinks. Does that mean I have a girlfriend! Ace leans back on his seat and accidentally places his hand in yours. He is just about to remove it when the plane starts, so instead, he takes hold of your hand. Ace looks out the window and watches it move. He can feel how the plane lifts and how he gets pressed into his seat. You give his hand a light squeeze in reasurment and smile.

Good thing I told Jason that Ace and I are together. He seems to be a kind of creep. You think, looking into Ace warm and nice hand. Ace is quite good at pretending.

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

If you have any questions, just ask. 😊

End of chapter 6

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Masterlist

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

aita for moving a (small) table?

OK this is a pretty minor thing but I still feel a bit guilty about it. As of writing this Halloween was yesterday, and this took place on Halloween evening.

So, every year on Halloween my parents go to my sisters house to see my nieces, and I stay at their house to give out candy in the front yard. I like to have some fun with it, so I wear a little grim reaper costume, and use a 'spin the wheel' style randomizer app to tell visitors supposedly how they are gonna die.

(Except its all funny slapstick stuff, and I have a normal cute fortune telling option for the little ones)

This year I wanted to add to it a little bit, so I decided to wear my roller skates with my costume and do some dancing and tricks while people walk up to make them laugh. (I have been doing roller skating as a hobby most of my life)

While I was getting changed, my mom brought out the table for the candy and a chair out to the driveway, which was a very nice thing of her to do, and I thanked her, but explained that I was actually going to move it up to the porch since the driveway was slanted and I would just roll down it on my skates.

This is where some context is needed about my mom, she is a victim of brain damage twice over, and also has OCD. Relevant to this story, her specific brain damage means that she has trouble regulating emotions, as well as difficulty speaking. Her difficulty speaking leads her to becoming particularly frustrated when she feels like someone was not making an effort to listen to her properly or was ignoring her.

All this to say, when I said I was going to move the table, she said no,no, it has to be right here. Dont move it. I figured she had become "stuck" on this (it's a common type of thing that she does, although im not entiely sure how to explain it) so I just agreed to keep it there to her.

Still,though, I wanted to dance, so I figured there would be no harm in scooching the table up once my parents left, and brought it back before they came back. Except, they came back early, and my mom saw the table in a different spot and became very agitated with me for ignoring what she said.

And I do feel bad about it, because I did it anyway knowing that these things that might seem small to others really can bother her a lot, and she is particularly hurt when ignored. She's over it by now and i apologized, but I'm still thinking about it. Was I being an asshole? I did intend to put it back, I wasn't actually ignoring what she said, I was paying attention, I just wanted to be a little goofy for the kids while she wasn't there anyway. Idk.

What are these acronyms?

[clonerightsagenda]

HDM Season 3 continued!

Episode 3:

Pan sleeping against Will's leg. I saw that.

Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are a couple that truly matches each other's freak (child murder) (derogatory). He was really like hey babe now that we're back together let's torture a prisoner of war.

"You look different." "So do you." Yeah you both grew several inches and she has a chest now. Puberty comes at you fast when you have to wait a while between shooting seasons.

More show-original squabbles to drag decision making out longer for some reason

The show is emphasizing Asriel sucking a lot more. Which I appreciate because he does kind of suck. Mrs. Coulter on the other hand is practically a tritagonist (evil/complicated)

They've switched Serafina saving an arrow to kill Mrs. Coulter to Ruta being hostile toward her. I don't love how I feel like they're skating on the edge of the angry Black woman trope with her.

"It's not about your beliefs. They believe, and they will act on it." Folding this into my conviction that Lyra is only the prophecy child capable of moving a multiverse of Dust because everyone is obsessed with her.

The forging scene was kind of half assed compared to the book. Where is the masterful forge Iorek built out of scraps because he's such a great blacksmith? You could not get the metal hot enough on an open air campfire like that.

Lyra: An angel? I'm gonna poke it.

TV!Balthamos is a lot chiller.

"Perhaps I never needed a knife in the first place." You're on the right track. But you also don't need high tech angel torture devices. You just need a big hole.

Shame they didn't do the bit re: the land of the dead where they cut into a world, then cut again, and end up in a reflection of that world with a former corpse now a ghost. I thought that was cool.

Episode 4:

God, you die and go to the afterlife and the prison guard for the dead is still a British guy. This is like Tell No Tales' load bearing British guy of death.

Everyone's reaction when Mrs. Coulter re-enters the plot is some variation of "are you fucking kidding me"

Mrs. Coulter continues to somehow seduce her way through the Magisterium. Is Mrs. Coulter a masterfully or misogynistically written female character for femme fatale-ing her way through various male authority figures and then losing her shit over her child: famous forum thread closed after 8000 pages of debate.

It's only now occurring to me that Asriel built a craft that can only be piloted by people from his world. It wasn't as important in the books, but in here where the craft can cut through dimensions, it looks more like keeping certain abilities tightly under wraps.

We're finally getting to Mary's lifechanging safari. About time.

It's also now occurring to me that it might've been nice for them to cut the living people stuck in the afterlife waiting room out. Most of them got there accidentally.

No Tialys/Salmakia with the kids in Death. Guess they wanted to focus on Will and Lyra, but it's a shame that we don't get Lyra pissing off Tialys on purpose to summon her death vs just wanting it real hard.

