#jenny is a nice teddy bear and i love her

[that-one-enby-ranger]

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

LET. ME. HUG. JENNY. DALBY

[justmochi]

OA ENTERTAINMENT uploaded: EDEN - The Making of 'WHO AM I' Documentary

Eden rubs her eyes with her fingers, checking out her puffy face in the mirror. “Good morning,” She whispers to the camera before pointing her phone screen towards it. “It’s currently four a.m. It is going to be our very first day in the studio recording for my first mini album.”

She quickly brushes her teeth and washes her face. She applies toner pads before whispering again. “I am very excited, but also anxious. It’s gonna be my first release working with an entirely new team, but I’m confident the results are going to be great. I managed to get about three hours of sleep, but we shouldn’t be recording too many vocals on the first day. I’m hoping it’ll be pretty chill as we create a roadmap for what we’re going to accomplish.”

She slouches over the kitchen counter, waiting for her coffee to brew. “I’d usually head around the corner to the cafe near our apartment, but it is four a.m. So I’m just gonna make a quick coffee and order breakfast when everything starts opening up.”

The video cuts to Eden kissing her fingertips, proceeding to press it against the top of a teddy bear. “Gotta give Younghui a goodbye kiss before I leave.”

She fastens her seatbelt before taking a sip of her coffee. “It’s kinda weird seeing me drive, right?”

“We’ve made it to the studio. I’ll see you inside!”

[WORKAHOLIC]

“I look back on my career and decisions I’ve made and always ask myself, “Is this really what I want? Is it worth it?” I may be a bit greedy, but is it so wrong to want more for myself?

“I just really wanted to interpret how young workers are faced with the dilemma of either working hard or enjoying life. So if you’re struggling, just know that I acknowledge you and all your hard work. If you’re not where you wanna be in life right now, that’s okay! Take it one day at a time, and make some changes! Lay out a roadmap in where you want to see yourself in a year and stick to it. Don’t be discouraged from reality and live in the moment. One day, I wanna hear all about it.”

[HAIR DOWN]

“I think this song is, in a way, a continuation of Workaholic. It’s more fun! Sometimes I just need to forget about my deadlines, let loose and live my life. Life is too short so you have to make the most of it.”

Eden has her hands on her hips, putting all her weight on one leg as the producer messes around with the mixing. She notices the studio door open behind him with her peripheral vision. She realizes it’s Jennie with takeout bags. Both of their faces light up when their eyes meet. Eden has to put her headphones on the stand before she can exit the recording room.

“Hey!” Eden hugs her member once she sets the food down. It had been a couple weeks since they last saw each other.

“How are you doing? Is everything comfortable for you here?”

“Oh, I love it. We’re getting a lot of work done.” She extends her hand, patting the back of his chair.

“I’ll let you two chit chat. I need to make a few calls.” He makes a few clicks with the mouse and then gets up to exit the room.

Jennie smiles towards her, opening the takeout bags and reaching in. “I know you’re working extra hard so I got us some good food.”

She hands Eden her favorite cold noodles, while also taking out her own order. They get themselves situated before sitting down and taking their first bite. The girls talk about how good the food is, while making small talk of what the day has offered to them so far.

“So what are you working on now?” Jennie wipes her mouth with a napkin.

“Well, let me show you.” Eden puts her chopsticks down, pushing herself towards the computer and finding a part in the song to showcase to her.

Jennie listens attentively, swaying her head back and forth. The instrumental and voice guide are the only things done but it still sounds very nice.

“And then I have two options for the second verse, one in English and the other Korean.” She clicks away and plays each version of the verse, watching Jennie’s reactions.

“I like it! They’re both very nice.”

“We haven’t decided which one to go for. Which do you like more?” Eden stops the playback, turning in her swivel chair to face the woman.

Jennie purses her lips for a second, pondering. “Well, they’re both very pretty, and I don’t know who’s all working on this one but I think the Korean verse would make it more ‘you’. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“I do.” Eden sighs and clicks her tongue, tilting her head before making more adjustments. “That settles it then.”

“You’re using the Korean verse?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t you have to discuss it with your team?”

Eden slides back over to her, smiling at Jennie. “You are my team. And I trust your judgment.”

They both smile at each other lovingly.

“I’m so proud of how far you’ve come,” Jennie squeezes her knee. “I’m so glad you have your freedom now. I’m just happy you’re doing what YOU want to do and it’s not being altered. I haven’t seen you this carefree in a while.”

“Jennie… Don’t make me cry.”

[CAFFEINE]

“The melody was the first thing to come from this song. I made it up in the passenger seat on the way home from a drive-in movie, actually. Do you ever just listen to music and think ‘this would be such a good song to play in the car, windows rolled down and feeling cool air through your hair’. That was my goal with this song. It feels very retro and nostalgic. I’m very happy with the end result.”

[SUNFLOWER GIRL]

Eden smiles, pulling her legs up on the chair to her chest and resting her chin on her knee. “I don’t really need to explain this one. It’s simple and genuine and full of love. And I’m happy. I’m really happy with how it came out.”

[HATE TO BE LAME]

“This song is about wanting to tell someone that you love them but are scared to. For me, a lot of it stems from my past relationships. You give a lot of yourself up when you say I love you for the first time. And the first time for me, it was very real. I thought it was very real for the longest time.

“The ideal way to feel when saying I love you is to be happy. But for me, I was filled with more fear and anxiety. It took a very long time to allow myself to love again. But even longer for me to express my love. I was extremely cautious about the next time I would tell someone I loved them.

“I always wonder what I would say to my past self who just finished writing this. She was so paranoid and small. But she was also very worthy of love, no matter how much she thought she was not. She didn't know that when the day finally came, it would be the easiest thing in the world. As simple as breathing.

“I wrote this many years ago so it’s just been sitting in my notes app, collecting dust. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I reached out to Finneas. I’ve always been a very big fan of his works. The first thing he sent me back was amazing and that’s the take that we use in the song. His verse was absolutely perfect and it really solidified the song as a whole.

{First time listening to Finneas’ take.}

Eden sets up the camera on the table, her hands shaking as she presses on the audio file. “I’m so nervous, I don’t know if I can press play.”

She takes a few deep breaths. “Okay.” She clicks on the play button, staring at her lap as his voice plays through the speakers. Her eyes widen as soon as it sets in that he’s singing along to the melody of her song with his own lyrics. She covers her mouth with her hands, squealing as the clip ends.

“Oh my god.” She replays it. “Oh my god.

“I gotta chill out, I can’t focus on his lyrics.” She stands to her feet, pressing her palms to her cheeks as she plays it once again. She has to replay it six times before it’s engraved in her brain. She looks at her producer friend, giving him a definitive look. “That’s it. Like it’s literally perfect. We just have to record our parts together and it’s done.”

[FIRST TIME]

Eden set up her camera at the kitchen table, soon rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. She let out a sigh and sniffled. “This song is from twenty eighteen or so, the darkest time in my life. I keep on forgetting it exists for obvious reasons. And I know I shouldn’t keep revisiting it if it keeps resurfacing past trauma, but I think in order to heal, I need to tackle it and make something of it. The whole concept of this album is to humanize myself and it would be wrong of me to just lock this song away. There could be someone out there that resonates with it as much as I do.”

She wipes her eyes with her fingers, nodding towards someone offscreen. A tiny smile appears on her face. “It was bothering me all day while recording and arranging, ‘Should this make the cut or not?’ but I think I just needed to catch my breath and think it over, get some reassurance. I feel much better now.

“Well, time to sleep so we can record this track tomorrow.”

[pbandjesse]

I'm just leaving the museum now. Today was really good! I feel really happy about everything that I accomplished today. I am also very tired and now currently driving directly into the sun which I don't love. But hopefully it will dip below the skylines soon.

I did not sleep amazing. Waking up was very hard. I did not want to get out of bed and I was pretty miserable. But I got myself together and I felt pretty cute. I love this jumpsuit. It just fits me really well and felt very happy in it. James and me would leave the house on time and we stopped for breakfast which took forever. The person in front of us cut us off and then proceeded to order a coffee with six creams and six sugars. But I guess they really needed it.

Once we got to the museum James help me set up. They carried all of my stuff over it for me because they're the best. And they would print out the teddy bear hospital flyer I made. And then it was kind of slow. I mean there was a lot of people but I wasn't making a lot of sales. I wasn't that concerned though. I just want by the end of the season to have made approximately $100 a market. And by the end of today I had exceeded that goal. A lot of it though is because I had done so well the first week that I was able to make under $100 for the last two weeks and still even out to 100 on average. And the sales that I made today were nice. People were really kind and I got a lot of really good comments and people telling me how cute my stuff was. And that always feels good. And I was approached by someone to possibly be on their podcast about being an entrepreneur. So that's cool. I also just had a really nice time creating my knitting projects and working on a craft.

I actually told that to Stanley earlier that besides everything else it is nice to have dedicated craft time. Dedicated sitting outside in the nice breeze and making things. And it was pretty windy today. I was actually a little worried because sometimes when it's so windy it becomes an exhausting day. But I did really good keeping everything on my table and I didn't have to chase things. A couple of my pins did get blown away but people were brought them back and it was not a big deal.

I had some really nice conversations too. Me and Ann talked a lot. And I told her that my plan today was to follow through on trying to get that tortoise. And I got nervous at one point and I was like well I can't commit commit because what if somebody beats me to him. He's going to be on sale 50% today and maybe somebody else wants him and they get him before me and that's just the universe saying that it wasn't time. But I had high hopes.

The day went pretty quickly though and I felt good with my sales and when I packed up Stanley help me carry my boxes over because he's a gentleman. And then I went inside to check on James. Jenny had given us some extra baked goods so I brought James cinnamon bun. And then I was off to Petco.

When I got there I went directly to where I knew the Russian tortoise was. The one I had seen weeks ago. And he was still there. He was a boy. You can tell by their tail curling around their leg. Which is an interesting tell. And I went and found a worker and I was like hey I'm here for that tortoise. And they got so excited. Both the girls that work there were like he used to have a partner in the box and that turtle got sold and he seemed so lonely and we're just so excited that he's going to get a new home and they had some good information about him really liking kale but not liking fruits. Which I don't think they naturally eat fruits so that is totally expected. And they said he spicy but not bitey and is very social. And I was just so excited. He was a little dirty. I think because he was nervous he had pooped on himself a little bit. But she boxed them up for me and took them to the front. I walked around the reptile area a little longer and got two different types of substrate based on my research. And then I also got a nice rock water dish for him. I should have gotten the hide but I thought I had one so that is something I will have to fix tomorrow. But for now at least he has enough substrate to bury himself in. And if we know anything from Samson the box turtle that is very important to their well-being.

I was so excited to bring him home though.

I left there with my new friend and went straight home to get his enclosure set up. My plan tomorrow is to work on an outdoor enclosure and try to build that out but for now I have a tank inside that I thought would be good. And it's not as wide as I think I will like in the future. But for now it is a good option.

When I got back home my neighbors are outside and I was like I got to show you guys my new tortoise. And I think they thought I was very silly but they were excited for me. And then I went inside and I put our tortoise in the sink. I didn't know where else to keep him and I thought that I could at least clean them off. I have a dedicated toothbrush for that and he was scrubbed up all clean. And while he was getting cleaned off I also was soaking the compressed coconut fiber substrate. I did not soak it for as long as it told me to but instead I broke it up by hand and squished the water into it and that worked really well.

I put the forest floor substrate in first and then I put the coconut fiber on top. And then I put the little dish in and I started putting some fake plants in. And I definitely want to make like a more tricked out enclosure so that he has lots of opportunities to climb on things and just has enough enrichment. But for now I think that this works just fine.

Once he was cleaned off in the tank was set up I brought him over and I put him in and he immediately started digging. So that made me really happy. And I cut up some lettuce for him and by the time I was getting myself ready to go again he was eating and seemed very happy.

Definitely hard to tell on a creature with no eyebrows but he seemed good.

I played with CP for a little bit and I had a little frozen pizza. I cleaned myself up and I fix my makeup and 10 it was basically time for me to go again. I left the house and I drove over to locust point. I stopped at the dollar store and I got a frame and a piece of candy. I walked around for a little bit to see if there was anything that I thought I could use for the turtle but didn't see anything great so I paid and headed to the museum.

I was really excited to see James when I got there. They gave me a big hug and told me I was pretty and then they went home to play a game with their friends and meet our new tortoise. We weren't sure what the name was going to be but at that point we had a couple options. Frank short for Franklin, quiche, focaccia, and bug. But none of them felt right. Franklin was the closest because of the television show Franklin the turtle but I still wasn't feeling it. I really wanted a food name but the ones that we had thought of just didn't feel correct in my mouth.

So I would tell Merrill and Jesse about the tortoise and ask them for some ideas and the name crab cake came up. And honestly it feels perfect. He's kind of shaped like a crab cake and it has really good nickname potential. CC is a really good nickname. Lump. Little lump. Just really good overall name plus it's Baltimore. And it's a food. So I think that is what the name I'm going to go with if I don't come up with something better by the end of the evening.

So I was very excited to talk about my tortoise and then I would run off to the print shop to make the couple a nice print with their names. But I would also make one with their last names just for us. So we celebrated the Cox Johnson wedding and honestly it was a great time.

I was only there to be an educator. But even in doing so I got to hear about Merrill finally getting an actual contract that everyone's happy with and I now have some more clarity on what my guaranteed hours will be in September. And I'm pretty happy with it. I definitely would like more hours but it is a good step forward and it is at least progress in the conversation. So that feels good.

And the event was fun. I was only there for 3 hours but I talked to a lot of good people and I gave my talks about the fire and the machine shop. I didn't feel like as amazingly on like I did the last time but I think that was partially because I was having people that were coming in in the middle of my talking so then I would have to like circle back and that is always hard for me. But I still having a really good time and people were really interested in and they kept thanking me for telling them stuff and they love that they were learning. And that always feels really good.

I also decided to wear my new Crocs today. Which I kept referring to as my formal props because I wore them to a wedding. But they make me feel so tall and they're very comfortable. I definitely think I prefer wearing them with socks then barefoot but I think being barefoot will have its place. Like when things are wet. Like at the beach. But in general I think this is going to be a sock situation. They are comfortable though on my feet feel really nice.

At 6:30 the guests all went to dinner and I went to the front desk. I would drop off my drink and then went to find Merrill and Jesse and we would go and eat some of the appetizers. There really wasn't any vegetarian options so it's mostly just eating the crackers. Little bruschetta. And we just chatted and things were good everyone was busy. Merrill was in charge of this event so Jesse was back and Mr platt's office in the cannery writing contracts. And after he had gone back there me and Meryl were sitting at the front desk talking but at 7:30 approached and it was time for me to go I went back to say goodbye to him and he was wearing the full Mr Black costume. Hat tie and vests. It was so funny. He's so silly. But it was definitely a good night and while I wish that I could have been there for the entire thing because I really do enjoy doing the events I am a little tired from working all day and just a lot of activities so it's nice that I get to come home.

And that's where I am now!! I'm home and looking forward to hanging out with my husband and my animals. I feel tired but happy.

And I hope you do too! I love you all. Goodnight!!

[wlwinry]

okay. fuck. y’all know im sad nate died but i can’t stop thinking about his funeral yknow. about the people who show up to say goodbye.

obviously, there’s the team. there’s always the team. it doesn’t feel real that he’s gone, that nathan ford could fall to something as seemingly mundane as a heart attack. he brought them together. he was their family. and now he’s just--gone. 

then there’s tara, and part of why she shows up is just to support sophie, but...nate was never really her friend, but he was her team, someone who she worked with for better or worse. for better, she thinks. she’s a grifter, not a bleeding heart, but...he showed her something new. which is rare. and like the crew, it’s hard to believe he’s really gone.

maggie--oh, god, maggie. maggie isn’t surprised, somehow, but it still cracks her heart open. she knows he’s with sam, that if there’s anywhere they go after the end then nate will find their son, but she also knows he didn’t want to leave sophie, or parker and hardison and eliot. she still loves him, even if it’s not in the same way. the gravestone is too bare, too empty for all that he meant to his people. to her.

linda and tonya, the nurse and her daughter from the cross my heart job, show up. joshua, who she’s kept in touch with, writes a letter to the man he remembers seeing in a window coming out of surgery, the man who fought for his heart. the letter is laid at the gravestone. linda thanks him for...everything, really.

cora mcrory, owner of mcrory’s bar, is crying when she comes. she’s older now, but she still remembers her “uncle nate” dropping everything to help her when she had no hope left, still remembers the odd hours he kept and the staff who asked only to receive a firm answer from her of, “he’s doing good.” and he was. even if nathan ford wasn’t a nice man, wasn’t even a good one sometimes, he did good in the world. 

robert perry arrives with flowers. he’s not sure why--funerals are supposed to come with flowers, he thinks, which is stupid, he’s seen too damn many of them, but nate ford took him seriously and helped him and took down castleman and he has a life back because of that. and now the man who helped him get his life back is gone. it’s just...it feels hollow.

anne and jenny sanders come to honor the man who got justice for anne’s husband, jenny’s father. nate believed them. nate did what the courts, what the law couldn’t. jenny leaves a teddy bear at the gravesite.

a well-dressed, beautiful woman shows up, a vicious bullet scar visible in her shoulder. she waits for a long moment, before kneeling before the gravestone and murmuring, “ciao.” she leaves--she should not mourn, but she does, somehow.

sterling shows up to the funeral, but doesn’t say a word, hovers in the back. he comes back in the middle of the night a month later, traces the letters of his friend’s name. his enemy’s name. “goodbye, nate,” he says finally. “if anyone’s earned their eternal rest, i do suppose it’s you.

