#it’s just odd that we’re going to my grandma’s like usual tomorrow and he won’t be there

[footnoteinhistory]

A family friend who was very much a grandfather figure to me passed away today. Once again it was not unexpected but after losing my biological grandpa just two weeks ago it’s a lot lol

His wife died last year and, knowing I’m the family videographer, he asked me to record her funeral service so he could watch it again. I made him a DVD and every time we saw each other since then he thanked me and tried to pay me lol, which I always refused. Finally, last fall, he mailed me a formal thank you note—with money in the envelope, so I couldn’t return it this time

Everyone called him Marv, even his toddler great-grandchildren. He always wore suspenders. If you met him, you might think he was a stereotypically foggy old man at first, friendly and old-fashioned and a bit nutty—but he was brilliant. A Nebraska farm boy who got a full scholarship to become a chemical engineer and never lost his edge. And the nicest man in the world, curious and kind and funny. He and his wife lost their infant son to cancer many decades ago, I hope the three of them are together again now

The physical absence part of death has been hitting hard lately. It’s just stupid intense

And I know it doesn’t always go this way and I’m honestly fortunate so far that it has, but in the back of my head I’ve always thought “ok, grandparents die first, you don’t have to worry about your parents until your grandparents die.” But now it’s all happening very suddenly and that imaginary boundary is almost gone. I notice the ways my parents are getting older and my dad is sick right now and I worry about them more and more this shit sucks

[krisdreaming]

PART 2 | A PLAN

｢ Masterlist ｣  |  Next >

Pairing: Kuroo Tetsurou x gn!reader

Summary: Somehow, you ended up agreeing to bring your non-existent boyfriend to the family Christmas gathering at your grandparents’. Your chem lab partner and fast friend, Kuroo Tetsurou, agrees to play the part. Your developing feelings for him won’t cause any problems, right?

WC: 1.7k

A/N: As you’ll (maybe) notice there are a few small tidbits I lifted from the original fic, but this is very different from it in a lot of ways! I hope it isn’t seeming too repetitive for those of you who have read the first one. Also, I know it’s a bit of a slow start, but I promise it’ll really get going in the next part.

You plan to meet Kuroo at the coffee shop again a week later. This time, you beat him there, which gives you the perfect opportunity to gather your thoughts. As you wait in line to order, you remind yourself for the hundredth time that this is really happening. Kuroo Tetsurou with his messy hair and his teasing jabs and that stupid smile has agreed to spend three whole days pretending to be your boyfriend. What could possibly go wrong?

Luckily, before your mind can concoct an answer, your turn to order comes up. Remembering last week, you order a cup of black coffee in addition to your usual macchiato. It’s a french roast, described as “dark and bold” on the menu. For the guy who reminds you daily that adding anything to coffee is only for the weak, it seems fitting. The comment is always paired with a teasing wink that shoots right to your middle, but that’s definitely not what you need to focus on as you carefully carry the two mugs to a table by the window.

You get situated and you’ve just taken your first sip when Kuroo plops down across from you. “Hey.”

“Hey! Here,” You push the mug in his direction.

“Oh,” He peers into the mug and gives a small, approving nod, “Thanks, you didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s for last week,” You say with a wave of your hand, watching as he lifts it to his lips and takes the first sip. When he sets it back down, he holds the mug in front of himself with both hands.

“You were right,” He says suddenly, “This coffee shop is better than the one on campus.”

“Oh really?” You grin smugly.

“Don’t look too proud of yourself,” He laughs, lifting his mug and taking another sip, “You’re the one who has to hire a fake boyfriend.”

“I didn’t hire you,” You snap back quickly, “And it was your idea, if you’ll recall.” You sigh, propping your chin on your hand. Judging by the expression on his face, he’s already enjoying this far too much.

“Details, details,” He waves his hand. “Doesn’t matter. I am curious, though. Why exactly did you tell your family you have a boyfriend when you don’t?” The question comes from a place of genuine curiosity, but you still feel your cheeks begin to burn. You glance down into your own mug so you don’t have to look him in the eye.

“It just gets old, you know?” You mumble to your coffee. “Having everyone ask about it at every family gathering. It seemed so easy to just make up a tiny story. It wasn’t supposed to get this big,” You laugh weakly. “I know it was stupid to lie. I guess I just didn’t want them to be disappointed in me.”

“I get that,” He says softly. “But hey, what do you need me to do?”

You shrug. You haven’t thought about that end of things as much as you probably should have. “Just... be my boyfriend. Charm their socks off. I know you’ve got it in you.” You chuckle. “It’ll be nice to have someone there,” You add after a beat.

“Yeah?” He says, leaning in a little closer. You’re a bit surprised by how much he genuinely seems to care. Half of you had expected him to treat this whole thing like it’s a big, elaborate joke.

“A lot of my cousins have significant others already. Maybe that’s why I felt like I had to make one up. Sometimes I just feel like the odd one out. Don’t get me wrong, I love them,” You add quickly, “But it’s just…”

“I get it,” He saves you from your floundering. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be there. And as an honorary grandson, tell your grandma she can feed me as much as she likes.”

You stifle your laughter behind your fingers. “You think it’s a joke, but she might just take that as a personal challenge,” You shake your head, already feeling a little bit lighter. “Anyway, we need details, don’t we? About our ‘relationship’?” You lift your hands to make exaggerated air quotes.

“Probably a good idea,” He nods, “How awkward would it be if our stories didn’t match?”

“I’d rather not think about it.” You squeeze your fingers tighter around your mug. “So we started dating a few weeks into the school year, I guess?”

“Sure, makes sense,” He props his chin on his fist, his lips curling into a half smile as a teasing tone cuts into his voice, “And was it love at first sight?”

You think back to that first day of class. You’d been running late because you were having trouble finding the room. You’d slid into one of the few open seats left, next to that ridiculous head of hair, and you’d glanced at him in a silent apology as he flashed you a quick smile. Love? Probably not, but you can’t forget the slight leap you’d felt in your middle and chalked up to nerves.

“Why not?” You say lightly instead, adopting his teasing tone. “And for our first date… we saw a movie, then came here for coffee after. That’s normal, right?”

“Sounds like it to me,” He shrugs. “And you can call me Tetsurou. I don’t mind. Or even Tetsu.”

You think about it for a moment, mentally testing the words on your tongue. His full name seems strange enough, never mind shortening it to a nickname. “Tetsurou,” You clear your throat, “Tetsurou is fine. Thanks. And you can call me Y/N.”

“Perfect. Y/N.” He says it experimentally, a strange small smile on his face. Something in the air between you feels just a little heavier, but you push forward before you can think about it too much.

“And I should warn you,” You run your fingertip absently around the edge of your mug, “My grandma is going to show you every single photo she’s ever taken of me. Last year, it took her almost an hour to get through them with my cousin’s girlfriend.”

“Oh, perfect, I was running out of things to make fun of you about,” He just barely dodges your hand as you reach across the table to swat him.

“And my family loves all kinds of games, so we’ll probably end up playing a lot of different ones,” You continue, choosing to ignore the playful jab. “So I hope that’s not too boring for you.”

“Are you kidding? Boring is sitting at home with my dad and eating the dinner he ordered from the store. Honestly? I’m looking forward to this. Christmas with your family sounds kind of like paradise.” He looks into his mug for a few moments before lifting it to his lips and draining the last swallows. “If you want the truth, I think you’re pretty lucky.” He finishes softly.

Your breath catches in your throat for a few moments. You forget, sometimes, that not everyone has a close, crazy, embarrassing family like yours. You open your mouth, but before you can come up with a response, his expressions shifts back to his easy smile as though he hadn’t said a word.

“We’re going to have a great time. I won’t let you down,” He lifts his hand, pinkie extended, and you don’t catch on right away. “Promise,” He prompts, sticking his hand out a little further. After a moment of hesitation, you reach out and link your pinkie with his. He grins.

“Thanks. Hopefully I don’t let me down,” You say with a chuckle, pulling away and lifting your mug to swallow the lukewarm dregs in the bottom. “I should be getting back,” You say as you set the mug back down, “I have a history exam before break starts, and I really need to study for it.”

“I should get back too, I have an assignment due tomorrow that I haven’t started yet,” He admits sheepishly.

“Tsk, tsk,”  You tease as you push back your chair and stand, knowing full well that you’re the last person who can scold him for procrastinating. Judging by his incredulous expression, he’s fully aware of that fact. Side by side, the two of you step out into the early winter darkness.

“Really though, thanks for helping me out,” You say as you start making your way down the sidewalk, your words puffing steam into the air, “I appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” He knocks his arm against yours. “To be honest, after all your talk about your grandma’s cooking, I might have tagged along even if I didn’t have to pretend to be your boyfriend,” He laughs.

“You certainly won’t go hungry,” You agree, “She’ll make sure of that. Just don’t blame me if it affects your volleyball physique.”

“Don’t worry, I’m naturally slender,” He pats his middle, “I’ve got the quickest metabolism you’ve ever seen.”

You shake your head with a chuckle. “If you say so.”

The remainder of the walk back to campus is relatively silent, the two of you walking with your hands shoved down in your pockets against the cold. Occasionally, his arm brushes against yours. It’s nice in a way, just being next to him like this. You don’t feel any pressure to fill the silence with mindless chattering, and he obviously doesn’t either. You’re content to just walk together through the chilly night.

Winter break starts in less than a week, and you and Kuroo will be leaving for your grandparents’. In an odd way, you’re looking forward to this. Of course you always enjoy spending the holiday with your family, but knowing that Kuroo will be there too has you anticipating it just a little more than usual.

You’re so lost in your thoughts that it takes a few moments to realize you’ve come to a stop in front of your dorm building. “Alright, guess I’ll see you in class Tuesday,” Kuroo says, lifting his hand in a wave.

“See you then,” You wave back, watching his retreating back for a few moments before turning to go inside. You close your hand into a light fist at your side, remembering the feel of his pinkie linked with yours. It isn’t until you’re back in your dorm that you realize that, despite the long walk in the chilly evening, you don’t feel cold at all.

[gumnut-logic]

Warning for one swear word

-o-o-o-

John found him in module two.

His second eldest brother was sitting beside the pod, pieces of it spread around him, staring at nothing.

John leant against the hatchway and quietly watched him. From the moment Grandma had reported the avalanche, John knew he would have to come home tonight. Avalanche rescues always messed with the family, particularly Scott and Virgil. He would be lying if he said they didn’t affect him, but he wasn’t boots on ground. He didn’t have to watch that wave of white bearing down on those he loved.

He hadn’t been the one there on that fateful day.

Virgil wore a frown as if he was glaring at something or someone John couldn’t see.

John had already checked in on Scott...on the other side of the Island and still moving. He’d be out running for a while and likely would come back and give the gym a work out.

Virgil was more subtle. He tended to pound the piano or vanish into his studio. On the rare occasion he could be found beside Scott either pummelling a sandbag or his brother on the spar mat. To find him here was a little odd.

“I’m okay, John.” Those eyes were suddenly fixed on the astronaut. “How’s Gordon?”

He pushed himself off the hatchway and entered the module. His spacesuited feet hardly made a sound. “He’s as well as can be expected. He’s with Alan.” A few more silent footsteps and John sat down quietly beside his brother. “What are you doing?”

His brother reached down and picked up a piece of pod mechanics. “Just checking the system after today’s rescue.”

John eyed exactly what Virgil had pulled apart. He was pretty sure it was the side of the module that hadn’t been used...and the same he and Scott had finished maintenance on that morning.

Busywork?

“I’m okay, John. You don’t need to worry.”

“Worry is my business.”

Brown eyes glanced up at him. “I thought that was in Scott’s portfolio.”

“Different perspective.”

Virgil arched an eyebrow before picking up another piece of pod and shoving it into the storage case. Several more pieces followed with no further attempt at conversation.

“Alan said you were grumpy for most of the day.”

That did it. His usually quiet brother flared up like a snake prodded with a hot poker. “He did, did he? Did he also tell you that he has turned Max into his personal slave so he can sit on his butt and watch videos while the rest of us work our asses off?”

“Not in so many words, no.” Calm and considered.

It succeeded. Virgil deflated. “No, he wouldn’t.” His brother returned to shifting around mechanical parts.

“How is Scott?”

His brother froze. “How do you think he is. Alan was nearly buried in an avalanche. I expect to be repairing gym equipment tomorrow.” Virgil stood up and put his back into moving the equipment into the locker.

“No one was injured. We’re all safe.”

“Yes, we are.” A chunk of pod landed on the module floor with a massive clang and Virgil swore.

Reaching down, John picked up the piece of machinery and, standing, held it out to his brother. Virgil looked at him with sad eyes. “Thank you.” It was taken from his hand and stashed beside its siblings.

“Gordon was very impressed.”

Virgil paused a moment, but then returned to shifting equipment. “With what?”

“With you.”

That was enough to stop him. “Gordon?”

John struggled to hold back a smile. “In his words...’Oh my god, yeeeah! Go Virg!’”

Virgil blinked at him and John could no longer hold back the grin. “Can’t say I wasn’t impressed myself.”

He watched his brother fight the urge to smile. “The new grapple gun performed well.”

John rolled his eyes. “You performed well, Virgil. There is no harm in taking credit where it is due.”

“I’m just glad I got Alan off the side of that mountain.” And the glum was back.

John sighed to himself as Virgil shut the equipment locker. “What is it, Virgil? What’s bugging you? Because all I can see is a successful rescue with a great outcome.”

His brother rounded on him. “It was pure chance, John. So damn close and it shouldn’t have been!” Virgil’s eyes flared at him in anger, but not at John, but...

At himself.

“How?”

Virgil’s brows knotted even more. “I knew that mountain was coming down. I had sensors on it. I was sitting there waiting with nothing else to do but stare at the damn thing, and it still caught me by surprise!” Virgil shoved the locker against the wall with a bang. John blinked at the strength his brother wielded. “There shouldn’t have been a dramatic rescue, I should have been there already!” Virgil turned away. “Alan and Brandon could have died because I wasn’t on the ball.”

John stared at him. “You’re kidding, right?”

The glare Virgil shot him was enough to flay him alive. “Do I look like I have a sense of humour right now?”

“Virgil-“

But his brother wasn’t finished. “We can have all the equipment in the world and it won’t mean jack shit if I’m not good enough to deploy it in time.”

“Virgil-“

“And Alan. We could have lost Alan. I-I can’t...not like Mom, please not like Mom.”

John’s eyes widened. “Virgil, take a breath. He’s okay. We’re all okay.”

Brown eyes stared up at him. “I fucked up so bad.”

John reached over and took his brother by his shoulders. “Virgil! How can you possibly say that? Did you see what you did?”

“I saw exactly what I did. Why wasn’t I airborne sooner? Why did I wait until the vibration sensor was in MOTION before making a move? It was seconds, John, seconds. I didn’t think I was going to make it. They could have been buried alive.” Like Mom.

That last might as well have been shouted with the rest.

“But they weren’t”

“Pure luck.”

“No! Virgil Tracy! You were on the scene. You were there. There was no way anything was going to happen to either of them with you in play, Virgil. You know this. I know this. I have seen you face far more than a falling mountain. It didn’t stand a chance.”

“John-“

“You listen to me. I know you. I watch you day in and day out. I may be twenty-two thousand kilometres away, but I am with you every step every rescue and, goddamnit, Virgil, those seconds may well have been hours for all they mattered.” He glared at his brother. “How many times have you sat back in a situation, watching, only to step in and save the day when it most counts? You sit there quietly, calculating, planning, knowing exactly when to intervene. You are our rock, Virgil. Solid, dependable and inevitable. And god forbid anything gets in your way once you get moving.”

John’s lips were tight and his heart thudding. Virgil stood staring at him, eyes wide.

Quietly. “When I’m so far above and someone is screaming, you are the hands I reach out to catch them with. I trust those hands with so many lives, Virgil. So many people calling for help and I have no need for faith because I KNOW you will do everything you can. Just like you did today.” A breath. “Don’t doubt yourself. I never have.”

He let his brother go and straightened.

Virgil was still staring at him. It wasn’t often John put so much into words, but the self-doubt in his brother’s eyes just demanded it. Perhaps it would have enough impact to sink in.

In the meantime, back to basics.

“Have you eaten?”

Virgil blinked. “What?”

Obviously not.

“Food, Virgil. Fuel for your engine.”

“Oh, uh...”

“I didn’t think so. C’mon, big brother, sustenance will help change your perspective.” John grabbed Virgil’s arm and nudged him in the direction of the module hatchway. Still staring, Virgil did as he was told.

“I’m the big brother, John.”

“Yeah? Well, sometimes big brothers need corralling as much as younger brothers. I thought you’d understand that with Scott on your radar so much.”

Virgil blinked. “I see your point.”

John held onto Virgil the entire elevator ride up to the residential levels. He didn’t let go until his brother was seated at the kitchen table. The acquisition of a simple sandwich and John plopped both the food and himself down in front of Virgil. “Now eat.”

“Are you going to watch my every bite?” A definite frown was forming like a storm cell on his brother’s brow.

“No, I’m just going to sit here and enjoy your company.” A thought. “Might even have a beer. You want one?” He stood up again and rummaged in the fridge.

Another blink. “Aren’t you going back up tonight? Doesn’t Brains need you?”

“No, I have more important things to attend to down here.” Ooh, some of Scott’s boutique beer. He eyed the label. Expensive boutique beer. It would do the job. Two bottles landed on the table.

“You know they are Scott’s.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Your funeral, I guess.”

“He’ll survive. Eat your sandwich.”

Virgil was staring at him again.

John sighed. “Is it really so shocking that I care about you?”

“No! It’s just...” Virgil’s shoulders settled a little. “Thank you, John.”

“No thanks needed, just trust yourself a little more.” He pinned his brother with his eyes. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now eat your sandwich.”

John held back a smile when Virgil immediately bit into his bread.

-o-o-o-

[fairymagicheart1]

The Very Odd Couple

(It took a while but this is my first fanfic since I went through the passing of my grandma, so I hope you all love this! This is more of a buddy fic between my OC Tati and Donnie, and yes the title is a reference to the classic 1968 movie The Odd Couple.. for obvious reasons here. xD

Yes this is for saving our Rise boys! Please @nickelodeon @nickanimation @netflix please pick them up for continuing them!)

