#maddie is actually really like. sarcastic. and she gets annoyed by things easily

[doggirlbuck]

people write maddie in fics to have the personality a wet blanket

[redrobin-detective]

all is well

Death is nothing at all, I have only slipped into the next room I am I and you are you Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. ~ Henry Scott Hollard

AO3 link

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He hadn’t meant to say it, that much was clear. As much as she wanted to hate him for it, claim it was some sort of cruel manipulation; she knew he was just as distressed as she was. The ghost boy had covered his mouth, bright green eyes wide with panic as his misspoken words brought their battle to a screeching halt. Even the ghost the three hunters had been fighting stopped and stared before flying off. No one moved to stop them. Phantom looked at her fearfully, then over at her companion before vanishing without a trace.

It was a slip of the tongue, an accident, so why did the ghost boy calling her Mom make her blood run so cold?

“I’ve knew a kid who called the teacher Mom one time but I’ve never heard it from a ghost,” the Red Huntress said with a sarcastic chuckle. But her shoulders were tense and it was clear the situation made her uncomfortable too. “You okay, Mrs. Fenton?”

“My son isn’t dead,” Maddie said quietly. She would admit there were times where she’d look at Phantom and see Danny overlaid on top of him but those moments were becoming more and more rare. Maddie liked to think it’s because she could find more differences than similarities between the two but honestly, she couldn’t say who her son was anymore. She saw this damned ghost more than she saw the child living in her own house.

“I know, I’ve seen him around,” Huntress said with steady conviction. It made Maddie pause, as it always did, to wonder just how old Amity’s other human ghost hunter really was. Or how young rather. “It was a mistake, he’ll probably avoid you for a bit out of embarrassment but then things will go back to normal.”

“Yeah, a mistake,” Maddie muttered to herself, finally lowering the gun even though the fighting had ended several minutes ago. Why was this whole thing so unsettling to her? Phantom had said much worse things to her, called her a fake scientist and more obsessive than a ghost. He’d even called her a bad mother once when he’d been particularly riled up. She remembered how offended and angry his unnatural eyes had been as they’d glared accusingly into her.  

“You know his parents are still alive,” Huntress said suddenly. “I found out by accident a little while ago.” She was still standing on her hoverboard about 3 feet off the ground, her gaze was trained away from Maddie. “They don’t know that he’s a ghost, that he’s Phantom,” the girl’s head was still turned away from Maddie but she had a feeling she was being watched none the less. “Maybe you remind him of his mother.”

Maddie felt liked she’d been slapped.

“And why does that matter to you?” she questioned defensively to cover how much the conversation was shaking her - they didn’t know how could they not know, how could they not miss - “I thought you hated him as much as we did.”

“I don’t like him,” the Huntress said vehemently. “He’s annoying and acts like he’s the only hunter in this town who can actually do the job. But I,” she paused, “I think I understand him, just a little bit. Enough that I’ve been combing through Amity’s missing children files in my spare time. Of course, it’s no good if no one reported him missing in the first place. Phantom doesn’t want me prying but it’s not right for a kid to die and no one to care.”

“He’s just a ghost,” Maddie said, her words weak even to her ears. Was that why Phantom was stuck here? Because he died forgotten and unmourned? The thought of one of her children, her babies, dying without her knowing... she was going to be sick.

“Yeah, he is,” Huntress nodded, “but he wasn’t always. And humans deserve to be remembered, even if they don’t want to be.” That said, the girl sped off into the setting sun, the varying shades of orange glinting off of her suit. Maddie stood in the middle of the street for a little while longer, gun pointed limply at the ground as her whole world spun.

She drove home slowly, taking the long way around to try and put her conflicting feelings into words before she talked to her husband. When she and Jack first began their research into ghosts, they told themselves that they had to divorce themselves from the people the ghosts had been before. If you focused on the lingering traces of humanity in every monster then they would never be put in their place. But she was human and she had kids around the ghost boy’s age, despite her attempts to stick to logic her heart ached with sympathy.

“And you call yourself a mother,” the Phantom in her memory spat at her, filled with hatred but underneath it all was grief. “Where are your kids now? All you care about is the dead but when are you going to care for the living?” Maddie tightened her grip on the steering wheel to keep her hands from shaking.

“Mads! You’re home!” Jack grinned enthusiastically as she quietly entered the house. “Jazzy has her nose in her books and you know Danny, in and up to his room without a word so I made us grilled cheese!” He held her a plate with a flourish, “they’re ghost shaped!” The world tilted itself a little more onto it’s proper axis, no matter how crazy things got, Jack would always be her true north.

“Gracias,” she said accepting the plate. “Can we talk, privately?” She gestured her head down to the basement. Conversations from the kitchen could easily be heard upstairs and she really didn’t want her children to overhear her asking if she was a bad mom. She didn’t want their confirmation that she was right.

Jack’s goofy grinned smoothed out into something softer and he put one hand gently on her back as they walked down to basement. He kicked her usual stool her way and they sat in silence while they ate their dinners, staring at the swirling vortex of the portal.

“You remember that time Phantom called me a neglectful mother?” Maddie asked quietly after a few minutes.

“Mads, you can’t let that sneaky spook get to you. Everyone knows you’re a great-”

“Jack,” she interrupted harsher than she needed to but she didn’t need comfort from a husband but the unbiased opinion of a fellow scientist. “He accidentally called me Mom while we were fighting today, I don’t - I don’t think he meant it, he looked more scared then I’ve ever seen him before he ran off. Huntress was there too, she said.” Maddie gripped her plate tightly in her hands. “She said that Phantom’s family is still alive, that they don’t know about him.”

“Not know? You mean about him being-”

“Apparently,” Maddie squeezed her eyes shut to fight off the unwanted sympathy she felt. “He’s always been the Ghost Boy, the Ghost Kid. I never - I never fully absorbed what that meant. He looks,” Maddie set the plate aside and dropped her head into her hands. “He’s about Danny’s age.”

“Maddie,” Jack said softly, setting aside his own plate and wheeling himself closer. “Whoever that boy was, he’s gone now and all that’s left is an echo, an obnoxious and powerful echo but he’s not... he’s not a child. Not anymore.”

“But he remembers,” Maddie gasped, angry she was letting herself get all worked up over a stupid ghost. “He called me Mom, Jack. Huntress, she said maybe I reminded him of her and,” her eyes filled with tears now. “He’s comparing me to someone who didn’t even notice that he’d died. What does that say about me? About my relationship with our children? I feel like all I do is argue with Jazz these days and god knows where Danny goes to half the time-”

“Maddie, don’t do that to yourself,” Jack said softly, tilting her face up towards him with a gloved hand. “Once you go down that rabbit hole, there’s no digging yourself out. I think it’s just part of being a parent, always worrying that you’re not doing things right. Sometimes,” Jack gaze dropped, troubled. “Sometimes I enter the room and Danny looks at me and freezes like he expects me to do something terrible... He’s just easily startled but it still hurts.”

“Phantom is an echo, not a child,” Maddie nodded quietly to herself, trying to fall back on her usual logic but it tasted wrong in her mouth. He was a ghost... but also a child. “I wonder what he was like when he was alive? His personality seems remarkably preserved, he must have been a vibrant young man.”

“Or his death was particularly traumatic,” Jack mumbled. “Painful deaths usually leave powerful ghosts. And most healthy teens don’t just drop dead for nothing.”  A chill fell over the lab.

“How could they not notice?” Maddie whispered with horror. “What sort of parent wouldn’t see that their child was dead, what? Now two years in?”

“Not everyone is as good a mom as you are, Mads,” Jack said, pulling her into his chest. “Neglectful parents are a dime a dozen sadly. He could’ve been a runaway too, ran off and died leaving his folks still holding out hope that he’d come home. Or maybe...” he frowned, “maybe he’s pretending he’s still alive.”

“No, he couldn’t keep the charade for this long,” Maddie gasped but the horrible idea had been planted none the less. Phantom always seemed in such a hurry, like he had somewhere else to be. Was another woman tapping her feet as she waited for her boy to return like Maddie often did, not knowing her child was long gone?

“He’s a wily one, incredibly solid for a spirit. Sometimes I look at him and swear I see his chest moving like he’s breathing. Dampen his glow, dye the hair, change his clothes, he could probably pass as human so long as you didn’t look too close.”

