#like...my class will finish right as the inauguration is starting

[verbjectives]

tbh the most surreal thing is gonna be having class (taught from a university that’s literally right across the street from its state capitol building) the morning of inauguration day

[oh-mother-of-darkness]

Hello. I am, as you know, an American. I turned eighteen in 2014, voted in my first presidential election in 2016, and voted in my second presidential election last week via early voting in the state of Texas. 

I’m reflecting right now on the difference between those experiences. This is going to be a very self-indulgent essay. 

The 2016 election was in my third and final year of undergrad at Texas A&M University. At the time, I was living with a roommate who grew up in a town of 2,000, all of them members of her church. I loved her very much, but she was the most sheltered person I’ve ever met. 

I was only a few years ahead of her. My home growing up was deeply liberal about many of the things that counted, but deeply conservative on equally important things. For me, leaving for college was a radicalization speed-run.

I, a good Memphis girl, moved to Texas and encountered for the first time in my life white homogeny and everything that comes with it. I made most of my friends at A&M through a Christian orientation camp that I attended, then worked at. I went to school at a history department that was overwhelmingly male and war-obsessed. 

My second semester, I was randomly sorted into a writing seminar on the American Civil War and Reconstruction. There were eight other students in that class, all of them Texans. By day two I had gotten into a open fight with one of my classmates after he used the phrases “one of the humane parts of slavery” and “the secession declarations are moving and beautiful appeals, if you read them,” and “well I’m not going to criticize my own state.”

We got into at least one yelling match per week from that point forward. It was a formative experience for me-- not just him but the seven other students that took his side every time because they just couldn’t conceptualize anything outside of their own experiences, and frankly, I couldn’t either. 

It rocked my world to be surrounded by people who told me, among other things, that their high schools flew the Confederate battle flag or Lee was their all time role-model (because he actually didn’t want to secede! He didn’t believe in it, but Virginia did, so he put his own qualms aside and served his country, and that’s what we all have to do). I ran a survey once by knocking on every door in a dorm hall and asking the two people inside why the Civil War happened. 

I feel like you can guess the most common answer I got. Only two said slavery. Six didn’t know what the Civil War was. 

The last week of the semester, my class read a collection of recorded oral accounts of freed slaves during Reconstruction. My nemesis told me that he “didn’t realize black people actually had it bad.” At the same time, I was struggling with my sexuality, my relationship to my religion, my relationship with my parents, and a handful of newly-diagnosed but long-existing mental illnesses. I wasn’t having fun. 

Over the next three years, I tried my hardest to humanize the people that said disgusting things about minorities, poverty, and me personally. I barely won on that one, and I’m actually really proud that I did, even if it took me a few years. I can trace the biggest change in me directly to my nemesis from the history department, the kid that made me so mad that I started arguing back. I was too scared to do that before. 

By 2016, I was in full existential spin-out-- a very suddenly liberal kid fighting my whole family, all of my classmates, and most of my friends in an explosive political climate, the first I had ever participated in. 

I voted by Tennessee absentee ballot in 2016. On election night, I ordered takeout for me and my roommate, who I knew had voted red. Confident, like pretty much everybody, that Clinton would win, I was trying to show her that I didn’t hate her. She went to bed after dinner, also so certain that Clinton would win that she didn’t bother to stay up. 

I sat in front of my laptop sewing a birthday present for a friend (Kenza, actually), while the votes came in. I wasn’t super alarmed when the map turned red. I just figured the blue states hadn’t finished counting yet. 

The map didn’t get any bluer. By 1am, I knew what was about to happen. They called it an hour later, while I was sobbing on my floor. I threw up in the bathroom out of pure anxiety. I got two anonymous messages telling me the asker was going to commit suicide. Neither of them responded to my replies. I don’t actually know what happened to them. 

I remember riding the bus to class the next morning and distinctly seeing that most of the racial minorities there had swollen eyes from crying. The girl with the pride stickers all over her laptop didn’t show up that day, and I’m kind of glad she didn’t, considering the way some of our classmates in the back were loudly talking about “the gays.” Hope she’s okay.

My roommate came home completely unaware that Clinton lost. I was crying in my room when that happened. I remember showing her a demographic map of who voted which way. She got visibly upset when she figured out what races how. I think she really did feel guilty. 

That Thanksgiving, one of my cousins tweeted, “I can’t wait to go argue with my liberal cousin today. The wins. Keep. Coming,” an hour before he walked into my house. Inauguration day was January 20, 2017. I decided to go to law school a week later, the day the president signed the Muslim ban. That’s when I figured out for the first time just how much power the courts have. The last three years have only enforced that. 

I got angrier and angrier during law school, egged on by a few friends but more than anything just... finally conscious of exactly how the American system works and exactly who’s behind it. I still live in Texas, farther west now, and I’m working my first legal job. I’m going to be a licensed attorney next week. 

I went back and forth for months about how this election was going to shake out. I knew there wasn’t going to be an overwhelming red majority this time, but my big fear was an election close enough that the Supreme Court could take it. That fear doubled last month, at RBG’s death. 

I was hoping for a blue enough victory on election night that there wouldn’t be a week of uncertainty, but that was unlikely, and it didn’t happen. I obsessively refreshed my election map all of Wednesday and Thursday, aware that at least some states would flip after mail-in ballots came in, but unsure which would. 

Again, my great fear was a blue victory held down by only one state. Given (I would say “any” chance here, but I don’t mean “any” chance because genuinely jurisdiction or facts or legal merit don’t matter to the Supreme Court) an opportunity to make one (1) decision that hands over a red election, please know that a conservative supermajority would take it. I cannot emphasize enough how true that is and how important it is for all of us to grasp that. 

Watching Georgia flip was one of the best experiences of my life, and it’s a little hard for me to articulate why, but I’m going to give it a shot here. I’m southern. I’m from the South, and for this conversation it’s really important that I’m from Memphis, a black city and a center of black music and culture. 

When people think about the South, they think of the white South, and on some level, they should. It is absolutely essential to understand the white South in order to understand American history. Let me be 100% clear here. That is not a good thing. American majority history is not good. We are not a good country. 

It’s near-impossible to understand why that’s true without knowing exactly what happened in the white South and exactly what is still happening there now. With that, however, is another truth that most folks don’t get. 

The SouthTM is white and needs to die. The South as it actually exists is partially white yes, but it is also everyone else that lives here, particularly black folks. Southern culture is black, not white. Georgia flipped because the people that have always, always been there finally got to crack apart the conservative machine holding the South hostage. 

That’s amazing. It’s fucking mind-blowing. I watched it happen at 3:30 in the morning days after Election Day, and holy shit holy shit, Georgia flipped. Atlanta won. Holy fucking shit. 

I would be terrified right now if only Georgia flipped, because SCOTUS would have found a way to throw out a few thousand votes. Inevitable. Absolutely certain on that one. 

With a few states of buffer, I don’t think that’s going to happen. I really do think it’s over. 

I came home after work on Friday and immediately went to sleep because I hadn’t really done that since Tuesday. I woke up at noon today, checked the map, checked my messages, and saw what happened while I was gone. After that, I went back to bed until 5:30pm. I’m really just getting up now, after most of 24 hours asleep. 

I don’t know if I would say that I’m happy right now, but I am overwhelmingly relieved. I’m under no illusions that a Biden victory will solve everything, but I also do think this is a real thing to celebrate. I’ll take suggestions on how to celebrate right now, actually, since I’m finally awake. 

I’ll be angry forever, I think, but this is a good thing, and I’d like to enjoy it. If you’re happy right now, hey, tell me about it. I’ll be thrilled with you. I want to hear it. Congrats to all of us. Love y’all. 

[cheri-translates]

[CN] S2 Gavin and MC’s Main Storyline Meeting (Eng Translation)

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for the Season 2 main storyline, which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

If you don’t know anything about Season 2, do check out this post first!

Chronology: Throbbing Date ->  Chapter 1 -> Chapter 2 

[Note: I won’t be doing other main storyline translations 😅 I translated this for a future analysis]

[Brief context you need to know prior to Ch 1-9]

Kiro is working as an artiste in MC’s company

MC is a successful producer and a member of Black Swan

Lucien is a neuroscientist, professor in Loveland University, and an advisor in STF for confidential R&D

Anna informs MC that a clip of Kiro announcing he’s an Evolver has appeared in the news and there are rumours of Kiro hurting someone. At present, he’s uncontactable

The STF is going to investigate the matter (they maintain the peace between normal humans and Evolvers), but MC doesn’t want it to blow up

She sneaks into Lucien’s office in STF and tries to persuade him to stop STF from investigating, but he says there’s nothing he can do

After she leaves, she gets spotted by a detective, and she alters his memories with her new Evol

It’s revealed that her Evol only worked on normal humans at first, but she’s been able to use it on weak Evolvers after training it

She overhears two STF officers talking about a new captain on the Special Operations Team, and prepares to plant a tracker on them:

[End of Chapter 1-8]

Before I take a step forward, there’s a sudden tightening on my wrist.

My hands are firmly clasped behind me. Before I can get a proper look at the person’s face, my whole body is pressed against the glass behind me.

-

[Chapter 1-9]

??: What are you doing here? 

A familiar voice enters my ears, reminiscent of wind from the past awakening my memories. 

I turn my head, looking at the person behind me in disbelief. 

As compared to in high school, his eyebrows have become sharper. Yet, there seems to be more substance in that sharpness. 

The brief encounter in front of the school gate, the inadvertent meeting of eyes after class...

Scenes from six years ago flash before my eyes, along with an even more distant time, leaving me slightly lost. 

He came back after all.

This reunion after six years catches me off guard.

In the days before this reunion, I frequently thought about it.

As though waiting for the first bloom after the snow melts - slightly restless, and slightly anticipating. 

Even though he said it was all right to arrive a little late, from what I see now... neither of us were late.

[Note: She’s making reference to her farewell with Gavin in Ch 37]

The hard, small tracker is in the palm of my hand. My thoughts whirl around in countless circles. In the end, I say the most normal words. 

MC: ...Gavin, it’s been a while. 

Gavin: What are you doing here? 

Without waiting for my response, a soft and faint voice enters my ears. 

Gavin: Someone’s coming. You don’t plan to say anything?

MC: ...

Gavin turns his head slightly. He doesn’t loosen his grip. The light remains on me. 

To prevent myself from being discovered, I lean backwards against him, using his body to cover my existence. 

Vaguely, I seem to hear a soft chuckle. I turn my head to its source. 

Gavin maintains a straight face, but his slightly arched eyebrows betray a certain emotion.

Gavin: You still have one last chance. 

MC: I’m really just surveying the place. 

Warmth from his body travels to my back, like a wordless greeting.

He exerts more pressure, and I turn my head involuntarily. 

At this moment, I seem to feel something leaning against my back gently. 

A bird flies past the window, and Gavin releases my wrist. 

The feeling of being shackled earlier disappears.

MC: No one was even around just now!

His expression is light, and his eyes crinkle upwards for a moment. He immediately turns his head to the side. 

Gavin: Come with me. 

My earlier shock settles, and I follow behind him as he walks along a corridor. 

Away from the hall with passers-by, Gavin and I stand face-to-face near the corridor window. Neither of us speak.

Seeing the face illuminated by the sunlight from the window, I take a light breath and focus my attention on the matters at hand. 

Gavin... has been transferred back to Loveland City? Could he be the new Captain of the Special Operations Team?

My line of sight sweeps over his white uniform and the badges on his chest. My speculation becomes more certain. 

Considering how much attention this case has gotten, it should be handed over to him.

Gavin: You didn’t finish speaking just now. What exactly are you surveying here? 

I regain my senses, trying my best to smile.

MC: I’ve been collecting solved Evol cases for a program recently, so I thought to come to STF and have a first-hand look.

Gavin purses his lip slightly, his gaze on my face. I calmly place my hands behind my back. 

MC: I was looking for those two special officers to understand the process of how STF handles cases. I didn’t think I’d meet you here. Since you should be very busy, I shall not be a nuisance...

Gavin: You can be a nuisance. What program is making you go through so much effort? Tell me about it. 

Facing Gavin’s straightforward gaze, I can only thicken my skin and continue speaking. 

MC: The... name is tentatively “The Ins-and-Outs of STF’s Unknowns”.

Gavin: The name of the program isn’t bad, it sounds ambitious. Let’s talk about it in detail. 

MC: ...wait! You’re newly promoted, so go and celebrate. It’s important to meet your subordinates. I can wait for you to be free before taking up your precious time. 

I lower my head to avoid his eyes. I decide to rush off, but Gavin blocks my way. 

Unable to withdraw my foot in time, I crash into his chest, and hit against the badges painfully. 

I rub my cheek, slightly aggrieved, and look up to Gavin. 

Seeing this, Gavin simply knits his brows slightly. His eyes are clear, as though waiting for another answer from me. 

He doesn’t speak, but quietly gives me one last chance. Faced with such a Gavin, my heart sighs silently. 

MC: I’m here because of a matter involving an Evolver artiste working under me.

...perhaps it’s my misperception, but his expression is no longer as cold as it was before. 

With that, I meet his eyes, and no longer beat around the bush.

MC: STF’s intervention will only delay the matter. If he’s being used by some Evol organisation... it will just worsen the divide between normal people and Evolvers.

Gavin: After saying so much, what are you trying to say? Persuading me not to investigate? 

I shake my head. 

MC: No. If it were someone else, I might think of another way to handle the investigation. Seeing that you’re the one in charge of the investigation, I have nothing to worry about now.

Gavin: Why are you so confident? 

I’m stunned for a moment. Only when I see his eyebrows furrowed questioningly, do I realise that my entire answer left my lips. 

MC: It’s mostly because... I know what kind of a person you are. I don’t need to explain further, and I didn’t think of making an excuse, because lies can never become truths. I believe you’d use your method to find a true ending to this issue. You’ll give me, Kiro, and all the innocent people in this issue a true answer. 

I believe every bullet from you resounds in the name of justice.

His amber eyes freeze for a while. 

Gavin’s eyes flicker faintly, and looks like he’s about to speak. 

The sound of footsteps draw near, and someone calls Gavin’s name from afar. 

Gavin watches me, and there’s a change in the look in his eyes. After a while, he lowers his voice.

Gavin: This isn’t a place you should be in.

MC: Got it.

I understand that, at least right now, he wouldn’t probe further on the reason for my appearance in STF.  

...after all, given Gavin’s identity and his investigative abilities, he definitely already knows that I’m in Black Swan. 

No matter what my attitude was, we have been standing on opposite positions from the start.

MC: Gavin, I...

Gavin: Whether it’s your company, or the other people behind you, don’t interfere in this matter. The STF will handle everything.

Young Special Officer: Captain Gavin, Captain Eli is looking for you...

Gavin: Got it. 

Gavin walks towards the special officer who called him. After giving him some instructions, he turns his head to look at me again. 

The young special officer nods, then walks to my side. 

Young Special Officer: Miss Reporter, the exit is over here. 

I stare at Gavin’s retreating form and take a deep breath. I affectionately pat the young special officer’s shoulder. 

MC: All right, I’ll leave now. 

The miniature tracker hidden in my sleeves sticks to his body. Flushing red, the special officer takes a few steps, completely unaware. 

Saying a “sorry” in my heart, I retract my hand and quietly follow behind the special officer. 

The bracelet on my wrist dangles along with my action. The thin ginkgo leaf falls quietly against my wrist. 

I grip my wrist lightly, my palm overlapping with the place Gavin had clamped earlier.

He didn’t use any force. It isn’t painful at all.

-

[Chapter 1-10]

The STF training grounds.

Special police: A! Warm! Welcome! To! Our! New! Captain!

Gavin: ...

Seeing Gavin’s expression cracking slightly, Eli desperately suppresses the urge to gloat. 

Eli: The famous Special Police Officer B-7. Every new kid here has memorised your deeds back then by heart. 

Gavin: When did you have so much nonsense?

Gavin arches his brows. Eli could have sworn that on Gavin’s face is a look of ridicule which he hasn’t seen in a long time. 

The inauguration ceremony, which was originally meant to continue for the entire afternoon, ends quickly in ten minutes on Gavin’s request. 

The special police officers on the training grounds disperse after looking at each other. The two of them leave the training ground, heading to the Administration Building. 

Eli: How is it, are you able to adapt well?

Gavin: Not bad.

Eli: Need me to celebrate with you? 

Gavin: No need.

Eli: ...you’re still the same as always. 

Eli releases a soft sigh and catches up with Gavin. 

Eli: You suddenly transferred to Loveland City - even I was a little surprised. From how you looked just now, it seems you were already prepared for it. 

Eli looks at the comrade who once escaped death with him, and only one thought is in his heart-

Whoever is in the Special Operations Team next time is going to suffer. 

Eli: Oh right, I have a question. 

Gavin hears the hesitance in Eli’s voice. He pauses.

Eli: Why aren’t you willing to announce your identity as the Commander-in-chief of STF? 

Gavin: You should know why I returned to Loveland City. 

Initially startled, Eli quickly understands the meaning behind Gavin’s words. 

Eli: Don’t worry. Since you’re the Captain of the Special Operations Team now, we’ll cooperate with you fully. The mission you’re referring to is still considered “top secret” in STF. There have already been some initial developments, so you can rest assured. 

Watching Gavin nod inattentively, Eli suddenly thinks of something very important. 

Eli: Also, was the person you met just now...

Gavin: What are the results of the investigation? 

Eli freezes for a moment after Gavin cuts him off. He smiles and nods. 

Eli: We’ve got them. The report should already be on your desk.

Gavin: Let’s go quickly then.

Seeing Gavin walk towards his office without a turn of his head, Eli sighs in his heart, speeding up his pace to catch up. 

There are no traces of the office being used. On the table rests a stack of newly sent documents.

Gavin flips through the documents briefly, pursing his lips.

Gavin: This isn’t everything.

Eli: Should I contact the general advisor of the confidential R&D department? 

Gavin: No need. How much we have here represents how much he’s willing to disclose. We’ll find the rest ourselves.

Gavin locks the documents in a drawer. Casting a glance at the window, his lips move slightly. 

Gavin: We’ll take action tonight. 

Eli: Such a hurry?

Gavin: We can’t?

Eli: We can, but are you hurrying to settle work, or hurrying to settle work to meet someone?

Gavin: I already have.

Eli: I didn’t mention who it was.

Gavin: ...

Eli: What are your thoughts? Do you find the change very large?

Gavin: ...

Seeing that Gavin isn’t speaking, Eli knowingly remains silent. 

In the room, there is only the faint sound of the computer running.

The thread of memory is pulled, one end holding that figure disappearing in the opposite direction, and the other gently tugging on his emotions. 

Gavin: She has never changed. 

~

Although the morning trip to STF was alarming and dangerous, I managed to confirm one thing.

Since this matter has fallen into Gavin’s hands, there's nothing to worry about on the media level. 

But whether he will use this as a chance to keep an eye on Black Swan is a different issue. 

I remember Gavin’s resolute attitude, letting out a sigh.

Since I’m a member of Black Swan, he might not be willing to be associated with me...

The sun shines through the gaps of the leaves, bringing with it a melting warmth on every corner of the street.

I narrow my eyes slightly, thinking about that eternal night of the earth - it’s so distant, just like an illusion. 

The comet cluster X1917 and the doomsday which really occurred, had brought everything back to seventeen years ago. 

In the seventeen years I’ve experienced again, there have been many dramatic changes. 

But under the surface of this seemingly balanced society resides the friction and disputes between two groups of people, like a dormant volcano. 

Perhaps this peace can be maintained, or perhaps it would explode in the next second...

There’s suddenly an earth-shattering cry behind me. 

I turn and see a five or six year old girl crying as her balloon floats in the sky. 

In the next second, the balloon which almost disappeared floats back. 

The passing teenager grabs the string, bends over, and ties it onto the girl’s wrist. The girl quickly breaks into a smile.

Looking at the two of them waving at each other and going off in opposite directions, I applaud in my hand and sigh softly at the same time.

To maintain such a balance, and also find “that thing” - it’s an immense challenge to me.

...forget it, I’ll take it one step at a time.

I rub my deflated tummy, deciding to resolve the problem of hunger in front of me.

-

For the sake of completion: MC goes into the convenience store and meets Kiro. He didn’t hurt anyone - the guy slipped and fell on his own LOL

Wondering why MC has a ginkgo bracelet? Fan speculation here. [Update: This question is answered in Chapter 2]

Phone call: here

-

🌸 MOMENTS 🌸

Gavin’s Post: It’s windy.

MC: The wind today seems colder.

Gavin: Because the next season is coming.

Minor: Bro Gavin, where are you? I’m treating you to a congratulatory meal right now!

-

Gavin’s Post: It’s windy.

MC: Probably because you’ve returned.

Gavin: Do you think so?

Minor: Bro Gavin, where are you? I’m treating you to a congratulatory meal right now!

-

Gavin’s Post: It’s windy.

MC: It’s very common for it to be windy in Loveland City during this season. Have you forgotten? 

Gavin: I haven’t forgotten anything related to this place. 

Minor: Bro Gavin, where are you? I’m treating you to a congratulatory meal right now!

[lilyharvord]

i need some marecal fluff please help

hehe, ask and ye shall receive. Here, have some older Marecal. (((: 

Grace 

I don’t remember when I stopped looking like myself.

Maybe it was after Coriane. I’m doubtful of that conclusion. She was a tiny baby, and I had bounced back into my uniforms at a pace that Farley had grumbled about for months. I was convinced that I would be able replicate the process almost five years later. My pregnancy with Shade had been a whole different beast though.

It had to be after Shade then.

I turn to the side, and twist my lips at my image in the mirror. No amount of training had been able to remove that pouch between my hips. Nothing could get rid of those stretch marks that crept up the sides of my stomach either. Sara had told me they were beautiful when I mentioned quietly how I felt about them. They’re a testament that you carried two babies in there, and they’re a reminder of that wonderful process, she had told me as she spooned applesauce into her second son’s mouth. She had adopted him out of a war torn Piedmont family, and she adored him as if he came from her own body.

I didn’t need reminders of that process. I had two reminders already, running and shrieking in my house, waking me up at ungodly hours by tapping on my cheek, or driving me up the wall with their antics. I was fine with just having that, I didn’t need the reminder on my body too.

I just didn’t look like myself anymore.

Running a scrutinizing eye over the rest of my body, I feel my lips pull down into an even deeper frown at what I see. My hips are wider than I remember them being a few years ago, and my breasts are definitely two different sizes. I blame Shade and Coriane for that. My son had refused to stop nursing, and my daughter had been terrible at nursing in general. I have more scars than I remember, and those thick branching ones on my back seem to get a little wider every month.

Mare Barrow of the Stilts would be shocked to know what her body would like at 35. She knew she might look like her mother someday, thin and wispy, with a little more chipping off like old paint every day. She probably hadn’t pictured what would happen after countless battle injuries, living more comfortably than she even could have imagined, and two children though. I bet if I went back in time to tell her what she would become, who she would become, she would laugh in my face and spit at my eye sometime between throwing insults.

“Mommy.”

Snapping my robe closed with my heart pounding in embarrassment, I glance over my shoulder to spot one part of my musings. Standing there trying to do his little tie, Shade shows me his tangled up fingers with a pout.

I chuckle softly at his expression and beckon him to me. He hurries across my bedroom so I can crouch down in front of him and untangle his hands.

“Why didn’t dad help you with this?”


“He’s busy on a call from uncle Kilorn. I told him I could do it myself.”


“Uh huh.” I nod with mock seriousness as I start the knot over. He’s only seven, but he’s got an independent streak that puts him in some tight spots that Cal and I have to rescue him from more often than not. He watches my hands with narrowed eyes as I work, probably trying to memorize the movements. When I finish, I ask, “What is Cori doing?”

“She’s done getting ready. She’s in the family room reading.” Shade shrugs as I tighten the knot just a smidge more and adjust the collar of his little suit jacket.

“Did she brush her hair?”


“I dunno.”

“Does her hair look like a lion’s mane?” I tease and he throws his hands over his mouth to hide his smirk, his only tell when he lies. At least he inherited his father’s complete inability to lie. Coriane on the other hand could lie her way to the moon if she wanted, and I blame my parenting for that. I taught her young how to get out of things, I regret that now.

“Did she tell you to lie to mommy and say she brushed her hair?”

He shakes his head quickly but doesn’t take his hands away from his mouth. Raising my brow at him, I wait for him to break completely.

