#like them having built up this incredibly deep yet fragile trust and then breaking things off

[arsonistman]

My fave thing to think about actually is post breakup chiluc reunion

[swagsucklersupreme]

So What was He to Do? (Fair Game; V7 CH11 Spoilers)

"Ironwood’s declaring Martial Law and abandoning Mantle! Salem is coming and he’s going to use the staff to move Atlas. If we don’t stop him, then Mantle’s going to be dest-"

Everything is falling apart. Clover needs to make a decision.

AO3 Link

(This is my first ever fic so hopefully it’s not unbearable. Fair Game rights.)

“Martial law? But…”

Robyn’s voice rang out in the silence of the transport.

“He can’t just abandon the people of Mantle like this! The evacuation isn’t complete, there’s no way we can save everyone in time. I thought he understood that we need to work together!”

 Her fist collided with the wall beside her. Clover could feel her violet eyes cutting into him. 

 He shook his head as he cast his gaze up, “...I don’t...this is…”

 Beside him, Tyrian giggled to himself as he observed the scene. 

 “We agreed that the best way to go about stopping Salem was to unite, but I suppose that was a lie, wasn’t it?” Robyn hissed.

 She refused to take her eyes off the Ace Op, but Clover hardly heard her. He searched Qrow’s eyes for a sign of understanding, or a hint of confusion, even fear. Hell, he’d take anger if it meant he’d know what was going on in his head, but all he found was suspicion. Qrow didn’t know what to think of him, and that hurt more than anything else.

 Clover tended to pride himself on his loyalty. He saw it as a strength and an important trait to have in a position like his. Yet, as his world seemed to fall apart around him, he couldn’t help but question the general’s judgement. From his first days in the academy, a time that seemed so far away, he had sworn to protect the people. That’s what a huntsman did, protect and serve the good people of Remnant from the Grimm that threatened them daily. As an Ace Operative, his job was to assist in doing what was best for the citizens of Atlas and Mantle, under the command of General Ironwood. So, what was he to do when the general’s interests and the people’s interests conflicted on such a large scale? 

 It was easy to believe that the supplies for Mantle would, in the end, be better used for Amity. It was for the benefit of everyone, even if the payoff was not immediate. It was even easier to believe that the general had shifted his perspective on how to defeat Salem’s forces. To think everything was under control, that they would succeed as well as they had, was foolish on his part. At least, that’s how he felt at the moment. Even more troubling, Clover was finding it difficult to believe that the general was making the right choice. 

 To abandon the people he swore to protect would defy everything he stood for. 

 “We’re almost to Atlas.” Qrow spoke. 

 He, too, refused to look away from Clover.

 Clover looked out the window of the cockpit and, for the first time in a long time, he felt the tendrils of dread begin to wrap around him. He was not stupid. He understood that he would have to make some sort of choice upon arrival. If Ruby’s tone and the sudden ending of her message was anything to go by, he had a feeling the general was not on the former students’ side. Not only that, but by declaring martial law, the other Ace Ops must be aware of the situation. They were surely at the general’s side. So where did that leave him and his fellow passengers? 

 “My, my, my. Looks like someone has a decision to make. I personally can’t wait to see what becomes of you all.” 

 Tryian’s sadistic laughter filled the confined space as the small group felt the airship begin to descend. 

 Should he ignore the general’s incoming command, he would be defecting from his post and become a traitor to the Atlesian military. He would be abandoning everything he had worked so tirelessly for. Everything he had would crumble in an instant.

 And yet, should he follow the general’s lead, he would have to allow the deaths of countless men, women, and children. He would tear up the foundations he built himself upon. He would ruin the fresh and fragile trust between himself and Qrow. 

 Qrow, who he so desperately wanted to know more about. Qrow, who has shown him a resilience and bravery that so many others fail to achieve. A man who has been dealt the worst possible cards in life. A man with a heart of gold but who lacked the capacity to see just how incredible he really was. Qrow Branwen. The renowned yet lonely huntsman. The missing piece in Clover’s life. His complementary. His partner. His friend. 

 The airship touched down. Through the window, Robyn took notice of the extra guards approaching the landing pad. 

 “Clover.”

 His name, spoken so softly, was enough to send the full reality of the situation crashing down on him.

 He furrowed his brows, the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly, “I can’t.” 

 Qrow inhaled sharply. He could see the hurt in those lovely red eyes. He wondered if Qrow could see the storm behind his as it began to shift. He made his decision.

 The cabin doors slid open. Two of the five guards seized Tyrian, while the other three looked to Clover expectantly. 

He stood, glancing down at the still seated huntsman and huntress before him. 

 Taking a deep breath, he addressed the guards, “There’s no need for the extra assistance. We’re on our way to speak with the general.”

 He hoped he looked as collected as he sounded. If not, the guards refused to mention it, and instead chose to nod and head off.

 The Ace Op stepped out of the cabin. He looked back at his fellow huntsmen.

