#littlebell au

[photojournalistcarradine19]

I was bored so I decided to yet again make another Hartmy AU aesthetic. This time this is a lawyer AU. This AU represents two characters from a TV show called For The People. If you haven't seen it yet you should.

Amy Madden- Kate Littlejohn

Hartley- Sandra Bell

Ship- Littlebell

[littlebell-defensesquad]

I Almost Do - Littlebell - For The People x Taylor Swift

Synopsis: In season 2 episode 7, Sandra Bell found herself having to choose between being loyal to her client and doing what is morally right and reporting something that will harm her client but may save someone’s life to the authorities. While her best friend (Allison Adams), trusted boss (Jill Carlan), and the guy the show wants us to ship her with (Ted 2.0) is standing in the next room, debating whether or not to go talk to her, she vanishes, leaving an iconic pack of florescent post-it note flags for Allison to find, who picked it up, and smiled, knowing that Sandra had made her decision and gone to the AUSA office. She went to consult Kate Littlejohn, her most worthy opponent, who she has indirectly admitted as “the best” (in her profession) once to Leonard Knox while in court earlier in the same season. But Allison was wrong and so were we, in that moment. She didn’t go United States Attorney’s office. She went to a park, set against the backdrop of a sparkly New York skyline, and had previously texted (presumably) Kate Littlejohn to meet her there, making sure to bring her a pretzel as a thank you. They have been in three cases together prior to this one. In the first, Kate told Sandra the story about the Capitol, revealing more about her life in one episode to her opponent than she had ever done to everyone else combined in all previous episodes combined. In the second, Sandra told her a story about sneaking into hotel pools with her dad when she was standing, as the two woman leaned on a hotel room balcony, in the middle of a sting operation. In the third, Sandra asked Kate for a favor, to prosecute a sitting judge, a favor Kate agreed to, and a trial she wins. (I would like it to be noted that Kate has hugged one person in this entire show and it’s Sandra after That Trial.) Right from the beginning, the two women are set up in a duality. Messy and organized. Idealistic and pragmatic. Defense and Prosecution. But rather than moving away from the other, they went the opposite way, getting closer and closer the more they fought to the death in courtrooms, in a slowly unraveling but undeniable revelation that they are far more alike than they are different. So, what happens when they collide again?

On her way back to the office after going to the store with Sandra so she could buy Clue, the receipt still in her hands, the blonde prosecutor sighs. That conversation took so much out of her. It was a honor to be trusted by the fiery public defender, her most worthy opponent, a legal genius undeterred by her raging emotions, but God it was exhausting. Knowing what to say was easy, sitting with Sandra in a park after sunset as the New York City lights twinkled in the towering skyline was something close to magic and an absolute breath of fresh air so different from the monochrome boxes of her office and the imposing grandiose of the Southern District Court of New York. What was difficult was imagining what Sandra was going through. It was worse than when Roger Gunn gave her that case she didn’t agree with but she would have taken anyway. It was worse by infinite degrees. This was not about doing one’s job. It was about one’s very moral compass, the philosophical foundation of who Sandra is. Kate would not want to be her right now under any circumstance.

She knew that the news finally reached her office when Leonard walked in and asked, “How did you convince her?”

She answered honestly. “I didn’t.” After a moment of hesitation, she elaborated, “We just ate a pretzel.” She could sense Leonard’s internal confusion. It made no sense out of context, but she wasn’t going to offer any. That was personal, private. It’s between her and Sandra, the same way the Capitol building is, the same way the DC story is, the same way hotel room balconies and taking an one-hour break is.

So, when she sat down with Leonard to build a lego, she was relieved when he didn’t choose the Capitol building. She almost didn’t offer it, but dishonesty is not one of her infinite talents.

They sat, building the tower, sunlight inevitably reflecting on its windows halfway across the world in Shanghai. As long as it wasn’t raining, of course. But regardless, it’s morning somewhere.

The entire time, her focus flickered away from the project, unlike normally when her concentration was so focused it was difficult to break her attention away from the little plastic pieces in her hands. It didn’t shift to Leonard, radiating warmth and comfort from behind her, working in sync with her to raise the ceiling of the towering skyscraper. She liked him, she even liked-liked him, but he wasn’t a distraction to her. She was almost unable to be distracted by romance, not when she was a teenager, and not even now.

No, she wasn’t thinking about Anya either, even though she is the exact same height Sandra would be if Sandra didn’t wear heels every day of her work life. (Kate would know. She did the math right after Sandra hugged her that first time and shockingly fitted perfectly into her shoulders. There was no way the fiery ball of golden brown hair was that tall.)

Although, maybe she should be thinking about Anya, more than she is. It’s not that she didn’t think about the ATF agent, or that she isn’t heartbroken over their breakup. It’s just that it wasn’t meant to be, and it hurt less because of the fact. Anya always liked her more. No matter how attracted Kate was to Anya, or how nice it was to wake up next to her every morning, or how how good of a kisser she was, it wasn’t right. It couldn’t be right. Anya would always love her more, and Anya deserved better than that. That’s not real love. It’s a chess game. They both deserved better.

And Leonard didn’t help. Leonard leaving made her realize that her heart wasn’t ready for, or deserving of, Anya. And she couldn’t be in a relationship with someone if her heart was that torn about someone else.

Not that that became anything. Leonard chose Texas. He would always choose Texas. She would always be his second choice. And Kate Littlejohn will not be anyone’s second choice.

No, Leonard isn’t right either. He is barely principled and only conveniently so. He is changing, and learning, and becoming more self-reflective and aware, but he is light years away. He would always do things that not only toe but bulldozer over the line, fall off the moral high ground, break the code of ethics. That’s not a person Kate could ever be in a relationship with, even if he is frustratingly attractive and clearly likes her and their chemistry is off the charts.

She could be his friend, his colleague, but not his girlfriend. Not until he gets to a place where he can be with her and not break apart when her light reflects on his every crack. Someday, he will find someone. Someday, he will find himself. But not today. And she isn’t that someone. Not today.

After Leonard leaves, Kate finds herself holding her phone in her hands, looking at it intensely, before deciding to put it down.