“Jack,” she pulled back and looked at her husband in a panic. “Jack, if he’s pretending to be human when he’s not fighting then there’s a good chance he goes to Casper.” Her and Jack’s eyes widened with realization at the same time.

Their children’s high school has had an unprecedented amount of ghost attacks since the portal opened. They could never figure out why the ghosts targeted that school and ignored the other elementary, middle or even the other public high, Wendy. “What are we going to do, should we pull out Danny and Jazz? Even just until we figure this out.”

“That might tip the ghost off,” Jack said evenly but his teeth were biting into his cheek with worry. “We don’t want to set him off, who knows what he’d do if his cover was blown.” He might look like a harmless teen but Maddie had seen first hand how devastating Phantom could be when threatened. “I think we should tell the kids.”

“What? Why? You know they’re supportive of him!” Well Jazz certainly was, differing opinion on Phantom seemed to be the cause of half their arguments. Danny, truthfully, she didn’t really know his opinions on the ghost boy. He always looked so uncomfortable talking about ghosts with them so they just didn’t.

“Supportive maybe but they’re smart and observant,” Jack countered. “They could be our eyes and ears inside the school. They know better than to provoke a dangerous ghost,” Jack let his eyes drift over to the portal. “Besides, if the worst comes to pass, I want them to be prepared.”

“I don’t like it but you’re probably right,” Maddie grumbled. “If it keeps them safe then I’d do just about anything.” Jack smiled and leaned forward to kiss her gently, his lips a perfect match for her own.

“And this is why you could never be a bad mother,” he said. “Come on, let’s talk to them before they go to sleep.”

“Or Danny sneaks out again,” Maddie said to herself as she followed her husband up the stairs and heard him call for a Fenton family meeting.

It went about as well as Maddie had expected. Jazz alternated between being angry and anxious, telling them emphatically that Phantom wasn’t hiding among them at school and wasn’t a bad ghost to begin with. Maddie didn’t know what had come over her but she hardly recognized this irrational and emotional young lady as her daughter. She hoped it was just Senior year stress and hormones and not some ghostly influenced. Danny, as usual, sat there like he was a piece of the furniture and didn’t say much at all.

“Danno,” Jack said gently as he interrupted Jazz’s rant to engage their youngest. “You would tell us if you noticed anything unusual with one of your classmates, right? You know we’re telling you kids this because we trust you, love you and want to keep you safe.”

“Have you considered that keeping guns around the house, threatening to hunt and torture ghosts doesn’t make me feel very safe?” Danny said quietly, looking down at the table. “So what if he sometimes goes to school, maybe he wants to have something normal in his life. All I know is that if I was Phantom, maybe I would want to hide too. So people like you didn’t find me.” For the second time that night, the words of a teenage boy stopped her cold.

“Danny, what do you-” Danny didn’t elaborate and instead pushed his chair back and headed towards the door.

“Young Man, where are you going? It’s almost curfew and we’re not done here,” Maddie scolded even though she knew that neither her or Jack were in the control of the situation. Danny opened the door and didn’t look back.

“I won’t be long, just a lap around the block. I just, I just need some air, okay?” The house became quiet, no one quite knowing what to say. Jazz excused herself a moment later and walked back up to her room. She slammed her door shut. The ticking of the clock was the only sound to be heard in the suddenly silent kitchen.

“Is that how he sees us?” Jack asked quietly, looking down at his large hands. “Danny used to think what we did was so cool, when did that change?” When did he change? was the silent, unasked question. Or maybe they'd all changed, grown apart so slowly that no one had really noticed. Maddie stood up abruptly and stalked towards the door, strapping an ectogun to her hip as she went.

“Mads, maybe you should give him-”

“You know as well as I do that this is the peak time for ghosts. Danny, he might not trust us but I won’t let a disagreement get him killed.” It was full dark outside and she was halfway down the block before she realized she didn’t know which direction Danny had gone in. The night air was chill for mid-April as it shook off the last dregs of winter. She was feeling cold in her protective hazmat; Danny had left in short sleeves. Maybe she should run back and get his jacket for when she found him.

“Nice night for a walk,” Maddie jumped at the voice to find Phantom lazily floating in the air above her. His posture was casual but his eyes were sharp, searching as he always was. Green eyes glanced at her gun before meeting her eyes. “Looking for someone? Perhaps chasing someone who doesn’t want to found?” No way was she going to let him know her son was out here, alone and vulnerable.

“You actually,” she lied. He raised a disbelieving eyebrow but didn’t call her out. How could he be so expressive and so hard to read all at once? Against her better judgement, she thought again about the ghost as a human. “You called me Mom earlier, I want to know why.”

“What, you’ve never called someone something dumb by mistake?” Phantom flinched, crossing his arms defensively. “It was an accident, I’m just as upset as you are, believe me. Now if you don’t mind, I was trying to have a nice flight to clear my mind. Good luck finding whoever you were really looking for.”

“My husband thinks you’re pretending to be alive, that you’re lying to the town, going to school.” She searched his face for some sign that she was wrong but his expression was still as stone. “You’re putting people in jeopardy, I thought you wanted to play the hero!”

“I’m not doing anything,” He growled, his eyes flashing ominously in the dark. “I’m just doing the best I can, okay? If I go to the Nasty Burger or sit in on English Poetry when there’s no ghosts to fight then who’s hurt? Only me for trying to hang onto something real, something normal!”

“But the ghosts-”

“News flash! The ghosts would be here with or without me because of your stupid portal! I can’t even legally drive and yet you blame me for everything.” He scoffed and looked away, “you really are just like my mother.”

“So I do remind you of her,” she stated. “Your mother.”

“That’s a great thing to say to some kid you shoot at regularly,” Phantom said, icily, his green gaze boring into her over his shoulder. “What do you want me to say? Yeah, you do. It’s not just your voice or your face but the way you look at me like I’m nothing but a disappointment. How you make me feel like I’m some damaged child you need to hammer into shape.”

“You can’t - I’m not disappointed,” she said before she could think otherwise because how else could she react to such a charged statement? What kind of abusive, miserable home had he come from? Her heart clenched again to be compared to this woman.

“Yeah, I can tell,” Phantom snapped at her sarcastically but, like the time when he’d called her a bad mother, underneath the anger was sadness. “None of this matters, we’re both going to keep doing our own thing without each other’s approval. We’re enemies so let’s just forget this all happened and go back to you shooting at me while I beg for you just stop and listen for one second-”

“Alright, I’m listening!” Maddie shouted back, frustrated and sympathetic against her better judgement. “What is it you want to tell me so bad?” Phantom froze, like he hadn’t expected her to just stop like that. His shoulders hunched and his eyes were wide and he looked so much like a lost teenager that it pulled painfully at her heart. God, why did this one ghost bring out so many contradictory feelings in her?

“I want,” he stopped, swallowed and floated to the ground so they were near eye level. Sometime in the last year, he’d gotten taller than her. She hadn’t realized ghosts could grow, could age. Phantom was always the exception to every rule they had. “I want the same thing you want. I don’t like seeing ghosts coming through and hurting people. Before I was Phantom, I was nobody, I couldn’t help anyone. I can now and keeping people safe, it gives me a purpose I didn’t even have when I was human. Ghosts might just be the untethered remnants of dead people but we still love and feel and value things, just differently than you do. I want to keep ghosts from attacking people but without damaging them, we’re not all evil just... trying to find our own way to the finish line. If you’d just, not attack on sight, I could show you.”

It was perhaps the most she’d heard Phantom say all at once. He was rubbing his gloved fingers anxiously against his thigh and there was a desperate bit of want in his tragically young face. He wanted her to believe him, like a child looking to their mother for approval. As more time stretched on without her speaking, his hopeful look fell into a kind of sad acceptance. He looked like Danny had at the kitchen table not 15 minutes before.

“Okay,” she said finally. “We can give it a try for a bit. It’s not a truce exactly but so long as you’re not causing harm, Jack and I won’t shoot at you.” It wasn’t much but the boy looked like he’d handed her the moon and then some. He floated up a little, his boots jittered with excitement. She gaped when he reached forward and grasped her hand only to shake it enthusiastically. His hand was chilled but solid in her own.