It clearly was supposed to be a peaceful night of pizza and Lou Jitsu movie marathon.. but there was trouble to that plan.

Standing between the last slice of pizza on the table was Tati and Donnie, clearly another of their usual competitions and bickering that has become common soon after Tati began living and training with them.

"Donnie, it would be easier with a duplication spell?" Tati said, she had a smirk and tried to pull the plate and ready to use said spell, but Donnie snatched the plate with one of the mechanical arms of his spider shell.

"A simple precise cut is much more easier and effective for the sharing of the last pizza, especially with my area of expertise with technology." Donnie bragged and pressed a button on his tech-bo to switch it to laser mode. "Oh and burn us like the last time?" Retorted Tati.

The remaining three turtles, Splinter, April, and Nessa were just helplessly watching the bickering. "Shouldn't we try to stop them?" April asked, frankly for all.. it was getting to be too much lately; Tati was just as proud of her mystical fairy abilities almost as much as Donnie's own abilities in technology. Splinter was even tapping his fingers on his arm rest in growing frustration at the constant arguments.

"At least it won't blow us off the roof of a 12 story building with your so called Air Swipe attack?" Donnie sarcastically said back, using air quotations and Tati learned on the table now doing a mystic spell/tech tug of war with the pizza slice. "THAT was an accident during practice and you know it Techy!!"

It was a pull and tug battle and it was getting heated.. until Splinter leaped from his chair and pulled the slice away and caused the two to land in a pile. "ENOUGH!! Both of you!" Called out Splinter, now both teens looked up to Splinter's steamed face; the argument clearly had annoyed him greatly. "You know it's kinda ironic how you two argue but can be so much like each other." Raph spoke up with a slight smile.

Though getting back up, they both spoke at the same time. "What me, him/her?! We're nothing alike!" They then both faced each other steamed.

Before another word can be spoken, Splinter jumped to separate them with a loud. "To your rooms! Tomorrow there will be training.. for you both only!" And with that, Tati and Donnie had no choice but to do so..

Through this silence, April spoke up and they all have a look that screams unease. "Uh Splints? You sure you got a great plan? I love them both but Donnie and Tati look like they're almost ready to tear each other apart." She said while Leo just leaned back. "Totally cheering for my girlfriend by the way." Though at that Splinter just made his chair tip over and fell to the ground with a yelp.

"Oh I have just the plan for this and it will take more than just one parent.." Splinter said with a grin and pulled out a hand sized crystal piece.. "I just need to make a call." He walked away, leaving confused looks on the group's faces.. though Nessa's face had more of a look of knowing.

It was the next morning when Tati and Donnie were already up in the kitchen for breakfast.. still clearly ticked off from last night though Splinter came into the room and wasn't alone as Tati nearly choked in surprise. There standing with her arms crossed was Tati's own mother Queen Himari. "Mother?! What are you doing here?" Tati asked in surprised yet slightly fearful..

"My daughter, Splinter called me here for my help on this training.." Himari explained.. now they told the idea... and the unison shouts came soon after from the two teens and it rattled the doors!

"WHAT?!?! Spend the whole day with HIM/HER?!?!" Cried both Tati and Donnie in horror, clearly obvious that this plan does not sit well with them and that was expected.. so Himari herself nodded, her hand raised to Tati and a zap came to her cloaking T-symbol pin. "This spell lasts for exactly 24 hours, this keeps you from using your mystical abilities." Himari explained and Splinter quickly grabbed Donnie's gear, his battle shell, gauntlet, his goggles and tech-bo! "And until then, Donnie will not be using his tech! You both must learn to respect each other as a team on equal ground." Splinter said in this moment of seriousness ans Himari nodded in agreement. "And for you both to respect your abilities, not to use them for ridiculous fights and competitions."

The two teens both clearly were to argue back.. if not the two parental figures have gave their stern glares (hence anime fires behind them) Donnie and Tati knew.. they had to spend the day together, so they were on the surface now; Donnie in his hoodie sweater and Tati wearing her jacket, walking together.

"Great, a full 24 hours without tech or even without even the use of phones?! The great Pizza Supreme in the sky may take me now!" Donnie exclaimed with such a dramatic expression. "You went on a full on mission without tech before.. Twice?" Tati replied, though rather being sarcastic.. then a cheerful voice piped up behind them.

"Never fear! Todd the Friendship Counselor is here!" Said the sweet and overly excited mutant Capybara Todd.

"Todd?! How did you-!?" Tati cried out in surprise. "Let me guess.. Dad and her mom called you in for backup?" Donnie asked with a deadpan expression and tone. In which Todd pulled both Tati and Donnie and a tight hug. "By the end of this day, I just know you two will become the best of buddies!" He said cheerfully, the two weren't as thrilled as he was.. even they know Todd means very well. "Yeah.. this is gonna end well.." Tati said in a deadpan expression.

Though it was from the shadows, three hidden figures smirked from the shadows..

Now at an outdoors pizza place, Todd had Tati and Donnie sitting face to face and both equally share a look of unimpressive expressions, arms crossed on the surface. Todd sat on the stool where he can face both of them. "So let's see, why don't one of you start off by saying something nice?" Todd instructed.. which still caused silence to follow.

"Donnie? Doesn't Tati have the cleanest hair?" Todd said, trying to start things off.

Taking a breath, Tati regained herself.. "Well Donnie is great with his tech.. if it wasn't for that S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. Milk Thief thing that nearly fried me?" She said in a passive aggressive way as Donnie just narrowed his eyes. "What you expect me to eat dry cereal?" Donnie just said equally as such.. they both glared, electricity zapping from all around. But Todd was undeterred! "Don't worry! We still got 12 hours of fun together!" He said as both teens have fallen backwards with exasperated groans.

"Well yes but she's always the one who ties up the bathroom for 3 hours every morning?" The technology minded turtle just pointed an accusing finger at the mystic fairy.

"Hey I was trying to get my makeup done, I like looking my best?" Tati snapped but Todd intervined. "Hey now we're trying to say nice things?" He said still trying to keep the peace.

*segue into montage*

After the pizza and through the daytime, Todd was making sure the two were doing buddy themed activities; video games at the arcade (getting into a competitive argument in between when Donnie cheated again.)

Basketball (Donnie still has a horrible toss and Tati made a basket which bounced off his head.)

And now a quick browsing trip in a clothes store. At this time both teens had finally managed to relax.

Tati was looking at some cute tops and dresses while Donnie just looked at some fabulous jackets. "You know this wasn't so bad.. never ever done this kind of day off before." Tati said offhand, which Donnie looked towards her at that.

"That's.. surprising.. I thought a princess like you got to do whatever and whenever you want at the snap of your fingers?" Donnie replied, Tati put away the dress. "Yeah right.. everyday was a constant and useless schedule of so called ladylike lessons, it was very rare that I even get to spend at least more than 3 hours with my mother and siblings." Tati explained, gritting her teeth at the memory of it.. but then looked back to Donnie, a flash of realization, if it wasn't for them.. she would've gone back to that life. "I'd give anything to have what you have.. even admittedly that skill in tech."

Donnie gave a wry smile, even chuckling at the memory of how hard it was for the mystic fairy to get around tech in the beginning. He's noticed that she now gotten some improvement.. even if the other day she still confuses the remote with the phone.

"Still I thought.. you hated me or something.." Donnie said in a rare honest tone, Tati looked at Donnie with a shocked look. "Donatello why would.." Tati started but then the store lights started flickering and the floor started to shake. Totally means trouble and they both rushed out fast.

"Oh just typical New York stuff.. uh Todd, maybe you should go on ahead and we'll catch up?" Tati suggested with a nervous grin, she didn't want Todd in the crossfire..

There was a 10 foot tall robot with a shogan like headgear and large gauntlets (like something out of Gurren Lagann) Tati had her hand in front of her open gaped mouth and was wide eyed. Tati turned to Todd who came to join them. "What's the excitement?" Asked Todd, blissfully oblivious. Tati clapped her hands together fast.

"Okey-dokey!!" He skipped off, leaving Tati to sigh in relief.

"The one time we don't have gear or powers then trouble starts?! Sure this was a great idea Papa!!" Donnie exclaimed loudly and slapped his face covered.

"Aww is little tech turtle having a bad day?" Said a condescending female voice and both teens looked to see it was the Purple Dragon Tech Club! Kendra smirked with Jase and Jeremy standing behind her, Jase was the one holding the remote control for the robot.

Donnie shot a look but narrowed his eyes in distaste at the group. "I should've known.. the Purple Dragon Tech Club? Shouldn't you all be under house arrest?"

"Purple Dragon Tech Club? Those crazy kids you told me about?" Tati quickly asked before the robot had swung fast and knocked over Donnie and pushed Tati a fair distance. "And Ow!!" Donnie said holding his head.

Kendra smirked at the opportunity now to smash Donnie once and for all. "Jase, smash the turtle!"

Donnie held his head, looked up and stared wide eyed up at the impending robot arm about to hit him, but at that moment, a recovered Tati's eyes shimmered and screamed out "DONNIE!!!" She sprang up and ran so fast.. as if she was tapping into her Air powers now! She managed to push Donnie and both of them rolled out of the way as the robot just smashed the pavement.

"Ugh! Get them!!" Cried out an irritated Kendra, pointing towards the two.

The robot tried another swing but this time Donnie managed to react in time and sprinted fast enough with Tati. "Those guys.. seriously have issues!!" She cried out and now they ran before ducking into an alleyway to let the robot rush by. The two peeked out before stepping out.

As the robot came, Tati was waving her arms. "Hey down here!!" She goated and rushed towards a fire hydrant. While the robot turned towards her, Donnie took this chance before the Purple Dragons caught up, Donnie may not have his gear but this didn't stop him from ripping out the panel cover with the crowbar and he pulled the right wire to stop the leg from moving. "Boom! Ready!!"

"Hey thanks for that save.." Donnie said catching his breath, keeping a sheepish glance. "Donnie.. I know I was angry but I know I couldn't and never will hate you." Tati said, smiling to the purple banded turtle. "In fact, Todd was right.. I already thought of you like a brother." She looked at Donnie with a glance of sweetness that was shared.

"Yeah." Donnie said, Tati hugged him from the side, though now and stepped to face the oncoming robot coming back towards them. "Ok Techy let's come up with something to teach those brats a lesson.." Tati said while giving a look of determination which was shared by Donnie. "Hey Don? Their tech isn't waterproof?" She said as Donnie's lips turned to a smirk. Glancing from a nearby renovation site with a crowbar..

Tati pulled a thumbs up and did a dodge roll before the robot finally took a swing and hit the hydrant instead.

The stream of water hit the exposed panel and the robot couldn't move anyways so it shorted out and finally crashed to the ground.

"What?! How?!" Shrieked Kendra after running up, clutching her head in anger.

"You messed with the fam, you get retribution!!" Said in a loud tone of confidence from Donnie with Tati, arms crossed and smirking proudly. Then the sound of police sirens finally came rapidly.

They already got back ahead close to the manhole closest to their lair home, managing to pick up Todd along the way. "Oh man I wish I could've saw the look of their faces!" Tati laughed alongside Donnie. "I know right!" They both laughed then they shared a shared smile as Todd looked up at them both with shining eyes. "So does this mean you're both best buddies now?"

Before Kendra could try to even expose Donnie and Tati, they were already gone and left the Tech Club to their fate, getting arrested by the cops once again.

Though they both looked at each other then at Todd. "Well we could say for certain that we will be.. this is a start of it." Donnie said and Tati continued with "Yeah and besides, we're more like siblings now.. guess that's why we fought, siblings fight.." "But we'll always be family." Donnie finished as he and she shared a fist bump to Todd's joy as he hugged them both. "Friendship counseling mission complete!" He cheerfully said and the both teens laughed.

They both went home, even when they got their respective abilities and tech back, the next night..

"Donnie!" Tati said arms crossed. "Just say when Techy?" She finished actually using her levitation spell to life up one pizza box. "Ok now!" Donnie called out as each arm of his spider shell held up plates and Tati tossed up the box and duplicated every slice so that everyone got twice as much slices on each plate! Both teens now stood side by side, a grin on each face.

[artificialqueens]

Houroubing to Aruba, Chapter 1, (Branjie) - Blackhighheels

They are off to Aruba for their first vacation together

Belongs to the “For they know what they do now”- verse

Chapter 1 : Pepito

“You got everything? The presents, wallets, cellphone?” Brock asks and looks around the room, making sure they don’t forget anything important. They are in Orlando, their first quick stop on their way to Aruba, because Jose decided it would be a good idea to visit his grandmother and Alexis. Therefor instead of just changing planes, they stay for the night and then continue their flight tomorrow. Not that Brock minds, because he’s all for splitting up the close to 14 hour journey. It helps a lot with his nerves and anxiety.

“Yup, packed everything. You got the car key?"

Brock holds it up to show it to him. "Alright, then let’s go or we’ll be late.”

“Calm down, boo, it’s just a twenty minute drive from here and also it’s just my grandma. She knows I’m always late.” Jose tells him and closes the door of their hotel room behind him, follows him to the elevator.

“Really just twenty minutes? I thought it’d be farther.” Isn’t it also another town, he wonders.

“Nope, we gonna go south on Jeff Fuqua Blvd, which becomes Access Road and then stay on and we’re basically there.”

“It’s kind of weird that you suddenly know your way around and can even name the streets. Usually you need navigation to find the Starbucks around the corner from our house,” Brock teases him.

“Bitch, I grew up around here,” Jose turns around in the elevator, facing him and taking his eyes off the mirror for once. “And I find the Starbucks without navigation… now.” He admits with a chuckle. Brock makes use of the otherwise empty elevator and pulls Jose close by his suspenders for a quick kiss.

“You wanna drive?” he offers, which is unusual, because he hates being a passenger when Jose is driving in L.A, or anywhere for that matter. If Brock had the power, he would have already confiscated Jose’s driver’s license. It remains a mystery to him, how his boyfriend doesn’t get into car accidents on the regular, his driving erratic and sometimes even careless. The only reason he’s been without a driver’s license his several DUIs.

“Nah, you good. I’m just gonna pretend I’m Siri and tell you where to go. Maybe that could be a new business idea? Miss Vanjie navigations?”

Brock laughs. “Turn right… no the other right, bitches. Imma tell ya what to do now… and I look good doing it,” he tries to imitate Jose’s Vanjie voice and makes him laugh.

“You better not do Vanjie at Snatch game ever, boo. You suck! Oh, and it’s a toll street so we’ll need quarters. Dunno, if they accept credit cards now.” They get out of the elevator.

“I think I got some. Can you check?” Brock unlocks their rental car that they’ve reached by now. They both get in and buckle their seatbelts before Brock drives out of the garage while Jose digs through his backpack, looking for Brock’s wallet.

“Yup, should be fine.” He states when he has found it. “Your wallet weighs a ton. What have ya got in here?”

“Still got the tip money from the last gig,” Brock shrugs. “Left here, right?”

“Yeah, it’s a one way street, so you need to do a u-turn here,” Jose confirms after looking up for a second. Then he focusses back on Brock’s wallet and checks each compartment, takes the papers out and looks at the cards.

“What are you doing?”

“Snooping.” Jose admits it with a bratty smirk and isn’t ashamed at all. “Got something to hide? Better confess it now.”

“Not that I know of.” He knows that there’s nothing in there that he needs to hide. Not that hiding anything from his boyfriend is ever a good idea.

“You got a condom in there? No, wait, two? What’s next? Lube?"

"Of course, I got condoms in my wallet. Where else would I keep them?” It was kind of obvious. But then he remembered that his boyfriend stashed them wherever convenient, sometimes even his cellphone cover, under his hat or in his shoes- Brock wasn’t sure how save that really was. Yet, the easy access was the reason why Jose was in charge of these things.

“Where were they when we needed them that time in London, when everything was closed and we were desperate?”

“They were most likely already in there, but I was too drunk to think of it.” Brock tries to remember what happened back then, but the nights in London during their first tour together, are still kind of a blur.

“Child, I will remember from now on! Won’t happen again,” Jose huffs and puts his feet on the dashboard of the car, after he threw the wallet back in the backpack.

“Yeah, just one thing,” Brock grins and quickly looks at him before concentrating back on the traffic.

“What thing?”

“We stopped using condoms months ago?! You remember the testing and discussions?"

"Took us long enough to rid off these romance killers,” Jose rolls his eyes, but can’t hide the small smile.

“You think it took us long?” Brock asks curiously.

“Yeah, we’ve been back together eleven months and we stopped using them like what? Two months ago?”

“Bit more. I remember we discussed it right after your birthday and then got tested just to be sure. We didn’t bring any condoms on tour. November maybe? So more like four months.”

“Mmh.”

“How long did it usually take, until you stopped using protection with your ex boyfriends?”

“Never… like… No wait. With one I did, but then we broke up shortly afterwards. But the others were always cheating… or I thought they were cheating and then it turned out later I’d been right.”

“Oh, ok.”

“What? I won’t let any fuccboi gamble with my health. If I wanna fuck that up, I can do it on my own. Don’t need anyone tell me about love and trust and shit and then stick his dick somewhere without a cover.”

“You know I agree with you.” Brock points out. He’s never been one to skip protection the few times he actually had real sex with a random guy. And since he’d never had a boyfriend before Jo… and he still got tested regularly.

“I do. And I trust you, so no raincoat needed… well, other than for practical reasons.” The smirk is back on Jose’s face. “We can throw ‘em out?”

“We probably should anyway. I can’t remember when I put them in there. Better check the expiration date,” Brock laughs.

“Not like one of us can get pregnant, cause if we could… girl. We’d have grand-babies by now.”

“No, but if they rip, it kind of defeats the purpose, no matter which one we might have in mind.”

Jose wrinkles his forehead, then nods. “Turn right here on the 417 and the toll station should be right ahead.”

“Ok, papi,” Brock nods and does what he is told. “Can you hand me the quarters?”

***

They reach their destination fifteen minutes later, park the car and both get out. It’s a narrow street with small houses left and right and an apartment complex at the end of the cul-de-sac. Children’s toys seem to sit on nearly every free strip of lawn, along with grills, chairs and the odd dog on a chain. It’s obvious that it’s not a rich neighbourhood, but Brock doesn’t feel unsafe either.

“You grew up here?” Brock asks and looks around.