Do not be emotional, Kate Littlejohn. She thinks to herself. Do not let your emotions govern you. Do not act upon impulse. And no, Sandra doesn’t want to hear from you right now. You are the last person that she would want to speak to after she betrayed her client and still didn’t save a life. Because you knowingly told her she was allowed to be herself, allowed to follow her own intuitions of right and wrong, allowed to stop being the professional attorney she is one-hundred percent of the time.

Somewhere across the street, Sandra was on her office couch, in tears. Allison gave her a gentle rub, a gesture of comfort. In the doorway, before she left, she looked back and said, “I love you, Sandy. I’ll be home.” That helped. She needed that reminder that her best friend still loved her, supported her, and would be waiting for her when she is finally ready to leave her office. But she needed more. She needed different. She wanted someone else to analyze every move she made and her motives why, convince her through reason that she did the right thing when her every emotion and worst crippling fear was saying otherwise. She wished people would stop telling her that she did the right thing and start telling her that they know why she feels like she made the worst mistake of her career, and the second worst mistake of her life.

It’s not going to be Allison. And certainly not Ted. Maybe Jill will. Maybe. But even that’s unlikely. In such a moment of vulnerability, her boss wouldn’t say something to risk hurting her favorite employee, sending her deeper into her spiral.

She wished Kate would tell her exactly what she was feeling. She thought about calling her but stopped herself before she even reached out for her phone. Kate has no room for her loss. She knows Kate Littlejohn well enough to know she wouldn’t ever celebrate this victory, or any victory for that matter, with very few exceptions. But still, it is a victory for the prosecution. There is no air for Sandra’s despair. Not today. Not now.

Back in the AUSA’s office, it took everything in Kate not to call Sandra, and every time she doesn’t, she almost does.

[magicalstripedhorse]

Did another Polaroid set, this one a gift to a good friend of mine!

[nocteverbascio]

6 or 49 for littlebell? I love your writing (especially neurodivergent kate in the last fic)!!!

6. Do you want to get out of here? –anon, i know you sent me a second one and ill get to the one but come on this prompt is gold

Sandra wasn’t really in the mood for drinks when she had a lot of work to do. Then again, the argument was that she always had work to do so if she wasn’t done it anyway that it could wait. That made no sense but with Allison’s insistence how was she supposed to say no.

On the plus side, Kate was there.

Kate looks especially different today. Sandra can’t spot it, but maybe it’s her hair? No, it’s still down, cut immaculately in her bob.

Kate take a sip of her beer, neck tilting up and Sandra’s mind suddenly thinks of how her skin tastes.

“Thirsty?” Allison asks, startling Sandra from her thought.

“What?” Sandra clears her strangely dry throat.

Allison smirks at Sandra before handing her a beer. “I have a radar for thirsty bisexuals.”

“Shut up,” Sandra slaps the back her hand at Allison. She takes the beer to wet her throat.

“Are you going to talk to her?” Allison prods.

“I was going to but now I’m second guessing it because of a busy body.”

“Hey, I just wanted to make sure you’re gonna have a good time and not think about work.”

Sandra rolls her eyes. “Tough luck, since Kate and I don’t talk about anything other than work.” She turns to leave Allison, but not without feeling a playful slap on her ass. She glares at her best friend who innocently sips her beer.

Sandra slips into the seat next to Kate, ready to rant about her work pile when Kate realizes her presence almost instantly.

“Sandra, just who I was waiting for,” Kate says immediately. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about stuff.”

Sandra smiles affectionately. “Stuff?”

“Leonard says that with people of interest in order to get to know them better, I should talk to you about stuff. My interests, your interests.”

Sandra can feel her heart skip a beat. “What do you mean people of interest?”

“I want to get to know you better,” Kate declares.

Sandra feels her brain short circuit for a hot second. She pauses before looking around to make sure she hasn’t slipped into another dimension. “Are you drunk?”

Kate looks confused. “Why would I be after one drink?” She waves her hand. “So what do you say?”

Sandra has to hold back a laugh because this was the last thing she expected to happen. She glances around the bar as another wave of lawyers that she recognizes from across the street enters. “It’s getting busy,” she prefaces smartly. “Do you want to get out of here? It’s hard to talk over a bunch of people.”

Kate looks around the bar and notices the crowd as well. There’s a relieved look on her face. She nods. “Good. That sounds good.”

[imhereforthetvshows]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: For the People (TV 2018), The Bodyguard (1992) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Sandra Bell/Kate Littlejohn, Kate Littlejohn/Sandra Bell, Littlebell - Relationship Characters: Sandra Bell, Kate Littlejohn, Jay Simmons, Ted, Allison Adams, etc - Character Additional Tags: Bodyguard AU, Sandra is a Secret Service Agent, Kate is an AUSA who needs protection, probably fluffy at some point

Summary:

Sandra Bell is a Secret Service agents entasked with protecting A-USA Kate Littlejohn after several assassination attempts on her life. This will be action-y and fluff-y. I love the original The Bodyguard so keep an eye out for some easter eggs. First chapter Sandras POV before she meets Kate for the first time.

I told you guys I would do this :D 

[myaekingheart]

You’ve Got Kudos

Written for Day 1 of the Kakashi Lounge Discord Server's September Event. Prompts: Fanfic Writer!Kakashi | Social Disaster | Modern AU | Roommates/Neighbors 

[Read on AO3] Pairing: Kakashi x Rei (OC)  Rating: Teen and Up @the-kakashi-lounge-blog

Kakashi has a dirty little secret and it's in the form of an AO3 account. No one is allowed to know that he writes Icha Icha fanfiction--especially not his library tech neighbor Rei. (Standalone companion piece to The Scarecrow and the Bell, Modern/College AU)

               Kakashi kicked off his shoes at the front door and slumped into his favorite chair. Tutoring wasn’t necessarily his favorite thing in the world but it looked good on resumes and put a little extra cash in his pockets, so he supposed he could tolerate it for a little while longer. If only his students hadn’t been quite so insufferable, that is.

               If anything, tutoring reminded Kakashi how much he hated underclassmen. His three protegees were all naïve freshman whose energy stores had yet to drain. Naruto was enthusiastic but slow on the uptake and it was hard to get him to properly focus. Sakura had potential but she was far too engrossed in her Instagram rivalry with fellow student Ino Yamanaka to make any real progress. And Sasuke was constantly brooding, there not by choice but rather because his professor threatened to flunk him if he didn’t seek outside help.

