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words-for-holland · 4 years ago

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Happier (4) | T.H.

Summary: Y/N & Tom speak to each other for the first time in 3 weeks! Tom is in talks of doing a new movie. Lots of yelling, painful pictures being sent. Harrison and Harry go on a trip. Does Kate finally tell the truth to Y/N?

A/N: Hmmm....seems like Natalie & Matt is everyone’s favorite/hated suspects. More theories lets hear em!!!

Sanctuary

Its a word often used to protect those within a troubling world. For some it’s a church, a home, sometimes a family and friend. For Y/N and Tom, sanctuaray was no where to be found. Three weeks it’s been since the world felt like it collapsed on Y/N and Tom. Three weeks of feeling left in a troubling space that they could not get out of...until now. As soon as they heard each other’s voices on the phone, it gave them a moment of relief, but only for a moment.

“So...how are you?” Tom asks nervously. He wanted to pick his words out carefully in hopes that he wouldn’t upset her.

“Im okay.” Y/N responds quietly as she looks back at her phone. No message yet, maybe she was in the clear and that gave her a small boost of confidence. It was going to be okay. “How about you?” She asks back, not really sure how to carry the conversation. In any case, how does one continue talking to an ex without making it awkward? Let alone how does one talk to someone without the fear of being blackmailed.

“Yeah Im great...really great.” Tom lies and chuckles nervously.

Y/N could tell by the tone of his voice how nervous he was. A habit she always found to be adorable for him. Y/N rolled her eyes with a slight smile before she questions him in a serious tone “Why did you call Tom?”

Tom closes his eyes, letting out a stressed sigh. “I miss you Y/N and I dont care what you say or what you said to me that night, but this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“I miss you too but things happen beyond our control, Tom. Sometimes it just can’t be helped.” Y/N responds nonchalantely, staring at her phone again. No messages still.

“Thats a load of bullshit and you know it. We were supposed to get through anything. Fuck the rumors fuck everything! This isn’t like you Y/N!” Tom vents out every feeling and thought he had since she left. “You say you miss me but then what are we doing? Why are we continuing to hurt ourselves like this?”

Y/N shakes her head, knowing deep down the reason why but could never say. Not unless she wanted to ruin his dream. She could never. “It’s not that simple.” She croaked.

“We would have found a way to get through it, but you gave up so easily. I know for a fact my Y/N never gave up without a fight.”

Y/N looks again at her phone, and no messages were to be found. Maybe she could tell him, and they wouldnt know, but Y/N knew better. Somewhere out there there was someone always watching her every move. “I cant do this right now. Goodbye Tom.” Y/N hangs up as she continues to cry herself to sleep. So much for sanctuary.

Its the morning after, and as Y/N heads downstairs, she hears soft laughter and conversations echoing through the halls. For a second it almost sounded like Tom’s, and she hurried toward the room only to be disappointed. In the living room was Matt and Kate as they made small talk awaiting for Y/N’s arrival.

“Y/N! You’re awake!” Kate exclaims as she gets up from the seat to give her a hug. “Look who decided to drop by!”

Matt looked up at Y/N and gives her a shy smile and wave. He’s dressed in his navy blue LBI shirt and cream colored shorts. It was typical high school Matt...nothing had changed with him.

“Yes I see that....I’m sorry did we have plans and I forgot?” Y/N asked confused.

“No actually uh I invited him over because I knew you wanted to catch up with him after last week..so I pulled some strings.” Kate whispers.

“You..what?” Y/N asked annoyed, her eyes glaring and her brows furrowed. If there was one thing Y/N hated it was blind dates. She had stressed that over and over throughout the years that she hated it, especially with people she used to have romantic feelings for. The keyword..USED.

“Cmon Y/N. Remember this was the time for you to move on and forget. Plus you wouldn’t want to send him away after he came here just to see you!” Kate tries her best to sell it, she had to...there’s wasnt really a choice.

Y/N looked back at Matt and groaned silently to her best friend. “Fine I’ll go, but this is the last blind date you’re ever setting me up on AND you’re doing the dishes.” She emphasized as she got ready and grabbed her purse.

To say Y/N was surprised was an understatment. For sure, she had a feeling this was going to be awkward in so many ways like any other first dates, but this...wasn’t too bad. Though she realized it wasn’t a date this was just two old friends catching up from the past.

She learned a lot about him and how his younger brother Steven was working on becoming an engineer and how his little sister Emily was also grown up and working towards becoming a physical therapist. As for Matt, he was working in the city too as an accountant for a finance firm. While they continued to eat their lunch at Chelsea’s Market, she couldn’t help but make the comparisons.

Matt didn’t dress up like Tom, didnt make her laugh like Tom does, didnt make her blush the way Tom does, didnt smile like Tom, and when he touched her hand...she didnt feel the goosebumps the way Tom would. It was clear. He wasn’t Tom and could never be Tom.

The date came to a close, but Y/N hadn’t really gathered much from it since she was so focused on Tom. Every word Matt had said to her barely made it through. She’d be lying if she didnt say the date was okay but she’d be lying even more if she had said she’d enjoy it.

She looked into his blue eyes as he looked into hers. Matt tried to lean forward to give her a kiss, but Y/N moved away. She couldnt. Not when Tom was still present in her thoughts and her mind. “Im sorry...I just got out of a serious relationship and well —” Y/N whispers feeling guilt in her heart.

“No no. It’s fine really. Maybe I was too forward with this and I had no idea....I’m sorry.” Matt laughs, feeling heavily disappointed. “I’ll uhh I’ll see you around?” Y/N nods as she waves him goodbye.

The next day, Tom wakes up in his bed still praying that this whole phase was just a nightmare he’s still having trouble waking up from. Today was not that day. He got up and dressed appropiately knowing that today would be a meeting for his upcoming project. He had forgotten all about it especially with everything going on. When he arrived and entered the room with Harrison, Natalie also appeared sitting in one of the chairs with a smile and coffee on hand.

“Jesus you’re like everywhere now.” Harrison speaks out taking the seat across from her, while Tom takes the seat next to Harrison.

“Well I mean I do live with you guys temporarily until my flat gets fixed, and I did get cast in the same movie as Tom.” She laughs pointing out the obvious.

Tom looked up, his eye wide open and brows raised. He completely forgot the fact that she was going to be playing his love interest for the film. He tried to recall if he had told Y/N about it before and if maybe that’s why she was also mad. Maybe if he told her now, that would make her feel better? Tom was lost in his thoughts he didnt hear the other publicists in the room calling out to him. “Tom are you listening?”

Harrison quickly hits his best friend to wake him up from his thoughts. “Huh? Uh..no sorry.” Tom confesses, looking down at the table.

The publicists, both roll their eyes in annoyance. “We’re telling you that you need to do a lot of PR for this movie in order to boost the sales, and recoginition for both you and Natalie. This means..you’re going to have to pretend you’re in a relationship for some time.”

Tom and Harrison are now fully attentive and furious. “What?! Im not doing PR for this. That is low for the both of us. We shouldnt have to fake a relationship to get our work across” Tom yells out fury burning in his brown eyes.

“I know Tom, but no one watches it for the films nowadays it’s about the image, and right now we’re trying to help both of yours and Natalie’s. You’ve been looking liek a depressed bloke this past month and Natalie is trying to get some exposure in the business.” The publicists expalin. “Harrison, help us out here.”

“Look mate, Im just his assistant. It’s up to Tom if he wants to do this or not.” Harrison speaks out as he points to his best friend. He faces Tom and whispers, “You don’t have to do this mate, there are other projects out there.”

Tom nods, as he looks at the room of people. He closes his eyes, but all he could see was Y/N. Deep down, Tom knew he couldnt do this to her. “I..I don’t think I can do this.”

Natalie and the publicists’ eyes shot up in fear, unhappy with the response given. They knew there was only one thing they could do now. “Ah I understand. It’s because of a girl isn’t?” Natalie’s publicist speaks out. Tom looks at her and then down at the table, as he slowly nods his head. “Yes well Natalie’s told me all about her. Seems like a bright girl, but believe Tom she doesn’t love you as much as you thought she did.”

Tom’s eyes dart towards the publicist as his eyes continue to stare down in anger. He was angry, pissed off that they could ever make that assumption. “Fuck you! You don’t know anything!” His tone set in anger.

“Oh..but we do. See you think Y/N is remaining as faithful as you after a breakup, but why is she already out with another guy.” The publicist continues. She hands her phone to Tom as he swipes through the pictures of Y/N and Matt’s date. He saw Y/N smile at Matt, laugh with him, and touch his shoulder. Yet, the one picture that broke him the most was the one where Matt almost kissed Y/N. While Tom didn’t know the backstory, he could very well imagine how it went. Everything in him shattered, and his eyes started to well up.

“Mate..there’s gotta be an explanation for all of this. Y/N wouldn’t move on from you that quickly. You know her..she wouldn’t. This is all rubbish.” Harrison tried to reason to his heartbroken best friend. For once, he couldn’t rule out Natalie. She didn’t blackmail Y/N, someone else did.

“Fine. I’ll do it.” Tom grumbles as he gets up and walks away.

The world was quiet for the next two days, and it almost seemed like a break from all of it. Back in the New York, Y/N was minding her own business in the apartment with Kate, when she got a text message.

Unknown

Answer the next phone call. ❤️

Y/N’s phone rings and it’s Tom. Her hands are shaking, afraid of what was going to happen. “Y/N.” Tom says shortly, tone filled with disappointment.

“Tom” Y/N replies, her voice shaking.

This wasn’t sanctuary anymore. This was hell.

“Tell me it’s not true.” Tom speaks out, needing to hear the truth. “Did you go out with another guy?”

Y/N hesistated for a moment, unsure of what to say. She could either lie or tell the truth but it didnt matter at this point she was fucked either way. “Yes.” She breathes out. “But — ”

“It’s not what I think? Right?” His tone getting louder. “So it’s okay for you to judge me with Natalie, but not okay for me to judge you with some bloke you’re with?”

“Matt is my friend and I had no choice in that matter!” Y/N yells out, unhappy with how Tom was confronting her.

“Did he threaten you?”

Y/N hesitated for a moment, not him but someone was threatening her. “No.”

“Then you did have a choice.”

As soon as Y/N was going to speak, she got a new message. This time it was a picture from Unknown. One of Tom and Natalie getting cozy as they walked out of a building. Natalie was smiling and Tom had his arms wrapped around her shoulder. “Yeah, guess you made yours too with Natalie.”

Tom was in shock, did she know about the him and Natalie. “Y/N it’s not what you —”

“What? What I think? Yeah that makes two of us, but you want to make assumptions? Fine. You look like you already moved on yourself, but moving on with a girl you know I can’t stand...that’s an all time low for you.” Y/N hangs up and throws her phone across the room. Kate quickly comes to comfort her best friend.

“He...he moved on.” She sobbed quietly in Kate’s arms.

“I know...it’s going to be okay.” Kate whispers. Tears started to also fall on Kate’s eyes as she saw how much pain her best friend was in. She looked at her phone and quickly deleted the pictures she had taken of Y/N and Matt. “Im so sorry. I..have to tell you something.”

Y/N had fallen fast asleep, exhausted from crying. Just when Kate was ready to tell the truth...the door rang.

“Kate!” Harrison and Harry said spoke out in relief as they hugged her.

“Hey..what are you guys doing here?” She asked surprised but also relieved.

Harrison and Harry looked at each. “We want to help find out the truth.”

Taglist:

@hollanddolanfangirl @ifilosemyselfagain @hevjadams @averyfosterthoughts @fangirl-with-a-mission @drishtisikarwar @eridanuswave @ifntelyinspirit @trumpettay @astridcommings @parkershoco

#tom holland imagine #tom holland #tom holland x reader #peter parker #peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader

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randomsevans · 4 years ago

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a long , long time

Weekly challenge

@donutloverxo

@captain-rogers-beard

hasn't been read through so please ignore the mistakes please

this is sorta a continued of ROSE , but can be read by its self

How ?