 “Well, we better not keep the general waiting.” He nodded. 

 Sparing a glance between each other, the two followed him away from the landing site. 

 They walked in silence, each of them caught up in their own thoughts. Clover marched ahead, his hands clenched tightly at his side. The entrance of the academy was swarming with students and military personnel. They entered the building with little interference. 

 What was waiting for them in Jame’s office? Was he even there? Where were the other teams. Where was his? Thoughts swirled in his head, almost dizzyingly so. 

 A hand on his shoulder brought him to a halt. 

 “Clover, what’s going on.” Qrow’s brows furrowed ever so slightly.

 “We’re going to talk to Ironwood. If he’s instituting martial law, we need to know why.”

 Robyn crossed her arms; her brow arched. “We? You say that as if you won’t hand us over the second we get to Ironwood.”

 “I-”

 “Who’s side are on? Because I’m not going anywhere else until I know for sure that this isn’t some ploy to get us out of the way.” Her eyes narrowed.

 He turned to Qrow, whose eyes hardened. He felt sick.

 “Qrow I promise you- both of you- that I’m with you. I wish I understood everything that’s going on, but I don’t. What I do know, is that we can’t afford to make things worse for ourselves than they already are. As far as I’m concerned, the general hasn’t given any orders to me. Not yet. We need to try to get him to hold off on them.”

 He looked back to Robyn. No one dared move. 

 Qrow tilted his head forward, “How do we know that?”

 “Qrow please-”

 “Look me in the eyes and tell me you’re on our side. Tell me that you’re with us.” 

 “I understand how this all must look, but please believe me when I say that I-”

 “You know, a lot of people promised me that in the past. Ozpin, James,-” the other man paused, his gaze faltered for a brief moment- “my old teammates. One way or another, they all broke that promise. Some of them lied or went back on it, and some of them...some of them just...left.” 

 As he walked toward Clover, his eyes began to glisten. 

 “So, I need you to understand that I when I ask you to look me in the eyes and swear to me that you mean it, I do it because I can’t take another lie, Clover. I just can’t. I trusted you, and I want to keep trusting you, but I need to know that it’s not a mistake to do so.”

 Green eyes softened, taking in the serious, desperate ones in front of him. 

 “I swear to you, Qrow, that I am with you. Things are falling apart, I know. But I would never want to break your trust. I need you, and I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.”

 “If that’s the case, you wouldn’t mind letting me use my semblance then?” Robyn eyed him.

 Clover paused, his gaze shifting from her hand to her face. Sighing, he extended his hand. Robyn took it without hesitation.

 “I’ll ask again. Whose side are you on?”

 “My duty is to the people of Atlas and Mantle. That’s where my loyalty lies. I swore I’d do everything I could to protect them and the people I care for the most. I’m with you.” 

 The huntress sighed as she let go of his hand. She’d accepted the answer much easier now.

 Clover turned back to a wide-eyed Qrow and offered a soft smile. 

 “Like I said, I need you. Now more than ever.”

 Qrow blinked a couple times before taking a deep breath. He smiled back, his shoulders becoming a little more lax.

 Placing his hand back on the Ace Op’s shoulder, he nodded.

 “Ok. What’s the plan.”

[just-another-obsessed-fangirl]

1989 (2014) sentence prompts

Everybody here wanted something more

Searching for a sound we hadn’t heard before

Welcome to New York

It’s been waiting for you

It’s a new soundtrack

I could dance to this beat forevermore

The lights are so bright but they never blind me

When we first dropped our bags in apartment floors

Took our broken hearts, put them in a drawer

Everybody here was someone else before

You can want who you want (boys and boys and girls and girls)

Like any great love, it keeps you guessing

Like any real love, it’s ever-changing

Like any true love, it drives you crazy

You know you wouldn’t change anything

Nice to meet you, where you been?

I could show you incredible things

Magic, madness, heaven, sin

Oh my God, look at that face

You look like my next mistake

Love’s a game, wanna play?

New money, suit and tie

I can read you like a magazine

Ain’t it funny? Rumors fly

I know you heard about me

Let’s be friends

I’m dying to see how this one ends

Grab your passport and my hand

I can make the bad guys good for a weekend

It’s gonna be forever or it’s gonna go down in flames

You can tell me when it’s over

If the high was worth the pain

Got a long list of ex-lovers (they’ll tell you I’m insane)

I love the players and you love the game

We’re young and we’re reckless

We’ll take this way too far

It’ll leave you breathless or with a nasty scar

I’ve got a blank space, baby, and I’ll write your name

Cherry lips, crystal skies

Stolen kisses, pretty lies

You’re the king, baby, I’m your queen

Find out what you want

Be that girl for a month

Wait, the worst is yet to come

Oh, no

Screaming, crying, perfect storms

I can make all the tables turn

Rose garden filled with thorns

Keep you second guessing

Oh my God, who is she?