“Yeah, you got a deal! Don’t worry, Mo- Ma’am you won’t have to worry about me, I’ll be a good little ghost, scouts honor! not that I was, uh, ever in the scouts. If things go well, I’d be happy to tell you more about ghosts and the Zone. I’ll even give you a tour if you’d like.” His smile was infectious and she bit her lip to resist the natural urge to smile back.

Maybe Phantom was a ghost, a sad child who’d died far too young but he was also someone’s son. That woman, however, hadn’t been able to protect him, to support him. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give the ghost boy a chance and maybe Maddie could fill in something his other mother couldn’t. Perhaps she could even learn how to give her own children what they needed too.

“We’ll see,” Maddie hummed. “Now, you were going to go flying and I need to find my son before he catches his death, that is, if he’ll even talk to me.”

“He will,” Phantom said softly. “My mom messed up, hurt me sometimes but I knew she loved me and I love her. I don’t know your son but I do know what it’s like to be a son and your mom is... whether you’re living, dead or in-between, she’s always your mom. Maybe he’s worried you won’t love him, the things he’s done or believes in.” He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck, “Of course, I don’t really know you and your family. Usually try and avoid you guys, being ghost hunters and all. Even your daughter is pretty scary.”

“That would be pretty weird, a ghost surrounded by hunters,” her lips twitched upwards despite herself as she imagined Phantom chatting with Jack and Jazz in the living room. The image wasn’t quite as strange as she’d initially thought. Who knows where this shaky truce would lead them? Phantom took that as his excuse to leave and flew off into the night. Maddie watched him go, she started up the block when she got a series of texts a few minutes later.

Danny: I’m home, sorry for running off like that Danny: I don’t like the way you talk about ghosts the way some people talk about race or gender. I want to make opinions based on facts and understanding, not half baked theories Danny: I’d be willing to talk more, if you’d stop being so stubbornly certain you’re right and just listened for a change Danny: I love you, Mom I don’t think I say that enough. Sometimes I feel scared to, like you won’t understand Danny: Jazz came down and Dad brought out the special fudge Danny: Come home, its cold out

Maddie brought her phone to her lips, looking up in the sky as if she might see Phantom still flying around. That boy still loved his mother, the mother who’d hurt him. She didn’t want to be like Phantom’s mom: distant, cruel, unwilling to listen. If she could hold out an olive branch for her enemy, then she certainly could for her son.

Mom: I love you too, baby, never doubt that. I think I'm ready to listen now. Mom: I’m on my way home, save some fudge for me.

I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, Just around the corner. All is well.

[thou-crusty-batch-of-nature]

Friends will be friends (or more)

pairing sirius x reader

warnings  angst, swearing and fluff

A/N Soo this is my first fic. I would like to thank @futurewriter2000 for everything she has done for me. She is such a kind, caring friend and such a good writer. She helped me so much and without her I probably wouldn't have posted this. 

GIF IS NOT MINE

READER'S POV

 I knew I was in deep shit when I realised that I had a crush on my best friend, Sirius Black. But how could I not, with his silky, thick, curly hair and those eyes that seemed like the sky on a - ugh, I was daydreaming again. And the worst part, I was almost certain that he liked me just as a friend. Fortunately, I was able to act like I wasn't l̶o̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ liking him. I was just leaving the classroom with the marauders after a really boring, long class of history of magic, spent doodling on my parchment. Despite the fact that they had been talking about Quidditch for the last five minutes (I disliked Quidditch because I was as tactful as a bull in a china shop), I was too busy to make a sarcastic comment as I was doing more important things - meaning that I was stealing glances from Sirius.

 I began the deep friendship with the marauders in my fourth year. I was the first person who outranked them at a rather unsuccessful prank.

 -throwback-

 I barely woke up after the last night's Halloween feast, swearing that I would never eat so many sweets again - a lie that I had told myself every other year. I lazily got up and went to the bathroom, then got dressed. My best friends, Lily and Marlene, were still sleeping. I chuckled as I heard Marlene mumbling in her sleep, catching the words "pastries everywhere". However, when I looked in the mirror, I couldn't help but scream.

"FUCKING HELL I SWEAR I'M GONNA-" before I could stop the door was ripped open, a red-head staying in front of me.

 "Wha-what is happening?" asked Lily worried, but as soon as she saw me she started laughing hysterically.

 "LILY IT'S NOT FUNNY MY BLOODY HAIR IS BABY BLUE! IT LOOKS LIKE MERLIN'S HAT!" I roared annoyed.

 "Calm down, Y/N, stop being ridiculous. It was obviously the 'mighty' marauders." she joked. Then she stopped and looked at me for a moment. "This morning we go to Hogsmeade, don't we?"

 "Yeah...but where do you want to go with that?" I asked confused, not seeing any connection.

 "Oh sweet, innocent Y/N/N, " she teased, a devilish smirk spreading on her face, "today you are going to make such a big statement that you are going to leave our dear Sirius with his mouth open like he is at the dentist. Marls, it's a fashion emergency!" I have never seen Marlene getting up so quickly before.

 Long story short, when I arrived in the Great Hall wearing a lace crop top, skinny jeans, high heels all matching to my now slightly wavy hair, I could have sworn I saw Sirius spilling his pumpkin juice in his lap. Then, James complimented my hair. Remus apologised and Sirius invited me to go with them at The Three Broomsticks. I spent my day talking, laughing and drinking Butterbeer, and, to be honest, it was one of the most beautiful days of my life.

 -end of throwback-

 That's how we became friends. I figured out Remus' "furry little problem" at the end of the fourth year, and by now I was known as the fifth marauder. I've always helped them with their pranks; setting them up, finding ideas or even getting them out of trouble. After all, I was considered by most of the professors a quiet, model student, and it was quite useful added to a completely chaste smile.

 "Um... Y/N/N?" a pinch on my cheek broke the trance in which I was. I saw the boys all staring at me. 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘵.

 "You said something?"

 "No...We just asked you two times if you want to have lunch outside?" Remus admitted in a sarcastic tone.

"Yes! Sorry, I zoned out a bit." I mumbled. 'Yeah, thinking about the constant cliche drama-love-story in which I star for some time. Keep going that way, Y/N!' I thought.

 "Well it's certainly not the first time, is it honey? Is something or someone on your mind?" James retorted, followed by a knowing smirk and a wink. How did he knew? It wasn't like I told anyone. That annoying brat!

 Later that day, after an uncomfortable meal, I finally ran into James sitting on an armchair in the common room, reading a quidditch magazine.

 "How do you know?" I asked as soon as I'd seen him, taking the magazine from his face.

"Well good afternoon to you, too, my dear friend! What a beautiful day it is, isn't it? Bright sun, a warm breeze, teenage love -" I gave him a smack. "Augh! I don't think I deserved that!" he stopped, dramatically rubbing his shoulder.

 "Tell me this instant, Potter!"

 "What?"

 "How do you know I have a crush on Sirius?" I said, feeling the blush starting to creep up on my cheeks.

 "I've only suspected, but now I certainly know that it's true!" Prongs stated, proud smile on his face, turning to leave.

 "Oh, don't you dare leave! I haven't finished yet! Promise me that you won't tell a soul! He can't find out!" I exclaimed, a little panicked.

 "Ok, ok! I swear! Geez, chill out, crazy woman! But what are you going to do about it?"

 "What do you mean?"

 "I mean - you can't just act like nothing's happening forever. Won't you tell him?"

 "It's useless. He doesn't like me that way. It will only destroy our friendship!" and that was my biggest fear. I couldn't let that happen.

 Both of us were startled when we heard the door swung open, Sirius bursting happily in the common room.

 "What happened?" I asked curiously.

 "Guess who's got a girlfriend?" Sirius said proudly, adding then in a whisper "Hint: it's me!"

 "What!? Who?" I asked cautiously, hoping that my voice wasn't as brittle as I thought.

 "Madeline" he responded, his eyes twinkling like stars.

 I felt my heart sunk. Madeline Vega was a gorgeous Hufflepuff; beautiful, funny, charismatic, smart, she had it all. All in all, she was a perfect match for Sirius. Like he'd read my thoughts, James shot me a pitiful look. And I tried to be happy for my friend, I really wanted to. But at that moment all I wanted to do was to tell him the truth and run away from everybody. But I didn't.

