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ogravensimp · 3 years ago

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She is a Constantine

The one day this shitty hotel decided to have an out of order elevator', Zed cursed as she looked up to only see a beige trenchcoat coat fluttering like a flag as it raced up the far too many flights this overpriced building had installed.

"John! Aren't you just being paranoid?" Zed shouted after the man in front of her as she attempted to keep up with him, as well, also trying to get answers out of him—which is a hard enough task as it is when she actually has his attention.

They were supposed to focus on purging some low-level demons set loose when a couple of civilians somehow managed to dig up the original copy of the highly dangerous, "Grimorium Verum". Well, they managed to get the book, but they also attracted the attention of John's good ol' friend, Papa Midnite; who has been giving them quite a hard time but John managed to knock him out.

Zed believed that they did quite well against him but somehow he said something before he fell that set John running without a word back to the hotel room they rented.

"John!", she called out once again as they finally reached the floor they were staying on, but she only saw the tail of his trenchcoat as he took a sharp turn around the corner, "seriously, you are being very-"

She cut herself off when she also reached the room they were staying in, only to find the door thrown off the hinges,"-...paranoid."

John was already inside, his back to her as he worryingly looked around at the ransacked room that had been perfectly fine when they left. Zed knew it wasn't the mess that had him anxious, it was the lack of a certain half-demon whom they had left watching some pony cartoon on the now overturned couch. The show was even still playing, but not even a tuft of the girl's purplish hair to be found.

"I should have known he'd just trace the magic back here, how could I just live her alone with the one thing Papa Midnite will kill for!" While it seemed John was talking to her, Zed knew he was actually berating himself, "Fuck, if he touched even a hair on her head I swear-"

"John," Zed softly approached him, wanting to calm the magician before he jumps so far to a conclusion that she or common sense won't be able to reach him anymore, "Papa hates your guts, yes but you and I know he'll never kill a child."

"What about his goons? Midnite distracted us and sent them here and I'm sure his goons would do anything not to fail him. ", John retorted as he began to scratch his hair with enough force it's as if he actually wanted to rip it out.

"She might still be here."

John finally turned to face her and Zed could now fully see the panic on his face. To a normal person, John looked irritated at most but Zed has been around him long enough to start to see the cracks in his poker face of sarcasm, "Look around Zed! If she was here, I'd fucking sense her!"

Zed felt a bit offended at his outburst, she didn't even know John had left the grimoire here! She thought the whole reason Papa was hexing them to next week was to get it off John but this seemed to be another of Constantine's genius plans gone wrong.

Putting her hands on her hips, she stood her ground, "And who's fault is that John? How could you just leave one of the most sacred dark-magic books with a child who thinks a show on the magic of friendship is the pique of entertainment?!"

John was never one to admit he was too blame chose to fight back, "I didn't know! I'm not fucking omnipresent! That's why I put up the bloody wards!"

"And look what good those did," Zed huffed as she folded her hands, "now they have the grimoire and have done god knows what with Raven."

"um..."

"Think I don't know that Zed because newsflash, I do!"

"Well, how do you plan to fix it!"

"...actually..."

John moved towards what was left of his books on the table and picked up a piece of chalk, "I don't know, fuck, I can try to trace her magic. She has a naturally high amount of it, it'll be easy to find."

Zed followed after him, her anger now replaced with worry, "Maybe if I'm near something of her's I can get a vision, where's that teddy of her's that she's always with? The one that Nun made?"

A small pair of hands held out the purple bear in question, "here you go Zed."

Zed accepted it gratefully, "Thank you, Raven."

And then there was silence in the room.

Zed looked at the doll in her hand and then at the small face looking up at her and then back at the doll, then back at the face and this charade continued for a while till she shouted, "Raven!", causing the little girl in question to giggle.

This sound alerted John who looked up from the symbols he had already begun drawing on the floor. Before Zed could even move, John had rushed past her in a beige coloured blur and had the half-demon up in his arms in a well-deserved hugged.

"Oh my sweet blackbird, I'm so glad your ok,", John yelled while he spun Raven around and pressed warm kisses to her small cheek causing more giggles to escape Raven's throat.

This was an odd scene for Zed who was quite used to the silent little girl who hexes old ladies that try to pinch her cheek or pat her head.

In fact, the first time Raven allowed physical contact with Zed was when she held her hand in a crowded street one time, and while Zed knew it was only so the tiny demon wouldn't get lost in the much taller crowd, she still felt like some chosen saviour.

So Zed just really couldn't help the tinge of jealousy she felt knowing that John is an exception to this 'no-touch' rule whenever he pleases while she can only relish in the crumbs.

Raven must have sensed her feelings cause she turned to her and smiled— an expression Zed felt fit her angelic features more than the usual deadpan expression.

Giving a soft smile back herself, she placed a hand on the girl's soft face(which fortunately went unhexed), in a tender gesture and asked, "Rae you gave us a heart attack, where were you?"

The dark-haired girl just tilted her in confusion before replying with a simple, "the closet." and pointed in the direction of said object.

Both Zed and John looked at the small cabinet that she was implying and couldn't help but be entertained as it was such a childish yet genius choice of hiding.

But the entertainment didn't last long as they realized something would have had to cause her to go into hiding.

Setting her down on the table, John and Zed immediately began to check her pallid skin for any injuries and to their relief, there was nothing major. The only damage to her delicate skin was a bruise on her knee but that was enough for John to demand a full breakdown of what exactly happened so he can know how many bones of Midnite he needs to break.

After 10 minutes, Zed and John had the full story of what happened while Raven nibbled on a chocolate bar she rightfully earned.

"So let me get this straight, you sensed about four guys approaching here and before they arrive, you grabbed Mr Teddy here, ran into the cabinet and stayed there till you heard us arguing, and you only bruised your knee cause you bumped yourself when crawling in?" John confirmed.

"Yep."

"You should've grabbed a phone and called us or something,", Zed muttered as she rubbed a chocolate stain off the girl's chubby cheek, "what if they saw you? Next time teleport to me and John immediately, got it."

Looking down, Raven softly replied, "Yes Zed."

"Oi, lay off her," John joked as he placed a big hand on her head, lightly messing up her dark-purple locks much to Zed's annoyance cause she is the one that combs her hair out every morning but before she can complain, John sighs, "Shit, Midnite still has the Grimoire, just great."

Zed was going to sigh with him when Raven let out a sheepish, "well...", reaching for the toy that Zed had been holding onto, she wrapped her hands around it and after some muttering, a ray of purple surrounded its form and it transformed into the exact tome that John and Zed had worked so hard to find and keep safe, "...I had been practising glamour spells before the guys arrived and thought this would be a great time to test it and I guess it worked."

Her wide violet eyes looked up at them as if looking for praise and they really did want to give it to her but they were just so shocked by her to speak.

John was the first to react and a wide grin broke out on his face, "You are a Constantine!"

He relaunched his attack of hugs and kisses to Raven's temple, this time Raven acted annoyed and tried to push him away but her blooming blush and the sound of a few lamps exploding betrayed her and showed her real emotions.

Zed still only looked at the book in her hand, remembering how it had felt and weighed the exact same you'd expect a knit teddy bear too. She just couldn't wrap her head around how such a young girl was already so talented with magic that it would put some adults to shame but before she could stay on the topic the sounds of Raven's voice brought her back.

"Ew, let go of me!" She whined as she used her small hand to try and push John's face away but that would not deter him and instead, he laid a lick to her palm which only infuriated her more as the window near them cracked, "GROSS!"