               Perhaps it would’ve been smarter to book them each separate appointments but with the way everyone’s schedules worked out, it was easier to just create one big study group. It was more efficient that way, anyway. Kakashi much preferred to kill three birds with one stone than chip away at his sanity little by little. And so every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, Kakashi trudged to the library to pore over used textbooks and incomprehensible scribbles in an attempt to explain simple concepts to brains that could not understand. This was fine. He didn’t need a social life anyway.

               Kakashi rubbed his tired eyes and checked the time. It was 5:30pm. He had no idea what he was going to do for dinner, nor did he really care. Sighing, he reached for his laptop and went straight to his email. At the very top of his inbox was a notification from Archive of Our Own: Comment on Icha Icha Bloodline. Kakashi’s heart jolted. In the solace of his apartment, this was his one saving grace: fanfiction.

               He admittedly felt a little ridiculous about the whole thing. What college guy not only wrote fanfiction, but for romance novels at that? He knew exactly how his taste in literature appeared. So few people truly understood the nuance and artistry of the Icha Icha books, writing it off as just cheap porn. Those books, however, gave Kakashi exactly the reprieve he needed. Within their pages, he could disappear from the stress of everyday life to instead revel in the throes of a dramatic fictional romance. His love for this series knew no bounds. His heart ached to share it with someone but if college had taught Kakahsi anything, it was that people never really change and are more than willing to judge you the minute you express any personal interests. High School: The Sequel, if you will. And so Kakashi had come to learn that there were only ever two places where he was safe to unapologetically indulge in his favorite series: within the comfort of his own home and on the internet.

               Fanfiction was never his original intention. Rather, it was the end result of a long string of unfortunate circumstances. The latest book had ended with the heroine caught between two very tempting suitors, a cliffhanger of epic proportions which left Kakashi itching for a resolution. A few months after publication, the author, Jiraiya, passed away, taking his secrets for the series’ finale with him.

               Kakashi had tried so hard not to think about it but the lack of closure ate away at him. He needed a valuable outlet through which to ramble, a way to confide in someone as invested in the series as he was. For a moment, he had considered joining a book club but all of his attempts failed. The only clubs that ever focused on books like these were run by sexually frustrated middle-aged women who sneered at the mere thought of letting a man into their circle. On recommendation from a friend, he turned to the campus library community for help but was met with nothing short of disaster, which thus introduced the second point of contention: Rei.

               The library check-in desk was notoriously run by volunteers, most of which were majoring in library science themselves. One such volunteer was Rei Natsuki, a junior with fiery hair and a chronic resting bitch face. It wasn’t that Kakashi didn’t like her, necessarily. Actually, every time he saw her he got this horrifying fuzzy feeling in the pit of his stomach that insisted he was about to throw up. He felt as if her eyes were on him constantly, studying his every move. This fact only furthered his gratitude for lumping together all of his tutoring appointments. The less time he spent in the library, the less often he would have to see her.

               Not that she was necessarily easy to avoid. Just his luck, she lived three doors down from him in the same off-campus apartment complex. At least if he timed things just right, he could avoid running into her in the hallway. Their mutual existence was like a very carefully choreographed dance on perilous terrain. They were constantly at risk of colliding with one another, a harrowing and horrifying fate.

               Their first encounter was in the fall of his freshman year when he snuck into the erotic fiction section searching for the Icha Icha books. As he skimmed the titles, he felt a pair of mossy eyes burning holes into his back like a cryptid whose domain has been intruded upon. When Kakashi turned around, he caught her peering around the edge of the bookshelf. Her expression was one of harsh focus and concern. “Looking for something?” she asked. For someone so small—she was roughly a foot shorter than he was—she was certainly terrifying.

               Kakashi’s face turned beet red, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “No, not particularly!” he exclaimed. “Just looking around!”

               “Hrmph” Rei huffed, unconvinced. “Well, if you need anything, I’ll be right over there” she pointed to the help desk at the front of the library. An older woman, one of the librarians, winked at her across the room and Rei’s face turned bright red. Without another word, she scurried off back to her station, grumbling under her breath. Once gone, Kakashi sighed and leaned back against the shelf. All of the books directly behind him tumbled to the ground with a loud thud. Rei immediately whipped around to glare at him but by then, he had already dove into the nearest study room. Frustrated, Rei stomped over to assess the damage and begin reorganizing the shelves. Kakashi apologized to the group he interrupted before booking it out of the building. It was in that moment that he officially decided: from that point onward, Icha Icha would remain his dirty little secret. Literally.  

               And thus came along the internet. At least there, hiding behind his computer screen, he could retain some sense of anonymity. He could disguise himself with a pen name much like wearing a mask. No one needed to know who he was. He pored over various forums, reading but never interacting. As refreshing as it was to find a sense of community amid other Icha Icha fans, his joy quickly faded when he realized one fatal flaw: no one knew what they were talking about. They all misinterpreted the characters, the relationships, the actions the heroine took to get to this point. Perhaps Jiraiya’s novels were too nuanced. Perhaps there was no hope for him after all. It was then, deep into a Reddit thread, that it dawned on him: the horrifying promise of writing fanfiction.

               At first, Kakashi refused. He would not stoop so low. The harder he resisted, however, the more appealing the idea slowly became. At least in this way, he could help people to better understand these stories in a way that he was familiar with. Not that he was an avid writer himself but he hoped he was familiar enough with the conventions of fiction to understand how it was done. As if running on autopilot, he ventured to Archive of Our Own and created an account under the pseud “CopyNin.”

               His fanfiction, Icha Icha Bloodline, introduced dramatic new themes and conflicts to the story he loved, expanding on the love triangle with a depth and sincerity that he hoped would make Jiraiya proud. It hadn’t gotten many hits yet, but that just made every kudos and comment feel that much heavier. As his cursor hovered over his inbox now, he almost questioned whether he even wanted to know. Every shared thought had the capacity to make or break his motivation. But if he didn’t look, he wouldn’t be able to contain himself. He needed to know. He pulled up the latest comment and his heart leapt into his throat. It was from LittleBell.