“Lived over there for a while,” Jose points in the general direction of a couple of houses. “But we moved a lot. Longest house we stayed in was on the other side of the lake. Five years, maybe?” He takes Brock’s hand in his and leads him down the street.

“Because of the divorce?”

“Divorce, break-ups, money or the wrong people around us. My mom didn’t want a repeat of what happened with her brother, so she tried to keep us out of trouble.”

“You know I’m glad my parents are finally divorced because they weren’t good for each other and everything, and are much happier now, but the whole moving thing is a reason why I’m glad they didn’t get divorced until we were all grown up.”

“Yeah, it sucked sometimes. Not always.”

“Any last warnings?” Brock asks then when they reach a small blue house. He is suddenly overcome by nervousness.

“Just do you, boo,” Jose smiles and they exchange a quick kiss before he knocks on the mesh screen door, because the main door is already open. “Abuela?” Jose yells.

“Come in, Pepito,” a female voice calls from the inside.

“Lita!” Jose exclaims when they walk inside and a tiny, dark haired women rushes towards them once they have crossed the small living-room and reach the kitchen.

“Pepito!  Cariño!” She squeezes him tightly and holds him, tears in her eyes. “It’s been so long”

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” he agrees, wipes his eyes and sniffs. “Grandma, this is Brock,” he introduces them. Before Brock can react he is pulled downwards and into a bear hug. The small elder woman has a lot more strength than he suspected.

“So nice to  finally meet you,” he tells her when she lets him go.

“Que hombre bonito,” she says to Jose, but Brock understands enough to blush.

“He not too bad,” Jose teases with a nonchalant shrug and winks at his man.

“Neither are you, Pepito,” Brock teases right back, because he hasn’t heard this nickname before, even though he spends a lot of time around Jose’s mother.

“Oh, stop. Only my abuela is allowed to call me that.” He turns back to his grandmother. “We brought you a little something something. The green one is from us and the pink one from mom.” He hands her the wrapped gifts that are still for Christmas.

“Thank you, mi corazon.” They both get kisses on the cheeks before she sets the gifts aside without opening them.  "You want something to drink before we leave?“ she asks the both of them.

"We leave? Where to?” Jose is as puzzled as Brock.

“The BBQ spot by the lake. The others will be here in a minute, food is done.”

“The others?” Jose doesn’t look too happy.

“Lita?” another male voice yells from the front door and then steps can be heard coming towards the kitchen where they are standing. Brock can feel Jose tense up even though they are not touching. He looks like he might run any second and shrinks into himself. “Oh, you already here,” the man says. He is about Jose’s height, maybe a bit taller with tan skin, dark short curls and Jose’s eyes. Tattoos cover his hands, arms and what can be seen of his chest and his neck. He is wearing Nike’s, grey baggy sweats and a white wife-beater. Two little girls are by his side.

“Yeah.” Jose just nods.

“Uncle Jose!” one of the girls storms towards Jo and jumps up to hug him. That’s when Brock finally understands that he’s just met Jose’s older brother.

“Vicky! You so tall now, girl! Look at that! You nearly as tall as Brock here,” Jose jokes as he holds his niece, her legs slung around his stomach. Her skin is a bit lighter than Jose’s, but the family resemblance is uncanny. Her dark curls are done in complicated braids on her head.

“Hi!” The girl smiles charmingly up at him, still in Jose’s arms and Brock smiles back. She’s really cute and Brock realises she has bright green eyes.

“Hi,” he replies and then turns to the man staring at him. “Hello, I’m Brock,” he holds out his hand. It takes a moment but then Jose’s brother shakes it.

“Hi, I’m D. Heard a lot about you, man. Mom sure can’t shut up about your house with the pool and all the other rich shit.”

“We just rent it.”

“Hey, Feli, do you remember me?” Jose puts his older niece back down on the ground and crouches down in front of the younger one, who seems to be about four or five. She looks a lot like her sister, but her eyes are as dark as Jose's  and her hair is simply pulled in a tight pony-tail. She shyly shakes her head and clings to her father’s hand more tightly, hides partially behind it.

“That’s uncle Jo, Feli. Miss Vanjie!” her sister informs her.

“How do you know about Miss Vanjie, little lady? How old are you?” Jose puts his hands on his hips and plays it up for her amusement.

“Everybody knows about Vanjie. You famous now, uncle J! And I’m ten!”

“Ten? When did you turn ten? Wasn’t it just yesterday that we played with your my little ponies and braided their hair?”

“You’re silly.” She giggles. “Look, I’m even wearing mascara and nails!”

“I can see that,” Jose smiles, but the look he gives his brother is disapproving. Then he holds up a hand towards Brock. “Help me up, boo?” he asks and Brock knows it’s only because his knee is still hurting after the six hour flight earlier in the morning. Brock pulls him up.

“Lita, you riding with us or Jose?”

“You can ride with us, if you want,” Jose offers.

“Ok, then we’ll meet you at the park.” Without another word Jose’s brother takes his daughters by the hands and leads them out of the house.

“Esper… we need to take the arroz con guandules,” grandma sighs.

“In the caldero?” Jose’s eyes widen and he looks over to the oven where a huge metal pot is standing.

“Can we even lift it?” Brock laughs when he sees the size of this thing.

“You a tall man, mi amor. You can do it,” Jose’s grandmother seems to have confidence in him and the term of endearment doesn’t miss its’ aim either. He walks over and tests it, manages to lift the heavy pot off the stove.

“Pepito, ven aqui,” she waves Jose behind her and when they come back they each hold two large  bowls with even more food. “Let’s go!” she smiles and follows them out to the car.

***

“That your ride?” Jose’s brother asks Brock when they reach the picnic area at a lake not too far away from the grandmother’s house. He doesn’t help with the heavy pots though.

“Rental. We’re only here for a day.”

“Only a day? Why’d you even come here then? Or you owning your own jet now and just don’t care?” he laughs, but Brock recognises a dig when he hears one.

“It made sense to stop here or in Miami, since we need to change planes here anyway on our way to our vacation.”

“Where you going, man?”

“Aruba.”

“Sweet.”

“Yeah, we think so.”

“Must have cost you a couple of coins.”

“A couple. The flights and part of the stay is paid for, however. I won it on the show.”

“The show?” he seems puzzled for a moment. “Ah, right. You’re one of those as well.”

“One of what?” Brock stands up to his full height after he’s finally managed to put the pot down on one of the tables. He tries not to be offended and give him the benefit of the doubt, but Jose’s stories about his brother combined with the way he just said it, rub Brock the wrong way.

“Hombre!” A loud scream interrupts them and they turn around. D smiles and walks over to the ten to twelve men coming his way. Behind them a couple of women follow, most of them with children in tow. Brock feels like he’s watching a documentation about hispanic gangs in the Bronx or something. For a second he wonders how many of them are armed, but then he pushes the thought away as quickly as he can. As a Canadian the thought of guns all around him always freaks him out.

“Fuck, he brought his whole posse,” Jose mutters and shows up beside Brock, but doesn’t touch him.

“They’re family, too?”

“Some of them are cousins, yeah. Rest friends. All of them as fucking dumb as my brother.” Jose seems angry. Or annoyed?

“You ok, papi?”

“I’m fine… just… ignore everything they say and remember we’re only here for today, k?” Jose looks up at him, a strange look in his eyes.

“Same goes for you,” Brock points out and wraps one arm around Jose’s shoulder and pulls him into his side. For a moment the tension leaves his body as he melts against Brock’s body.

“Oy, loca!” Another scream from one of the guys and the tension is back in Jose’s body, fists clenched.

Brock holds him tighter and massages his shoulder with the one hand resting there. “Breathe.”

***

A while later Jose and Brock have sat down to eat, Jose’s grandmother at their table, his nieces there as well. The other men have retreated to a table at the edge of the picnic area and Brock can’t say that he minds in the least. The longer he’s been around them, the less him likes them. The women left after a while, taking most of the kids with them after they’ve served their men with drinks and food.

“Oye, Jose!” a guy that was introduced as Tivo, a friend of D’s, yells over without getting up.

“What?”

“Bring me another beer.”

“Please,” Brock adds with quiet sarcasm, can’t help it. He waits for Jose’s sarcastic reply to the unfriendly request, but he just gives Brock’s leg a squeeze underneath the table, then gets up and brings him the requested drink. There is some laughter at the table when Jose gets there, but Brock can’t hear or understand what’s being said. When Jose comes back with an empty plate, he refills it and carries it back over. Brock can see that he’s still slightly limping, his knee still acting up.

“Sit down, babe, I’m gonna get you some ice,” Brock decides and gets up himself to fetch some ice from where the drinks are. He places the cubes on a towel and then hands it to Jose.

“Thank you, boo,” Jose replies and pecks Brock’s lips a couple of times. Wolf-whistles can be heard from the other table.

“Jose! No delante de mis hijas!” Jose jerks back from Brock at his brother’s angry command, the ice falling to the ground.

“What did he say?” Brock questions.

“Nothin’” Jose mumbles and tries to pick the ice back off the ground.

“I’m gonna get you some fresh ice,” Brock shakes his head, takes the dish towel, gets up and refills it.

“Jose! Bring the bread over.”

Brock isn’t even back at the table yet when the new command comes from the table of guys and the whole table erupts in laughter. Brock had the feeling before that they were doing it on purpose, making Jose serve them, since their wives and girlfriends were gone, but now he knows. And he is furious.

It also puzzles him why Jose is obliging them and doesn’t say a single thing. His usually so feisty and hot-tempered boyfriend is acting like a scared little kid, which adds even more fire to Brock’s anger.

He stops Jose from getting up by placing a hand on his shoulder. “Stay, I’ll do it. Put the ice on your knee.” He grabs the bread and marches over to where the guys are sitting. “Here,” he pushes the bread in the hands of a guy whose name he has already forgotten. “And now get the rest yourself."

"Ooooh,” the other three men howl and laugh.

“Mind your own business, sissy.” More boo-ing, more laughter. “We not talking to you, white boy.”

“Sissy? Fine by me, but maybe you should man up. You can’t even get your food or drinks yourself.”

“Jose! Your loca is running her mouth!” One guy calls.

“We can, we just don’t want to. That’s what you guys are for,” another one says. Brock looks at Jose’s brother, who hasn’t said anything and doesn’t holler and laugh as loudly as the others. But neither does he stand up for his brother and stop this.

“Mmh, and apparently we’re also here to pay your phone bill debts, right D?” Brock knows and addresses him directly. “How about you earn your own money first and stop relying on your little brother? How’s that for man-ing up?” More howls, boos, this time directed at D.

“Fuck off, maricon!” Brock knows that word. If there is one thing every gay man knows, it’s insults and slurs in all kinds of languages, the cruder the more familiar. And this time it came directly from D.

“What did you just say?” he asks unnecessarily, dares him to repeat it.

D gets off the bench and stands in front of him. D’s best friend Felix does the same, steps closer and puffs out his chest. “Chupa mi huevos, maricon!”

“I’m gonna fucking kill you!” Jose’s furious threat echoes  as he rushes over, already halfway there, even limping. He must have started his way over when they called him. Brock holds him back though, when he basically flies towards his brother and Felix, ready to tackle them. With both arms wrapped around his waist from behind, he is reminded how strong Jose really is. He has trouble holding him back, his boyfriend set on a physical fight with all ten of them, if he has to.

“J, you really wanna try me again?” his brother laughs, comes closer and steps in front of Felix. Brock knows that even though he doesn’t have any experience in fist fights, he will step in front of Jose and try to protect him, before he will stand idly by and watch them hurt Jose even more than they have in the past.

“Siétate! Ahora!” Suddenly Jose’s grandmother is by their side, glaring at his brother and his friends. They obey and no one dares to laugh this time. A fast rant, that Brock doesn’t understand a single word of, starts and at the same time she waves him and Jose away, signalises them to go back to their table. Brock isn’t sure if that’s a good idea though, grabs more ice as they pass the drinks and leads Jose away from the picnic area and towards a small park by the lake side.

“You ok, papi?” Brock asks when Jose is still silent once they reach a wooden bench underneath some trees, hidden away from sight.

“Did they hurt you?” Jose asks instead of answering the question.

“No, they didn’t even touch me.” Brock pulls him down onto the bench and into his lap, then places the ice on Jose’s knee for the third time. “Has it always been like this?”

“No, not when we were younger. I always wanted to be like him, all manly and cool and shit. But when he found out I was gay… at home it was ok and when we were alone, but when his friends found out…”

“Did they hurt you? Physically?”

“Sometimes.They thought they could beat the gay out of me or some shit. Until my mother found out. Then she beat the crap out of them.”

“I can imagine,” Brock chuckles, because he can imagine well how that went down.

“She took my side and he thinks she loves me more, like, I’m the favorite. When the Vanjie thing happened and they moved to L.A. for me… D really hates me now.” Jose slumps sideways against Brock’s chest. For a while they just sit there, Brock rubbing Jose’s arm and placing kisses on his forehead from time to time. Jose is deep in thought.

“You wanna go back?” Brock asks when Jose starts responding to his caresses and starts sucking on his neck.

“Mmmh, I wanna talk to my grandma some more.”

“But Jo? If they start bullying you again, we’re leaving. I will not sit idly by and watch it. We’ve come too far in our life to go back to who we were ten or fifteen years ago.”

“Thank you.” Jose kisses him gently before they both get up and walk back to Jose’s family, their fingers tightly linked. They haven’t reached their table yet when D walks towards them. Brock slightly steps in front of Jose. The fact that he is already injured makes him protective in a way he usually isn’t. Or maybe it’s just the company they are in?

“Mira… Jose, can I talk to you?” Jose looks to Brock.

“You want me to come with you?” he offers.

“Nah, we gonna be fine.” He decides and looks around.

“Stay where I can see you, please?” Brock requests quietly.

“Will do, boo.” Jose gives him a small smile and then points to a swing set not too far away. His nieces are playing there now and Brock thinks that hopefully they won’t get too intense in front of the kids. When he looks around he sees that the other men have left and only Jose’s grandmother is sitting at a table.

“They gonna be fine,” she tells him when he joins her and refills his cup.

“Thanks for stepping in. I’m not really good at fist fights,” he tries to joke.

“Tu sabes, D is here 'cause he wanted to talk to Jose. It wasn’t my idea. He’s changed a lot since they all left, his mother, his brothers… his girls. He only sees them once a month.”

“Mmh.” Brock makes, doesn’t really know what to say.

“You found a house yet?” She changes the topic.

“Not really. But we’re in no hurry. The lease isn’t up for another there years, so we’ve got time to wait and see what comes up. First we needed to hash out what we even want,” he explains and smiles, remembering their different ideas about what they wanted to buy.

“Send me some pictures when you found something. I’d like to see where he lives.”

“You could always come and see us. We have a guest room.”

“I know, my daughter told me. But the long flight… it’s expensive, you know?”

“We could book it for you. Both Jo and I have so many points saved up we barely know what to do with them. Would be first class, too.”

“Points? No entiendo.”

“Like, when you fly with certain airlines you get points for flying with them and rewards. After a certain amount of points you get better rewards, don’t have to pay certain fees, get free food and drinks. And because we’re always flying somewhere, we can basically never use up all our bonuses.”

“So you don’t pay money for my flight?”

“No, we wouldn’t.”

“Ok, I will think about it,” she finally accepts and Brock is impressed by this very proud and humble woman. “I could cook for you when I visit you. You’re both too thin.” She adds and Brock knows that he will have to tell Jose that his grandma is going to visit them soon. This is as close to accepting the offer as it gets.

They are interrupted when Jose, his brother and the girls come back. Neither is hurt, but Brock can see the storm of emotions in Jose’s eyes. He looks upset, but not angry, which he takes as a good sign.

“We should get going, boo. Have to get ready for our night out with Alexis,” Jose tells him quietly. “You got this here, D?” He motions to the pots and plates everywhere.

“Si, you go. I take care of it,” his brother confirms and his tone is much softer than before.

“K, bye Lita. Talk to you soon.”

“Bye, Pepito. You tare care.” They hug for a long moment. Brock is next, gets the same bear hug he was greeted with earlier that day.

D holds out his hand when they pull back. Reluctantly Brock takes it, not sure yet what to make of it. He is pulled in a manly hug, with a couple of pats on his back. “I’m sorry about before. And please take care of him, man. His knee really doesn’t look good.”

“I will,” he vows, surprised by the concern, the apology and the approval.

After saying goodbye to the girls, they make their way to the car in silence and Brock has to turn on the navigation, because Jose keeps staring out the window, deep in thought.

“Baby, you’re ok?” he asks him when he can’t take it anymore and touches one of Jose’s hand with one finger.

“Yeah. It was good, the talk and all. Just… a lot. He apologised for the shit he’s done to me and for not protecting me. I told him he needs to apologise to mom, too, for all his fuck ups. It was hard on her. But he doesn’t feel like he part of the family no more and … he done a lot of work, did some therapy, has his own Dr. Laurie. He’s always been a bit of an ass, but he my brother, you know? He’s family, even if he don’t get me or why I’m gay and why I’m so extra all the time.”

“Sounds like a good start,” Brock comments.

“Said he should come to L.A. and see us all. I wasn’t sure if you want him at the house though.”

“I’m not sure either. He’s kind of scary.”

“He wouldn’t do nothing. He still on probation.”

“What?” Brock squeaks and does a double take. Maybe he should have been given that info before he nearly got into a physical fight with the guy.

“Long story with a mug shot and all, y'all.” Jose chuckles.

“Talked to your grandma; she might want to visit us too. Maybe they can come together? We take your grandma and your mom can take your brother?”

“You talked my abuela into visiting us? I’ve been begging her to come see us since I moved to L.A. How’d you do that?”

“I can be charming, too, pepito.” Brock laughs.

“Haha! Baaabe!” Jose laughs loudly, his scream echoing through the car. “I think I’m gonna call Alexis and tell him we not coming tonight. I don’t feel like clubbing anymore. That ok with you?” Jose surprisingly asks when he has calmed down.

“Sure. We’ll see him in L.A. in a couple of weeks anyway.” Brock agrees and stops at the tolling station.

***

Jose remains unusually quiet when they get back their room. They each take a shower and dress more comfortably and chill on the bed before ordering room service later that night. Jose isn’t really hungry, but Brock makes him eat, since he didn’t eat much during lunch either.

