#lewis coming up with excuses on the spot is one of my favorite things

[l8tof1]

the new york mayor specifically said not to do donuts? 😅

[gingiesworld]

It’s The Simple Things

Wanda Maximoff x GN! Reader

Warnings: Slight angst, fluff and a happy ending

18+ MINORS DNI

Word Count:3778

Taglist : @natashamaximoff-69 @canvascoloredin @wizardofstories @louxbloom @wandanats-goodgirl @the-ox-fan20 @ladyqueenxoxo @aemilia19 @wandaromamoff69 @mfd-101 @dorabledewdroop @marvelogic @dopeyouth @karsonromanoff @bimad (if you want to be added to my taglist, please DM me or comment)

AN: As per my girlfriend’s request as I apparently write too much angst and sad fics, here is one with a happy ending. Hope you guys enjoy

Y/N grew up being the awkward one, only having a small friend group in high school, which had only consisted of Pietro Maximoff, Monica Rambeau and Darcy Lewis. The four of them all had the same hobbies which were mostly gaming. The four spent most of their time at the Maximoff residence whenever they weren’t in school, which also meant that they would also see Wanda, Pietro’s twin who was also one of the popular girls, also on the cheer squad. It broke Y/N’s heart the moment they watched how excited she was in their junior year to start dating Jarvis Stark. But what they also noticed was when they had left school and headed to college was how she started to fall apart whenever Jarvis would stand her up. Coming up with stupid excuses as to why he had to cancel their dates and even the weekends they had planned together.

“I got you your favorite tea.” Y/N told her as they knocked on her bedroom door, their heart breaking as they saw her tear stained cheeks.

“Thank you.” She smiled as she took the hot beverage from their hands.

“Are you ok?” They asked her as they moved to sit on the edge of her bed awkwardly.

“It’s stupid really.” She waved them off as she sat up against her headboard.

“If it’s got you upset, it isn’t stupid.” They told her softly. “So talk to me, I’m not going anywhere.” Wanda smiled slightly at their words as she took a sip of her tea.

“He canceled again.” She stated, Y/N started to fill up with anger but thought it best not to act on it, knowing that Wanda needed someone since most of her friends had left to go to different colleges. “We were supposed to have a date tonight and he said he can’t drive back because he has another thesis to work on.”

“I’m sorry Wanda.” They spoke tenderly, placing their hand on her lower leg. “You don’t deserve this.”

“Maybe I do.” She admitted. “I was terrible in school. I was mean to everyone who didn’t fit in with us. I was mean to you.”

“That was high school.” They shrugged as Wanda shook her head no. “We were all children back then.”

“But that still doesn’t excuse my actions.” She told them as they rose to their feet, looking at her.

“Get dressed.” They told her, confusing her. “Just because your date was canceled doesn’t mean that you need to be stuck here all night alone. We can go have fun.”

“What about Piet?” She questioned as they just smirked at her.

“He has a date.” They told her. “With Monica.”

“I knew it!” She squealed as she jumped excitedly on her bed. “Okay, I’ll be down in a few minutes.” Y/N smiled as they exited her room, closing the door behind them and headed towards the living room to see Pietro finishing getting ready.

“Is Wanda okay?” He questioned as he spotted Y/N entering the room.

“She’ll be okay, she’s just getting ready.” They told him.

“Why don’t you tell her?” He questioned as Y/N shook their head, not daring to answer in fear of Wanda overhearing them. “Y/N?” He pushed as Y/N decided to change the subject.

“So where are you taking Monica?” They asked him, hoping he would just drop it.

“We’re going to the movies to watch that new romcom she keeps banging on about.” He told them. “Then we’re going to that diner we all used to hang out at for dinner.”

“Who knew my brother could be a gentleman.” Wanda teased as she appeared behind Y/N.

“Shut up.” He told her, making the two laugh before he walked out of the room.

“Ready then?” Y/N questioned once they turned to face Wanda.

“Where are we going?” She asked as the two exited the house, the two walking towards Y/N’s car.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe from falling in love with me.” They joked as they opened the door for her.

“You know, whoever you end up with will be one very lucky girl.” Wanda told them softly before they closed the door. Y/N’s smile fading as they made their way towards the driver’s side, knowing that they would never truly be with the one person they love. “So, where are we going?” Wanda asked again, watching as Y/N concentrated on the road.

“Just somewhere that I think would be good for you right now.” They told her honestly.

“Can we listen to some music?” She questioned as Y/N chuckled as they nodded, their ears perking up as they heard their dad’s old mixtape which was still in the stereo. “Seriously Y/N?” Wanda questioned.

“What? Asia’s good.” They defended as Wanda shook her head.

“It’s old people's music.” She told them as they shook their head.

“It’s classic rock.” They told her.

“It’s old.” Wanda started as Y/N turned up the volume.

“I’M SORRY, I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” They yelled over the music, making Wanda chuckle as they sang out of tune to the mixtape. A warm feeling spread through her as she realized she was having fun with one of the people she used to pick on, realizing that she had never really got to know the incredible person they truly are.

“A batting cage?” She questioned as they smiled, placing the helmet on her head before handing her the bat.

“My dad used to bring me here when I was a kid.” They started as Wanda listened to them. “It was a healthy way to get out any anger or frustrations I had, and I figured that with what happened tonight you might enjoy it yourself.”

“I have never played baseball in my life.” She told them, making them smirk.

“And why doesn’t that surprise me, Princess.” They teased, making her slap their arm slightly causing them to laugh.

“Don’t laugh at me.” She tried to sound stern but failed as she joined in with their laughter.

“I’m not!!” They tried in between laughs, trying to calm themselves down. “I’ll show you.” They said before they led her into the batting cage. That being the start of the friendship that neither of them knew they needed.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re stealing my best friend.” Pietro teased as he leaned on Wanda’s doorframe.

“We’re just friends, you can have your partner back when we come home.” Wanda told him before she walked past him. The two had planned to go to the mall, Y/N needing new clothes for the internship interview they had at Stark Industries. As soon as there was a knock on the door, Wanda was fast enough to open it and drag Y/N back towards their car.

“I guess I’ll see you later then.” Y/N yelled back to Pietro before they opened the passenger door for Wanda, once the two had pulled away, Darcy and Monica had arrived.

“What’s going on with them two?” Darcy questioned as the three sat down and started up their laptops.

“I think they’re friends.” Pietro told them honestly.

“You’re worried about them.” Monica stated as Pietro just nodded.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister but I also know how Y/N feels about her and I just don’t want them to get hurt.” He told them honestly. “She’s going through a rough patch with her boyfriend and Y/N has been there every time to pick up the pieces but I’m afraid that they’re going to lose themselves.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Monica tried as Pietro just sighed.

“Let’s just play.” He spoke tiredly as the three soon started up the game.

“What about this?” Wanda spoke excitedly as she held up a pale blue shirt against Y/N.

“I don’t know.” They shrugged as she smirked.

“I’m the one who has the fashion sense, so we shall get this.” She stated as she started to pick out more shirts for them. “You need to look the part for the internship.” Y/N just shook their head at her as they watched her pick out their clothes before leading them towards the fitting rooms.

“They’re my size, why do I need to try them on?” They asked her as she ushered them towards a cubicle.

“They may be your size but they might not actually fit you right. It depends on the fabric and the style.” She told them before she closed the door behind them, before heading towards the chairs and scrolling through her phone. All of the time she has spent with Y/N has made her slowly forget how Jarvis has been making her feel, it’s like she had truly forgotten what it was like to have fun.

“I feel like a monkey.” She looked up from her phone to find them dressed in one of the shirts and trousers that she had picked out. “Why can’t I wear what I usually wear?” They questioned making her chuckle.

“Because it isn’t customary to go to work for one of the most prestigious companies in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt and worn out jeans.” She told them as she moved to straighten out the shirt. “You actually look really smart.”

“Thank you, I guess.” They said unsurely, making her chuckle before they went to try on the rest of the clothes. “Should we get some food?” They asked her as they exited the store, Wanda humming in thought before she grabbed their hand and dragged them towards a small cafe, barely anyone was sitting inside.

“You will love this place.” She told them, the smell of different spices and cooked meats filling their senses as she led them to a table. “This is the only Sokovian Cafe in New Jersey, they even do your favorite.”

“You know what my favorite food is?” They questioned, butterflies going wild in their stomach as she nodded.

“You always get excited whenever my mom cooks her famous paprikash.” She told them before the two decided to order.

“You’ve been watching me?” They questioned teasingly, making Wanda chuckle as she shook her head.

“You have been my brother’s best friend since we moved here when we were in middle school.” She reminded them. “You were the first person who spoke to him.”

“I remember that day.” Y/N spoke with a smile. “I also remember how you used to be very very shy and quiet.”

“I never was.” Wanda tried as Y/N shook their head no, a slight chuckle leaving their lips.

“You were, you even wore that power rangers t-shirt all the time, even though it had holes in it.” Y/N reminded her. “You used to be one of us.”

“Then I actually grew up.” She told them, making their smile falter. “I didn’t mean it like that.” She tried as they shook their head no.

“Let’s just finish here and I’ll drop you off at home.” They told her.

“I thought you were hanging out with Piet?” She questioned as they shook their head.

“I’m getting tired and I have to get ready for my first day next week.” They told her, taking the cheque and paying for it before leading Wanda back towards their car, still performing the small minor gestures even though she had insulted them. The drive back was silent, Y/N keeping their eyes on the road as Wanda observed them, feeling terrible for what she had said. Once Wanda entered the house, she found the three gamers still in their spots from earlier.

“Where’s Y/N?” Pietro questioned once Wanda entered the room and sat beside Darcy.

“They went home.” She told him, her mind still on the events that had just occurred between herself and Y/N. “They said they had to prepare for their first day on Monday.”

“They still could have hung out with us.” Darcy stated as Pietro watched Wanda, seeing how she sunk in her seat.

“What did you do?” He questioned, his eyes never leaving her.

“I just, I said something I shouldn’t have.” She told him. “I didn’t mean for it to come out but it did and I’m sorry.”

“It’s not me you should be apologizing to.” He told her firmly. “They have done nothing but be good to you, even when you constantly tore them down in high school.”

“I know.” She whispered before she covered her face with her hands. “I need to apologize.” She soon got to her feet and grabbed Pietro’s car keys and headed straight out of the door, racing towards Y/N’s in hopes to make things right. Knocking on their door frantically, waiting impatiently for someone to answer it.

“Wanda?” Y/N questioned once they opened the door.

“I’m sorry.” She started, not giving them time to say anything else. “I shouldn’t have said what I said and it was completely out of line, especially since you have been nothing but good to me and I don’t want to lose one of my best friends.”

“Best friends huh?” They smirked as she nodded.

“You are and I guess I am kind of stuck in high school, but you are one of my best friends and I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have you in my life.” She told them. “You’re important to me Y/N, I just didn’t realise that until now.”

“It’s ok.” They spoke as they opened the door wider, allowing her inside as she soon followed them towards the kitchen. “Coffee?” They offered her as she just nodded. “Don’t dwell on it Wanda.” They told her. “I guess what you said kind of caught me off guard, but it’s not childish to love the things you truly love.” The two moved to sit down in the living room. “I guess I still love what I do because it takes me back to a time when things seemed so much better than they truly are right now. I guess it’s my way of running away from my problems and just pushing them away to try and forget them.”

“Why don’t you talk to Pietro or someone?” Wanda questioned as they shook their head no.

“They don’t need to know just how messed up my head really is.” They told her. “Besides, I have a pretty good coping strategy.”

“It’s not coping if you’re hiding away from the problems.” She told them. “You can always come to me if you ever need someone to talk to. You’ve been there for me so please let me be there for you.”

“Thank you.” They smiled as they picked up the TV remote. “How about a show?” They asked her as she nodded excitedly. The two being fans of The Dick Van Dyke show, and finally able to watch it without Pietro complaining all the way through the episode.

As the time went on, things seemed to have gotten better between Y/N and Wanda, that was until Stark Industries held a Gala, Y/N being invited but also Jarvis asking Wanda to be his plus one. The party was quite loud, Jarvis keeping Wanda on his hip as Pietro joined Y/N, the two of them watching the party from a quiet corner.

“Why do we have to be here again?” He questioned as Y/N placed their drink down.

“Unfortunately Mr Stark made it mandatory for every employee and intern to attend.” They told him.

“So now we have to watch Jarvis be all over my sister.” He stated with disgust, the two turning away from the couple as Jarvis started to kiss her. “I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

“I just don’t understand it.” Y/N spoke up, gaining Pietro’s attention. “He has done nothing since we all started college but make her feel like shit and that she’s worthless and now they’re both acting like they have never been apart.”

“I’m sorry Y/N.” He spoke sincerely as they shook their head.

“I’m gonna get some air.” They told him, heading towards the exit and ignoring a set of green eyes that had followed them.

“Are you okay?” Wanda’s voice sounded as she approached them.

“Where’s Jarvis?” They questioned as she shrugged.

“I’m worried about you, and I want to be here for you.” She told them.

“I just needed some air.” They told her, hoping she would take it as an answer and leave them alone.

“I know there’s more.” She pointed out as she moved to stand beside them. “Please just talk to me.”

“What do you want me to say Wanda?” They questioned as they turned to face her. “Do you want me to tell you what I am really feeling?”

“I do. I want to be able to be here for you but I can’t do that if you won’t talk to me.” She told them, watching as they stepped away from her, shaking their head.

“I am in love with you!” They yelled. “There, I finally said it.”

“What?” She whispered as she shook her head no. “You can’t be.”

“I am, I love you Wanda. I love everything about you, I love your freckles, I love your laugh and your smile is something that I just can’t get out of my mind. I love your eyes, I love that no matter how high I have my walls up, you always see right through them. I love how safe you make me feel and how I always feel light when I’m around you. Like there isn’t a thing that could ever tear me down, not as long as I have you in my life.” They took a deep breath as they glanced over at her. “But I know that you don’t feel the same way.” They started to walk away as she spoke up.

“I love you.” She spoke softly, almost impossible to hear but making Y/N turn back around to face her. “I do, I don’t know when it became clear to me but I love you. I guess it’s all of the simple things that you do for me, like how you always go out of your way to make me smile, even if you’re having a bad day. The small gestures like opening the door for me or bringing me a hot drink without me asking for it. The way you always take the time out to ask how I’m doing even though you’re only supposed to be hanging out with Pietro.” She took a deep breath. “You bring a comfort to me that I have never known before, like I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not when I’m around you. I just, I should have told you sooner but I didn’t want to tell you until I had ended things with Jarvis.”

“You have no idea how much I want to kiss you.” They told her as they stepped closer, their hand reaching up to caress her cheek as they gazed into her eyes. “But I’m not going to just yet.”

“Why not?” She questioned as they gave her a small smile.

“You’re still with him, as much as I have always hated him, I will not make you a cheater.” They told her honestly. “I’m going to head home. Would you be able to make sure that Piet gets home safe? He’s got my car keys.”

“Of course.” She told them before they disappeared into the night, turning back towards the building, only one mission in her mind as she looked around for Jarvis, finding him standing with his parents, laughing and joking with them. “We need to talk.” Wanda spoke firmly as she approached them.

“It can wait.” Jarvis told her before going back to his previous conversation.

“No, it can’t.” Wanda spoke loudly. “We’re done.”

“What?” He questioned as he turned to face her. “You can’t be serious?”

“I am.” She told him. “I’m sick of constantly being a second thought to you. I’m always last and I know I just don’t love you. I never really did.”

“Where is this coming from? This is some prank right?” He questioned as she shook her head no. “You know, no one will ever love you the way I did.” He seethed as she just smiled.

“I know they won’t, because you never truly loved me, and Y/N made me realise that.” She told him. “I am in love with Y/N.”

“That’s bullshit!” He yelled as she shook her head.

“No, you just loved the idea of having a girlfriend here for whenever you were finished fucking whoever you spent your nights with.” She told him. “And I am done being your little plaything.” With that she walked away, a smiling Pietro waiting for her. “Can you drop me off at Y/N’s please?” She asked him as the two made their way to Y/N’s car.

“Of course.” He told her with a smile. As they made their way towards Y/N’s, she spotted them still walking, before she could say anything, Pietro stopped the car. “Go on.” She didn’t hesitate to get out of the car, calling their name causing them to turn and face her.

“What are you doing here?” They questioned as she stepped closer to them.

“I broke it off.” Was all she said before she kissed their lips softly, Y/N’s arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer as the kiss slowed, breaking it with a smile as they rested their foreheads together. “It’s always going to be you Y/N. I just never realised it sooner because it was the simple things that made me fall for you.” With that Y/N kissed her once more before the two were rudely broken apart by the sound of a car horn.

“As moving as all of this is and all, I want to go home so either get in or get lost.” Pietro yelled, making the two laugh at him.

“Forever a classy man.” Y/N teased as they opened the door for Wanda, making her smile as she got in the back seat, the two of them with wide smiles on their faces.

“As much as I do ship you guys, I want to go home and sleep for a month because I have done enough peopling for a lifetime.” He told them before they made their way home.

[demigodreading]

Saving Mini Benson Pt:1

Request: From @youngjusticeimaginesus​:  Hi, I was wondering If maybe you'd be willing to do a oneshot where Olivia's daughter gets kidnapped by Lewis instead of Olivia?

Summary: That’s right my favorite peoples... This is going to be a two part mini series because there was no way everything that I needed to say could be done in a one-shot! I won’t go into much because I don’t want to give it away but please note THIS PART IS A DOOZY! The next one may be worse but still this arc made me cry in the show and I cried writing this

Characters: Olivia Benson, Fin Tutuola, Amanda Rollins, Nick Amaro, William Lewis, Donald Cragen, Reader

Relationships: Olivia Benson x Daughter! Reader

Warnings: MAJOR Violence, Guns, Cigarette Burns, Episode Spoilers, Alcohol, Smoking Weed, Mentions of Shootings, Death, William Lewis, Mentions of torture... (I Think that covers it but if it doesn’t please let me know)

Word Count: 2320 (Like I said.. there was no way this was gonna be just a oneshot.)

And with that all being said: Let’s jump into it.

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

Olivia and her daughter rarely fought but when they did neither one wanted to admit the other one was right. Olivia loved and hated her daughter for being so similar to her. Even now as she watched the miniature version of herself stalk the interview room the exact same way she would send her heart racing. Usually the similarities would result in a smile but not today. Today Olivia’s vision was a deep red as she confronted her daughter.

“Y/N you were caught smoking weed underneath the bleachers during class! So not only did you break one rule you broke two!” Olivia shouted, folding her arms.

“Wow glad that you know how to count,” Y/N mumbled looking out the window.

“What did you just say to me?”

“Look mom I just don’t get what the big deal is? It was one joint. One class!” Y/N retorted, throwing her hands up, “I am a straight A student who has a full ride scholarship to Harvard.”

“Yes, because Barba stuck his neck out on the line for you and put in a glowing recommendation,” Olivia spat, “What you did was careless. You could have ruined everything that was given to you.”

“You know for once in your life could you ever be fucking proud of me! I do everything that I can do to make you proud and yet at the end of the day I am never fucking good enough for you.”