Zed couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. Those two were really something. Dropping the book on the table, she went to go save her little Raven away by pulling her away before she ends up blasting John through a room— so maybe she's actually saving John.

As for her previous question, the answer was simple:

She's a Constantine.

____________________________________

"Now, what's the meaning of this?" Papa Midnite's voice was deep and loud to achieve its purpose in causing shivers to run down his lackey's spine as he held up a purple, knitted bear with different sized buttons for eyes.

One of them managed to gain some confidence and he dropped to the floor at Midnite's feet to plead for himself and his brethren, "Papa, I swear, it was definitely the book you asked for, we don't know what happened!"

Papa growled, "I know that, I'm wondering how all you managed to get tricked. Not even by Constantine himself but by a child!"

"But there was no kid there we checked everywhere, honest Papa!"

Midnite just sighed as he fell back onto his seta, rubbing the bridge between his nose as he contemplated whether to get better men or if he simply was the only one capable of doing things right around here.

As he grumbled, the purple toy in his hands caught his eyes.

He thought it was just the supernatural world being bored when he heard that the John Constantine adopted a little girl but this doll proved the rumours through.

If this child was also as terrifying as the rumours say, it was best Papa met her soon before another card to Constatine's deck is added in which he cannot compete with.

part 2 soon? probably but only cause I wanna right midnite & raven interaction

#raven fanfiction #raven dc #raven teen titans #teen titans #john constantine #zed martin #papa midnite #dad!constantine #john x zed #constantine & raven #hellblazer #damirae

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soupbabe · 4 years ago

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omg hi i just realized i would also like a chubby s/o with rohan as well please (i am not sure if he would be considered part of the duwang gang or not!) please and thank you! the s/o can be gender neutral or whatever you’re most comfortable with!

Figure Drawing (Rohan Kishibe x Chubby/Plus size! Reader)

Rohan asks Y/N to model for him

Warning(?): Light insecurities, but nothing major ! If this kind of thing makes you uncomfortable please feel free to not read! <3

The bell jingled in greeting as you entered the cafe. You scanned the area, looking for the manga artist you called your boyfriend. Today he asked you to meet up here, only saying that he just wanted to chat and nothing else. Of course you were nervous on what that could mean; you've been dating Rohan Kishibe for about a month now and it's possible that he could've been bored of you already.

Rohan found you first and called you over. "Ah Y/N, glad you could meet with me darling" he gave you a quick kiss that never failed to make your cheeks heat up. "Hey Rohan. What did you want to talk to me about?" You asked, preparing for the worst to come. You liked Rohan a lot, so if he really did want to break up, you needed all of the mental prep you could get. "Oh yes, about that. Later this week I want you to model for me. As an artist it's my duty to capture diversity in my work. Drawing the same old body type gets repetitive and boring fast. Plus, I don't need people thinking I'm a one trick pony."

Oh that's a lot to take in.

It's not that you were ashamed of your body. You were bigger than most people and you taught yourself that it wasn't something to feel bad about. No one tried to make you feel bad about it. And if anyone did give you unwarranted comments, you would simply brush them off. You figured that they were just insecure themselves and hated seeing a fat person be confident in themself for once. This kind of attitude was actually what attracted Rohan to you in the first place.

Soon enough the day came. You stood at his doorstep with a mix of nervousness and excitement. You knocked on the door and soon enough, the man who's been plaguing your thoughts ever since he pitched the idea welcomes you into his home. "Welcome Y/N, I hope you're doing well." He looked at you with a smile.

"Rohan, are you sure about this? I haven't had any experience doing any model work." Rohan rolled his eyes "Of course I want you to do this. I wouldn't be asking you to do such an important job if I didn't think you were perfect for it." You thought about it and you decided to agree. You trust the artist enough and who knows, it could be a fun experience.

He led you into his office, blinds closed and a changing divider in the corner of the room. It was facing away from his desk. "Okay darling, I'm going to need you to undress over in the corner. Nothing drastic, it's harder to capture the natural human form if they're covered in clothing."

Of course you knew this, it was a detail he mentioned when you two were talking at the cafe, but you didn't really think too much about it. Although you don't tend to wear baggy or oversized clothes, he hasn't seen everything. He hasn't seen every stretch mark, cellulite, etc decorating your plush body. It feels different when you're in your underwear compared to actual clothes, no matter how they fit or how much it reveals. You guess it's just how intimate the situation is, despite you two not doing anything too exciting.

You stepped out in front of the divider in your undergarments, an unusual shyness coming over you. Rohan glanced at you and his face turned pink. He was breathless in the best way possible, you were truly perfect to him. "You look amazing, Y/N." He took your chubby hand in his slightly boney one and led you to an area where he wanted you to stay at. "Now remember, if you start feeling uncomfortable tell me. I have no issue ending the session if you don't want to continue." "Of course." You smiled, feeling more confident as he looked at you with a lovestruck expression only you could see.

All throughout the afternoon he asked you to do multiple poses, ranging from a simple front, side, and back view of your body to action based poses. He allowed you to take as many breaks as you wanted and he praised you constantly for being a great model.

It was surprisingly a fun afternoon, you too were able to be closer than you were in your relationship and teasing Rohan for staring at you for longer than he should was a highlight of your day. Maybe you should ask to be his model more often.

#jjba #jojo's bizarre adventure #jjba x reader #chubby reader #plus size reader #rohan kishibe x reader #rohan kishibe #jjba x chubby reader

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7deadlycinderellas · 4 years ago

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If the summer of our lives could just come again, ch 38 (Final)

Holy shit I made it

AO3 link

Oldtown

The air outside Oldtown is humid and warm. There are so many flowers that the whole town smells perfumed. Shireen almost squeals in delight, and Jojen’s never seen anything like it. Gilly and little Sam are delighted too, even the tiny handful of Baratheon men her mother had assigned to accompany and protect them seem enamored of the sunshine. It’s lovely enough that Shireen almost wishes that Brienne hadn’t left them to return briefly to Storm’s End, then perhaps to Tarth, or to Casterly Rock. She deserved it though, Shireen thought, she had more than upheld her vows and done her duty, both to Uncle Renly and herself.

“I never knew the sun could be this warm,” Sam whispers, turning his face to the glowing orb in the sky.

Jojen stares over the horizon, his face rendered almost blank by wonder.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this far from home, even when we went north.”

Gilly had smiled and nodded. When they reach the edge of the city, they park their horses outside an inn who says they have space for a small group of travelers. Shireen retrieves the pack with her writing, it’s bulging at it’s seams, and suddenly Gilly takes the lead.

“How do you know where you’re going?” Shireen asks, barely able to keep up.

“I just do,” Gilly insists. Shireen shrugs at Jojen, then takes his hand and tries to catch up.

They had stopped in Dragonstone, for just a few moons, to see her mother. Shireen couldn’t quite put to words where their relationship truly sat now, but she was grateful that her mother no longer looked at her as though she was a monster for existing. Maybe they would never be close, but now she would not be the one who told her how to follow her dream, to live the life she wanted.

And with the impending responsibility of Storm’s End in her future, Shireen is perfectly at ease with taking this time for herself.

The city sprouts up on both sides of the honeywine, winding cobblestone streets under their feet. And then, it appears in front of them. The collection of domes and towers that made up the Citadel.

Gilly’s steps stay fast, stay certain, and Shireen suspects that she knows exactly where they are going. Past the green sphinxes was easy enough, but Gilly seemed to know each and every turn to find the library.