Once they are done, they retreat back to the bed and start the next episode of whatever show they are watching in Netflix. Brock doesn’t pay attention.

He doesn’t really know how to deal with a quiet Jose. He’s asked him several times if he’s ok, but beside a short confirmation, he hasn’t added anything to what he said in the car. He calculates how late it is in L.A. and if they should maybe call Laurie, but then decides against it, because Jose moves closer to him and places his head on his chest.

“Today was the first day I felt like that fucking kid again, the one who fucks up at school and goes to therapy for his ADD and knows he’s gay and who is weird and loud and shit. My own brother didn’t want to be around me, 'cause I was so not cool. And now, we here and you… the hottest guy I’ve ever dated, saw all of that shit today.”

“You scared I don’t find you cool and hot anymore?"

"Dunno. Do you?” He looks up at him, a small smile on his face that is also a bit insecure. And Jose should never ever feel insecure about Brock’s love for him.

“How about I show you?” He smiles and presses his lips against Jose’s for a moment, pulls back with a loud smack.

“Starting the romancing early? We not even in Aruba yet, hot stuff.” Jose kisses him, a bit longer, but just as intensely.

“Got a problem with that?”

“No, you go ahead, boo. Show me.” The next kiss leaves them both breathless. When Brock teases him with the tip of his tongue, runs it over Jose’s lips, he lets out a soft laugh before he moves up a bit more, slips his tongue in his mouth and gives back ten fold.

Brock rolls them over, so that Jo is underneath him, lying on his back. Without breaking the kiss or looking, he slides one hand underneath his shirt and moves upward, the fabric bunching up on his wrists. Brock enjoys the feeling of his smooth, hot skin underneath his palms, muscles contracting where his light touch tickles.

He clutches the white shirt, breaks the kiss and pulls it over his head, Jose’s arms lifting on autopilot. While he’s at it, he loses his own shirt and dives back down to kiss him some more. Jose’s lips are always plump, delicious and the little noises he makes shoot straight to Brock’s groin, making him painfully hard.

They pant slightly and look at each other when they have to break the kiss again.

“I love how you always gasp when I do this,” he says and places a kiss in the middle of Jose’s chest; smiles when he hears the sound he just talked about. “So hot.”

A lick of his nipple follows, then the other, the same sounds filling the room as Jose’s hand tangles in Brock’s hair. Next he drags his scruffy cheeks down across his stomach and watches the slight red, that colours the tan skin. “I love it when you’re loud and shit,” he repeats his earlier words back at him. “Tell me what you want… talk to me."

Jose groans loudly. "Your tongue… your teeth,” he says and directs Brock’s head up. They’ve been doing this often enough that he knows exactly what his man is after. He has a go at his nipples, knows they are incredibly sensitive. Jose groans again, his voice high pitched and needy as he raises his torso off the bed, apparently stuck between wanting to pull away and pulling Brock more to him. He sucks, licks and even bites a little as Jose moans, swears and even half-laughs. Brock can feel him hard and hot through his sweats, against his leg.

He slips his hand in Jose’s pants, pulls them down with one tug as he raises his hips without prompting. The sweats join their shirts on the floor.

“How do you want me?” Brock asks him. “What do you want me to do? Suck you? Fuck you? Let you fuck me?” His right hand is wrapped around Jose’s hard shaft, teasing him further with slow and steady movements.

“You’d let me fuck you? Feeling like being a bottom today?” Jose teases and pulls Brock’s shorts down over his hips, pats his naked butt cheeks before he runs his hands over them, squeezes.

“Today I’ll do whatever you need me to do, to show you that you have the power now. No one can tell you what to do anymore, no one can talk down to you or bully you.” He rests his chin against Jose’s chest and waits for his verdict. Giving all the power away is kind of sexy too and Brock has troubles keeping his hips still.

“There’ll be enough time for me to fuck you. Maybe on the beach? Or against a palm tree?” Jose muses, clearly teasing Brock now. “I just want you to fuck me… been waiting all day… got ready while you were in the shower,” he confesses and makes Brock scramble up and get out of his pants in seconds. He grabs the lube from underneath the pillow, where one of them always puts it, and is pushed on his back. He grips the bottle hard when Jose’s wet, hot mouth suddenly surrounds his hard dick, his tongue teasing him. He sucks him, the sounds loud and obscene as he doesn’t hold back. He watches him bop up and down, cheeks hollow from time to time and sometimes his tongue peeks out, swipes over his head, tastes him, before he takes him deep again. Brock’s hips lift off the bed and he hopes he’ll hold out long enough and not come in his mouth. Saliva is covering his dick when Jose finally stops and takes the lube from him.

“You so fucking sexy.” The bottle hits the floor and Brock hopes he closed it properly, the stain disaster on a carpet not something he wishes to repeat. “Should I get the condoms or ride you like this…?” Jose asks, even though they both know it’s not really a question. The intimacy of going bare something they discussed in detail, after they had both been surprised by the effect it had on them once they’d done it the first time. For Brock it was the proof he didn’t know he’d needed, that Jose trusts him and knows he is being faithful.

Jose climbs on top of him and then slowly sinks down with a loud groan.

“God… fuck, papi.” Brick grips his hips tightly and digs his fingers into Jo’s skin. There are no more thoughts about the past, the family, nothing. Just this, his beautiful man on top of him, dominating and directing, trusting him with his body the same way he does trust him.

“I fucking love you fucking me… love you!” Jose leans down for a wet kiss, tongues battling. When he sits back up, taking him fully, he starts moving, eyes closed. “You feel so fucking good!” He gets louder. Brock starts pushing up, making the thrusts harder, deeper. “Yeah! Fuuuck!”

“Jo, yes.” There is no way he can form a full sentence. A couple more thrusts and he’s reduced to simple moans and rhythmic grunts that are drowned out by Jose’s enthusiastic and filthy commentary. That’s the confidence he knows from him, all sexy and not holding back. That’s how he wants him, no needs him, to feel every fucking second of every fucking day. Just when he’s about to come, Jo slows down, then stops and grins at him. He knows exactly what he’s doing, little shit.

“Not done with you yet. I want to come first. Show me you can get me there. Make me come! And maybe I’ll let you come, too. Might be in a giving mood.” Brock pushes up, as hard as he can and surprises him, makes him yelp. For a second he’s scared he’s hurt him.

“Yeees!” The scream is enough to make him repeat the movement, slam him down by his hips.

Their bodies glistens with sweat and he has no idea how long they’ve been at it. The muscles in his legs are shaking and burn, and he knows he can’t keep going for much longer or he has to change their position. Jose wouldn’t approve, though. He lets go of his hips with one hand and wraps it around Jose’s leaking cock, strokes him in the same rhythm as he’s riding him, as Brock’s slamming up into him.

Two, four, eight… “Fuck, yes, Brock!” Jose comes all over his stomach and chest and Brock follows him, still deep inside of him.

“Fuck,” Brock pants, giggles, his arms falling to his sides. Jose lifts his hips and lets him slide out, then moves up, lays down on top of him and kisses him, just once, because they are both still too out of breath for more.

“This was a worthy first fuck for our first vacation together.” Jose sighs into his shoulder and rests his head there. Brock just laughs and wraps his arms around him. They lay like this for a moment.

“You know what this reminds me of, us going away for a break after all of this goddamn mess today?”

“Mmh?”

“When I was still living with Alexis, Jeffrey used to watch these Arabic series sometimes. They like telenovelas but shorter. I got sucked in with one, 'cause the actress was so fucking gorgeous. It was about a woman in Lebanon, who had so much shit going on with her family that she didn’t know up from down. And then her handsome hero came in, swept her off her feet, but her family didn’t like it. And child, that guy was hot! Her brother was an asshole and all… and then they just ran off to Paris for three months and called it 'Houroub’. That was also the name of the show. Jeffrey said that means 'escape’”. I feel like that what we doing. Houroub-ing from drag and our families and fans and every day shit… I think we earned it.“

"Yeah, we do, papi,” Brock agrees and closes his eyes. “Houroub-ing to Aruba.”

Jose makes an attempt to sit up, but Brock tightens his hold around him and keeps him there. “Bitch, if you think we going to sleep with cum glueing our chests together, while I’m leaking all over the place, you better think again. You wanna be lazy like this afterwards, we better go back to the whole condoms discussion.” Jose untangles from him and cleans himself a bit with his shirt. They also had this talk before, more than once.

“I’m exhausted. You just fucked all energy out of me.” Brock sighs.

“You wanted me bossy, you get bossy: Get up! We taking a bath.” Jose decides and tugs on Brock’s arm until he reluctantly sits up.

“You gonna be bossy in the tub, too?” he asks as he follows him into the bathroom and swats his naked ass playfully.

“Maybe. But maybe I just want you to hold me,” Jose shrugs and starts the water.

“Whatever you want, papi. Whatever you want.” Brock tells him and pulls him into his chest as they watch the tub fill with water.

“When’s our flight leaving tomorrow?” Jose breaks the silence just before he turns the water off.

“Twenty past one. We should be at the airport around eleven.” They both climb in, Jose finding his spot, sitting between Brock’s outstretched legs.

“Thank god, mama. We can sleep in and get breakfast at the airport. I’ll need my beauty sleep to be ready and repeat our performance in paradise, as soon as we get there.”

Brock laughs. “You have this all planned out already? What happened to checking in, unpacking and then explore your surroundings a bit?”

“Oh, I’m gonna be all Dora-explorer on your dick, boo… all over our room and bed.” Jose’s boisterous laughter fills the room and Brock presses a kiss to his temple. What a great way to start their vacation.

TBC

[cristinablackthornkingson]

Shadowhunters Short Story #60, Ash Morgenstern AU Part 2.

It is a crisp Autumn day in 2009 when Jonathan Fairchild receives one of the biggest shocks of his life.

One year ago, just before Ash turned one, Jonathan had met a woman named Alma Cartwright. They had met at The Institute in New York, and were assigned a mission together. It had been one of Jonathan’s first missions since Ash was born, and he was feeling extremely nervous and reluctant to leave his son, even though he knew he was safe and happy with Jocelyn and Luke. Alma had listened to him talk about Ash and assured him that everything would be alright, and that he would be going back home to his son at the end of the mission. Jonathan had been surprised at her kindness, not many people trusted him after what he had done as Sebastian, and he didn’t blame them at all. But Alma seemed to be willing to trust him right way, when he asked her about it she told him she understood that he and Sebastian were two entirely different people.

After that they grew close and became good friends, Jonathan introduced her to Ash about a month after they became friends and was pleased when his son immediately took to her, normally he was very shy around strangers, but he loved Alma from the minute he met her, and she loved him right back. She was excellent with him, always willing to play with him and take him on walks and to the park, even babysitting the odd time Clary, Jocelyn or Luke couldn’t. 

After a few months of friendship Jonathan began to realize that his feelings for Alma weren’t strictly friendly, he wasn’t entirely sure but he was almost certain he had romantic feelings for her, and it didn’t take long for him to figure it out for sure. He didn’t say anything for a while, afraid that Alma would be disgusted and he would loose one of the only friends he’s ever had, but after a while he realized it would be best if he told her and was honest with her, he wouldn’t expect her to recuperate his feelings or anything, he just needed to be honest with her.

When he had told Alma and explained that he didn’t expect her to say or do anything, she had laughed, which left him very confused for a while, until she explained that she did in fact like him back. After that they dated for about 6 months, and Alma became like a mother to Ash, he even began calling her ‘mama’ which she didn’t mind at all, she loved him as though he was her own and was always proud when she would take him out and people would assume he was her son. 

After 6 months of dating, Jonathan proposed to Alma and she happily accepted. They had a very short engagement and married in Idris in The Hall of Accords just before Ash’s second birthday. 

They had been married for 2 months now and were extremely happy, settled and content. Today Jonathan is training new Shadowhunters at The Institute while Alma spends the day with Ash. Right now they are walking through the streets of Brooklyn through the rain, Ash in his stroller with the hood pulled up. Alma had planned to stay at home with Ash today, but when she woke up feeling sick for the fourth morning in a row, and her period was a week late, she knew something was up, and so she dressed herself and Ash and hurried to the nearest pharmacy to pick up a pregnancy test. She and Jonathan weren’t actively trying for a baby, but they weren’t trying to prevent it either, but Alma had not expected to fall pregnant so soon, you never hear of people falling pregnant within a month or so of trying, though it wasn’t impossible. 

Once inside Alma takes Ash from his stroller, takes off his wet coat and shoes and takes him upstairs with her, setting him in his crib with his toys. 

“Okay, you stay there and mommy will be right back.” She says, more to herself than to Ash, smoothing down his blonde hair and placing a kiss on his forehead. 

Five minutes later, two pink lines appear on the test, filling Alma with both fear and delight. She is delighted at the idea of having another baby, Jonathan will bed thrilled too and Ash will be a wonderful big brother, but the idea of carrying a child, giving birth and then taking care of a tiny newborn baby is petrifying. Ash had been one when she came into his life and became a mother to him, she had no experience with newborns. But she won’t be alone, Jonathan had raised Ash since he was only a few weeks old, and Jocelyn knew plenty about newborns, and Luke and Clary would be around to help out too, and Jace, Isabelle, Simon, Alec and Magnus.

“Come on buddy, lets go hide this somewhere your dad will find it so we can surprise him.” Alma says, picking Ash up and settling him on her hip. She doesn’t want to just tell Jonathan straight out about the baby, she wants to surprise him, see how long it will take for him to find the pregnancy test and realize what it is and what it means, since Shadowhunters don’t usually use mundane things like pregnancy tests. 

Alma places the test on top of one of her husband's jumpers in the chest of drawers in their room, then heads downstairs with Ash,trying to contain her excitement. 

An hour later, as Alma cleans up after lunch and Ash scribbles on a piece of paper on the floor beside her, she hears the door open and close, followed by footsteps. 

“Daddy!” Ash exclaims in delight, dropping his crayon and reaching for his father. Jonathan grins widely and scoops Ash up, pressing a kiss to his cheek and ruffling his hair. 

“Hi buddy, I missed you.” He softly says, as Ah wraps his arms around the back of Jonathan’s neck. 

“Daddy, Aunty Clary here?” Ash hopefully asks, looking over his father’s shoulder into the hallway. Sometimes after he has been at the Institute for most of the day, Clary will come home with Jonathan to visit her nephew. 

“Not today bud, but we can go see her tomorrow.” Jonathan says, leaning in to kiss Alma on the cheek. 

“You’re home early.” Alma says, tilting her head up to look at her husband, who smiles brightly at her and slips an arm around her waist. 

“Jace and Clary had plans so we finished training early today, and I of course wanted to come home to my two favorite people straight away.” He explains, setting a wriggling Ash down.

“We should have a date night soon.” Alma says, leaning into her husband, thinking about how they only have a few months before all their time will be taken up with both Ash and a new baby.

“That would be nice, mom has been asking when she and Luke can watch Ash again, and Ash has been asking when he can sleep over at his grandma and grandpa’s again, I think he likes them more than he likes us.” Jonathan says in a light, teasing tone. Ash is very close to his grandparents and Jocelyn and Luke love to dote over him and spoil him, they both love being grandparents and are forever bragging about their grandson. 

“We should arrange it sometime next week.” Alma says. Jonathan nods his agreement and drops a kiss to her head before saying 

“I better go shower and change and check that Ash isn’t causing too much trouble.” 

When Jonathan gets upstairs, he immediately goes into his and Alma’s room to get some clean clothes and a towel. He pulls open the middle draw in their dresser where he keeps his jumpers, and when he does he immediately notices the white stick with the pink cap and a white window in the middle with two pink lines on it. He furrows his brow in confusion and picks it up, turning it over to examine it.  “Is this one of your toys Ash?” Jonathan asks, turning to look at his son who is standing in the doorway of the bedroom. Ash shakes his head, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. 

“Mama.” He simply says. 

“This is mama’s?”  Ash nods. “Lets go find her then and find out what it is and why it was in my sweater drawer.” Jonathan scoops his son up, settling him on his hip before walking downstairs in search of his wife. “Alma?” He calls, walking through the kitchen. 

“Yeah?” Alma replies, stepping into the living room doorway. 

“What’s this?” Jonathan asks, holding up the stick. Alma suppresses a grin and takes a step closer to her husband. She takes the test from him and then presses his hand to her stomach.

“It’s a pregnancy test, I’m pregnant.” John’s green eyes widen in disbelief. 

“P-pregnant? W-we’re going to have a baby?” John softly asks in a quiet tone. Alma smiles softly and nods. 

“Yeah we are, I’m only a few months along and I haven’t been to see The Silent Brothers or anything yet, I just found out myself, but in about 9 months Ash is going to be a big brother.” Jonathan immediately throws an arm around her and pulls her into a tight embrace. 

“Alma this is wonderful, when should we tell everyone else?” Jonathan asks in an excited tone as he pulls back from the embrace. 

“We should probably wait until after the third month, the chances of anything bad happening go way down then.” Alma says. 

“We’re going to have to keep it a secret for three months? I don’t know if I can, I’m so excited I want to tell everyone.” Jonathan says, shifting Ash to a more comfortable position in his arms.

“I understand but if we tell everyone now and then something happens we’re going to have to explain it to them, if I have miscarriage before we tell them about the baby at least we won’t have to go through it ourselves and then tell them what happened.” Alma quietly says, hating to think about the possibility of loosing the pregnancy. 

“Oh, oh I didn’t think of that, I’m sorry, you’re  right we should wait.” Jonathan softly says, taking her hand in his. 

“I’m worried about how the pregnancy will go, I mean you’re not exactly a normal Shadowhunter, you did have Demon Blood and you were burned with Heavenly Fire, I know Jace and Jem were burned with Heavenly Fire too but neither of them have kids so we don’t know how it will affect me or the baby.” Jonathan brushes a lock of Alma’s hair behind her ear and says

“It didn’t affect Ash, as far as we can tell.” 

“Yeah but The Seelie Queen died in labor, what if it was the demon blood and heavenly fire that caused it?” Alma asks in a tight, frantic tone. 

“I doubt it was, I don’t know why or how she died in labor, but if you want I will do everything I can to find out for you, and you can have constant monitoring and check ups with The Silent Brothers, or, I know you don’t like being around them so Jem and Tessa could help you, we’ll do everything we can to make sure you and the baby are okay through this whole pregnancy, I promise.” Alma wipes at her tears and leans her head on her husband’s shoulder. 