He sits in silence, his eyes darting left and right. Eventually I notice his face progressively getting redder and redder.

“You can’t hold your breath and pass out to get out of this.” I snort before rising from my crouch, deciding to let him off the hook. I hear his rapid exhale and inhale as I leave my room and head downstairs.

Sure enough, my daughter is curled up in the window seat, her nose buried in a book. She’s dressed in the nice pants and shirt Gisa made for this occasion. Unfortunately, her hair is hastily tied back into a ponytail. It looks more like a bush attached to the back of her head than hair.

“What have we talked about?” I ask her as I approach. Her shoulders pull up to her ears at the sound of my voice, and she glances at me with a sheepish smile.

“I’m almost done though; can’t I just finish?”

“We’re going to be late if you don’t get your butt upstairs and brush your hair.” I admonish, as I hold my hand out for the book. Her face falls, before it shifts dramatically into that pleading face she knows gets her anything she wants.

“Just one more chapter? Pleeeeeeeaaaase?” She bats the thick, long lashes she got from Cal and although a part of me still melts at the sight, I’ve learned my lesson. Give her rope, and she’ll walk for miles.

“No, no more one chapter. You stayed up until two reading.” She blushes red, and she opens her mouth to refute my words. “Don’t even try. Dad went to bed then and saw the light on in your room.”

Her lips twist to the side, and she chapters her book off before handing it to me, begrudged. I take it as she slides out of the window box, a knowing smile touching my lips. Giving her a little nudge between her shoulders blades when she hesitates and gazes longingly back at the book, I say, “You can have it back at the dinner tonight. And I’ll even let you bring a second book to start.”

Her eyes light up and she takes off, her feet pounding on the stairs as she goes. Setting that book down on the side table, I follow her. As I enter the hallway, I can hear Shade in her room, chattering away. I can almost picture the layout of her room perfectly. He’s perched on her bed, kicking his heels and playing with the fringe on her blanket. Coriane sits at her little vanity, brushing her hair so quickly she’s probably pulling it out in chunks, while nodding along to whatever he says.

My children remind me so much of Shade and myself that it makes my chest ache somedays. I’m sure it reminds Cal of Maven too. We have yet to truly discuss that with our children. I wonder if I’ll be able to tell them what truly happened. We’d have to do it sooner rather than later though. Coriane is starting higher school soon, and when she does, her history classes will start to turn toward the Nortian Civil war. She’ll need to understand what the names on those pages mean.

I pass my bedroom, and lightly knock on the ajar office door. Cal’s eyes dart up from the papers in his hand when I open it further and stick my head in. I give him a fake smile and hold my hand up to tap my wrist. He rolls his eyes and gestures to the phone he’s balancing in his ear. Huffing at that, I storm across the room before pulling it away from him.

Pressing the receiver to my ear, I try to ignore the look Cal throws my direction. “Kilorn, the speech sounds fine. You’ve had ten different people read it, including me.” I glower at Cal then, who simply shrugs in response. “Now if you don’t mind, I do need to steal my husband so that he can handle our children because I’m not dressed yet, and I don’t plan to be late to my best friend’s inauguration.”

Kilorn is quiet on the other end before saying, “It’s going to be good right? I’m not going to sound too… wishy washy?”

“If you sounded wishy washy, I wouldn’t have voted for you. I’m hanging up now, we’ll see you at the ceremony.” I press the receiver down before he can reply and drag a hand down my face.

“You gave him a much needed confidence boost there.” Cal teases as he sets Kilorn’s speech aside and rises from the chair. His shirt is still unbuttoned, and he’s missing his jacket. I grab at the shirt and start buttoning it up, ignoring the teasing smile he gives me when my cheeks flush slightly.

“You should have done exactly what I did and then helped Shade with his tie. He got his fingers all tangled up.” I admonish before patting the finished buttoned-up product. He tilts his head down to smile before sliding his fingers under my chin and lifting my head a bit more. “Plus, I had to corral Coriane who definitely did not put her conditioner in last night, so we’re going to have to deal with that mess before we leave.”

“They’re going to look fine. Besides, no one is going to be looking at us. This is all about Kilorn today.” He murmurs before pressing a light kiss to the tip of my nose.

I sigh in exasperation at his words. “People will look, they always look.”

“And we’re going to look just fine.” He presses one kiss to my temple, and then turns my head to press one on the other side.

“You’ll like fine; you always look fine.” I close my eyes at the feather light touches, melting just a bit.

A kiss gets pressed to one of my eyelids. “You are always the most beautiful woman at these things, you know that.” Another kiss lands on my other eye. I scrunch up my nose in distaste and open my eyes. He slowly pulls away to tuck my hair behind my ear in response.

Sliding a hand around my waist he pulls me up so that our bodies are flushed against each other. He hasn’t changed much over the years. At 38 he still looks like he’s pushing 24. All those good silver genes that have been passed through the generations. There are laugh lines starting to cut around his mouth, but that’s hardly a fault. I hope Shade ages like him. I don’t have to worry about Coriane, she looked like Cal the day she was born, and she’ll look like him for the rest of her life. She has the same amber eyes, and the same jet black hair. My features are hidden, but they’re there. In the shape of her nose, the hint of honey brown in her hair, and her smaller size. Everything else is her father though.

He guides my arms up to wrap around his neck before sliding his hands down my body to rest on my waist. With a smile that has always coaxed me back into bed on mornings when our children are still sleeping, he whispers, “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and will ever see.”

“Now your pushing it.” I grumble as I try to escape his embrace. He pulls me up against him though so that I have no hope of getting away, and presses a kiss into the hollow below my ear. My eyes close involuntarily and my mouth falls open in a soft exhale at the sensation.

He presses another kiss against my neck and breathes against my skin. “You are, and always will be.”

I can feel my entire body responding to him. Damn, if he’s not careful I’m going to drag him down the hall to deal with this properly. We’ll definitely be late to the inauguration then.

“You know I’m not who I was when you first fell in love with me,” I whisper that thought quietly against his jaw. It had been nagging at me for days, and this morning it had really come to the fore as I stood in front of the mirror. He could say I was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen all he liked, but that didn’t mean I had to believe it.

His hands trail along my back and he whispers into my hair, “And I’m not the same either. It doesn’t change anything.”

“Don’t lie. We both you know look the exact same as you did when we first met.” I grumble, earning a little laugh from him.

“Do not. Besides, what does it matter what you look like now?” He pulls away enough to bring a hand up and trace his thumb along my lower lip. With another gentle smile he tips my chin down to press a kiss to the space between my brows. “You’ve brought two beautiful children into the world, and that still hasn’t stopped you from running head first into battle. You are still the force nature I feel in love with.”

I can’t help the smile that creeps to my lips as he presses soft kisses down the ridge of my nose. When he reaches my lips, I hug my arms a little tighter around his neck. “Careful, if you keep talking like this it might be three children.”

His eyes light up, and he presses the ghost of a kiss against my lips. “I would not be opposed.”

“Ew.”

I pull away from the actual kiss to glance over my shoulder with a light laugh. Shade stands in the doorway with his sister, looking every bit as disgusted as he sounds. He makes a face and pretends to gag in the hallway. Even Coriane looks a tad more disgusted than usual. Her lips twist to the side as she looks at us. “Are you two going to make out? Cause that’s gross.”

“Bleh.” Shade makes another pretend gag sound in the hallway.

“It’s hardy bleh.” Cal teases before sweeping me to the side and into a dip. “Your mother is beautiful and I plan to kiss her as long as I can.” I gasp at the sensation of falling backwards before smirking as he presses another kiss to my lips.

“Gross!”

“Yuck!”

“You guys are so gross!”

“Yuck, yuck, yuck!” They sprint down the hallway on the tail end of Shade’s words, both of them making gagging sounds that were comical no matter how unreal they sounded.

“That certainly got rid of them.” Cal smirks as he pulls me back up to my feet. I smack his shoulder playfully in response.

“If they heard what I said, I am not going to deal with the fallout of that.” I adjust my robe that had fallen open slightly and push my hair into some resemblance of order.

“I’m sure they know where babies come from by now, Mare. Coriane is twelve, and kids talk.” He passes by me, but not before hooking the top of my robe and pulling it away from my shoulder to press an open mouthed kiss there. I push his face away and wrestle my robe closed.

“Later, you pain in the ass.” I tease at his back. He doesn’t even give me a response. Instead, he calls down the hallway for the kids, already telling Coriane to get in the bathroom so they can fix whatever else she’s done with her hair. I hear Shade shriek with laughter a heartbeat later which means he must have chased him and caught him.

Smirking, I slip out of the office and close the door behind me. Immediately I can hear Coriane in the bathroom whining that there’s too much conditioner, which Shade immediately laughs about too. Pacing along the wall, I glance over the pictures we have hanging there. Tracing the one of Coriane holding Shade the day he was born, I let my fingers hover over that one the longest.

Another loud protest from Coriane draws my attention back to the bathroom and I glance inside at the scene before leaning against the doorway. Coriane pouts at her reflection while Shade perches on the edge of the bathtub watching the whole thing. Cal continues to thread his fingers through our daughter’s hair through her protests, taming the curls as best as possible. Even when his fingers get caught on a particularly nasty knot and she pulls an ugly face that makes Shade howl with laughter.

Yes, Mare Barrow from the Stilts definitely wouldn’t have been able to guess that this is what she would be watching on a spring day in her future. But in some ways, it’s better than anything she could have imagined.

[hiro-gari]

Batarou Headcanon - Yakuza AU

Hello guys, it's me again bringing more Batarou headcanon! 👀✨

While I'm still trying to finish my writing on webcomic Batarou headcanon/ficlet/oneshot (??), also battling with my stressed out condition, I will offering this silly AU headcanon instead in the meantime. Warning: implication of nsfw-ish thing towards the end, but nothing explicit, also many inaccurate depiction of the topic matters I'm so sorry.

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Badd is the firstborn of the strongest Yakuza clan, and also the Yakuza family's successor after both of his parents were assassinated by enemy clan.

The assassination happened when Badd was only a little kid while Zenko still a baby. Badd and Zenko survived from the tragedy after being saved by Bang, the leader and owner of martial art dojo, who worked as Badd's family bodyguard. They were both raised by Bang until Badd is reaching his adulthood, ready to take over his family's legacy.

Badd felt so sad after the death of his parents, sometimes mourning for them every night after Zenko was asleep. He swore to himself that he wont let the tragedy happening again, not when he still has the only precious person left from his family: Zenko. Once Badd reaching coming of age and finishing his school, he would be the Boss of his family clan.

Badd thought he wont get a friend because of his status and his intimidating look, until Bang bringing his adopted son into the dojo and introducing him to Badd. His name is Garou.

Garou, Bang's adopted son, was taught to be the next family bodyguard by Bang. So he can be the greatest martial artist to protect Badd for the rest of their life.

At first Garou was reluctant to take his future responsibility. But after seeing Badd, the most beautiful yet fierce person he ever witnessed, Garou gladly accept it. Especially after Badd bravely saving him from the bullies at school, showing how determinated he was to protect anyone he considered as his "family". Thus they started their relationship as childhood bestfriend, either in school or their home at Bang's dojo.

During that time, Garou encouraged himself to training as the best as he can in martial art. There's no way a bodyguard is weaker than the one they supposed to protect. He didn't want someone hurting Badd in the future, like what happened to his entire family. Badd is his bestfriend, his future boss, and also his first love.

Garou would be more than happy to be on Badd's side forever, protecting Badd from anyone who has ill intention towards him. It doesn't matter if Badd returned his feelings or not, because the most important thing is Badd's own happiness.

On the other hand, Badd was astonished by Garou's development and determination to become the greatest martial artist. It's like the "Fighting Spirit" is not only being inherited by his family's lineage, but also could be obtained by anyone who has strong determination. Someone who can be Badd's equal, not a subordinate no matter what people say. That's why Badd likes Garou, maybe more than just a friend along the way.

Badd also started to strengthen himself by learning how to self-defence, and to strike offensive attacks if it was needed. He didn't take martial art lesson like Garou did from Bang, instead Badd creating his own combat style using his family heirloom: a metal bat. Besides, it matched with Badd's current image as delinquent punk kid. In which could be frightening enough once he becomes full-fledged Yakuza Boss.

At school, because Garou and Badd didn't have the same class as Badd was one year younger than Garou, they would hangout on school breaktime and after school. Despite being a Yakuza's son and looking like tough kid, it doesn't mean that Badd is a bully. In fact, he was the one who becomes school protector along with Garou. There's bully gang trying to pick on poor classmates? These delinquent duo would showed up and make sure they wont get 2nd chance to do that again at all (everyone didn't know what exactly Garou and Badd have done but clearly they put the fear of god into those bullies effectively).

After school, they were either hangout on local diner/family restaurant/cafe/ice cream parlor/game arcade depends of their moods, so they could still living their live as normal teenagers for awhile. Or immediately went home at Bang's dojo to do training routines. Sometimes Badd and Garou training separately, sometimes they would sparring with eachother. Most favorite time was everytime they're trying on new techniques onto eachother in sparring session at training field, while Bang supervising them the whole time from dojo's main building entrance.

When Garou and Badd weren't in training hours, they spend time to do their own hobby as a form of relaxation. Garou likes to study in Bang's library or writing poems, whereas Badd have a fondness on cooking or baking to try out his mother's recipes, Zenko often joined him, too. Sometimes whenever Badd has difficulty on studying for exams, he always comes to Garou for help, so he ended up as Badd's tutor. In exchange, Garou asking Badd to cook for him since his cooking is delicious, thus Badd making special lunchbox for Garou as the payment.

Imagine after both of them graduated from highschool, Bang with the entire Badd's family alliance clans holding an inauguration ceremony for Badd. Badd was officially becomes the Yakuza boss and the leader of his family clan, taking his family legacy as the survivor. Then Garou pledged his loyalty for Badd as his bodyguard during the ceremony, vowed to be always be on Badd's side for the rest of his life and would never betrayed him at all cost.

Imagine Garou kneeled before Badd when he pledged his loyalty. And as soon as Garou finished his vow, he took Badd's hand and kissed his knuckle softly. Then looking at Badd with so much adoration yet there's hidden fire in those golden eyes, his trademark smug grin slowly showing on his handsome face. If Badd didn't fully realized he was in the middle of inauguration ceremony, he would thinks Garou was proposing him! Not a bad thought, actually. Maybe someday Garou would do that, if it was allowed. Nothing can stop Badd from hoping.

Imagine how badass these two when they're on-duty, and their compatible dynamic is legendary among the clans. Everyone who is Badd's family subordinate really admired and respected them wholeheartedly. Not only both are very strong equally, they're also charismatic in their own way.

Badd is a good and kindhearted leader despite looking rough on the outside, but never hesitated to show the frightening side if someone trying to mess with his beloved family. A feared leader for the enemies, but a loving leader for the family. Also very protective for Zenko and Garou. Has the alias as "Metal Bat" regarding his choice of weapon during the battle. His "Fighting Spirit" would be activated as the ultimate power only when it was in a very necessary time, but enough to put a fear onto his enemies. Not very good at delivering speech at meeting but always has the best motivational words. Secretly in love with his own bestfriend a.k.a. his bodyguard. Badd has 2 kind of tattoos: Dragon tattoo on his whole left arm and Phoenix tattoo on his back.

Garou is a total monster when in the middle of combat, especially when it comes to protect Badd, Zenko, and their entire family. Have excellent sense to detect any assassin who tried to target Badd and would eliminated them in a matter of second. Basically the Best Guardian ever. That's why their enemies would call him as "Human Monster" based on his strength and abilities to fight. But even a "monster" still has the pure and softest heart for Badd, and only Badd. Have a soft spot for any underdog and bullied kids. Garou was kinda spokeperson for Badd since he's better at delivering speech than Badd. Garou has 2 kind of tattoos: Oni/Demon tattoo on his left torso and Wolf tattoo on his back.

Zenko is the "Princess" among the family clans, but that doesn't mean she couldn't participate on being badass. She was very intelligent and the most sophisticated person among the three. Also learning battōjutsu martial art for self-defense, it's always fascinating seeing Zenko training using real sword so elegantly. Really adores her big brothers, yet never hesitated to slap some sense onto them when they're being such dumbasses. Very proud of what Badd has becomes. In the future after reaching adulthood, Zenko has 2 kind of tattoos: Cherry-blossom tattoos on her whole right arm and Samurai tattoo on her back.

Both of Garou and Badd also taking Tareo as a part of their family, after saving Tareo's family from being the enemy's hostage in a war between clans. Thus, Tareo becomes Zenko's BFF and possibly also a great trusted advisor for Badd's family in the future. Admired Garou very much. Garou inherited most of his knowledges and nerdy side to Tareo, hoping they would be useful someday. In the future after reaching adulthood, Tareo has 2 kind of tattoos: Koi tattoo on his whole right arm and Lotus tattoo on his left arm.

Imagine Garou and Badd had been mutual pining the whole time, but managed to keep it down so their family and subordinates wont noticed. Once Garou successfully confessed his romantic feeling for Badd (very awkward but sweet nonetheless), in which Badd accepted immediately, they're having a secret relationship behind the family's back. Because they didn't want to cause a ruckus between the clan family just because the Boss is currently doing lots of scandalous things together with his own bodyguard for every single day. Also the fact that Badd the Boss is the bottom most of the time, since he prefers to have Garou being an aggressive top (but there's no way Badd would never be submissive, as he always serve the good challenges for Garou to prove who's Boss).

Eventhough the family hadn't know yet about their "scandalous things", they could see how affectionate Badd towards Garou and vice versa. It's almost like those two men are lovers instead of only boss-bodyguard or bestfriends.

The way Garou being so protective for Badd, the way Badd patching up Garou's battle wounds, the way they're always looked so harmonious on fighting side-by-side in combat, the way they're gazing at eachother whenever they think noone noticed, the way Garou always kissing Badd's knuckles everytime they were going to clans war, also the way Badd kissing Garou's forehead as a blessing, the way they looked so happy when spending off-duty freetime together doing whatever they like at the moment, etc.

All of those proving that whatever relationship Garou and Badd have together is already beyond what the family members could imagine.

One time the family finally found out their nature of relationship was when Badd gotten hurt seriously after failed attempt of assassination, done by the order from another leader of clan who eventually becomes a traitor in the alliance. Garou was a second too late on completely protecting Badd because he didn't expect that there was a traitor among the family alliance. Knowing Badd was hurt sent Garou in berserk mode as he annihilated all the rest of traitor's assassins in the building, while Badd's family taking care of their unconscious Boss.

The whole betrayal angered the entire alliance members, especially Badd's core family. Garou's wrath was totally understandable because he was the closest person for Badd, seeing the devastation he caused upon the traitor clan. Zenko was in rage once she knows who was betrayed her big brother, she almost going to execute that person by herself with her own sword. Bang, who had seen this kind of assassination happened twice on Badd's family, and already considered Badd as his own son, in a silent fury immediately arranging what punishments the traitor clan would get.

The traitor clan was punished severely, and its leader was executed on the following day. Badd still resting in his home, in which guarded securely by his subordinates. Zenko was helping the caretakers to heal Badd's wounds, worrying for her big brother's condition. Garou never leaving his bedside, his hands holding Badd's hands as he quietly apologizes profusely for letting Badd hurted, for nearly losing Badd because of his own carelessness. Garou was ready if Badd wants to punish him, anything will do to get his forgiveness.

Regaining consciousness a little bit after hearing Garou's long rambling, Badd weakly ordering him to shut up and stop apologizing, because there's nothing wrong with Garou. In fact, Badd was actually grateful for Garou's good reflex to prevent the assassination from being 100% successful. That's why Badd still survive and alive, soon to be back being the Big Boss again. He smiled tenderly to reassure Garou, the hands that Garou was currently holding caressing him back.

If Garou still a small weakling kid like back then, he would be sobbing pitifully seeing his only bestfriend almost died. But now as a full-grown adult and the strongest martial artist, he just silently crying out of relief having his secret lover smiling brightly for him.

Just like a Phoenix, Badd wont die too easily, always regenerating fast and reviving again so he can comes back stronger than before. As Badd said, "Death is just a flesh wound, you can totally revive through fighting spirit and have another go!".

Wiping Garou's tears away with his hands, Badd whispering a "Thank you" for him. He cupped the bodyguard's cheeks before trying to get on sitting position, which Garou quickly supporting Badd's back by pulling him closer with his arms so he could sit properly on the bed. Now that they're facing eachother, Badd slowly reduce the distance between them until he could kiss Garou softly on the lips.

Garou was so happy to have Badd in his arms again, without any hesitation he reciprocated the kiss so it would go deeper, one hand still supporting Badd's back while the other caressing his nape, pulling the Boss even more closer than before. As the kiss becomes intimate, Badd humming in joy while his arms encircled Garou's neck, never letting him go.

They both were deep in passionate moment to notice that some of their family members saw the entire thing from the window, or from the door when the others wanted to relay the meeting report to Garou so he could tell it to their Boss. But since they were already in their own world and looked so happy, they just backed off silently and keeping the secret for the sake of the Boss. Or trying to cleanse their minds because it was "too much information to see".

Despite their status, with Badd as the infamous Yakuza Boss and Garou as his monster bodyguard, the family wont mind about their love life. As long as Garou keeps their Boss happy, why not? They both deserved everything best in their life..

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---- THE END ----

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Notes:

I'm so sorry for spawning another dumb AU headcanon again! And for working on completely impromptu writings instead continuing current WIP aaaah I can't focused enough my mind was going everywhere-- 😫😅🙏💦

Originally I was currently working for webcomic headcanon feat. short haired Fedex man (or mover?) Garou and tired Neo Heroes Badd, but something happened irl made me stressed out for whole 2 days nonstop. My mind was like a bottomless pit full of darker thoughts, I tried to think something anything so I wont be too focused on those thoughts. Hufff..

Then suddenly, this headcanon was born! Idk why I got this idea but I saw a Batarou fanart when scrolling through my phone gallery, it has nothing to do with Yakuza things but it sparked the whole idea! It was just Garou and Badd wearing matching Boyfriend Jackets™ with delinquent-esque tattoos motifs on the fabrics, with Badd resting on Garou's thigh while they're holding hands, both blushing brightly. I wish I could show you all but I forgot the source, since it was older fanworks from a Batarou Japanese artist on twitter 😢

I even trying to search what's popular tattoos motifs for yakuza members, and which one that matched their position/personality/depiction. It was kinda fun, imho.

Did you notice that tattoos placement for Badd and Zenko are mirrorring eachother? And that the tattoos motifs on their arms = their images (Dragon and Cherry-blossom, respectively), on their back = their way of life (Phoenix and Samurai, respectively)? Or Garou's tattoos, Demon on the front = his mask/job, while Wolf on the back = his true nature as both predator and protector? While Tareo's tattoos, Koi on the right arm = his soft and loving nature, Lotus on the left arm = his life journey to reach his full potential?

Also because I like the image of Zenko handling a sword like a badass, I was researching which sword martial art that suits her, both to self-defense and also to combat in emergency times. After looking through the types of sword martial art, I choose battōjutsu since it looks awesome yet still so elegant! Kinda punny when Badd choosing to use bat (literal bat) for fighting, whereas Zenko using battō (swordmanship) for fighting. Both words has similar pronounciation in Japanese, lmao! 😆

I hoped you enjoyed this AU, despite I know this wasn't impressionable enough as usual I'm so sorry. This idea was only done for 1 hour, another 1 hour to edit so it would coherent enough, so the quality was not quite good enough.. 😔 And after re-reading for several times, I just realized that I reused many elements/dynamic from my WereVamp AU welp, there goes me not being a creative person, already proven several times hhhh 😓

If there's anyone who wants to say something about this AU, please let me know. I'm always happy to receive some feedback even for the smallest, it's okay 👀💦👉👈 Also if anyone interested to use this Batarou AU, I will gladly rolling out the red carpet for you~ 👍❤❤

Thank you always for: @hiro-gari, @the-goddessfighter, @kaincuro, @garous-nipple, @jusqu-une-etudiante, @guby1620, @lovelybutnot-ablankcanvas, and @personne-tmblr, also all of Batarou shippers in the fandom! Thank you for always putting up with me on my lowly stupid af writings, I LOVE YOU guys! 😚❤💜💙💖💝💐

Wished me luck I can bounce back from the depression soon (I haven't getting any sleep for a whole day by the time I wrote this sentence ehehehe), and I hope you have great days, guys. Thank you all.. 🙏🙇💕💞💖🌼🌻

-Little1993lamb-

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~Lilia:

dw I gotchu😉 it’s opm_small_dduck on Twitter, their art is amazing ✨ I knew exactly which one u meant, definitely sets the tone for this hc!!