The library does it’s best to take Shireen’s breath away. She gazes up at the tall stacks and the high ceiling. She feels Jojen go still beside her, and realizes he must be as enraptured at her. She overhears some of the acolytes in their robes talking, something about the seasons, and tires to listen.

One of the acolytes looks up and opens his mouth as if to tell them that they can’t be in here. Gilly doesn’t give him the chance, but walks briskly past, pulling little Sam by the hand, to the acolyte at the fourth table in line, a portly young man who hasn’t even raised his head at the noise yet.

“Spring lasted only a little more than a year, and the stars say everything’s still in motion and if this keeps changing….”

He looks up. Gilly smiles. The young man knocks over his ink well.

Shireen feels a smile on her face too, though she’s not quite sure why.

Winterfell

Ned tries to wipe the sweat from his face when his daughter enters his room. It’s too hard for him to move very much anymore, but he tries not to let her see. Wolkan, the new young maester sent from the Citadel, tells him it won’t be long. And while the days he has are getting harder and harder, he keeps finding himself wishing for just a few more.

Arya’s spending her evening sitting with him, on his left side. All of his children have spent the time they can by his side, but even though he would never admit it, Catelyn had always been right; Arya was always the child he was closest to.

“Tell me of Winterfell, daughter, “ Ned asks, and Arya puts down her book.

She smiles.

“Meera taught Arra to hold her bow this morning. Her hands are too chubby the draw the string yet though. Last I saw, Gendry was giving her a piggyback ride around the courtyard while the others were training.”

She smiles wider, briefly, at the thought of Gendry swinging the little girl around, making her laugh and squeal. She teased him horribly about how he was so grouchy around everyone, except, it seemed, for mouthy girls.

“The guards are training again, now that we have enough of them and enough laborers. They even let me join without complaint now.”

Ned coughs.

“I do wish I got to admire you in action with that blade again.”

Arya pats her thigh, where Dark Sister still has it’s place in her holster.

“Sansa’s working on her cloak, she’s embroidering it with a red wolf. Ygritte’s still working with Val to finalize their plans. “

Ned smiles at her stories.

“And what of Winterfell itself? Is it still healing well?”

Arya’s face is wistful.

“It’s going on. The crew sent from King’s Landing have been doing their labor as ordered, though the chains make it difficult. We’re not sure how to make it safe without it though. Summer’s come in like a cart racing downhill. It’s been warm and sunny nearly every day, not even any summer snows yet. All of the flowers and the strawberries too are in bloom, even that peach tree that Maester Wolkan rooted in the glass garden has fruited.”

Ned’s face is starting to look wane and tired, so Arya slows. He coughs once, and tells her,

“Keep going. I’ll listen as long as I can.”

“The word from the Citadel,” Arya continues. “Is that these seasons are pasing unusually fast. Word might be if the speed keeps up, a future season might not even last a year…”

Arya keeps talking and Ned falls asleep. She stays with him in the quiet, before standing to leave.

That night, with the images of a fruitful summer drifting in and out of his mind, Ned passes away into the night.

The memorial is held, Winterfell grieves, and another Lord Stark joins the hall of his ancestors in the crypt.

And in the summer afterwards, is when the departures begin.

Meera and Bran are the first. Arra can sit upright in a saddle by herself now, but Bran still rides behind her to save the use of a pony.

“It’s going to be so strange being here without you three,” Arya says, helping Arra put her hands on the front of the saddle and hold on correctly while her father takes the reins.

“It was going to happen sometime,” Meera admits, mounting her own horse. “It almost feels like I’ve been putting off my own responsibilities. I shouldn’t do it anymore.”

“And you’ll always be able to find us,” Bran tells his sister, tilting his head towards the summer sky, where his ravens fly free above Winterfell, ready to depart. “May be a bit of a trial keeping them from getting shot at first, but I think I can handle it.”

Summer is waiting patiently beside the road for the others. When Meera’s horse steps close, he raises himself up on his hind legs with enough gentleness that her horse doesn’t spook. She rubs his snout and his tail wags, eager to be back in the wild. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to live as close as he did in Winterfell, but perhaps a single wolf could find a home in a swamp. And even if he ended up fleeing for the forests near Moat Caillin, he would still be close enough. Bran would always be close enough.

“Wait,” Arya says, stepping forward to Meera. She removes a wrapped item from her pack.

Meera’s eyes go wide.

“You’re giving us the catspaw’s dagger?”

Arya nods. She gestures at herself, Dark Sister on her hip, and back to Jon, who’s standing back a bit and explaining to younger man in an overlarge guard’s uniform about Longclaw.

“There’s no reason for us to hog all the Valyrian steel left in the north, and we know you’ll keep it safe. Besides,” she twists and looks where Bran and Arra have pulled up on their horse beside them, “Your House played a role in the war, even if it’s not one most people will remember from history. You deserve an heirloom to commemorate.”

And also, she thinks, this dagger nearly killed Bran once. It makes sense for him to help keep watch over it.

Arra reaches out for her aunt’s hand, calling out “aya,” the closest approximation her baby voice can manage. Arya squeezes her chubby hand and kisses it, before standing back up beside her husband and the other Winterfell men to watch them go.

Catelyn had bid farewell to her second youngest son earlier that day, for it was time too to prepare to leave Winterfell with her daughter, and for them to depart for Casterly Rock.

“I almost feel like I’m superfluous to you,” Catelyn admits as Sansa finishes the stitching on her gown, “You’ve got everything so well handled.”

“Nonsense, Mother,” Sansa admonishes, “I had to get married twice without you. I may not be able to do it with my whole family- but I’d like at least you to be there. Besides, if you’re planning to return to Riverrun, this will cut your travel time in half. “

That had been a surprise to all of them, that after Ned’s passing and Robb being officially recognized as Lord Stark, that Catelyn had expressed desire to return to her childhood home.

“My brother is lord now, my father gone. My uncle has earned some rest in his older years, and I would like to ensure that my home will prosper. I think I’ve gone a good job here, and I’ve loved raising every last one of you, but I am not truly a Stark, and without Ned, I do not feel like I truly belong here.”

And to all of the Starks, it’s actually Jon who she admits this to first, a consequence of the strange sort of ceasefire their relationship has become. He did his best to be understanding, though he does tell her that he spent much of his life feeling the same way.

“Even if you continue feeling that way, I feel like the Starks will always welcome you.”

The day Sansa and Catelyn leave Winterfell is the sunniest of any of the summer days so far.

“Hail one of Bran’s ravens if you need us. Especially me, if I need to filet your husband. I didn’t get to the last one, so I want first dibs.”

Sansa snorts wildly while embracing Arya. She’s dressed in a practical traveling gown, her bow once again strapped to her back. At her feet, Lady sits, waiting.

Arya pats her shoulder, and adjusts her quiver.

“Remember to keep your string well waxed. Meera always told us that was the most important part of maintaining your bow. And don’t get rusty. Just because you’re going to be a Lady of a great house now is no reason to let your skill degrade.”

Arya’s taking her chance to lecture Sansa on propriety. Sansa already feels like crying so she lets her.

When the party departs, Catelyn doesn’t look back, but Sansa does. Lady yips beside the party, running along the green grass in great bounds. She leaves her childhood home with one eye in the past, but her whole mind turned to the future.

In the coming moons, Val and Ygritte work out the numbers.

“The farmers have begun to work upon the New Gift,” Ygritte tells Jon that night in his chambers, “But the sheep and goat herders prefer the land north of where the wall stood. The animals have adapted to the land there, the cold and wind, it’s necessary for their coats and appetites. And the hunting clans, they’re always going to prefer living in the wild land where the beasts they hunt aren’t in as much competition with men.”