How can you do this ? How are you going to keep going ? Why did he do this ? Why leave you ? Why leave his daughter ? why her , why is it always her ?

you dont know how your going to do this ,you dont know how your gonna cop being a single parent , you dont know how you are going to do it alone ,. More importantly how are you going to get over him ?

How are you ever going to get over Steve Rogers ?

one thing is for sure , you have to for the sake of your daughter . Even though you will never love another , because Steve no matter what will always be your first and only love and that why it hurts so much .But you need to at least be strong for your daughter , she just lost her father.

Time , time is all you need .

===================================

it was a random Sunday , at a random park where Steve sat , He knows that he has just when back to ever one , but he hasn't showed his face yet. He looked around the park as the tree rustle against the wind as the odd person or two passes by . At this moment he feels peace .He had lived a beautiful life , with the women he truly loves and he wouldn't change .A life with Peggy , a life in his time was everything Steve wanted and got .

But for him the last 8 years or so haven't been easy , with old age playing effect on him ,the snap and the death of his love he was mostly been by himself . leaving him more time to think about them , her , you , his daughter . wonder what it would be like if he stay , how you are , did you meet some one else ? the thought sickens steve your his wife ... wait was his wife and what about his daughter he doesn't want another man raiser her .But what thats what it like now he made his choice and no matter what life he picked , it would always be filled with what ifs / and questions , theory on how he life would of went .

He buried the memory of you and his daughter for so long , Peggy never knew he had a daughter or a wife . His other children never know that there have a sister who is the same age as their grandchildren . He never thought about you , not untill it came to the years where he knew some place in the world right now , you and his younger self where together , meeting , working , dating , married , a child all together . And now your by your self .

on the days like when he asked you to marry him , got married he thought about you all day , was so so temper to go and see you and him self , but it was to risky . he remember everything , every detail to your hair , dress , your shocked face when he got on his knee . the small tear that rolled down your cheek where saying your “i dos “ . He would sit there on those days buying a single rose and drawing you.

even on the day you were born you never left his mind , he find it quiet funny and sad on that day , thinking this is the day his wife was born , but also all the pain that was to come your way , that he couldnt do anyhing about

But htere were days like the 7th of January 2020 were he couldn't just sit there by himself with his thoughts . He made his way to a random hospital in Brooklyn . He sat outside on a bench for hours , people would pass by ask if was okay an odd nurse or too would come up and ask if he was a patience . unknowingly to them his daughter , his eldest , yet youngest chronologically was being born . He sat there for hours thinking and remembering , the first time he holded her , her first steps , the annoyed look on your face when her first word was “pa “ , he remember how happy he was , he swears he never smiled so wide so happy , spinning his daughter around promising her the world because she said dad first . He chucked at the memory . He left sortly after not getting a glance at you or his daughter since he could risk seeing his self .

that was roughly three years ago and on that day every year he would celebrate in one why . he would also send her a gift which he knows he should but he couldn't stop him self .

Now he sits here on this bench, knowing soon he will have to see everyone well at least Bruce and Bucky to tell them not his okay an nothing went wrong . He was so lost in his thoughts he didnt notice the little girl run passed and trip over a rock right in frount of him

the girl had pushed her hands ifrount of her to try and save her self and let out a little cry . Steve got up the fastest her could , he reach of her hand and helped her up , while looking around to see if there was anyone running after her , not yet anyway .

the little girl was now up on her feet , with small sniffles . Her hair was long and blonde covering her face in all different direction . Her little hands trying to push her hair out of her face . Steve kneeled down to help her .

“ are you ok....”

he stop , his old heart began to beat face , his eyes wide

“ Sarah ?”

the sight of his daughter broke him , he didnt realise how much he missed her , his first child , the one he promise to always be around .

“ hmm “ was the onlt thing that came out of her . she glanced up to meet steves eyes . Blue meet blue , the same blue

Hers widen , in shook , she looked like she was about to cry .

“ h ... how do yo. you know ..my ..n..name “ she coked on every word , taking her time .

Steve was silent he didn't know what to say , the fact that his daughter that he left behind was right infrount of him.

her mouth only widen as she brought her tiny hand up towards steve face and pointed at his teary eyes .

“ y.. you ... you stole my daddy's eyes “ her little face scrunched up angerly

he slighlt chuckled shaking his head “ n..no i didnt blue “

her hand quickly wet to her side at the name

“wh... onli daddy cowlds me t..hat “

“ i.. i know “ his tears now fully streaming downs his eyes .

“how?” she asked quickly

“be..because ..” he truly didnt know what to say

“ your my daddy ?”

he forget how smart she was , she may only be three but even Tony said shell grew up to be a genius and has the smartest around about an 8 year old the least time there checked

he nodded his head in relief , the little girl only seem to grow anger as she place her hand on his cheek .

“liar .. my daddy is young .... my daddy will hurt you .... my daddy is c.cap .. amwerica he .. does good ..and doesn't liek liars “ but then she paused for a moment her eyes grew red and her lip trembled “b...but his a li..liar ... he l...my daddy ..left me “

and with that she fell to the ground with aloud sob , and Steve went with her , both crying on the floor

“ h..”

“mm im sorry blue ...but i am your .. daddy ?” he knows he shouldn't but he couldn't help it his little girl right there crying over him , his heart is breaking and dying

“how could i ever leave her ? “but he did

“ho.. how ?” you looked up

he stay silent how do you tell you daughter you left her and her mother to grow old with some one else.

“ how do i know your .. not lying ?”he glared at him . the same expression she shares with you , he let out a small chuckled , his daughter asking all the right question , she she so much like you .

“ i call .. you blue be..because we both .. have blue eyes “ a small smile placed on his lips , at the memory of finding the perfect nickname of his daughter .

she just nodded in agreement staring him down . he smile shiftig on his bony knees .

“ yo.. your first word was pa ... your birthday is 7th of January , you cant go to sleep with out piggy .. yo..you favoit food is cookie .. double double chocolate chips that antie nat makes .... you love that silly little show that .. “

“the song “ she cut him off

“what ?” he titled his head

“ if you are really my daddy .. you know the song “ her eyes soften almost coming to terms that he is her father

he paused for a mintes , cold tears falling from his eyes , every memory , everytime he song her to sleep with the song , the song that was your and his first dance together as husband and wife

“it ... its” he could trust his own words , his voice he was so emotional he was sure hes old fragil body would give away .

“ its .. its been a . long .. long time “ he closer his eyes in a temper to clear his vision as he sung the melody

“never thought that you would be standing here so close to me ,

theres so much i feel that i should say

but words can wait untill some other day

kiss me once the kiss me twist

then kiss me one again

its been a long long time

haven't felt like this my dear

since cant remember when

you'll never know how many dreams

iv dreamed about you

or just how empty there seem with out you

so kiss me once then kiss me twist

then kiss me once again “

he paushed on ever word , every line , a thousand memory and emotions , him meaning every word as he looked into the yes of his daughter , that he had missed so much , the same blue eys he shared . The ones that have grown to accept that he is her father , her papa , her daddy .

with both teary eyes ,cold stinging cheeks against the hash wind on he ground of a random park , on a random Sunday , there finish the song together meaning very word , as father and daughter

“its been a long , long time “

#captain america #steve rogers #steve x reader #steve x daughter #steve rogers x y/n #steve rogers x reader #captain america x reader

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dr-habit-b · 4 years ago

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Pesky pups and pretty ladies

No application, no warning, heck, not even an email! Kamal was already working on two other applications from the other night, and before he knew what was even happening, from the corner of his vision through the window he saw some Habititans gathering around the entrance to the ‘carnival’ area.

He didn’t think much of it at first, maybe the kids were trying to mess with Ronbo, he was the clown after all, but when he poked his head around the office’s big, clunky computer he saw-

Wait wAS THAT ANOTHER FREAKIN KID?

He bolted up from his chair and ran out to the balcony, gripping the railing as he leaned forward, squinting to see what was happening. In the middle of a few of the residents was definitely a new person, no doubt. Ohh god oh GOD what the heck? They definitely weren’t expecting anyone today, who..??? Geez, aw geez.

“Haaaaaabit! We got a! Thing!!!!” He called out from the balcony, his voice creaking with anxiety. He didn’t want to deal with this today!...

Kamal was staring down into the carnival area, rubbing his temples as Habit came up behind him, peering around to see his assistant’s face.

“Kamal? Whate’s the matter?”

He watched with curiosity and confusion as his assistant just gestured frustratingly down to the carnival, following his gaze. Oh! There was a little group down there, now what were they doing?

“Eye.. do’nt understand, whate is happening?”

He frowns a little bit as Kamal drags his hands down his face with a big sigh, looking up at him. The anxiety and worry was very apparent on his face... his hand twitches a little, wanting to hold his face, but he doesn’t.

“I dunno if you can see or not, but uh. The Habititans? Are? Around a. Uh. A kid. New kid. Like, ah, no application or anything I didn’t recognize them Habit oh my god what are we gonna do?!”

Kamal starts running his fingers through his hair and curling it around his fingers as he starts rocking on his heels a little. If this kid just showed up, without parents, or, hell, even with parents but no application, ohhh they’re gonna get in so much trouble.

He jumps a bit feeling big hands on his shoulders, looking up at Habit.

“Kamal. It iz o.k. We wille figure thise out! Let us go ande greete theme!”

Kamal forces a little bit of a smile, taking a deep breath as he pats Habit’s arms, shaking his head as those big hands remove from his shoulders.

“Y.. yeah, yeah. Okay. That’s probably for the best anyways, uh, lets! Lets just go, yeah?”

Habit gives him a smile, just barely showing his teeth, and pats Kamal on the back as the two of them head down the elevator. They don’t say much, but Kamal can feel Habit staring down at him as he nervously fidgets and messes with his hair. He’s still really worried, but! But it’ll be fine, right? Right. They wont get sued, I mean, its not like Parsley is hanging out in the carnival. Its not like he’ll see this kid, coming in unannounced and unplanned, and think to sue them. Haha, right? Right?? That wont happen.’

Kamal doesn’t notice the elevator ding and open up at first, not till Habit pats his back and coaxes him out. Geez, okay, he needs to just. Breathe and take a moment to get out of his own head.

He takes their long walk down the long hallway to the boiler room to do just that, holding his hands together in front of them and staring down at them. He feels a hand on his back, Habit making sure to guide him and keep him walking. Its appreciated, to say the least.

By the time they exit that big door in the back of the boiler room, Kamal is at least calm enough to not be almost pulling out his own hair.

“Are u o.k?”

He didn’t jump at least, but as Kamal looked up at his boss, he took a moment to take in the worried expression on his face. They both stopped, just a few feet shy away from the door, just staring at each other. Kamal let out a weary sigh before finally answering.

“I.. I’m worried! A lot, but... but it’ll be fine, right? We’ll... figure it out... probably.”

A smile creeped up on Habit’s face and he nodded, giving Kamal’s head a little pat pat.

“Yese it will! Do note worri, if it go-es bad, eye will handl it. Thise is mine Habitat, after all.”

Kamal manages a smile back for him, but. His words both comfort and continue to worry him. But they weren’t going to figure out just standing here, so he decides to lead the way this time, with Habit following just a touch behind him.

The gathered Habitians had moved from the carnival gates into the middle of the courtyard, it looked like... Ronbo, Mirphy, Tiff and Jimothan were gathered by the new kid, talking amongst themselves and looking rightfully worried. They all turned their heads hearing Kamal and Habit approach, which made Kamal feel incredibly small.

Thankfully Habit took charge and stepped in front of Kamal, smiling with open arms.

“Hell-o evry-one!! I hear thate we have a new visitor two-day!” He clasps his hands together, gazing down at the awkward-looking teen in the middle of the adults. “Amd who mite you be, younge man?”