“thanks for making it interesting.”

[sunny-day-dream]

(Announcement at the end)

3part of A/B/O

When Jenny said that you understand sooner or later you thought that Maybe her Alpha was someone with a important job in the pizzaplex plex.

But when you two got near the daycare you smell a sweet scent, it was like citrus... and... pomegranate? You were about to ask Jenny what made that fragrance when you notices that she was staying near the stairs.

-im sorry girl, but... I can't come there, you know... it's not my alpha territory-she said smiling at you.

Oh, OH, OOOOOOOH.

So that's why they acept you to work there!!

-the last daycare assistant was the alpha you told me, right?-you ask.

-yeah, Sun and Moon didn't like having to share their territory-She said-So when my Teddy almost send him flying was the perfect moment to acept that it was better having save rooms that two alphas fighting-

-wait... Sun and moon?-You ask, you did knew abut them, but you didn't knew that they were also capable of reproduction and not only that, that they were alphas.

And then, something more click, Jenny's Alpha, her Teddy Bear, was not other than Freddy Fazbear.

-i know it's a lot to take-she said looking at you before taking your hands between her's- but Sun and Moon aren't capable of taking someone without previous consent, you'll be okay, there's also a save room I the daycare-

-all the animatronics are Alpha?-You ask, a little worry, would the safe rooms stop them?

-almost...-She said-Roxy and Chica are Omega-

Well that was great (sarcasm)

You finally got to meet one of the daycare attendant when Freddy came to take Jenny back to their nest... or cave, as she described.

The doors open slowly, letting you catch the scent of the alpha that was inside, you never thought that one day you will enter a Alpha territory without knowing the alpha first.

-Oh hoho!!- a energetic and happy voice sound around all the place making you look around.

You Start walking slowly to the center of the daycare, omg, the scent of that alpha was really good, it almost make you wanting to be in heat...

Then a pair of arms got around you, you freeze for a second before you notices that it was only a Hug.

-oh my stars!!!- he said really happy lifting you from the ground to then using his arms as a cradle- We have a new friend!!! Hi!!! What's you're name!? Mine is Sundrop but everyone calls me Sun!!-he was now looking right to your eyes.-You are so pretty, and small!!-

-thanks-you said smiling at him while he put you down, then you offered him a handshake- I'm Y/N, is nice to meet you Sun-

-oh such good manners-He said acepting it with a big smile- you are going to be a perfect partner, yesyes, Moon is going to like you two-

-oh, were is he?-You ask, you could only get one scent, maybe he was in other part of the building?

-oh, he's here-he said pointing at his head-he can only came put when the light are off-

-oh-you said a little surprise about that.

-Dont worry, Friend! You can meet him during naptime!!- Sun said still smiling- Now, come help me with everything!! The kids are coming soon and we need to be ready to play for hours!!-

(Hey girl, hope you like this new part, you know I love you and I only want to make you get flatter!! So...

In the next part, is time for a little adult fun time!!! Get ready, your going to sweat.)

-Cuddle Mistress

You’ve done it, you’ve gotten me hooked!

(Whoops I didn’t realise I’d been hoarding this in my inbox 😩 time to share!)

[howggswouldreact]

💓 Nightgowns and Monsters in Closets | Jennie

Request: Hey! I was wondering if I could get a Jennie x reader with a daughter please? Maybe they're just trying to do the naughty together but little one comes in and interrupts it. Probably fluff

Plot: It's been a while since Jennie and Reader had some time alone. But, on a Friday night where everything seems to lead to a moment between both of them, their small daughter knocks on the door of the bedroom.

Words: 1,696

Genre: slight smut, mostly flluff

Warnings: slight smut

Notes: this was so... aaaaaaaaaaaaaa, cute!

You were sitting on your bed, your back against it’s headboard, your mind traveling a few feet from there to the door on your left that led directly to the bathroom in your suite. The day had been quite tiring, it was a Friday night and you knew very well that relaxing was something that should, once and for all, be in your plans. And there, right behind that door, was Jennie, having just finished taking a nice hot shower and, most likely, would come out of there wearing that golden nightgown that you loved so much.

"It emphasizes your curves...", you replied when she asked why you insisted so much for her to put it on.

"You are nothing but naughty!", she said with a smile on her lips and bowing to you, letting the v-shaped neckline show more of her breasts.

Perhaps it was the most relaxing way to spend a Friday night, you thought, rubbing your hands on the sheet. How long ago did you have a moment just for you two? Five months? Maybe six? And there was no other way to relax that was as good as a long and intimate moment with your wife Jennie.

And sitting on your bed, you thought about how she looked so good while wearing that nightgown. The thought alone was already turning you on too much for your own good.

You missed Jennie's body in yours and you needed to feel it as soon as possible.

It's not that you and Jennie didn't exchange some hotter kisses - you both did it every time she picked you up or left you at work and vice versa - but good sex, a sex that took a while to feel that huge connection and forget about everyone around... it was something different. Quickies do not satisfy as much as the real sex, the sex itself. And you needed a lot more than just quickies to relax.

The bathroom door opened, interrupting your thoughts and you noticed the hot steam emanating from there, along with Jennie. You felt your whole body get hot just by seeing her.

The nightgown falling perfectly on her body and the ponytail that left her entire neck exposed made you want to pull her for you at once. You were eating Jennie with your eyes.

"What's up?", asked Jennie cynically, turning off the bathroom light and closing the door.

The only light in the room was that one of the lamp beside the bed, the window was closed and hidden behind the curtains, as if it could not see what was about to happen there.

"You know what it is...”, you replied, watching her climb onto the bed and crawl over to you.

"I don't know what you’re talking about...", your eyes slid from her eyes, to her mouth, her chin, the neckline showing her perfect breasts... "Are you talking about the nightgown...", she got even closer to you and sat on your lap. "Or are you talking about this?", she asked, lifting her nightgown a little and showing off the small panties she wore.

You groaned at the sight and let your hands begin to caress and squeeze Jennie's thick thighs, your eyes never leaving the focus they were in now.

"Hey, my eyes are up here.", with a finger on your chin, she lifted your face so you could look into her eyes.

"I miss you...", at the end of the sentence, you attacked her lips in a hot and tasty kiss, your hands going up to her hips.

Jennie moved lightly in your lap, you felt her movement and the warmth that emanated from the place between her legs as it touched you. It was getting too hot, you wanted to take her to heaven.

Your lips went down to her neck and you realized how breathless Jennie was already, light moans escaping her pretty lips. You moved your right hand up to Jennie's shoulder, sliding the strap of her nightgown down, until her left boob was showing. You lowered your lip to it and then, when your mouth touched her nipple, you heard a sound that made you two stand still like statues.

It couldn't be real.

Again, the same sound. 3 very shy knocks on the door.

You left Jennie's breast quite reluctantly, you lifted up the strap of her nightgown again. She looked into your eyes and you saw a mix of frustration and concern. She stood up and lowered the hem of her nightgown to the middle of her thighs and you went to the door while she put on the robe that hung on the headboard.

When you opened the door, you looked down at the little figure who was standing there, messy hair and chocolate brown eyes, little hands holding a black teddy bear wearing a pink blouse with big black letters written "BLACKPINK".

"Hi, little girl. What is going on?", you asked the child, who threw herself on your legs in a hug.

Sohee. 4 years old. Simply the result of the love between you and Jennie. The most perfect daughter you could have asked for in heaven.

"Hey, what's up, my princess?", you bent down holding the teddy bear that had fallen in one hand and the other holding her arm.

"There's a monster in my closet!", her voice showed fear.

Frowning, you stroked her hair and picked her up, turning to Jennie, who now wore the robe and walked up to you with a calm smile.

"I think we need to defeat this monster!", Jennie said, her left hand caressing Sohee's back and with her right hand she took the teddy bear you were holding.

"Definitely!", you said, agreeing with your wife’s decision.

Sohee shook her head, afraid.

"Me and your mom are going to show you how to defeat the monsters once and for all!", Jennie said and Sohee looked up at her curiously.

"Really?"

Jennie looked at you for help in that small play. It was obvious that there was no monster, but you needed to make Sohee feel safe and confident.

“With lots of love and strong fists!”, you said, quite hesitantly, but trying not to let it show to your daughter.

You put the little girl on the floor again.

"Hold my hand and your mother's hand too.", at the end of the sentence, she followed your instructions. "Great! Now we are going to your room.”

As you walked through the house darkened by the night, you felt Sohee's small steps slowing down as you were getting near the door. A child's mind is free for imaginations of all kinds, even the most cruel ones, filled with the worst and scariest monsters for someone so innocent. Seeing your daughter in fear worried you and would make your sense of protection grow quickly. And from the way that Jennie’s body was tense, you knew that she was going through the same situation as you.

It was just an imaginary monster in the bedroom, but it was an imaginary monster that needed to be executed in order for your daughter to feel comfortable and have a peaceful sleep.

The door was slightly opened and Jennie started to open it fully.

"Watch out, mommy!", Sohee exclaimed, pulling Jennie by the hand. "It was inside the closet!"

Then Jennie, Sohee, and you entered the room, hand in hand. You noticed it was cold and from the window was coming a light that, against the curtain, made a strange shadow form on the door of Sohee's white closet, which had the door slightly open. For a child, that shadow and the fact that the closet was almost opened meant a lot.

"To defeat the monster, the first thing we need to do is to turn on the light.", Jennie said, bending down to be almost at the same height as her daughter. "Mom and I are here, nothing bad is going to happen to you."

Jennie stood up and turned on the light, illuminating the bedroom and making that strange shadow, created by the curtain, disappear. The expression of fear on Sohee's face softened and you felt your heart relax a little more with that.

"Did you say it was in the closet, my angel?", she nodded, brown eyes shining at Jennie. "Y/N, what do you think about showing her that there are no monsters in the closet?"

"I think it's a great idea!", you walked to the closet, holding that little hand and guiding your daughter over there. “No monster is strong enough to face brave girls like you, Sohee! Can I open the door?”

"No, mommy.", you realized that she was thoughtful.

Worried, you gave Jennie a glance, as if to say I don't know how to proceed from this point. What to do when your daughter doesn't seem to have gained confidence after a moment like this? Jennie took a breath and looked like she was about to say something when Sohee's childish voice came over the room.

"I'll open it!", with her little hand on the door handle, she opened it and said: "Go away, stupid monster!"

And there was nothing in there. Only Sohee's little dresses and blouses were there, along with some hairpins. There was no monster.

The little girl turned to you and Jennie with a smile so big it made her eyes close in small lines and you felt your heart explode in your chest with so much love.

“Did you see? We kicked it out!”

Jennie couldn't stand it and went over to Sohee, taking her small body in a strong hug and filling her with kisses, saying how proud she was. Seeing that interaction made your love grow even more for those two women in your life.

You and Jennie decided that, for being so brave, Sohee and her teddy bear could sleep with you that night. And as you covered yourself to sleep, with Sohee between you and Jennie, you thought to yourself that you didn't need anything else in the world besides them.

And you realized that it was worth defeating monsters hidden in closets from time to time.

[isitgintimeyet]

Just a Friend

Sorry you’ve had to wait a few more days. i had a much needed few days holiday in Devon. And I realised it was the first time since February that I’d travelled more than 20 miles from home!

Anyway, we’re on to chapter 7. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy

Thanks to @wickedgoodbooks for the beta.

Previous

AO3

Chapter 7: From Feedback to The Force

I can see it clearly in my mind’s eye. A converted barn, situated at the end of a leafy country lane, surrounded by fields full of cows and maybe a horse or two. Jamie’s office will be at one end— all exposed beams with classic mahogany and leather furniture. Perhaps chickens will be roaming around outside as tractors pull up to deliver vegetables straight from the neighbouring fields.

This image begins to fade as I follow my Sat nav instructions and take the next junction off the motorway. Country lanes look to be few and far between in this urban sprawl. Signposts along the tarmacked road point to a series of industrial estates. At the fourth such sign, I’m instructed to turn left and in three hundred yards will have reached my destination.

Having parked up, I make my way towards the large, uninspiring building which resembles some sort of aircraft hangar. Its grey concrete and corrugated iron walls match the overcast sky and the roughly surfaced car park. The only colour in this landscape is provided by the bright orange FraserFood logo emblazoned above the loading bays.

There’s a single door to the right with an intercom. I press it and wait a few seconds.

“Hello, there.” A cheery voice greets me. “Can I help ye?”

“Yes. Hello, I’ve an appointment with Ja— Mr. Fraser, Jamie. It’s Claire Beauchamp.”

“Aye, come on through. Jamie is expecting ye. Down the passage and third door on the left.”

I step into a long corridor, painted an unoriginal white. Fluorescent strip lights hanging from the ceiling cast a harsh brightness. The floor is covered with grey carpet tiles.—the same as in thousands of other working offices across the country.

What sets it apart and brings character to the otherwise anonymous environment is the artwork. Colourful photographs line the walls — a bowl of strawberries, their red glossiness accentuated by the white porcelain; a perfect corn on the cob, rivulets of melted butter flowing around the kernels; a plate of steaming tagliatelle, the parmesan shavings falling gently onto the pasta. Then, as I move further towards the office, the photographs change to a series of images that I instantly recognise, La Boqueria, one of the food markets in Barcelona.

I pause for a moment in front of a picture of one of the stalls selling spices. Strings of different chillies cascade down from the metal frame of the stall. The vibrancy of that market was intoxicating, the noise, the colours, the aromas. I remember wandering from stall to stall snacking on fat, juicy olives, slices of spiced ham and wedges of refreshing melon, just soaking up that atmosphere.

My stomach automatically rumbles at the memory just as Jamie steps into the corridor.

He laughs at this unconventional greeting. “And good day tae ye too. Ye found us alright then?”

“No problem. Sat nav brought me straight here. It’s—“ I stop myself before I say any more, but, as usual, my glass face gives me away.

“C’mon. What is it? It’s no’ what ye were expecting, is it?”

“No— yes—no. It’s fine. It’s just, well, I was expecting something more, er, rural… rustic, you know.”

He sighs, but I can tell that he’s not offended. “What, ye mean like on a farm? Wi’ chickens running around? And tractors bringing the vegetables straight from the fields?”

I nod, feeling not a little bit foolish.

“And down a wee winding country lane, that yer lumbering great vans and lorries have tae drive along? Wi’ no easy transport links fer all the deliveries? And having tae deal wi’ all the food hygiene standards in some great old barn?” He laughs. “Trust me, it may no’ be photogenic but it’s the best place fer the business.”

He takes my arm. “Let’s go intae ma office and I’ll make ye a cup of coffee.”

My stomach rumbles once more. “Don’t suppose you’ve got any of those lovely Spanish biscuits too, have you?”

*********

The display of colourful photographs continues in Jamie’s office. I don’t recognise the scenes, but, I’m guessing these are more local— fields of corn bordered by old drystone walls, hedgerows bursting with dark jewel-like brambles. I pause at a picture of an ancient stone mill, the calm water of the mill pond reflecting the rundown building perfectly.

“That’s a bonny picture, is it no’?” Jamie’s voice is low in my ear.

I turn around. He is standing behind me, gazing intently at the picture.

“It is. Where is it? I’m guessing it’s somewhere here in Scotland.”

“Aye, it’s the old mill at Lallybroch.”

“Where you grew up?”

He nods. “Generations of ma family used that mill tae grind flour fer them and their tenants. It’s empty inside now. The wheel has long since rotted away. Jenny and I would escape there whenever chores were tae be done. She took the photo, weel, most of the photos here actually.”

I study the photograph more closely. “She’s very talented as a photographer. Is that her job?”

“She’d love tae have done that, but once she married Ian and the bairns started appearing, she hasna got the time. Mebbe one day.”

He moves past me towards his desk and I catch a hint of his musky cologne. I find myself comparing it to the slightly synthetic cologne that Frank always favoured. I decide that Jamie’s is preferable. It’s more real, somehow, earthy and, well, more masculine.

“... does that sound ok?”  

I realise that whilst I was considering male scents, Jamie had been asking me a question. “Er, sorry, I was miles away. What did you say?”

“Am I really that boring tae ye?” He laughs. “I said I would make ye a coffee and invite Rupert tae come in and join us. He’s our Head of Product Development. Will ye no’ take a seat?”