               LittleBell was, for lack of a better word, iconic amid the Icha Icha fandom. They were one of the first writers Kakashi had encountered when he first considered fanfiction as a possibility. Their name appeared in dozens of forum posts, attached to both praise and criticism alike. By the time Kakashi looked into them himself, they had already written 100,000 words worth of fic with the longest piece nearing 100 chapters. It was clear why they were so popular. The cadence of their sentences, their detailed characterization, and their dynamic plot points all made Kakashi’s heart sing. He could only hope to one day be as great a writer as they were.

               Kakashi had lurked through fifteen chapters before, in a fit of sleep-drunken gumption, he had decided to leave LittleBell a comment. It was short and sweet and afterward, Kakashi groaned into his pillow second-guessing every sentence, but he awoke to an encouraging response that firmly cemented the allure of writing a fic himself. And now here he was, faced with a comment from them on his own work. How could he ever prepare himself for something so huge? He instinctually expected scathing criticism. Your characterization sucks. You’re writing them all too flat. Her suitors would never say XYZ or do ABC. Have you even read the books? This is trash. Kakashi’s hands shook as he tried to shove those negative thoughts out of his mind. LittleBell had been so kind before so, realistically, why would their response be any different? Kakashi scratched the back of his head, knowing that the longer he waited, the more maddening this was going to become. Without another moment’s hesitation, he forced himself to view the comment.

               This was so great! I love the way you write these characters—I can tell you have a really deep understanding of the heroine, especially. It’s so refreshing to read a fic that not only retains the romance of the originals but also emphasizes it in a way that’s super meaningful rather than cheesy. My favorite part was the scene where she’s fixing his watch. “It’s really an exquisite watch. Such a shame that it’s stopped working.” “I guess that just means that we’ll have to stay in this moment forever” “What will everyone else say? They’ll get tired of waiting.” “Let them wait. I’m always late to everything anyway. What’s another eternity?” My heart! You can really tell just how much he loves her, and it makes that love triangle all the more tense and heartbreaking! You’re really just doing an incredible job with this and I can’t wait to read more!”

               Kakashi’s cheeks burned as he buried his face in his hands. It was all he could do to hide the grin on his face. Not that anyone was there to tease him for it. Pakkun was fast asleep on the couch and likely wouldn’t have cared anyway. Alone in his apartment, Kakashi was exploding. To think that someone so talented and renowned within the fandom not only noticed his work but enjoyed it was mind-blowing. This was a high he would surely be riding for the rest of the week, if not the rest of the semester. Nothing could be better than this.

               Once the debilitating excitement wore down a bit, Kakashi was then stuck with the battle of writing a response. He knew there were some in the community who considered responding a controversial topic—something about trying to increase your comment count—but Kakashi enjoyed replying to every single person who took the time to say something nice. And this was certainly something very nice. How could he possibly put into words his overwhelming gratitude? He had no clue. Kakashi stewed over the prospect for a solid ten minutes before his growling stomach urged him to hurry up. He had completely forgotten he was hungry but now his body was not going to let him forget. He considered stepping away and replying later, after he had time to chew it over, but then quickly shoved away the thought. He couldn’t afford to put this on the backburner at the risk of forgetting about it entirely. No, he needed to do this now.

               Kakashi typed, paused, considered, then backspaced and typed again. When he was finally at least mildly pleased with his response, he sucked in a deep breath and pressed Comment.

               Huffing in relief, Kakashi stretched out and leaned his head back against his chair. All that was left to do now was wait. Would they even respond back? He didn’t know. Sometimes a comment began a whole conversation, other times it was a singular instance like a comet in the night sky.

               But for now, he was going to try not to dwell on it. He received LittleBell’s praise, and if they were to respond back then so be it. It was all up to fate now. Kakashi slipped on his shoes, shoved his phone, wallet, and keys into his pocket, and headed out. As he locked his apartment, he heard without listening as a door down the hall creaked open. The sound reached his ears but his brain did not register what it was until it was too late. Turning around, he abruptly bumped into her.

               A gasp fell from Rei’s lips as she collided with Kakashi’s chest. Her half-open backpack swung on her shoulder, spilling its contents onto the floor. “S-sorry about that!” he croaked, clearing his throat. Kakashi’s hands shook as he leaned down to help gather her belongings, all the while fearing her wrath. Among the used textbooks and stuffed notebooks was a green paperback with a big prohibition sign on the cover. The little bell charm attached to Rei’s keychain jingled and automatically Kakashi was punched in the gut with a realization of Pavlovian proportions. Little Bell.

               “I-I’m sorry…what was that…?” Rei stammered and suddenly Kakashi realized he had, in fact, spoken aloud. Her voice, in response, was so much quieter than he had ever thought she was capable of—filled with the striking fear of being vulnerably and intrinsically known. Unmasked.

               Kakashi’s eyes widened as he shuffled to gather as many of her books as he could manage. “I-I didn’t know you liked the Icha Icha books” he murmured. He could hardly make eye contact as he handed her back her things.

               “Yeah…” she said, slowly accepting them, “They’re, uh…they’re my favorite.”

               Rubbing the back of his neck, Kakashi chuckled nervously and replied, “Mine, too.”

               She wasn’t sure what it was about him but in that moment, a sickening feeling filled her chest, a nauseating suspicion that she couldn’t shake. There was really only way to confirm whether or not those suspicions were correct. At the risk of looking like an idiot, she cleared her throat then and said, “You know, that’s a really exquisite watch.” Kakashi froze, his eyes gently skating down to his wrist. He wasn’t wearing a watch. His heart pounded in his chest. Rei bit her lip, dropped her eyes to the floor. “It’s, uh, it’s a shame it’s stopped working.”

               Kakashi’s mind was reeling. None of this felt real. Suddenly Rei was a completely different person to him now. He saw her not as the terrifying, impatient, and indirect girl from the library but the extremely talented, encouraging, yet perhaps unfortunately shy writer that he had spent so much time idolizing. If only he had known of the bond they secretly shared over the past few months. He could hardly fight the grin on his face as he murmured back, “Then I guess we’ll just have to stay in this moment forever.”

               Rei’s cheeks burned as she hugged her books to her chest. She could feel the laughter rising up in the back of her throat—this was so ridiculous, and yet at the same time this was everything she had ever wanted. If only Kakashi had truly known how much she had suppressed over the years, since they first met in the library. The way the old librarian encouraged her to speak to him when she caught him perusing her favorite books. The way she’d hide out in her apartment whenever he left for class, watching from the window too scared to approach. The way she channeled all of her unrequited love and inner turmoil into the very story she now knew he idolized. She felt so strange and vulnerable but also for the first time truly seen. It was the most bizarre and lovely sensation.