“That’s not…” Olivia went to argue but was interrupted by Cragen opening the door.

“Olivia we got a problem. I need you right now,” He said, then shut the door without waiting for an answer.

“Just go save another poor unfortunate soul mom. Don’t worry about your daughter.  I’ll pick up my own pieces like I always do,” Y/N said, wiping tears from her face as she grabbed her coat.

Y/N stormed from the room before Olivia could stop her. She made her way through the precinct eyes trained to the floor as her mother’s voice rang out, “You better head straight home Y/N!  We are not done having this conversation and you are grounded!”

Choosing not to say anything, Y/N merely raised her hand in the air flipping her mother off before the doors shut with a loud slam behind her. Tears made dark spots on the concrete as Y/N made her way back to their apartment. Even the noises of the constant car honks and people screaming couldn’t drown out the voices in her head today. Failure. Waste of space. Stupid. No one. Unwanted. Unloved. 

It was the repeated song that kept her feet moving forward until she finally placed her key in the lock. She threw her bag by the kitchen island and threw her keys on the counter. She was about to turn on the living room light when a noise caught her attention. 

“Hello? Hello?”

As she turned the corner her vision was filled with the sight of a gun pointed right at her temple. A smirk crossed William Lewis’ face as he looked at Y/N, “Ah welcome home Little Benson. I was hoping that it would be your mother who was walking through the door but I guess you will have to do.”

Y/N went to scream but instead Lewis jammed the gun against her throat, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. One small slip of my finger and your mom will be left with a new kind of art all over her walls.”

Y/N let a single tear roll down her face before Lewis’ gun made contact with her skull and the whole world went black.

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

Olivia had already tried to call Y/N twice but it kept going straight to voicemail. The last known location had been their apartment so at least she had the sense to head straight home. The guilt in Olivia’s stomach was insurmountable. Watching her daughter explain that she never felt like she lived up to her standards. Olivia had promised herself when she had Y/N she would never end up like her mother. Yet there she was shaming her child for one mistake. Y/N was more than just a good kid, she was excellent. She was smart, beautiful, humorous, kind, and so much more. She was everything Olivia could have ever hoped for. Knowing that her daughter thought she wasn’t proud was the worst pain she could have.

After the third call Olivia finally decided to leave a voicemail, “Y/N I know you are mad but I need you to know something. I am proud of you and will always be proud of you. You are the best daughter and the most amazing human. I was rough on you early. Please let’s talk through this. I’ll be home soon with your favorite Chinese. Just don’t do anything stupid? I love you.”

When she hung up the phone she placed her head in her hands and let out a large sigh. Fin placed a reassuring hand on her back, “Liv, it is going to be okay. She is just being a teenager.”

“No Fin, you should have seen her. It was like I was physically taking her heart out and ripping it in front of her. I should have never said those things. I didn’t mean any of them… I was just upset.”

“She knows, they always know.”

Olivia merely shook her head and began to gather her things to head home. She walked out of the precinct without a goodbye and headed down the street to Y/N’s favorite Chinese place. They knew what she was going to order as soon as she walked in the door asking where Y/N was. Liv pushed off their question and scrolled through her phone as she waited for the food. Y/N’s phone was still off giving Olivia an eerie feeling as she finished the walk to the apartment. 

Once inside she noticed Y/N’s bag on the floor and her keys on the counter. There was a sudden rush of cold air that made her notice the window that was open to the fire escape. She shut it quickly and then moved to Y/N’s room. The door was still open with everything the way she had left it that morning. Once her calls were unanswered Olivia opened the window again crawling onto the fire escape. Sometimes Y/N would go to the roof to watch the sun slowly crawl behind the buildings.When she reached the top however she was met with an unsettling emptiness. 

Olivia reached for her phone to call the only person who was able to calm her anxiety lately, “Amaro, Y/N isn’t here. I can’t find her. What if something happened to her?”

“She probably just went to a friend’s house to get away,” Amaro replied stirring the contents of his drink, “She will be back in the morning just to relax. Sleep off the anger and come back with a clear head tomorrow.”

Liv pondered this suggestion over and over deciding what she should do. When the silence became too long Amaro interjected again, “Liv, I’m serious. You two had the biggest blow out that I have seen in awhile. Give her time to be mad at you and think. If you smother her she might only push further away from you.” She thanked her partner for the advice and then shoved her phone back in her pocket taking a sweep of the roof once again. Finally she slowly made her way back to the apartment shutting the window with a slam before locking it. Olivia wandered over to the kitchen moving the cereal that covered the top of the fridge to get to her secret cupboard. From the opening she pulled a large bottle of her favorite red wine. She popped the cork and decided to forgo a cup taking a long swig directly from the green glass. A large sigh escaped her lips as she plopped down on the couch going over the events of the day in her head.

As the contents of the bottle slowly drained till there was nothing else Olivia realized her fears were all coming true. She was becoming her mother. A woman she never once wanted to be. Three empty bottles later she finally curled under Y/N’s sheets crying into her pillow until she finally was able to fall asleep.

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

The next morning when Y/N did not return and her phone was still shut down all bets were off. Olivia was furious but more importantly she was terrified. Something was horribly wrong. Her morning was spent talking to Y/N’s two best friends and searching their houses for her. When that search was unsuccessful Olivia went to the school hoping Y/N had gone there. However, she had been absent all day and there hadn’t even been a call to excuse her from the day. 

When the morning bled into the afternoon Olivia was running around the city to all of Y/N’s usual hangout spots. The search of the library told her that Y/N hadn’t been there in over a week. The local bakery hadn’t seen her in three days. The coffee shop where Y/N always bought Olivia’s coffee when she came to see her at work had seen her two mornings ago but nothing since then. Even the old lady that had Y/N over twice a week to help her with errands and chores around the house hadn’t seen her. 

It was dark by the time that Olivia fell into her desk chair at the precinct. With her head in her hands she let the tears fall. A whole day was gone and there was still no sign of her daughter. If she had been kidnapped they were running out of time and losing it quickly. The longer she was out there the longer the person had to get away with whatever they wanted.

The squad huddled around in Cragen’s office looking at Olivia curled over her desk. Rollins was the first one to speak, “I bet you Lewis has something to do with this.”

“And what makes you think that?” Amaro asked, “There are plenty of people who could have a vendetta against Liv.”

“It’s just a feeling.”

“Yeah well have you ever considered the idea that maybe Y/N just ran away,” Amaro retorted.

Fin, Cragen, and Amanda all turned towards Amaro, shocked. Cragen was the first one to speak, “I know you haven’t been here long Amaro but this isn’t Y/N. Something is horribly wrong and we are going to figure out what is going on. Fin and Amanda go check out Lewis’ usual hiding spots. I’ll take Liv through her apartment once again to see if we missed anything.”

“And me cap?”

“Amaro… you stay here and set up a tip line,” Cragen responded curtly and then they all disappeared to find where Y/N had disappeared to.

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

Y/N woke with a jolt as she felt cold water splash her face. She was met with Lewis staring only a couple inches away from her face. He grinned and grabbed Y/N’s chin as she tried to look away, “Well well there. Looks like someone is finally awake. Feeling thirsty?”

Y/N nodded her head yes waiting to scream as he curled his fingers around the edge of the duct tape. As he was about to pull it away he jammed a gun against Y/N’s throat, “Make any noise and I will shove this gun straight down your throat.”

Finally when he pulled the tape away Y/N spit right in his face, “Just shoot me already if you are going to threaten me with it.”

“And miss out on all of our fun Mini Benson. I think not. There is plenty that I want to do to you before then.”

Y/N began to panic as Lewis lit another cigarette. She remembered the way the others had burned against her chest and sides. She had lost count after twenty perfect circle burns and after the second pistol whip to the face she had passed out a second time, She couldn’t go through all of that again.

“My mom knows I am missing and she will be out looking for me. Just let me go and she will never have to know that you did it. Please,” YN begged.

“What is she going to think about that bruise on your face? Or the marks on your skin? I can’t let you go… plus I know that you both fought before you came home. I bet you that she thinks you just ran away and are leaving her,” Lewis chuckled.

“How.. how did you know that we fought?

“This lovely voicemail your mother left you,” Lewis said, placing your phone against your ear.

Tears began to run down Y/N’s face as she heard the apology her mother had sent her. Damnit! Why did I have to fight with her? We could have avoided all of this. Is the mantra that ran through her head as Lewis slammed the phone against her head and threw it at the wall.

“She isn’t coming for you,” Lewis snickered.

“Please… just let me go. I will do anything.”

Lewis pulled his gun and placed it against Y/N’s scalp, “You are still bargaining with me? Really. We are way past that baby.”

“I am the daughter of an NYPD detective. A decorated well known detective. My mother, her partner, her squad, the entire department will hunt you down. You think that you’ve put people through hell. It will rain back down on you.”

“You know what… let it rain,” Lewis said and then hit Y/N once again making her world go black for a third time. 

[happyselves]

Wine { Daniel Ricciardo x reader one shot }

You were invited to a garden party, one of your neighbours was throwing one for the launch of his wine or something, you heard of it before receiving the invite in your mailbox. Weird cause you didn't really known anyone here since you just got here and that neighbour, he was never here but you know from his house that he was rich as fuck.

Anyways you weren't planning on going but free food convinced you, but what to wear now ... to a garden party ? At 7pm ... who does that ? He must be an arrogant prick. You were torn between a sexy dress or a chill outfit ... and you end up with a combination of both, a sexy top and a chill pants . You didn't forget your purse and took your keys, do you really want to drive there ? Well no you were living next door but you did make the walk barefoot cause you didn't want to have sore feet already.

You arrived at your destination and entered the huge house and gave your invitation to a security guy, he did look at you with questioning eyes cause first you still weren't wearing your shoes and secondly you weren't really the type of guest this reception was expecting. What the fuck were you doing here plus more you were actually looking more you didn't see any other neighbour that you recognize.( you didn't know them personal but you always greet them when you see them )

Your shoes back on you start to look around, pretty decoration, very aesthetic and very chic but simple, a bit like yours but you could see some helmets and paintings of cars ? Super cars like the one being driven on circuit ... Formula 1 it was called ... ohhh that would explain a lot about your neighbour ... he must be a F1 driver then. The curiosity was growing inside of you, you knew Lewis Hamilton from this sport, you mean ... knowing is a big word, you've heard his name and saw a picture of him from one of your friends somewhere. If all the drivers were as handsome as Hamilton then your neighbour was getting interesting. What was his name again dammit.

You found the food and took some, not too much to not sound like a bizarre person, you were already underdressed and you were alone, that does look suspect. Socializing wasn't really your forte but some of the guests came to talk to you, they were wearing chill outfits like yours, you felt relief in your heart, like a big weight lifting up, those you will stick to them all evening that was decided. They were his friend to that mysterious guy that you only remember the first letter D. So the friends of D were making you feel at home and asking you random stuff not pressuring you but making you feel so comfortable, so maybe D will not be a prick after all if his friends are this nice. One of his friends, Scott, directed you towards the true star of the party .... THE WINE !!

As soon as you tested it your taste buds went into paradise, the sweet texture, the raspberry taste that was prominent, you liked it right away and wanted to have more. During the whole evening you end up maybe drinking more than you should have and food wasn't making it better. You weren't drunk like a crazy drunk. You just felt more relaxed and laughed with D' friends until you excused yourself because you wanted some water and there was none in the living room. Scott points at you in the direction of the kitchen and tells him you will be back in a sec. His friends were so nice and it felt like you've always known them, they have the same vibe as you and you were already planning on seeing them again this week.

What was strange is that after all this time you still haven't seen the host of the evening, you thought he was speaking with everyone but you would have met by now, you were with his friend after all.

In your thought, the glass of wine in your hand you didn't see the tall person in front of you as you entered the kitchen and kinda crashed into him, the glass of wine ruining his cream pullover. Fuck ... you watch the red spot trying to clean it but you made it worse.

You : Oh I'm so sorry I was in my thoughts, my lord come down here.

You close your fist on his pull and bring him towards the sink without even looking at him or asking him if it was okay. The dude just follows you without complaining, you turn the water, get the closest thing you could get to help and clean it. You were so focused on the spot that you didn't notice he had put his hands on your arms, very warm hands and his chest was firm.

You : Nah take it off I won't be able to take the wine off on you.

Stranger : It's okay really

You hear his voice for the first time and what a voice, sweet like honey but deep as well, from what you could pick from it, he feels amused. You finally look up to see your interlocutor's face and you stay shocked at his, you couldn't react, you froze literally and your cheek went red ... he was handsome and you had way too many glasses of alcohol to behave like a normal being without being embarrassing. Trying your best to put some composure on you but of course he noticed it.

Stranger : We should introduce each other before you take off my clothes, don't you think ? He joked

You throw your name so quickly which made him giggle.

Stranger : Hi nice to meet I'm Daniel

He tried to shake your hand and that's where it hit you, Daniel !! Your neighbour Daniel, the host, the one with the wine !!! You were freaking out in your head but shook his hand

You : Oh I see, I was wondering where the host of the evening was, but I see hiding in the kitchen.

Dan : And I was wondering where the neighbour that my friend kept talking about was and invited me.

You were feeling the alcohol in you taking the place and you knew that the next phrase coming out of you will be out of character.

You : Well if I knew that you were this handsome and hiding here I would have come get water much sooner.

It was his turn to feel shy and scratch his hand, looking away from you he cleared his throat.

Dan : Well I know that's kinda impolite of me to not be with my guest but I've been on the phone all evening, it wasn't planned at all. I'm sorry, am I a bad neighbour ?

You : Don't apologize and you don't have to explain yourself, you are a busy man after all from what I saw. But not to sound too neat freak, your pull over might be ruined. I should be the one apologizing for that.

Dan : Oh it's okay it's not like it was my only clothes.

And with that he took it off, finally you whispered in your head, or by the face he just made you think it was in your head. Damnit ... again not in your head freaking wine

Dan : Ah I see you liked the wine ? I will give you some bottles then, free of charge in the house cause I'm a terrible host.

You both went silent, it wasn't awkward but he was curious about you and why you were looking at his chest like that ... he was wearing a white tee shirt underneath, not like he was naked.

For you it was the layered gold necklaces that threw you off, you loved men wearing jeweled jewelry especially because you had a thing for neck, large neck and god damn that an F1 driver had to have a large neck. You snapped out of it, almost feeling dizzy.

You : Wooo I'm sorry I zoned out ... I think it's the wine, I'm not a bad drinker but the raspberry touch in was my favorite.

You didn't notice you were getting closer to him, like night butterflies attracted to light, your hands were moving on their own, putting the wet tissue you had in one of your hands since you started cleaning his shirt, on the counter and bringing it to his necklaces playing with it. Daniel didn't move, he couldn't. It was like a flash of lightning was striking him down on his feet. He was looking at you helplessly, catching the counter with his hand to keep you both balanced cause he felt like his legs were about to give him up at this instant. That were he takes the time to admire you, how beautiful you were with that sunset lightning hitting you

from the window. His secondhand automatically pushed away the hair that was stopping him to look at your pretty face.

You : I don't know what's happening, you breath out

He heard you thought

Dan : I don't know either but it's not like I want to stop.

You lock eyes with each other and in a last movement you close your fingers against his necklaces, bringing him closer to you, collapsing your lips together, the taste of wine was intoxicating. He responds to your kiss instantly, slowly catching your lips and making you forget every kiss you had before him. You both were in sync, kissing slowly but deeply that it was sloppy. His hands were now on your hip, not letting you go and you were glad anyway cause you just couldn't have enough of this man. The romantic kiss turns to a more ferocious one, bringing teeth and tongue to the party. He was making you moan at every chance he gets cause it was already obsessed with the sound that was leaving your body. You were soon out of breath and had to make your lungs full of oxygens again so you were the first to break the kiss not without having him complaining with a groan.

Your eyes still close, you take a huge amount of air.

You : That was ...

You didn't had the time to finish

Dan : Unexpected

You both : but so good

You both opened your eyes at the same time, they were different from earlier, dark and full of lust for each other.

After a little while catching your breath you were both fighting the urge to kiss again but control yourself.

Dan : Well I'm so glad my friend invited you, they said I needed to know my neighbours, I thought they would invite everyone but I guess they only saw you.

You : Well I'm glad to have forced myself to come even if I didn't want to.

You both laughed and his hands joined yours on the counter, first caressing your skin before intertwining your fingers.

Dan : So do you think it would be impolite of me to just tell everyone to leave ?

That picked the curiosity in you

You : Perhaps yes, since you didn't even show up but I might have an idea.

Dan : I'm listening ...

You : You could simply eclipse yourself by the back door with a couple of wine bottles and I join you outside so we can go to my place and finish whatever is going on between us right now.

Dan : Ouuhhh I dig that plan a lot.

He quickly catch oyu lips before leaving them again

Dan : Meet you outside at 5 ?

You : Yes

You find your best lie to excuse yourself from Daniel's friends, telling them that the wine was getting into your head and that you needed to go home, it wasn't technically a lie though. Of course they ask you if you needed someone to come with you until you're home safe but you reassure them that it was only 200meters away and they let you go.

You felt like a teenager again, meeting Daniel outside of his own house, ruining as quick as you could to go back to your house and spend the most scandalous night you ever experienced with a man.

Masterlist

[definitearticle]

Dear Baby Boomers...

"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."

Older friends, come in! Sit down! I'm so glad you came.

Can I get you a water?

So listen. As your friendly neighborhood geriatric millennial, I need you to understand something. It's important, and it's going to hurt. But pain can be a sign of growth, and I want you to hear this from a friend. So know that this comes from a place of love.

So nu. I'm gonna ease into this by making sure we're on the same page with some ideas.

You know Bob Dylan's song, "The Times They Are A-Changin'," yeah? It might not have been THE anthem of your youth, but it's certainly one that's held up over time. It speaks to the ever-continuing cycle of change and the need for members of the previous generation (and those in power generally) to "get out of the [way] if you can't lend a hand."

Thing is, younger generations have been asking older generations to listen, to understand, and to help the culture progress since time immemorial. And older generations have traditionally pushed back. So your generation's experience of pushing your parents' generation into begrudging acceptance of civil rights, feminism, et al, isn't new.

But y'all came up with some great turns of phrase to express it. One of my favorites, technically coined by Jack Weinberg (5 years too old to be a Baby Boomer) was "Don't trust anyone over 30." It was an offhand phrase said in anger when Weinberg felt that the reporter interviewing him wasn't actually listening, but was instead looking for ulterior motives so that he could dismiss the message of his protest.

But the phrase stuck, and it was used not only as a rallying cry, but also as a talking point by older folks who wanted to dismiss the New Left as a bunch of whiny brats, rather than people we now know were on the right side of history regarding the war, police brutality, and so on.

So with that in mind, in the words of The Who, let's talk about MY generation, and the even younger generation just starting to come into their own.

You know how a few years ago, there were a whole lot of women in the #MeToo movement who were talking about their experiences with men and how they constantly feared sexual assault? And then you had a whole bunch of idiots coming on saying "Not all men!" because they weren't used to their demographic being the target of negative criticism? Yeah, they were idiots, and you knew it. Of course "not all men." But the MeToo movement wasn't about hating men. It was about hearing women and understanding their fears.