I get drunk on jealousy

You’ll come back each time you leave

Darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream

Boys only want love if it’s torture

Don’t say I didn’t warn you

You come and pick me up, no headlights

Could end in burning flames or paradise

It’s been a while since I had even heard from you

I should just tell you to leave

I know exactly where it leads

I watch us go ‘round and ‘round each time

You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye

I got that red lip classic thing that you like

When we go crashing down, we come back every time

We never go out of style

You got that long hair, slicked back, white t-shirt

I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt

He can’t keep his wild eyes on the the road

The lights are off, he’s taking off his coat

I heard that you’ve been out and about with some other girl

What you heard is true

I can’t stop thinking about you and I

I’ve been there too a few times

Just take me home

Looking at it now it all seems so simple

We were lying on your couch

You took a Polaroid of us

The rest of the world was black and white, but we were in screaming color

Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we in the clear yet?

We were built to fall apart then fall back together

Your necklace hanging from my neck

The night we couldn’t quite forget

Move the furniture so we could dance

Like we stood a chance

Two paper airplanes flying

Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?

Twenty stitches in a hospital room

When you started crying, baby, I did too

When the sun came up, I was looking at you

Remember when we couldn’t take the heat

I walked out

I’m setting you free

The monsters turned out to be just trees

When the sun came up, you were looking at me

People like you always want back the love they gave away

People like me wanna believe you when you say you’ve changed

The more I think about it now the less I know

All I know is that you drove us off the road

All you had to do was stay

Why’d you have to go and lock me out when I let you in?

You say you want it back now that it’s just too late

Well, could’ve been easy

Here you are now, calling me up

I don’t know what to say

I’ve been picking up the pieces of the mess you made

People like you always want back the love they pushed aside

People like me are gone forever when you say goodbye

Let me remind you this is what you wanted

You ended it

You were all I wanted (but not like this)

I stay out too late

Got nothing in my brain

That’s what people say

I go on too many dates (but I can’t make them stay)

I keep cruising

Can’t stop, won’t stop moving

I got this music in my mind

It’s gonna be alright

I’m just gonna shake it off

Heartbreakers gonna break

I never miss a beat

I’m lightning on my feet

That’s what they don’t see

I’m dancing on my own

I make the moves up as I go

That’s what they don’t know

You could’ve been getting down to this sick beat

My ex-man brought his new girlfriend

To the fella over there with the hella good hair

Won’t you come on over, baby?

We can shake, shake, shake

It’s 2 am in your car

The memories start

You say it’s in the past

You drive straight ahead

You’re thinking that I hate you now

You still don’t know what I never said

I wish you would come back

I wish I never hung up the phone like I did

(I wish you knew that) I’d never forget you as long as I live

I wish you were right here, right now

I wish you would

It’s 2 am in my room

I think of you

We’re a crooked line in a straight line down

Makes you want to run and hide

It makes you turn right back around

You always knew how to push my buttons

You give me everything and nothing

This mad love makes you come running

Stand back where you stood

2 am, here we are

Here my voice in the dark

I wish we could go back

Remember what we were fighting for

(I wish you knew that) I miss you too much to be mad anymore

Now we’ve got bad blood

It used to be mad love

Take a look what you’ve done

We’ve got problems

I don’t think we can solve them

You made a really deep cut

Did you have to do this?

I was thinking that you could be trusted

Did you have to ruin what was shiny? Now it’s all rusted

Did you have to hit me where I’m weak>

I couldn’t breathe

You’re laughing right at me

It’s so sad to think about the good times

Did you think we’d be fine?

Still got scars in my back from your knives

Don’t think it’s in the past

These kinds of wounds they last and they last

Did you think it all through?

All these things will catch up to you

Time can heal (but this won’t)

If you’re coming my way, just don’t

Band-aids don’t fix bullet holes

You say sorry just for show

If you live like that, you live with ghosts

If you love like that, blood runs cold

Let’s get out of this town

Drive out of this city, away from the crowds

Heaven can’t help me now

Nothing lasts forever

This is gonna take me down

He’s so tall and handsome as hell

He’s so bad, but he does it so well

I can see the end as it begins

Say you’ll remember me

Red lips and rosy cheeks

Say you’ll see me again

Even if it’s just in your wildest dreams

No one has to know what we do

His hands are in my hair

His clothes are in my room

His voice is a familiar sound

This is getting good now

We’ve had our very last kiss

You’ll see me in hindsight

Tangled up with you all night

Someday when you leave me

I’d bet these memories follow you around

Even if it’s just pretend

Stand there like a ghost

Are you insane?