               She had no idea how long they actually stood there in the hallway like that, reveling in this newfound connection, but all too soon reality suddenly hit her. “D-do you have somewhere you’re supposed to be? I don’t want you to be late!” she exclaimed.

               Kakashi, however, still entranced, shook his head and replied, “Let them wait. I’m always late to everything anyway.” Rei brushed the long bangs back out of her face, completely incapable of stifling her laughter. Kakashi joined her—the breadth of his smile, the bravado of his voice, the way his eyes squinted when he laughed, all were enough to make her weak in the knees. “Are you hungry?” he then asked. “I was just about to get something to eat. You should come with me.”

               Sliding her books back into her backpack, Rei smiled and replied, “I would love that.” Swinging her bag back over her shoulder, she walked alongside him down the hallway. Their fingers itched to interlock, their hearts pounding out of their chests. He opened the door for her and together they stepped out into the autumn air. Nothing else mattered. In that moment, all that existed was them: CopyNin and LittleBell.

[littlebell-defensesquad]

SNEAK PEAK: I Almost Do - Littlebell - For The People x Taylor Swift

Coming to an AO3 near you as soon as they freaking invite me to join their website.

Recap/Synopsis:

In season 2 episode 7, Sandra Bell found herself having to choose between being loyal to her client and doing what is morally right and reporting something that will harm her client but may save someone’s life to the authorities. While her best friend (Allison Adams), trusted boss (Jill Carlan), and the guy the show wants us to ship her with (Ted 2.0) is standing in the next room, debating whether or not to go talk to her, she vanishes, leaving an iconic pack of florescent post-it note flags for Allison to find, who picked it up, and smiled, knowing that Sandra had made her decision and gone to the AUSA office. She went to consult Kate Littlejohn, her most worthy opponent, who she has indirectly admitted as “the best” (in her profession) once to Leonard Knox while in court earlier in the same season. But Allison was wrong and so were we, in that moment. She didn’t go United States Attorney’s office. She went to a park, set against the backdrop of a sparkly New York skyline, and had previously texted (presumably) Kate Littlejohn to meet her there, making sure to bring her a pretzel as a thank you. They have been in three cases together prior to this one. In the first, Kate told Sandra the story about the Capitol, revealing more about her life in one episode to her opponent than she had ever done to everyone else combined in all previous episodes combined. In the second, Sandra told her a story about sneaking into hotel pools with her dad when she was standing, as the two woman leaned on a hotel room balcony, in the middle of a sting operation. In the third, Sandra asked Kate for a favor, to prosecute a sitting judge, a favor Kate agreed to, and a trial she wins. (I would like it to be noted that Kate has hugged one person in this entire show and it’s Sandra after That Trial.) Right from the beginning, the two women are set up in a duality. Messy and organized. Idealistic and pragmatic. Defense and Prosecution. But rather than moving away from the other, they went the opposite way, getting closer and closer the more they fought to the death in courtrooms, in a slowly unraveling but undeniable revelation that they are far more alike than they are different. So, what happens when they collide again?

Sneak Peak:

On her way back to the office after going to the store with Sandra so she could buy Clue, the receipt still in her hands, the blonde prosecutor sighs. That conversation took so much out of her. It was a honor to be trusted by the fiery public defender, her most worthy opponent, a legal genius undeterred by her raging emotions, but God it was exhausting. Knowing what to say was easy, sitting with Sandra in a park after sunset as the New York City lights twinkled in the towering skyline was something close to magic and an absolute breath of fresh air so different from the monochrome boxes of her office and the imposing grandiose of the Southern District Court of New York. What was difficult was imagining what Sandra was going through. It was worse than when Roger Gunn gave her that case she didn’t agree with but she would have taken anyway. It was worse by infinite degrees. This was not about doing one’s job. It was about one’s very moral compass, the philosophical foundation of who Sandra is. Kate would not want to be her right now under any circumstance.

She knew that the news finally reached her office when Leonard walked in and asked, “How did you convince her?”

She answered honestly. “I didn’t.” After a moment of hesitation, she elaborated, “We just ate a pretzel.” She could sense Leonard’s internal confusion. It made no sense out of context, but she wasn’t going to offer any. That was personal, private. It’s between her and Sandra, the same way the Capitol building is, the same way the DC story is, the same way hotel room balconies and taking an one-hour break is.

So, when she sat down with Leonard to build a lego, she was relieved when he didn’t choose the Capitol building. She almost didn’t offer it, but dishonesty is not one of her infinite talents.

They sat, building the tower, sunlight inevitably reflecting on its windows halfway across the world in Shanghai. As long as it wasn’t raining, of course. But regardless, it’s morning somewhere.

The entire time, her focus flickered away from the project, unlike normally when her concentration was so focused it was difficult to break her attention away from the little plastic pieces in her hands. It didn’t shift to Leonard, radiating warmth and comfort from behind her, working in sync with her to raise the ceiling of the towering skyscraper. She liked him, she even liked-liked him, but he wasn’t a distraction to her. She was almost unable to be distracted by romance, not when she was a teenager, and not even now.

[nocteverbascio]

Same anon as before (who mentioned neurodivergent kate). I actually meant to say 13 or 49 sorry lol

13. “Are you going to keep pacing outside my door, or are you coming in?” -this was threatening to become a fic but it is just a scene IT IS JUST A SCENE

 Kate’s trying to focus on her work when she feels presence in her midst. It’s not uncommon for her to sense someone in the office walking by but generally, it’s not so…attention grabbing. 

She only glances up and catches what she thinks is red hair through the blinds. At first she ignores it, thinking it’s a figment of her imagination. Then, she sees it across the opposite direction. It’s even more confusing. 

Kate stops working and gets up to open the door. 

Sandra stops in front of her like a deer in headlights. “Kate!” she says in surprise, even though she shouldn’t be.

“Sandra,” she smiles affectionately before looking around the office. People around her have already gone to lunch. “What’re you doing here?” 

Sandra nervously laughs. “Funny story actually…” 

“I highly doubt that,” Kate deadpans. “You’ve been pacing for the last five minutes, it’s very distracting.” 