And by and large, you understood that. You were pretty solid on it. Good for you! No, seriously, I'm really proud of you for continuing the fight for feminism that you were on the front lines of back in your more enthusiastic years.

And you know how #BlackLivesMatter has been a thing for several years now, and how it's really a continuation of the Civil Rights movement that you grew up in? But of course, idiots tried to reframe the narrative by saying "All lives matter!" And you knew that that was just a smokescreen. Of course all lives matter, but once again black lives were being treated as if they don't matter. And the reason you recognized this was because was all familiar to you. It was the same scene you remember playing out on your 12" black-and-white screens decades ago, where protests erupted against an injustice (frequently assault or murder of an unarmed black man) and the resulting police violence shook the conscience of the country.

So you stood with BLM, or at the very least listened and acknowledged when it was explained to you. We appreciate it, truly. We do.

But here's the thing. You're not the only ones we were talking to. And a whole lot of the "all lives matter!" and "not all men!" crowd? They were from your generation. Now, not all of them, certainly. We definitely have our regressive stooges in Gen X and Millenial age groups. But let's be honest, a strong majority of the people raising a ruckus against "these kids today, with their PC woke brigade cancel culture" are members of the Baby Boom generation. And those who aren't? Well...they have the same kind of regressive attitude that comes from being the third generation out.

You know...like your parents and grandparents were when Dylan wrote his song. When your social circle embraced "Don't trust anyone over 30."

There's a frustration that comes from trying to explain something important to people who appear to not wish to listen to you, but are instead spending their time looking for reasons to discredit you, or make you feel inferior, or find any excuse to belittle you and the incredibly important message you're trying to express. When you get to that breaking point, you need a way to ripcord out of the conversation in a way that expresses not only that you're through pretending to maintain civil discourse, but also that you recognize that there was no intent for honest dialogue in the first place. You need a shorthand phrase for "You're a dishonest, condescending jerk who couldn't care less about doing the right thing or about the lives of anyone other than yourself. I am through wasting my time casting pearls before swine. Good day, sir! I SAID GOOD DAY!"

Weinberg felt it in his interview.

You've undoubtedly felt it yourself, countless times.

My generation feels it constantly. And we've come up with a pretty good phrase that encapsulates our frustration with those in power who've apparently forgotten the lessons of the past and are happy to sit in apathy in the middle of the road and never lend a hand.

And that phrase is "Okay, Boomer."

Oof. Yeah.

I know.

It stings. A lot.

And I can hear you screaming at me right now. "How dare you judge us based on our age! This is ageism, pure and simple! It's hate! Not all old people! All ages matter!"

Shhh, shhh, it's okay. You're in a safe space. We're friends. No one is judging you.

See, just like MeToo wasn't denigrating all men, and BLM wasn't saying that non-black lives didn't matter, the use of "Boomer" here is not about age. It's about the same progressive vs regressive divide you experienced when you were young, that was largely drawn along generational lines.

Not all Baby Boomers are "Okay, Boomers," and not all "Okay, Boomers" are Baby Boomers.

If you're with us on the issues, if you're supportive of people's self-identity and fight for equality, then it doesn't matter what age you are. You're gold.

But if you get told "Okay, Boomer," it's not about your age either. You've just been told that your approach to the conversation indicates to the speaker that you don't want to engage on the issues in an open and honest manner.

It means that you've probably hit a blind spot in your experience which is incredibly common and nothing to be ashamed of, but is also something that needs to be addressed.

It means you've upset the person talking to you, and they've given up trying to be reasonable with you.

It's not hate speech. It's not ageism.

It's a wake-up call. For the times, they are a-changin'.

Weinberg aged out of the demographic he framed in his statement 5 years after he made it. But from what I can find online, he continues to this day to fight the good fight. He was an anti-war activist and a union organizer before becoming a champion of environmental issues. He turned 81 earlier this year. A statistical tally in the Silent Generation, he was nonetheless clearly a member of a young Baby Boomer movement in their prime.

You can stick with us. Join your voice to ours like Weinberg joined his voice to your generation's. Like Martin Luther King (born 1929) did. Like Abbie Hoffman (1936), John Lewis (1940), Gloria Steinem (1934), Bertrand Russel (1872)...

There's plenty of room on the right side of history to be an older person that the young'uns can trust, a mentor we can talk to, someone who will actually *listen* to us and help us move the culture forward.

Or you can be someone who embodies the cause of the admonishment "Never trust anyone over 30."

But if you decide to do that, if you choose to close your ears to the pleas of the younger generation because they don't show you deference and respect? Then you're not a Baby Boomer, a phrase once used to dismiss your generation as youthful, idealistic, and unreasonable.

Then you're just an "Okay, Boomer."

[what-the-witch-stuff]

Landings Through the Grapevine

Chapter 1: Introduction

Masterpost: here

Go to:  Ch.1   |   Ch.2   |

Pairing: Elliott x OC

_________________________

It was a quiet morning in Stardew Valley. Birds were singing faintly in the distance and a hazy mist hung in the air, transforming everything not directly close into blue-ish hues and indistinct shapes. The sun had just risen over the horizon, chasing after the last traces of pink in the otherwise clear, blue sky. Not one cloud was in sight.

This was indeed a pleasant surprise. The villagers had feared for the constant downpour, that has persisted for the last couple of days, to delay the annual spring festivities. But now, only the wet squelching sound under the farmer's boots disrupted the idyllic scenery, as she made her way around the forest clearing, where the annual Flower Dance would be taking place. Undeterred by the early hour, the preparations were going just as planned, though they were far from finished. Riley herself had only a few decorations left to hang up, but they were still waiting on a cart to bring a few chairs and parts of the sound equipment.

A loud continuous thumping echoed over the meadow as Robin was still busy with setting up Pierre's booth. The noise was shortly interrupted, as Robin readjusted the planks she was working on, before spotting the farmer.

“Good morning Riley! Oh, you cleaned up nicely.”, Robin greeted her cheerfully and looked her over. Though Robin had apologized for ever doubting Riley's ability to take over her grandfather's farm, it were comments like these that made conversing with the carpenter a bit difficult. As Riley still didn't know Robin too well, the double meaning of the statement was not lost on her. But today, the farmer wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, hoping that Robin was just a little aloof sometimes.

'Don't rock the boat now. Think about the barn upgrade' .

So, she forced herself to just smile and wave before turning back around and the noise of the hammer picked up again. For the occasion, Riley had indeed ditched her usual overall and stained-shirt combo, in favour of one of her nicer outfits she used to wear back in Zuzu City. The only thing left from her usual farming attire was her sword which, clearly visible on her left hip, marked her as a member of the Adventurer's Guild.

While she had been quite pleased with her decision at first, something about the outfit had triggered a weird feeling. It had taken some time for her to remember, that she had not worn these clothes since the fatal day, that she had quit her job at Joja Corporation. However, by the time Riley had come to that realization, it had been far too late to change into something else. The whole morning, she had tried to push the thought away, as today was supposed to be a good day, after all. The farmer was usually not the person to care much about traditions. Nevertheless, after walking around in clammy work clothes for the past week, even Riley was looking forward to the Flower Dance. It had been a little awkward during her first year, as she had been completely new to the community. And while most villagers had been rather welcoming towards her, it were customs such as the dance that still made her feel like an outsider.

'Well, what do I expect?' , Riley asked herself, while carefully climbing a ladder, to hang a couple of pastel-coloured, flower garlands into the lower branches of a tree. “This is my second year after all. Shane came to live with Marnie and Jas three years ago. Leah and Elliott moved here, roughly around the same time. They might be part of the town now, but otherwise, all of them are kind of outsiders too.” Even so, and the thought made her pause mid task with a snort, that was probably also due to their very  individual  personalities.

“Well, at least someone is having a good morning.”, remarked a deep voice from below. Speaking of the devil. Shane was looking up to her, an unreadable expression on his face and dressed in the traditional sky-blue uniform, all attending Bachelors would be wearing to the dance. In his hands was a bowl of pepper-poppers from which he ate one ever so often, while watching her work.

“Oh wow Shane, I would say you cleaned up nicely too but I might be lying”, Riley replied with a grin, to which Shane just rolled his eyes and kept chewing completely unfazed .

“Fuck you. I know I look just fine, so you can suck it!”, he grouchily mumbled, though it sounded more like he tried to convince himself rather than her. “You sure do, buddy”. Finally happy with her work, Riley descended the ladder to greet her friend properly. “And you would look even better, if you stopped stuffing your face like a pig!”.

“They're my favorite”, he protested childishly and provocatively grabbed another pepper.

“And I spend a lot of time making them all by myself.”

“I helped too”

“No, you flaked to play soccer with Jas and Vincent!”

Shane's expression bore a cheeky grin, probably anticipating to say something rude. But the pair was interrupted by Pierre, calling out for their help to unload the cart that had finally arrived….

Since Marnie was still in a not-so-secret- relationship with Mayor Lewis, she insisted on taking part in the preparations of any official festivity. Many of the dishes, decked onto a couple of large folding tables, had been prepared the previous day at Marnie's farm, with Riley chipping in her labour and even part of her harvest.

“What happened to breakfast, you greedy gremlin?”, asked Riley, saving the half empty bowl from Shane's grasp, to return it to the buffet. The gremlin in question trailed behind, pretending like he was not sulking over the loss of the food:

“As you like to remind me, microwaved pizza is no proper breakfast”. At that Riley raised both eyebrows in mock-astonishment:

“Oh, so now the good sir suddenly cares about what  I have to say ?”

“So Riley, you're not dancing?”, Marlon asked in between sips of punch.

The sun had risen higher in the sky, and the cool morning had turned into a bright midday. Everything was set up and ready. Soft music played over lively conversation, as bit by bit all villagers arrived. Riley didn't really know what to do with herself, when she could no longer hide behind tasks and actually had to socialize. Seeing Marlon standing in a far corner of the meadow, one hand calmly resting on the hilt of his sword while overseeing the scenery, presented a great excuse to escape dreadful smalltalk. They were well acquainted by now and she had not seen him in a while, other than when she visited the Guild directly. It wasn't too weird, if she made use of that affiliation, right?

If Marlon felt disturbed through her presence he didn't let it show. He just nodded in acknowledgement and together they watched the Spring Maidens enter the clearing, garbed in white from head to toe, with lacy floral decorations sewn onto their dresses and flowers in their hair.

“I think, such ' spirits ' might have other things to worry about right now”.

Unfortunately for her, even Marlon seemed talkative today and Riley answered him reluctantly: “No. As far as I am concerned, the couples dancing stay mostly the same. Wouldn't want to disrupt that order, y'a know”, That was not entirely true, though. The other reason was that a certain someone would most likely turn her down if she'd ever asked him. And Riley was not willing to open THAT can of worms anytime soon. Marlon hummed in understanding: “I see. I just thought, since you're a farmer, you might want to participate.”

“What does being a farmer have to do with that?”

Marlon looked at her, the brow above his remaining eye slightly raised in surprise: ”The flower dance is an ancient fertility ceremony. Back when the village still believed in the spirits of this land, the dance was held to gain their favour for the upcoming harvest. Surely you wouldn't want the spirits that make things grow on your bad side, ey?”.

Riley was not sure what to make of this new piece of information, so the farmer and the monster hunter fell back into silence. Looking around, the meadow didn't really look like an old or magical place to her. It most definitely didn't feel like one either. Compared to the eerie solitude of the Community Center and the claustrophobic depths of the mines, the clearing seemed so very ordinary. On the other hand, it wouldn't be the first time that the Valley proved to be full of surprises. One year ago, Riley was some disillusioned worker's bee in a corporate nightmare. Now, she belonged to a world where magic was real, wizards lived in secluded towers, monsters hid in the depths of the wild and animals could talk. Or rather, Riley could suddenly talk to them (?). Overall, the land was full of entities and forces, Riley didn't plan to meddle with, let alone offend. For a moment she got worried enough, that she almost asked Marlon directly, if he thought the Junimos would truly be cross with her, for not attending the dance. But she decided against it, as someone might end up overhearing their conversation. Surely, Marlon was one of the few people in Pelican Town, who knew about the otherworldliness of the valley. He had probably seen more than Riley would ever experience in her lifetime. But this wasn't the time and place to talk about such things openly.

“And they better have their priorities straight. If they ever dare giving me shit, for not doing that stupid dance, I'm out. Have fun rebuilding the Community Center without me !”,  

was what she did not say. “Besides, wouldn't it look silly to be wearing a sword with such a dress?”, she jokingly gestured in the direction of the Bachelorettes, but to no one in particular. Marlon, again, shortly averted his eyes from the crowd to look at her, in what one might consider to be amusement: “Silly? Kid, that sword is a badge of honour. Of course we wear it to any occasion, men and women alike. Back in the days, Old Linda wouldn't be caught dead not wearing her sword. Also made the lads keep their hands to themselves, if you know what I mean.”, at this he cackled quietly to himself and took another sip.

“What happened to them? Linda and the other women in the guild?”, Riley asked curiously since Marlon rarely was so chatty. “What do you think? This was way before your time. They're probably dead or very old. Some got married, moved to the city and forgot all about their old lives here. ….Your grandma was one of the last”.

Marlon's eyes were back on the gathering, but there was something harsh crossing his features. Riley didn't know what to say. So she just kept watching him in hopes he would elaborate on that. But he remained shrouded in silence. She knew that their conversation was over for good. And knowing Marlon, he wouldn't want to talk about it anytime soon either. So, she tried pushing her questions into the back of her mind and rather focused on the gathering at hand, where the female villagers were now the centre of attention.

The first Bachelorette she saw was the blue haired bar-maid who was hard not to overlook, thanks to her outgoing personality. Emily's dress was full of ruffles and detailed embroidery and made her look even more whimsical. Like a fairy, she was all smiles and joy, half-dancing half skipping over the grass barefoot, as her skirts flowed and billowed along her every movement. If Clint was trying not to stare at her directly, he unfortunately wasn't very good at it. And with concern, Riley noticed the disdain in his eyes when she hugged Shane and started chatting excitedly. Abigail was the polar opposite, in the way she acted all nonchalantly and kept her posture extremely casual. She smirked and rolled her eyes at anyone complimenting her dress, but soon settled into her usual group of friends and as far away from her parents, as physically possible. Haley posed a little to better show off her new dress and happily chatted with Jody and Caroline about the cut and some issues she had with shipping.

It was then that Riley caught a glimpse of auburn in the crowd and her heart skipped a beat, when she saw Elliott and Leah chatting with Marnie and Harvey. He looked handsome (but then Riley always thought he was) with his blue overcoat complimenting his fair skin tone, while contrasting his coppery hair. Leah, who didn't seem too interested in the conversation at hand, ended up catching her gaze and gave a small wave. Riley felt like she missed a step on a staircase and could hardly control the nervous flutter in her chest, when Elliott turned his head in her direction too. His noble features turned from confused to an amused smile as he spotted her. And just like the gentleman he was, he gave her a courteous nod. Riley could not help, but smile back warmly with butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

It was silly.

But a crush was a crush.

Ever since Elliott had invited her for drinks during a chance meeting at the saloon, Riley had been head over heels for the cocky and slightly eccentric writer. He was charming in his good old fashioned way. Not only did he look like the figurative embodiment of a Jane Austen character. He also played the part: always most polite and private in an outside setting and so very concerned about the impression he made on others. But once rather tipsy, Elliott had been much more forthcoming in what was actually going on in his mind. Riley fondly remembered how she couldn't stop laughing after unexpectedly hearing Elliott say ' shit ' for the first time.

It was nice. …

Just a shame, that his interest in her had not survived the night. While they had parted in good spirits, the next day, their interaction was back to pleasant conversation and occasional discussions on his drafts. Riley respected that. Of course she did. But that didn't stop her from developing quite a passion for fishing, in hopes to see him standing at the docks when battling his usual writer's block. For a moment Elliott looked as if he tried to excuse himself from his current company. He kept looking back at her with, what almost seemed like, impatience as he waited for Harvey to finish talking. But then, Mayor Lewis announced for the dance to begin and Elliot took Leah's hand, to gracefully lead her to the middle of the clearing, along with the other couples.

[plaidbooks]

Hey there! Can you do “You promised” and “What am I in your life? Because as of lately I feel as though I’m nothing to you” with our sweet Barba please? Thank you!

Choosing

A/N: Heya! This starts off with the William Lewis trial from Psycho/Therapist (I don’t go into details, so don’t worry). This starts off angsty, but with a happy ending. Thanks for the request, @glowingmess <3

Tags: briefest mention of rape/murder (like, one sentence), angst with a happy ending, alcohol

Words: 1948

Taglist: @the-baby-bookworm @beccabarba @thatesqcrush @itsjustmyfantasyroom @stardust-fray @permanentlydizzy @infiniteoddball @ben-c-group-therapy @glowingmess @whimsicallymad @averyhotchner @mrsrafaelbarba @detective-giggles @dianilaws

“I’m staying late in the office tonight; I really need to get a handle on this case,” Rafael said.

You sighed into the phone, pinching the bridge of your nose between your finger and thumb. When you and Rafael first started dating, you thought that his passion, his drive to work was endearing, even if it meant late nights in the office, or being called away at all times. But this case was different. You were always a little jealous of Rafael and Olivia’s relationship, even though you knew they were just good friends. But this case was all about Olivia, and her four-day hell that was her kidnap/torture with William Lewis. And Rafael wanted to make sure they nailed this bastard to the wall.

“Yeah, okay. Let me know when you’re coming home…. Want me to have dinner ready?” you asked.

He sighed. “No, I’ll just get takeout here. And don’t wait up for me—I’m meeting with Olivia afterwards to go over some things.”

Your heart sunk at the thought of going to bed alone tonight. “Okay, baby. I’ll see you when you come home. I love you.”

“Love you too, mi amor.”

You hung up, dropping your phone on the couch. You knew this case was a rough one, and you wanted to be supportive. So, you shoved all your jealousy down, went through all your nightly routines, then laid down in bed at close to 11pm. Rafael came home shortly afterwards, undressing quickly, and climbed in next to you, snuggling against your back.

 *****************

“Am I to assume you’re not coming home any time soon?” you asked tersely, your voice a little harder than you expected it to be.

Rafael sighed heavily. “I can’t leave yet; Lewis is good. But I have a plan—I’m working on a fool-proof question tree. I’m going to get him.” It sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than you. But the passion in his voice made you smile.

“You will, babe; I know you will. You’re too good not to,” you reassured him.

He huffed out a laugh. “Thank you, hermosa. I’ll be home as soon as I can be; promise.”

“Okay. See you soon.”

 ***************

Finally, the trial was done, though the verdict was not what Rafael wanted. Lewis was still going to jail, but only for assault and kidnapping, and not for murder or rape. You felt bad, and you were supportive, making him dinner and comforting him as best you could. But a small, very small part of you was happy to have your Rafi back home with you. Sure, he still had cases, still worked his ass off, but he wasn’t staying in his office until he almost passed out anymore.