 SIRIUS' POV

 I arrived in the common room after I had spent the whole day in Hogsmeade with Maddy. 𝘎𝘰𝘴����, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭. She was a light in the darkness that seemed to follow me everywhere. She was the breath of fresh air that I needed. However, she was not the only girl that cared for me. Y/N has been quite distant lately and it started to feel strange. She always loved to make people laugh and now she barely speaks. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳. I reached the dorm where the boys were lying casually on their beds, looking at me.

 "So you have a girlfriend now, don't you?" Remus broke the silence. "How come?"

 "Remy, you know that no one can resist my charms! Just look at me!"

 "I am serious."

 "No, you are Remus!" I reminded him, earning a death glare and a thrown book, from which I dodged easily. "Ok, ok. I started being friends with her through Potions, and we'd become closer and closer until I asked her to be my girlfriend today!" I was assigned with Maddy at the beginning of the year and I've always liked her. "She is wonderful," I said. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥- "Hey! Where is Y/N? Weren't we supposed to meet this afternoon?" I asked, remembering that today I promised Y/N to help her with the Transfiguration's essay.

 "Yes. She came here at three o'clock when you should have met, waiting here for an hour, but 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 clearly had better things to do than keep promises!" James frowned. I looked at the clock - 6 o'clock. 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴!

 "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the Quidditch practice and be there on time because I respect a fixed arrangement!" he'd added before storming off.

 "What should I do, Moony? She'll never forgive me." I asked hopelessly.

 "Of course she'll forgive you, you drama queen, you just need to apologise."

 "And give her some sweets!" Peter added, pointing at the Honeydukes bag I had bought earlier. I took it and headed to the girls' dorm. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸, 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸.

 READER'S POV

 I was still mad at Sirius for forgetting about our study meeting, but fortunately, James helped me with that essay. I was on my way to the girls' dorm when I saw Sirius staying on the ground, waiting for somebody.

 "Oh! Y/N! Thank god! I am so sorry! I know you needed help and I am so, so sorry that I forgot! Please let me at least make up!" Siriuis implored, sadness darkening his grey eyes.

 "Calm down! Of course, I'll forgive you, you're my best friend!" I said reassuringly.

 "Thank you! Thank you!" he shouted exited, squeezing me in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh! I almost forgot - I also got you some sweets!" he remembered, giving me the bag. It was full of my favourite chocolates and jellies from Honeydukes.

 "You shouldn't have, thank you! But why were you waiting on the floor?" I asked, suddenly remembering how I've found him.

 "Well, actually Lily didn't want to let me in..." he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "She said, I quote, 'We don't let losers here!'" he imitated Lily's voice."But I guess I deserved that."

 "Yeah, you kinda did," I told him, but at his shocked expression, you added "What? You are a loser! Forgetting about a meeting with your amazing, smart beautiful friend!"

 We both stared at each other for a few seconds, then laughed. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴!

 But everything came back to the usual awkwardness the next day at breakfast. I couldn't stand watching them holding hands while eating, or kissing after class, so I started to avoid him. Every day I spent my free time in places where I knew for sure he wouldn't be, but I still saw him in the common room or at lunchtime.

 Today, for example, I went to the library and stayed at the most isolated desk. I'd just finished my Potions essay when I saw a couple kissing near me. 𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦. Taking a closer look, I couldn't believe my eyes. Corey McLaren, a seventh-year Hufflepuff was snogging with... Madeline! She's Sirius girlfriend! That cheating liar! How could she?

 I quickly took my books and left without being seen. I needed to tell him. I hurried to the boys' dorm and knocked a few times. In a moment, Remus opened the door.

 "Hey Y/N/N! What are you doing here?" he asked happily.

 "I need to find Sirius! Do you know where he is?"

 "He left a couple of minutes ago to the Great Lake. Why?"

 "I can't tell you right now! I have to go! and with that, you left.

 I saw Sirius sitting on a bench, staring at the lake. I quickly sat next to him.

 "Y/N! What happened?" he asked worriedly.

 SIRIUS' POV

 I have received another letter from mother. Last summer I ran away from that hell, and now apparently she disowned me. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵. Still, after I'd read it, I needed to go outside. I wanted to break free.

 Soon I saw a silhouette that resembled Y/N coming closer. When I saw her face, her big, usually bright, Y/E/C eyes now veiled with sadness, I knew something was wrong. Very wrong.

 "Y/N! What happened?" I asked, seeing that she was avoiding my stare.

 "Sirius I am so sorry - I was in the library, studying when I saw Madeline... Maddy kissing Corey McLaren," she confessed. "As soon as I'd seen her, I looked for you in your room, and Remus -"

 "Stop. She couldn't have done that. She is Madeline, she wouldn't cheat on me." I interrupted her.

 "Maybe she is not the angel she pretends to be." she tried to explain.

 "I knew you didn't like Maddy, but did you really think that you could come and lie to me like that?" I spat.

 "You don't believe me? I had seen her with my own eyes!" she snapped.

 "Of course I don't believe you! I thought higher of you, but you clearly let the jealousy talking! I rebuked.

 "You know what, you're a bloody idiot! I can't believe that I actually loved you!" she shouted. "Stay with your cheating girlfriend, for all I care- but don't ever come back to me when you find the truth!" with tears spilling on her cheeks she left.

 She loved me and I had just broken her heart. 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵.

 I lit a cigarette. 𝘐𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘦. 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘶𝘵. I haven't realised when it started to rain. A hurricane of thoughts was ravishing my mind. Did Maddy really do such a thing? Did I destroy my friendship with Y/N? Did she love me? I threw the stump in the lake and left. I was soaking wet, but I didn't care. 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢'𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩.

 When I reached the dorm I was welcomed by a furious James. He smacked me right in the face.

 "What the fuck, mate!" I asked, feeling the blood trickling from my nose.

 "Do you really believe that cheating bitch instead of Y/N, our best friend for two years?" James roared.

 "Hey! She's my girlfriend!"

 "Look at him! Then go to your pretty, angelic girlfriend who is more important than your friends!" James frowned.

 "Remus?" I asked, hoping that he would understand me.

 "I agree with James here, mate," he responded.

 "Fine," I said. And I left.

 READER'S POV

 I had been crying long before I got into my dorm, our argument playing and replaying in my mind. Lily and Marlene weren't there, so I decided that I needed a nap.

 I was woken up by Lily, who was nudging me gently.

 "Y/N? What happened? Have you been crying?"

 So I told them everything; how I'd seen Madeline, then went to Remus, found Sirius, then finally the argument we had.

 "Hmm...A cheating liar and a stupid brat, I think they deserve each other!" Marlene stated after I'd finished.

 "A stupid brat that I happen to know and love!" I said, with dried tears on my cheeks.

 "Oh, I promise if he tries to hurt you once more I am personally going to beat the shit out of him!" Lily vowed. I laughed for the first time that day.

 "There's that beautiful laugh!" Marlene smiled.

 They stayed with me for a while, chatting and eating our stash of sweets, listening to old records.

 "We have to go to dinner!" Lily announced after two hours of fun.

 "You go, I'm going to stay here!" I told them. I still wasn't ready to face the boys.

 "Are you sure?" Marlene asked.

 "Yes."

 They hugged me warmly and left.

 Two weeks have passed and I have barely talked with the marauders. James tried to reach out to me several times, but I've brushed him off. We only greeted each other in the common room. And Sirius - he was still with Madeline. He made his choice not to believe me and I made my choice, too.

 It was another night when I only shifted in my bed; I couldn't sleep. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯.  Suddenly, I heard a knock at my door. And another one, and another one.

 "Y/N, OPEN THE BLOODY DOOR!" Marlene shouted from her bed, her head under the pillow.

 I got up, put on my slippers and opened the door. I immediately recognized the person in front of me.

 "Sirius."

 SIRIUS' POV

 The weeks without Y/N being near us, speaking, laughing, drove me mad. Maddy still was my girlfriend, though not a day passed without thinking about Y/N's words.

 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦.

 I was in the library with Remus. While he was looking for books, I took the liberty to wander around. As I was turning to leave, I saw two people snogging in the darkest corner. However, I could recognise that wavy, golden hair anywhere.

 "Maddy?" I saw her jump a little when she heard my voice. She turned to look at me and I saw the boy she was kissing - Corey McLaren.

 "𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 - 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪��𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦... 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘺 𝘔𝘤𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯."

 "𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦?"

 "𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦- 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩!"

 She was right. And I was an idiot.

"We're over," I told her with a deathly calm, but before I'd left, I punched Corey in the face.