I sit down on one of the chairs arranged around a circular meeting table and take a good look at the office while Jamie makes a phone call. The walls and ceiling are the same uninspiring white, livened up by all the photographs. There’s a couple of framed photographs near Jamie’s chair that seem to be more personal. I’m too far away to be able to see clearly, but they look like children... his nephew and niece perhaps?

Jamie’s ‘L’ shaped desk is made of grey wood, as is a tall bookcase and this meeting table. Simple, but clearly a considered purchase, no haphazard grouping of random furniture. The desk itself is remarkably free from clutter— just a laptop with two huge screens and a black leather document wallet. The contrast to the clutter on the desks in my office and home couldn’t be greater. Not that my clutter isn’t important to me—a collection of pots and dishes from my uncle’s archaeological digs plus a paperweight and letter opener that I remember, as a young child, at my parents’ house. Then I realise, looking at the family portraits surrounding Jamie’s desk, that he doesn’t need to gather mementoes from the past. He has a living, breathing close knit family creating memories all the time.

I’m well aware that most of my friends have more of a family than I have, or have ever had, and generally I’m fine with that. But every now and again it hits me right in the gut—this pang of...not loneliness, but more of being disconnected, rootless.

Before I can dwell on this,  there’s a faint tap at the door. It opens immediately and a woman stands in the doorway.  She’s easily past retirement age, quite short and… is sturdy a polite descriptor? Well, short and ‘motherly’ in appearance.

She’s very smiley too. Her eyes crinkle as she grins broadly before speaking. “Jamie, lad. I’ve come tae see if ye both want a coffee. I dinna mind making it. And mebbe a few biscuits?”

Jamie steps away from his desk. “Ah, Mrs. Fitz, how d’ye always ken what I want? Coffee would be grand. And fer ye Claire?”

“Coffee, please. Lovely. White, no sugar. Thanks.”

She looks at me for a moment before Jamie makes the introduction. “ Claire, this is Mrs Fitz. She’s worked wi’ me since I started and I dinna ken what I’d do wi’out her.”

He reaches across and pats her arm gently.

“Mrs. Fitz, this is Claire, a friend of mine. She’s been trying out our Spanish dinner party menu and has come tae meet wi’ Rupert tae give him her opinions.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Fitz.” I hold out my hand.

She takes it in both of hers. “And it’s lovely tae meet ye too, Claire.”

She turns away and heads out the door.

“Right-oh. Two coffees it is then,” she says clearly, then carries on muttering under her breath as she leaves. “Friends, is it, then? A bonny lass, sure enough…”

Jamie smiles apologetically. “Mrs. Fitz can be a bit, weel...she’s been working with me a long time. She’s like a second mother tae me…”

He leaves the sentence unfinished, but I know what he’s thinking. Why can’t people understand that we’re friends, that’s all?

*******

Rupert is a complete delight, but somehow not what I was expecting. He rushes into the office just as Jamie and I are drinking our coffees. Nearly as tall as Jamie but quite a bit broader with a large beard, like an overgrown teddy bear, and clad in a sweatshirt and baggy ill-fitting jeans, he looks as if he would be more at home on a rugby pitch rather than in a development kitchen. With Jamie now standing next to him, the office suddenly feels rather small.

Jamie makes the introductions and we settle once more around the table. Rupert places his notebook and pen on the table.

“Ye dinna mind if I take a biscuit or two, do ye?” He asks, with a smile. He knows how tasty they are.

Jamie and I shake our heads and Rupert reaches out and takes two in his large, fleshy hand. He starts to eat, sprinkling crumbs all over his notebook.

“Ye canna take me anywhere,” he says as he tries to sweep the crumbs into his hand.

Jamie laughs and playfully punches Rupert’s shoulder. “Weel, ye can… but only the once, mind.”

There’s an easy camaraderie between the two of them. I’m guessing that Jamie has worked with the same people for quite a while. It’s good to see.

Rupert swallows, picks up a tissue and wipes the stray crumbs from his beard.  “Right-oh. So, Claire, thanks fer doing this—“

“No, I should be thanking you. It was a great meal.”

“Weel, glad tae hear that, but I would appreciate any improvements we could make. Is there anything we need tae change?”

I’ve been racking my brains all the way here, trying to think of something constructive to say rather than just reeling off a list of compliments, nice as that would be for Rupert and Jamie. And, honestly, I don’t know what more I can add. The food was excellent, the wine matched perfectly and the olives were a thoughtful addition.

I tell them all this and Rupert solemnly notes it all down. Sitting there, side by side, elbows almost touching, they look for all the world like two proud parents being complimented on their child’s talents. But they have every right to be proud.

“And nothing else?” Rupert persists. “Nothing we could do better?”

“Well, a couple of tiny suggestions. Maybe a few more pictures with the recipes would help. I’m not the most gifted cook.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Jamie trying to suppress a smile. He’s never seen me in the kitchen, maybe he’s imagining me as some sort of culinary disaster area. I vow to prove him wrong at some point.

“And,” I continue as Rupert scribbles in his notebook. “Perhaps add a couple of suggestions to complete the Spanish night. I made sangria to start the evening. Could you add a recipe for that?”

Rupert closes his notebook with a flourish. “Right then. Thank ye sae much fer that. Glad yer friends all enjoyed the food.”

He stands up, shifting the table as he does so.

“Weel, bye then, Claire. Lovely tae meet ye. Hope tae see ye again.” He shoots a quick look across at Jamie before leaving.

“Rupert’s a lovely guy,” I comment as the door shuts behind him.

“Aye, he is that,” Jamie shifts in his seat. “Listen, I need tae ask ye a favour.”

“Another one,” I joke. “Wasn’t the dinner party enough?”

I add a sigh, purely for dramatic effect.

“Ye can say no if ye want tae,” he continues. “But I was wondering… weel... Ian, that’s Jenny’s husband, his rugby club is having a charity dinner dance a week on Saturday. Jenny’s bought two tickets fer me and a plus one. D’ye fancy it? It would help me out of a wee bit of bother with ma sister.”

Now I’m intrigued about his “wee bit of bother” with Jenny. I don’t want to end up in the middle of some sibling squabble.

“How so?” I’m not giving an answer straight away. At least not until I know what the bother is.

“Jenny bought the two tickets fer me a couple of months ago. I think she was assuming I would bring Laoghaire. But ye ken what happened there. Anyways, she asked me yesterday about it, and ever so casually suggested I might bring Kelly— that was ma date the other night.”

The pattern of Rupert’s crumbs on the table appears to suddenly be of great interest to him. He studies them intently as he talks, his ears turning slightly pink as he does so.

“And?” I prompt him.

“And, I told Jenny that after Laoghaire and I broke up, I didna want tae disappoint her about the dinner and so I’d already asked ye tae come along. As a friend,” he hastily adds the last part.

So, what do I decide? I do love the opportunity to have a bit of a dance and rugby club dos are usually a bit of a laugh, in my experience. And of course, I know Jamie is offering as a friend, so I’m not worried about that.

“Why don’t you want to ask Kelly then?” I want the full story before I give him my answer.

“She’s a nice enough lass but I didna think we had any spark. Plus she was trying too hard. Fer example she asked me what films I liked, then when I told her, she was all ‘no way, they’re ma favourites too’.”

He adds gestures at this point, to demonstrate Kelly’s actions, one hand flapping excitedly, the other resting on my sleeve, lightly stroking through the fabric of my shirt. It feels—

“Apparently we have exactly the same taste in films, music, food, drinks, television and holidays,” he continues as he sits back and folds his arms.

“Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.” I joke. I can still feel the sensation of his hand on my arm.

He looks up at me and frowns. “I’m no’ joking. Ye would be helping me if ye came as ma plus one.”

“Ok then. I do know that I’m not on call. I can come and be your wingman, if you like. Just one question. What are your favourite films?”

“Star Wars.”

This wasn’t the answer I was expecting. He doesn’t seem like a typical fan. Maybe he has a dark side that I haven’t yet seen, with a secret stash of Star Wars figures and multiple light sabres.

“I’ve never watched any of them.” It’s true. I seem to be in the minority but I just don’t get the appeal.

“And I can tell from yer face exactly what ye think of them. But they’re classics, weel most of them, anyway,” he starts to enthuse.

I shake my head. I can’t see that he will ever convince me.

“Well, Sassenach, have I got a treat in store for you!”

And, worryingly, it seems that he’s up for the challenge.

[emma-nation]

Unfinished Business - F!Sam x MC Fanfiction

Summary: When Sam Dalton is caught in a scandal, Anna Schuyler is the only one who can help her. But will her former nanny be able to leave the past behind?

"Samantha Dalton was like one of good dreams you don't want to wake up from. You close your eyes, you force your brain to remember every minor detail, you begin to imagine what comes next... hoping to be in control. You want to fall asleep again. You want it to continue, but it's too late now. You're wide awake."

Genre: Angst, Romance

Notes: Hell yeah, three ongoing multichapter fics. I'm so screwed 😎

Tag List: If you wish to be tagged in future chapters and fics of this pairing, let me know.

"I can't do this anymore, Sam," Anna did the best to avoid her eyes. With the right look, they could melt the ice that had formed around her heart for the last few weeks. One look could make things warm again, but only for some time. Time enough for her to open up and fall in love once more, immediately followed by the realization all of that was nothing more than an illusion. She'd be fooling herself again.

This time she just had enough. It was the end.

"Anna, I'm sorry," the CEO didn't know very well what to say. Despite her usual calm voice tone, Anna could sense the nervousness in her words. "But Sofia is my wife."

"And I'm only the nanny."

"This is not what I meant. We just... we allowed ourselves to get too carried away. It was good while it lasted but now, we must face reality."

It was just a dream. Samantha Dalton was like one of good dreams you don't want to wake up from. You close your eyes, you force your brain to remember every minor detail, you begin to imagine what comes next... hoping to be in control. You want to fall asleep again. You want it to continue, but it's too late now. You're wide awake.

----------

Anna collected her stuff from the desk, giving one last emotional glance to the classroom in front of her. Before leaving for Summer, her fourth grade students had prepared her a small surprise. A little party with cake, snacks and a "Thank You, Ms. Schuyler" sign hanging in the back of the room. They also drew her some cards, which she saved for when she got home. It could become very emotional for her workplace.

"Anna," the principal appeared at the door, catching her attention, "I came here to congratulate you. It was your first year as a Science teacher in our school and you captivated all the kids, as well as their parents."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Rockwell," Anna smiled. "I love working with children and now I see I made the right decision taking this job. This year was the most rewarding experience of my life."

"So we can expect you to return next year? I'm sorry, the parents keep me asking this question all the time."

"Absolutely!"

"They'll be glad to hear that. Have a nice Summer, Ms. Schuyler."

After living in New York for the last two years, Anna was finally ready to drive to her mother's home in Rhode Island. They both had saved enough money for a road trip across the country. Her mom deserved to live that dream after caring for her ill step-dad for some long months, until his recovery.

When she arrived at her apartment, her best friend, Jenny, was still at work. What meant she'd have enough time to finish packing without having to stop to hear the latest gossip about the company she worked for, or unsolicited dating advice.

"But first," Anna pulled the small pile of cards from inside her purse, "let me cry my eyeballs out."

And she did. She learned how to love and connect to each one of her students. Those cards need to be kept in a special place, where she'd always be able to read them and remember the sweet moments she shared with those children.

Grabbing a box in her closet, Anna accidentally came across a picture of the Dalton twins. She didn't even remember where she had placed it, when she was getting rid of everything related to that family. All she wanted was to keep those boys' memory out of sight. She missed them too much for words. They were the reason why she accepted that job as a teacher in first place.

"I wonder how different they must look now," she thought. "They're already nine."

With a tightness in her chest, Anna placed the picture back in its secret spot.

"I still can't believe you're really going!" Later that evening, Jenny complained in the living room, where she divided her attention between painting her nails and watch TV.

"Well, it's time for you to come with terms with that. I'm only returning by the end of Summer," Anna responded from the kitchen, while she finished washing the dishes.

"Anna, we could have the Summer of our lives. Think about all the hot men and women you could meet, all the parties we could attend..."

"I promised my mom, okay? We've been planning this trip since I finished college."

Jenny was suddenly teleported back to her side, wrapping her arms around her like a clingy teddy bear.

"But I'm gonna miss you," she spoke with a mournful voice.

"I'll miss you too," Anna assured her. "I'll keep you updated on every detail. Don't worry."

"I know your mom is going with you but... Anna, it's time for you to find someone. Even if it's only a one night stand."

"This is not the main purpose of this trip. This isn't about my sex life, I want my mom to relax."

"It has been two years, for god's sake."

"I know. And I'm glad I've set my priorities straight, I live with my best friend in a nice apartment, I got this amazing job and I love my students. I don't need anyone else in my life to be happy. I am happy."

Jenny rolled her eyes, crawling back to the couch. She should know it was useless to bring up this subject. Anna's heart was indefinitely closed for balance. If that was one thing she learned from her last experience was that shouldn't open up so easily.

"Shut the hell up!"

Jenny yelling so loud in the living room, made Anna almost drop the plate she was holding.

"You need to come here right now and watch this," she added.

"I'm sorry, Jenny. You're not getting me into that steamy TV show you're always obsessing about."

"It's a really good TV show, okay? But it doesn't matter at the moment. You need to watch the latest news!"

Jenny was actually watching the news. Nothing good could've happened to spark that sudden interest. That had to be something stupid or celebrity gossip. Against her best judgment, Anna approached the TV.

"If that's something silly, I'll kill you for interrupting my tasks!" Anna's mouth suddenly dropped when she read the headline on her screen. "Oh."

"Dalton Enterprises Scandal: CEO Sam Dalton accused of insider trading."

Images of police officers closing the company and carrying out boxes and computers for further investigation appeared on the screen. As well as Sam being conducted to the officer's car while journalists and photographers chased after her.

"Karma's a bitch, huh?! Mrs. Perfect is going down!"

Anna didn't answer to her best friend. She was still trying to process what her eyes were watching. Her heart seemed to stop for a second as the camera focused on Sam's face. In just a few seconds, her eyes had the desperate need to capture every detail. She wanted to know if she looked any different, if she had changed her hair or even her clothes. She wanted to know if some make-up was trying to hide the bags under her eyes for lack of sleep, or if she had been so happy with her marriage she was appearing even younger. Any minor signs that would make her mind create a possible scenario of what Sam's life could be right now.

She hadn't seen or heard of Samantha since quitting her nanny job. Though it was difficult, she managed to avoid any news related to the Dalton Enterprises CEO. They didn't part in good terms, yet one thing she was sure about, Sam was a decent person. She would never get involved in such a scandal. She had a reputation to keep.

"I... I don't know what to say," Anna was finally able to mumble some words. "Honestly I don't think she'd do that. There must be a misunderstanding."

"Anna! Are you seriously defending her?! After everything she's done to you?"

"No. I just..." Two years had passed since the wedding. Anna realized a lot could've changed. Sam could've changed. She had changed. "Maybe you're right."

As she lied in bed, millions of thoughts started running through her mind. What would be of the boys? Who would have their custody in case Sam went to jail, her parents or Sofia? Could Sofia or Robin have any involvement in that scandal?

Anna didn't get any sleep that night. When she woke up in the morning she was still exhausted.

The apartment was silent and peaceful. Jenny had already left to work. She was alone. No one would witness or even judge her next action. After preparing herself some coffee she sat down and started to research more about the insider trading scandal.

"I'm not interested, only curious," she mentally assured herself as thousands of articles started showing on her laptop screen.

Not only Sam was being accused to cheat on Sofia with another woman, but she tried to cover up the affair by giving her mistress a check to purchase Dalton Enterprises stocks. The launch of a new and revolutionary product in the coming weeks would surely grant her some cash. In the following days of the launch, the woman and her husband made millions of dollars.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Sam?"

The trials were scheduled for the next few weeks, and in case of conviction, the CEO could spend over 20 years in prison.

Only a couple of days later, Anna was in the garage placing all her luggage inside the trunk. She had to leave immediately, for her own sanity. The scandal was a great reason to stay away from New York City. The television wouldn't stop talking about that subject, or show the face of the woman she once loved.

"Dammit," entering the car, Anna noticed she had forgotten her cell phone upstairs. The latest events had impacted her more than they should. She was constantly distracted and anxious, secretly following the last developments of the case.

She picked up her phone, returned to the car and turned on the radio. Playing some loud music always helped her to relax. The crowded streets and the buildings slowly started to stay behind as the road approached.

"And I'm here, to remind you of the mess you left..."

Anna sang aloud, completely involved by the song. And then, her eyes almost missed it. Through the rearview mirror she saw a blur moving on the back seat.

"What the..." she needed to remain calm and act cautiously. The roads were impressively calm and deserted, a perfect scenario for murder, like in every horror movie. She slowly slipped her hand into her purse, grabbing the pepper spray. "I'm not one of those chicks who die so easily."