The boy just stared at him for a moment, probably taking in the height difference, before shaking his head and grinning wide with teeth covered in braces. He was a nerdy looking kid, to say the least, dressed up far too warm for this summer heat. But, Habit supposed he used to dress in a very similar way in his teen years...

“O-oh! Uh!” Wait, he clears his throat a bit, trying to keep his voice from so obviously cracking. “I’m Trevor Garbo! And I heard from a...” He gets all shifty eyed for a moment, before looking back to Habit with squinty eyes. “Reliable source, that you guys might have a Vampire lurking around here!! I had to come see for myself!”

Habit just blinked down at the kid, and he could feel how dumbfounded his expression looked. He glanced over to the adults around Trevor, who all seemed just as exasperated and confused. O-key... um. Hmm..

“Weel! I amn not knowing about thise, but... ah.. Trevor, did you come here... a-lone?”

He didn’t turn around, but he could feel Kamal behind him grabbing nervously at his coat. He could practically feel him begging for the answer to be no. And, well, Habit was hoping for that too of course. But if this kid did come here alone....

“..Oh, nah! Uh, actually. My mom dropped me off.”

Relief. Kamal practically melted into a puddle, and Habit felt a little weight off his shoulders too. Although...

“Dide she? Ah, iz.. she stille aroumd?”

The blank stare Trevor gives him does Not inspire confidence.

“Uhhh, nah? Nah, she left, for like. Work stuff I dunno. She heard me talking about this place and thought it’d be a nice place to drop me off while she did work stuff. Uh, that’s like. Okay, right? I mean, this is already way better than being alone at the house for weeks!”

....Oh god he’s sweating. What the heck? Okay. O-key, o.k, umm...

“Did... yew happ-en two fill out a app-licaton? Ate all?”

He’s trying not to seem too nervous, but he gets the feeling Trevor can tell anyways.

“Uh, nah. Was I.. ‘sposed to?”

A. Perfect.

Before he could even think of what to say next he felt movement behind him, and when he turned to look he saw his assistant hurriedly making his way to the carnival.

“Ah- Kamal! Waite!”

He started to follow only to stop, looking back at Trevor, who was starting to look just as worried as the adults. No, no that wont do. He squats so he’s not looking down at the kid, giving him a big, closed smile.

“Oh, do note worri, маленький, you hav no-thimg two be a-fraide of. We wille handle every-thing! Juste be nice two the others, o.k?”

When Trevor relaxes Habit stands tall again and gives him a pat on the head before turning quick and rushing after Kamal. He catches up with a few strides of his long legs and grabs him by the arm, stopping him for going further.

“Kamal. Pleaze, re-lax. Whate are you ev-en planning?”

His grip isn’t tight by any means, and he still feels badly about it, but he doesn’t let go. He can take a pretty good guess at what Kamal is wanting to do, but.. He doesn’t need to see his face to see how stressed out and worried he is about this situation, he can feel it in how Kamal trembles.

“If... if I can just. Just talk t-to, to Parsley, and.. and explain! What. Just happened! I’m.. I can fix this, and.. and get a handle on, on the situation, before... before it gets worse, so.. s-so let me go, doc, I can.. I got this.”

“No, Kamal, you do note.”

“AND WHY NOT?!”

Habit jumps slightly, hearing Kamal raise his voice like that, but he does his best not to waiver.

“Be-cauze you are verry stressed, rite now.” He feels Kamal start to tug his arm, just a little, and he reaches over to turn his assistance’s face to him. Once they’re looking at one another, Habit tries to give him a little smile.

“Liek I said, it iz o-key. Lemt me talk to Parslm. Parsm... Parsley.” He scrunches his face a little. Why did he have such a hard time with that name... regardless.

“Yew should staye and talke two Trevor a bit! Eye will handl the issue. Be-sides, we have an-other guest a-riving soon! U need to be calme so you can greete her, yes?”

Kamal’s intense gaze is able to make even Habit a little nervous, despite the disparity in their height, but he relaxes when he sees the other let out a tired sigh.

“I... okay, okay. Yer right I’m. Super messed up about this right now... I just... dont want you to get in trouble for this, y’know? You.. yer a good guy and this place is like, your dream! Sow hat.. what if...”

He gets cut off as Habit pats his head with a little laugh, blinking up at him in confusion.

“Welle! Thate is for me to worri about, note you. Go see Trevor, waite for our new Habitians, I will talk with Pars. O-key?”

Kamal just stares up at him for a second before letting out a little laugh, some of the tension ebbing away. He nods, patting hand still holding onto his arm till Habit lets go.

“Y.. yeah, ‘o-key,’ I’ll do that. Just uh... if! If you need me, I’ll, uh. Be.. not that far away, I guess, hehh...”

His face flushes a little as he starts to walk back towards the courtyard, but he tries to shake it off. That was a dumb thing to say...

-----

Habit watches him go with a smile before sighing himself, looking over to where Parsley was hanging out. He was sitting by that little tire fire.. wonder why he liked that area so much. But, well, not the time for that. He makes his way over, giving Parsley a wave when he notices him coming. Parsley doesn’t get up or anything, just stays sitting and hugging his suitcase. That’s fine, Habit will walk right over and squat beside him.

“...So, uh. Whats up, Mr. Habit? You and your assistant get into a ‘lovers quarrel’ or something? Haha.”

Habit shoots him a frown, and Parsley gives him an apologetic smile.

“Eye dont knowe if you saw, but... we got a new Habititian, a bite ago.”

“Oh? Sounds uh, fun. Why... are you telling me, exactly?” He cant help but frown a little at the nervous expression on this big man. Doesn’t sit well in his stomach.

“Weell.... He is younge, amd.. he tolde us thate, ah... his momther, juste dropped him off and left. We were work-ing on two applications a bit a-go, but.. they were note his. She didmt e-maile or anything, we have noo paper-worke for him.” His gaze drifts away from Parsley as he talks, and he rubs the back of his neck with one of his hands.

“Kamal is verri up-set. Worried thate eye will get in-two trouble for thise.. we were ho-ping yew could help us? You’re are a lawyer boy, amd may-b you could help make an application for him?”

He finally glances back over at Parsley, only to wince a little at the look of disbelief on his face.

“Ah... do you note truste me? We can go-”

“Oh, no no, you’re fine. I cant believe the nerve of that kid’s Mom!” He groans, and rests his forehead against his suitcase, grumbling to himself. Something or other about child negligence, and custody cases..

“Okay, OK, yeah. Okay. Dont worry, uh, doc, I got y’alls back. I aint no evil lawyer or anything, heh... Whats the kid’s name again?”

“Ah, I thimk he said... Trevor! Trevor... Garbo?”

Parsley hums a little bit, thinking for a moment as he drums his fingers against his suitcase.

“Hmm, Garbo, Garbo... Man, I think my firm dealt with a divorce with that name. All the applications are the same, right? I’m sure I can call someone, and get a hold of his information pretty easy.... Oh, uh, y’know. If thats all good with you and- uh...”

He looks up at Habit, whose looking right back at him with big teary eyes. Before he knows whats even happening he’ lifted up like a Child and hugged by this big crying green doctor, and. Well. Sure, why the heck not. It only lasts but a moment and when Parsley is put down Habit apologizes while wiping his eyes with his sleeve.

“Aw, uh, no worries. No harm. I’ll, uh! Get to you, when I get the information and stuff, kay? I’d uh, do it now, but...” He glances over to the other side of the carnival, past the gates where the small group of adults and Trevor were still located.

Jimmothan was one of them...

“Ah, do note worri a-bout it. Eye understand.” Habit gives Parsley a pat on the back as he gets up, giving him a smile.

“You juste re-lax, amd I will come check-in later. I wille go see how Trevor is doing.”

They wave at each other before Habit starts heading back over to the courtyard, feeling lighter and more relieved. That went. MUCH much better than anticipated! Thank goodness. Though.. one of Parsley’s comments did plant a pit of worry in his stomach, but. Well. Nothing he could do about it, Parsley was the lawyer, not him.

-----

If Kamal wasnt so stressed out right now, he’d be very entertained by how Trevor just kept going on and ON about vampires. It was impressive, actually, even if he had no idea what the heck he was even on about. But as it stood he was passively listening to keep the kid happy, all while his worries covered him like a heavy, heavy blanket. He keeps glancing over to the big front doors of the Habitat, keeps listening for a knock or the sound of a bus or something. It feels like time is going agonizingly slow.

“...your name again?”

“Huh?” Oh, shit, he stopped listening. He looked back to Trevor, giving him a nervous smile.

“Uhh, sorry pal, didn’t catch that. Whats up?”

“What’s your name again? And, uh, the tall guy?”

Good, good, just a question. He lets out a sigh and tries to relax again.

“My name’s Kamal, and that big lug you saw was Habit. He’s my boss, and the guy who runs this place. He, uh... I mean, we’ll need you to fill out an application, later, since. Since yer mom kinda just... y’know.”

“Ohh.. I uh, yeah thats! Fair, probably, sorry about that.”

“Nah, kid, dont even worry about it. Not your fault. Is, uh.. the only reason you came cause of the. Vampire thing?....” Where did he even hear that? Far as he’s aware none of these other folk are really internet people. “You know this is a place for like. Sad people, right?”

“Really? Well, honestly, I wasn’t sure. I mean, I did look at the website, but...”

Trevor shrugs, and Kamal gives him another nervous grin. Maybe he should look at that website... Habit put it together when they were first getting things running, he cant actually remember whether or not he checked it before hand. Maybe he should... go and make some edits. Or at least add some information. Or just look at it- whatever that was for later.

His attention went back to the front doors, while Trevor went back to talking about vampires to the other few adults around, who were listening to him with confused but endeared expressions. He was a little weird, but hey, whatever makes this kid happy right? After he was just dumped off by his mom, it was the least they could do.

Kamal found himself just staring at those doors, everything else out of his focus falling away. He started sort of bouncing one of his legs anxiously, starting to fiddle with his hair with one of his free hands. He was so out of it that he let out a very undignified squawk when he felt something touch him, turning around only to be met by his tall boss. They stared at each other before laughing a bit, Kamal giving an embarrassed apology before straightening.

“S.. so, uh, how’d it go with-” Ah. He glances over at Jimothan, who was talking with Trevor, before looking back to Habit.

“How’d it go?”

“Goode! Eye thimk it went good. He said he would help! Help two get Trevor’s in-for-mation, for an application. He is, thamkfully, on oure side withe this. There is no-thimg to worri a-bout, Kamal.”

He holds his arms out a little, an offered hug, and Kamal is quick to take it. God he was so relieved he could melt into a puddle right then and there.

But there was still more to do. They all chat for a fit, and the others disperse as Kamal leads Trevor up into the apartment area, practically hugging the wall all the way up while Habit followed behind with Trevor’s bit of luggage.

With the weight of all that legal stress off his shoulders, Kamal was a lot more lively. That was good, Habit liked to see that. Seeing his assistant so consumed by stress and anxiety.. really hurt, but he knew the feeling.

Once Trevor was shown his room, he was eager to have everything set up and decorated just how he wanted, so they left him to it. Still had to wait for the new Habititans to show up... hopefully nothing happened, but those worries were ditched quickly as they got to the bottom of the stairwell.

“Ohhhh heyyyyyyyy!” A woman in a green dress and frizzy looking hair waved over to them, accompanied by a.. well, to put it bluntly, another very sad looking woman with long teal hair.

Kamal let out a breath of relief seeing them and straightened, putting on a big smile as he and Habit approached the two.

“Hello! And, welcome to the Habitat! We’re very pleased to have you both, you didn’t have any trouble getting here did you?”

“Ohh not at all! Hahaha, wowww, you’re soo sweet! I met Lulia here the the busss stop and we chatted so much we forgot the bus! Soooo we had to wait for the next one, but itssss okay, no worries.”