“Oh, right, sorry,” Sandra apologizes immediately. 

Kate doesn’t say anything and steps aside. “Are you going to keep pacing outside my door, or are you coming in?” 

Sandra flushes and pushes her hair behind her ear sheepishly. “Thanks,” she murmurs, walking in. 

Kate glances around the office once more before shutting the door behind her. 

Sandra puts her bag down before turning to Kate, very obviously nervous as she bites her lip. She tilts her head at the windows. “Do you think we could get some privacy?” 

Kate raises an eyebrow but turns the blinds shut. “If this is about the other night, I completely understand if you want to keep things professional,” she says looking at Sandra. 

“That’s the thing, Kate,” Sandra takes a deep breath. “I don’t want to.” Kate’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “I–I can’t stop thinking about our kiss. And I keep thinking about you and being with you.”

Kate takes a careful step forward. She doesn’t say anything to let Sandra keep speaking. 

“It terrifies me to no end but I want it,” Sandra licks her lips as she unconsciously steps forward to Kate. “I want you.” 

Kate feels relief inside of her as if her heart’s finally at ease. Maybe it’s contentment. Sandra bites her lip again, this time glancing at her lips in contemplation. Kate smiles. She doesn’t say anything more, instead slipping her hand around to the small of Sandra’s back. With practiced ease, Kate pulls Sandra against her and slips her other hand through her strawberry blonde locks. 

Sandra shudders, cupping Kate’s elbow before tilting her head up to close the gap.

[littlebell-defensesquad]

End Game is officially live, folks.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18586693/chapters/44062114

[littlebell-defensesquad]

I have a few more ideas for other Littlebell fanfiction. There is no season 3 and we are campaigning for it but it's not happening as of now and I am afraid the fandom will die but even it does, I will be the last woman standing. This show means everything to me (see the other A/N) and I will keep it alive through my own version of canon alone.

SO.

Here are the titles.

And teasers.

Make sure I keep my promises, okay?

*A - Abandons Canon

**C - Continues Canon

- Secaucus - A fan noticed on Twitter that they were both in a different outfit from arrival to departure. *A

- The Rainbow Post-It Flags - The symbol for their relationship is literally a rainbow and that's the tea on that. Thanks for coming to my tedtalk. **C

- The Flood - A pun on Susannah's last name!!! (I'm really proud of that one, thanks!) What happens when a Littlebell writer (me) is also a Catholic college student? (FOR THE RECORD: I am not a college student who is Catholic; my college itself is Catholic and I am a student there. Also, please don't ask how this relates because I have no answers. Yet. I will let you know as soon as I find out. But that part of my life does bleed into this story idea. So...) Perhaps an AU where Sandra and Kate are at college together? Maybe about the conflicts between religion and sexuality but the ultimate coexistence of Catholicism and non-heterosexuality and how the former, and other religions, supports the latter rather than opposes it most fundamentally? This would be heavily political story and one that is very emotionally difficult to write as it will inevitably deal with repression and I am not sure I want to take on that task or if I could do it justice and I am also not sure I want to open Pandora's Box but it would be an important story to tell. If I were to take on that task, the question is: How am I going to tell it? I don't know. All I know is that I peaked when I blogged about Littlebell from La Sagrada Familia while on vacation and somehow I am still affected by that experience of blogging about Littlebell from the most famous church in the world. *A

- The Oxford Years - Kate Littlejohn English study abroad spin-off. Hopefully I will be writing this from Oxford. (Also, just so you know: the show never specified which school but as far as I am concerned, Kate went to Oxford. Because I said so. Because 11 year-old me wanted to study English literature there and that dream is so dead by now but still, I don't like disappointing my past self.) **C

- Sandra and Kate / Getaway Car (I don't know which one yet but I like Sandra and Kate better) - Someone called the case from 2x09 Bonnie & Clyde so of course my brain went to Taylor Swift's Getaway Car, the Broadway musical Bonnie and Clyde, and decided that "Sandra and Kate" sounds better than "Kate and Sandra" in the melody that Taylor Swift sings the words "Bonnie and Clyde" in in Getaway Car and is therefore the superior ordering of their names. Don't ask what it's going to be like but think... Western? A part of the country I have never been to and never intend to go to. Nice. Good job, Jenny. That's smart, writing something that is going to require research you don't have time to do. (Each chapter WILL be a song title from the musical and there will be as many chapters as the cast album has songs and yes, it will be inspired.) *A

- All Rise - Someone mentioned that All Rise (recently picked up by CBS) sounds like For The People from its synopsis so I am going to watch it for the pure sake of that and as I watch, I'll just rewrite the plot as if it's from FTP, replace AR characters with FTP characters, and move the story to NYC from LA. Cool? (All Rise is super diverse which I love. Here is to hoping the writing is even close to half as good as For The People. High bar, I'll admit. And I will be livid if the writing is too shitty for me to want to dedicate a whole story to it. CBS, don't fuck up. Madam Secretary is the second best gift humanity has ever offered to the world through television, after For The People. Please keep being inspired.) **C

- Legally Blonde x Kate Littlejohn - Kate would absolutely despise Elle and that’s the only truth there is but imagine if Kate was the MC of Legally Blonde? *A

ABC? I don't know her. I *AM* the new For The People show writers. Thanks. (I am also convinced I love Sandra and Kate more than the people who wrote them. Not because they don't. But because I do. A LOT. SO MUCH. TOO MUCH.)

I hope you are excited because I sure as hell am.

[littlebell-defensesquad]

I wrote a thing :)

It’s a Littlebell college AU at Harvard their freshman year 🤗

[littlebell-defensesquad]

Since I’m going to a Catholic college (the single more iconic and ironic thing I have ever done and will ever do) I will know all the religion stuff I need to love (gotta love theology prereqs) so I’m deadass about to write a Littlebell x the Bible AU titled The Flood since I just realized that that’s Susannah’s last name after I called my blog drowning in Littlebell content y’all are about to get BLESSED (quite literally)

[imhereforthetvshows]

Chapters: 5/? Fandom: For the People (TV 2018), The Bodyguard (1992) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Sandra Bell/Kate Littlejohn, Kate Littlejohn/Sandra Bell, Littlebell - Relationship Characters: Sandra Bell, Kate Littlejohn, Jay Simmons, Ted, Allison Adams, etc - Character Additional Tags: Bodyguard AU, Sandra is a Secret Service Agent, Kate is an AUSA who needs protection, probably fluffy at some point

Hi people, I hardcore updated my Littlebell Bodyguard AU. There are 3 new chapters! Hope you enjoy!