In one sudden fast move, she stomped on the breaks and turned around, spraying whoever was hiding behind her seat.

"Anna!" She was able to take a better look. The figure was wearing a hoodie and sunglasses. "Stop, please!"

She was able to recognize that voice even among millions of people. The years hadn't erased it from her memories.

"S-Sam..." Anna pulled the disguise, confirming her suspicions, "what are doing here? In my back seat?"

"I can explain."

"You better."

She returned to the driver's seat, attempting to relax. Samantha Dalton was inside her car, for some very screwed up reason.

"I know it's strange," and now she had moved to the passenger seat, being at a short distance from her. Close enough to notice how her presence was making her nervous. Close enough to notice she wasn't breathing. Close enough to see her hands shaking. "But I needed you to hear me."

"You could've called, Samantha. Or even showed up at my door! You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"You wouldn't answer. Would you?"

And that was it. One look and all the walls melted away. Her heart started beating faster, reminding her of the moments they shared two years before.

"No," Anna answered, fighting those feelings. "I wouldn't."

"I need your help, Anna," Sam touched her arm briefly, but enough to know she'd cause impact. "I'm in serious trouble and you're the only one that can help me."

[desperationandgin]

Peaceful Easy Feelin’ (A Market Price One-Shot)

Rating: Explicit (or Mature? IDK.)

Author: desperationandgin

Also Read On: AO3

Summary: Jamie and Claire take their first road trip together.

A/N:  Hello, my friends! After a month of 0 writing, I'm back with an MP one shot. This is, to date, the longest single fic of anything I've written, so I have to deeply thank all of my betas. @filledwithlight, @smashing-teacups, @happytoobserve, @fierceweebadger​ and @lcbeauchampoftarth​, thank you so much. I dropped them on this yesterday and felt real bad about it, but they all knocked it OUT. A L S O thank you to @happytoobserve​ for the idea with the game! Annnnnd @fierceweebadger​ even made this GORGEOUS mood board, thank you love! This ficlet takes place after Future Expansions, and I would suggest reading (or re-reading for the tie-in) The Nearness of You afterward!

Peaceful Easy Feelin’

Let it be known, there is nothing sexier than Jamie Fraser pumping petrol while wearing his lumberjack ensemble.

Claire fires off her text to Geillis, subtly watching Jamie’s profile in the side mirror. He’s wearing jeans that make her purposefully linger behind him when they walk; and, to be quite frank, looks as if he stepped straight out of a Barbour ad. When her phone vibrates, she glances down just as he finishes, only having enough time to read part of her friend’s response.

Yer wee fox cub certainly’d like to show ye some wood-

Coughing to hide a laugh, Claire quickly drops her phone down into the bag at her feet as Jamie slides back into the car.

“Ye alright, Sassenach? Want me to go inside, get ye a drink?”

Shaking her head, she smiles and settles into her seat. “No. I’m fine, just eager to go. My expert navigation skills have us at the bed and breakfast by supper.”

The trip from home to the quaint town they’ve read about along the coast is nearly a three-hour road trip on its own. After spending most of the day on Friday making sure things will run smoothly for Jenny and Ian at the farmer’s market, their stop for petrol has them on the lengthiest part of the drive just after three in the afternoon. The temperature is a comfortable 13 Celsius, nice enough to crack the windows and breathe crisp autumn air once they hit the open road. They chat about various things each of them have been meaning to get to (Claire reminds him about the never-ending search for the perfect bedding; Jamie floats the idea of an all-family vacation to one of the cabins near the loch for winter holiday) and weigh the pros and cons of eventually adopting a cat versus a dog.

“I can run wi’ a dog,” Jamie patiently explains, as if that alone should be the winning argument.

“Well, while you run, I can laze around with a cat reading a book and drinking tea,” she responds just as matter-of-factly. “Besides, you don’t run more than once a day, but the dog definitely needs to go out more often than that. How eager are you to put on clothes at eleven p.m.?”

“Ye do tend to have me thoroughly undressed by ten,” Jamie muses, smiling at her soft thwap against his shoulder. “Dogs alert ye to intruders, they like to play, and they can obey.”

“Oh,” Claire scoffs. “Is that what you’re looking for? Something to obey you?”

“I’m no’ generally the commanding type,” Jamie retorts. Anyone trying to command Claire Beauchamp was never going to get very far, in any case. “I only meant they can learn tae do things.”

“Well, so can cats! And they don’t need to be held by the paw to go to the bathroom. I’m right about this.”

“I dinna have anythin’ against havin’ a cheetie, ye ken,” Jamie points out. “My mam had one when I was a wee lad, I liked it fine.”

Claire turns to face him, head tilting to the side. “What was its name?”

Jamie smiles in reflection, sparing a glance at her while he drives. “Adso. He was a fierce hunter, chased away all the mice and ate what dared to linger. She loved that cat until—” He trails off, quiet for a beat before finishing. “No’ long after she died, Adso disappeared. No one remembers seeing him after that, at least.”

Out of habit, Claire rests a hand on his thigh, but as he reaches down for her she meets him halfway, tangling their fingers together. “Adso was truly your mother’s. That’s beautiful, Jamie.”

For a few minutes the memory lingers, the image of his mother curled up with the kitten suddenly swimming to the surface. He can remember the sound of her calling out sweetly for her cat, and the rediscovered memory sways his decision.

“When we’re finally settled after the honeymoon, we’ll see about a cheetie of our own,” Jamie promises, wrapping up the debate for good.

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

She didn’t mean to drift, and she’s alarmed to find herself alone in a still car when her eyes open. Before she can wonder too long, Jamie appears, exiting a quaint-looking home that she realizes must be Eskview Farm in St. Cyrus: the true starting point of the road trip. They’re staying for two evenings, planning a day at the beach (in jeans and jumpers) before heading out on the 30th toward Aberdeen. From there, it’s onward to Slains Castle just in time for Samhein, the questionably haunted portion of their road trip beginning and ending with a tour of Bram Stoker’s inspiration.

Getting out of the car, Claire stretches and Jamie detours, moving to her side instead of grabbing a bag from the boot.

“You were snorin’,” he teases, leaning in to brush his lips against hers.

“If I was, it was only because I found myself quite content,” she explains, granting him another kiss as she leans back against the car. “Our first road trip.”

“First road trip. How’s it feel, Sassenach?”

She smiles as she presses her lips to his cheek, then grazes his stubble with the tip of her nose. “How it always feels to be with you.”

Jamie’s lips find the crook of her neck, one hand wandering under her shirt, caressing her back slowly. “And how does that feel?” he whispers in inquiry, dropping a kiss to her pulse.

Claire feels as though she’s standing on a swaying ship, closing her eyes as warmth blooms in her belly. “It feels like an adventure with you, Jamie. Every day.” Sinking into him, her arms loop around his waist as her face nuzzles against his shoulder. When she speaks, her voice is muffled, but she doesn’t move. “And you cannot feel me up in the parking lot of our bed and breakfast.”

“And why no’?” Jamie asks, lips trailing to her collarbone now.

Her eyes drift to the porch and the pleasant-looking elderly woman eyeing them. “Because I think the proprietor is on the porch,” she laughs softly, stifling it against his shoulder. “I’m ready for a shower, though. With company.”

Distraction accomplished (and faster than she expected), they’re shown to a room exploding with lace and doilies, a teddy bear draped in a strand of pearls sitting on the dresser. Once they’re alone, Claire stops trying to hide her laughter and raises an eyebrow. “Someone not take a glance at the photo gallery before booking?”

Jamie, having opened the closet door, stands frozen to the spot. “Sassenach, I cannae think of words tae properly describe what I’m seein’, so just come look.”

Curious, Claire goes to his side, peeking in, and lets out another bark of a laugh as a row of wooden puppets stares down at them from the top shelf. “Well, this is supposed to be a spooky road trip.”

“Spooky and creepy are verra different things,” Jamie feels the need to point out as he firmly closes the door again, tugging off his shirt.

“How so?” she asks, heading into the bathroom to turn on the shower.

He follows her, shedding shoes and jeans in his wake. “Creepy is more on the weird side, ye ken? Like perhaps a person who has that many wooden puppets has other things in her cupboards. But spooky is just aesthetic, Sassenach.”

She scoffs, looking over her shoulder and appreciating the fact that he’s made quick work of his clothing. “I must say, I feel properly educated on the subject now. Thank you.” Draping her arms over his shoulders, she pecks his lips lightly before pressing closer. “I see I’m suddenly overdressed.”

“And the shower was your idea, even. I see what yer up to, distracting me from gropin’ ye in the parkin’ lot.”

Claire laughs, delighted at him — at them — and lets him undress her, if only to feel his fingers against her skin as he exposes it. “You can grope me just as well in the shower, you know.” The last word is a soft exhale as his fingers graze up her sides, pushing her shirt up as he goes and leaving goosebumps in his wake.

“Aye, I plan to. Dinna fash about that,” he breathes out against her clavicle, hands reaching behind her back to unhook her bra, gently pushing the straps down her shoulders. As he pulls the garment away, Jamie steps back to admire her — topless, in jeans, still wearing her practical walking shoes.

Tugging at her hand, he pulls her to the mirror, grinning at her reflection. “Ye look ridiculous right now.” She’s laughing too hard to respond, shoulders shaking with it. “I mean, it is a look, Sassenach.”

“Would you shut up and get me naked, please?” Claire finally sputters, heaving out a breath as she tries to stop herself from another round of hysterics.

Laughing with her, he unbuttons her jeans, turning her around to kiss her laughing mouth as he pushes them down her body. “I could distract ye wi’ bawdy things.”

Her laughter catches and she clears her throat. “Do go on. What sort of bawdy things will you do to me while the puppets listen?”

It’s his turn to laugh and he does, loudly against her ear. “Nevermind, ye ruined it."

“We’ve wasted enough hot water,” she decides, kicking off her shoes and shimmying the rest of the way out of her jeans, even as he pushes her knickers (with wee hearts on them; a joke gift on her birthday before the real gift of the skimpiest things he’d ever bought) down her legs.

Once all offending pieces are discarded, they step into the bath-shower-combination together, realizing the tight squeeze almost immediately.

“You know,” Claire begins. “Every movie and television show I’ve ever watched would have me believe sex in the shower is effortless. Easy, even.”

There’s hardly room to turn around, let alone do any groping, and Jamie graciously steps back to let Claire have the water. “This is why we never tried it before,” he points out. “I’m no’ prepared to break a hip on vacation.”

With a smirk, Claire wets her hair while facing him. “I’m glad you’re more practical than horny. My own hips thank you.”

When she turns her back to him, Jamie wordlessly reaches for one of the decorative (but unlabeled) bottles, sniffs it, and determines based on color and smell it must be the shampoo. Lathering it into her hair, he massages her scalp in the tamest of ways, but his cock is doing very little to help with his restraint.

“If either of us breaks anything then we cannae have one another for Christ knows how long, so I’m no’ willin’ to risk it,” he supplies practically, working on her hair until she has a well-shaped soap afro and letting her go to rinse—his favorite part.

Closing her eyes, Claire reaches up, working the water through her hair. “Then I suppose we’ll be boring and wait for bed,” she teases, scrunching her nose as soap drips down her face.

Jamie reaches up to wipes the offending suds away, then looks at the high edges of the tub. “I do have an idea. No’ quite what they write in bodice rippers, but somethin’.” As she finishes rinsing her hair, Jamie pushes the shower curtain behind his body before sitting on the edge of the bathtub. Her hips are at the perfect height, and he grins while dragging a finger over her skin.

Turning to rinse any lingering soap from her face, Claire finally finishes and eyes him warily. “What are you going to do?”

Carefully ensuring she doesn’t slip, Jamie pulls her closer and coaxes her left foot up onto the edge of the tub. When his gaze shifts to the view directly in front of his eyes, any half-hardness of his cock goes to full attention. It’s enough to make him groan, lips pressing to her stomach.

“Christ, ye have no idea how mind-blowin’ ye are.”

After his words, his tongue traces the crease where hip joins torso, feeling her shiver despite the warmth of the shower.

“I have—” her words falter, breath hitching as his fingers part her. “—you doing this. I know how to take a hint.” One of her hands pushes through his hair, and gripping a handful of said curls, she presses her hips forward against his mouth.

“Impatient,” he scolds, but the words are muffled as he’s helpless to fulfill her request. He can’t imagine what would need to be wrong with him to deny her, and he hopes to never discover it. His tongue teases around the enticing warmth of her, but his focus shifts to nerves already taut with anticipation. He waits for half a heartbeat before slowly circling his tongue around it, feeling her hand tighten in his hair, her curls brushing the top of his head as her own bows.

With one hand wrapped around her calf to keep her steady, the other moves to her opposite hip while his mouth devours her, doing all of the work. He grunts at the feel of her thigh against the side of his head, absorbing each tremble until her body pitches forward a bit. That’s when he begins listening: to the sweetest sounds that exist just for him, his own private performance.

When she’s close, when pleasure causes her hips to writhe of their own accord, she makes a keening sound; head falling back as her lips part, cheeks flushed the sweetest hue of pink, curls skimming the pearlescent expanse of her shoulders. A high-pitched cry comes next as she tenses, the skin right between her eyebrows furrowing as she chases her climax. Two letters, a gasped out “Ja—” is all the warning he has before a loud, unchecked moan fills the room, not at all drowned out by the sound of the shower. One hand is buried in his hair, while the other clutches his shoulder, leaving red half-moon marks in the wake of her pleasure.

Lapping at the fruits of his labor, Jamie hums in contentment, tongue lazily gliding along warm, slick flesh before nosing at soft curls and finally kissing her hip. As everything in her eases and relaxes, he gently lowers her leg, his arm sliding around her waist as he stands. He gathers her close, standing sideways with her in the shower as his lips find hers for a series of soft, tender kisses. Without prompting, he reaches for the soap and washes her, slowly bringing her down from her high with more touch, this time soothing instead of lust-filled.

When she can finally move again, Claire reaches out to cradle his face in her hands, smiling in blissed-out contentment. “I think I might have to marry you.”

Having previously deemed the shower too dangerous for more strenuous activities, they finish washing and step out, lazily drying in favor of kissing and touching again.

“I cannae be near ye and not want ye,” Jamie confesses against the hollow of her throat as she leans back against the vanity. After a brief pause to plant a kiss over her heart, his mouth envelops a nipple, the warm curve of her breast still damp from the shower.

With one hand braced behind her on the bathroom counter, her other reaches out to drag up and down his back. Claire’s eyes close, head tilting back as she encourages him. “I don’t have it in me to mind.” Her final word is said on a sharp gasp as the tip of his cock presses insistently against her. His mouth hasn’t stopped, moving to the opposite breast to shower it with the same affection as his hands begin lifting. She expects to be moved to the counter, but instead, he coaxes her legs around his waist once he comes up for air.

“Tell me I can have ye now,” he pants across her cheek, beginning to make his way out of the bathroom toward the bed.

“You can have me, Jamie. You can always have me.” Her lips fuse to his, and in a display of exactly how weak he is, she finds herself pressed against the wall, feet from the bed. Before she can tease him, he’s inside of her, and whatever thoughts she once had are replaced by a series of white bursts of light behind closed eyelids. Her hands grasp at his shoulders, frantically trying to find solid purchase on the scarred terrain of his back as he anchors her between his body and the wall.

Forgetting that they aren’t, in fact, in their own home, an unrestrained moan tumbles from her lips, so loud that it makes his own ears ring. Jamie slams forward, doing nothing to help keep her quiet as he sinks deeply into her. His loud groan is swallowed by her mouth, though there’s no resemblance to a kiss thanks to both of them gasping for lungfuls of air. He can tell that she’s focused again by the way she tugs her bottom lip between her teeth and digs her heels into his lower back. She’s close, but not close enough, which has him sneaking a hand between them, only just able to reach her clit with his thumb. It’s plenty; she jerks as though touched by a live wire, and as her body contracts around him, he holds a thrust while burying his face against her neck. Letting her carry him with her, both of them breathlessly whimper the other’s name as waves of pleasure begin to recede.

It’s firm knocking on the door that brings first Jamie, then Claire, out of their post-sex stupor, still slumped against the wall. He lowers her gently to the ground, and when her legs are no longer as wobbly as a new foal’s, he steps back, tossing on jeans and answering the door sans shirt. While he does, Claire revisits the bathroom, cleaning herself up a bit until she hears the door close and lock.

“What was that about?” she asks curiously, making her way to the bed and crawling in naked.

“We’re deviants,” Jamie replies casually, laying on the bed and shifting so that she can drape over him. “It was the person next room over. Apparently, ye sound like a dying coo, Sassenach.”

“Excuse me?”

“I didna say it! The woman next door did. I politely disagreed, and she told me that to answer the door in such a state of undress was a mark on my puir soul.”

“Was she about eighty years of age?” Claire mutters, blushing a little.