And Jon knows that Ygritte too, would always prefer the wild land.

“We’ll help them then,” he tells her, “We’ll lead them and help them resettle. With Rowan and the trees, we won’t have to be as divided as we once were. All of this land can truly be the north.”

Ygritte nods, and cuddles into his chest, and that night, they both dream of snow and caves.

The plan has been set for a while, and some of the Free Folk have already left to stake out their futures. Robb had wanted to stop them, to do the resettling in a more orderly manner, but Val had shaken her head. While most of the Free Folk were willing to obey laws, they were not willing to wait for lords to tell them how and when to live.

Rickon had been among the first to forge his path north, along with Roland, the young warrior who had stolen him away.

The night before the next departure, Jon finds Arya with Gendry during supper.

“You two can still back out if you want,” he tells them, “I wouldn’t put the both of to hardship again, especially if you’re thinking of starting a family.”

Arya shakes her head, but it’s Gendry who answers.

“Come on Jon, you know the two of us aren’t meant to live our lives in a castle giving orders or being ordered around.”

“And if you’re so concerned about this mission being dangerous when it comes to our futures and starting a family, have you talked to Ygritte about it?” Arya interjects. “Wildlings have been having families in the wilds over the wall for centuries, and I’m sure she’ll have opinions.”

Jon looks abashed, and tells the both of them that they will be ready to leave at sunup.

It does become a topic conversation in Arya’s quarters that night.

“We haven’t really talked about it, since the battle,” Gendry admits, slipping into bed and curling behind her. “Is children something you want? And if you do, are you alright with raising them on the road or in a northern village instead of in a comfortable castle?”

Arya grins, and pushes back against him, nestling further into his arms.

“Considering the number of times we ended up like this after the battle, without my access to my tea...I’m surprised it’s not a question that we’ve been forced to deal with already. I...I always thought the instant we slipped up, I’d have one on me.”

Part of her wonders how Ygritte had avoided it too. Perhaps she knew the herbs, but Jon’s stories didn’t suggest a lifestyle conducive to regular brewing of tea.

“That is always what I thought too,” Gendry admits, playing with her hair “You get it pushed into your mind that it can happen any single time...and then you start to think you want it, and it doesn’t.”

Arya smiles, thinking of seeing Gendry with Arra, thinks of how happy she was with her as well. She feels her eyes falling closed at her husband’s touch, but forces herself to answer.

“I’d be perfectly happy to have a whole pack with you in the wilds of the north, live in a little village, teach them to hunt and make weapons and tend sheep...but we’d play it by ear. If they needed to grow up in a castle, we could always come back, find a place here willing to harbor an upjumped bastard and a wild, improper lady.”

They both laugh, because they know that neither of them are those people anymore.

“We could come back to Winterfell, or visit Shireen when she ends up in Storm’s End, or go finally meet Davos’s wife and sons…” Gendry mumbles as they drift off to sleep. Arya watches his face briefly, childlike in the ease of sleep, and wonders again how she got so lucky to find him again.

In the light of the sunrise, Jon gathers the party to leave Winterfell. Ygritte gathers the people they are guiding, and is preparing them while Jon bids Robb and Val farewell. Val moves to speak to the Free Folk with Ygritte when Robb tells Jon.

“You may think you have no place here Jon, but you will always be welcome.”

Robb embraces him as well as she can with his one arm, before pulling back.

“And-” he tilts his head towards where Arya and Gendry wait, “If there are any new Stark cubs… from either of you, you better bring them to Winterfell, at least to show them where they came from.”

Jon sniffs a bit when they separate. Robb had always treated him as a brother, and Jon feels like he might as well be sixteen again, leaving for the Night’s Watch.

“Rule as Father would have wanted you to,” Jon tells him, before turning to join the others.

There’s one more person who’s supposed to join them, but Jon’s not sure how she will. He enters the Godswood, looking about. It’s easy enough, Rowan has made herself a nest underneath one of the old oak trees, and right now is sitting, face serene in the summer sun.

“Are you still joining us Rowan?” he asks her. She nods without words at first.

“In time, I want to feel the sun a bit longer.”

When they cross through the gates, Ygritte admits to Jon,

“It was fine to get to see a castle...but I’m glad to be returning north.”

Arya upon her horse, turns at one point to her left. Her ear still bothers her, but out in the wild, it’s different. It’s both quieter, the buzzing especially isn’t as bad out here, and so much of the world here is alive. She remembers Bran talking about reaching out with his ravens in the Neck for the first time, how everything seemed to breathe and to speak. The unbalance feels different in the wild, with creeks babbling and birds chirping instead of people chattering. But she turns towards the buzzing, and one bit of her silent spot becomes a flash of gray.

Nymeria, guarding her human’s vulnerable side. Arya smiles, and in the distance, spots the flash of white fur showing Ghost also running alongside. They both stop in their tracks and turn to howl. And far behind them, Arya can just make out a howl in response. Their brother, calling out farewell from behind the castle walls.

The road is gentle at first. When they reach the land of the Gift, they pass a few small settlements that have begun to farm, and there is little conflict. With everything in bloom for summer, foraging and hunting is easy enough for the group, and at night, the sky is clear enough that all the stars can be seen with ease.

Some nights, Rowan comes through the camp and whispers with Ygritte all the secrets of the stars that the children of the forest held. For even while she had had her fill of the south, Ygritte was still prone to gazing at where man had never gone.

Jon tries not to ask too much of the weirwoods, as abundant as they are here in the north, because they’ve done so much for man already. But sometimes the whispers still speak to him, warn of danger, though they often don’t see it as much. When he tries again to thank them, they almost seem to laugh.

The wall still stands, though it is clearly weeping. Jon has no idea if it will ever truly fall, has no idea what would even happen if it did. Would it slowly shrink and disappear, or would it be diminished, piece by piece, until the whole structure collapsed under itself?

Castle Black is empty, a relic of only a few years. Arya leads scouts through the remains, Dark Sister at her side, to clear it out and find any survivors, or squatters as it may be. They find none, but they do find fallen. Thankfully, the residents of the north are well used to building funeral pyres now, and saying words for people they don't know.

Soon the structure become a quality shelter before it becomes time to move past the Wall. The old barracks are opened up, but in summer, most choose to sleep in the outbuildings and battlements, in the open air.

“This would be a good location for a trading post,” Ygritte comments, “Even an inn, if there’s an enterprising sort among us.”

“Eastwatch used to trade with wildlings, even though it was forbidden,” Jon tells her. Ygritte’s idea is a good one, he thinks. There’s structures already in place, it’s central and easy to find from both sides, and already built to be defended.

The crowd is in one of the training yards, and both Arya and Gendry are in the middle being dogged by children. There’s a pack among them, young children who were hidden away on Bear Island and who’s mothers want to raise them in the land they came from. Children who only saw a bit of the action, and are desperate for stories.

They both look oddly comfortable, Jon thinks, being surrounded by young ones. He’ll have to mention Ygritte’s suggestion to them if their adventuring ever needs to take a slower pace.

That night, the sky is initially clear, but eventually takes a dark turn and a summer snow dusts the structures of Castle Black while the traveler’s sleep. In the morning, they might regret not taking the black brother’s barracks, with their large hearths, but before the snow, they had wanted the freedom of sleeping in the summer night.

Jon is jostled awake in his bedroll once the sky changes by Ygritte returning from her night-time stargazing with Rowan. Snowflakes dust her fiery hair.

“It’s snowing,” she comments. Jon chuckles, turning on one side to face the open window, “I could tell,” he responds.