[littlebell-defensesquad]

The entire fic on tumblr: https://littlebell-defensesquad.tumblr.com/post/184396913574/i-almost-do-littlebell-for-the-people-x-taylor

The entire fic on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18583921

Enjoy!

SNEAK PEAK: I Almost Do - Littlebell - For The People x Taylor Swift

Coming to an AO3 near you as soon as they freaking invite me to join their website.

Recap/Synopsis:

In season 2 episode 7, Sandra Bell found herself having to choose between being loyal to her client and doing what is morally right and reporting something that will harm her client but may save someone’s life to the authorities. While her best friend (Allison Adams), trusted boss (Jill Carlan), and the guy the show wants us to ship her with (Ted 2.0) is standing in the next room, debating whether or not to go talk to her, she vanishes, leaving an iconic pack of florescent post-it note flags for Allison to find, who picked it up, and smiled, knowing that Sandra had made her decision and gone to the AUSA office. She went to consult Kate Littlejohn, her most worthy opponent, who she has indirectly admitted as “the best” (in her profession) once to Leonard Knox while in court earlier in the same season. But Allison was wrong and so were we, in that moment. She didn’t go United States Attorney’s office. She went to a park, set against the backdrop of a sparkly New York skyline, and had previously texted (presumably) Kate Littlejohn to meet her there, making sure to bring her a pretzel as a thank you. They have been in three cases together prior to this one. In the first, Kate told Sandra the story about the Capitol, revealing more about her life in one episode to her opponent than she had ever done to everyone else combined in all previous episodes combined. In the second, Sandra told her a story about sneaking into hotel pools with her dad when she was standing, as the two woman leaned on a hotel room balcony, in the middle of a sting operation. In the third, Sandra asked Kate for a favor, to prosecute a sitting judge, a favor Kate agreed to, and a trial she wins. (I would like it to be noted that Kate has hugged one person in this entire show and it’s Sandra after That Trial.) Right from the beginning, the two women are set up in a duality. Messy and organized. Idealistic and pragmatic. Defense and Prosecution. But rather than moving away from the other, they went the opposite way, getting closer and closer the more they fought to the death in courtrooms, in a slowly unraveling but undeniable revelation that they are far more alike than they are different. So, what happens when they collide again?

Sneak Peak:

On her way back to the office after going to the store with Sandra so she could buy Clue, the receipt still in her hands, the blonde prosecutor sighs. That conversation took so much out of her. It was a honor to be trusted by the fiery public defender, her most worthy opponent, a legal genius undeterred by her raging emotions, but God it was exhausting. Knowing what to say was easy, sitting with Sandra in a park after sunset as the New York City lights twinkled in the towering skyline was something close to magic and an absolute breath of fresh air so different from the monochrome boxes of her office and the imposing grandiose of the Southern District Court of New York. What was difficult was imagining what Sandra was going through. It was worse than when Roger Gunn gave her that case she didn’t agree with but she would have taken anyway. It was worse by infinite degrees. This was not about doing one’s job. It was about one’s very moral compass, the philosophical foundation of who Sandra is. Kate would not want to be her right now under any circumstance.

She knew that the news finally reached her office when Leonard walked in and asked, “How did you convince her?”

She answered honestly. “I didn’t.” After a moment of hesitation, she elaborated, “We just ate a pretzel.” She could sense Leonard’s internal confusion. It made no sense out of context, but she wasn’t going to offer any. That was personal, private. It’s between her and Sandra, the same way the Capitol building is, the same way the DC story is, the same way hotel room balconies and taking an one-hour break is.

So, when she sat down with Leonard to build a lego, she was relieved when he didn’t choose the Capitol building. She almost didn’t offer it, but dishonesty is not one of her infinite talents.

They sat, building the tower, sunlight inevitably reflecting on its windows halfway across the world in Shanghai. As long as it wasn’t raining, of course. But regardless, it’s morning somewhere.

The entire time, her focus flickered away from the project, unlike normally when her concentration was so focused it was difficult to break her attention away from the little plastic pieces in her hands. It didn’t shift to Leonard, radiating warmth and comfort from behind her, working in sync with her to raise the ceiling of the towering skyscraper. She liked him, she even liked-liked him, but he wasn’t a distraction to her. She was almost unable to be distracted by romance, not when she was a teenager, and not even now.

[littlebell-defensesquad]

I finally got my AO3 account!

Here is the story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18583921

And I put it a series because I am expecting to be writing many more fanficlets for For The People/Littlebell so stay tuned :)

I will also update on here as well and post the shorter ones.

I Almost Do - Littlebell - For The People x Taylor Swift

Synopsis: In season 2 episode 7, Sandra Bell found herself having to choose between being loyal to her client and doing what is morally right and reporting something that will harm her client but may save someone’s life to the authorities. While her best friend (Allison Adams), trusted boss (Jill Carlan), and the guy the show wants us to ship her with (Ted 2.0) is standing in the next room, debating whether or not to go talk to her, she vanishes, leaving an iconic pack of florescent post-it note flags for Allison to find, who picked it up, and smiled, knowing that Sandra had made her decision and gone to the AUSA office. She went to consult Kate Littlejohn, her most worthy opponent, who she has indirectly admitted as “the best” (in her profession) once to Leonard Knox while in court earlier in the same season. But Allison was wrong and so were we, in that moment. She didn’t go United States Attorney’s office. She went to a park, set against the backdrop of a sparkly New York skyline, and had previously texted (presumably) Kate Littlejohn to meet her there, making sure to bring her a pretzel as a thank you. They have been in three cases together prior to this one. In the first, Kate told Sandra the story about the Capitol, revealing more about her life in one episode to her opponent than she had ever done to everyone else combined in all previous episodes combined. In the second, Sandra told her a story about sneaking into hotel pools with her dad when she was standing, as the two woman leaned on a hotel room balcony, in the middle of a sting operation. In the third, Sandra asked Kate for a favor, to prosecute a sitting judge, a favor Kate agreed to, and a trial she wins. (I would like it to be noted that Kate has hugged one person in this entire show and it’s Sandra after That Trial.) Right from the beginning, the two women are set up in a duality. Messy and organized. Idealistic and pragmatic. Defense and Prosecution. But rather than moving away from the other, they went the opposite way, getting closer and closer the more they fought to the death in courtrooms, in a slowly unraveling but undeniable revelation that they are far more alike than they are different. So, what happens when they collide again?