YAAAS tho I LOVE this AU! Especially them growing up together and having a reliable partner while being raised to fill their unique roles AWWW. They’ve had each other’s backs since the beginning and nobody better mess with them! Big Boss Badd 😤 it suits him so well 👏

The scene at the end tho 🥺 agh, I can imagine how shitty Garou would feel if something happened to Badd under his watch 😖 even if there was nothing he could have done to prevent it, he’d still be all emotional about it... Just might make out with the Yakuza Boss in front of his family without a second thought.., 🤷🏻‍♀️💗

And yes omg I’m love the tats!! The symbolism 👌 you nailed it!! Sword wielding Yakuza Zenko though 🙇‍♀️ Queen. Yes.

Thank you so much for this anon!! Hope you are getting some sleep 😩💖 LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU😚

[current-mcr-news]

Behind the Scenes: The Umbrella Academy - Episode 1

BRANDON JENKINS: In 1953, a 25 year old director named Phil Tucker had $16,000 and just four days to make his first sci-fi film. The plot? A creature comes to Earth with a death ray and wipes out all of humanity, except for eight people who are immune to the creature’s weapons. He called the film Robot Monster.

Movie clip: With the swiftness of a deadly cosmic ray, the Earth is inundated by indestructible moon monsters. Their ghastly mission? Death for all humans.

B: The film was so low budget, Tucker couldn’t even afford to get alien costumes, so he had the monster in a gorilla suit with a TV for a head.

Movie clip: What astounding technical developments are being made to protect mankind?

B: The release was a disaster. It was widely panned. Its lasting legacy would’ve been that it was one of the worst movies of all time. But in the early 2000s, a kid from New Jersey with a knack for drawing comics saw a picture of the Robot Monster and it stuck with him.

Gerard Way: I’ve never even actually seen the film, but I saw pictures of this creature over the years, and they’ve got a TV set, kind of circular space looking head, and they have a gorilla body, and I was like, “I want a superhero that’s kind of inspired by this.”

B: The kid’s name was Gerard. He’d been writing comics since he was 15 and was on his way to making it as a professional comic book artist.

WAY: I went to art school and I was an illustration and cartooning major, so comics were kind of like my major, and I was like this perpetual intern. I interned at DC, I pitched a cartoon to Cartoon Network, and then I landed a job as a toy designer at this place called FunHaus in Hoboken. But that’s like right when the band took off.

B: That band, Gerard’s side hustle, would become massive alt-punk sensation, My Chemical Romance. Seemingly overnight, My Chemical Romance and Gerard were making some of the most popular music in the world, getting spins on terrestrial radio, dominating music video countdowns, they were even nominated for a Grammy. But while he traveled across the globe leading a rockstar life, Gerard kept up with his first love - drawing.

WAY: So I really missed comics and we were in Japan and we did a signing at a shop, and one of the fans gave me a little marker set and it was Copic markers. They were like the greatest markers that I’d ever used before, and so I started to create Luther.

B: Luther, a superhero with a gorilla body and space helmet who lives on the moon was the very first character Gerard drew in what would become his hit comic The Umbrella Academy. I’m Branden Jenkins and this is Behind the Scenes: The Umbrella Academy. This season, we’re going backstage and inside the making of season 2. The first season of the show, based on Gerard’s comic of the same name, launched in February of last year and quickly became one of the most beloved series on Netflix. Now it’s back for its second season with bigger effects, bigger characters, and bigger drama. We’re going to catch you up on everything that’s gone down in The Umbrella Academy universe so far, and we’ll spend the next five episodes breaking down how the team shot the multi-million dollar superhero production across two countries, and how in the midst of a global pandemic, they managed to finish it from inside their own homes. But first, we wanted to take a look back and dig into the roots of The Umbrella Academy. So today, I’m catching up with the creators of the comic and the guy tasked with making the TV series. We talk about how the graphic novel was adapted for your screens.

B: Alright, so if you haven’t watched season 1, go back and watch season 1 on Netflix. For those of you who just need a quick recap: At 12pm on October 1, 1989, a supernatural event occurred. Forty-three babies across the planet were born to mothers who were not pregnant just seconds before. The world was confused, intrigued, and one eccentric billionaire wanted to find the babies and adopt them. He ended up with seven. Each baby had a superpower, and what do you do when you’re a billionaire with a group of kids with superpowers? You train them to become a crime fighting family.

Reginald: I give you the inaugural class of The Umbrella Academy!

B: When Gerard Way started creating the members of the Academy, he started with the most fundamental material. 

WAY: I created a list of all the things that interested me. It could be anything from ouija board, fortune teller, spaceman, gorilla body, just a list of stuff.

B: Then he drew from that list and started creating these characters. All in all, he would draw seven. The first, Luther, the half-man half-gorilla, was the team’s defective leader. He was also the child closest with their father. 

Luther: Just at Dad’s favorite spot. Allison: Dad had a favorite spot? Luther: Yeah, you know, under the oak tree. We used to sit out there all the time, none of you ever did that?

B: Next, he created Klaus and Allison, the boy who talks to the dead and the girl who can make people bend to her will with just a few words.

WAY: Klaus, he has some pretty serious addiction and addiction is something that I dealt with in my life. He’s also a little bit spooky and supernatural, and my personality in My Chemical Romance was very similar to that.

Klaus: I can’t just call Dad in the afterlife and be like, “Dad, could you just stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?” Luther: Since when? That’s your thing. Klaus: I’m not in the right frame of mind! Allison: You’re high? Klaus: Yeah yeah! I mean, how are you not listening to this nonsense?

WAY: He was kind of my version of Doctor Strange. I find Allison to be the one that is easiest to write and I put the most of myself into Allison.

B: Her superpower is that she can make you do pretty much anything she tells you with a few magic words.

Allison: I heard a rumor you want to be my friend. I heard a rumor that you like Bradley. I heard a rumor that you left me alone. I heard a rumor that you stop crying.

WAY: There’s a bit of a tragic nature that comes with her power.

B: Allison, out of all of her super powered siblings, is the only one grasping for a normal life - career, husband, children. In a way, she’s the most human. The fourth character Gerard created is Diego, a guy with an uncanny ability to throw knives. He’s also stubborn as hell.

WAY: I knew early on he was gonna be the one that was gonna be really difficult with the leader. I figured that.

Diego: You know, you of all people should be on my side here, Number One. Luther: I am warning you. Diego: After everything he did to you, he had to ship you a million miles away. Luther: Diego, stop talking! Diego: That’s how much he couldn’t stand the sight of you!

B: The fifth character, a kid who can travel through time and space, who simply goes by Five. Despite the other character growing up into adults, he has remained a teenager, sort of.

WAY: He was a time traveler who then got stuck in his young body when he traveled back in time because time travel is complicated. 

Klaus: Where are you going? Five: To get a decent cup of coffee. Allison: Do you even know how to drive? Five: I know how to do everything.

WAY: So then came The Horror.

B: The Horror, aka Ben, aka the dead sibling who only Klaus can see.

WAY: I imagined this character that had all these monsters living under his skin that came from another dimension. And he was very tortured to me. It actually kind of hurts him and it’s scary to him.

Ben: Do I really have to do this? Klaus: Come on, Ben. There’s more guys in the vault. Ben: I didn’t sign up for this.

B: And then finally, Number Seven, Vanya, who seemingly has no powers besides playing the violin.

WAY: I was at this cafe in Manhattan when I was living in Brooklyn, and it was called The Sidewalk Cafe I believe, and on the wall they had a white violin just as decoration. And I remember looking at that and thinking to myself, “That would be a cool superhero.” And Vanya was always kind of designed to be a character who wasn’t special, that was going to transform into that.

Vanya: Look, if I was special I would’ve been in The Umbrella Academy. I’m so sorry you got stuck with the ordinary one.

B: These seven adopted siblings forced together by supernatural events formed The Umbrella Academy. Both the original comic and season 1 of the show start at the funeral for the Academy’s patriarch, the eccentric Sir Reginald Hargreeves. We learn that while the siblings ventured away from home as teenagers, after years of fighting and a toxic upbringing, they’ve returned home, back together for the first time in years, and all their dysfunctions and old conflicts come bubbling to the surface.

Diego: He was a bad person and a worse father. The world’s better off without him. Allison: Diego! Diego: My name is Number Two.

B: When he started writing the comic, Gerard was focused on his own strained relationships. He saw his band as his own dysfunctional family at the time.

WAY: When you’re a baby band, you’re in this van and it’s like a submarine but it’s smaller. It’s like a closet that you're all living in and sometimes you’re going on seventeen hour drives, and you have very strong personalities. This dynamic starts to develop between all of the members and you really do kind of become a dysfunctional family. Like, there’s times where I felt like I was the mom.

GABRIEL BA: They know each other’s weaknesses.

B: Turns out, family dynamics was a theme with everyone who joined the Umbrella team, including the illustrator and Umbrella’s co-creator, a Brazilian artist named Gabriel Ba.

BA: And sometimes they say it to hurt the other intentionally and they do that a lot in Umbrella because they’re all angry at each other all the time. And even though I have a great relationship with my brother, I have that. We have a younger sister as well, so she’s very opinionated and she’s strong. I wouldn’t say we fight a lot, but sometimes we- I just know how to hurt her if I want to say something.

B: Family is present in Gabriel’s life more than for most people. He works every day with his twin brother, fellow comic book artist, Fabio Moon. But his work made him an unconventional choice for Umbrella.

BA: In the mid 90s, we moved away from superheroes. We, my brother and I, we figured the type of story that we liked to tell and wanted to tell was more real life, day by day life relationship, this kind of stuff. 

B: Gabriel grew up in Brazil and now lives in Sao Paulo. His brother had been making experimental comics for well over a decade.

BA: But The Umbrella Academy was a superhero book with this day by day life relationship drama, and that was really interesting for me.

B: What excited Gerard about Gabriel was his style. His characters weren’t macho. They didn’t have big ripped muscles. They’re the kind of comics you could imagine being drawn in the margins of a notebook. There's nothing stereotypically super about them.

BA: It was not a straightforward American superhero artstyle. It was a mix of European and more fluid, but also could handle action and crazy stuff. And also, I can’t deny The Umbrella Academy was my first paid job in the U.S.

B: Wow.

BA: For the first ten years of our career, my brother and I were making comics for free. Just for ourselves, just getting [?], if there were any. So when I got the invitation to get involved with The Umbrella Academy it was this whole package of factors.

WAY: Gabriel climbing on board was a huge thing for us because he’s such a fantastic artist. He brought these characters to life. The interesting thing about Gabriel,  he didn’t have to make Umbrella Academy. He was doing really well on his own and making really experimental artistic comics, but he liked the idea so much that he said, “I’m gonna do superheroes.”

BA: The superhero aspect of The Umbrella Academy is really just a layer in the story. I like the development of these characters, their struggles, their relationships, there’s romance, there’s deception.

Vanya: You are unbelievable, you’re trying to dig up dirt on a guy I like? Who does that? Allison: Look, I’ve had my fair share of stalkers and creeps, I don’t trust him! Vanya: You mean you don’t trust me.

BA: And it had the fun explosions and action scenes. So that’s the good mix.

B: The first book of the comic is called Apocalypse Suite. After their father’s death, The Umbrella Academy gets a warning from their time traveling brother that the world is going to end in 10 days. They don’t know how, they just know that it will. And now, back together for the first time, they’ve got to figure out how to save the planet and learn how to look past their differences. Which sounds dope, right? But when it first published back in 2007, it wasn’t immediately clear that people would dig it.

WAY: So one of the things I was dealing with when Umbrella Academy came out was a lot of people in the press before the comic came out saying things like, “Here’s a musician and he’s writing a comic.” They didn’t really know my background, they didn’t know that I’d written at 15, they didn’t know I went to art school. All they knew was that I was the singer in this rock band that a lot of teenagers liked. So, all I really wanted was a fair shake. I didn’t write The Umbrella Academy to become a TV show or a film. I wrote it to be an amazing comic. But we knew that first issue, and we knew it was good, and we knew that if you didn't get it by the first seven pages you just weren’t gonna like it, and I was totally fine with that. But then it came out and then the response started to happen and then reviewers loved it and people loved it.

B: The comic went on to win an Eisner award, which is like the Oscar of comics, and pretty quickly, Gerard gets an offer to turn the comic into a full length movie.

WAY: I got swept up in the Hollywood thing.

B: But it doesn’t pan out.

WAY: That’s actually one of the reasons why there was such a big gap between comics, is because I was really, you know, I was trying- at the end of the day, I was trying to be helpful. If this was gonna be a movie version of what Gabriel and I had made, I wanted it to be great so I put in a lot of time and it kept me away from the comics.

B: But then Netflix hits you up and is interested in making this into a series.

WAY: Right.

B: I guess I'm curious, as someone who just initially wanted to make just a really good comic, what about turning that project into a television show was interesting?

WAY: Straight up, I want to make a great comic and that’s all I’m really interested in. If I can write great comics, you’ll have great material to make TV shows. So let me focus on that.

B: In other words, Gerard wanted to focus on the comics and let someone else adapt it.

WAY: And that’s when Steve came in and he changed things and he ran with it. 

STEVE BLACKMAN: I’m Steve Blackman, I’m the showrunner and I’m executive producer.

B: Steve is a master at adapting books, comics, and film into television. Before The Umbrella Academy, he’d worked on shows like Fargo, Legion, and Altered Carbon, all of which originated from other sources. So he knew coming in that adaptation can be tricky work.

BLACKMAN: At first, I think Gerard and Gabriel, who co-did this with him, were very protective of the work like parents of their baby. And I think I had to prove to them initially that I would love and protect this child that they had worked on for so many years, so here I am, an outsider coming in and they were very nice to me, but I could see there was like, “Is this guy gonna totally screw up our baby here?”

B: Is it something that you can come to the table with Gerard and be like, “Hey, here’s my arsenal of adaptations, this is why it will work.”

BLACKMAN: Yeah, I worked on the show Fargo for three years. Fargo was obviously based on the Joel and Ethan Coen movie from 1996. I don’t think Gerard had ever seen my shows, I don’t think he watches a lot of television, so for him, it didn’t matter what I’d done before. It’s just what I was gonna do in the here and now on this show. I wasn’t intimidated by the challenge but I really did sort of have a sense of I know which direction I’m going.

B: What was your first initial reaction? Were you sort of like, “Oh, maybe I’ve never done anything like this, or this does feel familiar to other work  that I’ve done.” Or, “I can do this, this is right up my alley.”

BLACKMAN: Well, what I liked about it from the beginning was what I saw in the subject matter and I saw a dysfunctional family. But right away, I was very inspired by Wes Anderson’s work. The Royal Tenenbaums is one of those movies that really was always something I truly loved. So, I saw that in this show.

Five: An entire square block, 42 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, but not a single drop of coffee. Vanya: Dad hated caffeine.  Klaus: Well he hated children too and he had plenty of us.

BLACKMAN: It was a family show, it was a very relatable dysfunctional family show that I wanted to tell.

WAY: Steve’s a great collaborator. Steve Blackman, the showrunner, he had a vision. I respected him and his vision. I realized it was gonna be different from the comic, and I let him run with it because he cared deeply about it.

BLACKMAN: My first conversation with Gerard over the phone, I said to him, I told him one of the words was subversive, we wanted to subvert the expectation of what a superhero show could be because there were many other shows, either on the air or coming down the pipe to be next, and we wanted this to stand out. And that was sort of the first hurdle with me, was to say to Gerard that I could do that and I could definitely make this thing feel special. And right away he said, “Okay, yeah. You get it.”

B: You’ve adapted something like Fargo which is a unique adaptation, right? You’re adapting from a different medium, like a feature film. Does that change the way you understand adaptation?

BLACKMAN: At a story point of view, no, I don’t think they’re that different. I think adapting a story, whether it's a graphic novel or the source material comes from a movie, a book, there’s a lot of care into doing it that the tricky thing is, I need to put my creative spin on it. I had Gerard and Gabriel, who lived with this for ten years, and then I have to come in and say, “Look, I’m going to honor you. At the same time, what is the Steve Blackman part of the show? How can I add my spin to it?”

B: For fans of the comic who’ve seen season 1 of the show, you’ll recognize some of that Steve Blackman spin. For example, the group who governs the laws of time in the comics, the Temps Aeternalis, in the TV show they become the Commission, an entire bureaucratic system running and adjusting linear time. Steve made some other changes too. 

WAY: One of the things that I thought was an ingenious idea was making Ben a ghost that Klaus could communicate with. I was most impressed by that change.

Ben: You know what the worst part of being dead is? You’re stuck. Nowhere to go, nowhere to change, that’s the real torture if you gotta know. Watching your brother take for granted everything you lost, and pissing it all away.

B: Perhaps the biggest change from the comic to the show is the diversity of the characters. Diverse in race, diverse in region, diverse in sexual orientation, these characters on screen look a lot more like what the world actually looks like.

WAY: It’s built into it. They’re all from different places, they’re all from different countries, so I think that’s really the biggest improvement on the source material, is how diverse it is.

B: Steve felt the pressure of both fan expectations, and Gerard and Gabriel’s trust in him.

BLACKMAN: There’s nothing worse than having pre-existing source material and having the fans dislike it. You want to make the fans feel honored and respected, at the same time I felt it was incredibly important that Gerard and Gabriel walked out of this thinking, “He did a good job.” If they hated it, I would’ve been crushed. If the fans hated it, I think I’d also be crushed. I knew I couldn’t make everybody happy, but I wasn’t doing a page for page translation. My adaptation wasn’t gonna be that.

B: The adaption worked. Season 1 was a massive success. In the finale of the first season, the Academy thinks they’ve managed to stop the end of the world from happening, but unintentionally, they’ve actually just initiated it. The moon has been destroyed and its remnants are now heading directly for Earth.

Five: We might as well accept our fate because in less than a minute we’re gonna be vaporized.  Diego: What’s your idea then? Five: We use my ability to time travel, but this time I’ll take you with me. Luther: You can do that?

B: The family, latching onto their time traveling brother Five, manage to escape the chaos. But we’re left to wonder where and when they’ll turn up, and that’s where season 2 begins.

Five: We brought the end of the world back here with us. Klaus: Oh my god, again?

BLACKMAN: It’s a pretty crazy journey this year and I think people will be hooked. I hope they binge the hell out of it and love every second of it.

B: Coming up in this season of Behind the Scenes, we’ll be taking you on that crazy journey with the people who make it happen.

“We hired meteorologists, we knew that snow was gonna come, but we had planned it. We went away for a day, we came back, and there was four feet of snow on the ground.”

“It’s 60s Dallas. Okay, so that’s a very different story for Allison. We have to talk about this somehow. Her experience is just different from her siblings.”

EMMY LAMPMAN: And a lot of people would come up to me and apologize for doing their job and I was like, “Please stop apologizing.”

“That was a wishlist fight scene that Steve had always wanted to do.”

“So we actually had our guys throwing plates up in the air and taking photos of them to try to get these UFO imageries.”

“You know, we have a new point in our resume: Can produce and deliver a show during a pandemic.”

B: Behind the Scenes of The Umbrella Academy is a Netflix and Pineapple Street Studios Production. I’m your host, Brandon Jenkins. Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast. It really does help other people find it. Thank you all for listening. 

[thedeviltohisangel]

Whiskey In A Teacup/1

When Santi first got out of the military, he hadn’t known what to think of his options. There was always the option of giving up and going back in. The option to join a shadowy private military company. Go into private security. Go on the recruiting circuit. Maybe even become a cop. But none of them seemed like the best path. They all seemed like giving up. He had been trained by his country to be an elite, lethal machine. Being anything but the best felt like a cop out. So when an old friend of his reached out with an offer from the Secret Service, he accepted it on the spot.

masterlist is my url/writing or on ao3

send me any one shot requests for these two

When Santi first got out of the military, he hadn’t known what to think of his options. There was always the option of giving up and going back in. The option to join a shadowy private military company. Go into private security. Go on the recruiting circuit. Maybe even become a cop. But none of them seemed like the best path. They all seemed like giving up. He had been trained by his country to be an elite, lethal machine. Being anything but the best felt like a cop out. So when an old friend of his reached out with an offer from the Secret Service, he accepted it on the spot.

----

The election had recently ended with a brand new administration being ushered into the White House. Pope thought he looked cookie cutter. Like he was aging perfectly, his wife wasn’t aging at all and his family had all done Cotillion. He was in an empty conference room flipping through the personnel files that had been left for him before he waited for his friend to pick him up for whatever orientation he had to go through. 

“Santi! Glad you were able to make it in.” He stood and shook his friend’s hand, happy to have someone to talk to.

“Yeah and was cleared to read the briefing materials,” he answered as he dropped the folder back down onto the table. 

“Good. So the basics are out of the way. Now, I vouched for you hard with leadership and they want you on the detail. Close circle, last line of defense type of shit.

“Perfect. Exactly the stakes you know I’m cut out for.” 

“I know that. But the future First Lady doesn’t.” Santi furrowed his brow.

“Why does that matter?” His friend cleared his throat.

“She has requested she look every agent in the inner circle in the eye before they are officially assigned. Protective wife and mama bear.” 

“You’re not saying the debutante daughters are included in my assignment are you?” Santiago hoped he wasn’t. They looked like stuck up brats and he would rather join Will on the speech circuit than put up with attitudes like that.

“I’m saying the other agents have been tripping over themselves to try and get conversations with the older one.” His friend pointed at her picture on the table.

“That’s disgusting,” Pope whined. “How do I get her approval? I got to wait a week for an appointment?”

“Her and the daughters are at a photoshoot right now for the cover of Vogue. Said she would talk to you there.”

“Great.” It would be one of his more unconventional interviews but Santi was eager. Chomping at the bit to get back in the game. Feel useful again. Devote his life to something other than thinking about the past. 

----

The people allowed on the set were few. His friend introduced him to a few other agents and pointed to where the incoming First Lady was smiling for the camera.

“Let’s find somewhere we can wait for her to be done.” Santi kept his head down, smiling politely and shaking hands where appropriate, as they made their way towards the rooms in the back of the studio. There were two agents standing outside a door, nodding once as they let Santi and his friend into the room.

“Marnie, can you help me zip?” The female voice was coming from behind the dressing screen in the corner. Both men looked at each other, not sure what the appropriate thing to say was.

“Sorry, ma’am, we can go-”

“No that’s fine. I think I can do it myself.” Pope stayed silent as the woman, he thinks it was Penelope, stepped out in a beautiful blush pink dress that hugged her like it was made for her. He hates that his mouth ran dry and his tongue felt thick. But he pushed it aside as quickly as it came. “You’re new. And not in a suit. A friend of yours, Sam?”

“Yes ma’am. This is Santiago Garcia. Old Army buddy. He is here for a job interview.” 

“A pleasure to meet you ma’am.” Santiago extended his hand and Penelope shook it even though her eyes were rolling.

“So stupid she makes all of you talk to her first. But I guess that’s why I am not in charge,” Penelope shrugged. “I’m sure it will go well and I’ll see you around, Santiago.”

“Santi,” he blurted out before he could stop himself. “Just...Santi.”

“Santi,” she whispered like she was just testing it out. “The pleasure was all mine.” She smiled as she spun, the skirt flying around her like a Disney movie, and then she was out the door and gone.

“Isn’t she something?” Sam mused as he still stared at the door she had just disappeared through.

“Beautiful. And probably a troublemaker,” Pope replied. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” his friend teased with a slap on his back. The sad thing was, he thinks he did.

----

Penelope hated that no such privacy existed in her life anymore. It hadn’t for awhile but it had only gotten worse in the past month since her father won the election. Even now, lying in bed flipping through fashion magazines, there were people bustling in and out to pack her stuff for the move. People asking which fabric and color she thought looked best for her inauguration dress. If she liked this or that singer for the National Anthem and if she thought her peers would find this or that choice relatable. She answered with a smile and took it all in stride but couldn’t wait to shut the door and go to bed. But even there she dreamt of flags and men in suits and waving until her arm felt like it was going to fall off. There was no such thing as privacy and there was no such thing as peace. Penelope felt she was no longer her own person but everyone’s. They told her that’s what being in the first family meant. But she didn’t like it and she didn’t want it. 

“Ma’am?” It sounded like her new assistant on the other side of the door.