She’s curls up behind him, and Jon can practically feel her eyes on him, even though he can already feel the pull of sleep beckoning back to him.

“Rowan said something to me,” she admits, “about humans and our names.”

“What was that?” Jon asks, one eye open.

“How the have a way of coming to suit us-”

Jon lets out a long snore and Ygritte realizes she’s lost him. She rolls onto her back, staring at the ceiling, blocking where the stars would be. The snow is so light, it will probably be gone by morning. Though she is alone, she continues her last thought.

“Jon, of the snow,” she whispers.

#game of thrones #A Song of Ice and Fire #gendrya #breera #jongritte #time travel fix it #fic

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toocool2btrue · 5 years ago

Text

Distance 1/2

This story is specially dedicated to @4evertiredpigeon. A very late birthday present. thank you for waiting so much, also special thanks to @artemisarya for making that much needed drawing for inspiration.

So I’ll make sure to keep my distance. Say “I love you” when you are not listening.

Lance stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, his skin had considerably darkened over his few years worth of farming experience, his features had matured over the following time period as well and that famous look of the teenage boy which once graced the heroic posters and countless magazines had long disappeared.

Instead there stood a man in his twenties, a man who had lost himself to his past while the rest of his comrades had decided to move forward. He lightly touched one of the bright blue Altean marks which scarred either side of his cheeks, there was a time when he considered them the greatest honor the universe could ever bestow on him.

After all he was the reminder of the universe’s savior, people would look at him and be reminded of Princess Allura and the epic sacrifices she had made for them. Eventually that was all he was worth and known for Allura’s shadow and nothing more unless being an Human Altean hybrid counted as something.

His glare narrowed from his tired face to the blue marks. He immediately looks away from his own reflection, he couldn’t even recognize himself anymore. It felt like looking at a completely different person and now he understands why his friends hesitated to meet his eyes.

His heart races at the prospect of finally moving forward, it felt terrifying yet exciting. Nervousness override him at the thought of working back in the Garrison, In his early years of self isolation the Garrison had offered him the post of pilot many times but despite the constant encouragement by his friends and family he refused to accept it.

Eventually everyone gave up on him, some people even choose to leave and he couldn’t blame them. Lance had no one but himself to blame for this current state…

A sharp knock on the bathroom door broke his train of thoughts. “Lance come down when you are done. Breakfast is ready” called out the familiar yet stiff voice.

He froze hearing her voice which was pretty stupid considering that he was living in her house. Accepting the Holt’s generous offer had not been a easy task for Lance. After all the person who connected him to this family, had long dissolved what remained of their frayed relationship. Ironically, that person was the same reason he had decided to accept the offer because if Lance was ready to turn his life around, mending his friendship with that specific person was a part of it.

“Uh..coming!” he yelled back, splashing his face with cold water and quickly grabbing his toothbrush.

It would be the utmost lie to say that he wasn’t disappointed, when he finally reached the kitchen to see the owner of the voice not present. Instead Colleen Holt gave him a sympathetic smile and gestured to the plate of pancakes on the table.

“Katie told me you have a big appetite. Feel free to ask for more” she kindly offered and Lance in turn only mumbled a shy thank you before taking the seat opposite to Colleen.

He quietly chewed on his pancake, which were delicious by the way trying to douse his unhappiness with breakfast. He could feel Colleen’s eyes on him and it took another moment before she finally spoke again.

“I am sorry that you haven’t got the chance to meet Katie yet. She’s just been very busy with work” she apologized. Lance gave her a small smile in return.

“It’s alright. I understand” he mumbled, truth was that he did understand. He couldn’t count the times his mother made similar excuses for him to sometimes turn down his friends. Lance inhaled softly, it was all his self created mess and he prayed that he gets a chance to fix it.

_______________________

Katie sighed in exhaustion as she opened the front door. The house was filled with a peaceful quietness and Katie wanted to do nothing more than collapse in her comfy bed and never wake up.

Unfortunately fate or more specifically her mother had different ideas. Colleen Holt slowly walked into the living room with a stern look in her eyes and her arms crossed against her chest.

“Katrina Holt, look at the time!” She demanded. “Mom I messaged you I would be late today but I still manage to have dinner” she added, hoping it would ease her case.

Unfortunately it didn’t and it was clear that her fate was sealed for the night, her mother momentarily flashed her concerned look before reverting back to the stern one.

“Katie, Lance has been here since last night and yet you haven’t spend even five minutes with the boy. What has gotten into you?”

“Mom the Garrison-” she started to protest.

“Can live without you for a few days. Katie, work is important but there is nothing more important than family and friends. Especially if your friend needs you” she mumbled the last part.

Katie’s eyes mildly widened in concern as Colleen continued, “I talked to his Sara (Lance’s mom) earlier. She told me that he has been very anxious for the exam. He really needs your support right now”

Guilt clawed at Katie’s heart, she admits that over the years due to her own personal reasons she had decided to keep her distance from Lance but at the end of the day they were all the soldiers of the same war. When one solider falls the other helps him up.

“Where is he right now?” Katie asked, feeling the rise of nervous butterflies in her stomach. Colleen motioned to the stairway, “In his room, he told me that he was going to be studying”

Katie nodded, slowly climbing the stairs to her brother’s old room which was now occupied by the ex-red paladin. Light spilled out from the partly opened door into the dark hallway.

Although it was awfully quiet, “Lance?” she whispered opening the door a little wider to see a figure slumped on the desk in the corner of the room. She tiptoed into the room to see her friend fast asleep, the desk was piled with open books and scribbled notes.

Lance was out cold snoring softly, his head resting on the table using one of the books as a makeshift pillow. It had been a longtime, since she had seen him that close, his past flawless skin looked beaten and tired. There were dark bags under his eyes and just as she was about to look away, there they were the Altean marks.

You would think that one would after all these years grow accustomed to them but still they always managed to uncomfortably twist her stomach with dread. Ever since Lance had gotten them, he was no longer Lance….

Katie shook her head, shaking away all the thoughts of the past that she preferred to stay away from. Instead she decided to focus back on her friend, it was obvious that he was exhausted and Katie didn’t want to disturb his slumber.

Instead she gently lifted his head to remove the book underneath it and replaced it with a pillow and covered the sleeping figure with a blanket. All these actions hardly stirred him, she adjusted the blanket properly where it slid from one of his shoulders and then closed the lights.

In the darkness she glanced one last time at silhouette before finally leaving.

______________

Next morning Lance slowly made his way downstairs, rubbing his head. He had slept in later than he usually would and as he made his way to the kitchen. The lack of noise made him suspect whether anyone was even at home

To his utter surprise, it was Katie who he ran into. In his sleepy haze it took him a minute to actually realize that it in fact his ‘Pidge’ standing in front of him. Katie was a no stranger to change herself, she had miraculously actually grown taller, her hair was now longer and tied back into a pony. Even the childhood chubbiness from her cheeks had disappeared and instead her face held more of a mature charm.

“You’re here. I was about to go wake you up” she greeted, setting down two coffee mugs on the table and he simply nodded taking a seat. Lance felt partly relieved knowing they were still up for casual conversations.

“How come you’re home at this time?” He questioned curiously trying to continue the conversation. Katie took a grateful sip of her coffee before replying.

“I was working late yesterday, couldn’t wake up on time. How is your studying going?” she asked in return, placing a pile of toast on the table.