 I went outside to the bench by the lake and looked around. The sun was setting. The sky looked like a canvas, colours blending in harmony. How could I let everything happen that way? Why didn't I believe Y/N?

 Soon the night came, but I didn't care. I stayed outside, looking at the stars. Then, I got up and let my feet carry me anywhere they wanted.

 I was in front of her bedroom. Before I could stop myself, I knocked.

 READER'S POV

 "Sirius."

 "Please listen to me for a few minutes. Then, I won't bother you anymore." he begged.

 "Ok."

 "Follow me," he said. We walked without saying anything, finally arriving in the Astronomy Tower. He stopped near the window and turned to me.

 "I am an idiot and I know it. And you were right. So right. I was blinded by the idea of love and forgot about those who really care for me, truly love me. And I was lying that day, I trust you with my life. I am truly sorry that you had to distance yourself from your friends because of me. I love you. I realised when you told me that you had loved me. Please give me one more chance- "

 "I love you too," I interrupted and came closer. I could feel his warm breath on my face, "I love you so much that it hurts."

 Then he kissed me so gently and softly, yet so lovingly. I put my hand in his curly, dark hair and he put a hand on my back, slowly drawing patterns. Then he broke it, not letting go of my back.

 "I love you." he whispered, before pulling me in another sweet, long kiss.

MASTERLIST

taglist   @futurewriter2000 

[katelides]

Walking on sunshine - Bechloe mini fic pt 4

Chapter 4: Don’t you want me

It’s a quarter to ten, way too early for a Saturday morning, during the summer. Yet Both Beca and Chloe are impatiently waiting for the clerk of the jewelry store to come and show them the wedding bands. The redhead is tapping her fingers on the surface of the counter, while Beca tries to make time go faster by staring at the clock on the wall. But the brunette can’t help but look down at the tapping fingers, which of course catches Chloe’s attention who immediately stops.

Their eyes meet for a brief second and Chloe looks away, not wanting to feel uncomfortable. The redhead crosses her arms because she doesn’t know what to do with her hands. They stay in complete silence for only a brief moment, but Chloe can’t help it, she can’t stay in silence. “I thought you wanted to kite-surfing the world?” She suddenly says slightly accusing.” Beca takes a deep breath. “We are… on our honeymoon.” Chloe huffs in amusement. “Funny, Maddie always said she wanted Paris.”

Thankfully for Beca, the clerk comes out with the wedding rings and a huge smile on his face. “Would you like to try them on?” He asks politely. Chloe’s eyes widen in shock, and she shakes her head. “Oh no no no, I’m not the bride, it’s uhm someone else she’s going to marry, I’m no one.” The redhead rambles to the great amusement of Beca, who of course takes her ring and tries it on. Chloe sadly keeps rambling on, making the clerk a bit uncomfortable. “I’m just a friend, the sister of the bride.”

“I guess when people want, they change,” Beca says as an answer to Chloe’s previous statement. “Perfect;” She tells the clerk and hands him back the ring so he can put them into their correct boxes. The clerk shoot Chloe an awkward smile, that the redhead easily returns.

“I didn’t change Beca, I just couldn’t drop everything and just run off into the sunset with you,” Chloe says with a huff as they walk out of the store. “I know, your real life, right? How is that working out for you now?” Beca knows she shouldn’t be so cocky about it, but she can’t help it. “Great.” Chloe shoots back dryly. “Cool,” Beca says with an indifferent shrug.

Beca rubs her hands together devilishly, ever since she saw the redhead she wanted to know the answer to one question, and one question only… “Are you seeing anyone?” She asks with a sly grin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chloe answers back semi defensively. “Oh, sorry,” Beca says, trying to control her grin. This was perfect, Chloe definitely isn’t seeing anyone. Whoa wait, she has to get her head screwed back on correctly, she’s getting married tomorrow with Maddie.

“Why are you sorry?” Beca gets pulled back from her thoughts in a flash when Chloe makes her stop by pulling her by the arm. “Well, that’s a no.” Chloe rolls her eyes and continues walking. “No actually, it’s not necessarily a no, I just don’t want to talk about it. I think that sort of thing is private and shouldn’t be sung from the rooftops.” Beca smiles to herself and follows the redhead. She remembers how private the redhead was about the whole falling in love thing. Beca wasn’t so lucky though, she was best friends with Stacie, and her brother Jesse is a movie fanatic.

“Ha, I forgot, never say what you feel, right?” The brunette shoots back. “I just don’t see why people have to make such a spectacle of their feelings.” Beca makes Chloe stops by standing in front of her. “Because if someone sings it from the rooftops, you know that they really mean it. And that’s what weddings are all about.” Beca flashes a cocky smile at the redhead and walks away in victory.

The two of them enter the bridal shop. “Buon giorno.” Hello. Beca greets the woman inside with a smile that turns into. “What did you want me to do, Chloe? Become a monk?” They each accept the clothes they are offered by the shop’s staff while they keep their argument up. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe not fall in love with my sister?” Chloe shoots back sarcastically. “How could I know she was your sister? I have never met two people who are less like each other.” Beca says casually. “What is that supposed to mean?” Chloe asks offended by the statement.

They each step into a changing room. Sadly the two are only separated by a pink curtain. “Non posso credere che stiamo ancora parlando.” I can’t believe we’re still discussing this. “You’re the one that broke it off and forgot all about me.” The hurt is very evident in Beca’s voice, yet Chloe doesn’t seem to notice in her angry state. “I didn’t forget about you, I was working on my degree.” Beca lets out a huff as she puts on her wedding clothes. “Whatever.”

“And anyway, I’m not the one that spends all her days on the beach surrounded by hot girls in bikinis.” The two are so deep into their argument that they don’t hear the new people enter the store. Maybe they should have kept it down as the newcomers are their friends. “Oh come on, you know I wasn’t interested in them, I was waiting for you to come back like you said. But then I realized you weren’t, and then I met Maddie… she was open, so positive and full of life. “ Chloe pulls off her flowery dress in anger. “Full of life? So I’m not full of life?” Beca huffs for the umpteenth time that day. “Maybe you are, but how can anyone know?”

Outside of the stalls Mikey, Emily and Benji are listening in on the conversation. All with pained expressions clouding their faces. “We shouldn’t be listening to this, come on let's go,” Emily whispers. She pulls Benji away from the commotion and taps Mike on his shoulder. All the while as the two are still bickering. “Don’t make a spectacle of your feelings.” Beca shoots out mockingly. “Maddie made me happy again,” Beca states cooly as she shrugs on her jacket. “Okay? She brought me back to life.”

“How many times do I have to say how happy I am for you?” Sarcasm is dripping from Chloe's voice as she grows more frustrated by the minute. “Why are you so angry?” Beca asks, stepping out of her cubical and checking herself in the mirror. “I’m not angry,” Chloe shouts, ripping open her own curtain.

They both freeze when they see the other in their respective wedding outfit. Beca’s eyes roam over Chloe’s gorgeous figure, admiring the redhead in the beautiful pink and white bridesmaid dress.

Chloe’s jaw falls open slightly. Beca had always looked great in a pantsuit, but the dark blue one she is wearing right now makes the brunette’s eyes pop out even more. She looks sexy with the necktie loosely hanging around her neck. It makes her… undeniably hot.

“Oh belli che siete, siete veramente una meravigliosa coppia, e vi meritate in sieme tutto che la vita vi fa dare.” Oh, you are both beautiful, you are truly a wonderful couple, and you deserve all that life gives you. Beca and Chloe look up at the two older women that are cooing at them, making the two feel uncomfortable about their rapidly regrowing feelings. They share a look and can agree on the first thing that day. “I think we’re done.” The two rush back into their cubical and get dressed again but this time in utter silence.

Meanwhile, Maddie is roaming around, carefree, at the weekly farmer’s market.  She loves going there every Saturday, it’s a fun way to spend your morning, and you always go home with fresh fruit and vegetables. The busy hustle of people trying to sell their products, the many smells, the relaxed families all around her… Yes, that’s life she enjoys more than others might think.

The brunette is picking out some vegetables when some grabs the cucumber she just picked out, she’s ready to scream but stops herself when the smell of strong cologne that she would recognize anywhere fills her nostrils. “Doug…” The man chuckles playfully. “Oh, you do miss me.” Maddie pulls the cucumber out of Doug’s hand and puts it back on the pile. “What are you doing here?” She asks rather aggressively. “I’m here to rescue you from making the worst mistake of your life.”