“Yes?” Penny had just started winding down for the night. Her face was soft from copious amounts of moisturizer. Her hair was fluffy after she took her time drying it. Her silk nightgown was kissing her legs with every step. She was tired. She wanted to curl up in a ball under a pile of blankets and dream of simpler times.

“Your new agent is here. I just wanted to introduce you before he started his first shift.” Penelope sighed and moved back towards her closet to find a knit robe that would help protect at least some of her humility.

“You can come in.” She recognized him instantly as the handsome man from the Vogue set. He looked even better now. Well groomed and in a suit that must have been tailored by an old school professional.

“Ma’am this is-”

“Santiago,” Penelope said before the introduction could be finished. “I’m glad to see the interview went well.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“We’re practically the same age. Any other title other than ma’am would work better.” He made her blush just by looking at her. It was tragic and sad. That she had to meet him like this. That he had to be someone that worked for her father. That he had to be stoic and professional all the time. That they hadn’t just met in a bar on a Saturday night or bumped into each other at a mutual friend’s backyard picnic. 

“Of course. I’ll think on it and get back to you,” he offered with a smile.

“Agent Garcia is on interior duty tonight but I am sure you’ll get used to his presence quickly, ma’am.” She didn’t bother correcting her assistant. She didn’t care what she called her.

“I look forward to it.”

----

“Alright let’s go over Polar’s schedule for the day.” It had been a couple of days since Santi had started and so far he was enjoying it. His fellow agents were nice enough and had a similar sense of humor to him. Many of them had even served and it was nice to swap stories with people other than the men in his unit. He was posted close to the action and was never really bored. Penelope was his principle. Her safety was his only priority most days and he was by her side at morning show appearances, fancy dinners with campaign donors and visits to DC elementary schools. Things were moving faster and tighter the closer they got to the inauguration. 

They hadn’t spoken much since his first night. Just nods and smiles as they made elusive eye contact throughout the day. She was beautiful. That was the simplest way for Santi to describe her. The most professional way. It was wrong but he wanted to know more about her. Learn what made her life. Made her cry. What she liked to eat and what she would order at McDonalds. Santi was someone full of life and warmth and love for those around him. Sometimes it was hard to be so cold. He hadn’t had to be so since he retired from the military. It was dredging up old feelings from the past. But he was more concerned how he felt more comfortable than he had before. How being alert and hearing radio static and a gun at his hip made him feel more at ease than the creature comforts of home ever could.

“We’ve got a pilates class, Skype call with a dress designer and then a private dinner.”

“Private dinner?” Santi hadn’t heard that on the schedule before and it made his ears perk up.

“She’s been seeing this guy-”

“Kind of a douche,” one of the other agents chimed in.

“-and it's very underwraps, very lowkey.”

“We normally draw straws or play rock, paper, scissors to see who has to take it.” Santi furrowed his brow as all the comments flooded his system.

“What’s so awful about a dinner date?” he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“It’s the company she keeps,” one chimed in.

“He’s dull and chews weird.”

“Hurts to listen to and hurts to watch.” They all groaned in unison.

“I’ll take it then. The watching and listening part.” He was a low man on the totem pole anyways but he was also curious. He wanted to see this train wreck with his own two eyes. He took the file when it was offered, leaving the room when they were dismissed.

“Curiosity killed the cat, you know,” Sam muttered as he fell into step next to him.

“I know. This will satiate me,” Santi replied.

----

He stood dutifully by the car, waiting to open the door for Penelope whenever she was ready to go. The twisted part of him was excited to see how this night played out. Maybe it would at least be worth the good story. How the beautiful first daughter dated a slob and he was paid to be a third wheel.

“Santiago? I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.” Her fingers tightened around her clutch as she squared her shoulders to face him. 

“Yes…” he froze when he remembered he had agreed to not refer to her as ma’am.

“Still thinking of something else to call me?” she asked with a smirk. Penelope didn’t wait for him to respond and instead slipped under his arm and into the backseat of her car. 

The drive was dead silent. Santi felt awkward but knew this was a part of the job he would have to get used to. She wasn’t his friend. Wasn’t a girl he had picked up at a bar. She was his top priority in the least romantic way possible. He would take a bullet for her. When they arrived at the restaurant he moved swiftly to open her door and escort her into the dining room. They moved towards the back where a man was sitting alone. He looked like a college lacrosse player to Santi. In the most stereotypical of ways. His hands itched to pull Penelope’s seat out for her when her date didn’t, his eyes going to the menu instead of complementing the black dress she was wearing. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe this was going to be torture.

[gruviafan-forever]

DAY VII:- EUPHORIA

A/N: Finally Gruvia week comes to an end. This was my very first participation in this awesome week. I have been a fan of this favourite ship for ten years. And in these years, my favourite couple have come a long way. Hope to see them get together officially.

Hope everyone liked my works for this gruvia week. Hope this awesome event continues every year. Thank you everyone..enjoy.

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

When asked about the best moment in their life, for an individual person it might be the moment they have achieved some goal or an important thing they have longed for.

But if you ask a parent, they will say anything done by their children is their euphoric moment.

Mika Ul Fullbuster, 9, youngest child of Gray and Juvia was a very special child. Of course, every child is special for parents but what made her even more special is that; she was born prematurely around two months before the due date which greatly affected her development and immune system.

On top of that, the little girl developed magic sickness, a condition where a high amount of magic power was in her system much similar to Ultear's childhood condition which Ur had mentioned as Gray remembered.

But Porlyusica and Wendy made sure to treat and completely heal their little girl with the magic portion due to advancement in magic and medical facilities.

Due to this sickness, Mika had always been a slow and dull child. She would easily be exhausted as compared to children of her age.

There was not even a day where Gray and Juvia never stopped worrying about their daughter's condition but made sure to be optimistic in front of her so that the little girl doesn't lose hope and keep fighting.

It was just a year back Wendy had informed them after Mika's monthly check-up that by age of ten, she would be alright as there was improvement over the years and also her magic level was stabilizing.

Even though Mika was slow and dull most of the time, she never forgot to smile and be friendly with her friends and uncles and aunts at the guild.

She was very fond of her elder brother, Ur Silver Fullbuster, 15, who also felt the same for his sister. He took it upon his shoulder to protect his little sister in their parents' absence.

When it was time to start education for Mika, by that time, Magnolia had its own magic school where it taught the children of mages and others skills and combat style related to the type of magic they specialized in.

It was due to Queen Hisui's ordinance to teach the younger generation the art and glory of magic, she had set up this magic academy at every major town and offered a three years course on the same.

Most of the children of Fairy Tail studied and graduated from this academy. So when it was time to enrol their little girl, both Gray and Juvia were reluctant in sending her adhering to her health condition.

But once Master Makarov, Porlyusica, Wendy and their friends convinced them that it would be a new atmosphere for the little girl and would aid in her recovery, the parents finally agreed.

Their friends made sure to teach their kids to be helpful and protective of their friend if any other kids teases or harasses Mika.

As truth to the words, once she started school things with her began to have a positive change as she didn't show much exhaustion and tiredness as compared before, all thanks to schools and medical aids.

Her friends, Igneel Dragneel, 10, youngest of Natsu and Lucy, Eva Redfox, 10, youngest of Gajeel and Levy, Rob Fernandez, 10, middle child of Erza and Jellal and finally, Wenma Conbolt, 9, eldest of Wendy and Romeo were her friends.

Even though Mika was actually good in academics, she didn't flare much in practical and sports class which disheartened her very much.

Gray and Juvia will always encourage her every time when she loses her hope just like now.

The Fullbusters were currently having dinner while Juvia served them happily and made sure they had taken much to fill their tummy.

As Ur told his father about his recent mission which he had taken with his friends enthusiastically which made the Gray feel proud of his son as he was the main reason his team could complete the assigned mission.

As soon as Ur finished telling Gray his tales, Mika butted in, "Papa, do you know in two days time, our school is going to conduct 'Sports Day'. So I'm thinking of taking part in it."

Mika said gleefully but the parents began to frown, "Oh that's great dear, so what all events are to you taking part in? Can we also come?" 

Juvia butted in before Gray could say something which the little girl wasn't expecting her father to tell.

Gray looked at his wife but she smiled and handled the situation. Mika happily told her parents the list of events she wanted to take part.

"Okay dear, so from tomorrow let's practice and make you fully prepared for the event." Gray encouraged her and showed his fist which his daughter bumped in agreement. Even Juvia and Ur did the same.

Later at night, when Gray asked Juvia, "Why didn't you stop her from taking part? I know she's excited but I don't want to see her to be depressed like last time and fall sick." He said and looked sad at the memories of last year. 

It took nearly a week to convince the little girl which greatly hurt the parents to see their child being upset and fell sick which took another week to fully heal. For them, if their kids are happy and healthy that meant everything to them.

But for Mika, winning a prize seemed way more important and didn't give a care about her health condition.

"I know Gray-sama but she's excited and this time she believes she will win at least one event and make us feel proud. That's what she told me now." Juvia told her husband and placed her hands to his cheeks.

"Juvia, the way she's now itself makes me feel proud about her. She doesn't need to prove anything else. I don't want my baby to fall sick even more. You know right, we still have a year until her condition stabilizes, so why to add unwanted  pressure and stress and make all the treatment futile." Gray gave his reasons as he still can't forget those moments where he saw his little girl suffer.

"Even I can't forget those memories. I also want Mika-chan to get well soon. That's what, I have been waiting for these many years, Gray-sama. But we can't discourage her and break her hopes right. Let's make sure she doesn't stress out much." Juvia tried to convince her husband which she succeeded finally.

Then for the next two days, the Fullbuster men trained Mika in such a way that she didn't exhaust her completely.

But her water magic was still of low power, even though her sickness was pertaining to high levels of magic in the system but she couldn't yield much out and that's what made her sickness difficult.

"Papa, why come my magic's not powerful? See it couldn't even break that log of wood." Mika began to cry. She looks clearly defeated and lost hopes in winning this particular event.

Gray knelt down to her height and patted her head, "Dear, it will take time as you are drinking these magic portions to control your instability of power. See next year, once your problem gets sorted out you will become so stronger than us. So dear, tomorrow just try your best and know one thing we are proud of you no matter what because you are our Mika."

He hugged her and held her in his arms like a baby even if she was a bit old for that.

The next day, Mika's friends had come to fetch their friend so that everyone could go together.

"Good morning kids" Juvia greeted them happily.

"Good morning, Aunty. Is Mika-chan ready?" They asked in unison.

"She just finished eating her breakfast. Come inside while she gets ready." Juvia invited the kids to the living room and went to the kitchen to prepare some sandwiches for her son who would be up in half an hour.

Mika came down and went out of the house along with her friends after shouting bye to her mother which Juvia said back.

But after sometime, that's when she realized that her baby didn't drink her portion.

Soon she went to wake her Gray-sama's and urged him to get ready so that they could go for the sports day together just a few minutes before so that Mika could drink up her healing potion.

"What? Juvia, how can you be careless? Just wait, let me get ready. We will leave soon so get the things ready. Is Ur coming with us?" Gray asked as he kept yawning.

Juvia informed that Ur was going with his friends and left the room so that her husband could get ready.

Once they reached the academy and went to the playground where the event was going to take place. As they searched for a place to sit, they spotted their friends calling them out and showed them the empty spaces.

"Gray, Juvia, what made you guys run late? Event has already begun. Luckily, you guys just missed the torch lighting ceremony." Lucy exclaimed.

"Yeah!! You should have seen my boy. He looked so manly, my Iggy." Natsu exclaimed proudly.

"Oh shut up! My boy was the one to pass that torch to your son Natsu. Even my Rob looked so gallant." Erza reasoned out but Jellal stopped her and adjusted his 5 year old daughter, Rose, on his laps also.

Juvia worried and hoped to find a small gap so that she could give her daughter the potion before the events.

Soon the main events began to take place, as said in the inaugural speech by the principal.

Firstly, it was a 200m race for boys. Then Gray spotted his daughter near the stage who looked serious but he smiled as she looked quite adorable thinking about something.

Then, he saw her turning and talking to one boy whom he didn't recognize but from the looks it looked like that little guy was making fun of his daughter as he saw her tongue and went to get part in the race.

Gray clenched his fist and made sure to talk to his parents about this later. But the race was won by him not only but most of the events were won by that boy in either of the three positions.

When it was time for the girl's event to commence, Gray and Juvia were shocked to see that their girl's name was almost there in every game which made the parents worry.

Sensing their discomfort, Lucy and others asked for their reason and slowly they disclosed everything to them. 

Juvia got up and went to meet her daughter so that at least, she could drink that medicine but the teachers didn't allow her stating it might cause hindrance to her during the games.

Juvia then went to meet her daughter and convinced Mika to not take part in every competition but her daughter was so determined and consoled her mother not to worry about her.

Once Juvia reached her place next to Gray, she couldn't stop tearing up and watched her baby struggle in a way to finish every game.

Till now, she had competed in almost every game but she couldn't secure even one small victory and ended up coming last which earned laughter from her classmates especially the bullies.

Mika's friends warned those bullies but they didn't stop and kept on teasing her with words like 'weak', 'pathetic' and 'loser'.

The parents could see Mika was literally on the verge of breaking down and was also physically exhausted.

Gray couldn't take it anymore and went to the teacher to retrieve his daughter back before her condition became worse.

"Mika dear, come. It's enough. You are exhausted, baby. Please don't stress yourself much. Enough please come with us." Gray called out to his daughter and his voice began to crack as it hurt him to see his child being in pain and suffering.

Mika almost agreed to her dad's advice and began to move towards him until the boy who bullied her in the morning spoke," Yeah! You are a baby weirdo. You are not fit to be a mage. You are just an eye sore, that's why your parents don't want you to perform." He began to laugh.

Gray dashed to beat the shit out that little punk for speaking bad about his daughter but luckily Mika stopped her dad and wiped those tears.

"Papa, let me just take part in this one game. I'm sure. I will win this. Please!" Mika pleaded with him, clearly tiredness laced in her voice.

But her friends told her she doesn't need to prove anything to the bully who left before he got beaten by Gray.

Gray knelt down, "Dear, you look tired. If things keep happening, you will fall sick which will affect your health adversely. Please try to understand,dear." He patted her shoulders.

But Mika didn't budge and was determined to finish this last game called MPF.

All the kids of her class were part of it. This was basically to count out there magic power levels.

Mika was made to stand at last so that she could rest a bit before the match. Juvia was crying to see her baby struggling to prove herself even if her condition was not proper.

Till now, it was Igneel and Eva who held first and second place respectively. Then Rob took over Eva's spot. And the third place was held by that bullying punk.

When it was Mika's turn finally, Gray and Juvia just prayed to God that nothing serious should happen to their daughter at the end.

But the little girl was determined and concentrated her water magic before blasting the MPF with her full power.

"Water Hurricane"

Juvia's eyes widened in surprise and got up, "Gray-sama, that move requires more power. This will cause her immense damage to her body." She kept on crying and soon moved towards the ground after excusing herself.

Once the MPF registered the attack, Mika fell unconscious. Soon her friends, teacher and parents came to her aid.

After an hour, at the guild's infirmary, when Mika woke up, she felt her body beaten up and slowly turned around to spot her mother crying while her dad consoling her mother.

"Mama"

"Oh my God!! You are finally awake, dear" Juvia hugged her daughter and kept sobbing while the little girl patted her mother's back.

"Dear, are you feeling alright?" Gray asked and sat next to them.

Once Juvia broke the hug, Mika began to cry, "I'm sorry, mama, papa. I couldn't make you guys proud. I'm such a loser. I will never achieve anything in my life"

Both the parents hugged her simultaneously and teared up a bit and patted her little body, "You know what dear, you made us proud. We were in euphoric state right now because you not only won second place in that MPF game but also your sickness got completely cured. We are elated dear. Finally, our prayers had been answered. We are proud of you, Mika-chan"

Juvia smiled and disclosed the happy news.

Mika's blue eyes widened due to shock, "Mama and papa, I'm happy that finally I made you both feel proud of me."

"Yes dear, you are our precious child. We were beyond the world to see you accomplish something this great. As your parents, we are extremely happy and proud." Gray said gleefully.

Of course, as a parent they were extremely happy and joyful to see their child who not only accomplished something she worked hard upon when she had an disadvantage.

And they were sure for the rest of their life, this moment will always bring euphoria to them whenever they think about it.

[enaelyork]

Royal guest [Part 2] RobotnikxQueenReader

Hi there ! Here i come for a part 2. Hope you like it…And…Okay ! There will be a PART 3 !!!   =)

----

"Robotnik?" Do you listen to me? "

He had jumped when Walter's voice had said his name, so he came to himself. Since the reception the day before, the Doctor hadn't really slept. His aching cheek reminded him all too well of what had happened.

" I was thinking ! He hissed.

"You have nothing to think about when i give you your orders ...

- And what are my orders, sir? "

Walter rolled his eyes and he knew he had been a bad student.

“The queen has many visits in the coming days. She is also due to attend the inauguration of an important monument in honor of the alliance between her country and ours. You will have to guarantee her safety. "

The idea did not really please him, first because the young queen produced a strange feeling in him, but also because he had felt extremely uncomfortable since last night.

 She wanted to kiss him.

 He still saw her, this young woman with luscious lips, looking at him with eyes sparkling with envy. He felt his face move closer to hers, but he pushed it away. He pushed her away because she was drunk.

And because he had been terribly afraid.

"And you also know why she is there. "

Robotnik raised his eyebrows, intrigued, obviously he knew that. She was there on a formal visit in order to consolidate an alliance between two countries. He shrugged, which had the knack of annoying Walter.

"The queen is single and young, we very clearly hope that she can find an American husband ..."

 He glanced sideways at Walter.

"A young commoner from a prestigious New York company, or better yet, the president's son! Wouldn't it be great? A wedding, even today, definitely seals economic alliances and ... If you ask me Robotnik, his country has more to gain than ours. "

Robotnik was elsewhere, he had stopped listening to Walter when he started talking about wedding. In reality, he was unsure how he was feeling at the time. But he was certain in any case to have pity on this poor young girl, who was spoken of as a commodity to offer to the highest bidder.

That annoying him.

"Either, accompany the queen today to Washington, and report to me what happened there, would you?" "

He nodded before leaving the room, nervous to see the young woman again.

"What’s wrong, madam?" "

The young queen jumped at the voice of her lady in waiting. As was customary, the queen had the right to her lady in each of her trips. By the time they dated, they had become friends and tended to confide in each other.

"I'm a little apprehensive ... Can you imagine that I made a mistake yesterday?

- Really ? "

She hesitated for a moment, but she knew that this lady would never judge her.

"I drank a little ...

- Oh, do you see that! Teased the lady in waiting while styling her delicately.

"Oh, it’s not fun ... I remember very well what I did and ... I slapped my bodyguard! I mean, America offers me the chance to be protected by someone and I slap him! "

She thought about all this, in reality she was extremely afraid that Robotnik would not speak to her at all. He had more at first sight, everything at home reassured her. He was tall, relatively older than her, but he was of a high class and dressed tastefully.

"I wouldn't want him to be offended and ...

- It seems to affect you, majesty… "

She remained silent, her lady in waiting tended to understand her very quickly and knew her as if she were her own daughter.

"Don't get too attached to him, he's an employee of the United States government. He does his job, and once his mission is finished, he will forget about you. "

These words had simply broken her heart. At that moment, the queen understood that the idea of ​​coming back and not seeing him anymore pained her greatly.

She did not answer her lady, staring blankly, she contemplated her reflection. Was her fate so dull and sad as the face that reflected in front of her?

"Apologize for yesterday's clumsiness and you won't talk about it anymore, I'm sure.” Hastened to say the lady-in-waiting as if to cheer her up.

She nodded, her mind wandering in thought.

There was a knock on the door and the queen jumped, her lady in waiting having finished preparing her, she went to open the door and then returned immediately.

"Doctor Robotnik is waiting for you." "

The young queen's heart pounded. The lady saw the girl's face light up and she immediately understood what was going on at her place.

And she didn't like it at all.

"Majesty ..."

The Doctor's voice made her shiver, he bowed slightly. "I hope you had a good night. "

In reality not at all, with alcohol, she had thought a lot about what had happened and especially the idea that he no longer wanted to chat with her.

" Yes thanks. She lied, trying to keep face. "I ... I wanted to ask you to apologize for ...

- It's too late for the apologies, Madam ... "

She remained frozen for a moment. Fear decomposed her face.

"I have already forgiven you. "

In reality, Robotnik didn't want to forgive her so quickly, but at the sight of her, his resentment was gone and he cursed the grip the young queen seemed to have on him.

A smile lit the young woman's face, and he thought his heart was going to melt.

"We're going to be late, a lot is waiting for you today. You must meet some ... Pretenders and ... "

She hissed.

"I don't want to meet anyone Doctor! I absolutely don't want to get married, not now!

- I see ... In that case, avoid drinking and be courteous, I imagine that is the kind of thing for which your education prepares you? "

The queen laughed, her little joke on the evening before had hit the bull's eye and her crystal laugh laughed in the corridors as they headed for their painful day.

"Do you like Doctor Opera? "

She had launched this question while they were in the car, the day had been as he had feared. Annoying. While he patiently waited for the queen to change location, Robotnik had spent his time watching her courted. They were just as young and stupid, and if the young queen laughed a lot, she often tried to change her conversation partner. Sometimes he had the sensation that she was looking for him, but he was never really sure.

"Yes ma'am, I really like it.

- Really ? That's wonderful ! In Europe I go to the opera a lot, you know? What is your favorite? "

He remained for a moment without answering.

"Didon and Enee" ... By Henry Purcell.

The queen’s eyes shone brightly, this story of a secret and tragic love, she knew it with her fingertips. And if she had seen the opera a dozen times, she kept crying all the time when she saw it.

"This is my favorite opera! Doctor! Do you read my mind? I… I cry every time I see it! Specially at the song “Dido’s lament !!”

Sometimes he would like to, he knew how to do a lot, but not that.

And suddenly, without warning, she grabbed his hands in hers, Robotnik suddenly felt very uncomfortable, but unable to withdraw his hands.

"Could you make me a promise?" "

She looked him straight in the eye asking him that, her eyes were magnificent and the reflected twilight made them even more captivating. A moment of strange floating settled between them.

"A promise, madam?" "

The queen nodded.

"Promise me to take me to see this opera with you. And ... To dry my tears if I cry again "

Obviously he wanted to, but how? This young woman would soon return to Europe and he would never see her again. Unless she found a husband in America, then maybe she would come back here for the holidays… But yet, that evening, he found himself dreaming.

"I promise you, Majesty. "

And then he took the queen's two hands between hims, the young woman felt the warm leather of his gloves against her thin skin and delicately he brought these precious hands to his lips. Robotnik then placed a soft kiss on them.

The queen shivered with all her being, her cheeks turned pink and at that moment, she knew that the only man she would want to marry in America was him.

[catsandstrawberries]

Real Family: Part 9

Pairings: BTS x teen female reader, platonic love

Warnings: Language, neglect, a major panic attack involving past child abuse 

A/N: Heavy panic attack at the end, Yoongis a douche 

Summary: It’s not blood that makes a family. It’s love.

Masterlist 

“Are you sure none of you cant come with me?” I asked wiping my sweaty palms on my black stockings, harshly gripping the sleeves of my black Gucci backpack that Taehyung had bought for me. The night before I had felt so prepared, but as soon as I woke up everything felt like it was going downhill.

~

The consistent beeping of the smoke detector immediately caused me to jolt up and rush out of my room and down the stairs as fast as possible. The oaky smell of burnt food lingers in the kitchen and I quickly catch on as I see streams of smoke escaping from a pan that was currently placed in the sink. Jungkook stands anxiously in the kitchen, standing on a chair and trying to deactivate the smoke alarm with a broom. I try to call out his name but instead, I'm met with a coughing fit from the puff of smoke wafting towards me. Yoongi is the first to run into the room, “what the fuck Jungkook!” At his exclamation, Jungkook jumps down from the chair successfully turning off the alarm.

“I was just trying to make (Y/N) breakfast since it was her first day of school,” Jungkook mutters while I stare wide-eyed at the fact Jungkook wanted to do something so nice for me. And the fact that there seemed to be more steam coming out of Yoongi's ears than from the burnt pan.