Lance rubbed his eyes, "I feel like 17 again but not in a good way. I had forgotten how anxious exam time used to make me, couldn’t sleep properly for the past few days and now when I finally got the peace and tranquility that I needed to concentrate I passed out”

Katie giggled handing him the jar of strawberry jam, Lance gratefully took it and started spreading it his toast as he continued talking, bringing back old frankness in the conversation.

“I love my big family and all but Katie, I gotta say your house feels like a haven to me. I swear, I don’t know how I ever managed to study there. There are always like five people shouting in the background”. Katie snorted, taking a bite of her peanut butter sandwich. “Probably that’s why our moms considered it would be a better idea if you came here a week earlier to the pilot exams”

“I am really grateful for all of this” Lance offered sincerely.

Katie shook her head,”I can’t take any credit for this.This is all our moms planning after all”

It was really ironic that overtime their mothers had become better friends than them due to the fact Colleen provided Lance’s family with various fertilizers which improved their crops and they in turn supported some of her experiments that needed more of a natural environment though as time went by Sara and Colleens conversations turned from plants to their children and they bonded to become close friends after all hardly a handful of people understood what these mothers had gone through.

“I didn’t even know that you were coming prior to two days” she replied honestly. “What?” Lance questioned in disbelief.

“Well Mom has a tendency to forget things and it’s not like you and I..” Katie froze, realizing they were treading to dangerous territory.

“Anyway..” she cleared her throat, “Dad is finally coming home this evening from his international seminar and I am sure he can give you some useful pointers for the exam”

“That would be great, if its not to much trouble for him” he mumbled shyly in response. “Don’t be silly. Dad would love to help you out, he would have become a teacher if he didn’t love building rockets so much” she assured, getting up and grabbing her garrison jacket.

“Well I am off to work” she announced, pausing to grimace at her phone which had been constantly beeping with messages. “There is already a problem waiting for me.”

Lance nodded understandingly, “Good luck”

“Good luck to you too. I’ll see you at dinner” she waved off and disappeared out of the door. It took him another minute to actually register the last sentence. Warmth bloomed in his heart and Lance tried to bite back his smile as he took another sip of his coffee. It such small thing but he knew Katie well enough to know it was a step towards progress.

____________________

“Then I got up from the coma and shot Sendak’s arm!” Lance narrated to the amused Colleen as they prepared dinner together. “Keith also said that we had bonding moment but I don’t remember anything like that” he claimed to which Colleen giggled.

“Hunk once told me that you tried to attack Ezor and Zethrid when they singled out Katie even though your own hands were tied as well. That was very brave of you” she complimented to which Lance smiled bashfully. “Of course I would. i can’t count the times, she has done the same for me”

“Wait! I didn't tell you about the time we went to an alternate universe. We got into a fight and my head was probably about to be cut off if Kat-” his story was cut short as his phone suddenly started ringing. He immediately smiled seeing it was his mother.

Colleen smiled knowingly, “Go talk to her, I’ll take care of the rest. We are almost done anyway”

Lance nodded gratefully and headed out to the front porch, “Hello Mami, I hope you haven't been missing me too much?” he teased . “My dear son, of course i miss you but the people who miss you the most, are Nadia and Slyvio .They were very upset that you left again but when I told them you are to become a pilot-”

The rest of his mother’s words zoned out as Lance saw unfamiliar car park itself near the Holt’s house. Katie came out of the car and Lance was about to wave to her when he realized her attention was already occupied. She was talking to the person in the driving seat and soon enough the mystery figure also came out of the car.

He was a man of tall build and had light colored hair, the two figures unknown to their spectator stood too close for it to be considered platonic. The man dipped his head towards her but was playfully pushed away till Katie finally complied for a quick kiss on the cheek.

Although it was a simple act of affection, one he had witnessed a hundred times there was something to it that made his face grow hot and his heart skipped uncomfortably.

“Lance?!” his mother called out to him from the other line and it was enough to bring him back to reality. “Yes Mom?” he nervously laughed, letting his eyes fall to the ground.

“Where did you disappear?” She questioned, quizzically and Lance cleared his throat trying to ignore the weird twist in his stomach meanwhile maintaining his eye contact with the ground.

“There must be some problem with the reception” he mumbled half heartily, “Mami, It’s time for dinner. I will call you later, Goodbye” he hastily ended the call. He gave a quick glance to the still occupied couple and then headed inside.

_______________________

Later that night, they sat in Katie’s room flight manuals, textbooks and notebooks sprawled on her bed. Lance felt ready to drop dead in any minute but for the sake of his friend who was also sacrificing her night to help him, he kept his eyes pried open.

“So did the conversation with Dad help you?” she asked, taking a sip of her late night coffee. Lance felt rise of guilt, Katie must be mentally cursing him with every passing minute.

“Yeah.. yeah it did” he mumbled half asleep, rubbing his eyes. Sam Holt truly had made his life easier by providing him with all the necessary tips but unfortunately there was still the part of actually implementing on those tips.

The quiet night, his comfortable pajamas and the warm soft bed were doing a successful job in luring him to sleep. He glanced at Bae Bae who was sound asleep, her head resting on Katie’s lap, in his sleepy haze he started considering how much easier life would have been if he was a dog.

Katie on the other hand looked focused as always, her eyes had a glassy look of exhaustion he was familiar with but they still determinedly scanned from one paragraph to another. After while Lance couldn’t take it anymore, as much as he appreciated his friend’s help knowing she was a certified genius but the truth was he would much prefer to just have a normal conversation with her.

“Katie. Can we please stop? You are exhausted” he requested, reaching out to pry the manual from her hands. Katie momentarily looked at him as if she wanted to protest but then silently nodded letting Lance collect the rest of his clutter.

She leaned against the headboard, closing her eyes for a second. She was surprised to see Lance still sitting at the edge of her bed, he had cleared the books to one side and instead looked at her expectantly. She hated it when people looked at her expectantly at 11:30 pm but this wasn’t just anybody. He was Lance afterall. Brown eyes, Blue eyes and of course those Altean marks but they weren’t there when she had fallen for him all those years back.

That still didn’t stop her from feeling guilty, even without those Altean marks. It was always that clear Lance’s heart belonged to Allura and she had certified herself an idiot for ever thinking otherwise.

“Katie can we just..you know talk?” Lance mumbled hopefully, her eyes widened. Although it seemed like a simple request, the two people in question knew better. They hadn’t just talked in a longtime, todays breakfast didn’t count. It was something she had more or else rehearsed over last night.

She had this plan constructed and this was most definitely not part of the plan. In their paladin days, Lance and her had shared many late night talks while playing video games and her younger self had always been thrilled to share those intimate moments with him but now…things were different.

She glanced at the man, who still hopefully looked for her response. “Lance, I had a long day…” she mumbled, trying to kindly reject the offer.

She could practically see the light in his eyes dim and his face fell. Katie looked away, reconsidering her decision. Despite the fact she wasn’t in love with him anymore, she still had that damn soft spot for the ex-red paladin.

“But I am really curious on what happened with Keith on the planet of Gustav. I heard some major trouble arised when he visited it for a mission?” she questioned with a mischievous smile.

Lance nodded enthusiastically, leaning a bit more forward to tell the tale. “Three princesses of different countries of Gustav, fell in love with him and then they started fighting on who actually gets to marry Keith. Which almost led to a World War in the planet. Keith had to go into hiding because there was a high chance he was going to get kidnapped by one of the countries”

“What?!” Katie snorted, she knew it was plain evil to laugh on her friends misfortune but it couldn’t be helped.

Lance joined in laughter at the same time trying to catch his breath to tell the rest of the story. Thus it was the beginning for a very long night.