She ruffles Kamal’s hair, which gets a nervous laugh out of him. Was.. was this woman. Drunk? She, uh, she was sure acting like it. Well its a good thing she said they took the bus cause Kamal wasn’t sure how he’d feel if she drove here.

“Okay! Okay, thats... thats good to hear, at least.” At least, he thinks so. “You’re.. Jerafina, right? And I suppose the other woman is Lulia?”

“Ding diiiiiing! Hahaha, I alllllmost forgot you knew my name, I was totally shocked at first.” She turns to look at the other woman standing behind her. “Yooour name is Lulia??? Thats sooooo pretty!!”

Lulia just sighs, brushing some hair behind one of her ears. It looks like she’s blushing, but Kamal cant tell what exactly from. She really did look sad, and, well... her application had him figure as much, really. She was probably the worst case here right now, and honestly, it... made him nervous! What a shocker, but really. She would have to be someone they keep an eye on, for sure...

While he was lost in his thoughts Habit approached them, giving them a friendly smile and offering his hand for handshakes. Jerafina took it and shook maybe a little too eagerly, while Luila just turned her face away from the offer. She didn’t seem like one to talk, even though Jerafina mentioned them having a conversation... though, maybe Jerafina was just talking at her. Who knows.

“Weel! You two muste be tired, yess?? Let us go two you’re rooms! I cam carry your thimgs!” Habit beamed as they both gave him their respective suitcases, and he thought it was cute how each one matched its owner so perfectly. He glanced down at Kamal, who was looking at the stairs rather nervously, and nudged him with his elbow.

“Do note worry, eye can han-dle theme from hear. Yew go back two the office o-key?” He doesn’t give Kamal the chance to answer, actually, and turns a heel and walks towards the stairs with the two women following suit.

Kamal watches them go, hand partially raised like he was going to say something, but after a second he drops it and makes his own way back to the office. Come on, its okay, everything worked out fine. Nothing to stress about.

-----

Jerafina continued to chat up Lulia the whole way up the stairs and to the apartment rooms, up until she was shown her own room and given her suitcase. She pouted and whined about leaving Lulia behind, but eventually left to her own devices after a moment. Habit was thankful when she did, letting out a little sigh. She definitely reeked of alcohol. Well! Good thing they the lounge, and Jimothan.

His walk with Lulia was significantly quieter, and Habit all too quickly missed Jerafina’s mindless chatter. He never knew what to say to people who didn’t want to talk, so... they didn’t. Lulia didn’t seem to mind at least. When they reached her room Habit set down her luggage and looked over to her, offering a little smile.

“Do note worry, miss Lulia. Yew can take as much tiem here as you neede. If there is any-thinge you neede, let me knowe.” His smile strains a little bit as she nods and continues to stay quiet, watching her step into her room. He lets out a quiet sigh through his nose. Well... he cant blame her. These sorts of things arent easy for everyone. Admitting you’re in a bad place, and need some kind of help..

“...You are a-mong friends, here. We are alll deal-img withe pro-blems. Big! Or small. Do note be a-fraid two talke to some-one. O-key?” He stares at the back of her head for a long time before smiling a little when she finally nods. He wishes her a good rest of the day and makes his way back down the stairs, and towards the boilers.

He hopes Kamal is okay. Today piled a lot of unexpected stress onto him, and Habit knew just how anxious he got about things... Well! No matter, he would make sure things ran smooth as they can go. Tomorrow he’ll check in with Parsley, and get to work on all of Trevor’s papers. Maybe see if... Parsley can get a hold of his mom. Or... something. Anything. That whole situation didn’t sit right with him..

When he reached the elevator he hit the up button and waited patiently for the ding, listening to the hum of the machine as it whirred to life. He was still lost in thought, but didn’t miss the quiet sound under the mechanical hum. He lifted his head a bit to listen more intently, looking around the empty room.

Empty? No, that wasnt right. His eyes widened a bit as his gaze landed on one of the corners of the room, where he spotted a small form, pressed against that corner and looking very small. His expression fell and his chest tightened painfully.

“Oh, лилия....” The words slipped out, just barely audible, and Habit turned to make his way over to that small form as the elevator dinged and opened behind him. He stopped just shy of the other, and slowly sat down on his knees in front of him.

Kamal was sat so tucked into that corner and into himself that he looked so, so much smaller than normal. Habit could see the way he trembled, even in the dim room, and could see the uneven rising and falling of his breathing, despite him being utterly silent. He reached out to him, only to stop just shy of touching his head. He hesitated for a long while, thinking over what to do.

“Is touche o-kay?”

For a while, Kamal didn’t give him a response, verbal or otherwise, but he eventually nodded. Habit breathed a sigh of relief and started to gently stroke the top of his head, lightly dragging his finger tips through his hair.

“I ame... so sorry, Kamal... I should note hav left you a-lone.” Especially when the way up to the office was so... dark and spooky. He should really try getting some lights down here sometime, he thinks, but- no no. That wasn’t important right now.

What was important was the fact that he let his assistant, his friend, get so anxious like this. He’s sure he could have done... something better along the way.

He continues to comb through Kamal’s wavy hair with his fingers, not sure what to say next. Not sure what would or wouldn’t make it worse.. but he knew being down here wasn’t going to make it any better, thats for sure.

Gently he started to coax Kamal into uncurling.

“Here, lemt me carry you two you’re room. Yew wille be more comfy there.”

Eventually Kamal let Habit pick him up, but he hid his face in his hands the whole time. That made Habit giggle a bit, which seemed to relax Kamal a little. Good! That was... a little progress, at least. He carried him up and into the elevator, pushing the up button. Kamal, being his assistant, shared a room right across from Habit’s. Easy to get to and from the office quickly.

As the elevator came to a slow stop and dinged, the doors sliding open, Kamal finally found his voice as Habit stepped out.

“Imm.. ss-sorry...” His voice was quiet and cracked easily, giving away his crying. It really tore up Habit from the inside out, hearing him like that.

“Kamal no no, you do’nt haf two be sorre for an-y thimg....” He nudged Kamal’s door open as he reached it, thankful it wasnt closed all the way, and went to go sit on the bed. Still holding him close.

“Bu.. but I. I-I didnt... ee-even help!.. I was,, ss-so useless...” And that was it, wasn’t it. He tried so hard all the time, he worked so hard, all the time. Did everything his parents wanted him to, studied and made perfect grades even at the expense of his well being, got into a good college, then went to a good dentistry school, kept studying hard and making perfect grades-

But god, god, life throws one unexpected thing at him and he totally falls apart. Just one! And it wasnt even that bad! So- why??

He flinches a little bit as his hands are pulled from his face, and he stares, teary-eyed up at his boss, who looks back down at him with worry and pain.

“You are Not use-less. Kamal.” Habit closes his eyes for a second to take a breath, and when he opens them again, his gaze is much softer.

“Yew are wonderful. So.. smarte, and hard-workeing, all the time! Even whene you do’mt haf to be. You check and re-cheke ev-ery-thing so thate you are sure it is all in-order! Thate everything is o-key! Yew hav re-membered manee little de-tales I do not, and have fixed mine mistakes thate I missed. Ande yew care a-bout the Habititans as much as I do.” He gives Kamal a warm smile, gently wiping a few tears away with his thumb.

“Far from use-less, in mine o-pinion.”

Kamal cant help his face flushing as Habit speaks, glancing away when he starts touching his face. It does bring a little smile to his face, and he cant help but.. laugh? Just a little bit.

“Y... yer.. such a sofie, y.. y’know that?” He doesn’t look back up at Habit, but he does put a hand over top the one still touching his face, as if to say ‘keep it there.’

Habit just stares down at Kamal with a little smile on his face, staying quiet for a bit before letting out a little laugh of his own.

“Hah, may-b! Thate is a good thing, no?”

Its only now that Kamal finally looks up at Habit, giving him a small smile of his own.

“Yeah... yeah I, I think so.”

They stay like that for a long while. Habit moves so that his back can lean back against the wall, and Kamal stays in his arms. He feels like this should be... way more weird, I mean, he was. Being held by his boss? After having a mini breakdown. In his own room??? On his bed??? But... it was just. Nice.

They talked about nothing in particular for what felt like hours, till Kamal stopped getting answers back. He glanced up, only to see that Habit was starting to doze off. He felt his face flush again along with this warm, but also nauseous feeling in his chest. At first he thought he might be about to have a panic attack, but this feeling still felt more.. pleasant than anything, pleasant and nervous.

...Wait a second.

Ah,

#the smiler (ooc)#The Smiler's stories (mun writing)#long post #(well this sure took forever but here it is pls.. read it hdfshfsd)#(i kinda forgot to check while i was writing to events in this drabble dont Quite line up with how i had the characters talk)#(but WHATEVER its fine lmao)#(this is already like. a week late anyways hsdfhsdf it dont matter)#Smile for me #Smile for me game #Dr. Habit #Kamal Bora

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anxietysroomsupport · 4 years ago

Note

Tonight me and my friend said bye bc it's summer and she wont be able to talk to me anymore since school ended and the only way we were able to contact each other were through emails when school was in session bc her parents are very abusive. Fuck. I know I'm gonna talk to her after summer but that's a really long time. I know she doesnt depend on me to keep her confidence up but I left for 5 days and she started believing the terrible shit they say about her 1/2

2/2 and I jsut cant imagine all that they're gonna do and say to her over two months. I feel so powerless sand I dont mean to make this about me bc it's her who is in such a shitty situation but I cant do anything to stop them from making her feel that way she does. I want to consentually kidnap her and hide her in my room forever. I fuckign hate her parents so much. She believes all of the bullshit they tell her and she cant see how much of an amazing person she is 2/3

3/3 how can a person treat another person so amazing and outstanding like her the way they do? I cant believe its gonna be over 2 months until I get to talk to her again. So many things can happen. Again I dont mean to make this all about me and I'm sorry that that's what I'm doing but I really need to rant. And all the shit they put her through she tries to justify it because they love her. But they dont. They're doing what they're doing for their own selfish reason 3/4

4/4 and I wish I could make her see that. She knows what her parents are doing is wrong but i dont think she has a full grasp on that yknow. If i ever see her parents i swear I'm gonna fuckign deck them both when she's safe. And i dont blame her btw. Her parents are manipulative shits and it isnt her fault that she gives in to what they're saying but it's not right. And all of this bc shes bi. They were abusive before but now it's so much worse 4/5

5/5 and people try and justify abuse by saying homosexuality is wrong as if this isnt happening to an actual fuckign person (I knwo abuse isnt just happening to queers but it is in this situation). Shes liek a literal prisoner there. She has to be with someone at all times of the day and she isnt allowed in her room. The only she allowed to be alone is the bathroom and changing. I honestly dont know how shes gonna survive (sorry I'm writing a lot) 5/6

6/6 she said she wont commit suicide and I trust her but I cant entirely rule it out so if she makes it through these two months without human contact except for her abusive parents and her passive siblings who just dont care then I think she's going to be so broken the next time I get to talk to her. I mean jsut hearing the things they say to her over and over again for months and not having anybody you can talk to who shares the opposite opinion then she's gonna believe it.

7/7 (last one sorry) and it seems like nobody on this piece of shit earth cares at all. Nobody seems to realize that this is happening to fuckign kids?? Who are supposed to be happy and do stupid stuff without fearing for your safety (not that her dating a girl or being bi is stupid but if they spot even the tiniest imperfect they make her seem like shes a worthless misbehaving shit even tho shes the complete opposite). Nobody cares that this is an actual human person and it fucking sucks

Hi Anon,

No apologies necessary, it’s clear you really care about your friend. And you’re absolutely correct, it’s not right what they’re doing to her no matter what her orientation is.

If computers are out, it might be time to go analogue. See if you can write her letters, and send them to her house, or if her parents wouldn’t like that either, send them to a friendly neighbor’s house for her to pick up when she can. If you’ve been to her house before, you might be able to look up the address by recalling the route and finding the house on google maps.