On her way back to the office after going to the store with Sandra so she could buy Clue, the receipt still in her hands, the blonde prosecutor sighs. That conversation took so much out of her. It was a honor to be trusted by the fiery public defender, her most worthy opponent, a legal genius undeterred by her raging emotions, but God it was exhausting. Knowing what to say was easy, sitting with Sandra in a park after sunset as the New York City lights twinkled in the towering skyline was something close to magic and an absolute breath of fresh air so different from the monochrome boxes of her office and the imposing grandiose of the Southern District Court of New York. What was difficult was imagining what Sandra was going through. It was worse than when Roger Gunn gave her that case she didn’t agree with but she would have taken anyway. It was worse by infinite degrees. This was not about doing one’s job. It was about one’s very moral compass, the philosophical foundation of who Sandra is. Kate would not want to be her right now under any circumstance.

She knew that the news finally reached her office when Leonard walked in and asked, “How did you convince her?”

She answered honestly. “I didn’t.” After a moment of hesitation, she elaborated, “We just ate a pretzel.” She could sense Leonard’s internal confusion. It made no sense out of context, but she wasn’t going to offer any. That was personal, private. It’s between her and Sandra, the same way the Capitol building is, the same way the DC story is, the same way hotel room balconies and taking an one-hour break is.

So, when she sat down with Leonard to build a lego, she was relieved when he didn’t choose the Capitol building. She almost didn’t offer it, but dishonesty is not one of her infinite talents.

They sat, building the tower, sunlight inevitably reflecting on its windows halfway across the world in Shanghai. As long as it wasn’t raining, of course. But regardless, it’s morning somewhere.

The entire time, her focus flickered away from the project, unlike normally when her concentration was so focused it was difficult to break her attention away from the little plastic pieces in her hands. It didn’t shift to Leonard, radiating warmth and comfort from behind her, working in sync with her to raise the ceiling of the towering skyscraper. She liked him, she even liked-liked him, but he wasn’t a distraction to her. She was almost unable to be distracted by romance, not when she was a teenager, and not even now.

No, she wasn’t thinking about Anya either, even though she is the exact same height Sandra would be if Sandra didn’t wear heels every day of her work life. (Kate would know. She did the math right after Sandra hugged her that first time and shockingly fitted perfectly into her shoulders. There was no way the fiery ball of golden brown hair was that tall.)

Although, maybe she should be thinking about Anya, more than she is. It’s not that she didn’t think about the ATF agent, or that she isn’t heartbroken over their breakup. It’s just that it wasn’t meant to be, and it hurt less because of the fact. Anya always liked her more. No matter how attracted Kate was to Anya, or how nice it was to wake up next to her every morning, or how how good of a kisser she was, it wasn’t right. It couldn’t be right. Anya would always love her more, and Anya deserved better than that. That’s not real love. It’s a chess game. They both deserved better.

And Leonard didn’t help. Leonard leaving made her realize that her heart wasn’t ready for, or deserving of, Anya. And she couldn’t be in a relationship with someone if her heart was that torn about someone else.

Not that that became anything. Leonard chose Texas. He would always choose Texas. She would always be his second choice. And Kate Littlejohn will not be anyone’s second choice.

No, Leonard isn’t right either. He is barely principled and only conveniently so. He is changing, and learning, and becoming more self-reflective and aware, but he is light years away. He would always do things that not only toe but bulldozer over the line, fall off the moral high ground, break the code of ethics. That’s not a person Kate could ever be in a relationship with, even if he is frustratingly attractive and clearly likes her and their chemistry is off the charts.

She could be his friend, his colleague, but not his girlfriend. Not until he gets to a place where he can be with her and not break apart when her light reflects on his every crack. Someday, he will find someone. Someday, he will find himself. But not today. And she isn’t that someone. Not today.

After Leonard leaves, Kate finds herself holding her phone in her hands, looking at it intensely, before deciding to put it down.

Do not be emotional, Kate Littlejohn. She thinks to herself. Do not let your emotions govern you. Do not act upon impulse. And no, Sandra doesn’t want to hear from you right now. You are the last person that she would want to speak to after she betrayed her client and still didn’t save a life. Because you knowingly told her she was allowed to be herself, allowed to follow her own intuitions of right and wrong, allowed to stop being the professional attorney she is one-hundred percent of the time.

Somewhere across the street, Sandra was on her office couch, in tears. Allison gave her a gentle rub, a gesture of comfort. In the doorway, before she left, she looked back and said, “I love you, Sandy. I’ll be home.” That helped. She needed that reminder that her best friend still loved her, supported her, and would be waiting for her when she is finally ready to leave her office. But she needed more. She needed different. She wanted someone else to analyze every move she made and her motives why, convince her through reason that she did the right thing when her every emotion and worst crippling fear was saying otherwise. She wished people would stop telling her that she did the right thing and start telling her that they know why she feels like she made the worst mistake of her career, and the second worst mistake of her life.

It’s not going to be Allison. And certainly not Ted. Maybe Jill will. Maybe. But even that’s unlikely. In such a moment of vulnerability, her boss wouldn’t say something to risk hurting her favorite employee, sending her deeper into her spiral.

She wished Kate would tell her exactly what she was feeling. She thought about calling her but stopped herself before she even reached out for her phone. Kate has no room for her loss. She knows Kate Littlejohn well enough to know she wouldn’t ever celebrate this victory, or any victory for that matter, with very few exceptions. But still, it is a victory for the prosecution. There is no air for Sandra’s despair. Not today. Not now.

Back in the AUSA’s office, it took everything in Kate not to call Sandra, and every time she doesn’t, she almost does.

[littlebell-defensesquad]

Chapter 2 is up :)

It’s shorter but it’s building up to something.

Hint: See my “I want Littlebell to be a slowburn.” post

End Game is officially live, folks.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18586693/chapters/44062114