“I love you.” she quietly says. Pressing a kiss to her head, Jonathan holds her close and quietly says 

“I love you too.”

A few days later they decide that they will tell Tessa and Jem about the baby, so they can help Alma through the pregnancy, and help ease her fears. When they approach them with this request, Jem and Tessa are more than happy to help. Tessa will be the one to help the most, as Alma is more comfortable with another woman helping with her pregnancy, while Jem will be able to help in any emergency. Tessa will be able to monitor Alma and the baby at the local hospital, through blood tests and ultrasounds, and if anything else is needed that Tessa cannot do, Jem will be there to help, and The Silent Brothers as a last resource. Tessa also helps them with explaining everything to Ash and helping to prepare him to be a big brother, though he doesn’t know yet, though he had been there when Alma told Jonathan, he wasn’t paying attention and is too little to understand without an explanation. 

The next few months go by in a blur and right now Alma is a few weeks into her second trimester, all is well with her and the baby and she and Jonathan are planning on telling their family and friends very soon. In a few hours they’ll be going to Jocelyn and Luke’s to have dinner with them, Clary and Jace, as they do every weekend. They’re planning on telling them then, and before they go they’re going to tell Ash.

Right now Ash is sitting on the living room floor, playing wit his toys, oblivious to what his parents are about to tell him.

“Hey Ash, daddy and I want to tell you something.” Alma gently says, kneeling beside her son and pushing his thick blonde hair from his eyes. Ash sets his toy down and looks up at her quizzically as Jonathan sits next to them. “You’re going to be a big brother soon Ash.” 

“Like daddy? Daddy Aunty Clary’s big brother.” Ash asks curiously, looking between his parents. 

“That’s right bud, mommy’s got a baby in her tummy and in a few months the baby will be born and you’ll be a big brother.” Jonathan explains. 

“Baby boy or girl?” Ash asks. 

“We don’t know yet sweetheart, we’ll find out when they’re born.” Alma says, having decided with John that they want the sex of the baby to be a surprise when they’re born.

“Oh, okay.” Ash says, before picking up his toy again and returning to the game he was playing. Jonathan and Alma share a surprised look over their son’s head. 

“That was easy.” Jonathan says in a surprised tone. 

“A lot easier than I thought it would be, I’m not complaining though.” Alma says in an amused tone, glad that Ash has taken the news so well. Hopefully he’ll be just as calm and laid-back when the baby arrives. 

A few hours later the three of them walk into Jocelyn and Luke’s, where Clary and Jace are already in the living room with Jocelyn and Luke.

Ash immediately runs to his grandparents, wrapping one arm around Jocelyn’s leg and the other around Luke, holding tightly onto them. Jonathan and Alma wonder how he’s going to feel about having to share his grandma and grandpa with his sibling. 

“No hug for me?” Clary teases. Ash’s eyes light up and he runs to Clary, throwing himself right into her arms, almost knocking her backwards. 

“My mama’s gonna have baby!” Ash announces, looking up at Clary with a wide smile. 

“By The Angel, Ash.” Alma quietly says, covering her face with her palm. despite his Faerie heritage, Ash cannot keep a secret, when Alma and Jonathan told him they were engaged, he told everyone he came into contact with.

“Is that so?” Jace says in an amused tone. 

“Uh-uh, mama says the baby is in her tummy, but how did the baby get in there? You know Uncle Jace?” Ash asks, wiping the smile from Jace’s face. 

“Uh, you know what kid? Ask your Uncle Alec next time you see him, he’ll tell you.” Jace says, even though he knows Alec will kill him for sending Ash to him with such a difficult question. 

“Well congratulations, when are you due, Alma?” Jocelyn asks, as the shock of her grandson’s announcement wears off. 

“Around the middle of May.” Alma replies. 

“It was a difficult secret for us to keep, it’s a good job we didn’t tell Ash any sooner.” Jonathan says in an amused tone, lifting his son onto his lap when he comes running to him.

“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?” Clary asks. 

“No, we’re going to wait until the baby is born to find out, we like the idea of it being a surprise.”  Alma says, resting her hand on her slightly rounded stomach. 

“I call Godfather this time.” Jace says. 

“Your Ash’s Godfather, I’m going to ask someone with half a brain and a shred of sense this time.” Jonathan jokes. Jace and Clary are Ash’s Godparents, and this time around he is thinking of asking Tessa and Jem, if Alma is alright with it. At least Jem won’t try and sneak the baby on missions, like Jace does with Ash. 

Over the next 6 months, Alma and the baby continue to be monitored by Tessa, and continue to receive clean bills of health. Jonathan is just as nervous and anxious as his wife, he hadn’t been around for The  Seelie Queen’s pregnancy with Ash, apart from the very early days but even then he hadn’t been himself, he had been Sebastian. This time he doesn’t just have a baby to worry about, he has his wife to worry about too. Throughout the pregnancy he is extremely protective of Alma, hardly letting her lift a finger.

 Though he is racked with nerves throughout the pregnancy, one thing that calms Jonathan down is the thought of meeting his new baby. He loves to talk to the baby and read to them and feel them kick. At night he always talks to the baby, and often during the day when Ash is napping and he’s not working, he’ll sit with Alma, take out The Shadowhunter Children’s book his mother gave him when Ash was a baby, and read to the baby. 

Ash has been pretty indifferent about the baby, he does like to feel them kick and will sometimes ask when the baby is coming and who he’ll stay with when his mama has the baby. (he’s torn between staying with his grandpa and grandma or staying with his Aunty Clary and Uncle Jace) However Jonathan and Alma aren’t worried, certain that he’ll warm up to the baby once they are born.

Right now Alma is 8 months, 2 weeks away from due date. Jonathan has taken some time off work so he can be at home to care for Ash and help Alma in anyway she needs and so that he can be there when she goes into labor. Due to her anxiety about labor and birth, Alma has opted to have a C-section in Idris, in The Basilias. She and the baby will have to stay in longer for recovery, but she doesn’t mind, Jonathan is happy to portal back and forth or stay in the  Basilias with Alma and the baby, and Ash can stay with Jocelyn and  Luke or Clary and Jace until Alma and the baby get home. He can easily portal to Idris with Jonathan a few times, to meet the baby.

Right now Alma is sitting in the living room, trying to concentrate on her book, while Ash plays upstairs in his room and Jonathan prepares lunch in the kitchen. However she’s finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on her book due to the increasing pain in her back.

“Everything okay in here?” Jonathan asks, walking in and bending to press a kiss to her cheek. 

“I’m not sure, I think we should call Tessa, my back is killing me worse than ever before, I think it might be labor.” Alma says in a strained tone, rubbing at her lower back. 

“I’ll call her now, do you want to maybe go lie down until she gets here and see if that helps the pain?” Jonathan asks. Alma nods and holds her hand out for him to help her off the couch. Once she is up and turns back to grab her book, she notices the dark patch on the sofa, right where was sitting, as well as the water steadily and slowly trickling down her leg. 

An hour later, Jonathan is pacing up and down the waiting room in the  Basilias, waiting on news of Alma and the baby. When she was taken into surgery, he wasn’t allowed to go in with her, but Jem had been there and promised to keep him updated and let him know as soon as the baby is born.

“Jonathan.” He now hears Jem say. His head shoots up and he sees Jem standing a few feet away from him, holding a bundle of blankets. His heart seems to stop when he realizes that the bundle is his baby. 

“I... is that... are they okay? Alma and the baby?” He weakly asks. 

“Yes they’re both perfectly fine, Alma is just getting her stitches and then she’ll be taken to recovery where you can see her, and your baby, your daughter is perfect as well, 6lbs 10 oz, all ten fingers and all ten toes.” Jem assures him, gently lowering the baby into his arms. 

“A- a girl? I have a daughter?” Jonathan asks in a tight tone, as the tears begin to well in his eyes. 

“Yes you do, congratulations. I’ll come get you  when Alma has been brought to recovery.” Jem says, giving him a reassuring pat on the arm, before turning and walking from the room.

Jonathan looks down at his daughter in awe. She is a perfect mixture of he and Alma, with her bone structure, pallor and eye shape, and his hair color, nose and mouth shape. She looks so much like Ash did as a baby, with her mop of white blonde hair. She is totally perfect. 

“Hi baby, hi Josie, my sweet Jocelyn Clarissa Fairchild.” Jonathan whispers, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. He and Alma had agreed that if they had a girl they would name her Jocelyn Clarissa, Josie for short, after her grandma and Aunty. “I love you baby, you look just like your big brother, and your grandparents and Aunty Clary are going to adore you.” He whispers, stroking her soft, flushed cheek.

The next day, after Alma has had plenty of rest and sleep and plenty of bonding with Josie, Jocelyn, Luke and Clary arrive with Ash, to meet the baby. Right now Alma is sitting up in bed with the baby on her chest and Jonathan at her side, admiring his wife and daughter, unable to take his eyes off them.

As Alma rubs circles on Josie’s back and Jonathan watches, they hear a light knock at the door and Tessa steps in.

“Your family are here if you’re up for visitors, Ash is extremely excited to meet his sister.” She says with a smile. 

“Oh of course, send them in!” Alma says, pushing herself up in the bed. 

A few minutes later Ash comes barreling into the room with Jocelyn behind him, then Luke and then Clary.

“Ash you can’t run around like that here, you’ll disturb everyone trying to get better.” Jocelyn says in an exasperated tone. Normally Ash is a very calm child, but he’s been full of energy since he found out he has a sister, it was a struggle to get him to sleep last night, he’s nothing like his father or Aunt.

“Sorry gandma, mama, daddy, where my sister?” Ash asks, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. 

“Right here, but if you want to come say hi you’re going to need to calm down and be really gentle okay?” Alma softly says. Ash nods and slowly makes his way to her bedside, lifting his arms out for Jonathan to lift him up beside him. 

“Mama what her name?” Ash asks, peering down at his sister in awe and wonder. 

“Her name is Jocelyn Clarissa Fairchild, Josie for short.” Jonathan softly says, one hand on his son’s back, the other stroking his daughter’s hair. 

“But those gandma and Aunty Clary’s names!” Ash exclaims. 

“That’s right, your sister is named after your grandma and Aunt, like your middle name is Lucian like grandpa, I named you after him.” Jonathan explains.

“Oh, gandma why you cry? Why you sad?” Ash asks, looking over at Jocelyn and noticing the tears running down her face. 

“Oh I’m not sad sweetheart, sometimes when people get very happy and become overwhelmed with emotions,they cry. I’m very happy that your mama and daddy named your sister after me.” Jocelyn explains, wiping at her tears. 

“But Aunty Clary not cryin, you not happy Aunty Clary?” Ash asks, looking to Clary.

“Of course I am buddy, very very happy, I just show it differently than grandma.” Clary tells him, ruffling his hair which makes him giggle in delight. 

“Jocelyn do you want to hold her?” Alma asks.

“Oh I’d love to.” Jocelyn carefully gathers her granddaughter up before returning to her place by Luke’s side. They both gaze down at her in awe, their first granddaughter. 

“She’s beautiful, she looks just like you Ash, when you were her age.” Luke says, stroking Josie’s hair. 

“Really?” Ash asks, his eyes widening with curiously. 

“Absolutely, well Josie looks a bit more like your mom, while you look just like your dad.”

“I gonna be really good big brother, Uncle Jace and Uncle Alec gonna teach me, you teach me too daddy? Cuz Aunty Clary says you the bestest big brother in the world and I want to be the bestest big brother too!” Ash exclaims. 

“Course I will buddy, and I have no doubt you’ll be a wonderful big brother, look she already adores you, she’s holding your hand.” Jonathan says in a joyful tone, as Josie grips onto her brother’s finger with her hand.

“When she come home? Can she sleep in my bed?” Ash asks hopefully. 

“She’ll be home in a few days, and I’m afraid she can’t sleep in your bad, not yet anyway, maybe when you guys are a bit older, and when she doesn’t need to be in our room you two can share a room if you like.” Alma says, knowing how much Ash is going to want to be around his sister and be with her all the time. 

Ash nods happily before leaning in to kiss his sister’s forehead and quietly says

“Love you Josie.”

A few days later, Josie and Alma are able to go home and once they are settled in and comfortable, Jocelyn and Luke leave Ash home. Right now the four of them are curled up in bed together, Josie on Jonathan’s chest, Ash in between Jonathan and Alma, stroking his sister’s hand as she sleeps peacefully. 

“It feels like only yesterday you were this small Ash.” Jonathan quietly says, running a hand through his son’s hair. “You know you and Josie and your mom are the best things ever to happen to me, I wasn't expecting to become a dad but when you arrived I couldn’t have been happier, and you’ll always be so special to me Ash, because you made me a dad, your sister is going to need a lot of attention in the next few months, but just remember how special you are, okay?” Ash nods sleepily, curling into his father’s chest and gripping onto his jumper as he use to do when he was a baby. 

“Love you daddy.” He says in a muffled voice. Jonathan presses a kiss to his head and softly says 

“I love you too.” 

That night Jonathan falls asleep with his wife at his side, his son curled into him and his daughter in her bassinet right next to the bed. For so long he didn’t think it was possible to be happy, didn’t think it was possible to love like this and be loved like this, but he has never been so happy to have been wrong.

[what-stop-the-presses-rly-means]

Bye, Bye, Sugar Blue Eyes part 4

Race x female reader modern au

Part 1, 2, 3, x, 5, 6

Warnings: some mild swearing

A/N: I’m sorry this took forever to update, but I have parts of the next 2 chapters already done so it shouldn’t take so long in the future

——————-

So now that brings us to the present. One month in and I’m slowly and steadily becoming my role in this home. I was starting to feel somewhat like a member of this odd family. And that meant becoming more comfortable around here. Which, in turn, meant that we could laugh and goof around, but I also called them out on their bullshit when needed. Becoming a figure in this household meant that I saw everyone in it at their best and at their worst. Thankfully, there wasn’t much of the latter lately. In fact, it was almost a time of celebration.

It was currently 1:07 am and I was busy in the kitchen in full-on planning mode. And because of this, I didn’t hear the door open.

“Hey, what are you doing on my turf so late at night? On your day off, in fact.”

I dropped the wooden spoon I had been holding and whipped around. There stood Albert in his PJ’s, running a hand through his messy hair and smirking at me.

“Jeez, don’t scare me like that. I almost dropped everything.” I turned back to the bowl. “If you must know, I’m making a cake for Ben’s birthday tomorrow.”

“Ben?” He looked confused. “Oh! Bugs.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, ‘Bugs.’ I refuse to call him by that awful nickname. So he has a bit of an overbite, so what? He looks nothing like Bugs Bunny.”

Albert chuckled. “It’s all in good fun. If he truly didn’t like it, we’d all stop calling him that.” He rested his elbows on the counter opposite of me, staring into the bowl. “So what do you mean you’re making him a cake? That wasn’t on the grocery list.” He glanced over at a piece of paper tacked to the wall. “And it definitely wasn’t in the budget.”

I wiped my hands on my apron before looking up at him pointedly. “Yeah, I heard that those boys don’t ever really get an authentic birthday party each year. It damn near broke my heart. So I took it upon myself to change that. I bought all of this with my own money. Ben’s going to have a legitimate celebration tomorrow. Ten years old is an important milestone.”

Albert looked surprised to say the least. “That’s very generous of you. But you don’t have to do that. We do little things for the boys on their birthdays. I let them pick what we have for dinner and they choose which movie everyone watches that night. It’s not much, but it’s all we can do.”

My eyes softened a little. “I understand. It’s heartbreaking when you can’t give the people you love everything they deserve. But I’m sure they all know you guys try your best. And I didn’t mean to sound accusatory or anything. I just wanna do my part in making their lives as ‘normal’ as possible.”

Albert grabbed a tea kettle and started filling it with water. “Well, thank you. I’m sure they’ll love it. But I have to warn you, after tomorrow each of them is gonna be expecting the same treatment on their birthdays.”

I smiled. “I know. And that’s why I’ve decided to put back a little money from every paycheck I get so I can make it happen.”

Albert paused, causing the kettle to overflow a bit.

“Shit!” He set about drying off the counter with a nearby rag and set the kettle on the stove, turning to me. “You’d really do that?” I nodded. “That’s… wow. I’ll be honest with ya, I didn’t really know what to expect from you when you first moved in. Don’t get me wrong, you seemed nice enough, and the boys really took a liking to ya. But I wasn’t sure you’d fit in so quickly and so easily.”

He looked down at his hands, which were fiddling with an old looking friendship bracelet on his wrist. “It’s been hard, you know? The last three months. Race has been my best friend since I was eleven years old, when I moved in here. I was so scared and lost; I thought I’d never be happy again. But then this curly haired boy with a dopey grin took me under his wing. He taught me that life is so much more than 1’s and 0’s, black and white, happy and sad. And for the first time I felt like I could talk about what happened to my parents and the events that led up to me coming here.” He smiled slightly. “Race never took life too seriously. He always said that we’d already lived out all the scary parts, so all that was left was adventure and happy memories to come. And dammit if I didn’t believe him wholeheartedly.” The kettle whistled and he turned around.

I could hear him sigh. “But then his dad got sick and he had to leave. And don’t take this as me saying you did something wrong or that you aren’t good enough. Quite the opposite, actually. I just didn’t know it would be this hard to be away from my friend again.” He turned back, holding two mugs, and handed one to me with a smile. “But if we were to have anyone else here, taking care of the boys… I’m glad it’s you.” He clinked his glass to mine.

“Thanks, Al.” We stood in comfortable silence for a moment, drinking our tea. Then he glanced at all of the items on the counter before laughing.

“Okay, I know we’re all on a budget around here so I won’t scold you for getting a box cake mix, but I will share a couple secrets to make it seem like it’s homemade.” I furrowed my brow as he collected a few things from the cabinets.

“My Nonna would kill me if she knew I was allowing this to happen, but I, too, have made cake from a box once or twice.”

“Your Nonna sounds like a gem.”

He snickered at that. “Oh, yeah, she’s a saint. Though if she were to ever meet you she’d tell you that you were wearing the neckline of a hooker and devil’s makeup. But then she’d pinch your cheeks and feed you tiramisu, so you take the good with the bad.” I let out a loud laugh.

“My lips are sealed about the cake, but I’ll take any and all verbal abuse if I can eat anything made by the wonderful woman that taught you how to cook.”