I can't remember how the ghosts knew that Lyra was about to get exploded. Maybe the show will elaborate on that.

Where are their fucking rollerskates

Will spent months searching for Lyra?? I guess they added that in to explain how much the kids grew but a) lots of devotion for someone he knew for like a week and b) Lyra should be in way worse shape if she was in a medical coma for months.

It says a lot that Will pulls a knife on the ferryman for Pan's sake given how much he hates having to be the 'violent' one.

They trimmed the ferryman's speech. I get it because it's quite long but still, bummer.

They didn't have Will screaming in agony! That seems unfair given the emphasis on how he's losing the same thing as Lyra. Maybe they decided it was not manly. Also it would be almost impossible to adapt into television but shoutout to the passage where it describes his experience as if he told someone to kill his mother instead of him because he doesn't love her.

[eating-plastic]

Hello again, sir.

Your response to my last ask got me feelin’ quite a few things, that’s for sure. Hope you don’t mind me reachin’ out to you again; I actually feel like we might have some things in common.

Yes sir, I’m a real cowboy alright.. Been herdin’ cattle and tending to the ranch since I was a kid. The internet is…well, it’s something. Seems kind of dumb at times but then I suppose without it, I wouldn’t be able to send you this ask (though I could just send you a letter, I guess).

Thanks for the kind words, Ricky. It’s a hard and simple life, to be sure, but we make it work.

Ain’t never heard of roller rinks before, so it was fun learnin’ about them. Didn’t hear about roller skates before neither. Seems like you’d need some good balancing to roller skate. It does kinda sound like fun, I’ll be honest. Sure, if we ever find ourselves up in Gallows Creek, I might just take you up on that offer. Ain’t never been on a double date before.

You trained your dog how to roller skate!? That’s actually pretty damn impressive. Best I could do with Rufus was teach him how to roll over. Almost got him to do a handshake this one time. You must have a real good bond with your dog, Ricky. From what you’ve told me of him, he does sound like a real good boy.

You know, Rufus was there for me during some tough times too. Ma and I left my Pa for some time and whilst we were livin’ away, we found a stray dog and named him Rufus. Ma said he reminded her of my dad; loyal, dumb and angry. He was mighty protective of me, that’s for sure. Rufus was a great huntin’ dog and loved runnin’ around the place huntin’ rabbits and the like. He was also my best friend. There was some days that were just too tough to face and he’d be there for me. It was nice havin’ him with me. He’d listen to me and just let me play with him. Though my mom and I rescued him, it seemed like he rescued me, just like you said.

When we went back to live my Pa at the new ranch he’d built, I was worried he wouldn’t like Rufus and that he’d tell me to get rid of him, but he didn’t. Rufus quickly became part of the Marston family right up to the day he died.

I’m real sorry to hear about your parents. They can often be a real disappointment, that’s for sure.

I never really knew a stable home or a stable childhood. It took a lot of getting used to, being on the ranch and livin’ like a “normal” family (not that we ever really were. We pretended to be but…we all knew we weren’t). I was still angry with my Pa for being the way that he was and I always worried that he’d just run off again, even when he said he never would. He weren’t ever abusive or nothin’ like that, he was just…absent a lot. Makin’ promises he couldn’t keep, you know? Always disappointing me and my mom. Anyways, my Pa and I always tried our best to talk to each other and get to know each other as a father and son ought to, but it was hard for both of us. I guess we just didn’t really know how to. I gotta say though, he did save Rufus life the once. My dad took me on a fishing trip and as we were fishin, Rufus got bit by a snake and dad had to suck the venom out right then and there. If he hadn’t, Rufus would have died. I was so terrified of losing my best friend, I didn’t sleep properly for a while and I remember cryin’ a lot.

They say dogs are man's best friend and I genuinely believe that is the case. I understand the importance of having a good, loyal dog by your side who will do nothing but love and protect you and help you through those tough times that you mentioned.

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had to go through those tough times in the first place, sir. I ain’t gonna ask what kinda shit you’ve been through, not unless you wanna talk about it obviously. Seems we’ve both got a good ol’ healthy dose of self-hatred, huh? You know, the more places I visit and the more people I get to know, the more I realise we’re all messed up in one way or another. It was true back when I was a kid and it’s still true now. I’m glad you found some good folk who’d listen to you without judgment; from where and when I’m from, that kind of thing is rarer than gold itself.

I really loved hearin’ about you and Rita. Sounds like quite a woman you got yourself there, partner. A real sweetheart. Pleased to hear you two have got a good life going on together in Gallows Creek. You two sound perfect for each other and I am mighty pleased to hear that she doesn’t actually eat plastic.

You said your girl likes raccoons. Maybe the two of you should consider a vacation either here in West Elizabeth or in New Hanover. We got raccoons everywhere. We also got cougars and grizzly bears, so you may want to watch out for them too.

Sounds like that town of yours has quite the history and reputation! If I’m ever in the area, I’ll be sure to look out for you and your roller rink.

All the best now,

Jack Marston.

(@tojackwithlove)

Hey man! I don't mind you reaching out again at all. I'm always open to talking with others, either in person or now on the internet.