The condescending tone Doug is speaking in irritates Maddie to no end, but she doesn’t show it. “That is so sweet… oh, but you were the worst mistake of my life so…” Without sparing the man another glance, she walks away. She doesn’t get far though, Doug follows her and spins her around. “Mads, Mads, Mads, Mads, I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but that’s all part of our things, isn’t it?”

Maddie tries to ignore the slightly greying man in front of her and tries to push past him but to no avail. “It’s a ride, it’s a great, big, fun, sexy rollercoaster.” Doug lets his ‘R’ roll for effect, one that does not seem to really faze Maddie. “Yeah alright, maybe we’ve had a big down these last few months,” Doug says with a shrug. “You dumped me!” Maddie shouts exasperatedly. “That just means we’re due for a big up. Know what I’m saying?”

“Doug, I don’t want your great, big, sexy,” Maddie’s eyes flicker down to her ex’s crotch but quickly looks back up again. “ride anymore… I want to get off.” Once again Maddie tries to walk away but gets stopped by Doug. “I should have never let you go Maddison Beale.” Maddie agrees with the arrogant douche. “I’m man enough to admit that.” Maddie lets out a bouldering laugh. “Come on, we’re incredible together, you know that.” Maddie rolls her eyes. “Just go…”

“One more chance. Come on, you owe me that.” Maddie keeps trying to get away but gets stopped with every turn. “I don’t owe you anything, except maybe a smack.” She says in an exasperated voice. “How can you say that?” Doug fakes being hurt, but slowly a  grin creeps up on his face. “Remember when you were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar?” He asks? “It was the day I first met you.”

Maddie rolls her eyes and turns away, but Doug grabs a piece of fabric of one of the stands and wraps it around the brunette. “Out of all the girls there that night I picked you and I shook you up, and I turned you around, into someone new.”  Maddie wriggles the fabric off and gives it back to the annoyed stand owner with an apologetic smile, all the while as Doug keeps talking.

“Now it’s five years later on you’ve got the world at your feet baby, success has been so easy for you.” Maddie grunts when Doug pulls her into a hug, she refuses to talk to him. “But don’t forget it was me who put you where you are now, and I can put you back down too.” Maddie is really close to slapping the boyish grin of off Doug’s face forever but manages to keep her anger inside and shoves an apple into his mouth. She walks away towards her car, trying to get as far away from the rich, self-absorbed, sex-crazed idiot she used to date.

“Come on Mads, you can’t tell me you don’t want me?” This is the last straw for the engaged brunette, she has to think quick to get rid of Doug. A simple idea pops into her head and turns to face the jerk. “Yes, I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, that much is true.” She manages to corner him on an empty table and comes really close as if she would be ready to kiss him. “But even back then I knew I’d find a much better place either with or without you.”

Without sparing Doug a second glance, she leaves him on the table, but she knows he’s following her swiftly. “The five we have had been such good times. I still love you…” Maddie takes a deep breath when she realizes what she just said and releases it just as quick. She’s in love with Beca, Beca is the one that makes her happy, the one that truly ever took the time to understand her. “But now I think it’s time to live my life as my own, I guess it’s just what I must do.”

“I truly don’t believe a word you’re saying sweet cheeks, and you just admitted that you love me so…” Maddie finally reaches her car but gets blocked from driving away. She pretends to let Doug into her vehicle, but the second he is out of the way she drives off. She lets out a relieved breath when she thinks she’s safe but that relief quickly vanishes when she sees Doug pull up next to her.

She manages to cut him off and drives through a little road towards the mansion. Everything seems to be finally clear, but when she enters inside, she finds Doug waiting for her with a grin. Maddie takes a piece of tape and wraps it around Doug’s mouth, so he doesn’t say anything stupid anymore. Thankfully she did because he was ready to do so. She also grabs a chair and is ready to use it on Doug’s head. “Which part of ‘I don’t want you’ don’t you understand?” She asks angrily.

Doug pulls the tape off his mouth so he can speak. “The 'don’t'…” He says seriously. “I've been out with some jerks, but you are a category of your own.” Maddie manages to huff out in annoyance. Doug, on the other hand, takes it as a compliment. “Why did I put up with it for so long? Well, I suppose I thought that one day you would go down on one knee.”

“We certainly have tried every other position,” Doug mumbles more to himself than to Maddie. “Ugh, just leave me alone.” Doug throws his hands up in defense. “Alright, I get it, I could try… but uhm yeah, I’ll go.” Doug slowly turns around but stops in his tracks. “On one condition, have dinner with me tonight.”

Maddie casually shrugs her shoulders. “It’s my hen night.” In her head, she's doing a happy dance because she can get out of it. “We’ll go early, really low key.” Maddie shakes her head. “Come on, have those five years meant anything to you? One last meal, I can wish you well, prove there are no hard feelings.

Maddie thinks about it. “And then you’ll go?” She asks to clarify. “On my honor,” Doug says. The brunette huffs, deep inside hoping that it’s true. “Okay” She didn’t see that Doug crossed his fingers behind his back, though. She doesn’t really get a chance to say or do anything else when she hears footsteps approaching them. “What is he doing here?”

It’s a quarter to ten, way too early for a Saturday morning, during the summer. Yet Both Beca and Chloe are impatiently waiting for the clerk of the jewelry store to come and show them the wedding bands. The redhead is tapping her fingers on the surface of the counter, while Beca tries to make time go faster by staring at the clock on the wall. But the brunette can’t help but look down at the tapping fingers, which of course catches Chloe’s attention who immediately stops.

Their eyes meet for a brief second and Chloe looks away, not wanting to feel uncomfortable. The redhead crosses her arms because she doesn’t know what to do with her hands. They stay in complete silence for only a brief moment, but Chloe can’t help it, she can’t stay in silence. “I thought you wanted to kite-surfing the world?” She suddenly says slightly accusing.” Beca takes a deep breath. “We are… on our honeymoon.” Chloe huffs in amusement. “Funny, Maddie always said she wanted Paris.”

Thankfully for Beca, the clerk comes out with the wedding rings and a huge smile on his face. “Would you like to try them on?” He asks politely. Chloe’s eyes widen in shock, and she shakes her head. “Oh no no no, I’m not the bride, it’s uhm someone else she’s going to marry, I’m no one.” The redhead rambles to the great amusement of Beca, who of course takes her ring and tries it on. Chloe sadly keeps rambling on, making the clerk a bit uncomfortable. “I’m just a friend, the sister of the bride.”

“I guess when people want, they change,” Beca says as an answer to Chloe’s previous statement. “Perfect;” She tells the clerk and hands him back the ring so he can put them into their correct boxes. The clerk shoot Chloe an awkward smile, that the redhead easily returns.

“I didn’t change Beca, I just couldn’t drop everything and just run off into the sunset with you,” Chloe says with a huff as they walk out of the store. “I know, your real life, right? How is that working out for you now?” Beca knows she shouldn’t be so cocky about it, but she can’t help it. “Great.” Chloe shoots back dryly. “Cool,” Beca says with an indifferent shrug.

Beca rubs her hands together devilishly, ever since she saw the redhead she wanted to know the answer to one question, and question only… “Are you seeing anyone?” She asks with a sly grin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chloe answers back semi defensively. “Oh, sorry,” Beca says, trying to control her grin. This was perfect, Chloe definitely isn’t seeing anyone. Whoa wait, she has to get her head screwed back on correctly, she’s getting married tomorrow with Maddie.

“Why are you sorry?” Beca gets pulled back from her thoughts in a flash when Chloe makes her stop by pulling her by the arm. “Well, that’s a no.” Chloe rolls her eyes and continues walking. “No actually, it’s not necessarily a no, I just don’t want to talk about it. I think that sort of thing is private and shouldn’t be sung from the rooftops.” Beca smiles to herself and follows the redhead. She remembers how private the redhead was about the whole falling in love thing. Beca wasn’t so lucky though, she was best friends with Stacie, and her brother Jesse is a movie fanatic.

“Ha, I forgot, never say what you feel, right?” The brunette shoots back. “I just don’t see why people have to make such a spectacle of their feelings.” Beca makes Chloe stops by standing in front of her. “Because if someone sings it from the rooftops, you know that they really mean it. And that’s what weddings are all about.” Beca flashes a cocky smile at the redhead and walks away in victory.