It’s been a long six months

You were too afraid to tell her what you want

That’s how it works

That’s how you get the girl

I want you for worse or for better

I would wait forever and ever

Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together

Remind her how it used to be

Pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks

You must have lost your mind

You left her all alone and never told you why

You know that I don’t want you to go

High tide came and brought you in

I could go on and on, on and on (and I will)

Currents swept you out again

You were just gone and gone

I never dreamed of this

This love is good

This love is bad

This love is alive back from the dead

These hands had to let it go free

This love came back to me

Struggled through the night with someone new

Flickered in my mind, only you

Been losing grip on sinking ships

You showed up just in time

This love left a permanent mark

This love is glowing in the dark

I watched you leave

I fell to my knees

When you’re young, you just run

You come back to what you need

You stand with your hand on my waistline

It’s a scene and we’re out here in plain sight

I can hear them whisper as we pass by

It’s a bad sign

Something happens when everybody finds out

Love’s a fragile little flame, it could burn out

They got the cages, they got the boxes and guns

They are the hunters, we are the foxes

And we run

I know places we won’t be found

They’ll be chasing their tails trying to track us down

I know places we can hide

We’ll run for the fences

Let them say what they want, we won’t hear it

Loose lips sink ships all the damn time (not this time)

Just grab my hand and don’t ever drop it

They take their shots, but we’re bulletproof

You know for me, it’s always you

I know for you, it’s always me

The drought was the very worst

The flowers that we’d grown together died of thirst

It was months and months of back and forth

You’re still all over me, like a wine-stained dress I can’t wear anymore

Hung my head as I lost the war

The sky turned back like a perfect storm

Rain kept pouring down when I was drowning

That’s when I could finally breathe

By morning, gone was any trace of you

I think I am finally clean

There was nothing left to do

I punched a hole in the roof

Let the flood carry away all my pictures of you

The water filled my lungs

I screamed so loud but no one heard a thing

Just because you’re clean don’t mean you don’t miss it

I won’t give in

Now that I’m clean, I’m never gonna risk it

We took a wrong turn

We fell down a rabbit hole

You held on tight to me

Nothing’s as it seems

Didn’t they tell us don’t rush into things?

Haven’t you heard what becomes of curious minds?

Didn’t it all seem new and exciting?

I felt your arms twisting around me

I should have slept with one eye open at night

We found Wonderland

You and I got lost in it

We pretended it could last forever

Life was never worse but never better

Too in love to think straight

All alone, or so it seemed

There was strangers watching

Whispers turned to talking and talking turned to screams

It’s all fun and games until somebody loses their mind

I reached for you, but you were gone

I knew I had to go back home

You searched the world for something else (to make you feel like what we had)

We both went mad

One look, dark room, meant just for you

Time moved too fast

You play it back

No proof, not much

You saw enough

Small talk, he drives

Coffee at midnight

The light reflects the chain on your neck

Look up

Your shoulders brush

You felt enough

You can hear it in the silence

You can feel it on the way home

You can see it with the lights out

You are in love

Morning, his place

Burnt toast, Sunday

You keep his shirt

He keeps his words

For once, you let go of your fears and your ghosts

It said enough

You kiss on sidewalks

You fight and you talk

One night, he wakes, strange look on his face

You’re my best friend

You knew what it was (he is in love)

You two are dancing in a snow globe, ‘round and ‘round

He keeps a picture of you in his office downtown

You understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars

I’ve spent my whole life trying to put it into words

We’re all bored

We’re all so tired of everything

We wait for trains that just aren’t coming

We show off our different scarlet letters

Trust me, mine is better

We’re so young

We’re on the road to ruin

We play dumb (but we know exactly what we’re doing)

We cry tears of mascara in the bathroom

Life is just a classroom

I could build a castle out of all the bricks they threw at me

Every day is like a battle

Every night with us is like a dream

We’re the new romantics

Come along with me

Heartbreak is the national anthem (we sing it proudly)

We are too busy dancing to get knocked off our feet

The best people in life are free

The lights and noise are blinding

It’s all in the timing

You can’t see it in my face

I’m about to play my Ace

We need love

All we want is danger

We team up, then switch sides like a record changer

The rumors are terrible and cruel, but honey, most of them are true

Please take my hand and please take me dancing

Please leave me stranded

It’s so romantic

[docholligay]

But first

Hey folks, my stuff on my Patreon stays exclusive for six months! What kind of stuff will you get there? Stuff like this glorious nugget of Angsty Outers Family, which just cleared up for me to publish here! I thank all of you so much for your support!! It means so incredibly much. 

A Family Affair

Hotaru remembered a painting that had been in one of Michiru's coffee table books, with clocks yawning and stretching and melting over a desert landscape. The Persistence of Memory, it had been called, and her Michiru-Mama had told her with grand gestures about the representation of memory within it, and how it warps over time, until time and memory means precious little at all.

But that was another lie she told. Memory was everything.

She doodled a circle in her notebook. The memories had been coming back to her, more quickly now than ever. She had always known she was some sort of adopt, and that there was something about her that must not be quite right. Other girls went to school, they grew up normally, but Hotaru seemed to grow overnight, and then not grow at all. She looked a young teenager, but was somehow also two.