If you get the address, you can have anything sent over there. You might not know if letters or packages ever reached her until school starts back up, so if you end up sending anything, understand that you’re basically sending it into the ether.

Do her parents have a house phone? Even if they monitor her calls, you would at least be able to hear how she’s doing in general. Phone books like the Yellow Pages keep lists of everyone with a landline, unless they select to be private.

Depending on what level of abuse you know for sure has happened, you might be able to call Child Protective Services on her parents (or your country’s equivalent if you’re outside the U.S.). Use this tool with caution: if the situation isn’t bad enough for her to be immediately taken out of the house, then she would have to stay with parents who knew someone had called CPS. CPS investigates every report they get and often send a social worker to the house to verify if any reports are true. If they found evidence of abuse, they could potentially remove her from the home, although that is typically only in very extreme cases.

If none of those routes are possible, all you can be is wait and be ready for when she comes back. You can look up things that help abuse survivors so you’re ready but, ultimately, her health and safety is not your responsibility. You are not responsible if something happens to her. It won’t be your job to help her recover if she does come back in a bad mindset. Only give what you feel comfortable giving of yourself, and remember to take care of yourself, too. Your friend is very lucky to have someone like you looking out for her.

Good luck.

-Miss Fay

#abuse mention #mental abuse #mental health #family #parents #relationships #bisexual #siblings #cursing tw #homophobia #biphobia #child protective services

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chokefriends · 6 years ago

Text

Pit-town Strays Ch.1

Kidlaw softness and redneck shenanigans in a northern mining town. Everything's fucked but whatever.

Rated T, no warnings, or just general warnings for setting-specific social ills and violence (racist cops, shitty parents, etc). Someone ordered wholesome kidlaw family feels? well HERE.

[Ch. 1] - Ch. 2 - Ch. 3 - Ch. 4 - Ch. 5

Read on Ao3 too, I’m Ossicle

“What the hell are you going to Pit-town for?” Bellamy chewed at Law with his mouth open, a smarmy sneer on his pasty face.

“None of your business.” Law scowled, turning his eyes away from his brother’s ground-up breakfast. He shoved a random pile of coursework into his backpack.

“Well I know what kids like you go up there to do. Everybody knows.” Bellamy drawled on, like he knew shit about anything besides scamming beer and shooting bottles at the quarry.

“Don’t make assumptions, idiot. I’m just babysitting.”

“Why?”

“It’s called a job? You should try it,” Law suggested primly. “Feet.”

Bellamy lifted his feet off Law’s pile of textbooks. “Why, though? You got that big scholarship, I seen the letter when it came in.”

Law frowned at him. “How did you…”

“Well it was just there, so I read it. Why don’t you move out, if you got all that money? You hate it here so much.”

Law waved this matter aside. “I owe that money to someone. Give me the volvo keys.”

Bellamy didn’t move his stupid stumpy self from the ancient recliner—prized spot in the basement space the three brothers shared. “No, I need it, I’m meeting up with some guys later to go down to the quarry. Dad said I could.”

“Bellamy, I need it to get to town. Just gimme the keys.”

“Well I need it to pick up little ladies! You can hitch, right?”

Law didn’t bother arguing. He sighed through his nose and slid his feet into his severely ratty sneakers before heading out into the yard.

“Don't tell Dad where I am or I'll tell him about your girlfriend!” Law called on his way out.

“Obviously,” Bellamy muttered.

The ancient volvo wasn’t feeling cooperative today, or Law was having a lapse or something because he couldn’t fucking hotwire it. He slammed his fist on the dash and took out his phone. It was an oddly summery fall day—not too cold to walk or bike—but his shoes were getting thin in the soles, and Law didn't like asking his dad for little stuff like that. Didn't wanna be such a burden all the time.

He scrolled through his messages and sent a couple off to see about a ride. But Robin (who'd suggested the job) was teaching, and Baby (sweet, bitter Baby) was already in the sauce.

BB: i cn still come tho? you real stuck?? big bro awwwww im sry

You: Nono dont go driving if youre partying it up, Ill hitch a ride I guess

BB: Where?

You: Just into town

BB: Where in town??????

You: The Pit.

You: or whatever.

BB: LAWWW NOOOOOOOOooo jus kidding lol no judgement here

BB: id sell it on weekends too if i were pretty liek U

You: I’m not selling my ass!!!

BB: Lol

BB: sure

BB: why else ndn boi hangs w miner trash? Shady.

You: Lots of reasons, including a babysitting job. Don’t make assumptions.

BB: “babysitting”” “””job”””’

You: Yes.

BB: God ur sheltered

BB: shltered bebe in u nice rich house

BB: don get picked up there, pit-town piggies love ndn bebes

Law pocketed his phone with an eyeroll and started walking down toward the highway.

Once he’d found a ride and gotten dropped off, it was a twenty minute walk from the highway to the Pit. Law ended up climbing over the bare, rocky hill behind the truck stop, cuz his phone’s map had the place all wrong. On top of the hill, he could see the Pit in all its glory laid out before him.

Pit-town was the weird little enclave where the town’s mine workers were housed, in tar paper houses as outdated as the mine itself. The tangled machinery of the refinery loomed just beyond the houses, and above all that, the smokestacks. White smoke drifted from their peaks, as high above him as the clouds. Nothing except low bush berries grew around here—it was like an outpost on the moon.

Law went down into the village. Men with tattooed arms watched him from pickup trucks, and women smoking in lawn chairs whispered. Half-feral dogs barked and circled.

“Ya lost, hun?” one busty woman called from her front step as he passed, and her friends chuckled.

“No…” he mumbled back, and hurried on as they all laughed.

He was flustered and out of breath by the time he got to the address, on the other fucking side of the whole village. The house was like the rest: a single-storey bungalow on a small plot of land with a car port full of dead appliances. There was a little pink bike lying on the front step, and a short dog chain attached to a pole in the middle of the bare yard. A deep trail had been trod in a circle around the pole but there was no dog in sight. Law went up and knocked lightly.

He stood there for a few minutes, feeling the neighborhood eyes on his back, before trying again. He knocked a little louder. “Hey, um. Hello?”

A harsh voice called, “YEAH IT’S OPEN.”

Law tried the door. “No it’s not?” he called back.

“YEAH IT IS JUST KICK IT AND TURN THE THING AT THE SAME TIME.”

“...No, definitely not open,” Law assured him after trying every kick-turn combination.

“AH FUCK.”

“Yeah.”

“OKAY, CAN YOU JUST BREAK IN?”

“...What??” Law was almost offended.

“I’M DOING A THING, CAN’T GET THE DOOR RIGHT NOW, JUST TRY SOMETHING.”

Obviously Law could break into stuff, because his shitty little brothers thought it was hilarious to lock him out of the house all the time. And because their father thought it was prudent to keep things like Law’s ID in a secure location. Law didn’t think that skill set was a great way to start this ‘job’ thing, though… He looked around at the prying eyes across the street and they flitted back behind their blinds. He sighed.

The lock was just one of the doorknob ones, and the jamb didn’t have a guard on it so it was easy to get a credit card in there. The door swung open and Law stepped into a cluttered hallway.

“In here!” the big voice called from down the hall.

“I here!” a little voice added.

Law navigated his way carefully, stepping over baskets of laundry, unreturned empties, and sealed up moving boxes. Something obnoxious was playing on tinny speakers in another room. He rounded the corner into a sweltering little kitchen that seemed like the only clear spot in the house.

There was a very tall redhead with a face full of piercings sitting at the kitchen table in his boxers, and a much smaller redhead in a frilly blue bathing suit beside him. They were painting their toenails black, with their feet up on the table.

The bigger redhead seemed really shocked to see Law. He almost toppled backward on his chair. “H-hi! Uh! You’re Native.”

Law blinked. “Yeah. Um. You’re naked.”

“I’m Nami!” announced the little girl.

The guy was pretty much naked, by Law’s standards. Also kind of jacked… Law could feel his face heating up and was glad that it didn’t really show on him. The man sitting there in his boxers was pale as a fucking ghost, though, and so his sudden flush was super obvious. He rushed to recover from that intro.

“I don’t mean like, ‘oh, you’re Native.’ Well, obviously you are, heh, but I don’t mind or anything!"

“Yeah, uh.” Law nodded helpfully. “I don’t mind either, that you’re… naked.”

“Kidd is a naked...” Nami sang to herself.

“I'm not even,” Kidd protested. “I'm just hot as hell. Aren't you hot?”

“Am I??” Law was completely lost.

“Not—! I mean, yeah, but you're in a hoodie? Aren't you sweltering?” Kidd clarified.

“Oooh. No, not really. I like to keep covered up,” Law explained, picking at a fraying sleeve. He supposed it was weird to be wearing jeans and a hoodie in this weather, but no weirder than wearing Crocs in public, like people here seemed into doing.

Kidd was distracted by Nami painting patterns on her feet with the nail polish. “Fuck, Nami, stop, we just paint the nails. It’s messy, see? MESSY.” He took the tiny girl and sat her on the counter instead, then went about cleaning up the table. “Sorry about the door. Can’t go anywhere with wet toenails, it smears like hell.”

Law nodded harder and went to help him. “It’s cool, I know how to break into stuff. I mean I don’t usually! But your door was easy. Not that I’ll do it again!”

“Not a problem… uh, Kidd. I’m Kidd. Hi.” The guy finally got his head together and extended a hand. His fingernails were painted black too. He had a really firm grip.

“Law,” Law replied in relief.

“And this is my sister Nami,” Kidd jabbed a thumb at the toddler perched precariously on the counter. “She’s a fucking psychopath.”

Nami ignored them, sticking towels into the toaster instead.

“You have a dog too? I saw the chain outside.” Law wondered.

“No, Dad took the dog with him. And the fuckin car…”

“Your parents are both working?” Law asked, and immediately regretted it. God, he really was sheltered.

Kidd blushed again and started stacking dishes.

Law rushed to clarify. “Or, ‘parent'? I only got one too—a dad. I'm adopted though, and my birth parents are both passed, so.”

Kidd was wiping off each dish absently under the running water, not really cleaning anything. “We got a dad and mom, they’re just… not around right now. So it’s just us! Which is better, believe me.” He growled the last bit under his breath.

“Oh, got it.”

“Anyway. I didn't wanna ask someone to come all the way here to watch Nami, but that bitch down the street won’t take her anymore because of lice or property damage or something, and I got an interview today. I’ll prolly find another illegal daycare somewhere around here if I do get this job, though, heh.”

“Yeah don’t worry about it.” Law tried not to seem squeamish at the mention of lice.

“If they do take me I’ll be starting right away, so I might be out til pretty late,” Kidd warned him. “I’ll pay you for however long you’re here for though.”

“Sounds good. You gonna work at the mine?”

This seemed like another sensitive issue. Kidd looked away and muttered, “No… you gotta be 21, and take all these courses and stuff. And anyway, like HELL will I end up in the fuckin pit,” he finished with unexpected heat.

Law was saved from having to come up with a response by Nami blowing up the toaster outlet. The kitchen appliances all blinked out.

“FUCK! Again…” Kidd rushed to pick her up and sit her back on the table as a loud dryer beep sounded from the bathroom. “And fuck, there’s my pants. Listen, can you grab a fuse from the drawer there and stick it in? I actually REALLY gotta go, like right now.”

“Yeah of course!” Law watched the strange redhead duck through the kitchen door and pick his way down the obstacle course hall to another door.

He pulled his eyes away from the muscled back and onto the little girl, who was… eating nail polish.

“You!” Law scolded her, and put her in a chair. He grabbed the few towels that weren’t burnt, and tied her to the aluminum frame. “Okay, eat cheez-its while I fix this.”

Law had got the new fuse screwed into the panel and the nail polish off Nami’s face by the time Kidd came back, dressed in clothes that didn’t seem like interview clothes to Law: heavy duck pants and steel-toed boots. He grabbed a duffel bag that was sitting on a box stack, shouldered it and then stood looking at Law.