He smiled sheepishly. “So, when making a chocolate cake you’re gonna want to throw in an extra egg and always use butter, even if it says to use oil.” I did as I was told. “Good.  Now if you really wanna bring out the flavor, I like to add some instant coffee into the mix.”

An hour later I was frosting the cake as Al leaned on the counter, face in his hand and eyes drooping.

“Hey, I got it from here. Go back to bed. You have the weekend shift and can’t afford to fall asleep while on duty. One of the boys might set something on fire out of sheer dumb luck.”

“Oh, and I’m sure all the added sugar from, I don’t know, a cake won’t have anything to do with that,” he said with a yawn. I lightly smacked his shoulder as he walked past.

“Hey, Al?” He turned back to me with sleepy eyes. “Race was right, in a way. Sure, you can’t guarantee that the rest of your life will be all happy moments. But the boys care about you, and you have amazing friends, and a family that loves you so much.  And a grandma that can cook circles around Gordon Ramsey, and is probably tougher than him, too,” I laughed. “Life may not be perfect; it may not be all you had hoped. But keep surrounding yourself with those people and you won’t even be able to tell the difference.”

He smiled warmly and nodded, then turned and left.

The next morning I allowed myself to sleep in, having finally gone to bed some time around 3 am. When I went downstairs it was fairly quiet. I checked to make sure no one had snuck a bite out of the cake in the fridge and made myself a cup of coffee. It was almost scarily quiet. That is, until Peter came running into the kitchen, skidding to a halt in front of me.

“Oh! Mornin’, Miss (Y/N)! I was just looking for the paper towels. I accidentally knocked over the vase by the front door. But don’t worry! Nothing’s broken.”

I cracked a smile. “Not a problem, Sweet Pea. It’s good that you’re taking initiative and helping out by cleaning up your mess.” I handed him the roll. “It’s super quiet this morning.”

“Yeah, the older boys are doing their Sunday paper route. They’re usually not back until lunchtime.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot they did that.”

“I wish I was old enough to have a job,” he sighed. I smiled down at him.

“You will be soon enough. For now, enjoy being a kid. Where your only responsibilities are going to first grade and having fun. And you’ve already exceeded those expectations by helping with some of the chores, and we’re all very thankful for that.” After contemplating that for a second, he looked pretty proud of himself. I ruffled his hair and sent him on his way.

I usually didn’t know what to do on my days off. Sometimes I would spend some time with nature and go to Central Park so I could get out of the house for a bit. Other times I would catch up with family and friends. But more often than not I’d find myself roaming around, not sure what to do. I was so used to having a list of things that needed done and watching after all the boys that even when I was off duty I found it hard to stop.

So today I took my coffee and the book I was currently reading and went out onto the front porch to enjoy the nice weather. I stopped short when I saw Rider sitting on the porch swing I had planned to sit on.

I haven’t talked to him much since that first day. I haven’t really had to since he’d stopped going out of his way to be a pain in the ass. But I had thought that since we had a mutual understanding, he would feel more open to talk about whatever has been bothering him. But he never really took me up on my offer. Not until today, that is.

I walked over to where he seemed deep in thought, startling him a bit. He looked down at the items in my hands.

“Oh, sorry. You can sit here, I’ll go.”

“No need. Can I join you? If not, that’s fine, I’ll sit somewhere else.” He paused for a moment, and then nodded once. So I sat on the opposite end of the swing, sipping my coffee. It was uncomfortably silent for a bit before I couldn’t stand it anymore.

“So how come you don’t do a paper route like the other boys?”

He scoffed. “That’s for kids. I’m not a kid. But Jack insists I’m not ‘mature enough’ for a real job yet. I think he’s afraid I’ll make enough money for a train ticket and run away or something.”

“I bet that’s frustrating. But can’t you see where he’s coming from? You haven’t exactly proven him otherwise.”

He let out an exasperated sigh. “I know. I know that I’m difficult. I know that I’m acting like some teen movie stereotype. But you gotta see things from my point of view.”

“Okay, then help me understand. I’m all ears.”

He looked unsure; glancing around to make sure no one was listening. “How often do you hear about teenagers getting adopted?”

“Well, Race and Albert weren’t adopted until they were sixteen. And now they have amazing families who love them dearly.”

“It’s just… I’m already that weird, loner, orphan boy at my school. If I keep it up for much longer, no one’s gonna want to date me.” I hadn’t been expecting that. And seeing how wide his eyes got, neither had he. He looked ready to run away, so I quickly continued the conversation.

“Don’t say that. I’m sure plenty of people want to date you.” His face flushed as he avoided eye contact. Realization dawned on me. “Unless you have a particular person in mind?” He didn’t respond, but as he hid his face in his arms it kind of gave it away. “That’s great! But you shouldn’t be so concerned about them not liking you because you live in an orphanage. If something so little drives them away, then they’re not worth your time. Because ‘orphan’ is not part of your identity. Sure, you may live here and you may have a grievous, less than perfect backstory… But that does not define you. When I look at you, I don’t see ‘weird, loner, orphan boy.’ I see a young man who is strong, who doesn’t back down from a fight, who isn’t afraid to speak his mind even if it may come out a little harsh at times. Not that I’m bitter about it,” I said sarcastically, earning a small laugh from him.

“I see someone who isn’t his past, but sure as hell has a bright future ahead of him. What was it that Race always said? ‘You’ve already lived out all the scary parts, so all that’s left is adventure and happy memories.’”

He looked shocked to hear me quoting Race. Or maybe he wasn’t used to having someone have faith in him. Either way, it was upsetting seeing how easily a few words had an effect on him. His eyes searched mine for a moment and then he looked down into his lap.

“Charlie.”

“What?”

“…That’s the name of the person I…like.”

He looked so nervous, almost as if he could break down right there. So I placed my hand on his.

“Then he is lucky such an amazing boy likes him.” His head snapped to the right, looking at me with tears in his eyes. I barely had enough time to smile before he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around me. This morning has been full of unexpected things, but this topped all of them. I hugged him back just as tight. I could hear him crying in my ear as he whispered, “Thank you.”

We stayed like that for a long time. But he must’ve been afraid one of the boys would see him in this emotional state so he eventually leaned back and scrubbed at his face.

“I, uh, have never said that out loud before. Not to Race, not even to myself.”

I nodded and rubbed his back. “Thank you for trusting me.”

“I-I’m just so afraid of having all these strikes against me: Orphan, Creep, Weirdo… Gay. I don’t know if I can handle it.”

“You don’t have to wear it all on your sleeve if you’re not ready. And don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul. But if you ask me, I think you’ll find yourself a lot happier and more relieved when you can be who you truly are. But work at your own pace. And, like I’ve said, you can always talk to me.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, so I’m throwing Ben a birthday party tonight. Wanna help? But don’t tell the other boys, it’s a surprise. I’m keeping your secret, now you can keep one for me. It’s only fair,” I smirked at him.

He laughed. “Deal.”

Ben was surprised, to say the least. It warmed my heart to see the excitement on the young boy’s face when he saw all the decorations. I was afraid the other boys would be jealous, but they were just as excited for him. Everyone sang Happy Birthday with such enthusiasm. And when the cake was passed around, the dining room was filled with happy chatter. It was so nice seeing everyone finally happy. It seemed like such a daunting task. Turns out all it takes is a little communication and a lot of sugar.

By the time we all squeezed together in the living room to watch How to Train Your Dragon, Ben’s birthday movie choice, everyone seemed content. The movie had just started when Jack’s phone rang.

“Sorry, I’ll put it on si-“ He paused as he looked at the caller ID.

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh, nothing. I have to take this. I’ll be right back.” He got up and quickly went into his office. We all shrugged and turned back to the movie. I looked over at Rider who was sitting in one of the armchairs with Peter in his lap. He was wearing the newsboy cap Rider had given him that afternoon. “Now you can pretend you have a job like the older kids,” he had said. I couldn’t stop the wide grin that spread across my face if I tried.

A little while later, Jack slipped back into his seat, looking giddy. I gave him a questioning look.

“It’s nothing,” he whispered. “But if you think everyone’s happy now, just wait.”

Tag list:

@bencookisagod

@technically-whizzy

@werkwerkelizaaa

[yrpspiritsintheshadows]

Para-Normal

Para-Normal

“Don’t forget, we have dinner at my mom’s tonight.” Carmen reminded as Eiji hurried by her, getting ready for work.

“Mm-hm.”

“And we’re bringing the cider I bought.”

“Mm-hm.” Eiji looked through his bag to be sure he had all of his notes and lesson plan ready. Had he remembered to grade those papers? No, he definitely had. He walked by Ken, who was trying to eat as slowly as possible. “Finish your breakfast please, I gotta get you to school too.”

Okami whined, laying next to Ken’s seat, looking up longingly at his plate, watching each bite the young boy took.

Ken took a deliberately slow bite, keeping his eyes locked with his father’s, mischief dancing in them.

EIji reached over, swiping a piece of the pancake off his plate.

“Hey!”

“C’mon, kiddo, finish your food so we can get a move on.”

Ken quickly finished his food before getting up, hurrying to grab his backpack.

“By the way, Eiji?”

“Mm-hm?”

Carmen walked up to him, tying his tie for him quickly, giving him an amused look.

“Now you can go, Mm-hm.”

He grinned sheepishly, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. He touched his forehead to hers as he gazed into her eyes.

“I love you. Sorry I’m so scatterbrained this morning.”

“I forgive you and love you too. Now, go. You too, mister.”

Ken rushed up to her as she knelt down for a quick hug.

“I love you, Mommy!”

“I love you too. Now, be good.”

“Si!”

With a wave, both father and son were out. Ken reached up at the banister to the porch stairs, trying to heave himself onto it. Eiji lifted him up without effort, hurrying to the car.

“No.”

“Uncle Chase said I got good balance.”

“Uncle Chase also still free runs to work… but I won’t deny you do. Just don’t want you doing dangerous stuff.”

The mornings were almost always like this. Hurrying because of one reason or another… or staying up way too late in the case for Eiji.

“So, how’d you sleep, huh?”

Ken didn’t answer him at first, staring out the window at the scenery that passed them. His eyes fixed on something else.

“... I had nightmares.” He finally said after about five minutes.

Eiji frowned.

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

Ken shook his head.

“No thank you.”

Ken had nightmares, unfortunately, rather frequently. Not as often as when he was much younger but when they happened, they were pretty bad.

They always left the boy with an odd feeling. Like things were going to change or that something was going to happen.

“You sure?”

“I'm okay, really.”

“You got a weird feeling?”

“.. Yes.”

“Promise me you’ll tell me if that gets worse, okay?”

Ken nodded, perking up as they pulled into his school. Eiji reached over, ruffling his hair.

“Now, have a good day at school. Give ‘em Hell.”

“I will! Love you!” Ken grinned before running off to go meet up with his friends.

Eiji watched him for a moment before sighing, grabbing his phone to text his wife.

“Be careful. Ken has one of his feelings again.”

oooooo

Eiji paced across his classroom, reading from the book in his hands aloud as his students listened with rapt attention.

“There are places you can go.” Ariana tells him, “and a guy like you has a decent chance of surviving to eighteen.” He read off, glancing up to be sure his students were paying attention. He noted one sneaking a glance at her phone and loudly cleared his throat, gaining their attention. He gave a stern look. “Let’s not interrupt class now, hm? Please show me the same respect you give your internet friends.”

“Y-Yes, Mr. Miyamoto.” She tucked the phone away, giving a sheepish look.

Eiji smiled, giving a nod as he turned back to the book. Being an English teacher lead to some liberties of how he could run his class… and in this case, the class book was one near and dear to his heart.

He knew he had some reluctant readers in his class. He couldn’t blame them. Some of the books they had to read in their previous years were ones he hadn’t been interested in either as a teen. So, he wanted to go for something that would be more fun.

He was still firm but this was just part of routine.

At least he didn’t have Chase’s class, he figured, fighting down a smirk.

“Eiji, kill me. They want me to teach them parkour. They know what I do in my off time.”

“I thought you wanted to be the “cool” teacher.”

“What am I supposed to do with that though!?”

“Tell ‘em if your teacher was gonna jump off a building, would you do it too?”

“... I swear sometimes I want to just smack you.”

“Ahuh. You got leaves in your hair. Again.”

“DANGIT!”

Chase was an intelligent man. There was a reason he was their go to for info on haunted locations in their town and the towns nearby, but he had his quirks. They all did.

It just seemed like a stroke of luck that he wound up working in the same school, a room over from one of his closest friends.

With that thought in mind, Eiji kept on with his class until the lesson was ending for the day. He glanced at the clock briefly, lowering his reading glasses.

“Alright, I want you guys to read chapters ten to fifteen tonight and then tomorrow we will go over it and see how far along we can get. That’s all the homework I’m giving you guys this time.” He turned to put his book away, glancing up once more. “Also, I will know if you guys decide to not read and try to bullcrap your way out of it. Okay?”

“Yes sir!”

“Atta kids.”

The bell rang as his students started to get up. He held up a hand.

“One more thing.” He gave a gentle smile. “If you guys ever need to talk about anything, to an impartial ear or just need someone to vent to, don’t hesitate to come find me, any time during the school day or after. Okay?”

“Yes, Mr. Miyamoto!”

“Thanks, Teach!”

“Hey, do you think Connor’s gonna make it?”

Eiji chuckled.

“Well, read and find out. Be safe now.”

They all started to head out but one boy slowed to a stop. A young man of about fourteen, with long shaggy black hair tied back into a ponytail. He looked back at Eiji, his eyes having a sad look to him.

Eiji frowned.

“Something wrong, Hideki?”

“Um... “ Hideki had something cross his gaze Eiji couldn’t quite make out before shaking his head, forcing a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Nothing. See you.”

“You sure? I got time.”

“N-Nah. It’s stupid.”

“Hideki-”

The boy was gone in the crowd seconds later. Eiji sighed heavily, hoping he would be alright.

He sighed again, packing up his things.

He would open up to him in time, he hoped.

“Pssst.”

“Hm?”

“Eiji-boy. Over here.”

He looked over to see a man his age, with curly blond hair, leaning in the doorway. His hazel eyes danced with mischief.

“Hey, Chase.” Eiji chuckled. “How’d class go?”

Chase sighed.

“The usual. “Mr. Armati, can we learn Parkour?” before class. I should’ve been a gym teacher.”

“Naaah. So, what else?” He raised an eyebrow with a grin. “I was just about to check the site.”

“Way ahead of you.” Chase pulled his tablet out from behind his back, closing the classroom door behind him. “We got a call from this woman who keeps having all kinds of crap happen.”

Eiji took a look over Chase’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the letter written.

“Dear Mr. Miyamoto,

I’m not sure where else to turn. My family has been under attack for the past year and I can't take it anymore. I live at home with my husband, our two cats and our four year old son.

We’ve heard our names called, things have been moved, I’m seeing shadows out of the corner of my eye and my son keeps drawing these strange things… He’s starting to sleepwalk too.

I don’t know who else to turn to. Please, help us.”

Eiji let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

“That cannot be easy.”

“Yeah, given you know what it’s like to have a kid influenced by this stuff.”

Heck, I know what it’s like to be the kid affected…

“Lemme at that.” Eiji swiped the tablet, typing a response. “Long as I don’t have to bail on Carmen tonight.”

“Family thing?”

“Visiting her mom since Ken hasn’t seen his grandma in a few weeks. We’ve just been so busy.” Eiji shrugged, sighing a bit as he read over the letter again. “You know the drill, start getting info about the place as soon as we can interview her. Given this sounds a bit more active than the last one, get EVERYONE on board with this.”

Chase gave him a good natured grin.

“You know I’m good for it, Eiji. We’ve been the P.A.C.K. since high school.”

Eiji grinned.

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

oooooo

Ken was having a grand old time, playing on the jungle gym in his school yard. He was waiting for Eiji, one of the teacher aides standing watch nearby.

Whenever their back was turned however, he would get a bit sneakier.

He was alone… for the most part. Ken dusted off his hands before taking a glance to the teacher aide’s direction. She was distracted, giving the child a moment.

“Alright, gimme a boost.” He whispered, the person beside him cupping their hands to give the boy a boost.

He grinned, giving the figure a thumbs up as he climbed to the top of the jungle gym, arms out wide to balance.

It wasn’t at home. He wasn’t breaking any rules.

“Careful, Kenny!”

Ken gave a thumbs up to the child who helped him. Someone his age who the teacher didn’t seem to notice.

“I am!” He giggled. “Watch this!”

Ken took another look around before grabbing onto the bars of the jungle gym and maneuvering until he was doing a handstand. The child below him clapped, laughing a little.

“Thank you, thank you!” He laughed before going back to being upright. He wanted to do more tricks but he also knew there was stuff Chase hadn’t shown him yet.

And the last thing he wanted was to get caught doing something dangerous and get caught by Eiji… or the teacher’s aide. He took another look. He noted her head was down, looking at her phone, giving him more time to run around.

“Just a little bit more…”

“You can do it, Ken!”

The bars were cool in his hands as he shimmied and maneuvered, trying to get higher up. His companion watching him with glee.

“Thank you, thank you!”

“KEN! Your father’s here!”

Ken looked over to see Eiji waiting beside the teacher’s aide, waving to him.

“DADDY!”

Ken hurried down, rushing up to him. Eiji knelt down, arms outstretched as his child ran into his arms.

Eiji scooped him up with ease.

“Hey you! Been a good boy?”

“Mm-hm! Been a good teacher?” Ken giggled as his dad ruffled up his hair. “Hey!”

“Been doing my best. Ready to go get some food?”

“Ahuh!”

They bid the teacher’s aide farewell as Eiji lead him off. He glanced back as Ken kept his gaze fixed on the jungle gym.

“What’s wrong buddy?”

“Just hope my friend doesn’t mind me leavin.”

Eiji took note there wasn’t anyone there that he could see. He ruffled Ken’s hair, giving him a gentle look.

“I’m sure they won’t mind at all. I know a little thing or two about friends like that.”

Ken smiled a little.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure. Now, your grandma’s been texting your mom all day about how she can’t wait to see you and how grandpa can’t wait to work on your guys’ little project.”

Ken’s eyes lit up.

“The Lego Death Star?”

“Darn right.”

“YAY!!!!”