She was magic, like them, it had been explained. That was all. Soon, she’d be able to join them on the battlefield, her strange collection of parents.

But they hadn’t told her everything. And the clock didn’t melt so much that she couldn’t remember, now.

The rage built in her, a monster inside of her more fearsome than even the one who had come before it. In these moments, in the light of the memories that had illuminated her mind, she never so desired to embrace her terrifying power.

They had tried to kill her. They had stolen her. They had lied to her.

And they had dressed it all up in domesticity. They had read her stories and tucked her in at night and tried to make it all real, to make it all love. She felt the betrayal like a dagger in her chest, deep and throbbing within her. She had trusted them, she had loved them, and everything their family had ever been was a lie.

She heard the door close, and the sounds of them coming into the house. Hotaru looked in the mirror, and saw a storm brewing behind her own eyes she had never seen before. She had never before understood how anything within her could be capable of crushing a galaxy. And yet now, she did not doubt that such a thing was possible.

She burst out of her room and exploded down the stairs. She was like before, before they tried to kill her, before everything had happened, but she wasn’t, too. It was as if her mind carried a memory of fragility and sickness that this body did not know. Was she even herself anymore? Was she nothing more than part of their sick, silly game? She did not know, and she could not ask. Who would she ask? She was just a soldier, a pawn to them.

Nothing else.

She stopped halfway down the stairs and glared at them, the three standing there like mice enraptured by a snake’s gaze.

Michiru stepped forward, her lips parted in concern. “Hotaru, are you quite all right?”

Her voice came like a growl, low and aggressive. “You lied to me.”

Haruka was the first to step forward, smiling. “No, Firefly, we just have to put off the trip to the zoo this weekend, I’ll still take you.”

“Not about that!” Haruka recoiled at Hotaru’s sharp bark. There was a pause, and Pluto held her purse tightly, Haruka looked hurt and confused. Only Michiru’s face began to change, the concern dropping out of it and realization taking its place. Hotaru took a breath. ‘I’m not yours.”

Haruka began to walk toward her, and Pluto held her by the elbow, but Haruka did not stop. “It doesn’t matter if--”

“No!” Hotaru bit her lip, trying to keep the tears from coming. “You stole me! You tried to murder me!”

Haruka put her hand to her chest. “It--I--”

“It wasn’t so simple as that.” Michiru hung up her jacket, and smoothed her hair, taking a breath. “I will be more than happy to explain all this to you ,Hotaru, but I think you should perha--”

“Don’t do that.” Hotaru shook her head. “No.” She looked down at Haruka. “I can’t believe you.”

Haruka visibly shrank for a moment, sucking in the top of her bottom lip.

Michiru crossed her arms. “So what precisely would you have me do? I’ve offered to explain to you, as an adult, the decision we were forced to make.”

Pluto could feel it already, the changing mood of the room, Michiru building that sea wall that separated her from her own emotions, Haruka’s hurt beginning to fester and boil inside of her, just waiting for a match to convert it to anger, Hotaru beginning to tear and pull away from them, the ooze of pain where she would have been echoing through the house.

“Did you try to kill me?” She walked down the stairs, dodging Haruka’s attempt to touch her shoulder. She stopped in front of Michiru. “Did you?”

“Yes,” She folded her hands neatly in front of her. “We did.”

Hotaru threw her shoulders back. “And did you take me from my dad?”

“Yes,” Michiru shot a look at Pluto. “We did.”

“Well then,” She said with a firmness Michiru might once have been proud of, “there’s nothing else to say.” She began to clip back up the stairs, and Haruka reached out to her once more. She shrank against the banister. “Don’t touch me!”

She bolted up the stairs and slammed the door to her room. “I hate them,” she murmured to herself, like a prayer, like a reminder. “I hate them so much.”

Hotaru took a bag out of the closet and began shoving clothes into it. She struggled to hang onto the memories: Where her house was, what her father looked like, what she had been through, what they had both been through. Their dedication to kill her. Pluto taking her from her father’s arms.

How could they do this to her? How could they raise her, and pretend to love her, when all they did was lie and hide? They had all lied, not just her mothers...no, not her mothers. Her captors. Usagi, and Mina, and Rei, all of them, all of them had continued with the fiction that Hotaru belonged with them and was part of them. But Hotaru wouldn’t continue the lie. She would free herself from them.

She stomped down the stairs, bag slung over her shoulder, teeth practically bared at the three women sitting at what had been the family table, when you could call this a family.

“Take me home.” She snarled.

Pluto looked at her, calmly and full of sorrow. “Hotaru.”

Hotaru started to shake with emotion, though particularly what the emotion was, she could not say.

“Come sit.” Michiru gestured, and Hotaru hated herself for the way she moved toward the table.

She stopped herself, grinding into the floor, not allowing herself to sit, simply standing behind the chair. “What?”