“Uh,” Kidd was blushing again. It was kind of amazing to see this tough blacklung brat acting so unsure. “If I come back really late maybe I could bring something? To eat? And we could eat it here?”

“Yeah, that'd be good.” Law shrugged like he didn't mind either way.

“KFC?” Kidd suggested.

“Oh I don't like breaded stuff. Fries are good, though.”

“Chinese?”

“I'm trying not to eat MSG actually…”

Kidd tried to think. “So what do you eat?”

“Mostly sushi.”

“I didn't know there was any sushi places in this shit town,” Kidd admitted.

“At the college there's one. Uh, but whatever you bring is fine, don't worry about it!” Law reassured him.

“Okay. Well, see ya.” Kidd made his way outside, yelling at some hovering dogs to git!, then started swearing. “Aw fuck, Nami's FUCKING bike…”

“You trip on it?” Law poked his head outside.

“No,” Kidd was looking at an empty front walk. “Fuckin kids took off with it again. I'll just go punch their dad in the throat later, not a big deal.”

“Holy,” Law commented mildly.

He watched Kidd pull a frankenstein-ian motorcycle out of a side door and roar away on it. Then he looked around to see if anyone had caught him looking. He was just sending a good glare at the prying eyes across the street when he remembered that he was babysitting. He returned to the kitchen where Nami was sitting once again on top of the table, drawing circles in a nail polish puddle with one finger.

“Your brother is an entire entrée,” Law informed her.

She didn't reply, intent on her craft. But she objected when he tried to pick her up. “Nooo!”

“No?” he put her down.

She glared at him, a tiny girl of no more than four, ginger hair in little pigtails and her frilly blue bathing suit spotted with nail polish.

“I'm Law,” he sat down so he was at her level, and introduced himself. “Lawww.”

“Law...” She appraised him solemnly for another moment and then seemed to deem him acceptable. “I’m being a witch,” she confided in a whisper.

“A witch?”

“Yah.”

Law sat back in the chair with a laugh. “My girl! Let's talk!”

Law had the kitchen scrubbed to his own exacting standards in short order, having secured Nami firmly to a chair (with duct tape and towels this time).

She was starting to nod into her cheezits by the time he'd finished, and Law figured it was nap time. He went to review the rooms along the hallway, looking for a baby room. He couldn't figure out the logic of the place, though. There was a largeish bedroom, which seemed to be the source of the stale smoke smell, mostly taken up by a tacky king bed and Seinfeld DVDs. It clearly hadn't been used in forever. He closed that door. Then there was a smaller room that might've once been a child's room, decorated with glow in the dark stars on the ceiling and complex Lego structures piled in one corner. It was stacked floor to ceiling with file boxes and covered in dust too. Another small room seemed to be Kidd's hideout, though the bed was just a box spring covered in laundry and books. There was a guitar and practice amp, and a desk piled with half-dissected old laptops. Law resisted the urge to snoop, and closed the door.

He went back down to the other end of the hall, past the front door, where the narrow corridor opened into a small living room space. A couch and a single mattress were neatly made up into beds, in front of a large TV that seemed like the only new thing in the house.

“I want a Kidd nap.” Nami had somehow gotten out of the duct tape high chair and was at Law's side, rubbing her eyes.

“Okay? In the big bed?”

“You're silly,” she accused. She went to lie down on the couch, pulling a fuzzy blanket over herself.

Law went to sit next to her. He gestured down at the mattress on the floor, with its orange and blue comforter and many fuzzy cushions. “Is that your bed? Don't you wanna nap there?”

“No,” she explained patiently, eyes already closed.

“Right, obviously.”

He watched her shuffle and sigh her way to sleep.

“I could've had a sister,” he murmured, partly to her and partly to himself. “I mean, I do have a biological sister, but I didn't grow up with her. I think it would've been nice, though…”

Nami was already asleep when he looked over again. Easy! Law totally had this babysitting thing in hand. He pulled his stats assignment out of his bag, and got down to the real work.

Nami turned out to be a pretty chill baby, as well as being an utter terror. She mostly ignored Law, preferring to go about her little play tasks uninterrupted, with the TV playing in the background. “Being a witch,” she explained whenever Law asked what she was doing.

“Keep it up,” he encouraged her, turning back to his own work.

He quickly learned, though, to keep an ear out for silence, because she was probably blowing shit up. Law found her building a fire in the oven, then making what he was pretty sure was mustard gas in the toilet.

“How’d you do that??” He took the bleach from her and she threw a mild fit before toddling off to the next game.

By the time Kidd returned, Law was just sitting in a kitchen chair with his stats assignment disregarded in front of him, watching the four-year-old expertly jimmy the makeshift lock he'd put on the knife drawer.

“More twist on the lever,” an amused Law recommended.

“So this one's being a psychopath huh,” Kidd entered and threw his duffel bag on the table.

Law corrected him.“Um, she's a witch and a prodigy? She made several deadly potions with cleaning supplies today."

“Oh jesus now there's two of you.”

“One more and we got a coven.”

“Great. Nami, it's like 11, why ain't your ass in bed?” Kidd growled at his sister, who ignored him.

“She went down for a couple hours, but kept getting up when she heard a car go by. And I couldn't get any pajamas on her,” Law reported.

“Yeah she won't take the bathing suit off unless I bribe her. She's big into being a ‘mermaid’ this month, on top of being a witch.”

Nami had gotten the knife drawer open and was feeling around in it with one chubby hand.

Kidd scooped her up. “No knives.”

“A knife!!!”

Law shook his head and smiled. Child after his own heart. “What's she want a knife for?”

“She's been trying to slash my tires lately, so probably that. It's usually pretty funny to watch, but yeah, not at bedtime. Eh, Nami?”

“I WAN A KNIFE! A KNIFE A KNIFE A—”

Nami stopped and stared at the chocolate coin Kidd was holding up. She grabbed it and wiggled out of his arms. They followed her to the living room where she was stashing her prize under the couch.

“Holy, she's got a hoard,” Law gave a low whistle at the cache of foil coins and random shiny things.

“Yeah I think she's more dragon than mermaid,” Kidd commented.

Nami lay down in her floor bed, where she could see the glittering pile.

“I got food, if you wanna…?” Kidd nodded back toward the kitchen.

“Is she good here?”

“Yeah she pretty much puts herself to sleep, just leave WrestleMania on for her. She likes the noise.”

They went back to the kitchen, and Kidd turned on a thing Law had thought was a smashed toaster oven reconstructed with safety pins, but which turned out to be a radio. Kidd gestured to a bag on the table, and Law unpacked it while the redhead fiddled with the receiver. It mostly seemed to be picking up country music and static.

“Can almost get that alt rock station with this thing,” he muttered, “probably just needs another coat hanger.”

“You went and got sushi??” Law pulled out several little plastic containers.

Kidd’s back was to him but Law could see his neck and ears going red. He kept fiddling with the dials. “Yeah, whatever.”

“From all the way at the college?”

“Yeah. Whatever.”

“...I think that radio is using you as an antenna,” Law observed, changing the topic.

Kidd snorted and let go of the screwdriver-dial, and the radio went to mostly static. “Faboo. Maybe it wants a piercing too.”

His face had returned to a normal color under all that metal, and he joined Law at the table. Law offered him the dragon roll and took the sashimi plate.

The chopsticks were an obstacle.

“Do you stab it?” Kidd glared at the sushi and the two little sticks.

“No, look at my hand: hold one like a pencil, and the other one loosely—”

“I stab it.”

“Don’t stab it, hey, you’ll ruin the integrity of the roll shape!”

“Hm,” Kidd chewed his mangled piece. “Tastes like salad.”

“Here.” Law scooted over a chair. He took the chopsticks out of Kidd’s fist and rearranged them. Kidd’s hands were large and rough to the touch, and the scent of sweat and gas clung to his clothes. The sudden impression of body heat and machinery smacked Law right in the back of the brain.

“I’m gonna say this is finger food,” Kidd decided.

“Yeah,” Law agreed automatically.

“Yeah, fuck this. Want a beer?”

Law hated beer. “Yeah. I mean, whatever.”

Law sat and nursed the beer with determination, trying to pay attention to Kidd's animated take on government surveillance vans and Nicolas Cage. His brain was getting fuzzy really fast, though. He was such a fuckin lightweight.

“He’s not an actual human person, is all I’m saying. You seen his face tryna do face stuff?” Kidd argued, crunching his second beer can and tossing it in the bin across the room. "Nother beer? Hey, you’re not even done that one.”

“Tastes like bread,” Law noted distractedly.

“I guess. You don’t like Bud?”

“I liked the first movie,” Law hiccuped.

Kidd laughed like a fucking hooligan, and Law had to laugh too. Normally loud laughs grated on Law's ears, but he decided he liked this one. It wasn't mocking or cold; just big.

Kidd shook his head with a final chuckle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Me too. Sooo uh, what you studying at the college?”

“General science right now, thinking I'll go into the pre-med stream,” Law answered right away. “Or maybe something more research, less clinical… uh. Or you know, like. Whatever.”

Kidd actually seemed interested. “Yeah that sounds awesome. I always wanted to go into engineering, but pure research would be cool… You um. Doing some math, there?” He looked over at Law's assignment, abandoned on the table.

“Stats. The bane of my existence. Don't stare at it too long, it'll put the bleed on your brain.”

“...you're stuck, huh?” Kidd glanced over again.

“No.” Law sniffed. “I'm considering it from many angles.”

“Okay, man.”

“Oh, like you know anything about sample sizes and shit.”

Kidd shrugged, but the line in his forehead deepened. He cracked another tallboy.

Law gripped his own beer can in the uncomfortable silence that followed, and then downed the rest all at once.

“Nother,” he wiped his mouth and Kidd raised an eyebrow but passed him a fresh one.

“Git it in ya.”

“Mhm.” Law took a deep swig and almost fucking barfed. “Sooo… you make that bike yourself huh?”

“...yeah,” Kidd's face lost the put-out look and split into a grin. “Or whatever, I just added some stuff and changed other stuff… actually, it's…”

That got another good long ramble out of the redhead, full of startling laughter and crass parallels with female body parts. Law wondered idly if Kidd was actually familiar with any female body parts, or whether this was just how people in Pit-town talked.

“Hm?” Law sat up straight, realizing that Kidd had asked him something. His brain was definitely all swimmy now.

“Or I can give you a lift back now. It's a long way to the Rez.”

“I'm not from the Rez, I live down the highway. I can just hitch my way back, it's not a big deal." Law looked at his phone—after midnight.

Kidd was giving Law a look, like he wanted to say something about that, but then grunted and downed his beer instead. “Here, for today,” he said, taking an envelope out of his pocket and pushing a few folded bills into Law's hand.

“Thanks.”

“If you're free tomorrow I'll be working again at noon. And like I said, you can stay here tonight if the trip out is—”

“Oh!” Law felt his face heating up again. “No, I gotta get home. My dad's gonna kill me as it is. I'll come back tomorrow, though, okay?”

“Okay! Or, whatever, good.”

“Yeah.” Law stood and started stuffing things back into his backpack. “Okay see ya tomorrow.”

Kidd gave him a flippant salute and cracked another beer.

Pulling on his sneakers at the door, Law felt a little tug at his pant leg.

“Law, you are going to go?” Nami worried.

“Yup, gotta go home.”

“Law, you won't be here if you go,” she started snuffling.

Law picked her up and put her back in her bed. “I'll come back tomorrow. Okay?”

“No.” She hid under the blanket and kept snuffling.

He hesitated. “I have to go.”

“She’ll get over it in a minute,” Kidd told him from the doorway, leaning backlit against the frame with crossed arms. “It's better not to draw it out.”

Law looked at the little lump among the cushions and shrugged. He stood to go.

The redhead chewed at his tongue piercing and watched him. “Okay, I don't wanna be weird about this, but like. It's the Pit. And you're... You know?”

Law wasn't getting it. “I'm...?”