The two of them enter the bridal shop. “Buon giorno.” Hello. Beca greets the woman inside with a smile that turns into. “What did you want me to do, Chloe? Become a monk?” They each accept the clothes they are offered by the shop’s staff while they keep their argument up. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe not fall in love with my sister?” Chloe shoots back sarcastically. “How could I know she was your sister? I have never met two people who are less like each other.” Beca says casually. “What is that supposed to mean?” Chloe asks offended by the statement.

They each step into a changing room. Sadly the two are only separated by a pink curtain. “Non posso credere che stiamo ancora parlando.” I can’t believe we’re still discussing this. “You’re the one that broke it off and forgot all about me.” The hurt is very evident in Beca’s voice, yet Chloe doesn’t seem to notice in her angry state. “I didn’t forget about you, I was working on my degree.” Beca lets out a huff as she puts on her wedding clothes. “Whatever.”

“And anyway, I’m not the one that spends all her days on the beach surrounded by hot girls in bikinis.” The two are so deep into their argument that they don’t hear the new people enter the store. Maybe they should have kept it down as the newcomers are their friends. “Oh come on, you know I wasn’t interested in them, I was waiting for you to come back like you said. But then I realized you weren’t, and then I met Maddie… she was open, so positive and full of life. “ Chloe pulls off her flowery dress in anger. “Full of life? So I’m not full of life?” Beca huffs for the umpteenth time that day. “Maybe you are, but how can anyone know?”

Outside of the stalls Mikey, Emily and Benji are listening in on the conversation. All with pained expressions clouding their faces. “We shouldn’t be listening to this, come on let's go,” Emily whispers. She pulls Benji away from the commotion and taps Mike on his shoulder. All the while as the two are still bickering. “Don’t make a spectacle of your feelings.” Beca shoots out mockingly. “Maddie made me happy again,” Beca states cooly as she shrugs on her jacket. “Okay? She brought me back to life.”

“How many times do I have to say how happy I am for you?” Sarcasm is dripping from Chloe's voice as she grows more frustrated by the minute. “Why are you so angry?” Beca asks, stepping out of her cubical and checking herself in the mirror. “I’m not angry,” Chloe shouts, ripping open her own curtain.

They both freeze when they see the other in their respective wedding outfit. Beca’s eyes roam over Chloe’s gorgeous figure, admiring the redhead in the beautiful pink and white bridesmaid dress.

Chloe’s jaw falls open slightly. Beca had always looked great in a pantsuit, but the dark blue one she is wearing right now makes the brunette’s eyes pop out even more. She looks sexy with the necktie loosely hanging around her neck. It makes her… undeniably hot.

“Oh belli che siete, siete veramente una meravigliosa coppia, e vi meritate in sieme tutto che la vita vi fa dare.” Oh, you are both beautiful, you are truly a wonderful couple, and you deserve all that life gives you. Beca and Chloe look up at the two older women that are cooing at them, making the two feel uncomfortable about their rapidly regrowing feelings. They share a look and can agree on the first thing that day. “I think we’re done.” The two rush back into their cubical and get dressed again but this time in utter silence.

Meanwhile, Maddie is roaming around, carefree, at the weekly farmer’s market.  She loves going there every Saturday, it’s a fun way to spend your morning, and you always go home with fresh fruit and vegetables. The busy hustle of people trying to sell their products, the many smells, the relaxed families all around her… Yes, that’s life she enjoys more than others might think.

The brunette is picking out some vegetables when some grabs the cucumber she just picked out, she’s ready to scream but stops herself when the smell of strong cologne that she would recognize anywhere fills her nostrils. “Doug…” The man chuckles playfully. “Oh, you do miss me.” Maddie pulls the cucumber out of Doug’s hand and puts it back on the pile. “What are you doing here?” She asks rather aggressively. “I’m here to rescue you from making the worst mistake of your life.”

The condescending tone Doug is speaking in irritates Maddie to no end, but she doesn’t show it. “That is so sweet… oh, but you were the worst mistake of my life so…” Without sparing the man another glance, she walks away. She doesn’t get far though, Doug follows her and spins her around. “Mads, Mads, Mads, Mads, I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but that’s all part of our things, isn’t it?”

Maddie tries to ignore the slightly greying man in front of her and tries to push past him but to no avail. “It’s a ride, it’s a great, big, fun, sexy rollercoaster.” Doug lets his ‘R’ roll for effect, one that does not seem to really faze Maddie. “Yeah alright, maybe we’ve had a big down these last few months,” Doug says with a shrug. “You dumped me!” Maddie shouts exasperatedly. “That just means we’re due for a big up. Know what I’m saying?”

“Doug, I don’t want your great, big, sexy,” Maddie’s eyes flicker down to her ex’s crotch but quickly looks back up again. “ride anymore… I want to get off.” Once again Maddie tries to walk away but gets stopped by Doug. “I should have never let you go Maddison Beale.” Maddie agrees with the arrogant douche. “I’m man enough to admit that.” Maddie lets out a bouldering laugh. “Come on, we’re incredible together, you know that.” Maddie rolls her eyes. “Just go…”

“One more chance. Come on, you owe me that.” Maddie keeps trying to get away but gets stopped with every turn. “I don’t owe you anything, except maybe a smack.” She says in an exasperated voice. “How can you say that?” Doug fakes being hurt, but slowly a  grin creeps up on his face. “Remember when you were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar?” He asks? “It was the day I first met you.”

Maddie rolls her eyes and turns away, but Doug grabs a piece of fabric of one of the stands and wraps it around the brunette. “Out of all the girls there that night I picked you and I shook you up, and I turned you around, into someone new.”  Maddie wriggles the fabric off and gives it back to the annoyed stand owner with an apologetic smile, all the while as Doug keeps talking.

“Now it’s five years later on you’ve got the world at your feet baby, success has been so easy for you.” Maddie grunts when Doug pulls her into a hug, she refuses to talk to him. “But don’t forget it was me who put you where you are now, and I can put you back down too.” Maddie is really close to slapping the boyish grin of off Doug’s face forever but manages to keep her anger inside and shoves an apple into his mouth. She walks away towards her car, trying to get as far away from the rich, self-absorbed, sex-crazed idiot she used to date.

“Come on Mads, you can’t tell me you don’t want me?” This is the last straw for the engaged brunette, she has to think quick to get rid of Doug. A simple idea pops into her head and turns to face the jerk. “Yes, I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, that much is true.” She manages to corner him on an empty table and comes really close as if she would be ready to kiss him. “But even back then I knew I’d find a much better place either with or without you.”

Without sparing Doug a second glance, she leaves him on the table, but she knows he’s following her swiftly. “The five we have had been such good times. I still love you…” Maddie takes a deep breath when she realizes what she just said and releases it just as quick. She’s in love with Beca, Beca is the one that makes her happy, the one that truly ever took the time to understand her. “But now I think it’s time to live my life as my own, I guess it’s just what I must do.”

“I truly don’t believe a word you’re saying sweet cheeks, and you just admitted that you love me so…” Maddie finally reaches her car but gets blocked from driving away. She pretends to let Doug into her vehicle, but the second he is out of the way she drives off. She lets out a relieved breath when she thinks she’s safe but that relief quickly vanishes when she sees Doug pull up next to her.

She manages to cut him off and drives through a little road towards the mansion. Everything seems to be finally clear, but when she enters inside, she finds Doug waiting for her with a grin. Maddie takes a piece of tape and wraps it around Doug’s mouth, so he doesn’t say anything stupid anymore. Thankfully she did because he was ready to do so. She also grabs a chair and is ready to use it on Doug’s head. “Which part of ‘I don’t want you’ don’t you understand?” She asks angrily.

Doug pulls the tape off his mouth so he can speak. “The 'don’t'…” He says seriously. “I've been out with some jerks, but you are a category of your own.” Maddie manages to huff out in annoyance. Doug, on the other hand, takes it as a compliment. “Why did I put up with it for so long? Well, I suppose I thought that one day you would go down on one knee.”

“We certainly have tried every other position,” Doug mumbles more to himself than to Maddie. “Ugh, just leave me alone.” Doug throws his hands up in defense. “Alright, I get it, I could try… but uhm yeah, I’ll go.” Doug slowly turns around but stops in his tracks. “On one condition, have dinner with me tonight.”