“We must talk.” Michiru reached over to take Haruka’s hand. “I realize this is--”

Hotaru simply shook her head, unable to form the words.

“We love you.” Pluto realized it was the wrong thing to say the moment she said it, a thousand recollections over thousands of years of love and fighting and human pain not enough to help her avoid this moment.

Hotaru back against the wall. “You don’t! You just feel guilty.”

“It was not a choice made lightly.” Michiru tightened her grip on Haruka’s hand.

Hotaru slammed down her bag. “Then why did you lie?! Why did you pretend it never happened?!”

The three of them looked at each other, each hoping the other had some kind of answer, some wisdom, but each of them looking into their own souls and only being able to find a quiet dull whisper of I knew it was wrong. Pluto looked to Michiru, who already had taken the soft affection from her eyes and replaced it with cold disconnect.

Michiru began to open her mouth when Haruka broke from her grasp and stood up. I know it was--“Because we didn’t want to hurt you. We--” she fiddled with the back of the chair, stumbling, “--I, I didn’t want you to hate me.” There was a purity in it, a door left open, her love hanging out over the world. “We’re family.”

“You’re not my family.” Images of her father, recovered now, holding her beneath a cherry tree, flooded her mind. She looked back up at Haruka, and though she might never have claimed to be Michiru’s child, she sunk in the blow, slithered between the ribs. “I do hate you.”

Haruka took a step back and drew her arm across her chest, her brow furrowed in a deep frown.

The stress and the adrenaline began to build up in Hotaru’s mind. She got nothing, no real childhood, no choices, no chance to me a normal girl and live a siimple life, and it was unfair, it was so unfair, and these three women sitting in front of her represented everything about her unwelcome draft into a war she never understood or knew.

She pointed at Haruka, moving toward her. “You, ruined everything for me. You’re a bad person. How can you look at me, and tell me you love me, after all that? You--”

She barked back. “Goddamnit Hotaru, if you want to go bad childhood for bad childhood, I bet I’d win.” Haruka began to bristle, the heat slowly building, the fumes from the bubbling sadness and self-hate inside her beginning to crackle and pop in her general explosion of protective anger.

“At least you weren’t taken from someone who cared about you!” Hotaru yelled, and Michiru began to move toward them, seeing the words come out of Hotaru’s mouth before she had a chance to finish. “Were you jealous, because your mom didn’t love you, or--”

Haruka howled, and her fist flew into the plaster of the wall, which offered no quarter, but slammed back against her hand, and Haruka snatched it to her chest immediately and sunk against the wall, still glowering like a wounded animal.

Michiru moved between them, her hands raised. “This has all gotten terribly out of hand.”

Hotaru picked up her bag. “You’re right.” She ignored the tears stinging her eyes, ignored the pain that lay in the shadow of all her anger, and would not dare to raise her sleeve for fear it all might show, that it would break and wash away her terrible, aching anger. “I’m leaving.”

Pluto stood up, but every word that came to her lips seemed wrong and false and if it would only deepen the rift between them all further.

Haruka gave a heavy sigh that shuttered just a bit at the end. “M’sorry,” she took a deep breath, jagged and hard. “So sorry.”

It was not immediately obvious what she was apologizing for.

“Yes, I suppose you should.” The voice was Michiru’s and could only ever be, steeled and cold and empty of feeling, gutted out by Michiru’s own hand. She knelt next to Haruka and carefully looked over her hand, As Haruka turned from Hotaru and buried her head in her shoulder.

Pluto shook her head, watching the tiny family she had crumble before her and fall back into the endless eternal sea of human conflict, no more than a fraction of a blink in all the life she had lived. And yet there was no stopping, no way to reverse the terrible fall. There was only the loud cry in her own heart, called across an unfeeling black expanse.

Hotaru nodded and slung the bag over her shoulder. “Don’t talk to me.”

“I will have your things delivered.”

“Fine.”

“Marvelous.”

Hotaru turned and took the doorknob, walking into the night, never noticing that both she and Michiru were driving their fingernails into the soft meat of their palms, narrowing their eyes with the focusing pain.

You’d be forgiven for not seeing the family resemblance.

[foreverfangirl2011]

Harry Styles Birthday Blurb

Hey Lovelies,

So I know this is like extremely late, but I wanted to write somethign fro Harry’s Birthday. I’m calling it a blurb, but its kind of long. Anyway its really sweet and I hopr you guys like it! Like I said its a blurb so this is it, there won’t be a part two. Fair warning it is NSFW, so be careful where you read. Thats all I have to say for now, happy reading and I’ll ttyl! 

Love,

- M

Just because I love you...