“Are you fucking kidding me? I've barely gotten two hours of sleep and I still need to finish recording my song and learning the dance moves that you,” he glared at Jungkook, poking him in the chest, “can't teach me because you're so busy trying to help her.” I wanted to defend Jungkook, even myself and stand up to Yoongi, ask why he hated me so much. But a third, annoyed voice appeared growling at Yoongi.

“Go back to bed Min.” Yoongi turned around as if he was ready to argue but once he saw the annoyed look on Namjoon’s face he stormed out of the room. Bumping shoulders with the man as he did so. All I could do was watch, and awkwardly shift towards the glass panes.

“Ill open some windows.”

After getting out most of the smoke and listening to Jin complain about his precious kitchen and how Jungkook shouldn't even step foot near a metal pan for the next week I decided to get changed. Namjoon had given me a box the other day filled with school uniforms for Lee’s Science and Performing Arts Academy. Interesting combination. The main colors of the school were black and green so all of the outfits corresponded to the colors. One outfit was a black and green skirt, black tights, black sweater, the second outfit was exactly the same but instead of a black sweater, it was dark green and came with knee-high black socks. The last one was black jeans with a white button up and a dark green vest and suit jacket. I choose the first option, and it wasn't until after I was dressed when I realized how time-consuming it was to properly put black tights on. Checking myself over in the mirror I went back and forth from deciding if I should tuck my sweater into my skirt or leave it untucked. Eventually deciding to tuck the front half. As soon as I had grabbed my bag Namjoon was yelling from the bottom of the stairs about how they needed to leave and then we were all rushing out the door. Squeezing into the SUV wasn't that hard when Namjoon was driving, yet the earlier events in the kitchen made the ride tense.

“Do I really have to go in by myself, don't I need an adult to talk to the principal or something?” I asked once again, spotting the huge school with the green and white sign that stated in bold letters, ‘School of Lee's Science and Performing Arts.’ Namjoon glanced at Jin who was sitting in the passenger seat,

“I'm actually not needed until 10 since there recording rap line and doing a practice for only dance line.” I straightened in my seat, a relieved smile gracing my features. “Really?” Jin answered my question by hopping out of the car and I quickly followed in his footsteps, a strange feeling washing over me when I heard Jimin mumble,

“they're both growing up so fast, feels like we just met her a few weeks ago.”

The closer I got to the school the more I noticed how fancy it was. The front of the building was covered by a huge courtyard, currently covered with a thin sheet of snow. The sides seemed to have tennis, basketball courts and larger fields in the back. I looked back up at Jin and suddenly felt horrible for begging him to walk into the school with me. Jin opened the door for me, “thanks Jin, not just for the door though. I'm sorry if you didn't want to come with, it was stupid, I'm just being such a chi-” Jin placed a hand on my shoulder giving me a reassuring smile,

“hey it's fine. I'm actually glad I came with you, also I may have killed Jungkook or Yoongi if I had to spend another moment with them, my poor kitchen.” I laughed at his joke and watched as he started to lead me through the maze of the school, following the signs that led to the principal's office. I looked around at the empty halls, assuming that most kids were in class since the hallways were dead silent and school had started about an hour ago.

Before I knew it we were standing in front of the principal's office, Jin giving a few light taps to the door followed by a faint “come in.”

The office was clean, green walls and white trimmings giving the room a strange glow. In the center of the room was a wooden desk, a plaque stating, ‘principal Lee.’ The man sitting behind the desk in the wheeling chair gave us each a friendly smile, he looked to be in his fifties, black hair greying at the ends, wrinkles forming around his eyes and mouth. He stood up from his chair offering both of us a handshake, “you must be (Y/N), and you're..”  

“Kim Seokjin.” He sat back down and motioned for us to sit in the two unoccupied chairs. He took out a vanilla folder, opening it and flipping through the files before taking out a single piece of paper.

“It says here, Kim Namjoon and Kim Seokjin are your primary care members.” He looked back up to Jin, “Everything seems to be in order.” He grabbed another paper from the folder and reached out to hand it to me,

“Here's your schedule, let's take you to your first class.”

The hallways seemed busier than my last school, the students seemed less friendly (maybe that was just the uniforms) and everyone seemed to be staring at me wherever I went. After Mr. Lee had dropped me off at my third-period history class I quickly noticed the girls staring me down from the other side of the room. Rather than listening about Lincoln's inauguration all I could focus on was the whispers behind my back.

Lunch came sooner than expected and I was happily shocked to find that instead of gross mystery meat and yellow gush that most schools served, there was an array of foods that actually looked good. Also what school served lobster? Apparently rich private schools did. But the worst part of it all was finding a place to sit. The lunchroom was littered with numerous green tables. Some fitting groups of kids throwing footballs, doing homework, and fooling around on electronics. A tap on my shoulder caused me to turn around, a girl my age stood behind me, curly blond hair and dark green eyes adjoined her oval face. Her tan skin seemed to glow in the lights and the intense coats of mascara on her eyes looked painful.

“Hi, my names Amber, would you like to sit with us?” She pointed towards the table behind her, filled with girls and boys all fooling around with one another. I hesitated, looking at the girls pointed smile,

“um sure.” She grabbed my wrist, rather roughly if I might add, dragging me to the table of teens. She pushed over a girl, mumbling a ‘move over’ under her breath as she squeezed me in. “I never got your name?” The girl who had been texting on her phone looked up from the bright screen to stare at me wonder in her eyes.

“My names (Y/N).” Amber’s eyes darkened for a moment as she spoke,

“That's a cool name. These are my friends, Olivia and Rachel.” She pointed to the girl who looked up at me wide-eyed and the other girl sitting next to Amber. Both seemed equally interested in me and before I could ask Olivia quickly spoke up.

“So is it true that you live with BTS?” She laid her cheek on the table, starry-eyed looking into the distance. Before I could answer Rachel started practically screeching.

“Is Suga Hyung that attractive in person?” The way she said his name left a bitter taste in my mouth and I almost wanted to tell her not to call him that. “Oh, he must be so nice! Do you call him dad? You're so lucky to live with seven attractive boys.” Sure, Lucky. Lucky to be adopted by seven strangers, lucky to have Yoongi hate me, and apparently lucky enough that most people in this school only want to talk to me because of my new “family.”

“Actually-”

“Look guys its the school pig!” Rachel and Olivia started to laugh at Ambers joke, faces turned towards a girl sitting by herself at a lunch table. She clearly had heard the joke because she immediately put her food down, eyes glazing over.

“How many donuts do you think she can fit in her mouth? 10, 20?” I glared at Rachel. “Ok, you have no right to say anything negative about someone's body type.” I turned to Amber then locked eyes with the girl, standing up and leaving the lunch room.  

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. The day consisting of me being awed by the entails of fancy school and shocked by how boring classes were. I had also realized that the school was filled with rich kids whose parents were either a co-leader for Pepsi or distantly related to Gordon Ramsey. By the time the bell had rung I had practically run out of the building searching for the familiar SUV. When I had finally found it, I expected to be met with one of the boys but instead opened the door to meet a complete stranger.

“Oh, sorry wrong car.” Just before I could shut the door the driver pulled down his black face mask.

“Actually I'm your new chauffeur.”

This ‘new chauffeur’ drove me straight home. The car ride awkwardly quiet as I stared out the window, around the car, and basically everywhere except for him.

“Thank you,” as soon as he pulled into the driveway I was jumping out of the car, itching to get out of the tight school uniform. Entering the large house it was eerily quiet,

“Hello?” When no one answered I realized what Namjoon had said the other day about their long week of practice due to there comeback. Taking off my shoes, I brought my bag to the living room plopping down on the couch and starting on my homework.

~

A gentle shove on my shoulder causes me to groan, rolling onto my side, facing away from my perpetrator. Whoever it is, tells me something along the baseline of ‘get up.' But my foggy brain doesn't register anything but the nice warm blanket I'm wrapped in. The person continues there an assault, flipping my body back, so I'm facing their direction. I groan in annoyance, pulling the blanket up and over my face,

“Kayleigh you really need to wake up.” The blankets pulled off my body, and I immediately shrivel into a ball trying to contain as much heat as possible. “I have to get going, Kayleigh. Your driver will be here soon so get ready.” At his words, I'm sitting up from the bed,

“wait, so you aren't driving me to school anymore?” I rub at my blurry eyes, blinking rapidly to try and gain back my vision.  Once I can suitably see, I find an anxious Hoseok who looks back and forth from me and the door. He opens and closes his mouth, debating what to say until a loud honk interrupts the silence.

“I should go.”

Fourth-period precalculus was a disaster. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, and every time I tried to raise my hand and ask a question the teacher would skip over me, and move on. What made it even worse, was how easy the class was. I was placed in precalc to catch up with my peers. If anything, I felt like I was falling back, in comparison to the rest of the class. Not to mention that most of the other kids in my grade were in calculus, so if anything I was already behind.

So you can imagine how happy I was when the shrill ring of the fire alarm interrupted my pre-calc class. Grabbing my coat, I raced after the students, slightly giddy until I stepped outside and felt the cold chill of the January air.

“Why do we have fire drills in January?” I muttered, rubbing my arms through the sleeves of the jacket, not expecting an answer.

   “The school board keeps getting complaints about safety and how the school doesn't prepare their students for harmful situations.” I shifted my head towards a girl, the same girl who was sitting in the cafeteria and being made fun of. “My mom works with the school board.” She added, shivering slightly. I then took notice of her appearance. She had short chocolate brown hair that fell straight in a bob, piercing blue eyes and darker washed skin. She filled out her uniform, slightly curvy but perfect proportionate for her height around 5’6. I didn't understand why Amber was making fun of her, I thought she was beautiful. What I noticed the most was her shirt-sleeved white button up that tagged along with her uniform. She must be freezing. As if she could read my thoughts, her body started to shake, fingers clenching to get blood flow back into them.

“Here, you must be freezing.” I took off my coat, holding it out to the girl who rapidly shook her head.

“Oh no, it's ok. I mean it looks like a nice jacket, and I probably won't fit I'm a little, bigger-.” I interrupted her before she could say more,

   “Please, just take it.” I smiled at the girl who gave me an unsure look. With some more convincing she finally took the material. “I'm (Y/N) by the way.” She smiled,

   “I know. We have almost all of our classes together.”

Oh Shit

   She immediately started laughing at my reaction while I looked appalled, great first impression.

“I'm Zara. Thanks for standing up for me by the way.” The students started making their way back into the building, and the two of us followed the crowd but made sure to stick close together.

   “If it's any consolation, I think you're beautiful.”

After talking to Zara, we both had realized that we had every class together except for math. She, of course, was in honors abstract algebra, instead of asking her what that meant I just smiled and nodded. Talking to Zara was like breathing fresh air, her personality was so calming and youth filled, it reminded me that it was ok to be a kid. That I didn't always have to be the girl who thought she was alone.

She was also hilariously funny,

“I have a BTS water noodle.” I stumbled in my jog, almost tripping over my own two feet. The gymnasium walls smelt of sweat and privilege, and usually, I'd be annoyed because it's gym class. But since I started running with Zara, I hadn't stopped smiling. “My younger sister loves BTS. So for my birthday, she got me a BTS water noodle. I never use it, but my younger sister takes it with her whenever the word water is mentioned.” The whistle sharply blew, cutting through the air and stopping all of the teens from running and talking. Turning our head toward the gym teacher, he motioned towards a bag of soccer balls.

“Get in groups of two and work on passing.” Mr. Ping was young, yet still looked older than Jin. He was tall, lean and muscular. He seemed to be in his early thirties, a silver band wrapped around his ring finger that he unashamedly flashed at some girls (and boys) when they would look at him for too long. When I first met him, he had immediately shown me a portrait in his office of a baby boy in a sports onesie. Definitely a family man.

   After Zara grabbed a ball, we headed towards one corner of the room, kicking the ball back and forth to one another.

   “Do you think our gym teachers hot?” I choked on my own salvia, the ball racing past me, as I had no intention to stop it. For a moment I thought she was joking. Until I saw the serious look on her face.

“Isn't he in his thirties?” My voice of reason did nothing to stop her train of thought.

“So? That's only a thirteen-year difference.”

“He's engaged-”

       “But not married, something could change.”

“Zara he has a kid.” The girl paled then nodded in my direction as if she was praising me for winning the silly query.

“Touché”

Unlike any other school day I had ever experienced, authentic happiness was coursing through my veins, and not just because it was a Friday. After school had ended I quickly got Zara's number in my phone and the thought of having this year be different; new home, friends, school, maybe things would be different.

Opening the door to the mansion, I found Yoongi and Jimin death glaring at one another, seething words at each other that I couldn't hear. Namjoon was in the background, frantically cleaning while Jin was yelling words I couldn't understand at the two.

“Is everything ok?” I asked while slipping my shoes off. The boys didn't seem to notice me until now, all four sets of eyes turning to me.

“Everything's fine.”

“Everything's fucking horrible.”

   Jimin and Yoongi both spoke up at the same time while Jin harshly glared between the two before softening his gaze on me.

   “Kayleigh why don't you go find the rest of the boys.” I nodded but before I could move Taehyung and Jungkook were peaking there heads out from upstairs.

“The upstairs is all clean.” Hoseok then appeared from the living room area, “the rooms are good.”

“(Y/N), why don't you go get changed for the social worker.” Oh, that's why everyone seemed so nervous. I passed Yoongi, heading to the stairs but his quiet whispers became exceptionally clear all of a sudden.

“Huh, you must love this. This attention from seven world-famous guys. Why do you think people want to be your friend at school? Its because they want to meet us.” I knew Yoongi didn't like me, that was obvious. But I wouldn't let him imply that Zara was only my friend because of them. Clenching my fist, I turned a full 180, coming face to face with Yoongi. I tried not to overthink how I basically had to look up at him or the fact that his death glare made me want to crawl into a hole and bury myself alive.

“What the fuck is your problem?” My voice was calm and steady, but the anger in me was on the edge of boiling over. “You've hated me ever since you saw me at the orphanage,  I didn't ask for you to adopt me, I was perfectly fine where I was.”

The words coming out of my mouth were bitter. Lies that I spewed to get a reaction because I knew everything was so much better here than living in foster care.

"What have I ever done to you? Ever since I've gotten here, all you've done is act like I'm a leech on your shoulder. What, are you too intimidated by the fact you actually have to grow up?”

Fuck, my eyes widened immediately at his hardened gaze, I went too far. Before I could apologize or back down the venom in his voice pushed me further. “This,” he made eye contact with Namjoon, motioning his hands towards me, “is why I didn't want her.”

“Yoongi!” I couldn't tell who's voice was shouting because my head was spinning and my vision was blurring. This always happened, someone, deciding that I wasn't good enough, that I didn't fit the right standards. I couldn't handle it, not again.  

“You should have left me at the orphanage.” I seethed, his answer was automatic, I think that's what hurt the most.

“I wish I had.” A few shouts from the boys sounded through the room, but what made me turn my head was the feminine voice that cleared her throat. Katie stood in the doorway, clipboard in hand and a disappointed look on her face, this wasn't how I wanted to see her again. I suddenly felt the need to apologize for my actions, tell her that Yoongi and I were faking it and we secretly cared about each other. But the words that parted from her mouth in an exasperated sigh was what broke me.

“Not again (Y/N).”

I was rushing up the stairs as soon as the last syllable left her mouth, hand over my parted lips to stop the sob attempting to escape. I narrowly missed Jungkook's grabbing hands at the top of the stairs trying to stop me, but I snuck through and rushed into my room. Locking the door and falling to my knees, I finally let the tears fall, why did I have to screw it up again?

I angrily threw my belongings into my bag, teeth clenched both in anger and to stop the sobs tempting to reach the surface. After I had shut my door, muffled yelling had erupted from the downstairs, I hated how I was the reason for them fighting. The static in my head only grows once the fear of going back to my old life enters my mind, and once I significantly calm my breathing down a knock sounds from my door. I hold my breath, waiting for the voice to identify itself,

“(Y/N), can you let me in. It's just me, I promise.”

I tempted keeping the door shut, telling him that I couldn't do this. I walk up to the door, leaning my forehead up against the cool wood. Gently wiping the tears from my face, my hand hovers over the knob, in a split moment decision I decide to unlock it. I open the door, turning my back to him and sitting on the bed, I run my fingers on the blankets, wondering if I would spend another night in the building.

“Do you want to stay?” I look up a Jin, probably red-faced and teary-eyed from crying.

“Do you want me too?”

Instead of answering Jin gave me a gentle smile, sitting on the bed next to me, but sitting far enough away to keep his space.

“Did you know,” he started cracking a grin, “that whenever I'm sad I read my blood donor ID?” I raised an eyebrow at the man,

“Why?” I sniffed,

“Because it always says, ‘B positive.’” Jins face morphed into a full out grin, and an obnoxious windshield wiper laugh filled my ears. The joke wasn't necessarily funny, but his genuine laugh is what made me smile.

“Ah, there's that smile.” He scooted closer on the bed as a silence developed between the two of us. “Yoongi's difficult, it took most of us half a year till we really connected. When Yoongi found out he had to live with you, it scared him. He can barely even take care of himself so how's he supposed to take care of a child? He doesn't want commitment.” I couldn't help but hear the hidden meaning in his words.

They don't want commitment.

“Why am I even here? There's a reason why you didn't answer the question, its because you don't want to lie to me.” I stood up from the bed, tears forming in my eyes. I couldn't do this, I couldn't handle it, why was everyone lying to me? I rushed out of the room just as Jin reached out to me.

The thoughts are accelerating inside my head. I want them to slow so I can breathe but they won't. My breaths come in gasps and I feel like I'll black out. My heart is hammering inside my chest like it belongs to a rabbit running for its skin. The room spins and I kneel on the floor, trying to make everything slow to something my brain and body can cope with. I feel so sick. I stand up, rushing towards the exit, feet traveling forward until one hits a side table, causing it to tilt and wiggle. A tall, glass candle sways side to side on the table, before falling to the floor, shattering into millions of tiny pieces.

It starts slowly, the feeling of dread crawling up in my chest, spreading like a drop of ink onto a wet piece of paper. Darkening my thoughts and making it harder for me to see, breath. It doesn't take long for my breath to quicken, eyes wide and chest rising in an uneven pattern as I try to suck in as much air as possible. As if the moment I stop trying there won't be any air left. The shattered glass on the floor causes me to wince, past memories of breaking things by accident and being beaten because of it entering my mind. Tears are flowing down my eyes like a dam had just broken, the drops dripping down my face and onto my hands. My sight becomes blurry and flashes of the belt, my father, shouting and my own screams are all I can remember.

“I'm so sorry.” I choke out, chest tight, and standing in front of me are three shocked boys. Namjoon takes a step forward, fist clenched and an unreadable expression on his face.

“Please don't hit me.”

The boy stops, and so do the others behind him, visibly tensing. “I'll clean it up, I'll pay for it.” I knew whatever I had knocked overlooked expensive, everything did in this house. I drop to my knees, scrambling to pick up the broken pieces of glass,       “(Y/N) stop you’ll cut yourself.” Just as Hoseok said, blood starts flowing from my palms, he drops to my level suddenly and i'm scrambling back. Holding my bloody hands out as if they could protect me, back hitting the wall, “please don't hurt me again, it was an accident, i'm so sorry.” My breathings ragged, uneven and I'm hyperventilating. I close my eyes as if they could block out the events unfolding in front of me. Hands gently cup my face and im eye to eye with Jin, “We won't hurt you here, ok? Just breath.” I take a big gasp in, but can't stop the broken, strangled release of air. Hoseok's kneeling beside me just in time as the world around me gets blurry, Jins two eyes soon becoming four as everything turns sideways, and I finally collapse.

[fanfics4all]

The Northside Serpent: Part 21

Request: Yes / No

Request are closed <3 Have a nice day/night

Sweet Pea x Fem!Male!Keller!Reader

Word count: 3309

Warnings: Archie getting arrested, Ghoulies, season 3 stuff

Y/N: Your Name

Summary: You’re Kevin Keller’s little sister when you’re mom left to go to war and your dad started cheating (I’m making it so he’s been cheating since season 1) You started rebelling; dying your hair, getting a nose piercing, tattoo, and hanging out on the southside.

PLEASE DO NOT STEAL MY WORK, I WORK HARD ON MY FICS AND IT’S NOT COOL TO STEAL SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK!

If you want to be on the tag list for anything (My series fics, specific character fics, or just all of them) All you have to do is send me an ask and I will add you!

1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Masterlist

(Not my photo, credit to whoever made it!)

“Y/N, come on up.” He said and I looked at him shocked. Sweet Pea pushed me to get up and I looked back at him. Sweet Pea and Fangs nodded at me to go and I smiled. I walked up to him and he helped me same as he did with Cheryl. He smiled at me and everyone cheered once again. I hugged him and then ran back to Sweet Pea. He hugged me and lifted me up, being careful of my stitches. He gave me the biggest kiss and when it was over he pulled back, he had the biggest smile on his face.

“I love you Y/N.” He said and I smiled at him.

“I love you too, Sweet Pea.” I said.

We were in the school gym watching Archie officially become class President. The Vixens had just got done and Weatherbee was about to speak.

“Students, faculty and staff, before we inaugurate Archie Andrews in as our new student council President, please rise for our national anthem.” He said and everyone stood up. We put our hands over our hearts and Josie got up to sing. Archie was smiling at us and we smiled back, he was so happy. Suddenly the door opened and we watched as Sheriff Minetta walked in with some other cops and arrested Archie.

“Sheriff Minetta, what are you doing?” Archie asked.

“Archie Andrews, you’re under arrest for the murder of Shadow Lake resident, Cassidy Bullick.” He said.

“What? I didn’t kill him-”

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. Yout have the right to an attorney…” He continued to list off the rights and we all watched in shock.

“Hey! Let him go!” I shouted and went to go run, but Sweet Pea held me back. We watched as our friend was lead out of the school in handcuffs…

I didn’t think Riverdale could get any worse after the Black Hood, but then Archie was arrested in front of the whole school. It was a nightmare and now that summer was here we all were trying to relax even though we couldn’t. Veronica was cut off from her family’s money and was now working at Pop’s, and downstairs at her secret club. Betty had an internship, she was helping Mrs. McCoy and Mrs. Andrews with Archie’s trial. Jughead was writing his book. Toni was on a roadtrip with Cheryl. Kevin spent a lot of time with Moose and Josie. And Sweet Pea spent his free time with me and the others with the Serpents. I still wasn’t on good terms with my Father, but Sweet Pea was trying to convince me to make up with him. Sure he was cool with me dating Sweet Pea now, but he was still cheating on my mother and I couldn’t accept that. Kevin and I were back to being the best of friends since he didn’t care about me being with Sweet Pea anymore, he was still worried but he always was.

Currently we were all at the courthouse in support for Archie. I can’t believe they thought he murdered someone! He would never kill someone, he was one of the sweetest guys in Riverdale! I remember when we were younger and I was too shy to play with my brother’s friends, Archie came up to me on the playground and I thought he was going to be mean and take my dolls from me; but he didn’t. He sat down next to me and ask if he could play. The others noticed how he went missing from there game and saw him with me. They all came over and we’ve been friends ever since. Sure we’re not the closest of friends, but that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna support them.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the evidence and testimony that was presented in this court tell a dark story. That Mr. Andrews has a history of violent behavior. That he started not one, but two masked vigilante groups. That he assaulted an innocent boy who was helpless with two broken legs. That he went “wilding” in the Southside of town and threatened to shoot a young man in the face-” I noticed Sweet Pea move uncomfortably at hearing this so I grabbed his hand and gently squeezed.

“-That while partying with his friends in the town of Shadow Lake, Mr. Andrews ran into the woods and shot the victim, Cassidy Bullock, point-blank in the head. Now Mr. Andrews claims this it was his girlfriend’s father’s doorman who shot Mr. Bullock. A shot Mr. Andrews claims to have heard, but not seen. Who knows the truth of what happened  that terrible night in the wood near Shadow Lake? I’ll tell you who. That man! Archie Andrews may be a varsity athlete and he may be a sensitive musician. But he is also a cold-blooded killer.” Ms. Wright finished and sat down. Mrs. Andrews got up and faced the jury.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we know, for a fact, that Archie Andrews constantly puts the needs of others ahead of his own. We know that he helped to solve the murder of Jason Blossom. We know that he offered both friends and enemies shelter when they had nowhere else to stay. We know that he punched through a river of ice to save the life of his classmate Cheryl Blossom.” I shifted uncomfortably hearing this, she was my best friend and I remember getting a call from her crying. Sweet Pea squeezed my hand and I looked up at him, he gave me a small smile.