Reading through your response has me thinking that we might have something in common too, at least on some level anyways.

Haha, yep, I taught Maxy how to roller skate. Believe me, it was not easy; I had many people tell me that it shouldn't be done after they told me it couldn't be done. It doesn't matter if you got two legs or four, skating is not easy when you start and takes a bit of practice to get used to. In my case, you also need a lot of patience and dog treats haha. At least Max was always happy when I would train him, but I think that's just because he loved the attention and extra treats.

Rufus sounded like a real good dog, and I'm happy he provided you some comfort when you were growing up. I can't say our lives were exactly the same, considering the time period you grew up in and your circumstances, but I do feel like there are some similarities.

Yeah, absent is the best way I could describe my parents too. I mean, if I did something really bad, I might've received a hard slap to the face, but for the most part it just...it just didn't matter what I did. Good or bad, I just...never existed to them and it only seemed to get worse the older I got. It wasn't all bad, though. My grandparents were great and allowed me to actually be a kid, whereas back home, I had to learn to be self sufficient from a young age. When my parents just didn't wanna deal with me, which was pretty often, they'd kick me to the curb outside of their house. Those were really good days.

My grandma was a real gentle soul. She spoke with a very soft voice, always comforted me after having a nightmare, and man, was her cooking amazing. She loved music too. She sang in her church's choir growing up and as she got older, played piano for the same church. I can remember her playing her piano at their house and we would sing anything together. She loved reading too. I can remember her reading to me before bed when I was really young. I really liked the Wizard of Oz books growing up, and she would read them out loud to me a lot. And I remember how she did this really funny voice for The Wicked Witch of the West so I wouldn't be scared of her.

My grandpa was a pretty tough guy, but he was a great too. He got me into football as a kid. They didn't have a television set, but they did have a radio. We'd sit and listen to the game and he would tell me exactly what a player did right or wrong in great detail. He even bought me a football for my seventh birthday which we'd throw around in the backyard in the summer. He'd take me out hunting with him too. He taught me some tips on camping and tracking deer. The rifle that I have now was actually his old rifle. I'm not big into hunting, but on his birthday (which is during deer season here), I'll take Maxy and go out into some of the designated areas for deer hunting. Maybe I'll get something, maybe I won't, but every year I always feel his presence with me out there.

Your story about your dad saving Rufus really hits close to home for me too. Yeah, I've um...my life has had its rough patches. I appreciate your respect for my privacy but are willing to listen to me too. The feeling is completely mutual. Talking is a very important part of grieving or coming to terms with traumatic experiences, but it's only good if you're in a safe environment with people you trust. It's upsetting to know that where and when you're from both of those are rare, and I hope that you can find them someday.

For me though, I've come to terms with these moments in my life. I've gotten to the point where they "have no power over me" anymore, as Rita likes to call it, and I feel comfortable talking about them.

I guess there's really no other way to do this except just telling it like it is. It all started with this...prank...more like a sick joke honestly. It was my senior year of high school and I was on the football team. All I thought was we were just gonna hang out in the woods with the rest of the team and some of their girlfriends, just...have fun. The next thing I knew there was screaming and people pointing up into the trees. I uh...I told you about the serial killer we had back in the 50s...and there he was...looking down at us.

I ran harder than I had ever ran in my entire life. I could hear the screams getting quieter behind me as I ran back into town, but I didn't dare look back; the number one rule they tell you about running is never look behind you otherwise you slow yourself down.

I made it to my grandparents' house; it was the closest place I trusted to go to for safety and to call the police. I was hysterical, hyperventilating and sobbing when they let me in. It took me 20 minutes before I calmed down enough to form a coherent sentence about what happened.

My grandpa called the cops while my grandma held me and was trying to calm me down, telling me that I was safe. But that just made me cry harder. I was safe and everyone else wasn't. I didn't lead anyone to safety, I didn't stay and try to fight if that was an option...I ran. Everyone was in danger, probably dead...and it was all my fault.

I couldn't sleep that night. Every little noise made me jump and I could still hear the screaming echoing in my head. I just sat there in the living room wide awake until the sun came up. My grandma told me I didn't have to go to school but I needed to go. I needed to see if anyone was okay after last night.

Of course they were okay. My friends were confused about why I was about to have a mental breakdown at that...until they told me that there was no serial killer. There was no danger...it was just a joke. A prank for the new members of the football team. I spent 6, 7 hours wide awake, worried and riddled with guilt that my friends and peers were dead, only to find out it was all just a joke.

But someone did die that night. A boy our age named George Barrow. Tripped and fell to his death trying to get away from the same danger I thought I was in. Even though I was told it was a prank, the fact that someone actually died just made it all real to me again. And all of that just broke me...and led to me making a decision that I would regret.

I hated alcohol. I hated what it did to my folks, I hated the smell, I hated the taste, I hated how it made me feel, and I hate it even more ever since I've gotten sober. But still I drank. It started small, sneaking a flask into school to sip at when no one was looking, until eventually I started filling my water bottle up with whatever I could easily steal from my parents and rinsing it out before practice, to just skipping school entirely to just...drink and feel awful about everything.