“I’ve been ignoring you…taking you for granted,” Rafael said a month after the trial ended. He stabbed at a piece of chicken in his takeout box, glancing at you over the cardboard.

“You’ve been busy; I understand, Rafi—”

“No, don’t make excuses for me,” he cut you off. “I’m turning my phone off tomorrow, and I’m spending the day with you. We’ll go out, have a romantic dinner, and I’ll devote all my attention to you.”

You smiled; tomorrow was a Saturday, and while that sounded nice, you also knew he couldn’t actually turn off his phone, not with his job. “Sure babe. I’d like that. But I also don’t want you to get in trouble—”

Rafael placed his hand on yours, leaning forward to lock eyes with you. “I promise you; tomorrow is all about you, about us, okay?”

“Okay,” you agreed, grinning. He pulled your hand to his mouth, kissing your knuckles. Butterflies erupted in your stomach, and you were giddy with the prospect of spending all day with Rafael.

 ********************

You woke up in Rafael’s embrace, curling tighter against him and giving him a sweet kiss. He grinned against your lips, pulling you tighter, before rolling out of bed. “Shower?” Rafael asked, his voice still thick with sleep. Smiling, you jumped out of bed, following him to the bathroom.

Once clean and dressed, albeit several hours later, Rafael made you breakfast while you made coffee. Food and coffee consumed, Rafael took you out of the apartment, taking you for a long walk through the park, hand in yours. He asked about your days since he’s been busy, catching up with you. He also thanked you profusely for helping him through the trial against Lewis.

“I didn’t do anything, though,” you replied, furrowing your brow.

Rafael smirked at you. “Amor, you did everything; you had to deal with me. Specifically, when I pushed you away. And even with all of that, you’ve managed to support me, to keep me sane.”

You leaned into him, giving his cheek a kiss. “Well yeah, I love you, ya dork.”

He barked out a laugh, pulling you closer and kissing you. Then he sighed as his phone pinged. Pulling back, he glanced at the message, typing out a response, before grabbing your hand, his fingers interlacing with yours as you continued through the park.

Besides his phone going off every now and again, Rafael dedicated the rest of his day to you. You both dressed up in fancy wear, and he led you to a 5-star restaurant, his hand on your lower back. The dinner was delicious, but halfway through the meal, Rafael got a phone call.

“Sorry, I have to take this,” he said before answering it. He listened, saying only one or two words compared to the rant you could hear, the voice muffled on the other end. Rafael closed his eyes in defeat, murmuring, “I’ll be right there.” Then he hung up, giving you a sad look.

Tears were already in the corners of your eyes as you choked out a pathetic, “but—but you promised.”

“I…I know, hermosa. I’m so sorry, but I have to go. Olivia needs me,” he replied. You nodded, trying to hold in your sobs, at least until he was gone. Rafael waved down a waiter, paid in cash, then left with a rushed, “I love you.” You sat in silence as the waiter boxed up the food, your face on fire in embarrassment and your heart broken.

 ******************

Rafael didn’t come home until almost 1am. You were sitting on the couch, polishing off his favorite, most expensive bottle of scotch, no longer feeling the burn in your throat from the strong liquid.

“Amor? What are you still doing up?” Rafael asked, coming to stand in front of you. His eyes flitted from the empty bottle, to the empty glass in your hand, to your glassy eyes.

“You know what? I’m not even sure, really,” you replied, your voice slurring from the liquor. “At first, I was worried about you, but the longer I sat here, the more I realized how much more you care about Olivia than me.”

“What? That’s not true at all—”

“What am I in your life, Rafi? Because as of lately, I feel as though I’m nothing to you,” you said, cutting him off. There were no tears now; you ran out of tears hours ago.

Rafael, though, blinked rapidly, clearing the tears from his eyes. “You…you’re my love…my everything. Olivia’s a close friend, sure, but she’s nowhere near what you mean to me.”

“Then why do you always go running to her whenever she asks? Just leaving me at the drop of a hat?”

“Because,” he took a deep breath, “because she’s a friend, and she needed my help. The trial with Lewis hit her hard, hard enough that her relationship is crumbling, and she needed someone to talk to. I’m…I’m sorry that I left like that. But she was having a panic attack and—what else was I supposed to do?” His voice was desperate, and you felt bad making him choose between you and his friend.

You sighed, pulling yourself to your feet unsteadily. “You’re right. You’re a good friend, Raf—a good person. I need to learn to deal with that.” You swayed slightly, pushing past him, and heading towards the bedroom.

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Rafael said, following you. “I love you, really, I do, but don’t force me to choose between you and my work.” Because I’ll choose work, it didn’t need to be said, but you knew it was true.

“I’m not Rafael, I promise I’m not. But you choose work every time. I just have to accept that you’ll never choose me first.” You were still in your fancy dress from dinner, and you reached behind your back to unzip yourself.

Rafael ran a hand through his hair in frustration as you stepped out of your dress, moving to pull on a long night shirt. “I want to choose you first; trust me, I really do. But I…I can’t—”

“I know.” You turned to him, a smile on your face that didn’t reach your eyes. “It’s fine Raf. Let’s just…let’s just go to bed. I’m too drunk for this conversation.”

He watched as you climbed into bed, the alcohol quickly knocking you out, your deep breaths the only sound in the room…at least, until soft sobs crawled up his throat.

 *************

You woke up alone, your head pounding. Groaning, you rolled over, seeing that it was almost noon. The spot next to you was empty, cold, and you figured Rafael was at work. Then, you remembered it was Sunday—maybe he slept on the couch…or maybe he went to Olivia’s. You slowly got out of bed, a hand on your head as you made your way through the room. But, once you opened the room to the hallway, you were bombarded with a delicious mixture of aromas. Sniffing appreciatively, you followed the scent to your kitchen, finding Rafael there, making an array of breakfast foods for you.

“What’s all this?” you asked.

Rafael turned to you with a small smile. “I figured you’d be a little hungover today, so I thought I’d make you some breakfast.”

“Ugh, I love you so much,” you groaned, coming over and snagging a cup of coffee that Rafael obviously just made. He raised an eyebrow at you, and all of the angry words you had said last night came rushing back to you. “Raf, about last night—”

“Don’t; you’re right. I said it before, and I’ll say it again; I’ve been taking you for granted,” he said, flipping the fried eggs. “Which is why I’ve taken the next two weeks off work.” Your jaw dropped—Rafael never took time off. “So, I want you to think about what you want to do, where you want to go. Because we’re going on a proper vacation.”

“A-are you sure? I don’t want you to get in trouble—”

“Stop worrying about if I’ll get in trouble,” Rafael grinned at you. He plated the food, placing it in front of you with a flourish. “I want to spend the next two weeks relearning everything about you, reconnecting with you. I love you so much, and I never want you to think I care about work more than you.”

You smiled at him. “I love you too, and I’m sorry for what I said last night. I was drunk and everything just…just came out—”

“Don’t apologize; you were right. I’ve been pushing you to the side. Never again.”

You gripped the front of his shirt, tugging him to you, kissing him deeply. His hands went to your hips, his tongue pushing into your mouth, and you pulling lightly on his hair. You leaned back slightly, lips still brushing against his. “Anywhere I wanna go?”

“Anywhere,” Rafael promised.

[janeykath318]

All I Want For Christmas (Shieldshock)

When are you going to finally tell him?” Jane hissed at her assistant, whose eyes were following the departing figure of one Steve Rogers with a great deal of admiration, leaning into thirst. 

Darcy immediately turned her gaze back to Jane, affecting ignorance. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said primly. “Who wouldn’t admire The Star Spangled Hunk With a Plan?” 

Jane snorted. “That was more than the average “admiration.” I know you better than that.” 

Darcy huffed and affixed her gaze sternly on the screen she was monitoring, hoping to discourage Jane from any further conversation on the topic. It was absurd. She was just another casual fangirl. It was perfectly natural. Who didn’t have a slight crush on Captain America?

“Ohh, Janey!” She exclaimed, glad for a diversion. “I think you’re gonna like these readings! We’re getting some good data here!”

Science quickly took over and Jane completely forgot about her matchmaking interests for the ensuing thirty six hours science binge! 

When it was over Darcy dragged Jane to bed, and stumbled blearily towards her own room, soon falling into blissful dreams of a blonde haired super soldier.

She woke with a gasp after a particularly vivid dream where she’d swooped her up and kissed her hard, heart fluttering wildly.

“I’m in so much trouble,” she groaned, burying her face under the pillow and willing herself to think of something—anything else!

When she and Jane had first moved into the tower, the only residents they’d met had been Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff. Both were badass and very fun to hang out with. As for Steve Rogers, she’d seen him mostly from a distance when he’d been talking to Tony in a lab or working out in a gym. 

The first encounter was in the spacious kitchen that most of the Avengers shared. Darcy was searching  for some ingredients for her famous banana waffles when she came face to face with a very bedraggled, bruised, and battered Captain America.

“Dude!” she’d gasped out. “Are you okay? You look like Thor took his hammer to your face.”

He’d smiled weakly, then winced as if it hurt to use any facial muscles. 

“I’ll be okay. S’already healing. Looking for an ice pack.” 

“Lucky for you, we’ve got a fair selection. Clint and Natasha use them a LOT.” Darcy rummaged in the freezer and found one, which she offered to him. “This work?” 

He’d accepted it with a grateful look and a quiet “Thank You.” 

“Rough mission?” she asked, sympathetically.”

“That’s an understatement,” he’d said wearily. “I’m sorry for disturbing you, ma’am. I’m going to go sit down before I fall down. Thanks, again.”

With that he’d excused himself and limped away, leaving Darcy a touch concerned, but also, wowed. 

The next time she saw him was sopping wet, stalking through the halls with a murderous expression that made Darcy scamper to stay out of his way. She’d never seen Captain America make that expression before and it was rather terrifying. Someone was about to get it. 

“Hey, Cap! Who pissed in your Cheerios?” Tony yelled as the angry soldier passed them. 

Steve stopped dead in his tracks. If looks could kill, Tony would have combusted on the spot.

“Are you responsible for this, Stark?” He said through gritted teeth. 

“No, but I wish I was,” the reckless Tony replied cheekily. 

Seeing Steve really was about to lose it, Darcy stepped in to intervene before things got out of hand. Cap wasn’t the type to get mad over a simple prank, so she guessed whatever it was had to have been very thoughtless. 

Stepping back into his path, she gave what she hoped was a winning smile.

“Don’t mind him, Cap. He has no sense of self preservation or tact. If you promise to not kill him, I’ll help you track down the real perpetrator and get revenge. I am an excellent prank detective.”

For a moment, he stared at her like she had two heads, then the frown started to ease and his shoulders relaxed. He wiped at his wet face and sighed heavily. 

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have let it get to me. It’s…..been a…….rough day for me and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak. I really don’t like ice water, especially when it’s randomly dumped on my head.”

Now it was Darcy’s turn to frown. The poor man had been frozen for seventy years and this stupid prank had probably triggered him. 

“Yikes, Dude!” She said with a wince. “This calls for teaching a lesson, alright. How about you get into dry clothes and meet me in the lounge? We can start plotting. I think I may know the idiot who would have done this.” 

“Sounds like a plan, Miss….”

“Lewis, Darcy Lewis,” she finished. “And You’re Steve Rogers?” 

“In the flesh,” he confirmed, with a crooked little smile that was all kinds of cute. 

“Well, Steve, I hope you’ll trust me when I say you’ll never have to worry about this kind of thing happening again,” she said firmly. “Just ask Tony what I did when he messed with my coffee supply.” 

She gave her most evil, villainous grin, which made Tony shudder and Steve smile. .

Her dastardly plan was successful enough that Steve was left well enough alone and though he never told her what had been bothering him so much, she did a little searching and the tidbit she found made her ache for the man again. It was the anniversary of the day he’d lost his best friend. 

Darcy commenced Operation Be Kind To Steve shortly after, which involved leaving funny notes in the common areas, making sure there were regular deliveries of his favorite Apple Crumble Pie, and regularly greeting him cheerily when he stopped by the lab. 

After three or four months of this, she was quite smitten and wished she had the guts to ask him out, but with the fall of Shield and Steve’s search for The Winter Soldier, the timing was all wrong. So, she continued to worship from afar and expanded Operation Be Nice To Steve to include Bucky as well. 

Steve, who was looking much happier these days, had been sent by Natasha to inform them their presence was required at the upcoming  Avengers Karaoke night: Holiday Edition. Darcy had instantly accepted for both of them, causing Jane to sigh and try to probe Darcy about her crush. 

After three more science binges and sleeping for twelve hours straight, Darcy was more than ready for some fun. She put on some very flattering dark jeans, a glittery green top, and very long gold dangle earrings which she only wore when she was on “the hunt” so to speak.

Jane grinned knowingly at her and gave her a thumbs up. 

“Go for it, girl!” she encouraged. 

Darcy flushed and headed to the bar to get a drink for courage while Tony crooned Blue Christmas badly. As she sipped her drink and covertly eyed Steve, a familiar redhead joined her. 

“Well, is tonight the night you complete your wooing of Steve Rogers?” Nat asked with a knowing smile, looking over at Steve, who was talking with a shaggy-haired man that Darcy guessed was Bucky. 

“What would give you that idea?” Darcy said coyly, crossing one leg over the other and acting like she was totally chill.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the way you’ve been doing all those nice things for him, and the way you can’t take your eyes off him. Plus, you’re wearing the earrings you only wear when you’re trying to land a man.”

“It’s really annoying to live with so many spies,” Darcy huffed, taking another sip of her drink. Nat laughed. 

“If it helps, he’s been looking at you the same way,” Nat told her.

“Really?” Darcy asked, trying not to sound hopeful or excited.

“Really. I hope you have a good song picked out.” With a wink, Nat slipped away from the bar and strode onto the stage, where she proceeded to bring the house down with a killer version of Silver Bells.

Darcy was glad she didn’t have to follow that up, because, wow! 

Clint ambled on stage and delivered a mocking rendition of “Last Christmas” that had everyone doubled over laughing. His ridiculous falsetto and facial expressions were priceless and Darcy forgot her nervousness in laughter. 

When Clint had taken his bows, Darcy approached the mic and told JARVIS her song selection. Boldly, she locked eyes with Steve and sang right to him. 

“I don’t want a lot for Christmas,

There is just one thing I need, 

I don’t care about the presents 

Underneath the Christmas Tree.

I just want you for my own,

More than you could ever know, 

Make my wish come true, 

All I want for Christmas is you!” 

It was hard to see a reaction at first, but as she repeated the verses again, still looking at him, comprehension dawned, and his blue eyes grew wide, his cheeks started to flush, and a smile appeared that almost took Darcy’s breath away. 

Oh, wow. 

Had he just smoldered at her? 

“I just want you for my own

More than you could ever know

Make my wish come true

All I want for Christmas is you!”

Before she’d even finished, he was on his feet and heading toward her. She could hear the other avengers giggling and whispering, but tuned it out once he got close. 

“Was that for me?” Steve asked.

Darcy’s face grew very warm under his searching gaze, and she slowly nodded.

“Yeah. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way, but I just had to get it out there,” she said, heart in her throat. 

Steve looked at her and she looked back, mesmerized by his expression. 

Then, he bent down and made her dream come true by kissing her very decisively in a way that made her knees weak and left her in no doubt as to whether the interest was mutual.

“I’ll take that as a yes?” She gasped teasingly when they’d pulled apart. 

Steve nodded. 

“I Uh…..have been wanting to say something for awhile,” he admitted. “But I kept chickening out. Bucky here will tell you I’m no good at talking to pretty gals, and you are downright gorgeous.” 

Darcy’s heart fluttered at his compliment.

“You’re off to a pretty good start so far,” she told him, with a flirty eyebrow waggle. “How about we get out of here and find someplace more private?” 

“I’d like that,” Steve agreed, still holding her hand. 

[shirtlesssammy]

6x01: Exile on Main St.

Then:

The Apocalypse that didn’t stick

Now:

One year later, Dean’s living his apple pie life. 

We get a glimpse into that life: Cut with memories of Dean’s former life, we see Dean make breakfast for Ben, work construction, share brewskies with neighbors, show Ben the ropes of car maintenance, and check the perimeter of his home (because that’s what war veterans do when they have severe and unchecked PTSD.) He’s got a very soft life, but he still keeps a shotgun and holy water under his bed. 

He’s out having a beer with his neighbor, and his neighbor wants all the details of his life before suburbia. Dean gives a cover story of “Pest control.” 

The waitress gives Dean her number (and who can blame a girl for trying?), but Dean’s taken and he tears the number up. Later, when leaving the bar, Dean hears a scream in the distance. With a flashlight in hand, he goes to investigate. 

It’s pigeons! No, wait, there are claw marks and blood on the wall.

Later, he’s scanning the police dispatches and on the phone with the cops. Lisa walks in and Dean covers by saying he’s setting up a poker game. At 11:30pm.

Dean checks the perimeter before going to bed.

While driving the next day, he sees claw marks on a telephone pole. He pulls over and finds shredded sheets in someone’s backyard. He heads for the garden shed, gun drawn. It also has claw marks, and something is inside.

It’s Dean’s #1 Nemesis, a Yorkie!

The dog takes off, and Dean’s neighbor sees Dean with a gun. His cover this time: “Possums kill.” Good one, Dean! Dean then sees sulfur on the shed floor. 

He rushes home to load up on supplies. Lisa walks into the garage, and Dean acts like he’s just grabbing a hammer. She asks about the dog, and then asks if he’s hunting something. He admits to his OCD about this situation, asks her to go to the movies with Ben, and he’ll do one final check in the area. He’s definitely downplaying what he thinks is happening. 

After Lisa leaves, he starts looking through his dad’s journal, but stops when the lights start to flicker and he hears a noise. He turns to see Azazel right beside him. Azazel mocks Dean and tells him that God brought Cas back, why not him? “Add a little spice to all that sugar.” Wow, never paid attention to that line before. Dean shoots him but it does nothing. Azazel puts Dean in a choke hold. “You can’t outrun your past,” he tells Dean. And just before he passes out, Sam (!) comes behind Azazel and stabs him with a syringe of something. 

Dean comes to in a derelict building and Sam, or something looking like Sam is with him. 

Sam tells Dean that he was poisoned and what he’s been seeing isn’t real. He’s real though. Of course! He goes through the silver/holy water/salt routine and passes with flying colors. 

Dean hugs his brother. He doesn’t quite believe it though. Sam has no clue how he’s back. “Was it God, or Cas?” Dean wonders. Yes. 

Cas isn’t answering Sam’s prayers. 

Sam then admits to being back about a year. EEESH. Something seems off about our Moose. Ahem. He tells Dean that he deserves a regular life (YOU BOTH DO.) and that he’s been hunting this whole time with --family. Dean meets Gwen, Parker Lewis Christian, and Mark...Campbell. They’re all distant cousins of Mary’s. And then the real surprise walks in: Samual Campbell, Mary’s long dead father. 

Every now and again, I have to stop and take a moment to think about the fact that Walter Skinner is Sam and Dean’s grandfather and my little fandom mind just explodes. It’s like that time that Sam Beckett dated Murphy Brown. I swear. 