Harry Styles Birthday Blurb

 Being with Harry was unlike anything I had ever experienced. He made me feel so alive, yet so calm and relaxed at the same time. I felt safe in the thrilling moments and thrilled in the safe moments. He encouraged me to be brave while simultaneously protecting me. In our quiet, private moments he was sensitive and warm and in our loud, excited moments he was like a little kid, so full of energy and life! I was so broken when we found each other, I was shy and fragile, but he fixed me, built me back up, and brought me back to myself. And for that I could never thank him enough. When we have our bad moments, when we're yelling and throwing things at each other, he always comes back to me... and when I ask him why he never gives up he says "Just because I love you." That soon became his catch phrase in our relationship. He would do little things all the time, bring me flowers, make me dinners, and even leaving cute little notes all over the house for me... and he always said he did it "just because I love you." One of the cute things he always did was every year on his birthday he would give everyone he cared about gifts. Just because he loved them, to thank them for another year together. I thought that was the most selfless thing I had ever seen... On his 23rd birthday he really went all out. There was this little cove we discovered one day at the beach. It was the perfect spot for two lovebirds. There was a little pond type of thing that led to the ocean from underneath and up top there was a small opening where you could see the moon. On a really clear night it was almost magical... the moonlight sparkling on the water... We had talked about maybe doing something there, but we never got the chance... Anyway, this year I had to work, but I promised we would do something the next night. Little did I know Harry already had something planned for his birthday night... 

 One might think working at Build- a- Bear is the most fun job in the world, but one would be wrong. It's been almost 9 hours and I'm losing it. In the morning its ok, one or two little kids come in and it's relatively quiet. But as the day goes on it gets crazier and crazier. The screaming kids, background music and annoying parents were enough to drive a girl mad! The only thing getting me through was the thought of going home to Harry. Just to lie in bed, snuggled up to him, enjoying the peace and quiet... that was all I could think about it. I watched the clock as the minutes ticked by agonizingly slow. Finally it was 7:00, closing time! I couldn't have gotten out of there faster! I threw my apron off, signed out and rushed to my car as fast as my feet would take me. As soon as I got out of the car park I called Harry to let him know I was on my way home.

 "Hey birthday boy... I'm on my way home, can't wait to wrap my arms around you all night..." 

 "I'm here, patiently waiting... half naked..."

 "Oh... and why is that..." I ask, voice going shaky at the thought of a half-naked Harry.

 "I can't say... it's a surprise... better hurry home if you want to find out what it is..."

 "Wait a-"

 "Gotta go, see you soon, bye!" Harry says and abruptly hangs up on me.

 Real mature. Now I really wanna get home. I drive as fast as I can and within half an hour I'm pulling into our driveway. I rush inside to find the lights off and the house silent.

 "Harry? Babe you here?" I call out. No response. I look around the house and don't find him anywhere. The kitchen, the living room, the basement, even the den. Finally I get up to our bedroom. And there sits Harry on our bed, in his swim trunks. Laying out next to him is my lilac strapless bikini and matching floral cover up. His favourite one of mine of course. 

 "Baby what's all this? I have something planned for tomorrow night."

 "Yes, and I have something planned for tonight." He says smiling his million dollar smile, the one that makes me melt, the one that he can flash and get pretty much anything he wants.

 "Harry it's your birthday! I'm supposed to do something for you!" I say sitting on his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. He looks me in the eyes deeply and then kisses me softly. 

 "Believe me, tonight is as much for me as it is for you..." he whispers huskily in my ear as he breaks the kiss.

 "Well... I can't say no to that..." I say standing up and picking up my suit. "Give me a few minutes to change ok? 

 "Oh don't mind me." He replies cheekily

 "Ha ha very funny." I say going into the walk in closet to change, I leave the door open just a little so Harry can get a peek of me... hey might as well tease him a bit. 

 I start slowly taking off my work close until I'm standing in the closet naked. I then slip the bikini bottom on. Before putting the top on I decide to take the teasing to the next level. I flex my back and begin rubbing my aching shoulders. I know Harry goes crazy when I flex my back! God knows why, but hey I get to use it against him, so no objections here. I know my little game has worked when I hear footsteps approaching the closet. The door opens fully and Harry's arms wrap around me from behind as he peppers my neck with sweet kisses.

 "Let me help you with that babe..." he whispers as he brings the bikini top around me and clasps it at the back.

 "We don't have to leave right away do we baby?" I say turning around and running my hands up and down his chest.

 He takes my hands in his and kisses them "I'm afraid so love." 

 "Ok Baby..." I say kissing his nose "But it's your loss..." I say letting go of his hands and sauntering away.

 "Trust me it's not..." he says following me. 

 "So where is it that you’re taking me Harry?" I say picking up my wrap from the bed. I toss it over my shoulders and suddenly a blind fold goes over my eyes! "Hey!"

 "It's a surprise babe, trust me... I've got you." He says picking me up bridal style and carrying me out of our room. I could get used to this I think, resting my head on his chest. Soon the sound of his heartbeat lulled me into a much needed sleep. Until I was shaken awake by Harry picking me up again.

 “Rise and shine love! We’re here!” he says excitedly, almost running, he walking so fast I’m bouncing around in his arms!