“Well let me remind you that there were no witnesses to the actual killing. There was no murder weapon. There was no motive. At the end of the day, all the prosecution has is cloudy testimony from unreliable people. Now, it is my solemn duty as a mother to protect my son. But as an attorney, it’s my duty to adhere to the facts, to the evidence. There is nothing here that proves that Archie Andrews is anything less than an innocent boy. Thank you.” She finished and sat down next to her son.

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, the charge is first-degree murder. You may retire to begin your deliberations.” The judge said.

“All rise.” The bailiff said and everyone stood up. Everyone left the courtroom while Archie’s fate was being decided.

“Okay, can you just level with us mom? What do you think Archie’s chances are?” Josie asked.

“Baby, I’d say… 50-50.” Mrs. McCoy answered.

“But if you had to come down on a side, Mrs. McCoy?” Kevin asked.

“I’m not sure honestly Kevin…” She answered and I sighed.

“I’m going over to Sweet Pea and Fangs…” I said and walked over to the boys.

“Hey, how ya holding up Quinny?” Fangs asked and Sweet Pea put his arm around me.

“Well, McCoy says it’s a 50-50 so I’d say not so great…” I answered and Sweets kissed my head.

“It’s gonna be okay babe.” He said and I sighed. I wasn’t sure it was.

“Hey guys, the judge is calling everyone back in.” My brother said and walked past us and up the stairs.

“Guess it’s time to find out the damage.” I said and the two boys nodded. We all went back inside.

“The jury is still deliberating, but I’ve dismissed them.” The judge said. Everyone was whispering to each other.

“They’re sequestered and I’ve instructed them not to read anything about this case, nor to discuss it with anyone. We’ll reconvene Tuesday morning after Labor Day.” He said and I could feel the hope in the room rise.

“My advice to you, young man, is to spend this weekend with your family and your loved ones. That’s all.” He said and you could tell there was still hope, but not as much as before. Everyone was walking out and talking about what just happened. Sweet Pea, Fangs, and I left as soon as we could. I couldn’t stand being in there any longer than I had to. We went to the Serpents place, Sweetwater River. The three of us were relaxing and trying to keep our minds off what just happened. Luckily the familiar hum of Toni’s bike pulled up and we all smiled. We all missed her.

“T! You’re back! Finally!” I shouted happily and attacked her in a hug.

“Missed me that much huh Quinny?” She said with a giggle.

“Of course! I was stuck with these two all summer, I need my two girls in my life to balance it out.” I answered.

“Hey! You love us!” Fangs said walking over with Sweet Pea.

“I do love you guys, but seriously I need some girl time.” I said and Toni laughed.

“Well Cheryl and I are throwing an awesome End-of-Summer pool party at Thornhill and you’re all invited. I should warn you guys Cheryl is kind of looking for trouble.” She said and I smiled.

“Trouble is my middle name.” I smirked.

“Babe, trouble doesn’t seem like a good idea. You dad won’t be happy if you get hurt again or something.” Sweets said worried.

“You just don’t want me getting in trouble after the riot.” I said and he nodded.

“She’ll be fine Sweets.” Toni said.

“Now, let’s catch up before the party.” She said pulling me away from the boys.

“Fangs! Sweet Pea! I need you two!” Jughead called and they two walked off.

Few hours later and all of us were heading to Thornhill for the party. Well they were, I had to stop at home and change. I put on my black bikini, some light blue shorts, a gray short sleeved shirt. Some gray toms, and my sunglasses.

Sweet Pea was kind enough to wait for me outside and we were off to the party. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. I immediately took off my shirt, shorts, shoes, and sunglasses and jumped in the pool. I heard Sweet Pea laughing as I came up for air.

“Come on in babe! The water’s great!” I said and he shoot his head but sat on the side.

“I’m good baby, you enjoy yourself.” He said with a smile.

After an hour or more of swimming I got out a dried off. Sweets and I sat together on a couch that was outside and he kissed my head. I snuggled into his side with a smile on my face.

“I’m happy you’re alive Y/N.” He said and I looked up at him.

“And I’m happy you didn’t do anything stupid while you thought I was dead.” I said and he gave me a slight smile.

“That’s in the past Sweets, we need to move on from all of that okay?” I said and he nodded and kissed me. The kiss was getting pretty hot when Jughead interrupted it.

“Hey love birds, Serpent meeting. Now.” He said when we pulled apart and walked off. Sweets and I looked at each other confused but got up and followed him.

“Are you absolutely sure that this was Hot Dog?” Jughead asked Fangs.

“Hundred percent, man. They must have snatched him on Riot Night. He looked skinny. I don’t think the Ghoulies are feeding him enough.”He answered.

“We’re lucky those animals aren’t slow-roasting him on a grill.” Sweets said pissed.

“What do we do, Jug?” I asked.

“We’d be going behind enemy lines, outnumbered, open to attack from all directions and risking another gang-war.” He said and everyone sighed.

“No Serpent left behind, right? That includes our spirit animal.” He asked and I smirked.

“Okay, we’re gonna deploy after dark. It’s gonna be a stealth mission. It’s gonna be quick.” He ordered.

“Jug, last time you went into Ghoulie territory, you were beaten to within an inch of your life.” Betty said worried.

“He’ll have backup this time.” Cheryl said and I nodded.

“And we’re gonna be quick, Betty. They won’t even know we were there.” He said.

“Okay, well, then I’m coming with you.” Betty said.

“No.” He said.

“No. Don’t you dare tell me that it’s too dangerous, Jug. The Serpent Queen is a warrior queen. So if you’re on the frontlines, so am I.” She said and Jughead smirked.

“Okay. Let’s bring Hot Dog home, shall we?” He said. Sweet Pea pulled me aside and he wore a worried expression.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him.

“I don’t want you coming with us.” He said and I looked at him confused.

“But I’m a Serpent now, I should go with you guys.” I said and he shook his head.

“You almost died for us.” He said.

“So did Jug.” I said and he sighed.

“I know, but I can’t lose you…” He said and I sighed.

“Sweets, I’ll stick by you the whole time, just let me come please.” I said and he sighed.

“Promise to stay by me the whole time?” He asked and I stuck out my pinky.

“Pinky promise.” I said and he wrapped his around mine with a smile.

“Fine.” He said and kissed my head.

We all went back to enjoy the rest of the party. As soon as night fell we all got our jackets and piled into Sweet’s truck. We drove to the Southside, which none of us have been to since the riot, and parked just outside the fence that they were keeping Hot Dog. Jughead wanted to make sure no one was there so we’ve been waiting an hour and poor Hot Dog has been whining for us.

“It’s been an hour and no sign of anyone.” Toni said.

“Alright, Sweet Pea, you guys keep look out.” Jughead said grabbing some cutters. All of us watched as he walked through the gate and cut him free. Right as we did though lights turned on and out walked Penny and the Ghoulies.

“Hiya, Jonesy.” Penny said walking up to him.

“Welcome back to the Southside.” She said. Betty went to go after him but Cheryl pulled her back.

“Cheryl!” Betty said.

“Not yet, cousin.” Cheryl said and she stopped.

“I thought this mangy mutt might get you to show up. We need to talk.” Penny said.

“No, we don’t, Penny. I’m here for the dog.” Jug said.

“If you didn’t want trouble, why have you been sending spies all summer, trying to get into our business? Back off. Unless you want a replay of Riot Night.” She said and I growled.

“Y/N, no.” Sweet Pea said.

“Yeah, I’ve been sending scouts. I was looking for Hot Dog. Now that I’ve got him, We’re good.” He said trying to leave.

“Not so fast.” Penny said stopping him.

“Your jacket… the Southside isn’t yours anymore. That means you’re no longer the Southside Serpents.” She said and I rolled my eyes. I honestly couldn’t keep my mouth shut anymore.

“You’re really that petty that you care about a damn jacket?” I shouted at her.

“Y/N!” Sweet Pea scolded me.

“Hey, Sweet Pea, you better keep your bitch under control!” Malachai shouted.

“You’re the one being controlled by a bitch!” I shouted back and he glared at me.

“I guess we found our next victim.” Penny said walking closer to Jug.

“Fine. You can have the jacket as long as you and the Ghoulies stay out of the Northside.” He said.

“Oh, you don’t get to make demands.” Malachai said walking closer to him, but before he could make it to him Cheryl shot an arrow into his shoulder.

“Cheryl!” Jughead shouted at her.

“Told you I was in the mood for some hell raising.” She said and I smirked.

“That’s it. Just kill ‘em all.” Penny ordered.

“Cheryl, aim your next arrow right between Penny’s eyes.” Jug ordered and she did.

“If you and your Ghoulies take one more step, she’s gonna release that arrow. Cheryl doesn’t miss.” Jug said.

“Congratulations. You’ve just make the Northside fair game.” Penny said and Jug turned away.

“Come on.” He said to Hot Dog and brought him back to the truck.

“See you soon, Jonesy!” Penny called and we all drove off. Hot Dog was safe now and hopefully everything would be okay, at least for now. We dropped everyone off and Sweets took me back to his place.

“Sweets?” I asked once we were inside, he hasn’t said a word to me since I yelled at Penny and the Ghoulies.

“What the hell was that!?” He shouted and I looked at him shocked.

“All you had to do was keep your mouth shut! Now they’re gonna go after you!” He shouted and I sighed.

“I know…” I said, I knew it was a stupid thing to do, but I couldn’t help it.

“What if I can’t protect you?” He said sitting on his bed with his head in his hands.

“Hey, everything’s gonna be okay, they’re not gonna do anything.” I said sitting next to him and wrapping my arms around him.

“Yes they will Y/N! And I don’t know if I can protect you!” He said worried.

“Relax babe, I promise, everything’s gonna be okay.” I said and he sighed.

“It won’t be…”

“Yes it will, I have you and the Serpents, my brother, and even though we’re not on great terms right now I still have my dad.” I said which seemed to relax him a bit.

“Come on, let’s get some rest. We got to go to Archie’s trial tomorrow.” I said kicking off my shoes and taking my jacket off. Sweet Pea did the same and we both fell asleep.

The next day we woke up and Sweet Pea took me home so I could change. I put on something appropriate and waited for Sweets to pick me up. My father and brother were already there with Mrs. McCoy and Josie. Sweets picked me up and we got there just in time. We took our seats and anxiously waited to hear Archie’s fate.

“All rise.” The bailiff said and in walked the judge. He sat down and we all took our seats once again.

“Has the jury reached a verdict?” He asked. The man in the front row in the first seat stood up.

“Your Honor, we haven’t. We’re deadlocked. Six-to-six. And it’s not gonna change.” He said and most people started whispering.

“So be it. The jury is dismissed. Thank you for your service.” The judge said and the jury left.

“Your Honor.” Ms. Wright said standing up.

“In lieu of another trial, the State is prepared to offer a deal for a lesser sentence. Instead of prison, time served plus two years in juvenile detention, if Mr. Andrews will plead guilty to the crime of manslaughter.” She said.

“Your Honor-” Mrs. Andrews stood up.

“I’ll take the deal.” Archie said cutting off his mother. Everyone was shocked and we told him not to.

“Your Honor, I accept the deal.” He said and I saw Veronica lean forward, crushed.

“Son, just so I have it straight, though it’s legally within your rights, you’re ignoring the advice of your counsel, your own mother?” The judge asked.

“Yes, Your Honor. I’m guilty.” Archie said and the whispers started up again.

“Mr. Andrews, the court accepts your plea of guilt. You’ll be taken directly from the courthouse to the Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center, where you will serve out your sentence beginning immediately. This court is adjourned.” The judge said. Everyone watched as Archie was handcuffed and lead out of the courthouse. It hurt to watch him be taken away in handcuffs once again. I could feel tears well in my eyes and a few fell down my cheeks. Sweet Pea wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

Tag list: @54fangirl @southsidehufflepuff @xrosesareredx @cvvlxx @skeletalwolfcat @demigodofthesun @depressed-octopods @nalayrene @yourfavouritefuckup @staygoldsquatchling02 @sataninsatin @im-socialy-awkward-no-joke @dark-night-sky-99 @aframeofbones @fly-slytherin-queen @jojokoko0717 @nixdunbarhale @wanderlust-and-poetry @theyouthfulmoon @seasiren96 @nixdunbarhale2 @misskarynie @emo-godess-loves-you @serpent-stan @a--smallgirlinabigworld @ohlookmybed @everheart12 @sailorsolar12 @screamxqueenx94 @sweetpeas-serpent-princess @peter-parker-fyeah @genius2050 @dylpickles1267 @notreallyamundi @xdsockmonkey

[searchingwardrobes]

Hope is the Thing With Feathers: 5/5

Finally, I have finished a WIP! Whoop, whoop! I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. This fic stalled for me, and every time I wrote anything for it, I ended up deleting it. Thank you to my co-creator @hollyethecurious for saving this chapter. The idea of them binding their souls together was her idea, as well as Henry’s place in breaking the curse. If not for her, I might still be staring at a blank word doc! Krystal, I hope you enjoy the ending to your fic!

Summary: Emma and her son Henry move to the tiny, quirky town of Hopeful, Maine for a fresh start. Emma isn’t expecting her son to get obsessed with a haunted castle or for her to get involved with the mysterious, handsome man who lives in the cabin behind it. Emma soon finds that both the castle and the man have secrets she could never have imagined. For @kmomof4 for her birthday.

Amazing banner created by @hollyethecurious

Rating: M

Trigger warnings: positive portrayal of past Millian

Words: About 5,000 in this chapter

Also on Ao3

Tagging: @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose @kday426 @winterbaby89 @teamhook @bethacaciakay @jennjenn615 @tiganasummertree @thislassishooked @artistic-writer @snidgetsafan @delirious-latenight-laughs @xhookswenchx @shireness-says @gingerchangeling @nikkiemms @revanmeetra87

Chapter Five: Never Stops at All

There were a lot of ways Emma could have handled the bomb that Belle dropped on her in the library. She could have stayed and had a woman to woman chat about feelings. Nope, scratch that, it had never been Emma’s style. She could have gone to the loft for a hope speech and a cup of cocoa from Mary Margaret. Hell, Emma wouldn’t even have had to tell her anything and Mary Margaret would have offered some sort of motherly comfort. But school wasn’t out yet, which meant MM was still at Hopeful Elementary with her third grade class.

People in mature relationships probably would have gone to their significant other and had a meaningful conversation. Emma had been drawn to Killian’s side, that much was true, but the minute he opened the door, every word she had rehearsed in her drive there flew out of her head.

Instead, she had grabbed him and kissed him like her life depended on it. Every time he pulled back and tried to speak, she had silenced him with her lips against his. Killian had willingly gone where she led him, which was straight to his bed.

Again, probably not the best way to deal with her rampant feelings.

Now she lay in his arms, both of them sated and relaxed. Well, he was relaxed anyway, sighing against her hair. Did he know that ending his curse would allow him to move on? Did he even care about leaving her? Emma swallowed against the lump in her throat. The urge to run, to flee welled up inside of her.

Then she remembered his words on the hilltop and at Milah’s grave. She turned in his embrace, running her fingers along his jawline, tracing the scar on his cheek. He smiled tenderly at her.

She licked her lips. “What do you think will happen if we find a way to break your curse?”

Killian shrugged, tugging her closer to trail kisses down the column of her neck. “I’m hoping,” he mumbled against her skin, “to be able to take you and Henry sailing. Maybe even see this Disney World everyone goes on about.”

He chuckled against her collarbone, and Emma dug her fingers into his hair. She let out a long, sad breath. So Belle hadn’t told him, either.

“Killian,” she began, but got stuck on his name.

He pulled back from the distraction of her body to gaze into her eyes. He tucked her hair behind her ear, his face lined with concern. “Love, what is it? Something’s bothering you, I can tell.”

Emma closed her eyes, pressing her forehead against his. She then wriggled closer until they were pressed against one another, slipping her arms beneath his and grasping his upper back. She turned her head to press her lips against his shoulder blade. It was easier to get the words out when she wasn’t looking him in the eye.

“All my life, I’ve been running, leaving everyone before they can leave me. Until you.” Emma swallowed down the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. “Killian . . . I can’t lose you.”

He pulled back to cup her face in his hands. “I’m not going anywhere, Emma.”

“Killian, think about it. You’re not supposed to still be alive. If we break the curse . . . “

She trailed off, biting on her lower lip. His face went slack as realization washed over him. Wordlessly, he pulled her close again and just held her, running his fingers through her hair. She clung to him as if she could keep him with her through force of will alone. But she couldn’t be that selfish, could she? If she truly cared about him, she wouldn’t want this kind of existence for him.

“Emma,” he whispered against her hair, “I will gladly stay cursed for the rest of eternity in exchange for spending just one lifetime with you.”

She let him kiss her, let him make love to her again, knowing it was his way of sealing his declaration. Apparently, she was that selfish.

*************************************************************

Gold Manor was ready for the inaugural ghost tour on Halloween night. Tickets were being sold online and at all the local businesses. Granny’s Diner was catering the refreshments that would be served in the garden after the tour. The only thing left to do was prep the actors and rehearse for the actual tour.

Emma knew this. She also knew that Killian had reluctantly agreed to Belle’s insane idea that he play . . . himself. Of course, no one but the three of them knew he was the Killian Jones. To everyone else, it was just a happy coincidence. Jones, after all, was a common last name.

Yet, despite knowing Killian’s role in the ghost tour, she was not in the least bit prepared for the sight that met her three days before Halloween. She froze in the doorway of the manor and almost spilled her coffee.

“How do I look, Swan?” he asked, grasping the lapels of the almost floor length, black leather duster he wore. Emma struggled not to let her jaw drop as she searched for words. Beneath the duster, he wore a red leather vest over a honest-to-God black pirate shirt. It was buttoned even less than his shirts normally were, and his charm necklace resting against his exposed chest complemented the look. Then there were the leather pants - skin tight and leaving little to the imagination.

“Um . . . “ Speak, Emma! But all she could do was blink.

A grin spread slowly across his face, the bastard. He sauntered towards her, his head cocked to the side. He was wearing eyeliner too, which shouldn’t have been hot . . . only it was.

“Dashing, right? Devastatingly handsome?”

His teasing tone shook her out of her stupor, and she laughed as she set her coffee cup down on a nearby table. She ran her hands up his vest and grasped the lapels of his coat in a tight grip.

“It’s a good look on you, pirate.”

Belle cleared her throat, and Emma jumped back, her face flaming. She hadn’t even realized they weren’t alone. Next to Belle stood an auburn haired woman with a measuring tape around her neck. Her hair was pulled back in slim braids at the crown, the rest spilling down her back. A pair of horn-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She grinned broadly at Emma’s assessment.

“Mission accomplished then.”

“Emma, this is Aurora. She’s the costume designer at the community theater,” Belle explained.

“Hopeful has community theater?” Emma asked incredulously, stepping out of Killian’s embrace.

“Not much of one,” Aurora chuckled as she put her sewing equipment away, “which is why I commute every day for my nine to five with the Portland Ballet.”

“Well, you are one of the best,” Belle assured her friend with a parting hug.

“Be careful when you take that off, Mr. Jones,” Aurora admonished as she headed out the door.

“I could help you with that,” Emma whispered in his ear, thrilling when it made his neck turn red.

“Emma, I’m glad you’re here,” Belle said, gathering up an armful of books, “there’s something I wanted to talk to both of you about.”

“I um, feel a little silly having a meeting in this get-up,” Killian said, reaching up to scratch behind his ear. “I think I’ll head upstairs and change.”

Emma watched him go with intense appreciation, humming under her breath until he was out of sight.

“I heard that,” Belle laughed.

Emma shrugged as she turned to her new friend, not in the least bit embarrassed. “What can I say? He looks good in tight leather.”

“You love him, don’t you?” Belle whispered, her smile turning soft.

Emma bit her lower lip as she looked down at her hands clasped in front of her. It sounded crazy; they hadn’t known each other long. Yet from the moment they had first met, there had been a connection between them. Belle took her long silence as an answer.

“That’s why you got so upset when I explained breaking his curse,” she said softly, “you don’t want to lose him.”

All Emma could do was nod her head, her lips pressed together so she wouldn’t cry. Belle simply lowered her head, running a hand over one of the books she had brought.

“I think I may have found a way for the two of you to be together.”

Emma gasped and hurried to stand at Belle’s side. “You have?”

“This spell,” she explained, running her hand over the yellowed pages, “binds two souls together. They literally become one after it is cast. The only catch is that you have to be soulmates or it won’t work.”

Emma swallowed nervously. “It’s worth a shot though, right? I mean, is there any danger if we try and we’re not soulmates?”

“Not the binding, no, but the second part of the plan would be. You see, if Killian shares your soul, he may be able to stay here after the curse breaks.”

“But if we aren’t soulmates, it wouldn’t work?”

“It may not work at all,” Belle admitted, “but it should. In theory.”

“But like I said,” Emma argued, “it’s worth a shot.”

“Emma,” Belle said slowly, “what I mean is, you could both die.”

Emma felt the blood drain from her face as the words sunk in, and she shut her eyes tightly. She thought of Killian, how safe she felt in his arms, how right. She thought about his curse, how he’d lived a long, lonely existence for centuries. She knew, deep in her heart, what she had to do.

She opened her eyes and told Belle firmly, “Like I said, I have to try.”

“No.”

The two women startled at the deep voice coming from the foot of the stairs. They hadn’t noticed Killian descending as they talked.

“Killian!” Emma exclaimed upon seeing him.

“No,” he said again, shaking his head, “I won’t let you.”

Emma rushed across the room to him, taking his hands in hers. “But if there’s a chance to break your curse -”

“I won’t let you, Emma. I won’t risk the life of the woman I love. Neither will I risk leaving Henry an orphan.”

Emma’s heart sank as she slowly released his hands. What kind of mother was she?

“Henry,” she breathed. She hung her head in defeat. Killian was right.

********************************************************************

“Okay, kid, what’ll it be for movie night this week? Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? Thor: Ragnarok? Or Return of the Jedi? The theme of course is conclusions of trilogies . . . “ Emma trailed off as she regarded her son’s pensive expression. “What? You didn’t expect me to throw in Captain America: Civil War did you? Because you know how I feel about that. It’s an Avengers movie, I don’t care what the MCU says.”

She poked Henry in the shoulder, then waved a Twizzler rope in front of his face. “Kid? Earth to Henry?”

“When are you going to tell me the truth?”

Emma’s eyes widened at her son’s angry expression. “The truth about what?”

“About Killian?”

Emma blinked. “Okay, I didn’t know you wanted the details, but . . . well, I love him, and -”

“Ew! I’m not talking about that!”

Emma shook her head. “Then I’m confused.”

“What is he? A ghost? What?”

Emma’s jaw dropped at his questions. “I . . . I . . . don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Please,” Henry scoffed with a roll of his eyes, “I’m not stupid. He can’t leave the manor grounds, he talks like it’s the 17th century, and he knows a strange amount of stuff about Hopeful hundreds of years ago. And his name is even Killian Jones?”

“Henry, you can’t be serious -”

“Then there was this today in history class.” Henry shoved his schoolbook on Maine State History into Emma’s lap, and there on the open page was the same drawing of Killian that Belle had in her stack of research on Gold Manor. A box next to the picture told the story of the witch trial of Milah Gold and the legend of pirate captain Killian Jones. According to Henry’s textbook, most scholars believed the existence of the pirate to be a myth.

“What the hell!” Emma muttered, pulling the book closer. “I can’t believe this!”

“What, Mom?”

“This idiot scholar at The University of Maine says that the romantic imagery surrounding the supposed pirate in conjunction with Milah Gold’s possible madness leads one to believe that he was a figment of the woman’s imagination!” Emma shoved the book away in disgust. “Have you ever heard anything so sexist in your life? Assuming Milah made Killian up because she was crazy. Is it so hard to believe that a woman back then would want anything other than marriage to a wealthy man? Did they ever consider that it was her husband who had lost his mind, not her? Of all the pigheaded things -”

“Mom!”

Emma startled at her son’s voice, and sheepishly bit her lip to stop the flow of words. Henry arched his brows at her.

“So he is Killian Jones, the centuries old cursed pirate.”

He leaned back against the couch with a smug expression. Emma couldn’t help smiling and shaking her head.

“Only you would so easily believe it.”

“The evidence is pretty clear, Mom.” He sat up then, bouncing eagerly. “So how do we break his curse?”

“We don’t, unfortunately,” Emma told him sadly, “not without . . . losing him. He’s supposed to be dead by now, kid.”