______________________

A few days later, Lance found himself in the Garrison to submit his application and get his physical examination. Although the need for more pilots had increased over the recent years there were still a high competition for the post.

Most of the applicants already knew each other well enough and chatted among themselves excitedly. Lance on the other hand, wanted to throw up. He was having second thoughts about giving the exam, doubts and insecurities plagued him, what if he fails? His family and friends would be so disappointed in him.

His attention however got slightly diverted as one of the candidates mentioned the Red lion.

“Dude I am telling you. That’s the pilot of Red lion” One of the applicants furiously whispered to his friend.

The friend not so discreetly glanced at Lance and then muttered , “You’re right but what is he doing here? Doesn’t he live on the farm or something”

Lance sighed taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, it wasn’t the first time he heard it. On his way he had been met with a lot of surprised and even some judgmental stares, that is the downside of being a public figure your decisions aren’t yours anymore. Thankfully Katie had already sensed his nervousness and insisted on walking with him the entire way.

The first one shrugged, “I don’t know but it would be pretty cool to have him around” he grinned and his friend nodded enthusiastically.

“I heard that he was the first person chosen by the Blue lion even though Takashi Shirogane was also present” the second candidate informed.

“He must be an amazing pilot then. It’s a good thing he decided to come back” he awed and his friend nodded.

The indirect praise slightly subsided his nervousness, Lance nodded determinedly. He could do this, they quiznacking saved the universe. Of course he can pass the pilot exam, he had people who believed in him and he couldn’t let them down.

_____________

As Lance got out of his physical exam, he was pleasantly surprised to find Katie waiting for him, She gave him a small smile which he responded with a bright grin.

“I can’t believe infamous Katie Holt is waiting for me?” he questioned teasingly to which Katie rolled her eyes, “Veronica wanted to check up on you but she was pulled into this last minute meeting so she send me instead”

“I am hurt, Pidge. I thought you actually came here to see me” he sighed dramatically. Katie tried her best to fight back the smile at her friend’s theatrics but failed miserably.

“Lance, you goof. I already see you everyday, few hours of not seeing each other won’t kill us” she stated, with a hint of fondness in her tone.

It brought back the warm fuzzy feeling in his chest. Although their current situation was temporary, he liked the idea of seeing Katie everyday and his friends more often. Despite the anxiety and feeling out of place, Lance felt sure he was making the right decision.

Lance grinned as the perfect response came into his mind, “Well technically speaking-”

“Katie!!” a man’s voice called out from across the hallway. Startling the two friends, Lance immediately recognized the tall blond from the few days back.

The blond finally reached the pair, he had a excited grin on his face as he thrust out his right hand for Lance to shake.

“You must be Lance McClain. It’s nice to finally meet you” he greeted enthusiastically, Lance returned the handshake while unsurely glancing back at his friend.

“Lance, this is Eric” she finally introduced.

“Nice to meet you as well, Eric” he replied with a small smile.

“Katie told me you are trying out to be the pilot. Best of luck” Eric encouraged and Lance nodded gratefully. “Although if you want..” he added cheekily “My father is onthe board. I could give a good name for you”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Lance is a great pilot. He doesn’t need anything like that” Katie immediately intervened much to Lance’s relief.

“And you” she stated, lightly smacking Eric’s shoulder. “Shouldn’t be offering such things”

Eric chuckled, rubbing his shoulder. “Relax. I was just joking”

Lance chuckled weakly to support Eric’s remark, the conversation was yet again interrupted when Katie received a phone call and she stepped a bit aside to talk.

Lance and Eric meanwhile awkwardly stood with one another, not knowing how to continue the conversation. Till Lance noticed that Eric was still rubbing her arm. Maybe that wasn’t a light smack as it looked.

“Still hurts huh?” he questioned, gesturing to his arm and Eric nodded, “I think sometimes Katie underestimates her own strength ” he affectionately laughed.

“I should have gotten used to it by now. You see, that’s just how she shows affection” Eric informed, the lighthearted comment unfortunately struck the wrong cord with Lance.

“I know” he replied in a humorless manner, of course he knew that’s how Pidge showed her affection. Heck he had been in the receiving end of those affections long before this dude even existed in her life.

The look of surprise on Eric’s face gave Lance a nice reality check that he might be getting too flustered over nothing. As much as he hoped, he didn’t think adding Lool to the conversation was going to be very helpful. Thankfully his savior arrived yet again.

“Eric, I have to go now. I’ll see you at lunch” she informed her boyfriend. Who nodded and lightly squeezed her hand in response, she then turned to Lance “You are coming with me. Veronica said she will pick you up from my lab for lunch”

“Let’s get going” she ushered, grabbing Lance’s wrist and gently tugging him to start moving while she furiously typed on her phone with her other hand. Lance made a mental note, to never cross paths with Pidge during work hours.

“Why am I under constant surveillance by you two?” he mumbled, feeling slightly annoyed as he followed Pidge to her lab.

“Well considering the fact you looked like you were ready to bolt any minute this morning. We considered this would be much more safer option” she replied snarkily, still occupied with her phone.

“By the way. Try to come back home till dinner, I wasn’t supposed to tell you this but Mom is making garlic knots for you” she informed with a small smile, finally looking him in the eyes.

Lance felt a rush of gratitude, a part of him felt as if he didn’t deserve the love and support his friends and especially Katie and her family was giving him but another part him advised that he should try to cherish it and in given time return it if he could.

“And before you start thinking again that we are doing too much. You should know, that Mom and Dad really like having you around and that’s why mom interrogated me to know what was your favorite food. You don’t how scary that was” Katie laughed and Lance joined in.

It took him a moment to realize that Katie hadn’t mentioned that she was glad to have him too. He regretted, that after so much effort he had done in their earlier years of friendship for her to open up. He let those walls grow back for him. It was bound to happen for he had never taken in account other people’s feelings during his period of self isolation and this was his price to pay.

They finally reached the lab to see Veronica already waiting for them at the door. She immediately engulfed Lance into a hug throwing her strict professionalism to the side.

“Sorry I couldn’t meet up with you earlier” she apologized, pulling away to which Lance simply nodded, accepting the apology. Lance from the corner of his eye spotted Katie looked a bit teary eyed witnessing the scene, most likely she was thinking about her own brother who was currently galaxies away.

Seeing a sudden vulnerable side to her, made his heart ache and Lance really wanted to hug and comfort her. Although they had shared a lot of half hearted group hugs after the war, Lance felt like it had been centuries since he had held Katie.

Katie was a master of concealing her emotions, a moment later the teary look was gone and instead a big smile radiated on her. “I have to get going now. Have fun you guys” she waved off before disappearing behind the closed doors of her lab.

Lance didn’t know he had been holding his breath till Veronica lightly shook him to get back his attention. “I have found this great place with the best milkshakes” she informed and Lance nodded excitedly trying to keep up with his sister. He gently touching his chest, inside of which his heart beat wildly. He didn’t know the exact reason but most likely just of the exciting day he just had…..

______________________

Later that night at the Holt’s home, Colleen looked up from her book as her daughter entered the kitchen.

“Sam must be telling stories of his youth again?” she questioned her daughter, who just had come back from the living room. Sam Holt aside from being a researcher loved to tell stories in his free time and now after a long search he had found his perfect audience in Lance who in turn loved to listen to tales.

Katie grinned mischievously, taking a seat next to her mother. “He is telling the story of how you two met”

“He’s probably told it a hundred times by now.” Colleen replied, pretending to be annoyed but there was this obvious glow of happiness radiating from her demeanor. Katie had no one but her own parents to blame for her high expectation for love.