Maddie casually shrugs her shoulders. “It’s my hen night.” In her head, she's doing a happy dance because she can get out of it. “We’ll go early, really low key.” Maddie shakes her head. “Come on, have those five years meant anything to you? One last meal, I can wish you well, prove there are no hard feelings.

Maddie thinks about it. “And then you’ll go?” She asks to clarify. “On my honor,” Doug says. The brunette huffs, deep inside hoping that it’s true. “Okay” She didn’t see that Doug crossed his fingers behind his back, though. She doesn’t really get a chance to say or do anything else when she hears footsteps approaching them. “What is he doing here?”

[whydoyouthinkileft]

@lovelornrocketscientist replied to your post “okay but every time I try the Myers-Briggs test lately for Jemma I get...”

The fact that social interaction makes her tired and she prefers to socialize with a small group of close friends is really what makes her an introvert. Introverts don't all only like to stay at home and not be around people. It has to do with what gives you energy. Extroverts are energized by being around others not drained by it. Honestly, I think she's INTJ. I'm married to an INTJ and he is the male version of Jemma Simmons, tbh.

uhh I like all of your comments, and I made the tragic mistake of waking up too early and try to nap during the day so forgive me if I misspell anything or who knows what else, but I’m going to answer all at once here

under the cut because it became very long lol I’m sorry Maddie!

I’ll answer the arrogant post first because there isn’t much to say and then write an essay on the other lol I usually write her as arrogant when it comes to her work. As in she is very aware of her knowledge and also her abilities (biochemistry and also in being able to manage subordinates at the lab, for example, but at this point you can add confident that she will make it during missions, that she can pretend to be a different person) and she can have an attitude that I’d call arrogant especially with people she doesn’t like. I write her as having that kind of relationship with Burrows too lol and being also smug, and proud of herself. Also she probably comes off as such with people who work in shield outside of the team (snapping at Nathanson in that way ‘they have more reasons to be here than you’, reminding Fitz and others she ‘won’. She can fits the pattern of insolently proud often, especially when she’s not emotionally devastated like in s2) BUT, on the other hand, she’s extremely insecure in most of other areas. If she’s not a master in something, then it’s likely that she’ll see herself as worse than it is, have a low opinion or low expectations of her results too (it was due to a mix of feelings, but the fact that the first time she really dealt with a medical emergency, Skye being shot in s1, and did everything perfectly well and yet the first comment we heard was ‘I’m a mess’ and Coulson had to reassure her is so Jemma). So basically I think this is part of me writing her with no chill, more often than not there is no middle ground in her reactions: either she’s cocky/smug with people she doesn’t like and confident/proud of herself with those she likes in some areas (if a bit annoying/teasing like when she teases Fitz about having been first place at the academy at last) or she’s extremely insecure and doubts herself in other areas, like emotional ones, or things she didn’t prepare for. 

For the introverted/extroverted thing, I wrote:  and while I don’t think she’s necessarily introverted, that she gets particularly tired in social situation for example, what I meant was that I was thrown off by the fact that she got an E instead of an I, but it’s not because I think she has to necessarily be introverted, it’s not vital headcanon, because I also don’t think she gets drained by social interaction, her behavior doesn’t necessarily screams to me that she is introverted nor the contrary, and her getting energies from being alone instead of being in group wouldn’t exactly change much how I write her. Exactly because like you pointed out, someone’s behavior (liking to be among people, striking conversations with strangers, being good at socializing) isn’t automatically connected to it. People can easily assume that I’m extroverted from the fact that I talk with EVERYBODY when outside, I go into a new class? I befriend everybody, I’m loud, I’m enthusiastic, I seem to have fun at parties, I’m happy to be out etc and people think the two things are connected, meanwhile I’m one of the most introverted people I have ever met and need weeks at time to recover from socializing even if I’m good at it, it destroys me even if I have fun, I like big groups, I do better in small ones, but I’ll do fine either way and then need to recharge a LOT. So while at first I was unsure about Jemma being Extroverted, I usually picture her as preferring stereotypical introverted behaviors, but technically we don’t have a canon proof that she’s drained by social interaction that I can think of? Nor we have proof that she isn’t?  Personally, I think she might be halfway, she doesn’t get particularly drained at all, not the way I do, actually I think she might get energized when talking to lots of different people but it depends on circumstances and what she’s doing; but at the same time she does prefer going out with ‘smaller’ group of friends, though small is relative, for me her group is already big. But regardless of what I believe,  I think the test gave me her as an extroverted person because of two reasons 1) I wasn’t very firm (in a ‘completely’ disagree/agree sense) about how she feels in certain situations because, again, she’s not as extreme as I am and 2) I have the feeling that the answers used to calculate her introvertedness were questions that also involved her ability to give orders/be a boss/manage people/deal with emotions/be self-aware of emotions etc  and she was counted more as extroverted due to her managing abilities. (and hey, when I write Jemma, whether it’s true or not, I make her a very competent boss. At least in her area of expertise, so pre-s1 and between s3 and s4

and the more she started taking control of her life and feeling better, the more easier for her was to deal with people/things. 

and in that site there was no male version, but I started being doubtful because on one hand it very much fit: liking to be in charge, to organize things, likes lots of planning, not so good at dealing with emotions, not so delicate with subordinates, a bit arrogant etc. But because often those traits are also accompanied by being the same in relationship, I felt the need to point out some of the differences because Jemma -and your hubby from what I read! - also doesn’t bring *that* attitude on her personal life, so yes, the tests can’t always fit all details.  Is it ‘effect alone’ the English term for when people assume some personality traits based on others they know? like often they see someone beautiful and associate that with ‘kind’, ‘generous’ or if someone is ‘sarcastic’ they could see them also as ‘disrespectful’ and ‘reckless’? (my best friend is sarcastic and also extra polite in class and careful and doesn’t break rules, but also daring at work, there are no ‘given’ automatic associations of traits) Because I feel that it happens in the fandom too a lot (for example: the current vision of Jemma I’ve seen is to be the one who constantly cleans after you, nags you about only eating healthy and I don’t see that at all? not because I’m personally against the character, one of my fave from another tvshow would do it, but I cannot picture Jemma getting into someone else’s business like that without finding it rude, and if Fitz doesn’t leave shoes in front of the door and makes her trip, I don’t see her as someone who would scold him or pick up his stuff without permission, nor I’d see her side-eyeing someone from indulging in trash food. Yes, she will buy you healthy things especially if someone else already got you a cake, but she also indulges in beer to reward herself from a mission, a lot, and if anything I always had the feeling that while she remembers to take breaks when working in company, she’s the one who needs to be reminded to be healthier and like, drink water. I see her as keeping her stuff tidy and being a Mum Friend when it comes to making breakfast for people or checking on them, but not as an actual mother or believing to be)

 and in this case it happened in the test too, because like you said, not understanding her own emotions too well, liking challenges at work and to be stimulated, doesn’t mean that she will also not be empathetic (or that she always is either) or that friends and boyfriends have to constantly challenge her in a way that seemed even stressful to me when I read the test (I think for example she feels challenged mentally by Daisy’s creativity and particular enthusiasm and approach of life, Daisy doesn’t have to stress herself out keeping her mentally stimulated to keep being interesting, she’s inherently interesting to her and that makes her a friend, among other things) and there were a few sentences also repeating the concept that it’s hard for ENTJ (And I’m assuming INTJ people too) to keep their friendships and relationships exactly because they are so high-maintenance and ‘cold’ and demand so much also from their children because see themselves in their achievements and I don’t see that in Jemma at all, to me it’s coming from assuming that she’d behave the same way in different circumstances. Or maybe it’s just due to my headcanons about her and her family, idk? I think once she loves you, it’s not that difficult for her to ‘keep’ bonds and she doesn’t demand much at all, season 2 was an anomaly due to extreme circumstances. And her mother acted with her exactly the way the test says she would, so there is that too. 

I should read more tests results from other sites to understand it better, but even when you post things she seems to fall right into it (also because usually INTJ and ENTJ people are not that different from what I can see and seriously, given that the most noticeable difference in titles is that she’s a ‘commander’ in one, I think that E depended more on her interest/ability in being in charge than her preference between small or big groups in real life and where her energies come from, from people or alone-time)