Eiji chuckled, making sure Ken got settled before starting the car. He started to pull out, driving past the playground.

He didn’t miss the fact a swing was moving by itself, despite the lack of wind.

The drive was quiet, for the most part. Eiji glanced behind him in the rearview mirror at Ken.

The boy’s eyes were locked on the scenery, his face nervous. The boy fiddled with his jacket, trying to bring it around him more.

“You cold?”

“M’fine…”

Eiji shrugged, focusing on the road. He wouldn’t deny, he wasn’t feeling right either. He had drove down this same path dozens of times. It wasn’t like he was visiting a house he had never been to before.

“Ken?” He spoke up, startling the boy as he jumped a little.

“Y-Yeah?”

Eiji was about to ask him about his nightmare, when the boy’s head turned, focusing on the road through the windshield. Ken’s eyes widened as he leaned forward.

There was some kind of animal in the center of the road. It looked like a hyena… If hyenas were made of dripping ooze and had eerie whites for eyes. It was chewing at something before looking up at the boy.

Ken shuddered.

“Daddy… Daddy don’t keep driving forward. Go around it.”

“Go around what, Ken?” Eiji narrowed his eyes. “What are you looking at?”

Ken reached a shaking hand out.

“The bad thing from my nightmare.”

That sentence alone made Eiji take a sharp turn as Ken watched the creature through the windows until they were around it completely, speeding ahead a little.

Ken heaved a sigh of relief, leaning back in his seat.

“We’re okay now buddy?”

“I think so…”

Ken looked back, swallowing hard as he saw the creature wasn’t in the road anymore. It was just gone.

“I think so…” He shook his head, trying to put it out of his mind for a bit. “When is everyone coming over again?”

“Tomorrow. We gotta get ready for meeting with a client. So, it’ll be your Uncle Lucian, Auntie Skyler and Uncle Chase.”

“Yay! Wolf Pack!”

Eiji smirked.

“You know it kiddo.”

Just… wish I could still see what you see, Son.

[and-imagines]

Sign of The Times (1940s Bucky x reader)

Just stop your crying/It's a sign of the times/Welcome to the final show/Hope you're wearing your best clothes

Me and Bucky were in the middle of the living room of my apartment, slow dancing. We had music playing on the record player in the corner of the room. It was his last night. He was shipping out tomorrow morning, we had gone out with some friends earlier in the evening. He was still wearing his uniform and I was in one of my nicest dresses. He held me close to him and my face rested against his chest, where a small wet spot had formed. I tried to stay quiet but my sniffling gave me away. Bucky pulled away slightly and gently lifted my head.

“Please don’t cry, doll. It’s just going to remind us even more that I have to leave tomorrow.” He said sadly.

“I know, I can’t help it. I’m going to miss you so much. And it’s going to be difficult to write to one another because we don’t know where either of us is going to be stationed.” I said. I was a special agent, Bucky knew this, and I had been asked to go across seas to help with the war. I of course agreed, that’s when Bucky told me he had enlisted. I don’t leave for another week, but I’m not sure where to. It’s confidential.

*Time Skip*

I’ve been away from home for a few months now. I’ve jumped from camp to camp training soldiers. Every time I get a new list of names I check for Bucky’s I also check my mail frequently, as well as the list of fallen soldiers for his name. I was currently on my way to yet a new station, usually I’d have my list by now but they were a bit behind, with all the hoopla about Captain America. I’ve never actually seen him in person only fuzzy images ever now and then, but he does look quite familiar.

Once I finally arrived, I was given my list. I scanned through it and a name caught my eye, Steven Rogers. I shook my head in disbelief, surely it wasn’t the frail man from Brooklyn, that Bucky had introduced me to. I continued through the list and then I saw it, James Barnes. It couldn’t be, some had to have the same name as him. What were the odds? I was taken to where I’d be staying. I had to set my stuff down quickly and get to where the soldiers were waiting for their training. I rushed to the field where they were. And that’s when I saw him. His face was scruffy from not shaving for a few weeks, but other than that he was the same man. He hadn’t noticed me yet, he was talking to some other men. I had reached the group and cleared my throat the get their attention. They all looked at me with slightly shocked faces. Mainly because they were not expecting a female. Bucky looked my way to and his mouth hung open a slight bit. I had to stand strong and act professional. I ordered them to start running and that I’d follow in the truck.

After training every headed to the hall for lunch. Bucky had gotten lost in the jumble. I waited for it to die down before going to grab my food. Once I did sat with some of the other agents, their was a mix males and females, after my attempt to locate Bucky failed. I didn’t really eat just picked at my food. Being so close to him but so far was killing me. When I decided I was finished I got up and began to head to my temporary set to get some work done before I have to do training with my other group. I walked down the center of the room down the aisle that lead to the exit. Most people were still eating and didn’t pay me any thought. Then I heard him, calling my name. I turned to see him standing a few yards behind me. A smile crept onto both of our faces. I stood in shock as he cleared the distance between us. When he was right in front of me he wrapped his arms around me, and kissed the top of my head. Clapping erupted from the direction he had come from. His buddies there knew our story and were glad to see us back together, despite the circumstances.

Time skip.

Just stop your crying/Have the time of your life/Breaking through the atmosphere/And things are pretty good from here/Remember everything will be alright/We can meet again somewhere/Somewhere far away from here/We never learn, we been here before/Why are we always stuck and running from/The bullets?

Tonight was the night right before Bucky has to head out on a mission. I had been a reck all day trying not to cry, this happened every time he had to leave. There was just always the uncertainty of him not coming back. Bucky found me sitting on my cot crying.

“Doll, why do you this to yourself every time?” He asked as he sat next to me.

“I don’t know I’m just always so worried. I can’t lose you Bucky.” I said.

“You won’t.” He said. We sat in silence for a minute before he spoke up again, “Come on, let’s go have the time of our lives tonight. Every ones drinking and celebrating, we’re going to end this war tomorrow. And were both going to go back home, get far away from here. Everything’s going to be alright.” He said standing up and reaching his out to me. I took and he lead me to where all the guys were at drinking and having a good time.

The next morning*

Just stop your crying/It's a sign of the times/We gotta get away from here/We gotta get away from here/Stop your crying/Baby, it will be alright/They told me that the end is near/We gotta get away from here

The Howling Comandos were about to head out. I stood with Bucky as we said our goodbyes. My eyes began to water. Bucky hugged me. He let out a slight chuckle and we both pulled away slightly and I gave him a confused look since this was nothing to laugh about.

“This just reminds me of when I first left for the war. And now the end is near, it’s like we’ve come full circle.” He said and I smiled at the realization. Bucky’s face got a lot more serious, “I know I’ve said everything would be alright, but can you promise me that even if it ends up not being that you’ll find a way to happy?”

I bit my lip but nodded still. “Yes, but I don’t have to worry about that because the war is ending and we’re going home.”

Stop your crying, baby/It's a sign of the times

Bucky’s POV and time skip to modern day

I can’t help but wonder what happened to her. The girl I loved. I’ve come to terms that’s she’s probably dead, but I just want to know what did she make of her self after I was captured and announced as dead. Did she get married, have kids and get a dog like she always wanted. I asked Steve he knew anything but he said he didn’t. So I decided to try my best and figure it out. After days of research and going through many old agent files I found hers. She didn’t have any children, but did have a great nephew who might know something about her. I reached out to him and he agreed to meet with me after I had to lie and say that someone in my family knew her and we had some old pictures of her and I just wanted to know more about who she was. He told me about the stories his grandmother would tell him about her sister. I finally got the courage to ask if he knew how and when she died.

“Yeah, my grandma told this story a lot, although it’s pretty sad.” He began, “she was an agent in the war and her boyfriend or fiancé, can’t quite remember but his name was James, was fighting in the war. They were stationed at the same place, one day James had to go out on a mission and she stayed at the camp, well about twelve hours after he left, their camp was invaded and she was killed. They found her body and it was sent back to America. The only thing they sent with her was, a dog tag with James’s information on it that she was wearing, the clothes she was wearing and the letters that were in her pocket. She a total of three, one was a love letter from James, one was a message to James and the last was kinda like her dying wish. It just said to put these words on her grave. I can’t remember what it says exactly but she’s buried in a small cemetery just out the city. I can give you the address if you want to go check it out.”

“Yeah, that’s be nice.” I said. I was struggling to keep it together. Right after I left and I told her we’d be back home soon, they were invaded and she was killed. The hardest part was she knew it was coming too, she had to of to have written the letters. He wrote down the address of the cemetery and told me the general location of her grave. We said our goodbyes and I made way out there to see her.

I walked up and down the rows of headstones and didn’t see her name. I almost gave up hope until I saw something that I couldn’t believe. A grey headstone with the faded name “Y/n Barnes” I did have doubts that it was her until I saw the words below the name. In equally warn letters was “Just stop your crying, it’s a sign of the times.” And I knew it was her.

I fell to my keens right there and cried.

I added a smirking Bucky at the end to cheer you up.

[project-after-falls]

After Falls Chapter One

Chapter One

The New Employee

Gravity Falls. Just west of Weird, and north of the strange. It seemed like a hidden town in the middle of nowhere, but every town has its secrets. Why, just one summer ago, they nearly face the end of the world. A large X-shaped portal tore into the sky and multiple shapes and sizes of demons ran amok, including one that was shaped like a cheese nacho with a top hat. However, that all changed when the famous Pines family came to the rescue, and all was saved. And that day, Mayor Tyler declared from that day on, it was to "Never Mind All That". Yeah, just basically forget about it, and don't share it with anybody. And, the town went on as usual. It still had its weird critters and creatures, but they've come in terms to live unanimously.

That summer ended quick, and there was a goodbye to a pair of twins that went back to California. Dipper and Mabel Pines shed tears and hugs with their Great-Uncle Stanley, and his twin brother, Stanford Pines. Dipper exchanged hats with his once crush, Wendy, and Mabel was able to bring home her sweet pig, Waddles.

But, that wasn't all. Stanley Pines had retired as Mr. Mystery from his dedication at the Mystery Shack, and passed his legacy to his trusted employee, Soos. From there, the twin brothers set off on an expedition to find treasure, mysteries, and babes. And so, Soos, and his girlfriend, Melody, ran the shop, like always. It was incredible peaceful at best.

That is, until things got a little hectic with short staff. Well, it was only him, Melody, and his Abuelita, who lived in the living room for the most part. They needed help fast. "Why don't we put up a flyer for hire?" Melody suggested. "Or even on our website, too?"

"Sounds like a great idea, dude!" Soos definitely needed help with cleaning and stopping the clogging in the toilet. With flyers out and website up-to-date, they waited until someone picked it up. And lucky for them, they did.

A young brunette followed the directions to the dense forest, finding the shabby shack with big letters "Mystery Hack" on the rooftop. The letter "S" was on the ground. Must've fallen off. She adjusted her glasses and knocked on the front door. No answer. She tried again. Still, no answer. Is this the right place? Were they out? No, there were cars, multiple even. Maybe there's a tour going on. She went around back and found the gift shop entrance. She entered in with a sigh. "Hello? Anyone here?" 

Melody laughed and approached the woman, ignoring the odd feeling of being watched. "Sorry! We're here! It's just been so hectic. Soos's grandma pretty much only cleans so we had to put out a new flyer. I'm Melody! What's your name?" Meanwhile, as the nice young lady was being interviewed, two familiar faces were on their way to the mystery shack as well. But to that...later.  "Oh gosh I'm sorry, you're probably exhausted!" Melody gasped. She hummed, then led the brunette into quiet room. "So, what's your name then? And are you new in town? Don't think I've seen you around!" She asked excitedly.

"It's all right. No problem." She sat down, but not before extending her hand to shake. "My name is Kiara Phoenix, and yeah, I am new in town. I'm just looking for a steady job for at least a year due to studying at Evermore Institute." 

"Oh, that one for the fine and performing arts?" Melody asked.

"Yes, ma'am. My classes are evening time, so I am free most of the day as well as weekends."

"Well, that'll work well for us. We mostly need help around the town. It tends to get crazy here in the daytime."

Kiara then handed her the resume. "I specialize in customer service and money management. These are the places I have experience in."

"I see. And any reason why you left those places?"

"Multiple reasons."

"Well, I won't ask for details, but I can promise you that this place would be perfect for you. When can you start?"

"Now." Goodness, this woman was straight the point. The young brunette has a stoic expression the entire interview. Can she really pull this job off?

"How about you shadow me for the day to get a good feeling of the place?" Melody asked and the woman nodded.

Kiara gave a small smile. "Sure thing. Sounds perfect." She said as they stood up. Suddenly a happy shout broke through from outside the house.

"MR.PINES!!!!!" 

"Holy jeebs, Soos, you don't have ta body slam me kid!" Melody and Kiara looked at each other then walked outside to see a large boat being towed by a red car. Two similar looking older men were being hugged by Soos aka Mr. Mystery himself.

"Now Stanley, you can't blame him, haha!" The trenchcoated male laughed as Soos let them go. "He missed you. To be honest, I missed this place myself." The other, in a black jacket huffed grumpily but looked over fondly.

  "Yeah, yeah, Poindexter. 'Sides the kids are coming tomorrow so...." He trailed off, looking onward. The trenchcoated male caught sight of the new face as well. "Soos? Who is that?" 

"Oh! That's our new employee I think! Hey, Melody! Bring her down here!" Melody looked at Kiara.

"That's our cue!" She laughed. "Don't mind Soos by the way! He gets excited a lot. He's great though! I'm sure you'll love it here!" She chirped sweetly. The girls approached and Kiara smiled respectfully. 

"I'm Kiara Phoenix. Pleasure to meet you both." 

The trenchcoated male smiled friendly, along with his black coated counterpart. "Stanford Pines. And this is my twin brother Stanley Pines, the original maker of the mystery shack." Kiara looked at the other, finally recognizing him.

"Oh, yes, of course!" 

"Ha! My reputation precedes me." The other crowed cockily. 

"It proceeds something alright." Stanford smirked as he teased his brother.

"CAN IT POINDEXTER!" 

"We'll be in the gift shop to do training for a bit," Melody led the new girl. "If you need us, that's where we'll be."

"Sure thing, dude. I'll be helping the Pines move back in." Soos turned to the old men. "You...are moving back in, right?"

"Of course, we are! This is our home!" Stanley laughed.

"At least for the summer," Ford added. "And we can help you the sales, if needed."

"That would be great, Mr. Pines!" He picked up their suitcases and helped them to the rooms that he kept locked away from curious customers and unwanted robbers. 

"So, where'd ya pick up that glasses chick?" Stan asked. 

"She must've picked up our help wanted ad. Melody was interviewing her."

Stan nudged his brother with a big smile on his face. "There ya go, Sixer!" He said cheerfully. "How's about you go socialize with the newbie, huh? She looks like a nerd like you!" The chubbier twin teased. Ford rolled his eyes with a groan.

  "Stanley, not everyone with glasses is a quote unquote, NERD." Ford chided. But regardless, he approached Kiara anyway. "Excuse me, Miss Kiara, was it?" He asked. Kiara turned smiling a bit.

"Just Kiara is fine....Stanford, right?" Ford waved that off a bit. 

"Ford will do, just to save confusion. I, uh, wanted to ask if you'd like a tour or something. If, uh, Soos or Melody didn't give you one already."

  "I was going to shadow with Miss Melody..." Kiara began, but a group of people walked into the door.

"Actually, I got this for right now. Go ahead, and take a look around with him." Melody encouraged with a pat on her shoulder. The brunette nodded and turned to the old man. "Well then, lead the way, Mr. Ford." Ford's cheeks heated up a bit, but he gentlemanly bowed.

"Of course, I'd be happy to! This used to be my house after all, before my brother turned it into it's current state." Kiara looked back at the other twin then back at Ford. "You'll need a tour anyway if you're going to work here." Meanwhile Stanley And Soos were getting everything back in. 

"Thanks, Soos! Gotta get ready for when Thing One and Thing Two come back in a few days."

"Oh, Mr. Pines, you haven't changed a bit!" Soos laughed. "But it'll be great to see Mabel and Dipper again!" 

"You said it, Soos!" Stanley smiled, patting his successor on the back.

Off in the distance, the residents of the Mystery Shack had no idea another figure was watching them. A singular eye that was surrounded by a purple glow hid amongst the trees. 

"I finally found them! The Pines family! " The voice in the shadows chirped as a young lad with odd colored eyes and dirty blonde hair stepped out. He had a purple and black dress shirt, with tie and black pants. However, the strangest was of the pointed tail that swished back and forth. "I need to watch over them a little longer....after all, I still need to find your soul.... William."

[skruffie]

Tagged by @cameoappearance and I felt like indulging in talking about myself, so there we go!

5 things you’ll find in my bag

Wallet--I bought one from the men’s section and it’s my favorite wallet I’ve ever used. My former (straight, cis, very conservative) coworker is the one that noticed it was a “mens” wallet and asked me why I had it one day HAHAHA

Phone

Old receipts

A smushed up tootsie roll or hard candy, like a peppermint

not really much else, my go-to bag is really not that large

5 things you’ll find in my room

Some coffee mugs that need to be washed OTL

Too many books

A laptop lap stand I bought to use to position my laptop on a pure flat surface if I were to use my drawing tablet  and laptop in bed--later realizing that this made positioning my blankets for maximum warms a hassle

The lovely tiered bracelet stand Zack got me for Christmas that all my wristbands and bracelets are on :D

Nail polish. Not my whole collection, but a fair amount still.

5 things that make me happy

Enchiladas. They’re the perfect comfort food.

My robe, because I bought a size small but it’s an oversized plush robe with a HOOD and nice pockets, and I basically use it as a blanket

When I discovered that Brookstone still sells FOM pillows because the one I got over 10 years ago lost it’s shape and started getting threadbare (and since it’s microbeads, I didn’t want to risk the fabric tearing while I slept and spilling the beads everywhere)

when the amounts of creamer and sugar in my coffee just happen to be the exact right ratios of each and that first sip is ~*magic*~

When I have to pack up the defectives at work and manage to fit them all neatly into a box and use up as much space inside the box as possible--it engages my brain into doing like a 3D Tetris and it’s very satisfying. It’s less satisfying when I have to apply that to arranging an entire pallet of boxes with the odd-shaped things that won’t fit very well.