“C'mon, you stick out. And it's really late, and it's just past check day, and… it'd really just be faster if I gave you a ride.”

Oh, fucking chivalry or whatever.

“So I'll put my hood up,” Law dismissed this.

“It’s the Pit, though,” Kidd said again.

“... See you tomorrow.” Law left without drawing it out any further.

Law got halfway through the village before someone pulled up next to him, apparently to offer him further unwanted courtesies.

“Looking for a place to stay?” the man offered.

“Just heading home,” Law deflected.

This didn't seem to be the answer the guy wanted, and he followed Law in his pickup at very close range, until they got to the village limits and the end of the street lights. Law gripped his phone in his pocket. He heard the truck door slam just as he went to detour off the road between two houses.

Law tried not to back away as the guy advanced. “I'll call the police.”

“I am the police,” the man pointed to the badge on his belt.

"Shit..."

"And you're trespassing."

Law held onto his phone, a harsh roaring steadily growing in his ears. The smart thing would be to play dumb and helpless so he wouldn't fucking get shot, and just hope someone came by… but the man went to grab him and he panicked just as the roar peaked. Law snapped the fist holding his phone into the man's temple, and it made a loud crunch. A couple more frantic strikes sent the pig down in a confused pile of limbs.

Well he'd fucking done it now. Maybe he could run before—

“Oohhh shit, haha,” someone commented.

Law glared over at Kidd, who was sitting there on his noisy rat bike, peering at the man on the ground.

“Hi?” Law crossed his arms.

Kidd scratched his neck. “Saw him drive past after you left, and figured… yeah. I was just gonna come and like, bam! Do a drive-by with a crowbar. But that Rocky shit was actually way cooler, haha. Is that a brass knuckles phone ring?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah…” Kidd considered the lump on the ground. “Kay, well. Can I drive you home now?”

“...” Law really, stubbornly wanted to refuse.

“Just so you can see how Marlene here rides,” Kidd patted the motorcycle. “Did I tell you I built her?”

Law's tension cracked and an incredulous laugh bubbled out. “Yeah. You told me. She's a beauty.” Kidd passed him the helmet and Law slid into place behind him.

“She’s a rubber-tit, chain-smoking old blacklung biddy, fuck yeah she's a beauty. You can ride her all day and night, she don't get tired.”

Law had been wondering how he'd get all the way home like this without popping a boner, but that mental image cleared it up.

“Uh,” Law gave the unconscious cop a guilty glance, “should we get this guy somewhere…?”

“Oh, I'll just call his wife to come get him, I guess,” Kidd snorted at the pathetic pile and took out his phone.

“You know him?”

“Everyone knows everyone here… hold on a sec. Hey, Mrs. Kyle? Yeah I just seen Kevin going off tryna fight that goose again.”

“Fuckin what??” Law snickered.

“Yeah, Cobb Road. Looked like he'd taken a good one on the head already. I dunno who taught that thing to make a fist. Yeah, anyway. Yeah, bye.” Kidd hung up, nodding to himself like that was it.

“No one's gonna believe that shit,” Law objected.

“Oh the goose? That's real, the thing's a monster. I think they should just shoot it but there's a pool on who'll defeat it in hand-to-hand combat.”

“...okay. Sure.”

“It's the Pit,” Kidd explained again.

Kidd tied a bandana onto his face as a windguard, and they pulled out of the village and onto the highway. It was fall but the air was warm and smelled like tar. Law held onto Kidd's waist and directed him by patting his arm and pointing. The smokestacks receded behind them, though the tar smell lingered on through the treeless landscape. Eventually Law signaled for them to stop.

Kidd pulled off the highway and stopped just under the lone streetlight at the turnoff. He looked around. “This is just a carpool lot. I might as well take you all the way home, right?”

“Nah, my Dad's already gonna be pissed that I'm out this late. If I ride up on a bike smelling like booze… yeah.” Law passed him the helmet and dismounted. “It's not far from here, I'm good now.”

Kidd was still processing the first part. “Aren't you in uni? You still have a curfew?”

Law shrugged. “He's strict. He just worries. Though, yeah, he's nowhere near as protective about my fuckin brothers so—”

At that exact moment Law's brain registered the whine of a familiar car, and he had to grip his bag to keep from bolting. He relaxed slightly when he saw it was just the Volvo.

“Hey Lawnboy,” Bellamy chuckled, leaning an elbow out the window.

“Hiii Law,” a gawky, sharp-eyed girl chirped from the passenger seat.

“Monet, my dream girl,” Law flirted mildly, leaning on the door frame. Monet giggled and Bellamy scowled.

“That your ~boyfriend~?” the blond troll mocked, jabbing a thumb at Kidd, who tensed and sneered.

“Yeah,” Law shot back.

There was a pause.

“Really???” Monet scrambled to get a good look at them both. Bellamy's face went slack with shock.

Kidd stuffed his head into the safety of his helmet.

“What're you doing?” Law questioned the helmeted Kidd.

“He's shy!” Monet squealed. “Ahhhh you guys are perfect!”

“Are you blushing?” Law tried to flip up the mirrored visor and Kidd held on stubbornly, shaking his head.

“Law, bring him to Hawk's place with us, I'll make youse guys’ drinks!! I got sourpuss and peach schnapps!”

“They're not coming to Hawk's,” Bellamy told her sullenly.

“Shut up Bellamy. Law, you guys coming?”

Law demurred. “Gotta work tomorrow, Monet-fique. Nother time.”

“Aw.”

“See you at home, Bellyache,” Law dismissed his pouting brother, who scowled.

“‘Babysitting’, huh. I'm telling Dad you're hoeing it up in the Pit,” Bellamy threatened.

Monet punched him in the shoulder. “Oh my god Bellamy no you're not. Later, Law! Byyye, strong silent boyfriend!”

Bellamy took his cue and screeched away.

Law turned back to Kidd, who was still hiding under his helmet. “Sorry. That was my brother. It just seemed like the best way to get him to leave.”

Kidd gave a slight shrug.

“So. See you tomorrow?” Law shouldered his bag.

Kidd nodded.

“Thanks for the ride. And for dinner and stuff…”

“Yeah it's whatever,” came Kidd's muffled voice.

“Oh yeah I mean, whatever.” Law started off down the road.

“Uh…! Thank you too, for… coming...” Kidd called after him a few steps later.

Law stopped and looked back awkwardly.

“...And for being chill about Nami's issues, and the house, and dealing with that creeping fucker… You don't have to come back after that crap. And if all this is gonna get you in trouble with your dad anyway,” Kidd offered in a nervous jumble, as Law wandered back over and stood there, feeling suddenly sad.

Law had had his share of sweet goodbye kisses under this streetlight, when he'd been a little younger and a little less worried about everything. He kinda really wanted another like that right now… But Kidd was holding onto the helmet on his head like a life preserver. And a kiss seemed like such a shallow, wrong-headed kind of assurance to offer against all ‘that crap.’

Law leaned in, and bonked his forehead lightly against the glossy helmet instead.

“Well, pick me up tomorrow, at the highway. So I don't gotta risk crossing the goose,” Law shrugged too, like it really was all just whatever.

He couldn't see Kidd's face but he could see his heaviness lift.

“You got it, Cap.”

The scruffy redhead leaned into his bike and the road, and became a fading engine roar in the dark. Law walked home slowly.

#kidlaw #KidLaw fic #eustass kid #trafalgar law #one piece modern au #Kid is a blusher #Law is an airhead #blue collar love #pit-town strays

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solarianradiance · 6 years ago

Text

Jellyatinous Rose

Calliope: Welcome lovelies, to oUr little get together for an adventure throUgh the Use of a Role-Playing Game system called DUngeons & Dragons! Tonight we have a new player joining in oUr dUngeon delving, oUr lovely friend, Roxy.

Roxy: hey erebody, its ur gurl roxy!

Dave: hey rox

Rose: Welcome to the game Roxy, nice to see you came tonight~

Kanaya: Pleasure To Have You Dear Roxy!

Jade: nice to see you again!

John: glad you could make it tonight!

Roxy: tnx 4 the warm welcum gaiz, makes me feel good bout this venture here

Roxy: so, when do we start playin?

Calliope: Shortlym bUtt first, we shall introdUce oUr varioUs party members for the road ahead, so that we may give oUr newest addition a chance to Understand her new chUms? Jade, why dont we start with yoU?

Jade: ok!

Jade: im a level 5 chaotic good gnoll ranger called groche’a, and i was ousted from my tribe for not wanting to plunder tombs for bones because i was scared of waking the dead and having them get revenge on us... which they did! im the only survivor!

Roxy: wats a goll? Roxy: *gnoll

Jade: a gnoll is a dog person

Jade: like this!

Roxy: oh so ur a hyna furry basically then?

Jade: well no, im more like a malamute husky, i actually based my character off of bec and what jake told me about my scratched other self

Roxy: yeah, ur gilf self was pretty smokin for an old lady, so i can c y u chose her

Jade: ...what?

Calliope: Lets keep this train of introdUctions going, Dave YoU’re Up love!

Dave: im dave, and im a barbarian. im a level 4 chaotic good guy i guess, gettin my rage on with my magic shit talking sword and doin all kinds of awesome shit!

Roxy: u men like connan the barbarian?

Dave: no, not liek conan Dave: *like Dave: fuck

Roxy: wats ur backstory?

Dave: im a kickass barbarian, i showed up one day and started kicking ass, what more backstory do you need?

Roxy: that sunds lame

Dave: youre lame

Calliope: Moving on, John, how aboUt we introdUce yoUr character?

John: im Salamon of the Hearthlands, a level 4 neutral good halfling jester!

Roxy: wats a halflin?

John: they’re pretty much just hobbits but a bit more... “earthly” i think would be a good word to describe them? they’re sort more vice than virtue and do things like eat a lot of food, take whats not theirs and breed like rabbits.

Roxy: le gasp, ur a bunny boy! that sounds adorable!

John: heh, no, im not a bunny, but i guess i am bunny-like in that sense

Jade: you know, that would actually be a good fursona for you

John: eh, nah, its not really my thing, besides im more like a tiger

Jade: hahahaha! no you’re not!

John: in fact i think would be more like tigra from thundercats

Jade: i said no. you’re fucking. not.

John: uuuuh!!!

Roxy: calli!

Calliope: Yes Roxy, what is it?

Roxy: can u make jon into a bunny boy?

Calliope: I... can, bUt I need a good reason like a magical invocation or something like that, I cannot simply do as I wish with the players whenever I wish.

Calliope: Besides, the game has not started. Rose, why dont yoU go next?

Rose: 𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝒶 𝒩𝑒𝓊𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓁 𝐸𝓋𝒾𝓁 𝒟𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝒩𝑒𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓇, 𝒞𝓎𝒶𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝒢𝓊𝓁’𝒢𝒶𝓃. 𝑀𝓎 𝑀𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝒾𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝒶 𝒫𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝐿𝑜𝓁𝓉𝒽, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈, 𝐼 𝓈𝓁𝒶𝓎𝑒𝒹 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓊𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝓎 𝒩𝑒𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓊𝓇𝓇𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓈 𝓂𝓎 𝓅𝓊𝓅𝓅𝑒𝓉, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒶𝓁𝒶𝓈, 𝓂𝓎 𝓅𝓁𝑜𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒶𝓈 𝐼 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒶 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓀𝑒𝑒𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓇𝑜𝓉𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜𝑜 𝓆𝓊𝒾𝒸𝓀𝓁𝓎, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝑒𝓃𝓈𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓁𝑒 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓇𝓀 𝐸𝓁𝒻 𝒞𝒾𝓉𝓎, 𝑀𝑒𝓃𝓏𝑜𝒷𝑒𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓃𝓏𝒶𝓃, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓅𝓁𝑜𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝑒𝒸𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓂 𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝒾𝓇𝓉𝒽𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓊𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓂𝑒 𝓇𝓊𝓁𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓅𝑜𝓈𝓈𝒾𝒷𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝒟𝓇𝑜𝓌𝒹𝑜𝓂~

Roxy: ur kinda given me the willies theres rosie

Rose: Hah! Thank you! I try to accentuate the nature of the Dark Elves as much as possible~ I am a Level 5 Necromancer by the way, just so we are clear.