 “Harry where are we? How long have we been driving?”

 “Details details, just be patient we’re almost there!” he squeals

 I can’t help but laugh at his childish demeanor. It’s one of the thigs I love most about him… Finally we stop and Harry gently sets me down.

 “We’re here!” Harry says undoing my blindfold.

 “Final-“I’m short by what I see. We’re standing in the little cove we found. The sun set shining through the opening in the roof. It’s so beautiful, Harry has set a little candlelight picnic and the water is sparkling, he’s even sprinkled pink rose petals on the surface!

 “So what do you think?” he asks laying a hand on my shoulder.

 “Oh Harry it’s incredible! You did this all for me, but it’s your day!”

 “I know, and I want to spend it with you, just because I love you…”

 “I don’t know what to say… I love you so much…” I say turning to face him, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him passionately. “I really wanted to do something for you this year baby…” I say breaking the kiss without letting go of him.

 “I know, but don’t you see, you are. This is as much for me as it for you. I get to spend the whole night here with you. I decided this year I would do something for both of us…”

 “Well I love it! I love all of it! This place is so beautiful! You’re sure we’re allowed to be here right?”

 “Yeah, pretty sure. I mean the beach is a public place right?”

 “I guess.”

 “So, you hungry?”

 “Are you kidding? I’m starved!”

 “Then you’re really going to love this!” He says opening the picnic basket and taking out two takeout boxes from Shalimar Gardens.

“No way! Biryani and chicken kabobs from Shalimar Gardens!”

 “The one and only!”

 What? We love Indian food!

 “If it’s possible I think I love you more!”

 We enjoy the dinner and talk for a while before we decide to get in the water. We clean up the picnic and I toss by wrap off before we step in together.

 “Woah, the water is so warm!”

 “Yeah, it’s because of the biological-“

 I cut him off by placing my finger to his lips “Shh just shut up and kiss me!” He smiles and pulls me close, connecting our lips in a gentle kiss. Suddenly his hand slip down to my bum and the kiss gets heated. I jump up and wrap my legs around his waist, pressing our bodies impossibly close.

 “You sure you want to do this in here?” he says between kisses.

 “Why not? Haven’t you ever thought of what it would be like?” I reply.

 “Surprisingly, no.”

 “Huh, well I have!” I say with a devilish smirk. I slide off him and he leans against the wall of the cove. I reattach our lips and my hands wander all over him. I graze his chest until my hands land on his special place. I start massaging him and he groans. His hands slide behind me and he unclasps my bikini tossing it somewhere behind us. He massage my breasts and I continue massaging him until he’s hard. Then I slide my hand into his boxer and massage him more. Finally he losses it and rips them off, along with my bikini bottoms.

 “Such a tease tonight aye…” he whispers huskily.

 “Are you going to punish me… Daddy?” I knew that drove him insane… without saying a word he pushes two of his long fingers deep inside me, I almost scream from the pleasure. He pumps his fingers in me mercilessly until I can’t take it anymore, I need him in me. I can feel he’s close to, so he finally pulls his fingers out of me. Without warning his thrusts into me hard. Suddenly everything goes blurry. The cove is filled with mixed profanities and the sound skin against skin. I get that familiar feeling and in an instance we finish together. He slowly pulls out of me and pulls us out of the water. We wrap ourselves in towels and lie on our picnic blanket, gazing up at the stars.

 “That was amazing…” I finally manage to say

 “The best it’s ever been I think…” he replies

 “Thank you for all of this Harry…” I say facing him.

 “My pleasure… I do have one more surprise for you though…”

 “What are talking about?” I say sitting up.

 He sits up too and reaches into the picnic basket.

 “Not more food, babe I’m totally stuffed!”

 “Nope, not food…” He says producing a small Tiffany box.

 “Harry…”

 He faces me and takes my hand in his. “Y/N… This year, the thing that I wanted most for my birthday was you. I want you to be mine forever. You’re the first thing on my mind in the morning and the last thing before I sleep. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. I know in heart that we belong together. So I’m asking you, will you marry me?”

 Tears stream down my face as I shakily answer “Yes! Yes of course! Oh my god Harry I love you so much!” he slips the ring on my finger and kisses me passionately.

 “Oh its gorgeous! I love it! And I love you more!” I say breaking the kiss and looking at the ring.

 “I’m glad, I was stressing out about you not liking it.”

 “Aww, its perfect… we’re perfect…” I say grazing the side of his face.

 “You’re perfect…” he says kissing me again.

 “So, should we get dressed and head home?” I say breaking the kiss

 “We could… or we could stay the night…”

 “Really?”

 “Why not, we could sleep on the picnic blanket, and watch the sunrise.”

 “Sounds perfect.” I say laying back down and snuggling into Harry.

 “Goodnight Love…” Harry Whispers.

 “Goodnight Harry…” I whisper back kissing his chest softly and drifting off to the sound of his heartbeat.