My addiction quickly became known to everyone, but at the time, people either didn't know how to help me or were just...apathetic about it. The whole "you made your bed, now lie in it" kinda thing, that it's your fault for throwing your life away. Can't say they're all that wrong...I did make the choice to start drinking.

I mean, my grandparents let me stay at their house long after I was 18 and my grandpa got me a job and taught me how to at least be a "functioning" alcoholic. I knew that wasn't gonna last though. They were getting older and older, and soon wouldn't be able to support me if I was spending most of my paycheck on liquor. Unfortunately, even that wasn't enough to get me to quit.

That's um...that's the thing when you have a problem. I was tricking myself into thinking that my drinking wasn't that bad, just because I didn't know how to help myself or where to find it. But you can't keep doing that once you find yourself in the hospital.

At the time, on the anniversary of George's death, my drinking would get really bad, and one night...I overdid it bad. I passed out but it wasn't just me getting black out drunk like usual. It's still so hard for me to believe even now but...I almost died that night. If one of my old friends wasn't there to call the ambulance because my grandparents weren't home, that would've been it for me. It's sad that it took me almost dying for me to seek help, I'm still not proud of that, but...at least I got it.

After ten years of alcoholism and a few more years in rehab and therapy, I finally did it. I got sober, I got help, and it felt like I finally got my life back. I think the thing that makes me most proud though, was the fact that I did it before my grandparents past away. Though it was only for a couple of years, they no longer saw me as the depressed mess I was, drowning my guilt and self hatred in alcohol, but as that energetic, fun-loving kid that they raised since the day I was born.

Of course...as I mentioned previously, there were...a few more murders, most of them just attempted thank God, but it still opened some old wounds though.

You see that kid, George...well, we he died he left behind a woman and his baby. And she hurt so much that...she wanted to hurt others. George wasn't remembered how he should've been remembered. At the time, I thought that all the rumors about him being a drunken, violent delinquent was true, I mean I only knew him for about...half a month and well...after I started drinking, those little memories I had about him only got more and more distorted. But when I got sober, those little memories did start to come back...and I was starting to realize that something wasn't making any sense.

He was involved in multiple sports, theatre, always happy for practice, and ready to know the rest of the team. It didn't line up. But whenever I tried to question it well...a bit of background. When I entered rehab and got in touch with a therapist...well those bills stacked up, not to mention my previous hospital visit. I wasn't rich, far from it due to my addiction, so I thought that getting help wasn't gonna be an option for me. Until someone volunteered to pay for those bills.

This guy...Teddy...he was a part of the Gallows family, which if the name doesn't give it away, founded Gallows Creek and also owned all of the businesses in town. He had money, power, and despite some unsavory comments he'd make, I wanted to see the best in him. I mean, he was paying for my bills, essentially making it possible for me to get sober and get my life together, but it turns out all he wanted was to hold something over my head when I started asking too many questions. Always asked me where I'd be without him and said I would've drank myself into an early grave like my folks, so eventually, I just didn't bother anymore.

All of these years, he and his family spread lies about some poor, dead kid over a stupid prank he came up with. And someone wanted proper justice for him.

Her name was Marie Campbell, George's girl and...mother of his kid. And as I said, she wanted justice for the slander that was done against him so...she tried to kill anyone she deemed guilty...including me. I know a lot of people would find it odd that I'm not throwing out every awful comment in the book about her after that...but.... Look, it's a long story, but basically this talk show radio host had to play 911 operator and you could listen in and...he got to interview her. She was hurt so badly, left alone to raise a kid, man. She was...kinda like me: she needed help but didn't know where to find it or couldn't find it. I mean, sure where I was heading wouldn't have resulted in me hurting people but...I was close to doing something else very permanent to myself.

I know people will think I'm crazy for saying this but...I do forgive her. I know everyone else probably isn't as "generous" as I am, at least not now, but that's their choice for them to make. I have made mine. Nowadays, I just want to remember both Marie and George for who they were in that brief moment I knew them. Not for the lies that were spread about him or for the woman who wanted to kill me.

You're right about everyone being a little bit "messed up." No matter how big or small, everyone has their problems, but everyone deserves a way to overcome those problems. For me, it was talking to others, finding roller disco, and getting Max, but for other people that may not work. Everyone's different, but they deserve something or someone to lean on through all of life's ups and downs.

And despite the pain and the fear that these two moments caused me, they taught me to feel grateful for everything I have. I'm grateful that I can wake up in the morning, I'm grateful for my friends, I'm grateful for my roller rink, I'm grateful for Maxy, and I'm grateful for Rita.

She really is quite a woman, you're right. After surviving that night, I did something else that I regretted. I relapsed. I don't know why I did it, but for a brief moment I slipped...and drank. I hated myself for doing it. Rita was away that week to head back home, and when she got back, I thought she was gonna hate me just as much as I hated myself. But she didn't. She felt nothing but empathy for me before I even explained what happened. She told me everything was okay, that this was just a slip, this little moment wasn't going to destroy my sobriety.

She was right, it seemed like my body almost immediately rejected the alcohol and I ran off to throw up. She took care of me for the rest of the night, which only made me feel worse. She told me it was okay and even made a lighthearted joke that I could make it up to her by taking care of her when she got sick haha.