Laughing, Jamie pulls her closer, kissing her forehead. “Closer to eighty-five, I think. I promised her we’d be leavin’ after breakfast in the morning and until then, no more rude noises.”

“You think they’re rude?”

“I happen to find them verra adorable. Sexy too, if it helps,” he playfully taunts.

She huffs, pretending to be greatly put out. “And what if I wanted to try and get you to make rude noises before 5 a.m?”

With a smirk, Jamie curves a hand around her hip. “If ye’re awake before 5 a.m. on our vacation, Sassenach, I’ll make all the wee noises ye’d like.”

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

Morning comes (but not either of them, thanks to Claire sleeping straight through the alarm), and after a few impolite stares from other breakfast goers, Jamie and Claire wander along the beach, properly freezing before driving into town to shop (Jamie buys a ridiculously priced book of Scottish poems printed in the 18th century, Claire sneakily buys cufflinks to give Jamie before their wedding), have lunch, and spend the rest of the afternoon at a whiskey distillery in Aberdeen. Research, he says, and she agrees to a point—until they walk out more than a few pounds lighter. Still, there isn’t much to worry about as the day begins to fade and they make their way back to the bed and breakfast.

As politely as they can, they rush through supper before escaping to their room; both of them miss the look of contempt shot at them from their neighbor in the corner.

Once their road trip resumes, Claire takes over the driving, opting for an Eagles playlist as the low background music. A half-hour in, Jamie reaches behind Claire to retrieve a bag from the backseat, rummaging while he explains himself.

“I told Jen we were goin’ on this trip and she suggested we borrow a game she bought a while back.”

“A game?” Claire asks with suspicious wariness, glancing at him as he settles back in his seat with a plastic bag full of small square cards.

“Aye, she bought it for a dinner party, when we started havin’ vendors to the farm for get-togethers. To break the ice, ye pick a card and ask the room whatever the question is and everyone answers.”

“It sounds like something you do when you work in a business office and go to company retreats,” she says dryly, looking behind her to change lanes. “And I’m driving, I can’t stop to read.”

“Come on, Sassenach, it’ll be fun. I’ll read them all, but every other card, I’ll answer first. Deal?”

“What could you possibly not know about me by now?”

Jamie takes that as his cue to draw a card and read it off. “‘Have ye ever bought anythin’ from a TV infomercial?’” He looks at her expectantly. “Weel?”

“As a matter of fact, yes, and I’m not ashamed of it like that question implies I should be.” There’s a slight huff at the end, but when he looks over, he sees the corner of her upper lip twitch as she tries to suppress a smile in favor of mock annoyance.

“What was it then? Can I guess?”

Now it’s impossible to hide her smile. “You can try. But it was years before I met you and I don’t own it anymore.”

“Oh, so it worked sae well ye got rid of it?”

“No. I lost track of it during a move and never bothered to replace it. Tell me what you’re thinking it could be,” Claire retorts, deciding maybe the game is alright after all.

“A kitchen gadget?” he attempts on his first try, then goes through various electronic gadgets, home remedy devices, and articles of clothing before giving up.

“A towel,” Claire tells him succinctly.

“A towel? One single towel ye ordered off of television?”

“Specifically for drying my hair. It had a tab in the back to secure it like a turban until these curls were as dry as they could get without assistance,” she explains. “What have you bought from an infomercial?”

“Nothin’ at all, I can honestly say. Do they even have them anymore?”

“Towels?”

“No, ye wee brat. Infomercials.”

Laughing, she shrugs in genuine ignorance. “If they do, I haven’t seen one in a while. What’s the next question?”

Glad to see her seemingly into the idea of the game, he pulls another card. “Alright. I’ll answer first. The question is ‘do ye possess any of the qualities of yer astrological sign?’ Claire, I couldna tell ye at all. I ken I’m a Taurus, but after that, ‘tis a mystery.”

“Geillis is really into horoscopes, you know. She told me that apparently you’re supposed to be devoted and responsible, so lucky me. Stubbornness happens to be a trait of your sign, and the more we talk, the more I think there might be something to that. You know what else a Taurus likes?”

“No, but I’m interested to hear,” Jamie declares, wondering when this conversation with her neighbor happened.

“Apparently, and I wouldn’t know anything about this, you’re supposed to be good with your hands.” When she glances at him, her grin is so toothy that they both laugh, spending a few seconds recovering from it.

“I’m ashamed to admit I’m no’ even sure what your sign is. What are you supposed to be like, accordin’ to October twentieth?”

“I’m a Libra. You’ll have to tell me if I’m gracious, diplomatic, and indecisive, with a love of the outdoors.”

Leaning back as if to appraise her, Jamie ponders it. “I’ve never kent ye to be indecisive. Careful to choose, perhaps, but no’ unable to make up yer mind. And either ye love the outdoors or the acting ye do at the farm is award-worthy.”

Claire smiles, reaching out to rest her hand on his arm for a second. “I love it. All of it, everything that comes with you and Lallybroch.” Her life before him of simply waking up and going to work was status quo for so long that the moment James Fraser stepped into her life, it was as if an entire world had opened up to her. Family and togetherness, love and warmth. Every single bit of her happiness comes from that farm.

“Next question?”

Pulling a card, his face softens. “What’s the most beautiful drive ye’ve ever taken, Sassenach?” She smiles at him sweetly; it’s a quick glance that feels as though it lasts forever, a moment neither of them wants to forget, and so it seems to stretch on. In unison, they answer.

“This one.”

“‘Which American landmark would ye most like to see?’ The Grand Canyon I think, aye? We’ve both talked about that one,” Jamie answers first.

Humming her agreement, Claire adds on to the wishlist. “I want to see the older parts of the country. The original Colonies, where it’s all the most historic.”

“Perhaps in ten years or so, we could take a trip, visit museums and the like,” he offers.

In confusion, she balks. “A decade? Why are we waiting a decade to visit America?”

His shrug is easy as he draws another card. “Our first bairn would be school age, able to appreciate it more, aye?”

As Claire stops at an intersection, she takes the time to look at him, eyes moving over his face and expressing a dozen things she doesn’t say aloud. Instead, as she begins to drive again, she agrees with him. “According to your rigorous baby-making schedule? Yes, we’ll have a nice school-aged child and probably two others by then.”

Jamie’s laughing as he looks at the next card, then makes a noise in the back of his throat as he really reads what he’s pulled.

“What’s the hardest thing ye’ve ever done, Sassenach?”

The air in the car shifts as she thinks, straightening up in the seat. It’s with that question she realizes maybe he doesn’t know some things. The things she doesn’t talk about, the things she’s pushed to the furthest recesses of her mind in favor of not sinking into pieces of her past.

“I can draw another,” he offers after her silence stretches for a full minute.

Shaking her head, Claire wets her lips. “No, it’s fine. I don’t think I’ve ever thought about it, really. I mean, I haven’t thought about it—” She pauses again and looks at him from her peripheral vision before focusing on the road. “The first time I told someone their loved one didn’t make it. It was only my fifth surgery, a young man. He was twenty-three; he’d been biking with his friends and swerved to avoid a pothole, but his rear tire caught it.”

It really wasn’t her fault he died on the table. She knows that now; but then, younger and hearing the single monotone beep after her hands had been trying to save a life, it felt as though she’d killed him herself.

“He crashed into a metal fence, the kind with the sharp point at the tip? One went right through him, and I did the surgery. Everything went fine, I thought. I had no idea there was a nicked artery and he was bleeding elsewhere. When he died...telling his parents, his beautiful young wife…that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Jamie watches Claire as she speaks, watches her face, her hands on the steering wheel. He checks to see if she’s white-knuckling it at any point, and listens as she checks herself for wobbles in her voice. He knows her, knows her heart, and realizes that must have taken a toll. “But ye got through it?” he asks quietly, reaching over to rest his hand on her leg while she drives in a show of quiet support.

“It took a long time,” she admits, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “Those don’t get easier, ever, but the first one is always the most difficult. And the hardest part was convincing myself that it wasn’t my fault.” She’ll never forget any of the wails she’s heard, will never forget the people waiting at the hospital alone who had no one to comfort them but her.

Exhaling again, she drops her hand to squeeze his. “Your turn.”

Even when she replaces her hand on the steering wheel, Jamie keeps his own on her leg as he answers. “Watching my da slowly lose it after my mam died.” His eyes move to the window, unable to look at Claire as he speaks. “I’ll always think he died of a broken heart, dinna care how cliche it sounds.”

“I don’t think it sounds cliche. I think he lost the most important person in his life,” she soothes. Once she’s on a long stretch of straight road, her hand drops again to cover his.

“He truly didna want to go on wi’ out her. Her death, Willie’s, they broke him, and he was never going to be the same. When he died, it was almost a relief, Sassenach,” Jamie confesses quietly. “To ken he’d be wi’ her again, that he was no longer here in a state of perpetual grief. He tried to be brave. You would have liked him, I think. I ken for sure he would have loved ye, Claire.”

“I wish I could have met him. Your father sounds like he was a wonderful man, Jamie.” A wonderful man who raised an incredible son. Claire isn’t sure what she believes — if her parents and uncle will be waiting to greet her when she dies — but she does know one thing for sure. “If I ever lost you, I don’t know if I would be any different.”

His hand squeezes around hers before raising it to his lips in a soft kiss against her inner wrist. “I’ll try to never go where ye cannae come wi’ me, Sassenach.”

She doesn’t hesitate in her answer. “Then I promise the same.”

They can’t — not really — but the words are sweet, the sentiment real.

Time melts away and she loses track of how many questions they’ve answered before she warns him they’re ten minutes away from the castle.

“Last one then,” he concludes. “If ye could do something dangerous just once, with no risk, what would ye do?”

Claire has to think about it, then hedges her answer. “Where are we on the danger scale?”

“I would jump out of a plane. Or perhaps let NASA launch me into space.”

“You’re out of your fucking mind,” she retorts with a scoff. “You’re never jumping out of a plane or anything close to it. Especially not with your plan for ten children.”

Jamie snickers as he puts the cards away, spying a road sign to Slains Castle. “I do have a different answer if ye’re interested. No’ really dangerous physically, but it could be a financial disaster if it doesna go right.”

She knows this has to be about the farm, and she looks at him curiously after making the final turn of the trip. “What is it?”

He hesitates, and she’s pulling up to the dilapidated ruins before he answers. Once the car is in park, he turns to look at her fully. “I want to expand into America. Once we finish wi’ the distillery, I want to market to restaurateurs and chefs in the States.”

She can tell he’s nervous about broaching it; she knows it will take a lot of late nights and frequent travel on his part. She studies his face for a moment before unbuckling her seatbelt in order to reach over and cradle his face in her hands. It’s an awkward position thanks to the center console, but she’s determined to make it work.

“You should do it. Do it because you’re afraid. Do it because I’ll be here to help along the way.” She pauses to kiss him softly. “Do it because I know you won’t go through with anything you don’t believe in, Jamie.”

A swell of emotion makes his eyes narrow a bit, the underlying surprise turning into a small, pleased smile. “Ye dinna think it’s too risky?”

Claire kisses him again before she pulls back to turn off the car, opening the door as she answers. “It’s going to be the riskiest thing you’ll ever do with our money,” she corrects, but after walking around to the passenger side of the car and opening the door, she waits until he’s out to finish her thought. “I’m not going to say ‘no risk, no reward.’”

“Oh, thank Christ. It’s uninspired.” His hands come to rest on her hips as his eyes study her face intently. “You’re serious, though? About looking into expanding, what it would take?”

Looking around at the currently unoccupied grounds, she walks with him toward the unattractive, not at all well-kept castle—a rarity for historical buildings in Scotland, as far as she’s observed. “I’m serious, Jamie. You’d never be happy knowing you could be doing more. You should look into it, find out what Ian thinks, and see about getting in touch with your cousin Jared? It’s different than wine, but he might have some useful contacts in the liquor business.”

Jamie has to stop solely to reach for her, ignoring the scenery around them and focusing on this woman he’ll be calling his wife in six months. With his hands at her sides, his forehead presses to hers. “You have no idea how incredible ye are. Everything I’ve done and all that I want to do, I’m no’ ever worried it’s too much to put ye through.”

“Silly man,” she says with a soft smile, nuzzling the side of his nose with her own. “Nothing about you could ever be too much.” Kissing him with a quiet, content sigh against his lips, she reaches for his hand after stepping away. “Now. Explore a castle before sunset with me?”

Following her lead and seeing a grand total of three other tourists while exploring, he listens while she tells him everything she knows about the castle, including that it was once difficult to determine which areas had been outdoor spaces and which were actually interior rooms. It was a confusing space, and as they cross the property to look out at the cliffs, she stands close enough to Jamie that an arm winds around her without thinking much about it.

“Are ye pleased wi’ yer Samhein road trip, Sassenach? Is this terrifyin’ enough for ye?”

“It isn’t what I thought it would be after reading the book,” she notes idly. “I had no expectations, and the view is beautiful. The drive was worth it. This just feels...I don’t know. Cold.”

“Could be that it’s currently freezin’ out,” Jamie notes, getting an elbow to the side for his wit. “Could ye imagine livin’ in a castle? Having meals in great rooms, wandering the stone halls wi’ a torch.”

“Is that how you imagine us? Living in a castle with a staff to wait on us hand and foot?” They walk to the interior of the castle now, stopping in a room with a fireplace. “This could have been a bedroom, for all we know. Imagine a large bed with four posts. A crackling fireplace.”

She’s stepped away from him to look into various nooks and crannies, and it gives him the opportunity to wrap his arms around her from behind. “I’m certainly imagining a few specific things,” he murmurs, dropping a kiss to the side of her neck.

“Of course you are,” she says with a smile so large he can feel the way her body relaxes with it.

“I’m thinking of making love to ye on the floor wi’ a bear skin rug beneath us. A fire going in the hearth.”

Closing her eyes, she tries to picture it, the way the room would have looked and felt; dark, probably, with the hearth doubling as warmth and light. “Would you mind it much? Not having electricity or modern conveniences?”

“If you were wi’ me? Nah,” he murmurs as he turns her to face him, dropping a kiss to her lips. “Dinna think I would mind much at all, so long as we were together.”

Pressing closer to escape the chill, her arms wrap fully around him as he reciprocates and both of them sink into one another.

“Are you happy?” Claire suddenly inquires, whispering the question as they stand together in the ruins.

“I dinnae ken if how happy I am can be measured properly. I’m happy to be here wi’ ye right now. Happy to do all of this driving, happy to be marrying ye, Claire.” Moving his fingers under her chin, he tilts her head up in order to deepen their kiss.

She gives in easily, lips parting as his tongue does a very thorough exploration of her mouth. As he does, her hands wander, dragging to the button of his jeans. “We may not have the furs or the fire, but I could certainly see about making you a little happier,” she offers with a coy grin, then pauses. “Unless there are qualms.” Her raised eyebrows suggest she knows there will be exactly zero qualms.

“If I tell ye to stop, it’ll only be on account of unexpected company. But at some point, my brain willna work and ye’ll be on yer own.”

“Well,” she begins, unzipping his jeans and pushing them down as her hands cup equal handfuls of a heavenly sculpted backside. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” When she kisses him, she can feel his laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“You. How long have ye been thinkin’ about this?”

“Honestly?” she asks, backing him up a couple of feet until he can brace against what she hopes is a sturdy wall.

“Aye, of course.” His eyes follow her movements as she sinks to her knees in front of him, but she delays answering to softly kiss along the line of his pelvis. It’s enough to convince his cock as one hand reaches for her hair.

“On the cliffs.” She licks her palm, wraps her hand around him, and begins a slow stroke. “You were taking a picture of the view.”

“Really got ye goin’?”

Instead of saying anything in return, Claire presses her lips to the tip of him before using both mouth and hand to show him exactly how inspirational she found his body in profile. Dragging her tongue along the underside of his cock, she hums in response to his long, low groan as one hand holds onto his thigh.

“Christ, Sassenach, do that again,” Jamie requests, panting, eyes so dark they nearly look black as he watches her intently.

She does as he asks, letting her tongue travel the length of him, slower this time. The way he shudders makes her own arousal ache pleasantly, so she indulges in the action once more. After repeating the action a fourth time, her mouth moves away in order to kiss along his inner thighs softly, giving him a moment to catch his breath. Each shaky inhale is a point of pride, and when he least suspects, Claire’s mouth moves around him again, this time finding a rhythm and not moving away.

With one hand pressing flat against the wall behind him, the other tangles in her hair. He doesn’t move her, but rather uses her curls to anchor himself. He focuses on the feel of them, the way they stretch but spring back to life instantly. He thinks of anything to keep from coming too soon, though she certainly is hell-bent.

“I’m no’—” he curses in Gaelic, wondering if this is how she feels when he’s greedy for her. “Mas e do thoil e, Sassenach,” he pleads, and the hand against the old castle wall attempts to clutch the stone as his body begins to tense.