“But there has to be a way! You said you love him, didn’t you? Can’t true love break curses and stuff?”

“This isn’t a fairy tale, Henry.”

Her son narrowed his eyes and studied her face, and Emma squirmed beneath his perceptive gaze.

“There is a way!”

Emma shook her head. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

“You just have to believe!”

“Henry,” Emma told him gently, cupping his face, “not if it means leaving you alone.”

He shook his head stubbornly. “Whatever it is, it will work, Mom! I’ve never seen you so happy. We both like it here. We have David and Mary Margaret, and we both have friends.”

“And great onion rings,” Emma teased.

Henry laughed, “Yeah, Granny’s is pretty awesome.”

Emma pulled him against her and kissed the top of his head. “You’re right, Hopeful’s been pretty great, and Killian is partly why.”

“Don’t you wish he could be here for movie night?”

“Yeah,” Emma sighed, “I do.”

“Do you love him for real? Like, a lot?”

“More than any one in the world, besides you, kid.”

“Then it will work, Mom, you just have to believe!”

It was crazy, but something in Henry’s expression steeled her resolve. She picked up the phone and dialed Belle’s number.

“Belle, what do I have to do for this soul binding thing?”

************************************************************************

Emma clutched her purse tightly as she stood on Killian’s porch. Inside she had tucked what Belle said she needed to perform the soul binding. There was just one tiny little detail bothering her.

She was doing it without Killian’s permission.

Emma knew she was playing with fire, knew he might see it as a betrayal. After all, his will being taken from him was the crux of his misery. But ironically, Emma going against his will was the very thing that might give him his agency back. Besides, his concerns were all for and Henry anyway.

This was the twisted logic she had come up with to ease her conscious, at any rate.

She was afraid he would see right through her the minute he opened the door, but he simply greeted her with a beaming smile. He had a kitchen towel tossed over one shoulder, and he eagerly pulled her into the cabin, the delicious smells of whatever he was cooking filling the space. As they talked easily over the meal, Emma’s guilt abated. (The wine they were imbibing helped too.)

As the sun slipped below the horizon, Emma informed him with a sultry smile that Henry was staying the night with David and Mary Margaret. It would be the first time she had stayed with him all night, and he smiled like an eager school boy. That smile, so trusting, so devoted, made the guilt come back, pricking at her resolve. Then he was making love to her in that intense way of his, and the desire to have him with her always, in every sense of the word, made her more sure than ever of what she must do.

Emma waited until Killian’s breaths evened out, then she got up and opened the curtains partway, just enough so that the moonlight fell over his form. He shifted in his sleep, and Emma held her breath. She released it, and tiptoed to retrieve the needle from her purse. She crawled slowly back into bed and tucked herself into Killian’s side.

She took a deep breath before using the needle to prick the tip of her left finger. A dot of dark red blood welled up. Trembling, she took her finger and made the shape of a cross over the left side of Killian’s chest where his heart resided. There was barely enough blood to make the mark; most of it was soaked up by his chest hair. Hopefully, he wouldn’t even notice come morning.

She pressed her hand to the spot, closed her eyes, and whispered, “Anams ceangal a dheanamh.”

To be honest, Emma didn’t expect anything to happen. She had fully anticipated feeling slightly foolish as she wondered if it worked. The last thing she had ever imagined was the pulse of energy surging from Killian’s chest, up her arm, and through her entire body. It sent her tumbling backwards off the bed, and when she scrambled to her knees, Killian was sitting up, breathing hard, eyes wide, his hand to his chest.

“Emma?” he asked in a frantic voice.

“Killian,” she said slowly, “I had to -”

“What did you do?”

She flinched at the higher pitch of his voice. He rose from the bed slowly, looking slightly disoriented as he rubbed at his chest. His demeanor was more frightened than angry, and his voice held a hint of betrayal. She would rather he be angry. The moonlight spilled over his naked body as he came closer to her, and she wasn’t sure if it was the spell or just him, but he looked like some sort of Greek god, both ethereal and strong. When an almost overwhelming desire to make love to him again surged through her, she was positive it was the spell.

His chest heaved as he searched her with a lust-filled gaze. It seemed the spell was affecting him, too. He pressed his eyes shut and asked her again, jaw clenching, “What did you do?”

She stepped into his embrace, pressing her cheek to his chest.

“I think you know.”

His arms came around to hold her tight as if he could fight it no longer.

“I told you not to.”

“I never listen.”

His answer was a searing kiss. They were both left panting when he pulled away, and he pressed his forehead to hers.

“I feel . . .”

“Something’s different ,isn’t it?” she finished his thought.

“Aye, it is. I love you, Emma.”

For the first time in over ten years, those words didn’t scare her. Instead, a comforting warmth spread through her body.

“I love you too.”

**********************************************************************

They made love again after the spell worked, in a frantic, almost desperate way. They had fallen asleep, still entangled in each other’s arms. Emma feared when morning came, but she woke to a blissful Killian, happy that she was still there in his arms. They flirted and teased one another, laughing and smiling between light, morning-breath kisses. In short, they avoided the elephant in the room in favor of being ridiculously in love.

When Emma met up with Belle at the library later that day as planned, she dropped her purse on the circulation desk with a loud thud. She met the librarian’s gaze with a single-minded fire in her eyes.

“It worked. What’s next?”

*******************************************************************

Emma was a bundle of nervous energy. The Halloween event at the manor was in full swing. The cones and rope and ended up working just fine for parking, as well as the dozen or so volunteers in orange vests directing traffic. People were processed in the main room of the house where Killian and his construction crew had put up a reception desk. Next to it was a display of brochures on other historical spots in Maine. Belle was working the desk with Henry’s help, checking tickets and giving each visitor a time to return for their tour. While they waited, guests mingled in the garden, enjoying the refreshments. Many were in costume. Some fit the theme, dressed as pirates or 17th century maidens, but there were also people dressed as Thor, or vampires, or students from Hogwarts.

The actors leading the tours were doing a fantastic job as well as the “ghosts” chatting with visitors in the various rooms: a man playing Robert Gold at the balcony from which he flung himself to his death, a woman playing Milah sitting at her vanity in her chambers combing her hair, and of course Killian pacing the long hallway. He was honestly having a good time startling people with a dramatic spin of his leather coat, and Emma chuckled every time she heard screams from upstairs. He had felt a little uneasy over the actress playing Milah, but other than that, he was taking the whole crazy thing in stride and even having fun with it.

“It’s been centuries, love,” he had assured her multiple times. He also appreciated that the representation of Milah was more accurate, stating that she was falsely accused of witchcraft with no hint of the ridiculous claim that she was mad.

Yet none of that was the cause of Emma’s nerves. She was three heartbeats from a panic attack because of what she and Belle had planned for after the event. Killian didn’t know a thing about it, but it had to be done tonight, on the anniversary of when his curse was originally cast. Belle had everything they needed squirreled away in the closet beneath the stairs. Emma kept glancing that way, despite her being pulled in a thousand different directions, and every time her heart beat sped up.

“Well, Ms. Swan,” Mayor Regina Mills said, stepping into her line of sight seemingly from out of nowhere, “I must say I was skeptical that you could pull this off, but this just might become a Halloween tradition in Hopeful.”

Emma wet her dry lips and forced a smile. “Thank you, Ms. Mills.”

“And tell that man you hired - a Mr. Jones, was it? - to come see me on Monday. I may have a permanent position for him.”

I hope he can. Emma thought to herself. Outwardly, she simply gave the mayor a nod. “I’ll pass that along.”

*********************************************************************

Emma cursed the ancient floor boards as she wrestled the ancient cauldron into place in the middle of the parlor. She righted herself after tripping over a warped board, ignoring the strain of the muscles in her arms as she heaved the cast iron kettle over the burning wood in the fireplace.

Emma swore as Belle crushed ingredients with a mortar and pestle. There wasn’t much time. It was almost midnight.

Belle handed one ingredient after another to Henry, who rushed to toss it into the bubbling cauldron as Emma stirred. Her hands shook as she heard Killian’s boots stride across the floor above.

“He’s going to kill me,” Emma muttered as she caught her son’s gaze.

The sound of Killian’s boots were closer now, descending the stairs. Not that it mattered if he was angry. They had to try. As if reading her mind, Henry grasped her hand.

“This will work, Mom.”

Belle hurried over, the last ingredient crushed at the bottom of the small mortar. The two women shared a nervous look, then Belle shook the white powder into Emma’s palm. Just as Emma lifted her fist above the potion simmering in the pot, the sound of Killian’s boots stilled and his voice filled the room.

“Emma?”

She stopped abruptly as his eyes took in the room; the fragile yellowed book open on the coffee table, the ingredients scattered across the buffet table, and the mortar and pestle in Belle’s hand.

“Killian,” Emma explained slowly, “we found this spell, and we had to try . . .”

“Emma, no!” Killian cried as she dropped the crushed white swan feathers into the cauldron.

Emma took a deep breath and spoke the incantation: “Swan in woman’s form, injustice to right, the enslaved to free.”

A pulse of bright light suddenly pulsed from the cauldron, knocking all four people in the room off their feet. Emma moaned, grasping her pounding head in her hands. There was a ringing in her ears, and she could barely make out Killian’s face hovering worriedly over her.

Well, we’re not dead.

It was her last thought before she passed out.

Six Months Later . . .

The last remnants of the harsh Maine winter blew on the April breeze. The front porch of the cabin Killian had made his home for centuries was lightly framed with purple from the lilac trees that grew nearby. Emma was leaning against his old tan pickup, admiring the picturesque scene. Her smile grew as Killian and Henry came out of the front door with boxes in their hands.

“These are the last two, love,” Killian told her.

“Really?” she asked in surprise as she took the box from Henry’s hand and set it in the truck.

“Well,” Killian said with a shrug, “possessions aren’t of much value when you have no one to share them with.”

Emma grinned as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’re so wise, oh ancient one.”

Henry snorted a laugh as Killian feigned offense. Then Henry was gagging instead when Emma went up on her tiptoes to kiss the pout off Killian’s face.

“I’ll be in the truck,” the boy announced with a wrinkled nose.

“I thought he liked me,” Killian frowned.

“He does,” Emma chuckled, “it’s just - to a kid, grown ups kissing is disgusting.”

“Ah, I see. Unfortunately, now that we are wed and all three of us are sharing a home, he’s going to have to get used to it.”

Emma laughed as Killian placed exaggerated smooches all over her face.

“Speaking of home,” Henry shouted through the back window, “can you stop being gross so we can go ?”

They both laughed, but despite Henry’s request, Emma pressed her cheek to Killian’s collarbone and gazed at the little cabin. Her hand rested against his chest, her wedding ring catching the light of the spring sun.

“I’m glad we broke your curse, but is it wrong if I don’t want to give up this place?”

Killian held her close and kissed the top of her head. “We don’t have to, love. As groundskeeper of Gold Manor, I’ll be converting it into my office, remember.”

Emma smirked up at him. “But it won’t have a bed.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I bet it’s not appropriate for my innocent ears!” Henry called out again from the truck.

Killian’s head tilted back, and a joyful and carefree laugh burst out of him. “Okay then, Joneses, lets get home.”

Emma had to admit as they pulled up in front of their new blue Victorian with its wraparound porch and view of the sea, that home was a pretty incredible place. She was glad she was too busy back in the fall to see a realtor.

********************************************************************

“What’s the surprise, love?”

Emma laughed as Killian almost tripped over a tombstone.

“Bloody hell, woman, if you’re going to blindfold me, then you better get me safely to my destination!”

Emma brushed a kiss to his cheek. “Sorry. We’re here though.” She removed the blindfold and gestured to the tombstone in front of them. Killian just stood there, slack-jawed, his eyes blinking.

The tombstone was the same one that had been erected centuries ago. Better for historical integrity, Belle had explained. Yet the marker erected behind it, tall and on top of a pretty black, wrought-iron post, was brand new.

“It’s officially on the historic registry,” Emma told him softly, biting her lower lip. “Do you like it?”

He blinked and cleared his throat before managing to read it aloud.

Milah Gold

Born 1661

Hanged for accusations of witchcraft in 1693

Like many of her day, Milah’s only crime was

defying the societal expectations of women.

Her life and death reminds us that we should

never stop fighting for justice and equal rights.

“Milah would be happy, right?” Emma asked nervously.

“Actually,” Killian replied turning to pull her into his arms, “this marker wouldn’t have mattered to her. She would be happy because you’ve broken me free of that curse and given me a reason to live again.”

He lowered his head to kiss her, and Emma wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. As their kiss intensified, she dug her fingers into the hair at his nape, humming when he pulled away.

“So,” she said, her forehead still pressed to his, “ready to live just one lifetime? Or do you have regrets?”

“Never. One lifetime with you, becoming old and gray together, is all I could have ever dreamed of.”

[wellesleyunderground]

Wellesley Writes It: Interview with Patrice Caldwell ’15, Founder of People of Color in Publishing

Patrice Caldwell ’15 is the founder & fundraising chair of People of Color in Publishing – a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting, empowering, and uplifting racially and ethnically marginalized members of the book publishing industry. Born and raised in Texas, Patrice was a children’s book editor before shifting to be a literary agent at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.

In 2018, she was named a Publishers Weekly Star Watch honoree and featured on The Writer’s Digest podcast and Bustle’s inaugural “Lit List” as one of ten women changing the book world.

Her anthology, A Phoenix First Must Burn – 16 stories of Black girl magic, resistance, and hope – is out March 10, 2020 from Viking Books for Young Readers/Penguin Teen in the US/Canada and Hot Key Books in the UK! Visit Patrice online at patricecaldwell.com, Twitter @whimsicallyours, and Instagram @whimsicalaquarian.

Wellesley Underground’s Wellesley Writes it Series Editor, E.B. Bartels ’10, had the chance to converse with Patrice via email about publishing, reading, and writing. E.B. is grateful to Patrice for willing to be part of the Wellesley Writes It series, even with everything else she has going on!

EB: When did you first become interested in going into writing and publishing? Did something at Wellesley spark that interest?

PC: For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved writing. It’s how I best express myself. That love pretty naturally grew into creating stories. I’ve always had a very vivid imagination. I’ve also always been pretty aware that publishers exist. I remember at a young age noticing the logos on the spines of books (notating the imprint/publisher), so by the time I was a teen I could recall which publishers published my favorite books (served me very well in interviews, haha) and was curious about that process. But I was a theater kid, intensely, that’s what I thought I would do, but then I decided to go to Wellesley and majored in political science (especially theory—I took ever class Professor Grattan, she’s brilliant) but then dabbled in a bunch of other subjects, including English. I think English courses definitely strengthened my critical thinking, but I absolutely do not think you have to be an English or creative writing major in order to work in publishing or be a writer. My theater background is just as helpful as is my political theory one. (I have friends who are best-selling authors who did MFA programs and others who never went to college.)

Wellesley was my safe space. I came back to myself while at Wellesley. I wrote three (unpublished) manuscripts during my time there, starting the summer after my first year, and I held publishing and writing related internships. I also took a fantastic children’s literature course taught by Susan Meyer (who’s a children’s author herself!) that changed my world. I highly recommend it. We studied children’s literature, got to talk to an author and a literary agent, and we wrote our own stories. I later did a creative writing independent study with her, and I truly thank Professor Meyer for expanding my interest in writing and publishing.

EB: How did People in Color Publishing come about? What goals do you have for the organization? What would you like people to know about it?

PC: I founded People of Color in Publishing in August 2016 to allow people of color clearer access into the book publishing industry, better support networks, and professional development opportunities. It really is about sending the elevator back down for others after climbing (& maybe even assembling) the stairs.

We’re currently working towards nonprofit status. You can learn more about us and our initiatives at https://www.pocinpublishing.com/ and sign up for our newsletter, which is incredibly well done. As you’ll see when you visit the site, the organization really is a team effort. I don’t and couldn’t do this alone; I’ve had an amazing team with me from day one. We each play to our strengths and work really well together. (The org is very active on Instagram and Twitter, too!)

EB: I am really excited about your collection A Phoenix First Must Burn, coming out from Penguin Random House on March 10, 2020. What inspired you to put together that anthology? What was challenging about the process of compiling the anthology, and what was rewarding about it?

PC: Thank you; I’m so excited for it as well. I talk about this more in the book’s introduction, but I was inspired by my eternal love for Octavia Butler—the title even comes from a passage in Parable of the Talents—as well as similar adult market anthologies like Sheree R. Thomas’s Dark Matter, and wondering what one for teens would look like. The answer is power and imagination like I’ve never before seen, in the form of a kick-ass, #BlackGirlMagic anthology that’s hella queer—I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Before I became a literary agent, I was a children’s book editor. The editing of these stories was the easy part. It was super fun. The hard part was wrangling of everyone, haha. Thankfully they were amazing to work with and I wasn’t doing it alone—my then editor Kendra Levin also has a fantastic editorial eye.

As for what was rewarding, my younger self needed this. Like I said, it’s Black and queer. Since Toni Morrison passed, a day hasn’t gone by in which I’ve thought, about how she wrote for Black people, especially Black women, unapologetically. I feel that deeply. I got to work with some of my favorite writers writing today. How often does someone get to say that, you know. And, I grew a lot as a writer. I never thought I could write a short story, but I did. We’ve been getting some really great early reviews (like this beautifully-written starred review from Kirkus, OMG!) But going back to how my younger self needed this, the most rewarding thing has been the people who’ve reached out how excited they are to read it and how much they’ve been craving a book like this. It’s a dream come true. A dream I strategized to reach, worked my butt off on, and so yeah, I’m over the moon.

EB: You're also the author of a YA fantasy book (publication date TBD) in addition to the anthology. How is the experience of writing a fantasy novel different and/or similar to compiling an anthology? What advice would you give to someone writing their own book (of any genre)?

PC: It’s such a different experience in that writing this novel is all me, especially because it hasn’t sold yet (I’m finishing revising it now). My agents are amazing, with an excellent editorial skills, and so they’re certainly there to help and advise me should I need them—and then I have author friends I can ask for advice too—but ultimately if I don’t write this book, it doesn’t get written. There’s no one else to nudge.

The similarities, however, between novels and short stories are that ultimately, I’m the same writer, I’m the same person. For instance, I love experimenting with structure. My story for A Phoenix First Must Burnbegins in the present, goes back in time, and ends again at the present. The story I just wrote, for Dahlia Adler’s Shakespeare-inspired anthology, is epistolary—told partially in journal entries, and my third short story (for an unannounced thing) takes place partially on the set of a scripted reality TV show, so there’s definitely going to be script excerpts throughout. My novel is similar in that it’s told through three women, but two of them are narrated in first present tense (like, I am) whereas one is in third past (she was). And then every few chapters I have an excerpt of something from this fantasy world’s archives—oral myths passed down about various gods, peace treaties made over the years, accounts from the war that just ended, etc. It’s been a huge challenge and lot of fun.

I didn’t have the skills to pull this book off when I started writing it, which is something I think a lot of writers deal with at some point. Therefore, I had two options: put the book down and write something more manageable or take the time it took to write this. Neither option is better than the other—the best option is what’s right for you, and I didn’t have anything more manageable that I was as passionate about, so I had to write through it. When you’ve tried everything you can possibly try (including breaks, they’re important!) to unstick your story, you have to write through it. You have to deal with the voices (including sometimes your own) saying you can’t, and the only way to truly deal with those voices is to show up to the paper, the screen, whatever it is, and write. In writing and believing in my own work before anyone else has, I’ve found my confidence. Confidence in your own writing is key because only you can write the book you want to write <3.

EB: What are you currently reading?

PC: Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri. I just loved herdebut novel, Empire of Sand, and I’m so pumped to be diving into this one. Badass women, incredibly rich worldbuilding, and very cool magic as well as a lot about access to forgotten history and assimilation into other cultures.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell. It is getting fantastic early reviews and was pitched as a 21stcentury Lolita (by one of my agents who sold it actually) and given all the #MeToo conversations, it has ended up being super timely. I hated Lolita (could not finish), and I love this book. Oh, and Stephen King loved it, which for me is an auto-buy. It’s out March 10, 2020.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski. You definitely don’t have to love someone’s books to be friends with them, but in this case, Marie is a friend whose work I’m obsessed with. It’s set in the same world as another one of her series—one of my favorite series that’s like game theory in a fantasy world and begins with The Winner’s Curse. Marie is brilliant, this book is brilliant, and it’s also very queer. It’s out March 3, 2020.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. This book has been getting the best of reviews and praise, so it’s been at the top of my to-reads list for a while, but I started reading it because a friend mentioned that it has multiple POVs all in first person (which is very unusual), and like I said, I love playing around with stuff like that. This is book is a masterpiece.

As you can tell, I love reading books. I also love book hopping, so I’m always reading a bunch at once. I’m on a bit of a fantasy streak right now. But from October to December 2019 I read like a romance novel a week (sometimes three a week, haha) and revisited my favorite urban fantasy series, so if you’re into those check out Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires + Heirs of Chicagoland series, Tessa Dare’s Girl Meets Duke series and of course our very own Jasmine Guillory, my favorite of hers thus far is The Wedding Party). After I’m done with my revisions, I wanna take a writing break and sink into Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey and Dan Jones’s The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors.

EB: What future projects/goals do you have for yourself and your career?

PC: I spent most of Wellesley working towards two goals: being published and working in publishing. In doing so, I accomplished a lot in a very short time, and I totally wrecked my mental health—it took most of 2019 to rebuild that. I’m trying to live more in the present and enjoy that. Career wise, I’m just gonna trust that I’m already doing the work I need to do and that I have the support systems I need to help me keep doing that. And for a personal goal, I have been wanting to spend more time in Paris—I went back for the first time in ten years for all of February 2019, and just loved it. My whole soul felt at home, so I’d like to take some French lessons to fill in the gaps (I took French from middle school through sophomore year at Wellesley and achieved proficiency, but I want to become fluent). And then I want to visit more for longer and see where that takes me.

EB: I so admire your freelance hustle, and as someone attempting it myself, too, I know that sometimes it feels like you have to work 24/7 to make it possible. How do you set boundaries for yourself and your work? How do you take care of yourself?

PC: So, I’m a literary agent and a writer, which means my entire income comes from commission I make from the writer client projects I work on and sell as an agent and advance payments (and hopefully royalties down the line) as a writer. That said, I didn’t become a literary agent until June 2019, and didn’t get the first payment from a client book I sold until November, so most my income is still coming from writing (for reference, I received my first advance check in fall of 2018).

As of now, balancing the two isn’t that hard for me. But you have to understand that I was first an editor and a writer, so I had to do most of the deadlines for A Phoenix First Must Burn while also going into an office 5 days a week, from 10-7/8pm. Now, I manage my own schedule.

My main “freelance life” struggle was that I was diagnosed with ADHD this year. When I left my full-time, salaried job, at the end of 2018, I didn’t realize just how helpful that structure had been. To me, that structure was only ever a limitation. I felt like it was ridiculous with all of this technology that we all had to be in NYC, I felt like editors needed to be more proactive, I preferred to travel to book festivals and teach at workshops and meet writers where they are, etc. etc. But then, without that structure, everything fell apart. Suddenly, tasks that used to take me five minutes could actually take me five hours because I only had myself to answer to. I would hyper-focus on everything but what I needed to be doing. It was a really hard time for me because I had all of these things I wanted to do now that I finally had more time to do them, but ADHD had other plans—I constantly felt like I wasn’t achieving what I knew I could because I had done it before.

I had to learn to forgive myself. This is how my brain works, and there are a lot of strengths to it (like if I remove distractions like the internet, I can hyper-focus for hours, I’m a fantastic problem solver, and I thrive in chaos—all things that help me excel at my work). Learning to forgive yourself for not accomplishing all the things, whether you have a mental illness or not, is really important.

You also have to be hyper-aware of your strengths and weaknesses. What are things you know you’re just not good at? Can you pay someone else to do it? Is there an app you can download that can make that task easier? I delegate and outsource every detail-level thing that I can because I’m horrible at details and I’ve finally accepted that that’s okay. One person cannot do everything forever; it’s not sustainable.

And then you also have to say no. If you can afford to say no to something that doesn’t really interest you / have a high payoff, do so. That is how you set boundaries. My health has become so much better ever since I started saying no to more things. Why? It gives me time to do other things, those things I’ve been saying forever I’m going to make more time for (like French lessons and reading books for fun). Now, my evenings and weekends are for non-work things. I love my jobs they’re still jobs.