It's great to have someone like her in my life. She's got her low moments, I've got mine, and we're always here for each other no matter what. From what I've heard, I think that's what you and Bun are like too.

Whew...uh, that was a lot huh, haha. Well, don't wanna leave this on too much of a downer. I hope you don't mind me throwing all of that on you, but I've learned from my therapy group that the more you talk about your trauma, it not only hurts less, but it also frees it from your mind by getting it out there; makes more room for more positive thoughts. Let's finish this like I started it: on a good note.

Yep, Rita loves raccoons. She says they're "just cats with little grabby hands" haha. I'll have to politely decline the invitation to West Elizabeth or New Hanover though, because of the cougars and bears and will just look at the raccoons that come by out back porch at night. It's a little family that she leaves small bowls of fruit out for, they're really cute. She did mention a town not far from your ranch called Blackwater, it was some restaurants and a theatre right? I wouldn't mind stopping by there when we end up in your part of the country, my man. It's only fair since you and Bun are willing to swing on by over here in Gallows Creek.

Again, thanks for the response. I saw you and Bun were going on a bit of a hunting trip, so I don't know when you'll see this, but I hope you both have a great time (or had). Peace!

[pucksalotguys]

Addicted After All- Chapter 6

WC: 2.6K

The aftermath of things comes to head with Sidney after learning more of Isabella’s past and an important person in her life all while finding himself bonding with Leni and seeing a side of Isabella he’s not all that used to. Everything is just how he wants it to be especially when he finds out someone is trying to make way back into Isabella’s life

(Thank you for the support on the last chapter ! Hope you enjoy this one and let me know what you think !)

“So what stopped you from marrying the guy ?” Sidney asked “Hmm ?” Isabella rolled her eyes “I wasn’t planning on getting into my personal life this dinner, I thought that could wait for a future date” “Caleb Callihan, handsome dude. He’s older, older than I am” Sidney mentioned “He’s 40, you just turned 30” “I like them older” Isabella shrugged “Nothing wrong with that, are you judging me ?” “There are many things I can judge you for and that isn’t one of them” he responded “I’ll drop the topic if you answer one question, were you talking to him back in the parking lot ?” “I was” Isabella said as she drove “He’s in town for a meeting at the children's hospital, he’s a pediatric surgeon. We met years ago at one of my family’s charity events when he was still doing residency at the hospital and got an award of recognition” “Successful” Sidney nodded “Well I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t wanna marry a successful surgeon, that’s hard”

She sighed “Lots of reasons, thankfully he was understanding and wanted to stay friends. He also knew getting married would be a mistake for us” “So are you gonna see him ?” Sidney asked “No” she shook her head “I’m too busy and he leaves back to New York, where he lives and works, tomorrow night. We’ll stay texting here and there and keep it at that” Sidney stayed quiet for the rest of the drive, there was something unsettling about her statement that made him want to ask more questions but for the sake of a calm night he said nothing else about Caleb “So Leni speaks Russian and French, she’s smart. She’s good on the ice too, she skate regularly ?” “No” Isabella chuckled “She doesn’t really like it much but does it because her friends do ice skating. She does dance, ballet to be exact and she also enjoys art and playing soccer when it's the season. Her mom and I keep her very busy” “And your dad ?” Sidney asked “He makes sure they see each other all the time and talk, I know it’s hard to believe” Isabella said

“I didn’t mean anything by that” Sidney said quickly “It’s all good” she replied “I know you think of the large age gap between all us siblings” “Yeah” he admits “Do Griffin and Jack see her ?” “They do, often on holidays or long breaks she goes to their places to see them. She’s with me more since I actually live here and I’m not away as often as my dad” she explains “I’m sorry if I’m asking lots of questions” he apologized “I don’t mean to be so intrusive, I guess I just can’t believe you have a younger sister. She looks exactly like you, down to the attitude and facial expressions” Isabella shifted a bit in her seat and let out a sigh of relief as she pulled into valet “Here we are, um let’s go inside before anyone else sees us” Sidney did as told and walked inside the restaurant and waved over a waiter he knew “table in the back please, furthest from the main tables” “As you wish Mr.Crosby, please follow me” he grinned

“I thought I was the only one with connections” Isabella looked around “Glad to see you can pull strings around town too”

“I know who I am and I know when I should pull that card, can’t say the same for you” he mentions “Oh come on, it’s fun” Isabella made a face “I like pulling that whole do you know I am card, especially on assholes. I don’t do it to nice people, only jerks” “You’re a Calloway” Sidney says “Your father basically owns the state of Pennsylvania, the city of Philadelphia is basically his too, Last I heard you’re gonna open this boutique line here in Pittsburgh” “Calloway Couture” she grinned up at him “It’s gonna be so so good, I can’t wait. Sample pieces should get here this week, I’m excited about that” “I could help you promote it if you want” he mention “I’m sure some of the guys wives and girlfriends would help spread the word”

Isabella met his eyes as she put the menu down “So….you still wanna go through with us ?” “I mean….I owe it to you” he said softly