Dean needs a moment too, because multiple unexplained resurrections in one day is A LOT. 

Dean is 100% freaked out by all the revelations. Sam adds one more to the pile. A few days prior, he was attacked by a djinn and they think the same djinn is after Dean. Oh, and djinn totally blend into all of humankind now - visible markings are now optional. Samuel happens to know a cure for djinn poison. “Stick around and I’ll show you tricks your daddy never dreamed of!” Samuel promises chirpily. Aaaaand suddenly I gain a greater understanding of the kind of bullshit posturing Mary put up with from the men in her life. Dean realizes that djinn gunning for him means that Lisa and Ben are also in the crosshairs. He and Sam race back to Lisa’s house. 

Outside the house, Campbell cousin #??? sits dead in his car. The door to the house stands open and nobody answers Dean’s calls. Dean’s busy ascending to the ninth plane of freaked out when Lisa returns. Dean gives her a MEGA hug and then orders everyone to pack their bags for a little trip. Lisa is shocked to see Not-At-All-Dead Sam. Welcome to the supernatural, Lisa!

Bobby answers his door with a soft “damn it” because he knows that Dean’s presence means things have gone cockeyed.

Bobby shoos them upstairs where they have “plenty of Reader’s Digests” on hand to entertain them. JUST LIKE THAT I am transported to my grandma’s farmhouse and the stacks of Reader’s Digests we’d go through during our visits. Thanks for being so goddamn old, Bobby!

Bobby and Sam greet each other casually and Dean realizes that those two yahoos have been keeping the truth of Sam’s resurrection from him for...A YEAR. A yeAr. 

Bobby explains that he was thrilled that Dean escaped the life and tried to do whatever he could to let Dean keep that. (Crying noise crying noise) Dean reveals that his apple pie life was anything but...he drank too much, had nightmares, and researched lore like crazy to find a way to spring Sam from the cage. 

Lisa heads downstairs and Dean tells her he’s headed back to the house with Sam to hunt the djinn that attacked him. He apologizes to Lisa for bringing monsters back into her life. “You can’t outrun your past,” he says and she immediately sees through the lines. 

“You’re saying goodbye,” Lisa surmises. 

Readers of this blog know that I am TEAM LISA, which means that I love her very much and wish her every happiness in life. She stands up for what she wants. “You're always so amazing with Ben. You know what I wanted more than anything was a guy that Ben could look up to...like a dad. So, you're saying it's all bad, Dean? 'Cause it was the best year of my life.” Oof.

Sam and Dean return to Campbell headquarters and the Campbells are just a tiny sea of smug assholes. They needle Dean about his time away from hunting. Dean takes this needling EXTREMELY WELL, and offers himself up as bait for the hunt. 

At Lisa’s house, the Campbells scoff and smirk at their various belongings. A magazine! A framed photograph! What frivolity! Such decadence! Sam discovers golf clubs though, and even I have to take a moment to drink in the image of Dean on a golf course. 

Samuel approaches Dean (who is very much on guard at this point) and tells him that Dean reminds him of Mary. She wanted a normal life too. Excuse me while I cry in your FACES. Samuel also drops that the supernatural world has been going bonkers lately. It’s keeping hunters busier than ever. If Dean joined the hunt again he could really make a difference.

Dean heads outside for a status check with Campbell cousin #?!? and learns that there are three djinn lurking in the distance. They won’t approach until Sam and Dean are alone, so Dean orders the Campbells to clear out. 

Sam uses the wait to ask Dean how he’s doing.

Dean’s NOT GREAT but he still asks Sam how Hell was and if he wants to talk. Great idea! Keep the conversation light and nontraumatic for both of you! Sam pushes away those concerns - he’s FINE. Just then, Dean happens to glance out the window and sees djinn attacking his neighbors. Dean rushes the antidote over to Sid and his wife, but two djinn grab ahold of him, smash the antidote, and start to poison him. Dean falls to their thrall.

Sam beats the stuffing out of another djinn with a golf club only to find himself confronted with the other two who’d attacked Dean. 

Meanwhile, Dean’s busy trying to sort out reality from djinn-soaked fiction. He sees the djinn confronting Sam in the house next door and outside he spots Lisa and Ben. Azazel suddenly appears to spice up the pot. 

Dean “wakes up” in Ben’s room. Lisa gets drawn to the ceiling to suffer Azazel’s favorite kill while Ben drinks his blood. The room explodes in fire. 

Dean continues to do VERY POORLY while Sam works to fight off the last two djinn. Samuel arrives and kills a djinn. He shoos Sam off to help Dean and he and another Campbell capture (but don’t kill) the last djinn. We’ll see her again near the end of the season!

Later, Dean tells Sam that he’s going to head back to collect Lisa and Ben. Sam’s doubtful about this plan. He tells Dean that he’ll put them in danger if he stays with them. Besides, Sam wants Dean hunting by his side again. Dean “cares” about helping the victims and Sam “wouldn’t even think to try.” This makes ZERO sense to Dean, but Sam insists that it’s true. Dean shakes it off and hands Sam the keys to the Impala. “She should be hunting. Take her.” Sam turns it down. OUCH.

Sam heads out to hunt with his band of merry Campbells, and Dean is FINE with it.

I’m Still Hallucinating These Quotes:

Did you almost shoot a Yorkie?

Careful's my middle name

If you're here, something's wrong

You can't outrun your past

The guy that basically just saved the world shows up at your door? You expect him to have a couple of issues

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive! 

[elisha-am]

Hopeful Return

A/N: also on ao3

"How would you feel if I give you your copy in person?”

“I ‘d like that. Very much.”

“Guess he isn’t coming back, is he?” Tina talked to herself with the magazine clenched in her hands, letting out a sound that’s half sigh, half humorless chuckle.

She screwed her eyes shut before the tears could tumble out.

She dropped the offending material on the dining table, glancing at the empty chair across her. Though her sister didn’t leave any clue of her whereabouts, Tina was willing to bet her Auror's badge that she was at Jacob’s, where she spent most her day off recently.

In the past few months of the No-Maj man regaining his memory —— she really wanted to question a certain magizoologist how that was even possible —— and being back to her sister’s life, all she felt was worried. Worried about what would happen if MACUSA found out, worried if her sister would be left heartbroken if the magic, figuratively speaking, wore out. Yet she had to admit that Queenie was so much happier, so she tried to be positive about it.

But today, after her heart getting shattered by a single piece of article, the thought of her sister was happily spending time with the man she wanted to be with, brought out a rare emotion in her.

Jealous.

‘How dare she get to cozy up with her man when you just lost yours.’ The monster with green eyes taunted her.

She killed it without a second thought. This just wasn’t like her. And it was her baby sister, for Morrigan’s sakes. All she had been doing after her parents’ death was making sure her sister was happy and healthy.

"And he's not mine to start with." She mumbled to herself.

Tina decided to take a walk to see if she could clear out all the ugly thoughts before Queenie got back. With the current state of her mind, she had no confidence to stop everything from slipping through her occlumency. The last thing she needed now was hurting her sister and starting a fight that might leave a scar between them forever.

Tina wandered around the neighborhood with no particular destination.

When she noticed where she ended up, she swore. Her subconscious just had to do the trick on her and led her to the magic bookstore she frequented.

And the owner, the kind and accommodating Mr. Wolinski, just happened to be outside and cleaning the storefront, which would appear like a small No-Maj grocery store until you entered the right way like every other wizardry property in the city.  He spotted her and hailed at her eagerly.

“Oh, Tina! Tina my dear! It’s good timing you come!”

She cringed, knowing what awkward situation she was about to face. If she knew back then, maybe she wouldn’t bring Newt here and introduce him in his short stay after the incident. She just thought it’d help his book sale to aquatinted with one of the biggest wizardry booksellers in North America.

“Hello, Mr.Wolinski, how’s your day?” She forced herself to smile.

“Oh never been better! Because the books of your British fella just arrived! And people are already asking ‘bout it nonstop!”

"Ah, no, Mr. Wolinski, he is not——" She tried to correct the man, but he was already pulling her into the store.

“Come, come! I saved one for you before every one of them got snatched up!”

“Mr. Wolinski——“

“Here, my dear.” He practically shoved the book into her hand, leaving no chance for her to refuse.

All her resolve to give the book back crumbled when the feeling of holding the hardcovered book with breathtaking golden cover art started to imprint on her fingers.

This was his book.

The book she witnessed him poured all his love into.

And he used the title she blurted out at the dockside half year ago. She thought it was a good fit not only back then, but now as it proudly printed on his labor of love.

“I will look out for it, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.”

Oh, Mercy Lewis. He might not be able to keep his promise, whatever his reason was, but she wasn’t going to break hers.

No matter it was a promise made between friends or more.

She dug into her pocket only to find it empty as she never planned to buy anything when she came out earlier.

“Oh don’t worry, we can put you on the tab! You are one of my favorite customers after all! And thanks to your British, we will have a nice flow for a while no doubt! So I can even give you a discount, good?” Mr. Wolinski assured her when she explained her lack of money.

She only managed to thank him before he was needed by other customers and excused himself. She didn’t get to correct the man about Newt being her British. Again.

She sighed and walked out of the store with the book holding preciously in her arm.

Too many on her mind that she didn’t notice she walked straight into someone’s step.

“Ah! Sorry!”

“Oh, I‘m sorry!”

They apologized at the same time, and the familiar voice made her snapped her eyes up.

The man who was the very reason for her distraction stood right in front of her, eyes widened.

“Tina?”

“Newt? What are you doing here?” With all the emotion that had been building up since she read the magazine, her question came out more like an accusation.

She watched his line of sight landed on the book in her arms, and then his face turned from shock to desperate.

“I, I thought you would want me to give you the book in person.” He started to fidget in that way of his when he was stressed. “ And I was on the way to MACUSA to see if I could catch you there. I don't think Mrs. Esposito would be too pleased to see me at your flat.”

"Shouldn’t you stay in London preparing for the wedding?” Great, all she could talk about she went with that.

“The wedding?” He repeated her last words in great puzzlement she thought he was making fun of her in some way.

“Your own wedding, Mr. Scamander.”

"My what?"Was he really going to make her said it? She knew he was somewhat oblivious, but never thought he could be cruel.

“Your wedding with Leta!” She burst out, maybe a bit louder than she intended, causing him to take a step back startled.

“I am sorry, Tina, but you are sincerely confusing me,” He said, clearly intimidated by her outburst.  “I’m not marrying Leta.”

“What? But the magazine——“

Oh for the love of Isolt, could she be that stupid?

“Tina? What magazine?”

She didn’t answer, thinking showing it to him would explain it better than words. So she took his arm, like when she tried to bring him in all those months ago, into the nearest alley where nobody was watching and apparated them straight back to her living room.

With relief that Queenie was still nowhere to be seen, Tina picked up the magazine she left on the table, handing it to Newt and muttered the page number of the articles she wanted to show him.

She only realizes he brought the case this time as well when she heard the sound it was placed on the floor. Oh well, it was going to be fun if Madam Picquery found out since she specifically warned him not to bring it into the State again. Only Merlin knew what he brought with him this time.

Her musing was interrupted by a series of mumblings that sounded like swearing.

“This article is stupidly wrong.” He said with exasperation, “You have to understand, Tina, it’s My brother, Theseus, is going to marry Leta. Not me.” He turned the magazine around and pointed at the other taller man in the picture who stood behind Leta.

She started to see it now after he pointed out, that Leta, while her hand was on Newt’s arm, was clearly standing closer to the other man; her back was practically leaning on his chest.

“Oh.”

“I don’t know how exactly that reporter could make this stupid mistake as I told him, with clear words, I am the best man, not the groom.”

Under normal circumstances, his bewilderment would amuse her, but now she just relieved that he was as upset as this whole situation and glad that he wasn’t engaged.

Something he said caught up in her mind.

“Wait, your brother? And you are going to be his best man? You are fine with that? ” She promised herself if Newt’s brother or Leta somehow forced him into this position then they were going to have some serious problem with her. She didn’t care if she had to go across the pond.

“Yes?” He frowned. “ Why wouldn’t I be fine?”

They really weren’t on the same page today.

“Um, because it’s Leta, that you and her ——“

It took a few seconds, but he finally caught up what she indicated and smiled awkwardly.

“A bit hilarious I might say. But I don’t find any reason to oppose this matter.” Newt shrugged. “My brother and Leta, they suit each other, I think, and I am happy for them.”

She knew he meant it because she heard no resentment. Some degree of sadness about a long lost friendship——maybe one day he would share what exactly happened between them all those years ago with her —— but no anger or hurt.

“Then I am glad.” She smiled for the first time on that day. “Please send my congratulations to them once you go back?”

“I will.” He gave her that crooked smile of his.

In the next few moments, in the complete silence, they just gazed at each other--he did shift his eyes away many times, but it always came back to her-- both wearing shy smiles on their faces.

“I- I recall this is why I am here.” He was the one who broke the silence and scrambled to pull a book bounded in dark blue leather and golden cover print out from his pocket.

She probably stared at the book for too long and sent out the wrong message because he nervously pulled it back.

“I’m sorry, Tina, I forget you have already purchased one so you probably don’t want this anymore.”

She quickly dropped the magazine and held on the book before he could take it back fully.

“No, Newt, I would love to have this one as well!” She added a smile for assurance. “It’s just so beautiful, making it hard not to stare.”

“Oh.” Newt blushed.

“Could you autograph it for me?” Tina asked as she caught a glimpse at the magazine on the floor, remembering the picture was taken at a book signing event, so she assumed it wouldn’t be too much to ask.

He shifted his stance and blushed even harder.

“Ah, if you don’t want to——“

“It was already signed.”

She looked at him——making him averted his eyes again ——a little surprised, and tentatively opened the book.

“To Tina,

who I would love to help me find my creatures if they escape again.

Newt.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the message he scribbled on the page.

Tina wondered how many people knew this playful side of this shy man.

She looked back up from the book and found him looking at her with a small smile.

“Let’s hope it won’t happen again, shall we?”

“I agree.” His smile widened.

“I will cherish it, Newt.” She said with the book holding tightly in her hands. Tina could already imagine herself reading it over and over again.

And then she remembered the other one book she bought earlier. She pulled it out from the pocket of her coats and hand it to him.

“Can you sign this one, too? Just your name would be fine.”

He nodded, took the book and sit down at the dining table.

She took advantage of the brief moments while he was occupied to pick up the magazine and prepare something to drink.

When she came back with two cups, tea for him and coffee for her, he had finished his small task and was frowning at his photo on the cover of Spellbound.

Her ears heated up with embarrassment. As a trained investigator, she shouldn't jump to the conclusion simply because a flimsy tabloid article said so. She seemed to lose all her judgment when it came to Newt Scamander.

"Newt," she started once she handed him the drink and settled beside him. "I want to apologize. For believed in that magazine so fast. I really should've asked you first."

"It's not your fault."

"But if you weren't here to explain, I would probably......" She didn't dare to think of the possibilities since none of them would end well.

To her surprise, he reached over and covered her hand with his.

"Tina, I want you to know," he paused, and she could hear him swallowed nervously, "I need you to know that Leta isn't the one I want to marry."

Tina gaped at him as she took in what he just said and what he didn't say. It should be too forward but at the same time, it brought longing into her heart.

They weren't even dating; all they had was months worth of correspondence. But she'd be lying if she said she didn't want them to move toward something more. Every letter she received from him, every word she laid down onto the paper in return, all stacked up in her mind and formed a picture of them.

Would she be the one? She hoped the answer would come soon, but not now.

"I will keep that in mind." She said and turned the hand covered under his, so now they were palm to palm.

"Good." he grinned.

[sighmurderbot]

Irish Coffee Chapter Three

Title: Gatorade and Sixth Floor Coffee

Chapter Rating/Warnings: G, I don’t think there’s even any profanity in this one

Word Count: 2.9k

Summary: They meet over coffee and Kierkegaard. There was a spark in his honey-brown eyes that drew her to him. There was a sadness behind her bright smile that drew him to her. Spencer Reid/Original Female Character. Slow burn coffee shop meet. Strangers to friends to lovers. This fic is also available on AO3, it’s ahead of tumblr currently!

previous chapter//next chapter

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” 

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

One exhausting week rolled into the next. Spencer didn’t stop by every day, but the days he did I found myself smiling a little easier. He was considerate, always making sure I could clearly read his lips when it was noisy, always patient even when I could tell he had somewhere to be.

When the shop was empty he would linger an extra moment or two, giving me some sort of obscure fact about coffee, cafes, caffeine, or something else tangentially related. I soaked it up like a little knowledge sponge. The way he gestured with his hands when he got excited about what he was saying always put a grin on my face. 

When the shop was busy, with suits shoving in and out, Spencer waited quietly in line and was extra polite when ordering, as if his manners would make up for the harsh and hurried words I was subjected to from others. 

And every time he came in, no matter what time of day, rain or shine, he ordered a large mocha with extra sugar.

By the second week I started noticing him before he walked in. Something caught my eye, maybe it was his cardigans or incessantly mismatched socks, or maybe I was developing a Spencer radar, but I started to have his coffee ready before he reached the counter.

The first time I proudly plunked his order in front of him before he could speak I think I really threw him off. It wasn’t a busy day, and I was already leaning on the counter, allowing myself a little bit of rest. He paused, mouth still open, and tilted his head at the cup. He then pressed his lips together and frowned slightly. Was he disappointed? It certainly looked like it.

“It’s exactly how you like,” I hurried to assure him.

“Thanks,” he replied, slowly taking the cup. I felt my stomach drop as he began to turn away. I had been looking forward to his visit, especially since I hadn't seen him for a few days. Somehow the young doctor always found a way to make me smile. 

“I thought,” I called out after him, stopping his movements, “that it would help to have it ready. You know, so I don’t have to go make it in the middle of talking to you.”

He turned back, frown now bent into a small smile.

"How efficient," he said. I shrugged.

"I like to maximize the good things in life."

Spencer didn't reply right away, instead electing to shyly drop his eyes and take a sip of coffee. His muscles relaxed a little as the hot liquid worked it's magic.

"How have you been enjoying Asimov?" I asked, falling back to a safe subject for both of us: books. Any tension that may have been lingering dissipated as Spencer's eyes lit up.

"Fascinating!" He started, and I settled myself against the counter a little more, perfectly happy to listen. After noticing my hearing aids, Spencer made sure to speak clearly when we conversed, and for the few brief moments I was with him, it was like my hearing had never started to degenerate at all.

"Psychohistory as a concept alone is fascinating, and when applied to a well developed futuristic universe it practically crafts the story by itself. The field itself only really became recognized when Lloyd deMause developed a formal approach to apply to the study of psychobiology, history, and social dynamics. Even that was fairly recently; deMause is still an influential figure in the field today."

Without fail, whenever Spencer stopped in, I learned something. The information, the passion with which he presented it, everything down to his soft, first-year philosophy professor look had me longing to go back to school. Listening to Spencer teach, whether it was conscious or not on his part, was like sips of water in the desert.