Trust that you’re on the right path. Trust that you have the support systems you need and if you aren’t or don’t, dream and strategize towards those.

Ultimately, I am the happiest I’ve ever been and that’s because I finally stopped focusing my whole life around my jobs, stopped caring what people who aren’t paying my bills think, and started living my actual life.

EB: What else would you like our readers to know about you and/or your work?

PC: I have a website, Twitter, Instagram, and a newsletter. If you enjoyed this interview, definitely sign up for my newsletter (& check out past issues) as I always give creative life pep talks, share recipes and what books and tv shows I’m loving. I think of my newsletter as a longer form version of my Twitter. My website is a pretty standard website—you can find out more about my own books, my clients, events I’m attending, etc. there. And my Instagram is slightly more personal, with pretty pictures of my face and my book haha, and I share daily/weekly updates about my writing there via IG stories.

And, of course, buy my book: https://patricecaldwell.com/a-phoenix-first-must-burn

Thank you so much for having me and for reading. Happy New Year!

[thesportssoundoff]

“Like a DMV visit; meaningful and important but perhaps not interesting” UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs Figueiredo Preview

Joey

February 26th 2020

So how about a meh card from Norfolk, Virginia with some serious real shit level consequences attached to it? The UFC heads to Norfolk with a title fight, what feels like an unofficial #1 contender tournament with four featherweights and a bunch of high level filler, DWCS dudes and the return of Tom Breese! It's just a shame that the UFC is not treating this flyweight reboot with a little bit more urgency and fanfare with such a substandard card but at the very least, it's a good thing 125 lbs has a future. For now at least. Let's run through the tape and try to break this bad boy down:

2020 Stat-O-Matic:

Debuting Fighters (5-3): Norma Dumont, Kyler Phillips, Darrick Minner, Aalon Cruz, Spike Carlyle, TJ Brown, Steve Garcia Main Event Exemption:

Short Notice Fighters (5-4): Darrick Minner, Spike Carlyle, Steve Garcia Main Event Exemption:

Second Fight (3-6): Zarah Faim, Brendan Allen, Gabriel Silva, Sean Brady Main Event Exemption (): Zarah Faim Vs Debutantes (0-1):

Cage Corrosion (Fighters who have not fought within a year of the date of the fight) (6-2): Tom Breese Main Event Exemption (1-0):

Undefeated Fighters (2-5): Norma Dumont, Sean Brady Main Event Exemption (0-1):

Fighters with at least four fights in the UFC with 0 wins over competition still in the organization (3-3): Tom Breese Main Event Exemption ():

Weight Class Jumpers (Fighters competing outside of the weight class of their last fight even if they’re returning BACK to their “normal weight class”) (2-4): Main Event Exemption ():

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- So is there a back up in mind should Deveison have a rough weight cut? He's a guy who admittedly has cut from lightweight range before. I believe in the fight vs John Moraga he cut close to 20 lbs the week of in order to get down to the flyweight limit. It was so much in fact that the UFC were talking to Deiveson Figueiredo about going up in weight BEFORE the weight class was being considered for consolidation. There's no flyweight on the fight on the cards other than this one so I wonder what the story is here.

2- I don't think it's wrong to suggest that the UFC was really clinging to the idea that Joseph Benavidez was going to win the flyweight title's inaugural tournament back in 2012. They didn't seem prepared for what would happen if Demetrious Johnson won and spent the first few years on the defensive while trying to figure out how to present Mighty Mouse as champion. Benavidez worked his way back up to a secondary title shot and came up short again, this time getting flattened out by Demetrious Johnson. Essentially blocked off, Joseph Benavidez has casually built one of MMA's greatest resumes where he just sort of ran through every prospective #1 contender including current champ Henry Cejudo in a contentious fight back in 2017. Minus a slip up to Sergio Pettis, Benavidez is undefeated in non title fights and owes wins over just about every other qualified contender. This is really the best chance he'll ever have to make good on the belief that emerged ten some odd years ago in the WEC that Benavidez was the next Team Alpha Male legend. Not that it should be a doubt but a title win would make it hard to deny Benavidez as a genuine hall of even by even the most cynical critic. On the other hand, it'd feel just like Benavidez to come up short once again in the biggest title fight ever in the easiest of the challenges (vs Cruz, vs Mighty Mouse).

3- It hasn't been a problem much recently BUT for a good stretch of 2016 to 2018, there were moments where it looked like Benavidez's durability was beginning to slip. He was rocked by both Cejudo and Sergio Pettis as well as buzzed a few times by the likes of John Moraga. To his credit, Joseph Benavidez has only been finished ONCE in his ridiculously long MMA career but he's stepping up big time in terms of power vs Figueiredo who is a damn big time fight finisher at 125 lbs.

4- Is this the big cage or the small cage? One of those greatly figures Figueiredo and one of those probably makes it a wrap that Benavidez wins  by decision.

5- Can Figueiredo fight with any semblance of composure if the fight starts to get away from him? He really struggled with that vs Jussier Formiga once he started to have difficulty vs Formiga and it made it even easier for Formiga to take him down and control him, dipping under wild telegraphed shots for easy work.

6- How pissed will people be if Megan Anderson gets a title shot with a win over Norma Dumont?

7- This card is LOADED with DWCS guys from all three seasons and some are quite good and some not so good. Grant Dawson is clearly the best of the bunch and rounding out his game into becoming a genuine borderline top 15-y featherweight. Brendan Allen is probably the second best guy and he figures to cap out as an Ian Heinish-esque middleweight. The rest are all crapshoot guys like Aalon Cruz (super explosive but flawed), TJ Brown (a pseudo journeyman on a bit of a run prior to DWCS) and guys who are probably at their peaks like Jordan Griffin.

8- Speaking of Brendan Allen, I'm not really sure if this is the right fight for him at this stage in his career. To this point Allen feels like your traditional AAAA fighter. He's wiped out regional competition without much hassle but his two losses were to UFC competition (Eryk Anders, Trevin Giles) and his last fight was the first fight where he beat a real solid opponent in Kevin Holland. Now LFA champs have a pretty good streak of making it in the UFC, especially at higher weights, but there's a chance that Allen's style of having more guts than brains will eventually backfire. Brees is big, hits REALLY hard and fights with great patience and composure. This could be a really bad matchup for Allen.

9-  Ismail Naurdiev vs Sean Brady is WAY too good to be the show opener. A solid welterweight scrap between two ascending prospects. Brady kind of has a bit too much rigidity in his stand up for my liking but he hits hard and keeps a pretty solid pace, reminding me a bit of a less mobile Paul Felder. Naurdiev is the super prospect who gave Michel Prezares hell in his debut and has since bounced between Ls and Ws. Still very young and talented though.

10- Sergey Spivak vs Marcin Tybura is one of the best fights on the whole calendar. Complain elsewhere about it.

11- I'm glad they found somebody for Luis Pena to fight in Steve Garcia; a pretty competent guy who has fought as low as 135 lbs and now is making his debut at lightweight. After missing weight in both weight classes prior, I imagine this may be a potential one and done for Garcia in the UFC barring an impressive performance.

12- Kyler Phillips vs Gabriel Silva has some intriguing fight potential at 135 lbs. Worth going out of your way to see it on the prelims if ya can.

[thelittleredheadedmusician]

Idk if you know the answer, but in all of the US History and Government classes I’ve taken (Executive, Judicial, legislative!) no one has ever answered when I ask if a Vice President (or other official) who becomes president after the death of a president while in office can then run for office once or twice (presuming they win the first time)? I was going to just message you so as not to clog up your blog, but this one was open, so.

It’s incredibly polite of you to not want to clog my blog but it’s a mess anyway and I love getting asks so this is totally fine. Also it gives me an excuse to talk about my favorite president. 

Ok, so the short answer is yes. The long answer is under the cut.

There’s actually been a lot of presidents who were vice presidents before eventually becoming president (Adams, Jefferson, H. W. Bush) and a lot of presidents who either died in office (William Henry Harrison, got sick during his 4 hour long inauguration speech and died a month later) or were assassinated (Kennedy & Lincoln are the most famous but not the only ones, check out the musical Assassins for some weird American history in a super easy to understand way). There are actually four past US presidents who are the answer to your question. 

My personal favorite is Theodore Roosevelt. Seen as the black sheep of the republican party at the time Roosevelt was a firm believe and eventual champion of the progressive movement. He was governor of New York and on the fast track to the presidency but didn’t really gel with those in charge of his party and the best way to get rid of a political opponent is to give them the vice presidency. So they gave TR the vp nom and then William McKinley was assassinated only a few months into his term by Leon Czolgosz at the Temple of Music by the Tower of Light at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo (in Buffalo! (uh listen to Assassins and that’ll all make sense...)). SO. McKinley is dead and TR winds up EXACTLY where he wasn’t supposed, the American Presidency. And people liked him so much that when he ran for his own term after completing McKinley’s he won. He then helped Taft get elected but got frustrated with Taft and tried to run against him (understandable, guy was a much better Chief Justice than president) and wound up starting the Bull Moose Party (technically Progressive Party but this is more fun) and running for another term. As happens in American politics when there’s a third party the vote was split and neither Taft nor Roosevelt won. 

The other best known example is Lyndon B. Johnson. LBJ was the vp to JFK and wound up completing Kennedy’s term. He then ran for his own and won with over 60% of the popular vote which is just insane. He’s known for his domestic policies and support of civil rights. He was also blamed for the escalation of the Vietnam War and by the end of his term his approval had plummeted and he ran for a second term but didn’t win. 

The other two are presidents you probably don’t ever think about. Calvin Coolidge and Harry Truman. Coolidge finished Warren Harding’s term after his death and then served his own term. He chose not to run again despite considerably high public opinion because by the end of his second term he would have been president for ten years, saying “Ten years in Washington is longer than any other man has had it—too long!” This is ironic because Truman became president following the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, after FDR served 12 years in office. Truman completed FDR’s term and then won his own and is known for his international politics in the post WWII era. He didn’t run for his own second term either, likely because of allegations of corruption in his administration. 

So yeah, I know I could’ve just answered your question but I’m a little annoyed that your teachers weren’t able to help you out when there’s two such famous examples and felt the need to pick up some slack. No offense to them but still. Also I really love talking about TR. Also fun fact: Gerald Ford is the only person to ever serve as president without being elected. Give him a google if you’re curious. 

[wakandan-flowerz]

Our Love In Color XIX

A/N: I hope everyone is having a great 2019 so far! Enjoy this! Reader is Black and Plus sized? Oh, yes.

Warnings: fluff, plot progression

Translation: yam ivu-my rose

“I must say,” M’Bako started. “You have a lovely home, Feyisola.”

“Thank you.” Your mother said. “It’s an honor having the Chief and Chieftess in our home.”

“What are they doing here?” you whispered to M’Baku as you sat on the arm of your father’s chair, looking around at the guards posted in certain areas around the room.

“He just told me to come along and then we were here. If I knew, I would have told you. I promise I would have.” He said.

“Chieftess?” your mother asked.

“Please, call me Niyi. We should act as a family.” Niyi said, lips curled in a genuine smile.

“Well, I would have rather met on different circumstances.” Your father said, peering at you then directing his eyes back to his hand of cards. “To be frank, I’m not big on surprises.”

“I second that notion but, we’re here and it’s all thanks to young Y/N and her relationship with my son.” M’Bako said. His sarcasm was apparent to you but, no one else besides M’Baku picked up on it.

“But, really. I adore Y/N. She’s like the daughter I’ve always wanted.” Niyi said, looking over at you and winking.

You gave her a short smile before turning back to M’Baku.

“Y/N doesn’t tell us about how things are going with the whole becoming Chieftess process.” Your mother said.

“Oh? Y/N is doing well.” Niyi said, helping your mother move a pot from the stove.

“For a simple gardener.” M’Bako chimed in as he placed a pair of cards down.

M’Baku’s jaw tightened but, you put a hand on his bicep as you watched your father’s head rise. “Excuse me? A simple gardener?”

“Bongani, forgive my husband. The role of Chieftess in past generations was either given to a daughter or girl born into the leading family or a woman coming from a prominent or close family to that of the Chief. This is the first time in recent history that the role of Chieftess would be given to someone outside that class.” Niyi corrected first glaring at M’Bako and looking back to your father.

Your father had his eyes squinted as his fingers tapped on the table. “In all honesty, Y/N does better than I thought she would have. Council has very much enjoyed her company at meetings. She’s not a silent partner which I appreciate and is a great virtue for a Chieftess. Niyi was silent at first.”

“I didn’t remain that way though. Hanuman knows you’ve caught my mouth more times than you would have wished.” Niyi said in a dark tone. M’Bako cut his eyes at her, jaw locked. There was a sudden slap on the table as Odunayo put his hand of cards on the table making every looked in the direction with the two guards becoming promptly alert.

“I win!” he said. His smile broke the tension in the room with your father throwing his cards on the table.

“How? You cheat! I know you do!” your father scolded.

“Dinner is almost ready.” Your mother called from the kitchen. “Y/N and M’Baku, could you set the dining table in the other room please?”

“I can help.” Monife said, standing up from behind Odunayo.

“No.” you and M’Baku said in unison. Everyone looked at you with cocked eyebrows and hiding chuckles.

“We got it.” You said, pulling M’Baku along. You went into the larger dining room of your home. You adjusted the tablecloth before going to the cabinet for the plates.

“Usana,” M’Baku started. “It’s going to be fine.”

“If he keeps on like this or makes a snide remark, I’m not responsible for what my Baba does.” You said, whipping around.

“Relax. I’ll stop him before he gets to that point.” M’Baku said. “I’m not letting him do that you again. Or even your family.”

“I’m serious, M’Baku.” You said. “I don’t give a shit what his deal is with me or what his affliction is with you! He doesn’t do this with family.”

“Relax.” M’Baku said, rushing to you feeling your anger come off in waves. “It won’t come to that. I won’t let that happen again.” M’Baku pulled you into his chest, rubbing your back. You took deep breaths and settled. Both you and M’Baku took a sigh.

You pulled away but, kept your hands in M’Baku’s. “We just have to make it through tonight.”

“Let’s get the table set so we can get this over with.” You said. You and M’Baku got the entire table set and the double doors open. Niyi and Feyisola brought the dishes to the table. Your father sat at the head of the table and permitted M’Bako to do the same at the other end. Niyi sat next to your mother with Monife on your mother’s left, closer to your father. On the left side of the table, Odunayo was closer to your father with you in the middle and M’Baku and the end close to the Chief. The tension was thin for the moment but, M’Baku kept a hand on your thigh to ease you.

“The food is great, Feyisola.” Niyi said.

“Thank you.” Your mother giggled.

“Is Young Y/N as good as a cook as you?” M’Bako asked. “I’d hate for M’Baku to go hungry.” You smacked your lips but your father spoke up first.

“Why do you call her young? Where is that coming from?” Your father said in an irritated voice.

“I’m sorry. Y/N is younger than M’Baku.” He said. “It’s not meant to be demeaning. Just something I call her. Just something funny I thought since M’Baku would be more mature and he went for someone who he’d be a senior to. You don’t take offense to it, Y/N?”

M’Baku’s jaw locked as he cut his eyes over to the Chief but, he calmed himself, turning to you. You looked up from your plate and gave a slick smile. “No.” M’Baku’s thumb rubbed your thigh.

“I must say, I guess it was a shock to all of us that they were a match.” Your father said.

“Hanuman has a funny way of doing things.” Niyi said. “I believe Y/N has bettered M’Baku. He is more determined and strives to be a better leader.”

“Y/N has changed also. She speaks up a lot more often. She isn’t as shy.” Monife said. “A little bit more moody but, vocal nonetheless.”

“Moody? Ah, yes. M’Baku has been a bit emotional since meeting your daughter.” M’Bako said.

“Rather emotional than cold and heartless.” M’Baku whispered.

“I’m sorry?” M’Bako said, cocking his eyebrow.

“You heard me.” M’Baku said.

“Um,” Odunayo spoke up. “Y/N are you still working in the gardens or did you give that up to focus on Chieftess?”

“Yes, I technically had to quit.” You said.

“The way you spoke so passionately about it, I would have thought you’d try to stay for a bit longer.” Your mother said.

“Becoming Chieftess is an extensive process, Feyisola. Your daughter has big shoes to fill and so little time to do it. Thankfully, the effort she has put in will allow her to be a council member by the time M’Baku is inaugurated.” Niyi said.

“When would she exactly be crowned Chieftess, officially?” Your father asked.

“Well, M’Baku still has a little over a month.” M’Bako said. “Should she complete all tasks, she will have the official title. If not, she’ll receive it when all is done.”

“We weren’t sure of the extent of this.” Your mother said.

“The role of Chieftess is a whole ordeal. Not a hobby. Once Y/N made the commitment, it was just that. A commitment.” M’Bako said. “Y/N has shown great effort and interest in it. Much more than M’Baku’s former betrothed, I should add. She has put her best foot forward and truth be told, I’m amazed by her.”

You looked up from your plate and looked at him. M’Baku had dropped his fork on the plate and sat back into the chair, shocked himself.

“Amazed?” Feyisola asked.

“Yes, amazed.” M’Bako said. “Truth be told, I doubted Y/N. I doubted M’Baku so that warranted I doubt her. That wasn’t fair to M’Baku and it wasn’t fair to your daughter. I said some nasty things to her which was childish and uncalled for. My frustrations of…certain situations should not have been directed towards her. For that, I apologize.”

M’Baku’s eyebrows lifted. You sat there, watching him. There was no venom in his eyes, no malice in his voice. You never heard him be sincere, so this was hard to fathom. He locked eyes with you but, you wouldn’t show softness. You kept them hard, not blinking even though your eyes burned.

“My behavior towards you has been unacceptable. I am sorry. I also realize I never fully endorsed you as Chieftess and I will correct that.” He said.

“She would have been Chieftess regardless.” M’Baku spoke up.

“Even still, we should do this properly.” M’Bako said, shrugging. “You claim that she is your soulmate so…”

“Not claim. She is. I love her with every fiber of my being. I’d move the mountains themselves for her. Y/N is everything to me. She is the best part of my life and every moment I spend with her, I cherish. I’d give her the breath out of my lungs, the blood from my veins, the bones from my limbs. This is no small thing and I’m done with you trying to downplay and diminish our relationship and my feelings for her. You may not believe in Hanuman and the wonders of love anymore and for that I pity you but, I refuse to allow your beliefs to hinder our relationship. This is Hanuman’s will and by his name, when the time is right, she will be my wife. I want you and everyone at this table to know this is real. This is happening no matter who protests. This love will last as long as the mountains stand, maybe even after. Hanuman brought us together and no one will tear us apart.” M’Baku said. He grabbed your hand and looked at you. There was this fire in his eyes that you hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t anger. You didn’t feel hot in the face, you didn’t feel the urge to attack or have any violent reaction. You wanted to forget your families were here and embrace each other at this table. Be in each other’s arms and in a kiss so deep neither of you would make it out. Passion. Pure passion. “This is forever.”

You walked into the dining room, putting the wood plates on the table so your sister could finish polishing them. She smirked at you. “So?”

“So, what?” you asked.

Monife started to laugh. “Nothing.”

“No, what? What is it?” you whined.

“It’s just so sweet. It’s so beautiful. Even Odunayo had trouble making his feelings plain for me in front of Baba.” Monife said. “I know he loves you, we all do. But, watching that…it was surreal.”

You fought the smile that wanted to come across your lips. You walked back into the main room to see M’Baku outside on the porch talking to your father and the Chief. Niyi stood alongside you, wrapping an arm around you. “The Chief doesn’t usually apologize for his wrongdoings. I hate to say to consider that a blessing but…”

“I’ll take it.” You sighed.

“Y/N, you really are great for M’Baku. I’m so happy he found you.” Niyi said, cupping your face.

“We like to say we found each other.” You giggled. She planted a kiss on your forehead before going back to help your mother to finish cleaning.

M’Baku opened the door and let your father and his in. “Well, I thank you all for the lovely dinner. Niyi, we should get going.”

“M’Baku, are you coming with us or will you be home late?” Niyi asked, wiping off the last plate.

M’Baku turned to you and saw that you held out your hand. He smiled, taking it. “Late. If Bongani permits me to stay.” He said, not breaking his gaze from you.

“That’s fine. Bedroom door stays open though.” Your father said, earning a laugh from Odunayo in the corner.

“Don’t be too late.” Niyi said grabbing her cover and wrapping it over her shoulders. Your father held the door and walked them out. M’Baku gave you a smirk as you lead him to the stairs.

“Bedroom door!” Feyisola yelled after you.

You made it to your bedroom where you sat on the bed. He leaned down and gave you a passionate kiss. He pulled away and chuckled. “I love you.”

“Oh, I know that after tonight.” You laughed. “The things you said…”

“I meant every word.” He said.

“I felt it.” You said. “I felt every bit of it. This is really is real.”

“It’s the realest thing I’ve ever felt.” M’Baku said.

“I think you may have even scared my father with the way you were talking about me.” You laughed. “Maybe the whole table.”

M’Baku laughed. “Well, everyone including the Chief knows how serious this is.”

“Why do I feel like this is a victory?” You said.

“Because it is.”

M’Baku returned to the palace late that night but, went to Niyi’s room instead of straight to his. He knocked on the door, hoping she would be awake. He stepped back and fiddled with his hands. He shouldn’t be nervous to have this conversation. His head shot up as a faint light peeked through the opening crack of the door.

“M’Baku?” Niyi groaned. “What’s wrong?” She pulled her hair wrap more over her cornrows as it slacked.

“I need advice, I’m sorry.” He said.

“Don’t be. Come in, son.” She said letting him in. M’Baku sat on the small couch in the center of the room almost making the tea set on the coffee table bounce. Niyi glided over and sat on the coffee table, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “What did you need advice on?”

“The Chieftess’s ring you gave me. The one that was meant for Jolasun.” He started.

“Yes.” She said, resting her chin on the palms of her hands.

“When do you think I should give it to Y/N?” M’Baku said.

“Wait…you haven’t given it to her yet? Why haven’t I noticed? Why don’t you give it to her?” Niyi said, patting her braids.

“I don’t want to scare her.” He said.

“M’Baku, it’s been the tradition that the future Chieftess have the ring. Why would that scare her? She’s done well in her abilities.” She said.

“So, it’s not like an engagement ring?” he said.

“No, not necessarily. If you don’t want it to be an engagement ring, then don’t let it be. The history of the ring was that it was token given to the betrothed of the Chief as a may of the public knowing that the woman was to be Chieftess or married to the Chief. Even unwed Chieftesses in the past wore it. Your great great great grandmother wore the ring before she even married and ruled without a husband for 10 years.” Niyi said, waving her hand.

“So…should I explain it as just like heirloom?” M’Baku said, shrugging.

“Yes, exactly. It is an heirloom! But, make it more ceremonious than that. It doesn’t have to be a public ordeal where you yell to a crowd that you are putting the ring on her finger. It can be as intimate as you want to make it or not.” Niyi said.

M’Baku sighed and sat back on the couch. “Okay, okay.”

“M’Baku, stop overthinking things. You and Y/N will be fine. You made that big display at the table tonight and you are fretting over a ring, please. I’m sure she will accept the ring. If becoming Chieftess didn’t scare her away, receiving an heirloom won’t. Why are you worried about this? Do you want to propose to her?” Niyi said.

“No, I…I love her and I know I have forever with her but…” M’Baku started.

“Don’t rush this. You have forever so my advice…take forever if you want. She is still going to be Chieftess. She is still going to be happy with you and you with her.” Niyi said. “Do you feel in a rush to marry her? Do you think becoming Chief will hinder your relationship?”

“I’m not sure. And I hope it won’t. I asked her if she would take part of my closet. Just to see if she would spend nights here.” He said.

“And her response?” Niyi said.

“It seemed like she was going to say no at first. She said she would think about it though.” M’Baku sighed.

“Then let her think about it. If she says yes, it’s yes and she keeps a few items here. If no, she’ll be the Chieftess who has to trek here every day. Let whatever it is going to be, let it be.” Niyi said. “Hanuman has blessed you. He gave you the love of your life. Don’t force things. What is for you both will happen.”

“Okay.” He sighed.

“Son…relax. You have no reason to rush to do things.” Niyi said.

M’Baku nodded, silently settling with the idea. “Thank you.” He said, standing up. M’Baku stood up and hugged Niyi. Niyi was actually surprised by it but, welcomed it by patting his back.

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