It’s impossible to resist when he says please, and so she moves intently, closing her eyes as she focuses not on what she’s doing necessarily, but on him. The way the pads of his fingers grip her shoulders instead of his nails (she offers no such courtesy), and the way he’s careful not to actually pull her hair. His breathing, where before he took controlled but shaky breaths, is now panting gasps, each sound beginning to hitch. When she knows he’s going to come, one hand drags its way up his inner thigh to feel the way his muscles tighten, and the loud groan of her name is enough that she can feel the vibration from his body to her palm.

He loses it completely after that, head dropping back as his vision darkens and he’s sure he’s left his body. When pleasure begins to ebb and his heart seems content not to pound out of his chest, Jamie still can’t open his eyes. Her hands are warm on his body, but eventually she tucks him back into his boxers and jeans before standing. It’s then that he finally looks at her, a lopsided and lazy grin greeting her.

“Are you happy, Sassenach?”

As his arms envelop her, Claire rests her head so that she can listen to the now-normal beat of his heart.

“Aye, Jamie,” she replies, kissing his chest tenderly before raising her head to look at him. “I am.”

[chonisbestmistake]

Missed opportunities and second chances

Lisa x Female!Reader

Warnings: fluff, angst

Word count: 1,545

Summary: You broke up with Lisa almost three years ago. Then you met Jennie at the store and this is not something she expected. At all.

NOTE: There`s no interaction between Lisa and the reader, it`s more of a platonic!Jennie x reader. BUT we`ll get there in part 2. Oh, and in this universe Lisa is ... extraordinary. 

A squeal behind your back caught your attention and you turned around to see your little girl grab a huge teddy bear from a lower shelf and hug it tightly. Some people eyed her curiously, startled by the noise, and you sighed, stepping back from the shelves with dairy products.

"Mommy I want that!" She huffed intensely when you came closer and you couldn't help but smile at her.

"Baby, we've talked about this. We don't scream in supermarkets, do we?" You lowered to her level and patted her head slightly. "And no, you've got tons of bears at home, you don't need this one, Vanessa."

Her eyes instantly widened and she shook her head quickly.

"I'm sorry I forgot, mommy. But Johnny and Nick need a new friend! And Julie too!" She pouted dramatically, referring to her old teddy bears and you winced, affected by her puppy eyes, knowing too well you already lost this battle.

"Uh, but not this one, honey. He's too big, he can't fit into Johnny's house, can he?" You reached out to take the bear away and your girl already went off to choosing the smaller toy with sparkling eyes, happy with that alternative.

"This one?" She asked, showing a little bear with brown fur and blue-ish eyes.

"Okay, but only one." She nodded in a hurry. 

"Then let's go". You took her hand and made your way to the line. The new bear was already cuddled by your daughter and safely brought to the cashier. You paid for everything quickly and made your way out, Nessie already engaged in the conversation with her new fluffy friend.

While leaving the store, you suddenly collided with the body and nearly fell on the ground. You groaned, biting back a curse, knowing full well Vanessa would remember it if you`re not careful.

"Y/N?" 

Your eyes widened dramatically at the sight of the woman in front of you. She looked just as startled, mouth agape.

“Jennie?”

“It`s been like... two years? Oh my God.”

“Three actually. But, yeah.” You replied, your mind finally started to process things. 

She was just the same - chubby cheeks, cute smile, in all black. And...alone? She was indeed without any managers breathing down her neck and that was just as unexpected as seeing her in the middle of Seoul at the grocery store.

“I`m so happy to see you! We have so much to talk about, I swear.” She hugged you tightly and you returned it without feeling any awkwardness as you thought you would have.

The first year without the familiar four girls was the hardest, but you managed to do it. You were stubborn enough to prove yourself you could live your life without them. Without her. Without Lisa. She was the love of your life, but this same life was too cruel to let you stay in each other`s arms. She was an idol, after all. All of them were and you, an ordinary person, just couldn't fit into her busy world. You had too different paces of living and it all exploded at some point, as it was expected. You couldn`t go on like that, feeling empty and alone most of the time, so you let her be, even if she didn`t want to go at first. Constant bickering turned into full-on arguments with screaming and flying plates and you two fell out like it was nothing, erasing everything that was connecting you to each other. Memories, phone numbers, even your friends. You didn`t want them to choose, to suffer, so you let them go too. That was easier. Of course, you still loved her. But now this love was like a shadow of something you had back then, a distant memory. And it was okay. You grew older, you had your own little family. You moved on. The only thing you couldn`t move on from - is being with somebody else, not her. You told yourself it was just a period, a phase that was lasting for too long now, but who could ever replace Lisa?

You came back from your thoughts and glanced at your child. Nessie was still in her own little world, talking quietly with the stuffed animal right by your side.

“It`s a miracle we met here. But why are you alone? What if someone sees you?” You asked, worried about unnecessary attention from the fans -  an old habit of yours you got back when all five of you would sneak out of the dorm for unexpected walks.

“Ah, that`s okay, we`ve got much more freedom since our fifth anniversary, so no more managers around me all the time. Finally. And fans think I`m still in Greece on a vacation, so don`t worry.” She sighed, showing her famous gummy smile, and you felt like these three years without seeing each other weren't really there. After all this time you still considered yourself as her friend, even if you lost touch almost two years ago.

“No, you`ll love Johnny, he`s a sweetheart, I'm telling you!” Vanessa was still in a deep conversation with her new stuffed toy and you couldn`t help but giggle at the scene.

“Oh my God, Y/N, who`s your little friend?” Jennie crouched down and looked at her with wide eyes. She absolutely loved children and couldn't help talking to each and everyone she met. “Are you babysitting this cutie pie?”

“I, actually..uh-”

“Mommy, Nicki`s tired, let`s go home!” Nessie held up her teddy bear and pointed at it, pouting. Only then she noticed Jennie and clenched the toy close to her chest, smiling shyly. The woman in front of you gasped visibly and you chuckled at her reaction.

“This is your kid? When did you? How? Oh my God, you`re such a cutie!” Jennie`s eyes were flying from yourself to your daughter and back again. She was surprised, yet seemed happy at the idea.

“Yeah. Nessie, this is Jennie, my old friend. Can you say hi?” You caught your daughter`s uncertain look and smiled reassuringly. She stepped forward, letting go of your hand and grinned sweetly.

“Hi, aunty Jennie, I'm Vanessa. Nice to meet you!” And just like that, she held her little fist up in anticipation. Jennie`s eyes widened for a second and her eyes sparkled with joy. They fist-bumped each other (Nessie’s habit of greeting new people) and you smiled affectionately. “I like your hair!”

“Why thank you! And nice to meet you too, sweetie. You`re so cute!” Jennie was practically beaming.

“This is Nicky! We just bought her there. Now she`s gonna live with us too.” Vanessa showed her the stuffed toy, pointing at the store behind you. “But she is little, that`s why she`s sleepy.”

“I see. She`s beautiful!” Nessie showed her toothy smile and Jennie returned it in a second. “How old are you, cutie?”

“I`m..two!” She counted her little fingers and lifted them up to Jennie`s face enthusiastically. Then Vanessa yawned, rubbing her eyes and Jennie cooed. Brunette's eyes found yours. 

“Who`s the lucky person?” She asked, referring to your love life.

“Uh... no one. There`s no one.” You averted your eyes, biting your tongue. “I haven`t... No one could replace her, Jennie.” You looked in her eyes again and there was the same guilty expression you had seen on her face years ago.

“We have a lot to talk about, Y/N. I’ve missed you. ” She said quietly as if being afraid of breaking you. But you were too strong for that now. You moved on, you were happy and you were going to show her that. 

You nodded your head, biting back a smile.

“And we will. But someone`s a little sleepy so we better go now.” You answered, rolling your eyes playfully at Nessie`s ‘Yeah, Nicky is very sleepy, mommy!’

“Sure, honey. Then we better hurry up, right?” Nessie went straight for a hug and Jennie nearly fell back, surprised by the sudden action.

“Bye-bye, auntie Jennie!” She stepped back and held up her arms, rubbing her eyes and silently asking for you to carry her. You did just that, lifting her up and feeling her head find your shoulder.

“You have the same number, right?” Jennie asked, standing up with the same gummy smile on her face, touched by the scene in front of her.

“Nope, but you have, right? I`ll text you.” You whispered, not wanting to wake up your already sleeping daughter.

“Sure. See you, Y/N.” She hugged you, careful not to wake Nessie up and made her way to the store. You sighed, not sure about your own feelings, and went to find your car.

*

You were already putting Vanessa to sleep at home, while on the other side of the town Jennie was sitting on a couch, deep in thought, revising your conversation in her head. You fell out with Lisa almost three years ago, you had a two-year-old daughter, but you were single, you said it yourself, right? But what if there still was someone and you didn`t want to tell Jennie about it? Someone you were hiding? But why? The whole image just couldn't get together in her head.

Her jaw almost hit the floor when the craziest idea came into her mind. What if...? Could Lisa be...?

[girls-scenarios]

Caught On Video

Idol: Rosé (BlackPink)

Prompt: blackpink rose scenario where reader wakes up from a surgery and is as high as a kite and rose and the other members of blackpink record it.

Writer: Admin Kiwi

A/N: This prompt was a little vague so I took some liberties with it, but I hope you all enjoy!

♡ Tip Jar♡

Rosé hadn’t intended to record you after the surgery. Actually, she had been tasked with taking care of you after your surgery, and she was going to do just that. The fact that you might say something silly or funny didn’t even occur to her until her members came over to “help.” Jisoo was the only one actually helping, as she’d cooked some soup and mashed potatoes for you to eat once your stomach had settled from the medication. Lisa and Jennie were just kind of along for the ride, although they’d brought flowers and a teddy bear with the words “get well soon” written across the front.

Of course, it was Lisa who suggested recording you. She’d walked over to say something to you where you laid on the couch, still sleepy from the surgery, and you’d blinked at her for a few minutes before mumbling “what’s up, buttercup?” in a raspy voice, slurring your words together. Immediately, her phone was whipped out, and she was grinning, skipping back to the other girls.

“They’re still high from the surgery,” she said, eyes twinkling, and Rosé narrowed her eyes, looking from her face to the phone in her hands.

“And? So what? Of course they are, they only got out of surgery like an hour ago.”

“You don’t get it.” She held up her phone, eyebrows raised. “Why would I have this out?”

“She thinks (Y/N) might say some weird things and she wants to record it,” Jennie translated, and Rosé rolled her eyes. She’d understood what Lisa was getting at, she just wasn’t sure if she wanted to record you.

“They’re still tired. We should let them rest for a while.”

“Talking wont hurt anything,” Jennie said, siding with Lisa, and Rosé looked back at Jisoo, who raised her hands.

“Don’t rope me into this.”

“Come on, Rosé, they might say something really funny! And it’ll be fun to play it back for them once they wake up.” Lisa pouted, putting her hands together, and  Rosé bit her lip, passing the two other girls to walk over to where you laid. As she approached, you opened your eyes, and she gave you a smile as she sat down at the end of the couch near your head.

“How are you feeling, babe?”

“I am cloud nine,” you said, smiling back up at her, obviously not knowing that you weren’t making any sense.

“I’m sure you are,” she said with a little giggle, and Lisa grinned.

“See? Funny.”

“Okay. But what we aren’t going to do is-.”

“Rosé! Rosie. Baby. I loveeeee youuuuu.” You reached up, patting Rosé’s cheek, and she went red, going silent in response. You were never this affectionate. Lisa’s phone was already out, and she raised her eyebrows, finger hovering over the “record” button.

“Should I do it?” She whispered.

“Sometimes I think I should kiss you on top of a mountain. Big mountain,” you said, nuzzling into Rosé’s side.

She choked on her own surprise and patted your head, letting out a stuttered response. “G-go for it.”

-

Later, long after you’d fallen asleep and the girls had left, Rosé sat at the table, watching the videos on her phone with a fond smile on her face. You weren’t usually super affectionate, so seeing you being sweet and affectionate made her heart jump around in her chest. She’d always known that you loved her, but today still made her feel giddy, happy to hear your feelings put into words. You’d also said a couple funny things that made her laugh, like asking if you still had a nose because you “couldn’t feel it” and blowing on your water thinking it was hot. But what stood out for her was the affection.

“What are you watching?”

She’d been so focused on the videos that she hadn’t noticed you shifting on the couch, awake after your nap. You still looked sleepy, wiping at your eyes and yawning, but you were obviously more aware than you’d been the last time you were awake. It seemed the medication had worn off. Smiling, she walked over to the couch and sat down beside you.

“Just some videos. How are you feeling?”

“Hungry. And I’m in a bit of pain,” you said truthfully.

“I’ll grab your medicine and some food. Jisoo made you some soup, do you want to try it?” She patted your arm affectionately and you nodded your head, prompting her to stand and walk back into the kitchen, focused on taking care of you.

After you’d taken your medicine and ate your soup, you were more awake, and you turned to her once again, asking about the video she’d been watching. “You seemed happy watching it. Was it funny?”

“Well....” She trailed off, before realizing you would be seeing the videos at some point anyway. Giving you a little smile, she pulled out her phone. “They’re actually of you.”

“Of me?” You looked confused at first, and then a look of dread fell over your face, making her laugh. “Oh my god, what did I say?”

“Don’t worry, you just said nonsense mostly. But you were super affectionate.” She chose one of the videos where you’d clung to her and handed the phone over. As you watched the video, your cheeks colored in embarrassment.

“I was really saying all of that?”

“You also blew on your water to quote ‘cool it down’ but it was cute.”

Burying your face in your hands, you let out a groan. “I can’t believe. This is so embarrassing!”

“Awe, baby,” she said, reaching up to pull your hands away and hold them in her own, gentle with you after the surgery. She gave you a sweet smile as you blinked at her, looking shy for the first time in a while. “I thought it was so cute and sweet. It was really nice to hear all those things from you, it made me all giddy.” She giggled. “You can see in those videos that I’m all flustered and blushing too.”

A slow smile moved over your face and you bit your lip. “Really?”

“Really. Plus, now you can never say that you don’t want to kiss me all the time. I have you saying it on camera.”

You let out a little laugh and shook your head, blushing up to the tips of your ears. “I’m never going to have surgery ever again. I don’t trust myself.”

“I hope you don’t have to,” she said softly, “I want you to be healthy and happy forever.”

For a moment, you were caught of guard by the moment of seriousness. Then, smiling, you leaned your head on her shoulder, closing your eyes. “I hope you’re healthy and happy forever, too. Thank you for taking care of me, even though you took videos of me.”

“Hey, this was Lisa’s idea,” she said, defending herself. “Plus, aren’t they kind of funny to look back on?”

You opened your eyes and looked down at the paused video on her phone. In the video, you were clinging to Rosé, holding her tightly and singing softly as she blushed and glared at Jennie, who was cheering you on. A little smile came back to your lips. Even if you couldn’t remember it yourself, it seemed like a good memory to have, and you were glad that they’d taken the videos, embarrassing as they were. Rosé had been right: they were kind of cute.

“They are. But don’t think that I wont get you back someday.”

Rosé laughed and pressed a kiss to your forehead, holding you gently in her arms. The pain had mostly gone away, and you felt warm and full and sleepy again, and as you began to drift off on her shoulder, you felt her lips touch your cheek too.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

[scrapyardboyfriends]

Jenny’s Belated Live Blogging - 2nd January 2020

- I love Liam so much. That whole first episode with the pamper party was amazing. I’m so glad he’s become a regular and they’ve opened up this quirky side to him. It’s great and so needed. I did not expect him to call Bernice and tell her everything. That kind of shocked me. I mean obviously they had to sever their ties eventually because she’s not coming back but I kind of expected Diane’s news or whatever to be that she wasn’t coming back and then their relationship would just kind of end then. I didn’t expect the kiss and then him telling her and their relationship just being over. But I guess it’s better that he was honest. Just kind of sucks for Bernice since she was finally trying to put one of her kids first. Of course she was dishonest with him, not telling him she probably wasn’t coming back so it’s all a mess anyway. Ah well, the ship was dead anyway with her exit and I do really like Leyla with Liam. And I kind of love that Leyla didn’t even try to hide it. 

- I know we’re getting upcoming plot about it, but it does make me sad for Jacob and Leanna though because I do like their budding little relationship and Jacob’s already had to deal with so much and they were finally getting back on track. 

- I liked the non Wendy related Harry stuff today. I like seeing everyone else reacting to him. And I like Liv’s excitement over him. And I like that they’re keeping up with Matty and Amy helping too. It’s nice. 

- And I’m glad that despite the fact that Aaron was already confronted with Harry today that he’s still struggling a bit. Hopefully that build up will be worthwhile and we will get a good scene of him holding him for the first time. I did love that he brought up Robert today with that little joke even if it was super sad that Robert wasn’t sitting right there to laugh and roll his eyes at him. But it felt a little like he was there. 