Not for the first time I wondered what he did for work. He was skittish about the subject, the first time I asked he dodged the question, and any time the conversation had neared the subject again he'd start to clam up, avoid eye contact, and worry at his bag or cardigan sleeve.

If he doesn't want to talk about it he doesn't want to talk about it, I reasoned finally. Lord knows there's enough secret jobs in this city, why would he take a break from work for coffee just to talk about work with a random barista?

So I had dropped the subject, and our talks flowed around books and philosophy and whatever tidbits of trivia were on his mind that day.

Unfortunately, our discussion was brought to a quick conclusion when another customer entered, sending the bell above the door swinging with an annoying tone that ensured I always had a low-level headache.

I stood and exchanged a small wave with Spencer. Even the way he waved, hand low, arm tucked into his side, made me smile. When he left he was careful not to rip the door open, the bell barely moved as he slipped away. 

We continued like that for a time, but as fall turned towards winter, I found myself struggling to get out of bed in the morning. Exhaustion weighted my limbs before I even got to work, and even the heaviest concealer couldn’t cover the bruise-like shadows beneath my eyes. Whereas before I would tidy the shop during lulls, I now had to pause to catch my breath after rushes, as if every customer took what little energy I had with them. My Spencer radar didn’t go off for days at a time, sometimes almost an entire week would pass before he would stop in. I felt foolish for looking forward to a regular so much, but I couldn’t help myself. I enjoyed his company, even though I knew he probably didn’t give me a second thought once he was outside the shop doors. 

It had been one of the longer stretches since Spencer visited when I woke up in the middle of the night, head aching and throat raw. 

It was bound to happen eventually, I thought, dragging myself across my studio apartment and getting a glass of water. Even the simple liquid hurt to swallow.

I winced and returned to bed, grabbing my phone. Flipping it open, I navigated to the two numbers I needed and sent a message to my bosses for both the coffee shop and the diner. Surely they couldn’t begrudge me a single sick day.

Attempting another sip of water, I burrowed back into my blankets and slipped into a restless sleep.

Spencer

A few hours later, in another part of the city…

Spencer found mornings difficult, especially since he was left only with crappy sixth floor coffee until lunch. The team had handled back to back cases that left him drained and a pile of files towering on each member’s desk. 

“Morning,” Morgan greeted as his younger associate stepped off the elevator. Spencer gave him a noncommittal noise and a nod, beelining for the bullpen’s coffee maker.

Prentiss glanced up, sharing a look with Morgan, and they both shrugged. 

“I don’t know how you can drink this stuff,” Prentiss said, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. “Why don’t you just stop for coffee before you come in?”

Spencer kept his eyes on the cup into which he was stirring spoonful after spoonful of sugar. 

“I go out for coffee in the afternoon,” he replied evenly. Prentiss and Morgan exchanged another look, with the other man joining Prentiss and Spencer at the counter.

“Yeah, we noticed,” he said. “Must be really good coffee, in the years you’ve worked here you never used to go further than the cafe at the corner.”

Prentiss nodded in agreement. “And yet, you haven’t been there in two, three weeks, have you?”

Spencer turned, coffee held close to his chest as he looked between his coworkers.

“I thought there was a permanent moratorium on inter-unit profiling,” he frowned, lips drawn together in a slight pout.

“Not profiling,” Prentiss smiled.

“Just observing,” Morgan agreed.

“Hmph,” Spencer huffed, heading for his desk.

“So you're gonna take your favorite coworkers to your new go-to coffee spot?” Morgan called after him.

“I dunno,” Spencer replied, flipping open the first pile of his stack. “I’ll ask Hotch and JJ.”

“Oooh,” Morgan clutched a hand to his chest, as if injured, face drawn in overdramatic pain. “That hurts, Pretty Boy.”

The target of his teasing, however, was already working through the file before him. Morgan sighed, no more excuse available to keep him from doing the same.

At precisely 2:15pm, Spencer stood and gathered his things. He could feel Morgan and Prentiss studying him as he unclipped the gun holstered on his hip and carefully set the weapon in his bag. Slinging the strap over his head he settled it on his opposite shoulder, grabbed his scarf, and looped it around his neck.

“Off for coffee?” Prentiss asked, tone dripping with innocence.

“Yup,” Spencer replied shortly. “See you in a bit.”

“See ya,” she replied.

As the elevator doors slid shut before him, Spencer watched Prentiss slide her chair over to Morgan’s desk. They ducked their heads together, undoubtedly gossiping about Spencer’s mysterious new favorite coffee shop.

They were surprised, then, when he returned in almost half the usual time with no coffee in hand.

“Hey, kid,” Morgan leaned towards the small wall separating their desks. “You didn’t let our teasing stop you from getting your coffee, did you?”

“What?” Spencer looked up, as if Morgan had interrupted him in deep thought. Morgan raised one thick eyebrow. 

“Where’s your coffee?” Morgan asked. Spencer frowned slightly.

“Didn’t feel like it today.”

Morgan glanced towards Prentiss, who tilted her head. He raised and dropped one shoulder.

There was no way they could know that Spencer had hurried a few blocks down from the office, whether subconsciously speeding his steps or not. Neither Morgan nor Prentiss could realize the way Spencer looked through the window to the counter, ready to smile at the sight of a blonde barista with a tall mocha in her hand. They couldn’t know the way his stomach dropped and shoulders drooped when there was no bright blonde with a ready smile and sparkling hazel eyes behind the counter that day. Instead there was a stranger, a young man with annoyance written on his face. A cloud passed in front of the weak fall sun and before Spencer realized it he was walking back to the BAU. His mind was far away, wondering what would cause a break in such a strict routine. 

He hadn’t known Katie very long, but she was friendly, and she listened—really listened—when he spoke. She was so different from his world, so unusual, and yet so absolutely normal. There was much he knew about her: her determination, her punishing schedule, her devotion to cheerfulness, but there was so much more he didn’t know and wanted to find out, if only out of an academic curiosity to understand how and why she did what she did. Why she seemed to perk up when she spotted him on the sidewalk outside, why she let him ramble on far after anyone else would have told him to shut up. 

And why, why wasn’t she at the coffee shop?

Because she has a life, the little voice inside his head mocked. Because you are a customer who is nice to her and it is her job to keep you coming back for overpriced DC coffee.

Shaking his head, Spencer tried to put her from his mind and steeled himself for the inevitable tag team teasing that Morgan and Prentiss would subject him to.

Katie

I groaned curses at the sun as it found a gap in my curtains, slicing through my dark room as easily as any blade. 

Rolling over, the red LEDs of my clock told me it was far past time to attempt a shower and food, sick or not. I couldn’t really afford to be so late with my meds, but I hoped perhaps it would be an okay day and I could slip a few extra hours past my vertigo.

No such luck. I sat up slowly and the room tipped around me. It was a combination of floating and spinning while drunk, and it sent me stumbling to the bathroom on flimsy legs. It was like I had downed a bottle of jack and chased it with that soda from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory that made people fly. 

I almost overshot the toilet but an iron grip on the cold porcelain kept me anchored as I heaved. There was nothing to throw up, but my body hadn’t gotten the message. Nearly twenty minutes passed before I allowed myself to slump back on the tile floor, sweat sticking hair to my forehead and the back of my neck. 

It was like I was on a teacup ride at the fair and it was slow at the moment, but could speed up again at any moment. I just prayed I’d be able to handle it when it did.

Somewhere in the other room my phone buzzed. I hadn’t thought to grab it in my mad rush for the bathroom, and at the moment I didn’t think I had the strength to retrieve it. It wasn’t hard to run through the people who might be contacting me. The only options were one of my bosses or Liz, and I didn’t feel like talking to them at the moment.

You can’t just isolate yourself when things get hard.

The voice in my head sounded a lot like my therapist from school. I sighed deeply, frustrated and tired, tipping my head back to rest on the glass around my shower.

“Right, shower,” I muttered. That was what I had originally intended to do when I got up. Moving slowly and carefully, breathing to steady myself, I flopped into the small tub and turned the shower on full spray, letting the water pepper across my skin.

Eventually I stripped off the tank top and shorts I had slept in, leaving them in a sodden heap near the drain, and grabbed the soap, scrubbing myself until the water started to run cold. After I was clean and all the soap suds had swirled down the drain I shut off the water and cautiously stood, white-knuckling the support bar I had installed in the shower after my first fall. 

The room didn’t want to stay still, but it had stopped rotating enough for me to step out of the shower, make my way to the towel rack, and wrap myself in a large, fluffy towel. 

Water dripped from my body as I padded out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, leaving wet footprints trailing the wooden floor behind me. I pulled a frosty gatorade from my fridge and a sleeve of saltines from my cabinet. Setting the sustenance on my bedside table, I dried off enough to keep my sheets dry and climbed back into bed, not bothering with pajamas this time.

Thankfully, I was able to keep some of the bland crackers and alarmingly blue liquid down. I downed my medication and sunk back into my pillows, even the little I had accomplished that day taking all my energy. 

Hopeful that I’d wake with the cold gone and my meds working, I began to doze, and the dozing deepened into a dreamless sleep.

My one sick day stretched into two, then three. Fighting one disease was hard enough, and it intensified even the smallest infection from an annoyance into a massive burden. On the third day my phone rang. The conversation with my boss from the diner was quick and professional. I understood that he needed reliable employees, but I had hoped the fact that I was never late and always gave as much notice as possible for my sick days as possible would buy me some leeway.

Apparently not.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as I snapped my phone shut.

It’s okay, I reasoned. I can pick up more shifts at the cafe and the bar. They’ve always paid better anyway.

Resting my head against the wall I studied my ceiling.

“What do I do, mom?” I whispered, closing my eyes.

“Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door.”

Emily Dickinson had been one of my mother’s favorites, and it was her voice I heard.

Right, I thought, steeling myself. What doors haven’t I tried yet?

Dragging my laptop onto my lap took more effort than perhaps it should have, but I managed it. 

Scholarships. 

Now that I had a full time work record to back me up, I might qualify for more money. And if I qualified for enough I could take the next step, instead of being stuck running in circles trying to earn enough over three jobs to pay for college by myself.

The sun had long since set on my third sick day when I finally shut my laptop and let sleep claim me once more. I now had a small spark of something to go with the stubborn determination my mother had instilled in me: hope.

[missytearex]

I’ve been binging wordplay fics, which is why this list is so ridiculously long. I would’ve split it, but I kind of want these lists to be an accurate representation of my week, so ridiculously long list it is! 

As I said, most of these are from @wordplayfics, but there are also fics from @hlsummerexchange2019, @1drarepairfest, @larryabroad, @grylesexchange and even @onedirectionbigbang! Wow, I’ve clearly had a good week. Enjoy!

❣️ Let Our Hearts Collide by @crinkle-eyed-boo — [fic post]

larry | 76k | mature — (found family)

When Harry, a lonely transit worker, saves the life of the handsome commuter he’s been secretly pining for, an innocent mistake results in Liam Payne’s family believing that Harry is engaged to their son. In the Paynes, Harry finds the big family he’s always longed for…and a love he never saw coming.

A While You Were Sleeping AU

❣️ Not (heart) Broken by @kissyboystyles — [fic post]

larry | 14k | teen and up — (soulmates)

Every person is born with a unique, personal Ability and a soulmate. Abilities are developed from birth and treasured as parts of each person’s personality, while a soulmate is somewhat of an intimidating prospect; the minute two soulmates are in contact with each other, their powers are voided, only to be reinstated when they regain their distance.

How is Harry, a young healer, supposed to feel about the possibility of losing his helpful healing Ability with one look of his unknown soulmate? He figures it can’t be too inconvenient. Until Harry meets them and, well, it kind of is…

❣️ Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday  by @haztobegood —  [fic post]

larry, ziam | 3k | teen and up — (office)

Nothing less than mischief is to be expected when Niall, Liam, Zayn, Louis, and Harry spend forty hours a week in corporate hell. Welcome to One Direction Financial - The Right Direction for Your Money.

❣️ press you to the pages of my heart by @foliealou — [fic post]

lirry | 5k | general audiences — (magic)

Harry hatches a foolproof plan. Liam just tries to catch up.

❣️ Run Like the Wind in My Boots by @ponymom-stuff — [fic post]

larry | 1k | not rated — (humour)

Louis is a city boy being introduced to the fun of a county fair by his boyfriend, Harry. Can there be fun in all this dirt?

❣️ baby, in the summertime by Anonymous — [fic post]

larry | 4k | teen and up — (lifeguard louis)

“Well you’ve got to do something,” Liam argues. “It’s not like your perfect guy is just going to suddenly appear right in front of you.”

“Central to Tommo,” his radio crackles. “There’s a guy who looks like he might be getting into trouble directly in front of the tower.”

Louis and Liam both immediately turn to their left, and squint out into the surf. After scanning the waves for a few seconds, Louis spots a guy bobbing around quite a way away from the shore.

❣️ A Very Difficult Pose by Anonymous — [fic post]

gryles | 5k | explicit — (coming out)

It’s the Met Gala, and it’s camp. Harry should probably admit in public that he isn’t straight.

❣️ Tea For Two by @jacaranda-bloom — [fic post]

larry | 4k | mature — (writer louis)

PART 3

Every Tuesday, Louis spends his day off holed up in his favorite coffee-come-bookshop, writing his little stories as part of the WordPlay challenge while daydreaming about the resident barista, Harry. Each week a new word prompt is revealed and Louis adds to his series of short stories about Henry, the owner of a B&B in the Cotswolds who has curly hair and dimples, Lewis, his long term guest who just happens to be a writer, and Tigger, Henry’s cat.

As Louis and Harry’s friendship develops, could his fantasy world spill out into real life? And how does that reader who leaves the lovely comments with the teacup emoji seem to be able to read Louis’ mind?

❣️ Just Like Honey by @lululawrence — [fic post]

larry | 3k | not rated — (fluff & humour)

Louis opened the door and he looked so soft and beautiful. He was in a ratty pair of grey joggers and that was it. Harry had never seen him look so good.

When Harry finally raised his eyes from Louis’ chest, he realised Louis had likely said something.

“Uh,” Harry said, clearing his throat. “Sorry, what did you say?”

Smirking a little, Louis crossed his arms and popped his hip. “I said, ‘Hello, Harry. What brings you here so late on a Saturday?’”

Then his brain kicked in.

“Right, fuck. Hi, Louis. I just wanted to give you this.”

Louis’ brows creased as Harry held the honey out to him. Taking the jar from Harry, he said, “Honey?”

Nodding, Harry said, “Yep. Hope you have a great night!”

Fisting his hands at his sides in frustration, Harry left the building as quickly as he could.

❣️ The Doppler Effect by @lightwoodsmagic — [fic post]

larry | 1k | mature — (college/uni)

there’s only one person who figures out Harry’s Halloween costume

❣️ That’s My Thing by @uhohmorshedios — [fic post]

tomlinshaw | 1k | explicit — (smut)

Nick comes home to find Louis inexplicably primed for a fight…or perhaps something a bit more interesting.

❣️ Afterparty by @reminiscingintherain — [fic post]

larry | 1k | teen and up — (coming out)

Harry pressed a kiss to Louis’ forehead. “I think someone needs to get home,” he murmured quietly, smiling when Louis nodded slightly. “Hot chocolate and a fluffy blanket, on the sofa, Grease on the telly?” Louis let out a low moan, tipping his head back to look up at Harry. “It’s like you know exactly what turns me on, Styles.”

❣️ Aftermath by @reminiscingintherain — [fic post]

larry | 1k | teen and up — (coming out)

London Pride: The Aftermath.

After coming out (and coming back!) so spectacularly and dramatically at London Pride, what is the reaction?

❣️ Fear is Only a Choice by @iamasphodelknox — [fic post]

larry | 1k | teen and up — (afterlife)

What’s more frightening? Saying goodbye to everyone you love or moving forward to whatever is after death?

❣️ Show My Love by @sunshinetommo-28 — [fic post]

larry | 1k | mature — (established relationship)

Louis has a hard day and Harry gives him a foot massage to relax him.

❣️ say nothing’s impossible now by @dinoflangellate — [fic post]

zemma | 18k | explicit — (magic)

She wakes up later, well into morning, for real this time. There’s a crow by her feet and a note on her pillow, an unfamiliar scrawl on folded orange paper.

The paper is heavy, smooth. “I like you,” it reads. She’s no sooner read it than it turns to flame, burning cold in her fingers until nothing is left, not even a trace of ash.

Except. A phone number appears, inked in fuschia on the palm of her hand. That’s Zayn’s magic for you, all enchantment and surprise. She rolls her eyes, but puts the number in her phone. The crow’s not going to tell anyone about the huge smile on her face.

❣️ Steal My Breath by @hadtobelou — [fic post]

larry | 3k | mature — (nurse louis)

Harry keeps coming up with excuses to visit the emergency room, all for an attractive nurse named Louis.

❣️ Won’t You Love Me? by Anonymous — [fic post]

larry | 6k | general audiences — (spiderman louis)

Where Louis is Spider-Man, Harry is oblivious, Liam has a problem with communicating his feelings, Zayn is frustratingly handsome and Niall has a pet turtle.

❣️ Delicate by @hi-larrie-ous — [fic post]

larry | 1k | teen and up — (college/uni)

They say opposites attract. Maybe that’s why nerdy, shy Harry Styles has such a huge crush on rough, brash Louis Tomlinson. And now, he’s stuck in a lift with him.

❣️ like ships in the night by Anonymous — [fic post]

gryles | 8k | explicit — (angst)

Nick’s excuses, year by year.

❣️ maybe we could be enough by HazHas4Nips

shiall | 3k | general audiences — (depression)

Shawn’s having another bad day, and he doesn’t think that Niall will still want him if he sees how sad and broken Shawn gets sometimes.

❣️ Af-fur-mative by @rainbowsandlovehl — [fic post]

larry | 1k | general audiences — (fluff)

Harry is anxious about the first meeting between his moody cat and Louis.

❣️ Consequences by @allwaswell16 — [fic post]

larry | 78k | explicit — (amnesia)

Two years ago Harry let his powerful family come between him and the love of his life, something he deeply regrets. Louis has tried to move on from their devastating break up. Sometimes, he even thinks he has. It only takes one moment to freeze them back in time.

An amnesia au

❣️ You Keep Me Warm by @ireallysawanangel — [fic post]

larry | 3k | not rated — (zoo)

Louis took his younger siblings to the zoo for the day and ended up finding something even cuter than the baby penguins.

Remember to leave kudos + comments to show your appreciation!

More lists here.

[phantoms-lair]

I’ll Face Myself part 2

He probably seemed calm on the outside, but that was because he had too many emotions vying for control. Arthur kept his eyes glued to the path as he navigated the van, trying to hit the magic balance between speed and a smooth ride that would get the other him to the spot where the ambulance was (hopefully) waiting with making his other self’s injuries worse.

And that was something he really didn’t want to think about. He was going to cling to the idea of some sort of alternate timeline thing happening, because he really didn’t want to think time travel. That what he saw was how he was going to die, shunted into a portal to the past without his Vivi or Lewis.