“Only because of that ?” Isabella asked as she ordered “Leni” Sidney mentioned

From the moment he mentioned her name he could notice Isabella’s facial expression change from comfortable to uptight right away. He sipped his water to buy time and put his glass down “I think she’s one of the smartest little girls I’ve ever met, she loves you and idolizes you so much” “She’s the best thing in my life” Isabella said “I want only the best for her, and I’ll do anything for her and to make sure she’s got the best life possible. Her happiness and wellbeing means everything to me” “I’m sure her mother greatly appreciates that” Sidney nodded “She must trust you a lot to let you have her for extended periods of time,it’s a lot of responsibility” “She trusts me” she shrugs “And of course she gets tons of child support payments so she’s cool with it. I take very good care of Leni.” “She’s so lucky to have you” Sidney said feeling the need to end the conversation “But going back to why I invited you here….I feel like you and I together could be good for the both of us. I could use some help in the press with the events coming up and well so can you”

Isabella gave a small grin “This your way of calling a truce ?” “I don’t hate you, I don’t think I ever can honestly” he admits She chuckled “Neither could I, I say we finish up rather soon. Who knows what kind of things Leni’s telling Geno” “Jesus you’re right” Sidney laughed “She’s smart, she’ll talk him into something” By the time they finished eating and drove to Geno’s it was close to 8 o’clock and darkening out, Sidney noticed Isabella’s phone light up while she went to pick up Leni at the front door and did his best to ignore the screen. When it flashed again he gently grabbed the phone and looked at the message from Caleb Thanks for agreeing to meet tomorrow, let me know where you decide on and I’ll be there. Also tell Eleanor I say hello please. See you tomorrow “Who’s Eleanor ?” Sidney whispered to himself as he put the phone down “Hey Mr.Crosby” Leni grinned as she got in the backseat interrupting his silence “I didn’t know you’d still be here”

“Oh hey Leni” he grinned “Have fun ?”

“It was fun, Mr.Malkin is really funny and Ms.Anna makes really good Russian food. I got to skate a bit more in the backyard with Nikita, I even helped him with his homework” “How old are you again ?” Sidney chuckled “I just turned 9 last month” she grinned “My brothers said when I turn 10 I’ll finally be able to have my own phone. I’m pretty stoked for that” she nodded He couldn’t help but smile at the little girl, there was something about her that just made him feel at ease. He was always around children, he enjoyed it but there was something special about Leni, she was like Isabella in so many ways “Sorry, I was thanking Geno and Anna and I got a bit carried away. I’ll drop you off at the practice facility so you can get your car” Isabella got in and checked her phone, rubbing her lips together as she read her missed messages “All good” Sidney nodded keeping an eye on her

When he got dropped off he got in his car and took out his phone as he called up a friend who lived in New York. He needed to know as much about Caleb as possible, especially if he was someone connected to Isabella 

****************

It was the next morning when Sidney was back at the practice facility, this time actually taking some time to himself on the ice. The short break was over and with a game the next day he wanted to try his best to be focused “Uh mind if I join you for a bit ?” Kris asked “I guess’ Sidney shrugged

While he was over what had happened the thought of it still pissed him off more than anything but he knew that was something he would have to get over eventually and with having Kris as a teammate it needed to be sooner rather than later “Hey….you ever heard of someone named Caleb Callihan ?”

Kris nodded “He was one of the doctors in the surgery unit when I was having my health issues. Everyone in the hospital said he was one of the best residents there and how they saw nothing but good things for him. He’s in New York now, I heard he’s one of the top pediatric surgeons in the country. He got an award here last summer, got recognized as a top class citizen for the city” “Jeez” Sidney muttered “Why do you ask ?” He sighed and took off his helmet “To make a long story short, he’s got a past with Isabella. I wanted to know more about him” “Oh” Kris said quietly “Well I’m sure it’s nothing”

Sidney nodded in agreement “Yeah I’m sure it’s nothing too, just wanted to ask if you knew of anything is all”

“That’s everything I know” he said “Anything else ?” “Nope” Sidney shook his head “But if anything comes up I’ll ask you” “Cool” Kris nodded “Whenever you’re over yourself I’ll be ready” Sidney rolled his eyes “Yeah alright” “Seriously. Isabella never wanted me, she wants you. This Caleb guy was probably some fling gone wrong for her, not like she’s with him now” “She was about to marry him last year” Sidney confessed “Not only that but he’s in town and I asked her if she was gonna see him and she said no only for me to find out she’s secretly meeting him tonight. It’s weird, it’s all weird” Kris gave him a concerned look “Not gonna lie that would have me a little nervous if I were you, maybe it’s just something friendly last minute”

“I just don’t like that she’s keeping it from me” he admits “It’s shady” “I didn’t even know you knew what the word shady meant” Kris chuckled Sidney gave up a small laugh finally breaking the longstanding ice between the two “I know terms, I choose not to use them is all” “Listen if she didn’t tell you that’s on her, maybe it’s personal. She’s got a right, don’t overthink it. I mean she’s with you right ?” “We signed a contract” he nodded “I do my part and she does hers”