- Wendy can just fuck off. Just steal the baby already and then realize you’re a grieving disaster that needs to accept her son is a rapist and then leave forever. At least she didn’t actually give Vic that teddy bear of Lee’s. Ugh. Thanks Luke for stopping her from that one. Gross. Also I do not need to hear that Lee would have liked the name Harry. Blech. Can Moira run her over in a drunken haze or something? 

- Speaking of Moira, I didn’t hate Chas today. Maybe it’s just because her going on at Moira makes a change from her going on at Aaron or even Cain for that matter. And I miss her and Moira being friends. Not that this was friendly but it was closer. Haha. I have such a low bar. I did like Vanessa being involved in that story though. It’s like now that she doesn’t have Cain to revolve around, they actually need to occasionally remember that she does have friends. Not a bad consequence. 

- oh and the Nate’s mom thing...okay...I guess that’s getting back at both Cain and Nate. I suppose they needed to get her involved somehow. Didn’t expect it to be that. haha. 

- Kim and Al....? I don’t know how I feel about that one because I don’t feel like either of them are in that for the right reasons. I feel like he probably wants her money somehow to pay off his debts and she just wants a distraction. I want to see both of them have real human feelings even if they are being villains as well. 

- Did they give New!Ellis a red coat because the yellow one seemed wrong on anyone besides Asan (and Isaac)? Because now it just works even less. I know we have to get used to him and all but he just doesn’t really fit anymore now that he’s been gone a while and has a new face. Sigh. #DamnitAsan 

[girlgrouptrash101]

Dating Poly!JenLisa

Request: “When your requests are open can I get “dating jenlisa” thanks.”

A/N: technically this was requested when requests were closed so i shouldn’t be writing this but i am anyway because i’m nice

- C

Two girls who look like they could kill you but are actually cinnamon rolls

Jennie would take a little bit longer before she warmed up to the whole idea

but once Jennie’s cute side came out, she was here to stay

Lisa always manages to get her way with you by being such a cutie

Jennie is tougher with Lisa, but you’re just whipped for both of them and you can’t resist making them happy

Softest good morning kisses and cuddles ever

it’s like having two teddy bears with you all the time

They always dress you up and you have these fucking badass photo shoots together

and if looks could kill,,,

well honey you would be long gone

but after the camera is put away they’re back to their bubbly selves

sometimes it’s hard to pick places to go for dates because Lisa wants to do something really active

and Jennie just wants to cuddle and makeout

but you always work it out in the end

Lisa imitating YG all the time because it makes you laugh so hard

Spending too much time at their dorm lol u might as well be dating Rosé and Jisoo too while you’re at it

They always buy you expensive gifts no matter how many times they say no

You are those guys that spend nights in making diy photo albums with cute written messages full of pictures of you three

and you spend even more nights going back through them and reminiscing together

Going to cafés and trying a bunch of new drinks

but none of you like them so you just push them to one side and get your normal orders instead

but hey, at least you can say that you tried them 🤷🏼‍♀️

All Lisa wants to do is braid yours and Jennie’s hair okay it doesn’t matter how short it is

Facetiming their families because they want you to be close to them for when the time comes for them to properly introduce you

They both smell sO GOOD

so you’re the one that tends to steal the clothes in this relationship because they smell so nice

but then ur like damn nvm imma put this back it cost like €600

Dog sitting? More like the best nights of your life with your girls and their furry bffs

fr it’s so fun because Jennie always buys little doggy outfits and you all get carried away and take too many pictures

When they haven’t seen you in ages because of long schedules

and they’re super tired so they come over and you all just sleep and cuddle together

you always watch their Vlives and they find it really cute

and sometimes you tease them when they’re all like “Yo Yo JenLisa”

arguments are few and far between, and they’re mostly just silly things like where you’re gonna go out to eat

watching feel-good family movies together and ugly crying at the end together

You got invited to their first concert and they got you seats beside the Twice members

and you spent the whole concert fangirling

and being proud of your girls killing it on stage

FEEDING EACH OTHER

everyone is jealous of you because you’re just so good together

The girls love spending long nights cracking up over your stupid jokes

flirting with each other

and just being young and in love

NSFW From Here:

You are one lucky person with these two

Making out gets so messy so quickly when they’re in the mood for something more

not really into quickies, it doesn’t give them enough time to really do what they want to you

Jennie loves watching you and Lisa, giving you orders

Lisa’s dancer hips am i right

morning sex

and shower sex before they leave for a schedule

whenever they do that before a photo shoot, they’re extra sexy in front of the camera

and when you see the pictures you’re like, yeah, that was me.

Modelling lingerie and sending you pictures when they’re away, they know just how to tease you no matter how far away they are

Jennie loves riding yours or Lisa’s face, it’s her favourite

heavenly moans from both of them

they’re into trying anything as long as you are

piling into bed and sleeping for hours afterwards

but you wouldn’t have it any other way

[silverlightqueen]

and here is the final Roses playlist, Roses Mixtape Pt. IIII, enjoy x

tracklist

1. Intro: Karma - y/n = Alarm - Anne-Marie

Karma is about how angry y/n is at Jimin, but also at herself for ignoring her doubts about him. How she knew he was cold and detached and that should’ve alerted her to the fact that she shouldn’t have gotten with him. And for what they both did to each other, they’re both suffering from karma now. 

2. Love Me - y/n = And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going - Jennifer Hudson

Love Me is really sad and emotional, and the part of y/n that refuses to give up on her relationship with Jimin comes out in this song. When I watch Jennifer Hudson do this song in Dreamgirls (I recommend watching it), it makes me cry every time because of the raw emotion and heartbreak you can see, and those exact same feelings come through in Love Me. 

3. Shoes - y/n = If I Were A Boy - Beyonce

Shoes is y/n saying to Jimin that if she’d been in his shoes, she’d never have done what he did to her, and she’d also never be able to get away with the way he used to behave (the random girls every night and the drugs). Again, this is a very big song and so would be super emotional and upsetting because you’d just be able to hear the hurt in y/n’s voice.

4. Comfort - y/n, Chaeyoung & Jisoo = Teddy Bear - Melanie Martinez

I was kinda reluctant about this song at first but now, I feel like it works really well. y/n’s comfort zone, away from the pressures of her job, the tour, Vic and her past with Yoongi, was Jimin. He was her teddy bear in that she felt soothed and comfortable with him, just like kids do with their teddy bears, but then that thing that gave her the most comfort turned against her, and she has nothing to turn to anymore. Chaeyoung and Jisoo’s vocals would sound super pretty on this song, and also give it a haunting and creepy feeling.

5. Victory - y/n = The Winner Takes It All - ABBA

This is y/n’s admission to Jimin, her way of saying, ‘well done, you got what you wanted, you won, how does it feel now?’ It’s also slightly teasing, as if she’s asking him how his victory feels now he doesn’t have her anymore. It’s got quite bitter and angry undertone, but it’s mainly hopeless and completely sad. 

6. Wounds - y/n & Blackpink = Bad Blood - Taylor Swift & Kendrick Lamar

This is the stage where she starts to get over the initial sadness and heartbreak and gets a bit angry at him, saying she hates him and she can never move past what he did. She’s asking him why he did it, why he ruined everything they had, because now they can never go back to how they were. It's also quite a girl-power anthem which is why Blackpink are on the song too, Lisa and Jennie doing Kendrick’s raps, and Chae, Jisoo and y/n splitting up Taylor’s bits between themselves.

7. Broken - y/n & Jennie = Moving Along - 5 Seconds of Summer

This is the point where y/n’s trying to move on, but keeps looking back at Jimin, wondering how he’s doing and feeling now, whether or not he’s still broken too. It’s quite a chill and laidback song, and I think Jennie and y/n would sound really nice on this song together.

8. Dreaming - y/n & Blackpink = Love Me Like You - Little Mix

I always listen to this song when I’m in my feels because you can relate to it, but it also puts you in a good mood because it’s just like cute and upbeat. The girls would do this song really well and it reflects that relapse that everyone has when you’re trying get over someone, when you feel like no one else is as good for you as that person is. 

9. Hero - y/n (Mariah Carey cover)

This is the main turning point in the album, where y/n realises that she can’t mope anymore, and she has to become her own hero because no else is going to do it. This song is so emotional and beautiful, and y/n would pour her heart out into it, more than doing it justice.

10. Did Me Wrong - y/n ft. Blackpink = I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor

Here’s another girl-power anthem, y/n looking back and realising that she shouldn’t have been sad over him because he’s the idiot that did her wrong and she’s better off without him. It’s got the retro feel to it and I just think it’d sound really cute but also badass with all the girls on it.

11. Save - y/n & Lisa = Goodbyes - Post Malone & Young Thug

This song is a bit more mellow and laidback, showing y/n’s rationality when it comes to how she feels about Jimin. She’s accepted that their relationship couldn’t have worked because they both had personal shit that they needed to work through and fix before they even got together. y/n would have Post Malone’s bit and Lisa would have Young Thug’s bit to liven the song up a little bit.

12. Kill This Love - y/n & Blackpink (Remix)

Need I even say anything? Kill This Love perfectly sums up y/n and Jimin’s relationship and how it cannot continue whilst they are who they are now. y/n did Jennie and Lisa’s back and forth rap during the tour so she’d do that bit along with the outro section, as well as having a completely revamped backing track.

13. Burned Bridges - y/n & Jisoo = Cry Me A River - Justin Timberlake

This song came to y/n after seeing Jimin cry at the end of their first court visit, and it’s almost as if to say it’s too little too late. Jisoo and y/n would harmonise together to give the song a more complex and layered sound, and it’d be really pretty with all the extra sounds in the background.

14. Solo - y/n & Jennie (Remix)

This song also fits really well with y/n and Jimin’s relationship and basically says to Jimin that she is better off without him, and that he’d better start looking for a replacement because she’s going solo now. And of course Jennie had to be on this song too, so she’s still got her rap after the first verse, and they do the choruses together.

15. Ego - y/n & Chaeyoung = Obsessed - Maggie Lindemann

This song actually talks about how vain Jimin used to come across to y/n. She sings about the way he’d just sleep with all these random girls (because he could get whoever he wanted) and treat everybody coldly like he was above them (but implicitly, so she’s not exposing him), before admitting at the end that part of her loves his vanity, and it’s okay because she’s vain too. Chae’s voice would really suit this song because it’s really light and cute and so is Chae.

16. In My Blood - y/n (Shawn Mendes cover)

This song speaks a bit less about the relationship, and a bit more about y/n’s own personal battle with her mind over the years. First with her nightmares about her childhood friend, and now with the depressive state she’s been in since everything happened. It discusses how close she was to giving up, alluding to suicide, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it, because she knew she had to keep on fighting and stay strong. This song’s an empowering anthem and would fit really well with the theme of this album.

17. State of Mind - y/n ft. Chaeyoung & Jisoo = No Tears Left To Cry - Ariana Grande

State of Mind discusses how y/n’s moved past her sadness and now feels stronger and happier. It does mention that she still gets a bit sad, but that’s okay because her happiness outweighs that. Jisoo and Chae would do the harmonies throughout the song and all of their voices would layer over one another in that opening section in the music video. 

18. Outro: Bad Bitch - y/n ft. Blackpink = Sorry Not Sorry - Demi Lovato

This would be the perfect closing to the album, basically a final ‘fuck you’ to Jimin, a way of y/n saying to him that he better be regretting what he did because look at her now, she’s back and she’s better than ever, so he can hold that L. Again, this is another empowering anthem, and all of the girls would equally share out this song.

taglist💕: @khaoticamour @rjsmochii @minniestudies @oodlespadoodle @shay-the-turtle @yasbts705 @goldenchemistry @arvbellas @anothershorthuman @golden-pixie-dust-200 @onlinewhale @maknaeroni @sweetchocolategoblin @conslack @missbowkimjinju @pocketfullofsuga @booklover240 @dimple-jungkook @squishyshit @sakurauchiha2018 @keylowmonie @untainted-memories @babybluebisexual @dearbangtan07 @joyful-jimin @glossdust @mayumioutloud @needyvmin @the-real96 @brinnalaine @lovebuginlove @smolchild95

[jennycalendar]

imperfections (64/?)

 read it on ao3!

buffy’s birthday! wesley shows up! someone else makes another appearance, and will be playing a bigger, brand new role in this storyline because I Love Her To Death!

For the sake of her own peace of mind, Jenny had begun casting basic protective wards around the new house. Vampires couldn’t get in, she knew, but the incident with Rupert had proven that vampires might not be the only thing they had to worry about. As such, when she and Willow were out buying groceries (usually Rupert’s job, but he was resting at home), she made sure to grab a few containers of ground-up herbs and spices.

Noticing Jenny stocking up on rosemary, Willow gave her a skeptical look. “Isn’t there that thing about herbs losing their magical potency if they’re intended as food products?” she asked doubtfully, picking up one of the glass jars and squinting at it. “If you’re going for a more heavy-duty magic spell, I’d say you might want to just swing by the magic shop.”

“Wow, look at you!” Jenny knocked Willow’s shoulder, grinning proudly. “You’re picking up on this stuff scary fast. Might outpace me soon.”

“Never,” said Willow loyally, leaning into Jenny as they continued to push the cart.

“Your point is a very valid one,” Jenny agreed. “But in this case, I actually want a weaker ritual, because I’m trying to make sure it’ll entwine nicely with the stronger ones I’ve been casting. If you cast two different protective wards, they start trying to protect themselves from each other, and it becomes a whole thing.”

“Magic is weird,” said Willow.

“Magic is weird,” Jenny agreed, taking the jar from Willow and setting it back down into the shopping cart.

By the produce section, a young woman had stilled, hand frozen midway to grabbing an apple. As they passed her, she turned, looking slowly at them as though searching for something. Jenny recognized her, very vaguely—Anya Jenkins, she thought, that lady who’s teaching substitute history—and Anya’s interest in their conversation struck her as a little unusual. “Hey,” she said, giving Anya her best attempt at an easy smile. She didn’t feel like having her family fucked with so soon after the mess that had been the Council. “Just out shopping with my kid.”

Willow beamed. “That’s me!” she chirped.

“Pardon my eavesdropping,” said Anya, giving them both an almost-too-sweet smile in return, “but were you two talking about the casting of magical rituals?”

Willow’s smile faded and she winced. “Was I too loud?” she whispered to Jenny. “I can be less loud!”

“It’s okay, Will,” said Jenny carefully. “What do you want to know, Anya?”

In answer, Anya let out a playful, half-ashamed laugh. “God, I’m such a ditz,” she said, grinning ruefully and stepping forward to lean against their shopping cart. “I misplaced a family heirloom of mine—this beautifully shiny necklace—and I could really use some help finding it. A locator spell would definitely do the trick, but that requires at least one other witch, and I don’t have a lot of friends in Sunnydale—”

“We can help!” said Willow immediately, then blushed, looking askance at Jenny. “Um, I mean—can we help?”

Jenny wavered. On the one hand, she knew she was more on her guard than usual, and that could be coloring the very strange vibes she was getting from Anya. On the other hand, her instincts hadn’t led her astray thus far, and she felt like trusting them might be a good call in this instance. “We’ll get back to you, Anya, okay?” she said. “Right now, we have to concentrate on our own magic.”

“Oh, of course!” sang out Anya, but her smile seemed just a touch more plastic. “No hurry, obviously!”

As Jenny steered the shopping cart away, Willow hurried after her. “I’m sorry,” she began, “I, I didn’t mean to speak for the both of us, or for any of us, ‘cause I know what you said about doing magic with strangers and I—”

“It’s okay,” said Jenny, giving her a small, reassuring smile. “You wanted to help. That’s admirable. Right now, though, I think we both need to exercise some caution, okay? There are a lot of weird people showing up in Sunnydale as of late.”

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce arrived in Sunnydale on January the 19th, the day that his new Vampire Slayer’s Cruciamentum would have taken place, if not for the inefficient bungling of an inexperienced, foolhardy Watcher. Age did not necessarily equal wisdom, Wesley thought smugly, particularly in the case of one Rupert Giles, whose file Wesley had read extensively before arriving in Sunnydale. The Council had also mentioned a Jenny Calendar, Rupert Giles’s significant other, who was apparently both deluded enough to believe herself qualified to care for his other Vampire Slayer and unstable enough to assault poor Travers. The fellow was, thankfully, making a speedy recovery, but he had emphasized to Wesley that Calendar was not to be trifled with.

Wesley had absolutely no interest in trifling with Calendar. In fact, Wesley had absolutely no interest in Calendar at all. Mr. Giles, though he had been unceremoniously fired (or had he resigned? No one in the Council seemed to know), was bound to at least understand that Wesley was the Watcher these girls needed, and he would do a sufficient job in reining Calendar in. Even if this was not the case, Wesley was confident that his expertise would win the Slayers over; he had, after all, faced two vampires. Under controlled circumstances, of course.

“Sunnydale High, good man, and make it speedy,” he informed the taxi driver, already looking forward to the look on Mr. Giles’s face when he entered the high school library. He was looking forward to a lot of things about this job. He was one of the youngest Watchers in Council history, one of the most studious, most dedicated they had ever seen—this was sure to make his father proud. He just knew it.