Almost half a dozen times he opened his mouth to suggest turning the van around. He knew if it were him (and it might very well be) he’d prefer to risk death if it meant not just up and leaving Lewis to die. Sure Mystery was with him, but what could one small dog do against a monster like that? The only thing that stopped him from saying it was he knew if it was another Lewis or Vivi lying back there, he’d never even think of it, so he had a feeling Vivi wouldn’t take the suggestion well at all.

What he finally settled on was “When we meet with the ambulance, go with him. I’m going back for Lewis and Mystery.”

“Are you insane?” Vivi hissed, pressing her scarf and sweater against the gaping wound, “That thing was trying to kill the other you.”

“Exactly, it would focus on me, which would give Lewis and Mystery a better chance of escaping.”

Vivi growled. “Arthur Kingsmen listen up, because I am only going to say this once. You are not expendable. You are not bait. We are not going through all of this to save a different version of you just for you to get yourself killed. Me, Lewis, and Mystery are in considerably less danger. So you’re going to be riding in the ambulance and I’m going to be going back to help.”

“And I’m not willing to lose the two people who matter most to me just to save my own skin.” Arthur snapped. “What if the reason Lewis wasn’t with him was because he died tonight, Vi? What if Lewis died protecting me while I ran away?” He hadn’t meant to say that. Hadn’t meant to give voice to the fear he was deeply trying to bury.

“You think I haven’t thought of that?!” Vivi choked back a sob. “You think I don’t know that Lewis could already be dead?” “Lewis-” The other Arthur seemed to come around a little. “I need to find Lewis. I need to-” his voice broke off. “He threw me off a cliff…” the desperation in his voice gave way to a broken quality. One Vivi never wanted to hear out of any Arthur ever again. “Why Lewis? I’m sorry. Whatever I did, I’m sorry.”

Vivi wanted nothing more than to hold him, to run her fingers through his hair. But she needed both hands to put pressure on his wound. “Arthur, that thing wasn’t Lewis. I don’t know what it was, but Lewis would never try to hurt you. He’s our gentle giant. You know that, right?”

Other Arthur blinked slowly. “You remember Lewis?”

“Of course I do.” How could she not?

He smiled. Well, the tips of his lips twitched, but that was probably the best he could do. “Your memory is back.”

Well that raised even more questions. But an idea occurred to her. “It’s coming back, but it’s not all there. Arthur, you said you had to find Lewis. Where did we lose him?”

“The cave...where I lost my arm.”

There was another topic she really wanted to get into, but not now. “The cave with the purple fog?”

“No, the green one. We took the high road, you took the low one. Then no Lewis, no arm. Just nightmares about the monster.”

“The skull monster?” Vivi prodded.

“No, the one with the teeth. He’s like Mystery, only big and with too many tails.”

Arthur and Vivi  breathed a collective sigh of relief. Whatever happened to other Lewis, it hadn’t happened tonight, in this forest, or at the hands of the skull monster.

A small mercy at best, but they’d take what they could get.

~

“He is not worth your protection.” The Wraith spat at Lewis.

“He’s worth every bit of it.” Lewis retorted. “Arthur’s my best friend. And death may have rotted that knowledge out of you head, but not mine.” Lewis knew there was little he could do to physically stop a wraith, he could simply fly over his head for crying out loud, so he had to keep it engaged, keep it talking. He didn’t think he could even feign sympathy for this monster, so riling it up was the only way to go.

“Best Friend?” The wraith scoffed. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. “The chupacabra case, right? The one that turned out to be a bear with mange?”

“Apparently.” Crud. His wraith self had lived through this, which made it all the more likely the two did come from the future. He hated the idea that this thing was what he would become. He just hoped this was something like Dicken’s Christmal Carol, where seeing his dark fate would help him escape it.

“And you haven’t noticed your so-called best friend has been pulling away. That he’s been putting a wall up between himself and you. That when he is spending time with you he’s quiet and surly.”

Lewis opened his mouth but shut it. Looking back it was true. He couldn’t even completely say he hadn’t noticed since now that he was thinking about it the memories were there. He just...hadn’t mentally flagged it as important. His heart sank a bit. Something was wrong with Arthur and he’d let it be. Was that the first step in becoming this monster? “Did you ask him what was wrong?”

“I didn’t have to. It was obvious. HE WANTED VIVI FOR HIMSELF! THAT’S WHY HE KILLED ME” The wraith’s rage roared to life, his hair becoming a purple conflagration.

Lewis was stunned to silence for a moment. “Are...are you completely insane! That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard” Lewis threw his hands up. “Arthur...have you met Arthur? I mean you’re me, so yes, but what the actual fuck? For one thing, Arthur knew Vivi before I did and had plenty of time to tell her he liked her if that was the case. Also you honestly believe Arthur is capable of killing anyone, especially me? He’s the most non-confrontational person I ever met, even when people are trying to hurt him. But sure, he totally would kill me, his favorite person to hide behind.” The sarcasm dripped like ichor.

“Behind me is exactly where he wanted to be.” the Wraith said darkly. “And it turns out he didn’t need much protection. He’s managed to escape my attempts to burn him alive, run the van off a cliff, or throw him down the same precipice he threw me down.”

Lewis felt his blood go cold hearing the version of him recite his murder attempts. The sheer ludicrousness of Arthur throwing him down a cave aside, the fact that his dead self had made at least three attempts at Arthur’s life was chilling, especially since there was still a chance the last one might have succeeded. But there was something else almost as bad in there

“You know, Arthur told me something after we found him." Lewis said coldly. “He was in pretty bad shape, but managed to get something out.”

"What was it?" The Ghost scoffed. "Excuses? Platitudes? I don't care about anything that comes out of his mouth."

Lewis didn't like the feeling that bubbled up inside him. It felt too close to the hate that this other self of his was made from. He watched the wraith closely as he repeated Arthur’s message. "Vivi was in the van too."

He wasn’t proud of the satisfaction he felt to see the wraith pull up short. His hair snuffed out and the mania gone from his eyes.

“No. No, she couldn’t have been.” Fear and worry suffused it’s voice.

“Did you even check?” Lewis couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice. “Or did you just try to kill Arthur without even thinking that maybe his best friend might be right there with him?”

The ghost made a small whining sound before turning and rocketing through the portal. Lewis let himself relax. Mission accomplished. The wraith was gone and wouldn’t be pursuing Arthur for a while. He could follow the path the van took and meet up with the others, presuming one was waiting for him and Mystery after the ambulance.

Only...Lewis glanced at the portal. On the other side was a possibly badly hurt Vivi and for all he knew the only one there to help her was the monster who’d hurt her in the first place. Could he trust his wraith self to take care of her?

No. He wouldn’t trust that idiot to care for a plant.

“I’m going after them,” He informed Mystery. “I need to make sure Vivi’s okay.”

“We don’t know how long that portal’s staying open,” Mystery warned.

“If you want to stay-”

“Of course I‘m going.” he cut Lewis off. “I couldn’t live with myself if I thought a version of Vivi might have died because I did nothing.

Lewis nodded. And together they headed into whatever future awaited them.

[providentially-demonic]

Miraculous Mystery Skulls: Chapter Three

First Arc: a Spellcaster, a Ghost and a Mechanic walk into a bar Paris

Summary: On their honeymoon in Paris, the City of Lights, the trio of Vivi, Lewis and Arthur encounter more than sightseeing… in the form of monsters, supervillains and a pair of teen superheroes. Sometimes, miraculous things can happen, when you least expect it.

(A Mystery Skulls/Miraculous Ladybug crossover event)

A/N: This all started with this fic by @phantoms-lair and the silly idea of them running into Chat Noir and Ladybug while there. It grew…

It’s a tale of heroes, miraculous, found family and more (with a healthy dose of puns). Co-created and written with assistance from @phantoms-lair, so she deserves some of the credit and a lot of the blame! :P

Back to Chapter Two

Chapter Three. The Grand Master

This time Vivi woke Arthur early. The sun was just barely over the horizon and he groaned at her, pulling a pillow over his head. "It's too early. Wake me at a decent hour."

"Much as I'm enjoying the view," A fingertip trailed up the bare leg sticking out from under the rumpled sheets, eliciting a shiver that ran all the way up his back. "I want to get a move on. We're getting some breakfast at that lovely bakery—”

"And double checking my observations." Lewis chuckled.

"Shoosh you. And then we're doing a little more snooping before we go sightseeing. I plan on making short work of finding this butthead of a supervillain."

They were out on the waking streets about twenty minutes later, Arthur grumbling along beside them. They were nearly to the bakery when a girl handing out cologne samples attached to flyers accosted them, handing a flyer to Arthur and Lewis. "Try the newest fragrance from Le Parfum Agreste, 'Free Spirit'!"

Lewis smiled politely at her and tucked the sample flyer into his pocket. Arthur scowled at both the girl and the flyer impartially. Vivi was snickering at him when he paused, expression grim. "Hey, Vi? Still got that sharpie on you that you bought last night?"

She handed it over with a curious look and watched as he scribbled on the flyer. "I wasn't sure last night, when you said you knew who they were, but yeah..." He turned the flyer around for their inspection. "Now I am."  On the young blonde model he had drawn a black mask and a pair of pointed cat ears.

Vivi pursed her lips. "Mind you, I was bluffing a little, because that so-called 'master' was getting on my nerves, but I had a pretty good idea. You just confirmed it. How has anyone here not noticed?"

"People see what they expect to see, love. They don't see a teen model in a superhero. Or a baker's daughter." Lewis answered frankly.

Arthur frowned and stuffed the flyer in his pocket.

They arrived at the bakery shortly after. While Arthur and Vivi picked out pastries, Lewis scoped out everything else. When Sabine Cheng called up the stairs, "Marinette, you'll be late for your field trip!" and a flustered girl stumbled down the steps to give her mother a hasty hug, it was clear to see she was exactly who Lewis had said she was.

It was even more noticeable when she tripped over her own feet upon spotting them. Her blue eyes were wide and shocked.

Lewis picked up the sketchbook she had dropped and handed it back with a smile. "Don't forget this."

It took her two tries to get out a thank you, and she bolted for the door as soon as she'd managed to stutter it.

"That girl..." Sabine shook her head fondly after her daughter. "Sorry about that. Did you decide what you wanted?"

"It's fine," Lewis said with practiced ease. "Seven-four is not a height you see every day."

Sabine blinked, confused. Then her expression cleared. "Oh, you're American. Your French is so good I never would have guessed."

"Thank you. Um, how did you guess?" Lewis wondered.

"Metric system versus Imperial." Arthur answered him easily. "If you were from pretty much anywhere but America, you would have given your height as two hundred twenty-four centimeters, or two point two four meters."

Sabine smiled. "My— You both speak so fluently. If not for that, I never would have known you weren't from around here!"

Vivi chuckled. "We all speak it."

"Pretty fluidly, actually." Arthur grinned and elbowed her. She broke down in a fit of snickering while Lewis sighed.

"Ignore them, please." Lewis smiled pleasantly at Sabine. "I'll start the order and if they haven't stopped laughing by the time I'm done, they'll miss out on getting what they want."

"No fair," Vivi whined.

"Then settle down and decide what you want."

"I want to try everything!" Vivi flung her hands wide to encompass the whole bakery.

"I am not buying you some of everything, love. Get something we didn't have yesterday. We still have time to try different treats." Lewis folded his arms and tried to stare down Vivi.

“But, Lewis. One of everything—”

“Don’t make me have to tell my parents they’re no longer your favorite supplier of sweets.”

Vivi gasped, scandalized. “You wouldn’t—!”

“Try me—”

"While they argue it out, I'd love a half-dozen of your croissants and a box of the mixed macarons," Arthur smiled before turning his attention back to his squabbling spouses. "They can pay for their own. Oi, you two, there are other people who want to buy stuff!"

Vivi stuck her tongue out at Arthur. “You hush. You’re lucky I like you.”

Arthur held up his hand to display his golden wedding band. “No returns or exchanges.”

Sabine had a strange look on her face, glancing back and forth between the three of them. Rather than have her asking the question that could be seen burning in her eyes, Vivi and Lewis matched him, showing three matching wedding bands. “Yep, all of us.” Vivi chirped.

“Ahh,” Sabine flushed a little. “Forgive me. It’s not a common thing.”

“We’re used to it,” Lewis told her with a disarming grin.

After they had finally settled on the order, she began boxing up the pastries.

“Man, the posters of that kid are everywhere,” Arthur pointed out the window at a bus that prominently displayed the same young model from the flyer.

“Adrien Agreste. He’s a local celebrity,” Sabine said with a smile. “He’s in the same class as Marinette. She talks about him all the time. I honestly think she has a huge crush.”