“I think you may want more than a contract” Kris mentions “You just gotta see if she does too” Sidney stayed quiet as he watched Kris leave the ice, he stayed on for a few more hours before getting a call back from his friend and took a seat in a nearby office as he closed the door “Tell me everything” “Guy is clean as they come, he’s got no record at all. As you already know he’s a pediatric surgeon here at New York- Presbyterian, it’s his 4th year” “What ?” Sidney asked confused “He’s 40 ? How is it his 4th year” “It takes a while to become a surgeon, especially one of his caliber. It says here he went to college and med school in Pittsburgh and completed his residency at UPMC. Pretty impressive stuff I must admit. Why’d you ask for info about the guy ?” “He’s in town,I heard a lot of talk. I wanted to know what was up” Sidney shrugged “So he’s a good guy ? No bad past or anything ?” “I didn’t find anything man, seems like a clean cut guy”

He sighed and thanked his friend as he went to the locker room and changed. Just to see if she’d be honest he texted Isabella to see what she was up to and asked her if she’d like dinner knowing well she was going to see Caleb “I can’t. I’m seeing a friend who’s in town, but I can see you afterwards if you want” “Sure, I can swing by the same place so you don’t have to drive” “No need, I’ll go to your side of town. See you tonight” Sidney groaned quietly as he shoved his phone in his pocket and made his way out to the offices to do his usual routine of signing things before leaving for the day as it closer to the late afternoon “Oh good thing you’re here” an equipment manager grinned “One of the girls left a notebook here the night of the event. I saw her talking to you for quite some time so maybe you know her” he handed it over He took it and opened it to see if he could find a name through some pages, looking intently as he found it “Eleanor Calloway” he said softly

Rather than stay confused he called up Isabella “Hey sorry for the call but Leni left a notebook here, an equipment manager just handed it to me. I figured I’d let you know” “I swear that girl loses everything” Isabella sighed “Thank you for retrieving it, I’ll let her know” “I can’t help but notice her real name isn’t Leni….it’s Eleanor” Sidney mentioned as he remembered the text message from the night before mentioned an Eleanor “I didn’t know is all” “Yeah” Isabella said softly “She only goes by Eleanor at school, Leni is what he prefers though. Listen I gotta go, I’ll grab it tonight okay ? see you” she hung up and put her phone in her purse “Did I interrupt something ?” Caleb asked as he put down his menu “Is everything okay ?”

“Everything’s fine” Isabella responded “Um now what is it we were talking about ?” “I was asking you if you thought maybe it was for you and I to talk to Eleanor, I feel like she’s a little older and now that I’m a bit closer I can be here” Caleb explained “I understand you have precautions but I come in peace” “No” Isabella shook her head “She’s far too young still, I’m not doing that to her” “But what about what I want ? I’ve done everything you and your father have asked for” Caleb said “Don’t try to guilt trip me” she said sternly “You know, you were 21 when we started seeing each other. I get it, I was older and shouldn’t have been with you but you lied to me. You lied to me about everything then when you got pregnant you suddenly didn’t want anything to do with me” “I had my reasons” she defended calmly

[voidolive]

too lazy to take a nice picture (didn't even have the wheels back on yet lol) but I dyed my skates! 2nd pic is up close with flash on to get a better view of the color

i like it okay. it's not my favorite, i feel like since they started purple, they just look kinda dark purple now more than burgundy, but that was to be expected tbh. i also ran out of dye and didn't get to do a 2nd coat on the right boot, so it's a lil splotchy in some places lol.

im gonna leave it for now until I've had a chance to skate on them a couple times and then decide how i feel. im leaning toward just dyeing them black but idk yet. honestly, the good thing abt these is i know im gonna upgrade soonish (more ish than soon).

i have a business trip to [redacted] in October and there's a roller skate shop there, so im gonna try on some moxis and sure grip boardwalks so i can figure out what size i am in those bc ordering online scares me too much. prob won't even buy them then, just wanna know my size for when I'm ready to pull the trigger.

im kind of torn between going all out for my next pair and getting a custom build like picking out the plate and boot and everything or just getting smthn standard. maybe we'll see. i kinda don't wanna rush it and just really wear my current skates until they're falling apart first anyway so idk.

[figula]

ok im gonna just talk about it anyway :D

he announced earlier that next year he's gonna push me more, and i was like ? wat? why? and he was like i think we're both undersocialised atm and i was quite annoyed by this and also a bit hurt bc i feel like that's more untrue in the past 6 months thn it's been sice the pandemic (and maybe before - bc most of our friends now are people from discord we ended up becoming irl friends with)

maybe *you* feel undersocialised ben but *i* actually find basically all social activities something to endure rather than enjoy

also don't forget that ana is my soulmate and I feel very happy just hanging out with them and Ben

i feel like he has still this shark feeling of gotta keep moving or ill die :) like he is doing much better than he was from sept-nov but yeah i think he doesnt need to make that an Us problem lol like i dont share that feeling at all lol like if you want to do more things than i do you can do some stuff separately, and some stuff with me! as is normal!