The taxi took a surprisingly short amount of time to get from the airport to the high school; really, this town was ridiculously small. Getting out of the car, Wesley blinked in the annoyingly bright California sunlight, weaved through the clusters of chattering American teenagers, and entered the high school that, according to Travers, housed a Hellmouth, two Vampire Slayers, and an extremely volatile computer science teacher.

As he rounded the corner to the library, he noticed something of a commotion: a short, bald, red-faced man was all but shouting at a sign. “I hope he knows,” he blustered, “that I won’t be paying him, this many sick days in a row—”

“I’m sorry,” said Wesley, finally registering the firmly closed library doors, “but is Mr. Giles not in today?”

“No, he is not,” said the man, turning his ire in Wesley’s direction. “And neither is that floozy of a computer science teacher. The levels of unprofessionalism, of indecency—”

Deciding that further conversation with this man would get him nowhere, Wesley stepped up to the sign placed in front of the library, frowning at the neatly placed letters. Librarian Out For Health Reasons, it stated. Library Closed Until Further Notice.

“I’m his substitute,” said Wesley helpfully. This might be rather advantageous. The Slayers would undoubtedly show up in search of their old Watcher, and when they entered the library, there Wesley would be, easing the transition from old to new. A clean break, in every sense of the word.

“You are the best Watcher in the history of Watchers, ever!” Buffy shrieked, throwing herself across the sofa and into Rupert’s arms. Rupert made a startled little oof sound, but hugged Buffy back, grinning fiercely. “Thank you so so much, Giles, I love them so much—”

“Seems a pretty big fuss over a pair of skates,” Faith commented, frowning at the patent leather ice skates as though trying to figure out what made them so incredible.

“Buffy always wanted to be a figure skater,” Joyce explained fondly. She looked extremely pleased. “It’s very nice of Rupert to remind her that she can be anything she wants to be.”

Faith frowned some more, then grinned, getting it. “Like, not just a Vampire Slayer?”

“Exactly,” said Jenny, smiling. “Buffy, be gentle with my honey, okay? He’s still getting over that whole almost-got-murdered thing.”

Buffy let go of Giles, dusting him off and straightening his glasses the same way one would a much-loved teddy bear. “Thanks, Giles,” she said, still beaming. “I really love them. And you, obviously.”

Giles beamed, blushing, and made a few vague, British gestures that very clearly conveyed I love you too.

“Open mine open mine open mine!” chanted Willow, bouncing impatiently on the sofa. Jenny placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Sorry,” said Willow unrepentantly. “But open mine, Buffy!”

Running a hand over the skates one last time, Buffy smiled, then turned to fish Willow’s present out of the sizable pile. Pulling it out of its bag, she gasped, delighted. “Oh, Willow!” she said, holding up the shimmery purple jacket.

“So I’m gonna be flirting with a disco ball,” said Faith. “Guess I can live with that.”

“No one likes a critic,” said Buffy, still grinning as she tried on the jacket. Standing up, she twirled, modeling it for the group. “How do I look?”

“Am I allowed to answer that with your girlfriend here?” Xander asked. “And my girlfriend here?”

“No,” said Cordelia, and kissed him. To Buffy, she added, “That is definitely your color.”

“Are you lying to me because it’s my birthday?” said Buffy.

“Pretty much,” said Cordelia, shrugging.

“Sounds about right,” said Buffy, and turned to Jenny. “Ms. Calendar?”

“I like it,” said Jenny. “I think it’d go great with that—what was that skirt you wore last week on patrol?”

“Oh, it would,” said Buffy with delight, preening. “I can wear it to the ice show!” Glancing shyly over at Giles, she added, “Um, if you’re still—I mean, if you still want—you could always still come with me?”

Giles responded by scooping Buffy up into a big bear hug, one that made Jenny make an involuntarily anxious noise. Joyce gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and said, “Hugging won’t hurt him, Jenny,” which, while true, didn’t stop Jenny from worrying. Everything felt different, now, knowing how much they honestly meant to each other.

“Quit freaking,” said Faith, resting her head on Jenny’s shoulder. “We all turned out okay.”

That made Jenny smile. “Debatable,” she said. Faith made a face at her.

“Ooh, hey, cake!” said Buffy, pulling away from Giles to give her mom a hopeful smile. “Mom made this whole ice cream cake thing, y’know, ‘cause ice skates and ice shows and, um, I don’t know, my birthday’s in winter?”

“That doesn’t mean all that much in California, though, does it?” Cordelia pointed out.

“Whatever,” said Buffy.

“I’ll get that cake,” Joyce agreed, squeezing Jenny’s shoulder as she got up.

So then they all had cake, which was amazing, and Buffy got to talk everyone’s ear off about how awesome the ice show was going to be. And she meant it, this time, because last year she’d gone with her dad and it just hadn’t felt the same. She couldn’t talk to her dad about how cool it had been when Willow had tripped up a vampire on patrol, or how funny Xander’s impression of Spike was, or how hard it sometimes felt to have big, scary feelings for Angel. She could talk to Giles about all that stuff, though, which felt kinda important. It made her feel so, so glad that he was okay.

The party ended late, which meant that Ms. Calendar and Giles had to make sure everyone was wearing a cross before they all walked the short distance to their parked car. While everyone was making sure that everyone else was ready to go, Buffy snuck out onto the porch; she’d noticed the one person who had already headed out.

“Hey,” said Faith, looking up at her with a small, crooked smile. “Birthday girl. So I’m, like, totally jailbait now, huh?”

Buffy blushed, smiling back. “I really don’t know how to answer that,” she admitted, stepping up to stand next to Faith.

It was different, her and Faith. Being with Angel had felt magnetic, and almost scary in its intensity. Being with Faith had felt a lot like that too, at first, but something had changed when Faith had said you said you weren’t ready, right? and looked at her with a gentle expression that Buffy hadn’t seen on her face before. Faith was up-front about how she felt—no long, charged silences, no subterfuge—and she was willing to wait until Buffy was really ready.

“Did I ever wish you happy birthday?” Faith asked softly.

“Does it mean you’re gonna kiss me again?” said Buffy, too daring for her own good.

Faith tilted her head, smile widening. “Just to be clear,” she said. “You’re gonna tell me when you’re ready for a real thing.”

“I am,” Buffy agreed.

“But you’re the birthday girl,” said Faith, taking a step closer, “and birthday girls get strings-free kisses. If they want ‘em.”

“This is a total step up from last year,” Buffy breathed, and somewhere between one second and the next, she and Faith were kissing, all soft and sweet in the moonlight, and it wasn’t scary, wasn’t powerful, wasn’t anything but soft and happy and warm, Faith’s lipstick smudging her mouth, Faith’s nose bumping against hers—

“Um, Buffy?” called Xander from inside the house. “You, uh, know we can all see you from the living room, right?”

In answer, Buffy pulled away, tugged Faith back into her arms, and gave Faith a smacking kiss on the cheek, in full view of her entire family. Which felt totally nice.

[my-little-yellowbird]

Fangirl Asks...

I know, I know.  This has taken me 5-ever to complete.  Thank you to @bbcshipper , @elasticmonk , @fourteen-teacups   @thatginchygal and @like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant for tagging me in this fandom questionaire.  I really enjoyed doing it, and got kinda loquacious with my response.  This is definitely worthy of a Reaad More break!

@bbcshipper asked:

1. How much do your real life friends/family know about your fandom life?  My family knows, or think they know.  Friends, nope.  They know I’m a fan, but have no idea of the extent of my madness.  I hold back with “normals.”

2. Have you ever embarrassed yourself fangirling? I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.

3. What’s a recurring theme of fanfictions of you OTP that you find annoying/dislike?  Live and let live, and all, but I avoid nun smut.

4. What are some prompts/ideas you might want explored more in fanfic? (asking this one for some ideas, hope that’s okay!)  I love  fluff, of course, but I really enjoy fics that explore the real-world, ordinary problems and compromises that come with marriage.

5. What’s the meaning behind your tumblr name?  There’s an Everly Brother’s song of the same name, and my Grandmother used to sing it to me.  I commissioned an artist to make a stained-glass yellowbird and its become a sort of talisman.  

6. Favorite moment(s) with your OTP?  The hand kiss, the misty road, “What’s she like?” the so-sexy almost kiss in the tent, Teddy’s birth (I know. Don’t @ me. I complain about the story arc, but I’m not heartless)

7. How far would you travel to meet your OTP in real life?  If I were to meet them IRL, I’d have to pretend I was someone else.  I’m not good with worlds colliding.

8.Do you have a playlist for your OTP? (again, looking for ideas!)  Sorry, not really.  I’m terrible with playlists.  There was an old Youtube video featuring Pink and Nate Ruess of “Just Give Me a Reason” that gets to me.

9. What about your real life would shock your OTP?  Shelagh might find it odd that Patrick looks remarkably like Mr. Birdy.

10. What have you learned from being a part of the fandom?  I’ve learned a great deal about how different people cope with anxieties.  

11. What’s the best thing about your fandom?  My friends.  

@elasticmonk  asked:

1. What was your first fandom?  Call the Midwife is my first true-blue, throw-yourself-into-it fandom.  

2. What’s your favorite thing about your main fandom now?  People get me.

3. What is your main fandom?  Turnadette (sorry--do people actually have others?  jk)

4. Who is your favorite character of all time?  I can’t think of one, honestly, but I’ll say Molly Weasley, because of the next question.

5. What three quality’s do you think you share with your favorite character (of anything)?   Molly Weasley is devoted to her family, not afraid to love them and not let them get away ith nonsense,  and brave enough to stand up for right.

6. Where would you like to see your OTP vacation and why?  I’d like to see them at the beach in Torquay.  If Shelagh could wear the yellow swimsuit with the white band across the top, that would be ideal.  In fact, if they could live out any of my fics, I’d be a very happy bird.

7. What’s your favorite gif from your fandom?  I don’t know how to post an annotated gif mid-post, so I’ll just describe it.  It involves tiptoes, dancing, and a giant hand sprawled across a tiny back.

8. What’s your favorite picture from your fandom?  NGL

9. Who was your first OTP?  I guess I shipped Jo and Prof Bhaer as a kid?  

10. When did you start your main fandom?  I lurked through 2013 and into 2014.  I was very wary of the internet world, so when I finally identified myself, my palms were sweaty!  (My very first post was my first fic ever!)

11. AU or canon complaint fanfiction?  Canon-compliant, but I will read AU if it’s done in a way that sheds a new light on the characters.

@thatginchygal  asked:

1.  What was the first fanfic you ever read?  I can’t remember the first Call the Midwife fic I ever read.  It was all such a blur!! But...I think the first ever fic-like thing I ever read was a published Star Trek novel by A.C. Crispin, entitled Ishmael.  It was a mash-up of Star Trek and Here Come the Brides. So, so right.

2.  What was the first fanfic you ever wrote (if any)? Not Listening

3.  Your last text message is the title of your next fanfic.  What is it (and a brief summary)?

“I got you a glow stick.”  It was for a candlelight march.  I wonder...now i may have to do some research into marches in London in the early 1960′s...Or reinterpret that text for an altogether different purpose...

4.  Do you keep your fandom interests a secret from your RL family/friends?

No, it’s not a secret.  At least, not generally.  My feeling is, I have nothing to be embarrassed about, so if they want to see, then go look.  If they have a problem with anything they see, that would be on them.  Fortunately, their respect for my  right to have something just for myself--added to a little bit of fear of what they might find--keeps them away.

5.  What is one of your favorite scenes between your OTP?  I think Im going to pick the almost kiss in the tent.  It’s SoMarried!! and very sexy.  But you know, add about 100 more scenes and I’m good.

6.  Do you have a playlist for your OTP?  Sorry, no.

7.  Why do I suck at coming up with these questions?? You’re better than I am!

8.  Would you want to live in the ‘world’ of your favorite fandom?  Maybe visit?  Probably not.  I’m content to watch from here.

9.  What is your favorite piece of fandom merchandise? Oh, this is so easy.  I have the companion books to the series, a boatload of Nonnatun Holiday cards, my Yellowbird stained glass statue, but what I love the most are the crocheted Yellowbird my friend Soph made me, and the Yellowbird Christmas card Mushy sent me this year.  It’s framed!

In the fall of 2015, a group of lucky Nonnatuns went to a CtM panel that featured Heidi Thomas, Stephen McGann, Jenny Agutter, Emerald Fennell and Dame Pippa Harris.  A week later I recieved this promotional post card in the mail:

I have to admit, I was a little teary when I saw it, mostly because I was so touched that in the midst of their own fun, two friends had me in their thoughts.  They told the panelists about me, and how their show had helped to build friendships.  Everyone signed messages to me on the back.  I’m pretty sure HT’s message included an invite to tea.

10.  Have you ever drifted away from a fandom only to be sucked back in (perhaps by a new season or change of storyline)? Not really.

11.  Do you prefer canon-compliant fanfic or AUs?  Definitely Canon-compliant.

@fourteen-teacups asked:

1.  How did you come to join your first online fandom? Blame Call the Midwife.

2.  If your first fangirling obsession pre-dates access to fandoms, what was the show and/or your OTP?  In college, a friend was a huge Start Trek fan.  By default, I got interested (alas, not obsessed).

3.  If your OTP came to visit you in your town (in present day) where would you take them?  We have a lot of parks suitable for camping.  I could take them there to see a lovely site, then bring them back to my house for a nice cuppa and fresh sheets.

4.  What three things do you have in common with your favorite character?  

5.  What prop would you most like to have from your favorite show? (I borrowed this question from a behind the scenes CtM interview.)  The photograph of the cricket team on the surgery mantle and Shelagh’s long-lost sunflower brooch. 

6.  Same question but for an article of clothing.  I want the Tan Overcoat of Love.

7.  Where would you like to see your OTP go on vacation and why?  See Elasticmonk q6

8.  Do you have a) multiple OTPs; or are you b) a one-OTP-at-a-time person?  I have a great appreciation for many OTP’s, but for me, there can be only one.

9.  In question 8, if you answered a) list your top three OTPs; if you answered b) what was the OTP you dropped for your current one?

10.  If you lurked in your fandom before joining (or even if you didn’t), is there a fellow fan whom you consider “famous” in the fandom that makes you fangirl whenever they comment on your posts?  I was desperate for @this-unruly-heart to notice me!  One day she messaged me asking if I was the one who wrote a "Letters” fic that she loved. 

11.   Was there a particular person who was especially welcoming and/or helpful when you first joined your current fandom?  Many of the Nonnatuns of old that were supportive of my early efforts have moved on to other things, but the boost they gave to my confidence was immeasurable. Oh, and Sarge, too!

@like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant  asked:

1. When did you start taking part in fandom(s)?  I dipped my toe into the Star Trek fandom back in the late 1980′s.  A dear friend was a huge fan, and her enthusiam was contagious.  Sadly, she died in December 1988, and I had to leave fandoms behind.  Then, in 2005 we moved away from the very close world we had built, and I was lonely.  I started to look around for period dramas to watch and stumbled upon North and South.  I was unbelievably grateful it wasn’t the old Civil War mini-series, and I started to read everything I could find.  I came across C-19, and found fanfic as I now know it.  As much as I enjoyed it though, I wasn’t ready to participate as anything other than a lurker until Call the Midwife came along.

2. Which fandoms? Sorry, I think I answered that in th eprevious response

3. How long did you stay? Ibid

4. Did you write fanfics?  Yes, although sometimes I need a kick in the butt to make sure it doesn’t become a past tense thing.

5. Any memorable funny event in your fandoms?  So many ridiculous things have happenned here.  Hiatus Challenges, Limericks (!!!), Twitter responses (remember when HT used to answer our questions? Flat/house! Names!), Nonnatun Holiday Card Exchanges...It seems that the funniest things would come out of nowhere.

6.  Did you get long-time friends? (even as Real People)?  Definitely.  There are people I have met here that I feel I know as well or better than people IRL.  And one poor soul has had to bear meeting me in person and somehow still continues to be my friend.

So here are my questions.  

How has fangirling made an impact in your life?

What makes fangirling most worthwhile to you?

What have you learned about yourself by being a part of a fandom?

I tag: @elasticmonk @thatginchygal @fourteen-teacups @like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant  @lovetheturners @hihereami  @pellucidthings @gabolange  @missouiser @ilovemushystuff @it-is-bugs @crinklybrownleaves @majsmom   @missbergmans @miss-ute @snoopctm @mg-bsl381 @turnt4turnadette @cooldoyouhaveaflag @eatapinkwafer @weshallc @westcoastwilma @skerri @beatrix-franklin @alice1nwond3rland @sincerelygeertje @silentkw @flyingnonny @anamarialujan @purple-roses-words-and-love @bloghey131313 @poplarpatience @soibhanmannion @kaguyahime1224

and anyone else who sees this. My fingers are tired.