5 things I’m currently into

Dollar store haul videos on youtube?? Where did this even come from

I, Eliza Hamilton by Susan Holloway Scott. I don’t really read romance and I didn’t realize historical romance involving real people existed as a book genre, but I’ve been babbling about the musical Hamilton with my mom a lot over the last few, um, months and she got me this book for Christmas. I don’t wanna write a whole huge review, but I’m really enjoying it so far!

Huevos con tortillas! It’s so good as a quick breakfast.

Genealogy! My mom told me a while back that my great-grandpa, who was basically my best friend as a small kid, had hopes that I would be the one that would pick up the family tree research and it’s not something he asked of me.. I just kind of did it out of my own curiosity. I not only discovered he made a mistake early on, but I surpassed him. Ancestry.com lists 488 on my surname’s family tree, 460 on my grandma’s tree, 76 (oops) on my mom’s, with some overlap with grandma’s, aaand I have a little tree seedling with Zack’s at 48 people. It’s been an incredible experience so far, especially with my dad’s side and uncovering all the heritage information through my grandma’s side. What has made it worth it so far is that I was able to get in contact with a user we’re distantly related to with my grandma’s Huntley side, and this user sent us the letter I’ve talked about several times already, and like... with how my grandma’s health is failing, she was at least able to find all this information out since she was virtually cut off from it after her parents died. I think it was too painful for her grandpa to recall this information, especially after his son had died, and it wasn’t passed down. I’m happy I was able to lead her to it.

A new face regimen. I bought this red clay mask with a recommended use of twice a week, but I don’t use it that often, and I freshen up with a witch hazel facial toner I use almost every day. Sometimes I follow up with an anti-acne moisturizer, and it’s overall been a great thing for my skin!! The clay mask is supposed to help “tighten pores” (although I think pore tightening is a myth) and what it does do is help my skin be nice and smooth and I think help it be less oily in the oily spots.

5 things on my to-do list

MAIL ZACK (AND FAMILY)’S CHRISTMAS GIFTS, FUCK (PROBABLY DOING THAT TOMORROW??)

Sort through the clothing I haven’t worn for ages and get RID OF IT

Downsize the amount of stuff I have in general, because having it isn’t making me happy. I didn’t even make a wishlist for Christmas this year (much to my parents’ dismay after realizing they didn’t know what they wanted to buy me. We had a small Christmas but it was 100% enjoyable)

Look into shifting my work availability around since hours are tanking right now anyway and I need to reevaluate

Do my usual New Year Tarot Reading for 2018!

Tagging @zackoak, uhh @vaguely-art, @mattnextus even though he hardly posts to tumblr HAHA and whoever else wants to!

[iamsaha]

Benevolent Shadows

“Papa can you look under the bed?” Leah pouted up at her Dad.

“Monsters?”

“Yes.” She covered herself more with her blanket. “I felt something bump my bed.”

“Sure thing, Pumpkin.” Her Dad ruffled her hair and crouched down. As he lifted the bed sheet he thought he saw a shadow move but after paying proper attention he realized nothing was there. He stood back up. “All clear. Maybe they got scared of me and left?”

“Maybe.” Leah giggled. “When’s Grandma coming?”

“She’ll be here tomorrow after breakfast.” Her Dad moved to the door, hand hovering on the knob. “Goodnight, Sweetie.”

“Goodnight.” She yawned and turned over, the bump she had felt was already forgotten.

“That was close.” Gundry muttered, surfacing from the shadows with Cadrigan. 

“Yep.” Cadrigan nodded. “Looks like she’s going on a trip. Her Papa mentioned earlier that she’d be gone for a week.”

“We’ll have to find another kid for essence then.”

“Eh we’ll be fine for a week.” The slender monster shrugged. “I’d rather stay here. Make sure another Monster doesn’t move in.”

“Suit yourself.” Gundry began sinking again. “Big guy like me needs it more often.”

“Kid still not back yet?” Gundry swam from shadow to shadow until he got to the one under the bed. “Should’ve been back yesterday right?”

“Yep.” Cadrigan waded to the left so the giant monster had room. Even then Gundry had to keep most of his body submerged and leave just his head peaking out like a crocodile. 

“Shame. The kid I found for essence is almost a teenager. Doesn’t produce as much anymore.” Gundry said. “I also miss playing hide and seek with the kid’s Dad. We always win.”

“Considering we’d have to eat him if he ever won, I’d say it’s a good thing he never does.” Cadrigan cracked his thin neck. “Bit odd. Her scent isn’t in the right spot.”

“What do you mean?” Gundry’s nostrils flared. “Can’t even smell right after Henrick punched my nose last century. Help me out.”

“Well her Dad told her she’d be going with her Grandma up North to Garland.” Cadrigan sniffed. “She’s Northwest. In Darner.”

“Maybe her Grandma took her there?”

“I never smelled her in Garland. She’s been in Darner this whole time.”

“Well that ain’t right.” Gundry frowned. 

“No. It ain’t.” Cadrigan dove into the shadows and began swimming. “Come on. Let’s go check up on her.”

“What about our spot?”

“Kid is more important. We can take the spot back later if we have to.” Cadrigan looked back. “I don’t recall you ever losing a fight.”

“Good memory.” Gundry grinned.

The two monsters swam through the dark depths. There weren’t any lights down here, obviously. Shadows existed because of light but they couldn’t have light inside them. Monsters traveled in it using a combination of smells and an ability the resembled echolocation. Except instead of noise, they’d emit a harmless wave of energy that would bounce back to them. They had a name for this but it isn’t a word that can be written in English. Or any language found in this dimension. So we can stick to calling it echolocation. 

Since Gundry couldn’t smell beyond a few miles, he relied on his thin and scaly companion to do the navigating. “What are the chances her Grandma moved to Darner and her Dad was wrong about where she was going?”

Cadrigan’s tail swung lazily through the wispy dark. “About as likely as you being able to smell again.”

“Better hurry then.” Gundry swam up to take a peek at where they were and came back down. “Halfway there. The humans were listening to the news and I was able to pick up what town we’re in.”

“Good. Making good time.” Cadrigan nodded. “If the kid is in trouble, what do you suppose we do?”

Gundry bared his sharp teeth, many more rows of them just barely visible. “Been awhile since I’ve had a meal. You?”

“Been a few years.” Cadrigan smiled. “Starting to forget what human tastes like. But how do you know the trouble is a human?”

“Is it ever not a human?”

“Hardly.”

“Then there you go.” Gundry began swimming up again. “Even I can smell her now. We’re here.”

The two monsters peeked there heads out and saw that they were sticking out of the ceiling of a dark room. A little girl was sleeping off to the side on a sleeping bag. A group of four men were arguing around the fireplace.

“Don’t see Grandma anywhere.” Cadrigan muttered.

“Well that’s not good.” Gundry sighed. “Kid looks fine.”

“Won’t be for long.” Cadrigan said. “I’ve seen it on T.V. If a kid gets kidnapped they usually don’t survive.”

“You watch T.V.?”

“Now and then. If her Papa’s watching.” Cadrigan sank into the shadows. “I’ll take the chubby one. You can have the other three.”

“They’re all skinny!” Gundry protested. “Skinny ones don’t taste nearly as good.”

“Fine you can have the chubby one’s leg.” Cadrigan rolled his eyes.

The two monsters swam through the shadows until they were right under the men. Cadrigan rose in the fat man’s shadow until he was standing atop it. With a screech his neck shot out and his teeth sank into the man’s neck. Cadrigan sank back into the shadows, dragging the body with him to consume in the dark depths.

“What the hell?!” Another man stumbled back and fell, raising his gun. “Something just took Conner.”

“Aghhhh!” 

The man turned to see a shark headed behemoth standing behind two headless corpses. With a scream he began emptying his gun into it.

Gundry roared and with a single swipe of his claws, gutted the man. Cadrigan rose up moments later and tossed a leg to the ground. Gundry smiled eagerly at it as he picked the bullets out of his skin. “Thanks, Rigs.”

“Enjoy.” Cadrigan nodded and turned to Leah. The girl had woken up from the first scream and was now backed up against the wall with wide, terrified eyes.

“No!” She screamed. “Go away! Go away!”

“Cool it, kid.” Cadrigan switched to English. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

“M-monsters.” Her hands were flat against the wall and her eyes were darting around the room.

“Yep.” Gundry burped. “Those guys were monsters. Took care of them for you.”

“Yea. What he said.” Cadrigan crouched so he was at her height. “Where’s your Grandma?”

Leah stared for a long time. When the two Monsters didn’t snarl or even move, she spoke. “I don’t know.”

“Well I hope she’s alright.” Gundry said. “Would you like to go home?”

“Yes.” Leah nodded.

“Alright then.” Cadrigan stood. “Hold my hand and we can swim there. Don’t let go of it, okay?”

“Okay.” Leah took his scaly hand, and the three of them sank into the shadows.

Leah’s parents found her in the morning, fast asleep in bed. After their shouts of confusion and joy woke her up, they bombarded her with questions on where she’d been and how she got home. And she told them about Cadrigan and Gundry and how they had saved her by eating the men who kidnapped her. Of course her parents didn’t believe her, especially after her therapist said that Leah’s mind had made it up to help her deal with the trauma.

But Leah knew the truth. She stopped asking her parents to check under the bed for monsters. And after they left, Leah would lean over the edge of her bed and bend until she was upside down. She would lift the sheet and give her Monsters a warm ‘Hello! And goodnight.” Cadrigan would nod and Gundry would smile.

And Leah would sleep peacefully knowing that she had two Monsters to protect her.

-Lux

[gumnut-logic]

I Know

Title: I Know

Author: Gumnut

13-14 Jul 2019

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: A conversation between two brothers

Word count: 1599

Spoilers & warnings: SPOILERS FOR SEASON 3 EPISODE 18

Timeline: Episode Tag

Author’s note: For @thunderstorm-bay and @the-lady-razorsharp  Many thanks to @scribbles97 and @the-lady-razorsharp for the read through and reassurance :D

I am so not confident about this one. It went in directions I didn’t intend and was a pain to write. I might even write another fic to make up for this one.

It should also be noted that the premise relies on a fanon fact regarding the Tracy boys’ mother being killed in an avalanche when they were young. The specifics of the incident are not required for this fic.

I hope you enjoy it anyway. ::hugs:: Many thanks to all of you who have written me comments and reviews. It means so, so much to me. I would particularly like to mention the Guest on FFnet who I discovered had written two wonderful comments for me just today (my ffnet emails are delivering at the moment). Thank you so much for taking the time to make my day brighter. ::extra hugs::

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

John found him in module two.

His second eldest brother was sitting beside the pod, pieces of it spread around him, staring at nothing.

John leant against the hatchway and quietly watched him. From the moment Grandma had reported the avalanche, John knew he would have to come home tonight. Avalanche rescues always messed with the family, particularly Scott and Virgil. He would be lying if he said they didn’t affect him, but he wasn’t boots on ground. He didn’t have to watch that wave of white bearing down on those he loved.

He hadn’t been the one there on that fateful day.

Virgil wore a frown as if he was glaring at something or someone John couldn’t see.

John had already checked in on Scott...on the other side of the Island and still moving. He’d be out running for a while and likely would come back and give the gym a work out.

Virgil was more subtle. He tended to pound the piano or vanish into his studio. On the rare occasion he could be found beside Scott either pummelling a sandbag or his brother on the spar mat. To find him here was a little odd.

“I’m okay, John.” Those eyes were suddenly fixed on the astronaut. “How’s Gordon?”

He pushed himself off the hatchway and entered the module. His spacesuited feet hardly made a sound. “He’s as well as can be expected. He’s with Alan.” A few more silent footsteps and John sat down quietly beside his brother. “What are you doing?”

His brother reached down and picked up a piece of pod mechanics. “Just checking the system after today’s rescue.”

John eyed exactly what Virgil had pulled apart. He was pretty sure it was the side of the module that hadn’t been used...and the same he and Scott had finished maintenance on that morning.

Busywork?

“I’m okay, John. You don’t need to worry.”

“Worry is my business.”

Brown eyes glanced up at him. “I thought that was in Scott’s portfolio.”

“Different perspective.”

Virgil arched an eyebrow before picking up another piece of pod and shoving it into the storage case. Several more pieces followed with no further attempt at conversation.

“Alan said you were grumpy for most of the day.”

That did it. His usually quiet brother flared up like a snake prodded with a hot poker. “He did, did he? Did he also tell you that he has turned Max into his personal slave so he can sit on his butt and watch videos while the rest of us work our asses off?”

“Not in so many words, no.” Calm and considered.

It succeeded. Virgil deflated. “No, he wouldn’t.” His brother returned to shifting around mechanical parts.

“How is Scott?”

His brother froze. “How do you think he is. Alan was nearly buried in an avalanche. I expect to be repairing gym equipment tomorrow.” Virgil stood up and put his back into moving the equipment into the locker.

“No one was injured. We’re all safe.”

“Yes, we are.” A chunk of pod landed on the module floor with a massive clang and Virgil swore.

Reaching down, John picked up the piece of machinery and, standing, held it out to his brother. Virgil looked at him with sad eyes. “Thank you.” It was taken from his hand and stashed beside its siblings.

“Gordon was very impressed.”

Virgil paused a moment, but then returned to shifting equipment. “With what?”

“With you.”

That was enough to stop him. “Gordon?”

John struggled to hold back a smile. “In his words...’Oh my god, yeeeah! Go Virg!’”

Virgil blinked at him and John could no longer hold back the grin. “Can’t say I wasn’t impressed myself.”

He watched his brother fight the urge to smile. “The new grapple gun performed well.”

John rolled his eyes. “You performed well, Virgil. There is no harm in taking credit where it is due.”

“I’m just glad I got Alan off the side of that mountain.” And the glum was back.

John sighed to himself as Virgil shut the equipment locker. “What is it, Virgil? What’s bugging you? Because all I can see is a successful rescue with a great outcome.”

His brother rounded on him. “It was pure chance, John. So damn close and it shouldn’t have been!” Virgil’s eyes flared at him in anger, but not at John, but...

At himself.

“How?”

Virgil’s brows knotted even more. “I knew that mountain was coming down. I had sensors on it. I was sitting there waiting with nothing else to do but stare at the damn thing, and it still caught me by surprise!” Virgil shoved the locker against the wall with a bang. John blinked at the strength his brother wielded. “There shouldn’t have been a dramatic rescue, I should have been there already!” Virgil turned away. “Alan and Brandon could have died because I wasn’t on the ball.”

John stared at him. “You’re kidding, right?”

The glare Virgil shot him was enough to flay him alive. “Do I look like I have a sense of humour right now?”

“Virgil-“

But his brother wasn’t finished. “We can have all the equipment in the world and it won’t mean jack shit if I’m not good enough to deploy it in time.”

“Virgil-“

“And Alan. We could have lost Alan. I-I can’t...not like Mom, please not like Mom.”

John’s eyes widened. “Virgil, take a breath. He’s okay. We’re all okay.”

Brown eyes stared up at him. “I fucked up so bad.”

John reached over and took his brother by his shoulders. “Virgil! How can you possibly say that? Did you see what you did?”

“I saw exactly what I did. Why wasn’t I airborne sooner? Why did I wait until the vibration sensor was in MOTION before making a move? It was seconds, John, seconds. I didn’t think I was going to make it. They could have been buried alive.” Like Mom.

That last might as well have been shouted with the rest.

“But they weren’t”

“Pure luck.”

“No! Virgil Tracy! You were on the scene. You were there. There was no way anything was going to happen to either of them with you in play, Virgil. You know this. I know this. I have seen you face far more than a falling mountain. It didn’t stand a chance.”

“John-“

“You listen to me. I know you. I watch you day in and day out. I may be twenty-two thousand kilometres away, but I am with you every step every rescue and, goddamnit, Virgil, those seconds may well have been hours for all they mattered.” He glared at his brother. “How many times have you sat back in a situation, watching, only to step in and save the day when it most counts? You sit there quietly, calculating, planning, knowing exactly when to intervene. You are our rock, Virgil. Solid, dependable and inevitable. And god forbid anything gets in your way once you get moving.”

John’s lips were tight and his heart thudding. Virgil stood staring at him, eyes wide.

Quietly. “When I’m so far above and someone is screaming, you are the hands I reach out to catch them with. I trust those hands with so many lives, Virgil. So many people calling for help and I have no need for faith because I KNOW you will do everything you can. Just like you did today.” A breath. “Don’t doubt yourself. I never have.”

He let his brother go and straightened.

Virgil was still staring at him. It wasn’t often John put so much into words, but the self-doubt in his brother’s eyes just demanded it. Perhaps it would have enough impact to sink in.

In the meantime, back to basics.

“Have you eaten?”

Virgil blinked. “What?”

Obviously not.

“Food, Virgil. Fuel for your engine.”

“Oh, uh...”

“I didn’t think so. C’mon, big brother, sustenance will help change your perspective.” John grabbed Virgil’s arm and nudged him in the direction of the module hatchway. Still staring, Virgil did as he was told.

“I’m the big brother, John.”

“Yeah? Well, sometimes big brothers need corralling as much as younger brothers. I thought you’d understand that with Scott on your radar so much.”

Virgil blinked. “I see your point.”

John held onto Virgil the entire elevator ride up to the residential levels. He didn’t let go until his brother was seated at the kitchen table. The acquisition of a simple sandwich and John plopped both the food and himself down in front of Virgil. “Now eat.”

“Are you going to watch my every bite?” A definite frown was forming like a storm cell on his brother’s brow.

“No, I’m just going to sit here and enjoy your company.” A thought. “Might even have a beer. You want one?” He stood up again and rummaged in the fridge.

Another blink. “Aren’t you going back up tonight? Doesn’t Brains need you?”

“No, I have more important things to attend to down here.” Ooh, some of Scott’s boutique beer. He eyed the label. Expensive boutique beer. It would do the job. Two bottles landed on the table.

“You know they are Scott’s.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Your funeral, I guess.”

“He’ll survive. Eat your sandwich.”

Virgil was staring at him again.

John sighed. “Is it really so shocking that I care about you?”

“No! It’s just...” Virgil’s shoulders settled a little. “Thank you, John.”

“No thanks needed, just trust yourself a little more.” He pinned his brother with his eyes. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now eat your sandwich.”

John held back a smile when Virgil immediately bit into his bread.

-o-o-o-