Vivi’s grin was sly. “Oh, I think it’s possible he feels the same way.”

~~~~

Arthur wasn't sure what had driven Vivi to drag them all to a museum after breakfast, but he honestly wasn't complaining too much. Most of their research trips tended to be on the more— hazardous side, so a popular museum, crowded with tourists and school groups, was by far a less stressful choice.

Or it was up until the whole building shuddered. An alarm sounded, a polite voice declaring there was an Akuma alert underway and to please proceed calmly to the nearest exit.

"Another one?" Vivi scowled. "Does this guy seriously have nothing better to do?"

The wall next to her rumbled and collapsed. Lewis managed to scoop her aside before she was hurt. "There you are, interloper!" echoed a loud and very angry voice.

Standing on the level above them was a character that looked like he had escaped a Noh performance.. He wore a horned red and white oni mask, crowned with wild red hair and an elaborate costume. In his hands he held a long, double-bladed staff. He swung it toward them and a glow of crimson power shot out from the sweep of the blade. Lewis yanked Vivi out of the way, but another woman nearby wasn't so lucky. The scarlet power hit her and she transformed into a small, elaborate brooch, clattering to the floor.

"I am the Grand Master. I will turn you all into trinkets to keep the real treasure safe from your greedy, harmful kind!"

Glaring red eyes singled out Vivi and the Grand Master focused on her like a cat on a mouse. He swung his blade again. Three more people between Vivi and him were hit by the second sweep of scarlet and jewelry tinkled to the floor.

Vivi shook off Lewis's hand and leapt to her feet. "You got a beef with me, Grand Mal Puppet? Come and get some, just leave innocents out of it!"

Lewis dropped his human guise, towering flames licking around his skeletal form. He flung a fireball at the Grand Master, who batted it harmlessly aside."You shall not stop my wrath, specter!"

Lewis was unphased and summoned more balls of fire, lobbing them at the Grand Master, who dodged or swatted them aside. But he could not focus on Vivi, who was the obvious target of his ire. He swung the other end of his staff and this time the crimson force ripped through the wall above Lewis, showering him with bricks and debris.

There was still a school group nearby, and Arthur darted toward them, shouting back over his shoulder, "Keep the jewelry junkie busy while I get the innocents out of the way!"

"On it!" Vivi whistled at the Grand Master, still temporarily busy with Lewis. "Over here, you sad excuse for an Akuma! Hey, Lew, gimme something to work with!" Her frost-tinged bat was up and ready.

Lewis fired a fireball into the ceiling above the Grand Master. With a whoop of sirens, the sprinkler system activated. Lewis ducked under a staircase as water rained down.

"Hey, Grand Master, you need to chill out!" Vivi swung her bat and the water turned to ice in midair, a thousand deadly ice needles winging toward the masked Akuma.

Arthur ignored the tumult, herding the kids toward an exit. He had to grab a girl with a tumble of curls and shove her in front of him; she was too interested in filming the fight on her phone. "Record later! Run now!"

He grabbed a strangely familiar-looking blonde boy trying to take cover behind a display and crowded him and the girl toward the exit.

"None shall escape!" The Grand Master howled behind him.

"ARTIE!" Vivi shrieked.

Arthur gave the two another shove and braced for whatever was headed his way. He'd take the hit to shield the kids.

He saw red in the corner of his eye and Ladybug was there, swinging in to grab the one nearest her, the blonde.

Arthur leapt for the girl and wrapped himself around her just before a wave of force slammed into his back.

Whatever it was hit him like a ton of bricks and his breath escaped in a pained hiss as he curled himself tightly around the girl. They hit a glass display case that shattered around them. Wheezing, and pretty sure one of his ribs was broken, Arthur did his best to shield her from the falling glass and bits of jewelry from the case.

He vaguely hoped they hadn't been people once.

Ladybug touched down near him, her arm still around the boy she had pulled out of the way. Even through the haze of pain, Arthur recognized him as Adrien Agreste. He and Ladybug both had flushed cheeks and to judge by their expressions, it wasn’t exertion or fear. Adrien’s eyes were shining as he stared at his rescuer.

“Alya!” Ladybug reluctantly let go of Adrien and rushed over to where Arthur and the girl lay among the rubble of the display. “Are you guys okay?”

The girl, Alya, levered herself up off of Arthur. She had a cut on one cheek but was mostly unscathed. “I’m okay! This guy saved me!” She turned toward Arthur and gasped. From the look on her face, not to mention the thousand little pains he felt, Arthur could guess he didn’t look nearly as unharmed.

Ladybug gave Alya a gentle shove in the direction of Adrien. “Take Adrien and get out of the line of fire!”

Alya took off running, and Adrien followed after with one last worried glance back at Ladybug and Arthur.

With a wary look at where the Grand Master was trading blows with Lewis, staff versus fiery fists, Ladybug crouched next to Arthur. Her blush was gone and her cheeks were pale. “Thank you for saving her. Just stay still now. As soon as we defeat him, my miraculous cure should heal you.”

Grunting, Arthur pushed himself into a sitting position against the bottom of the display. “Be careful. One end of his staff turns people into jewelry and the other—” He barked a pained laugh. “Well, you can see what it does.”

She touched his metal hand. “I will, thanks. You stay still until we’ve taken care of him.”

Vivi had reached them by then and her worried gaze took in Arthur’s battered form. “Ladybug. can you get him out of here and to a hospital? Lewis and I can hold off the freak back there.”

Ladybug rose to her feet. “He’ll be okay, I promise. As soon as the Akuma is defeated, my miraculous cure will heal him and restore all the damage. We just have to stop the Akuma first.”

Vivi looked torn. Arthur waved his hand at her. “Go on, Vi. I’ll be fine. Help her take out the Grand Master guy, okay?”

Vivi crouched to drop a kiss on his temple. “Stay safe. I don’t need two ghost husbands.”

"Hey, don't you know it's bad form to cause a catastrophe in a museum?"

Ladybug looked up in relief. "There you are, kitty! Thought you weren't coming!"

"I'd never miss a chance to see you, Milady." Chat performed a neat bow where he was balanced on a railing above the fight.  "Is this a private cat-fight or can anyone join in?" So saying, he dropped off his perch to block a swing of Grand Master's bladed staff. "Ah-ah. Not a trick worthy of anyone calling themselves a master!"

Grand Master screeched in frustration and flung Chat Noir back with another vicious swing of his weapon. "Stay out of this, foolish cat. The interloper must be stopped!"

"Stop this!" Vivi rejoined the fight with a strike from her bat to the Grand Master's shoulder. Ice crystals formed on his elaborate sleeve where it struck.

Mad red eyes zeroed in on her and suddenly Chat Noir was ignored as Grand Master went after her. Vivi skipped back out of strike range.

Lewis risked the rain of the sprinklers to shield her from a second strike. The wave of force hit him and knocked him back several steps, leaving a ruin of his sleeve where the brunt of the blow had fallen. He grunted. "That actually hurt."

"Do you think I would have no skills against your ilk, spirit?" Grand Master mocked. "I am the protector of the miraculous. You cannot defeat me!"

Ladybug gasped, horrified. "M-master Fu?"

"I am Grand Master and I will protect the miraculous from you, unworthy of being near them," Grand Master hissed, turning his attention to her.

Ladybug gasped and staggered. It hurt worse than a physical blow. She'd feared it, but hearing it... Even from an Akumatized Master Fu—!

Suddenly Chat was beside her, gripping her arm nearly hard enough to hurt. "Don't listen to him, Milady. Your Kwami decided you were a worthy wielder of the Ladybug miraculous! Who would know best? Tikki or him?"

Her voice wavered. "I—” She looked up into Chat's eyes. "T-Tikki thinks I'm one of the best Ladybug's she's ever had."

"Then believe in her... And yourself, Milady. Like I believe in you."

Ladybug looked in Chat’s eyes and drew in a deep breath, holding it before exhaling. “Thanks, my kitty. I needed to hear that." Ladybug drew herself up. "Thank you for believing in me too."

"I—” Chat's voice wavered, and his smile was strangely soft. "I'll always believe in you, milady."

She smiled at him. “I know you will, kitty. Now, let’s take the Grand Master out of play.”

“At your service,” His grin was back to full wattage. “Your black knight is ready to checkmate this master.”

Vivi was back in the fight with a vengeance, whaling away at Grand Master with her frost-edged bat. Even with one arm damaged, Lewis was sticking close to her, throwing fire at Grand Master.

Ladybug swung into play, planting both her feet in Grand Master’s back, throwing him forward into a strike of the bat. “It’s got to be the staff,” she called back to Chat, vaulting backward to land on the railing above the akumatized man.

“Right!” Chat used his baton to vault to the top of a statue. “Looks like we don't rate in this fight, Milady!”

It was true. Grand Master's attention was firmly focused on Vivi and Lewis. Whatever had driven Master Fu into being Akumatized, it must have had to do with them. Ladybug was pretty certain it was because of the confrontation last night.

Ladybug went in for another attack, but the Grand Master saw her coming and hit her with a glancing blow from one end of his staff. It flung her back, and she landed in a panting crouch near where Arthur was slumped at the foot of the shattered display case.

“He's still not distracted enough for us to land a hit, Chat. Think you can help keeping him busy?”

“Always!” Chat gave her a smirk and a flippant salute, springing in to block a blow aimed at Vivi. “Don't you get it? She's way too cool for you!”

Grand Master growled and shoved him back several paces. Lewis steadied him and aimed a fireball at Grand Master's face. It blinded him but only for a moment and he lashed out with another wave of red-hued power. It forced them all to dodge.

There was a tinkle of broken glass, and Ladybug glanced over to see Arthur laboriously pushing himself more upright. “Hey, Master of nothing! Admit it. You're just a coward! Afraid to let the miraculous join the fight and too scared to own up to it! So you picked kids to cover your butt!”

Grand Master's attention snapped to Arthur.

Arthur deliberately winked at Ladybug and forced himself to his feet, shedding bits of glass and jewelry with every movement. “You know we're right, and that's how Hawkmoth got his claws into you!”

It worked too well. Grand Master howled with rage and swept Chat aside as if he weighed nothing. "You know nothing! You are unworthy! I shall protect them from you!"

He lunged toward Arthur.

Ladybug forced herself into motion and yanked Arthur away as gently as she dared. He groaned and nearly collapsed against her.

Vivi shrieked another battle cry and slammed her bat down on the back of the Akuma's head.

Arthur forced himself upright and shoved her away, leaning heavily on the wall. "Go. I can piss him off enough to give you the opening you need!" He barked a harsh, painful laugh. "Trust me. It's what I'm good at." He gave her another shove. "Hey, spineless! Man up and stop hiding behind kids!"

Grand Master howled and lunged again, though Lewis was quick to block him this time, but Arthur certainly had managed to fan his rage into a inferno.

Ladybug decided she'd best risk her "Lucky Charm!" Her miraculous dropped a round, red and black shield into her hands. “Really?”

She brought it up in time to deflect another blow of magic meant for Arthur. She wasn't sure what had done it, but now all of Grand Master's ire was focused squarely on him. It was more than enough distraction— if they could keep him from killing Arthur before they defeated him!

She glanced around, hoping for inspiration to strike. Water from the sprinklers pooled everywhere and ran down the stairs from the second level. Vivi's frost-rimed bat caught her eye and a plan started to form. Hoping Lewis could defend Arthur for a moment, she grabbed Vivi's sleeve and whispered her plan to her.

Brows creased in concern, Vivi nodded and turned her attention to the stairs. Ladybug caught Chat's eye and jerked her head toward the railing of the second floor. He caught on and vaulted up to it. She followed, shield tucked under her arm.

Vivi swung her bat and the water sheeting down the stairs turned to a solid layer of ice.

Ladybug dropped the shield at the top of the stairs, nodding at Vivi who went to help Lewis herd the Grand Master into position.

Chat had obviously deduced her plan, standing with one foot braced on the edge of the shield. “With my shield, or on it, Milady?”

“Little of both this time,” she smiled at him. He took position in the curve of the shield, and called on his Cataclysm. His clawed glove glowed with dark power.

Ladybug braced her foot on the back of the shield and pushed.

Chat surfed it down the stairs like he'd done it all his life, and used the forward momentum when it smacked into the floor to launch himself into an arc right over Grand Master's head. His hand landed on the stave of the double-bladed staff and the weapon began to disintegrate into black dust.

Grand Master staggered and went to his knees, his Akumatized form fading away and leaving a stunned Master Fu in his place.

Ladybug hurriedly caught the Akuma that fluttered away from the ruined weapon. She released it after it was purified with her usual words of farewell and hurried to scoop up the shield. Arthur looked horrible and she was desperate to help him.

“Miraculous Ladybug!” She flung the shield upwards, watching as it blossomed into the swarm of ladybugs that would fix everything. The shattered case was restored and the rest of the damage too. The ladybugs swirled around Arthur where he sagged heavily against Lewis and his wounds vanished. Lastly, Lewis's damaged arm was also healed.

Ladybug allowed herself a sigh of relief before hurrying to Master Fu's side and helping him sit up. “Master Fu!”

He looked up at her, his eyes haunted. “I could not keep him out. He knows I am the Guardian, but he could not command me to hand over the box, because I bade Wayyz to hide it before I was subsumed by his power.”

Ladybug sagged. “At least the miraculous are safe for now, but he knows where to find you now. We have to get you to a safe place.”

Master Fu struggled to his feet with her aid, accepting his restored cane from Chat and leaning heavily on it. “I feared this day might come. I have a second safe-house. It is not as comfortable as my current one, but everything can be moved there in short order.”

“We can help with that, if you're willing to let us.” Vivi stood in front of Master Fu, her bat gone, and her hand extended. She had a wary look on her face.

Master Fu regarded her, unblinking, for a long moment. Then he solemnly accepted her hand. “We have much to discuss, I believe.”

Ladybug's earrings chirped a warning. She groaned. “I have to go before I transform back. But as soon as I've fed Tikki, I'll be back. We need to get you and the box to safety, Master Fu.”

There was something old and sad in his face. “I think, perhaps you should call me Fu. I do not deserve the title of Master. Perhaps— I never did.”

((A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. I was sick as heck last weekend. Still trying to get over it, but it was a while before I had the energy to take formatting it.))

[tessatechaitea]

Teen Titans Spotlight #13: Cyborg

What are the two faces of evil? Cyborg's two halves? The two different houses Cyborg is climbing into at the same time? The gun and not the gun? The two cats in the painting? Probably Two-face?

Oh! I just understood this! I figured the chrome was Cyborg's face and the green was Two-Face's face. I thought maybe the pink was the other half of Two-Face's face but I couldn't figure out the other one until I finally started discussing black super heroes! I blame the lighting in my office and/or the colorist because the Victor "face" just seemed gold to me.

Two-Face sees Cyborg on television recognizes himself on a completely superficial level. But the superficiality is the point! He sees that Cyborg is accepted as a hero while he's seen as a monster. Maybe if Harvey Dent had become half sleek and shiny instead of half gross and disgusting, people would have accepted him and he could have gone on being a district attorney. But then it's also not the point because Two-Face understands that the people see Cyborg's deeds before they see his deformities (I probably would never refer to Cyborg's robotic parts as deformities but when you see some nice alliteration flashing its genitals in your face, you just got to put that shit in your mouth and go with it). And that's sort of the problem. Two-Face saw himself as a monster and thus began acting like one. Cyborg may think of himself as a monster from time to time but he doesn't let it stop him from making the world a better place. Harvey just uses his deformity as an excuse to not give a fuck anymore.

"We need an ad that declares 'Little kids who build our models fuck!"

I know I've suggested a ton of ways I'd use a time machine if I had access to one but I think I just came up with the thing I'd do first. I'd go back in time and tell the MPC model car company to get a different advertiser because I think their current one is a total pedo. Victor goes on a date with some woman named Cynthia Adams. I'd probably remember who she was if I didn't constantly fall asleep reading Cyborg comic books. I'm fairly certain I've used that line before but it's also possible I've just dreamed it every time I've fallen asleep reading a Cyborg comic. After the date, Victor doesn't score but mostly because Cynthia was being modest and chaste and instead of saying, "Show me that cyber-weenie, you sexy hunk of metal!", she just lets him go while secretly hoping he comes back to ravish her.

If she wasn't so thirsty, she never would have buzzed Two-Face right up!

Two-Face kidnaps Cynthia and uses the threat of her death to make Cyborg do what Harvey wants. Two-Face is all, "They'll see! There's no difference between us! None at all! Except maybe the kidnapping. And the obsessive coin flipping. And all the crimes. The only people hate me is because I'm not hot! But I'm a nice guy to! They'll see! They'll all see!" Cyborg's first task is to sneak into a woman's room and get his next task on a note under her alarm clock. But when the alarm goes off and she catches him, she calls him a monster! After escaping, Victor Stone doesn't think, "Fucking Two-Face. He made me scare the shit out of that woman by breaking into her house and startling her awake! Of course she was scared and called me a monster! Fuck, at least she didn't call me the n-word!" Instead, Victor thinks, "My name is Victor Stone. I am not a monster." Damn. Two-Face's plan is really going to work, isn't it?!

I'm perplexed as to why Cyborg begins jerking off in this panel.

While arguing with himself, Harvey admits that they first began calling themselves a monster. So the entire experiment is flawed! Two-Face wants to be able to blame his monstrous tendencies on the people who called him a monster because of the way he looked. So he's going to get Victor called a monster multiple times in one night and Victor will obviously snap! Who wouldn't?! I remember when I was called fat in junior high all those times while being fat that I became fat. No wait. Maybe that was somebody else. Nobody made fun of me because I was so fucking disconnected from what was going on around me that I never noticed. There were way better targets in junior high than me! I just went around telling everybody about how awesome Elfquest was. And they were all, "Really, fatty? Can I read your copy?" And I was all, "Sure! See you at the D&D game at lunch!"

I know I'm supposed to be reading this as if it took place in 1987 where you were supposed to think it was the robot half that everybody was afraid of and judging as a criminal. But this is 2019 and, well.

Imagine how short this issue would have been if Cyborg was connected to the Internet or had an internal cell phone. He must have had some internal gadget that could page Nightwing or the Gotham Police that he simply forgot about in the moment. Oh no, of course not. What am I thinking?! This is the era where Cyborg's only attachment was the white noise cannon! Cyborg finally confronts Two-Face on page 23 because this story is 25 pages long! Wow, I thought I was yawning a lot more than usual, even for a Cyborg story. Anyway, Two-Face declares he killed Cynthia thirty minutes ago because he totally read Watchmen and was all, "Oh fuck. That's a cool line. I am so using it some day!" But even that doesn't convince Cyborg to kill Two-Face. And while it means Two-Face gets to live, it also means Two-Face has to live with himself and the knowledge that maybe he was the real monster all along. Surprise! It wasn't society at all! Even though we all know it actually is society. People are fucking terrible. Surprise again! Cynthia was in a Two-Face mask and Two-Face was trying to get Cyborg to kill her! What a dumby! Hasn't he learned anything from Batman? If a hero doesn't kill, the hero doesn't kill! Sure, if this was Red Hood, Cynthia would be a fucking bullet sponge right now. But that's because he's expected to kill! How often does a hero who doesn't kill suddenly start killing? If you discount Hal Jordan. And Green Arrow. And Black Lightning. And Wonder Woman. And Black Canary. And Guy Gardner. And Fire. And Starman. And Obsidian. And Dr. Fate. And Black Canary. And, you know what, maybe this is too many ands for my initial premise to remain valid. Never mind. The issue ends with Two-Face realizing the problem wasn't "Cyborg could have been Two-Face" but that "Two-Face could have been Cyborg." Live with it, asshole. Teen Titans Spotlight #13: Cyborg Rating: B. I often tout Cyborg as boring because writers always simply do the same things with him. And while this is still another "Am I human?!" story arcs, at least it had a nice twist in that Cyborg plays off of a villain that you wouldn't have expected. Usually the writer brings in another character that's part robotic so that Cyborg can see his own humanity through the flaws of his foe. But has a writer ever thought, "Hey! Cyborg and Two-Face look fairly similar. I bet there's a story there?" Well, at least one did! And I'm happy to say they made a fairly decent go of it. Although wouldn't it have been nice if this story had been the last word on Cyborg's anxiety about how human he is?! Man, what if this was all the therapy he needed and for the next thirty years, DC audiences had been given a healthy Cyborg who would always be, "Oh yeah, I'm part robot! But I'm still all human! Want to fuck, baby?!" I miss that Cyborg that never existed.

[faejilly]

I have no excuse for this, except that the first time I started writing this SH/HP AU thing I set it back when they were students and it was an outside perspective thing and apparently it didn’t want to die just because I wrote something else? idk. IDK. I wrote some dumb dialogue, and now I don’t know what to do with it so I’m sharing! I guess. *hands*

“Alright first years!” Jace clapped his hands and grinned as the messy knot of eleven-year-olds all stumbled and turned until they were looking in his general direction. “Welcome to Hogwarts, I’m Jace Herondale, and we’re all here to help show you around and answer any questions you have.” He gestured to both sides, at the four of them that made up the welcoming committee. “I’m in Gryffindor, Clary Fray there is Slytherin, Maia Roberts is Ravenclaw, and Simon Lewis is Hufflepuff.” 

“For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Houses,” Maia smiled her least innocent version of a grin, “Gryffindors are the hot-headed impulsive ones.”

“Are we really?” The shortest first-year Jace had ever seen shouted at them, and Jace grinned back.

“’Course we are. It’s part of our charm.”

Clary groaned and Simon and Maia rolled their eyes in sync. 

“Hufflepuffs are the ones in yellow,” Jace pointed at Simon. “And you want to make friends with a couple as soon as possible because they’re right next to the kitchens and get the best snacks.”

“They also make the best tutors,” Clary huffed out a sigh at Jace before turning back to their first-years. “They’re very proud of the fact that they’ll figure out how to help you study if the way the Professor’s teaching it doesn’t work out for you.”

“Awww, thanks Clary.” Simon grinned. “We try.”

“I thought Ravenclaws were the smart ones.” Jace didn’t see who in the hoard of children asked that one, but he waved at Maia to answer. 

“There are smart people in all the Houses.” Maia smiled a genuine smile this time, and Jace swallowed a snort as he saw a couple of the first-years go a little glassy-eyed at the sight. Simon was full on heart-eyes at her, too, which never stopped being a little hilarious. “Unfortunately, most of us are way more likely to spend a couple hours telling you about our independent studies, or the best way to answer the letter of an assignment without actually doing what the Professor asked.” She shrugged apologetically. “It’s kind of an internal House competition at this point, and uh. Not really helpful if you’re worried about passing.”

“Except for Magnus!” Clary added. “He’s the Ravenclaw Prefect, and he’s great at helping people out with their work, especially in Potions.”

Before anyone could ask, Jace pulled the group picture of the Prefects out of his wallet that’d been taken this morning for just this purpose, and waved his wand to project the image above them, pointing at the right person so they’d all recognize Magnus.

“But he’s wearing green?” The same really short Gryffindor spoke up again, and Jace decided she was his new favorite first-year.

“His boyfriend’s the Slytherin Prefect.” Clary started, gesturing at Alec. 

“He looks good in green,” Simon offered.

“He looks good in everything!” One of the students passing by shouted out in agreement. Jace let the spell drop and tried to glare at Catarina, but she just shrugged at him, clearly unrepentant. It was entirely possible Magnus had asked her to point him out; it would be a very Magnus thing to do, messing with Jace by proxy.

“Or nothing!” Helen added from her spot next to Cat. “Have you seen him in the gym?”

“Biceps as big as a first-year’s head!” Dot was there too, and Jace sighed. But the first-year’s started laughing, looking less nervous as a whole than they had all night.

Ragnor drawled out loudly enough to carry over the giggles. “Pretty sure he just likes staking his claim.”

“Can’t blame him, have you seen Lightwood in the gym?” Jace couldn’t see who said that, someone from behind the usual crowd, but he did recognize Aline’s laugh next to Helen. “I’d climb that like a tree if I didn’t think he’d kill me.”

“Which he, Lightwood or Bane?” That was Raphael, clearly just trying to wind everyone up, and Jace couldn’t decide if this was the best orientation ever or the worst.

“BOTH!” Jace interrupted. “Or possibly me. Please stop perving on my brother and his boyfriend, it’s weird.”

“We could perv on your sister instead?” Aline offered, her voice still a little shaky from laughing. 

“She really would kill you,” Clary said. “And no one would ever find the body.”

“Might be worth it?” Helen grinned at them, clearly kidding.

“Still weird!” Jace glared indiscriminately at the crowd of upper-classmen. “Now get out of the way, you’re interrupting.”

Dot stuck out her tongue, and Cat laughed, but Ragnor started pushing them along, and they traipsed their way out of the Hall until there wasn’t anyone left besides the group that was supposed to be there.

Jace turned back to the first years, and Clary swallowed something he was pretty sure was a giggle.

“In case you need help, or get in trouble, the other Prefects are these guys.” Simon, thankfully, miraculously, got them back on track, grabbing the neglected photo from Jace and using the same spell as earlier so everyone could see. “Magnus Bane, Ravenclaw. Alec Lightwood, Slytherin, Lydia Branwell, Gryffindor, and Rebecca Lewis, Hufflepuff.”

Alec looked like he was going to impale anyone who bothered him, and Lydia looked almost as scary, but at least Rebecca and Magnus knew how to smile for a camera. 

“But feel free to come to us first, we’re way less scowly or official and don’t have to answer directly to the Heads of the Houses.” Jace grinned, and ignored the fact that Clary rolled her eyes with Simon and Maia this time. “And now it’s time for the tour!”