Calliope: That was a nice sUrprise, always good to see dear ole Rose to give Us a performance and bring a little life throUgh characterization. Now, for oUr last member, Kanaya!

Kanaya: Salutations, I Am Mildred Of Baldurs Gate! A Neutral Good Human Cleric Of Lathander. I Am Level Three And I Am Looking Forward To Keeping You Out Of Trouble, As I Am The Primary Healer Of The Group. Though I Can Take A Swing With My Shredder Axe If I Wish, I Can Be More Than Helpful In Most Situations!

Roxy: i dunno boit that but i think ill be hpy 2 have u round when the magical shit hits the fan! Roxy: *about

Calliope: Well, now that we have oUr standing party’s introdUctions oUt of the way, how aboUt we have Roxy introdUce Us to oUr newest member?!

Roxy: what bout u calli, whats ur character?

Calliope: I am the DUngeon Master, I recant the tale to the party based on the actions and decisions they make. Technically, I am all of the characters that are not part of the party! BUt I do have a rather sUltry lass that i have been meaning to play for a while. When my tenUre as DUngeon Master is Up, I shall pass the responsibility of rUnning the game onto others and break her oUt!

Roxy: rly? what is she? tell me!

Calliope: She isn’t finalized, but shes a YUan-Ti Magician, specifically an assistant. Haven’t qUite figUred oUt if shes a fUll-blood or a half-blood.

Roxy: a yankee?

Calliope: A YUan-Ti is more or less a snake person, mUch like myself I sUppose. I’ll admit shes a bit of a self-insert, bUt I made her for immersion for flarping. John helped me in crafting her!

Roxy: oh... he did now, did he?

John: yeah! it was actually pretty fun! learning about the lore of the snake people was kinda neat!

Calliope: Indeed! And in retUrn, helped John create another character to pair alongside with her! He is also a Magician, and she acts as his assistant!

Roxy: assistant huh? does that mean you can make his magic wand

Roxy: disappear?!~♥

John: whoa! roxy!

Calliope: Making a Magicians Magic Wand disappear is childs play.

John: uh calli, thats not what she mea-

Calliope: BUt making his wand spit magical glowing seed, now thats the magic~

Calliope: Mwah!~♥

Dave: whoa-ho, damn!

Rose: Ooo, how racey~

Kanaya: I Must Admit, That Got Quite Raunchy Awfully Quickly!

Jade: you can do that?!

John: ok! moving on! time for your introduction rox, before this turns into a smut campaign.

Roxy: how do u know that it wont turn into 1 when i do get my intro on? ;)

John: rox!

Roxy: relax! im jus teasin y Roxy: *u

Roxy: ok, my character is xerox gundalf the pink! shes a level 1 chotic good gun wizard!

John: gun wizard?! that actually sounds cool!

Jade: that actually sound cool, maybe ill roll one next campaign!

Dave: gotta admit, that does sound pretty bitchin rp as

Rose: Um, Roxy, as creative as that is, “Gun Wizard” isnt a valid class within the ruleset of DnD.

Roxy: wat? naaah, its fine! got xeroxs character shit filled out and everything! even drew her!

Roxy: c? kickass sex witch! put a spell on u make u her enchanted slav! put a magic bullet in ur butt and set her enemies on fire! abraka-sexbang!!

Rose: But we already have a Wizardess! Why don’t you be another class, a legal one such as a Rogue or a Thief?

Roxy: those dont sound legal 2 me sister, sides im a rogue in real life! i dont wanna play a rogue i wanna b a badass gun wizard! calli help me out here

Calliope: Mmmmm, well, while technically “GUn Wizards” are not what they are called, “GUn Mages” are in fact an actUal class! So I sUppose thats no significant issUe

Roxy: gasp YAYS!

Rose: Wait, “Gun Mage” is an actual class?

Calliope: Why yes, it is! QUite the interesting one too, might even roll a character to play as one myself at some point!

Rose: Well, anyways, as I said, we already have a Wizardess, which is myself. So how about you roll Up a Rogue? John can moonlight as one, but he isnt able to specialize as one. Here, lemme just get you started and roll you a character right now!

Roxy: uh, no, imma play a wizard!

Rose: We’ll make her Neutral Good, for maximum opportunity while still being approachable. Some good Dexterity for all of that lockpicking you’ll be doing.

Roxy: rose, water u doin?

Rose: Dump all the skill points into stealth, traps, and lockpicking!

Roxy: ross! Roxy:*rose

John: you know i could just spec into those skills myself, i was planning on doing it anyways!

Rose: We can make her pink, with some blue trimmings~

Roxy: stahp!

*Roxy latches onto Rose’s pen hand, preventing her from drawing further. The two devolve into a bit of a struggle*

Rose: Stop... getting... in the... way, Roxy!

Jade: you do know you can multi-class in this game, right? as in you both can have both.

Roxy: well i don.. wann play... fuckin rogue, i wan be... a wizard of bullets!

Rose: We need a Rogue to-*is bitten*-FUCK! ROXY!

Kanaya: What Is Happening?

*Roxy and Rose devolve to a mother/daughter/sister squabble between petty bitches who both want the same thing, but are unwilling to share, complete with hair pulling, bites, scratches, clothes ripping and an assortment of name calling.*

*Its a good ole fashioned cat fight yy’all!*

Jade: shouldnt someone stop this? like kanaya, isnt this your thing?

Kanaya: ...I... Want To, But I Think I Am Enjoying The Sight Of This Conflict? Should I Do So Anyways?

Dave: with them? nah man itll sort itself out eventually. just let em get tuckered out.

John: ... roll for initiative?

Calliope: Haa! Hahahaha!

#homestuck #jade harley #kanaya maryam #rose lalonde #roxy lalonde #john egbert #dave strider #the barbarian #calliope #long post

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siyadrunkrecs · 3 years ago

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i think i need to put great emphasis on the fact that I DONT READ SFW FICS. AT ALL. they're always nsfw. so imagine rid's surprise when i came back from betaing this and yelled CAU COUPLE MY FAVOURITE COUPLE and routinely threatened her to not add any smut to this? this fic is COMPLETE. it completed me, it completed rid, and it completed the two dummies in love in this <3

it started out with HEAVY second hand embarrassment. yn why are you like this its JSUT A MOVIE BRO like fr but their banter is so well written. but the way tae categorizes every being, wow i was liek how did you even think of that @.@ esp the one line that floored me:

In truth, everything about your virtual presence reminds him of the gloom and mystery that a thundercloud and a storm bring.

wow. truly poetic.

im so glad she used her brain and apologized and THUS BEGAN THEIR SAGA OF LOVE AND TRUST AND UUUGGGHHH IM EATING COTTON CANDY RIGHT NOW IWTH THIS LOVE STORY

tae being a whole cutie patootie and asking yn about her day, their whole conversation is so adorable. i love college aus but something about the working class and their daily struggles just gets to me, and that's why this couple just FITS like A PIECE OF PUZZLE in my heart

In his mind, you resemble Aragorn’s soft personality; a sweet, affectionate girl drowning blissfully in Tolkien’s world.

Tae's POV is so adorably written I swear I love reading every word in it, his vision is so unique sometimes I feel like T_T i dont think like this but WOW i totalyl see your point looll

Dark locks fall into his brown, nearly black, shimmering eyes. Full lips are curved into an endearing, nearly innocent smile. His earlobes are devoid of jewellery, but the piercing holes indicate that they haven’t always been empty. And is that a mole under his eye?

HERE WE HAVE IT RID IN HER NATURAL HABITAT! you've explained tae's face what, 50 times? its always new the next time. i've probably told you this but it awes me everytime i read it, i feel like its a new drawing of the same person T_T you so taelented

AND THEN THEY CALL AND VIDEO CALL AND???? THEIR WHOLE EXHCANGE AHHHH if only i could point out one sentence i liked, but i have to just copy this whole part if i did that LOL there's no bad surprises in this fic as a whole. only amazing ones

lmao also this oc's overthing is ME its very relatable thank u so much

but you know my fav scene T_T

“Are you…” he begins, his sentence hanging in the air when you put your arms around his neck. With gentle movements of your feet, you bring his body into motion and begin your slow, effortless dance; and when he realises your intentions, he smiles and asks, “There’s no music though, is it?”

BLS THEYR'E SOOOOOOO!!!! and tbf i gotta give you kudos because i would find this scene very hard to write! there's so many intricate actions to describe it would have taken me three whole paragraphs to even make my reader realize that they're dancing - but you did it so wellll and its so seamless! beaaauuttyyyy <3

“Where?” He clears his throat as he sits up, fatigue still apparent in his pupils as his hand comes up to massage your aching spot. “Did you fall asleep, too?”

I love how this is jsut an unconscious action - they've met so recently and yet he just starts massaging like its the norm between those two <3 just goes to show how deep their connect is without even meeting in person for so long

“For some reason,” another tiny pause, “I feel like sunrises represented you even before I met you.”

Man tae dont go around saying shit if you dont want to get kissed i cant promise anything >:( you're sunrise, tae sunset, this is all too beautiful to be simply words - you paint a whole piece of art for us

And when he finally kisses you, you leave the ground below and enter a realm above the clouds.

HALLELUJAH WE DID IT FAM MY HEART IS CRUSHING MY RIBS FROM HOW LARGE IT HAS BECOME READING THIS!!! never did i think i would simp so hard for someone else's kiss but we are a new person everyday

start to finish this fic was a dream ride, im so happy you asked me to beta this for you. every year i want a drabble about this couple celebrating his birthday and counting his moles and drinking champagnes and all the fun things they deserve <3 thank you sho much for writing this fic my darlin <3

crowds around us | kth

gorgeous and breathtaking banner by @kimtaehyunq <3

Summary: No matter how crowded or busy the world around you gets, your thoughts keep drifting back to him until they begin longing for more than just his virtual presence – and when you finally do meet him, he erases all of your thoughts entirely.

⤞ pairing: Taehyung x reader

⤞ rating: GA

⤞ genre: s2f2l; lots of fluff, some crack

⤞ warnings: (online) banter, lots of teasing / flirting, lots of talk about sunrises and stuff, physical intimacy indicated but not described, movie references (you don’t need to understand them), alcohol consumption, kissing; not much, it’s honestly just tooth-rotting fluff y’all </3

⤞ word count: 12.6k

⤞ a/n: i wish there were words to describe what this man means to me and how much love i hold for him. but since this is an impossible task, i hope that this little love letter suffices too <3 happy birthday to the gentlest, loveliest, prettiest winter bear ever 🥺 a big thank you to @missgeniality for beta’ing this !!! this is also my contribution to @dailydaegu‘s taehyung birthday event !! hope you guys like it <3

➳ listen to: sweet night X heather mash up & willow by Taylor Swift

MASTERLIST | WIPs

Sometimes, when the sunrise drenches the sky in unknown and colourful hues, it looks like it’s a representation of a familiar stranger. Sure, the natural phenomenon occurs in the same tender way every single dawn, but the intensity of it still feels new each time.

Taehyung knows that if worldly things truly resembled a person, he’d be able to recognise it with a brief, careful glance. Would be able to see a sunrise and a sunset, decipher the night sky or fog or supernova written in their eyes. It’s a strange way to think that he can’t put into words or explain to curious friends who try to pull him down from the seventh cloud he constantly floats on.

Of course he doesn’t think of these things when he soaks in the warmth of the sun in the summer, or when he takes in the scent of wet grass after a pleasant drizzle. And the poetic and optimistic aspect of his philosophy surely does not cross his dreaming mind when he finds himself in front of his computer one October night.

Keep reading

#mem:taehyung #auth:taegularities #gen:fl #tr:st2l

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