i did feel quite frustratedand annoyed with the way he brought it up , which he did apologise for later bc he agreed we're doing the right things etc and he didnt really mean he wants to push me MORE just that he doesnt want to BACKSLIDE. which is fine i guess but it was a bit annoying to hear anyway bc i am not planningon going intoi a big isolationist hole

like the implication that next year some REAL change is gonna happen and totally ignoring the fact that we got married a few months ago (objectively the biggest social event either of us have ever done), that we hung out with Boops and yuka at an art installation, that we've had clare over a bunch of times, that we've had boops over, that he's done a few irl dnd sessions w/ lucas clare boops, that we've been ice skating a few times, that we've done escape rooms together, that we've done some family trips, we did that ceramics class, we've done a LOT of pokemon walks - all of this in teh past 2 or 3 months apart from the wedding - im just like god damn how much stuff do i have to do to satisfy you lol like i simply dont find the same kind of drive to Do Things that he has and I have still done all this shit REGARDLESS

i was also annoyed i think by the implication that he's the one who needs to push me when actually half of the above shit was my idea!!! the ice skating was me! the wedding was my idea! the escape rooms were my idea! i was the one who restarted teh pokemon go! i was the one who created the server in the first place, where he found his friends!!!! these are all my friends i let him share!!! i was the one who arranged the halloween party w/ boops and clare literally bc he was so sad i wanted to do something nice for him

i do read him charitably - as i legit think is important to do in all relationships with someone you like and respect on a very basic level lol - and i dont think he meant to suggest that im massively inadequate lmfao (i mean - i know he didnt) and he apologised for coming in too hard about stuff, and i know he's traumatised by covid (who isnt?) and is terrified of going back into that tiny world where it was just us and we didnt see anyone else for 2y. but that's not on the cards anyway so i felt a bit wrongfooted by the whole talk

also i was so cross i went mute and under my blankets until he sort of to put it bluntly fucked me back into communication lmfao !! me hissing "im cross with you" while he was actively fucking me </3 looool (this is 100%% fine by the way, just for the record, i was way less annopyed by the sex than the conversation, the sex cheered me up even and it was the right move)

anyway whatever. i think we're actually on the same page in terms of not wanting a particularly quiet 2024 (we're planning on going to Iceland in the winter and also there will be a chess meetup abroad somewhere) so we move. i was just annoyed by how he framed it but he did apologise anyway and i know he didnt really mean anything!! but it was annoying lol like omg I try sooo hard. so fucking hard!!!

ETA: fucking. also. he wasn't even making ANY comment on this stuff and he's fully been my biggest cheerleader lol but I've also been so busy work-wise (my "chess career" is reaching new heights after all) and taking care of him these past few months and doing my doll job as well I think I just want someone to be like omg cham you are actually soooo impressive I'm soooo obsessed with you !!! don't worry you don't need to find anything else inside you you are doing sooooo well!!! (Ben is actually usually like this but I want him to say it now as well) like I've been working on job stuff AS WELL AS doing loads more shit with him lately and I feel like I should get extra credit for that

all this to say that this would be a good time to send me a message with how great you think i am. lol

[birdmanart]

Hello naughty children it’s OC time! This time, may I present Esmer de Sola, the protagonist of my Pokémon Violet playthrough!

He is a big transmasc dork who ends up befriending Grusha because I Have A Favorite Character and also bc I think it’s cute. He’s originally from Helles, my greece-based fanregion, and actually ends up becoming an ice/flying gym trainer there post-SV!

Transcriptions of the dialogue on images 4-9below the cut!

[Image 4 dialogue:

Grusha: You did pretty good on the slopes. (Thinking: Another gym contestant… well, better get this over with.)

Esmer (off-screen): Oh, thank! It was fun!!

Grusha (thinking): Wait.

Grusha: Did you do the run… dressed like that? Isn’t that the summer uniform?

Esmer: Yeah?

Grusha: … Wait there a moment, I’ll be back. There’s gotta be a coat or something upstairs, dios mio…]

[Image 5 dialogue:

Esmer: PFAH! Wow, I really was cold!

Grusha: You didn’t notice?

Esmer: I’m bad at temperatures. Uncle always had to make me put on stuff at the rink too.

Grusha: The rink?

Esmer: Yeah! My Uncle Cefi— well, technically he’s like a great-uncle or something— he’s a figure skater back in Helles! He taught me loads of stuff!

Grusha: Huh, figure skating… that’s neat. ]

[Image 6 dialogue:

Esmer: See! That’s me! From last year.

Grusha: …

Grusha: So the shorts are just a you thing, then?

Esmer: If you can find a pair of jeans flexible enough for that, go right ahead.]

[Image 7 dialogue:

Esmer: And then— then his eyes glowed just like the crystals, and his voice went all glitchy, and— and— I seriously thought Arven was gonna cry, it was awful.

Grusha: That sounds pretty freaky.

Esmer: It was!]

[Image 8 dialogue:

Grusha: There, I’m off the mountain, what now? Nice place.

Esmer (off-panel): … I promise this was not my intent, but I think now you need to take off your coat. And the gloves, holy shit.

Note in the corner reads: (it’s like 79-80 degrees [fahrenheit] at Esmer’s house)]

[Image 9 dialogue:

Grusha: Ah, what’s under is thermal…

Esmer: I told you I live South! Why would you wear those?

Grusha: I don’t really own much else…

Esmer: Just let me lend you something, jeez! I feel hot just looking at you!

(after a visible change of clothes)

Grusha: No shorts?

Esmer, conspicuously still wearing shorts himself: I do own other clothes, you know.]