“I talked to Sara earlier today. She was really hoping after he settles down that he would give love another chance. Start dating again” Colleen informed, casually flipping through her book.

Katie stared at her mother in bewilderment, “But Mom what about the whole Allura-”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Katie. I know Allura meant a lot to all of you but don’t forget he was just a boy of 17 when he lost her. He is only 23 now and has his whole life ahead of him, the only logical thing for him would be to move on” her mother stated sternly.

Colleen’s expression slightly softened and she lowered her voice, “Honey, you kids need to realize that life isn’t meant to be lived for someone else much less someone who isn’t there anymore. As his friend, you shouldn’t support this decision instead try encourage him to move forward. It’s the best for him” she whispered encouragingly and Katie nodded thoughtfully.

For a split second an old thought entered her mind, the very thought she had buried deep years ago. She shook her head, letting it disappear again and instead decided to ponder on her mother’s words.

“And now here we are with two kids and almost three decades of marriage between us. Time does fly fast” Sam chuckled, ending the story but Lance wasn’t done, there was a question that was bothering and he wanted to know the answer.

“How did you know Colleen was the one instead of other girl. Were you in love with her since middle school?” Lance questioned.

Sam looked surprised by the interest, his children had always been too busy pretending to gag to actually hear the story.

Sam ran his hand through his graying hair and then mumbled thoughtfully, “No I don’t think I was in love with her since middle school. We really didn’t get along back then, she used to tease me a lot especially about me being shorter than her and I vowed to get revenge with her one day” he smiled fondly.

“Still even as a kid. I never really imagined my life without her and it really bugged me back then but then she changed schools and we didn’t meet for a longtime”

“When we met again as adults, you know Colleen was already engaged to her then boyfriend and I was dating as well so I didn’t really ever consider it then too but slowly as time went by and we worked together. I had these moments, where I would imagine us together many years in the future doing the most mundane things and it made my heart race” Sam whispered wistfully.

“From my experience, love isn’t always a obvious feeling. Sometimes it’s slowly growing inside of you without you ever noticing it but then there will come a moment when you look at that person and you’d realize that nothing makes sense without them anymore. That’s when you know” Sam advised, the words gave Lance goosebumps. He slowly reached to touch his Altean marks, they hadn’t glowed, they had never glown after the Lions left.

For some reason he felt relieved that they didn’t, was it some kind of sign from Allura?Truth to be told, Katie’s parents story made him wistful. It reminded him of something he had yearned for since his youth but given up a longtime ago.

“I still can’t believe Colleen followed you all the way to America” Lance chuckled. “Well she found me and then she punched me, saying things like how dare you confess your love and then leave me in Italy. Rest is all fuzzy, she punched me pretty hard after all” Sam recalled.

“Well you deserved it” Colleen intervened, as the mother daughter duo entered the room.

Katie shot Lance a stern look that made him want to dig his own grave, “Lance you said you would start studying again half an hour ago” she reminded.

Colleen rubbed her temples in a exhausted manner, “Sam, Honey you have a early meeting tomorrow. You should go to bed now”

“But-” they tried to protest in unison but one more look from the Holt women had the two of them on their feet.

Sam and Lance shared one last defeated look before heading to their respective rooms.

________________

Later that night, Lance nervously stood outside Pidge’s door. He didn’t know if Pidge had fallen asleep or not but really needed help with this question.

His ears pricked when he heard a mumbled shout from the other side of the door, slightly worried Lance immediately knocked. Five seconds later, a confused Katie opened the door. Her hair was piled into a messy bun and she was wearing a white tank with green pajama pants.

“Lance?” she questioned. Lance blinked back in response, he had no idea why he had become suddenly transfixed instead he just simply raised his notebook to show Katie the question.

“Oh” she simply whispered, inviting him inside. The first thing he noticed that the room was pitch black till Pidge opened her lights again, the second thing he noticed was the game system set up. He had noticed the game system earlier, tucked cosily in the corner of her room but never had the courage to ask her to play with him. He had lost the right to that after all.

Pidge hummed to herself as she read the question again, “Sorry Lance but can we do this tomorrow? I don’t have the brain power for this question” she mumbled apologetically.

Lance nodded taking back his notebook, “That’s alright. Goodnight ” he wished and started heading out again.

“Wait! Do you want to play?” Katie asked, suddenly without thinking. She mentally scolded herself, apparently her brain had also lost the power to make logical decisions.

Lance stood unsurely stood next to the door, “Really?” he asked in a excited yet somewhat cautious tone. Katie considered her decision yet again, she knew she wouldn’t be going to bed unless she passed this level. She had been stuck on it for two days now, Lance on the other hand was the only capable player she knew other than her brother and herself.

She nodded beckoning him over to the floor where cushions were already spread out. Without another moment of hesitation, Lance joined in and Pidge explained her problem to him.

It took them another half an hour to pass the level, Lance claimed he could have done it faster if he wasn’t so rusty. Pidge simply chose to ignore the comment with an eye roll. Another 30 minutes passed as the pair got invested to pass the next level as well but their quest didn’t last long because by then their fingers were sore.

They sat on the floor in amiable silence, till Lance finally asked the question that had been pestering him the whole day. “So how did your lunch date go?” he wondered.

Katie looked at him in a bemused manner, “I was waiting for you to crack. You passed my expectations. Also, the Date went well”

“Katie, why didn’t you tell me about your boyfriend. I felt so clueless meeting him today. I understand why you didn’t tell me before but I have been literally living in your house for a whole week now. A little heads-up would have been nice” he stated, sternly.

“Fine�� Katie mumbled. She took a deep breath before finally continuing, “Lance, I am seeing someone” she uttered trying her best to keep a straight face.

The look of incredulity on his face was enough to set her in a fit of giggles. “Katie!” Lance called out annoyed, causing the laughter to increase.

It her another minute for her to compose herself, “Fine, the reason I didn’t want to tell you is because I knew you would pester me with a thousand questions” Katie supplied.

“I don’t do that” he tried to defend himself, Katie eyed him in an unimpressed manner “Fine. Then I don’t think you will mind if we end this conversation right here” she teased.

“Well I wouldn’t mind but if you really want to tell. I suppose that I can listen” He in turn replied smugly.

“Goodnight Lance” she replied, not budging either so then he finally admitted his defeat. “Fine you win. Now will you please tell me” he begged.

Katie smirked in satisfaction, “Well there isn’t much to say. You already know his name, he is one of the engineers for the Defenders Project. I have known him for a year but we only been seeing each other for a few months-”

“Are you in love with him?” he questioned suddenly, Katie momentarily looked at him surprised before shaking her head, “What? no. I am not in love with him”

Lance studied her face, her response looked genuine enough. He felt somewhat relieved but didn’t ponder too much on it in the favor of asking another question. “Wait you are telling me that you guys have been dating for a few months and you aren’t in love with him. Then why are you still dating?”

“Because news for you. Not everyone is looking for commitments, I may not be in love with him but I still find him attractive and we have good time together” Katie reasoned.

“He does know that right?” Lance questioned and Katie nodded. “I told him from the beginning that I wasn’t looking for a serious relationship and he said he wasn’t either”

Lance begged to differ for Eric, from what he had noticed earlier. Eric was clearly smitten for Katie. He also felt surprised seeing the new side to his friend, Katie had never looked interested at the idea of romance during Voltron days and clearly he missed a lot from that point on.

“Lance? Why are you creepily staring at me like that?” Pidge wondered breaking his chain of thoughts.

“Sorry” he mumbled, “It’s just that I always thought you would want a relationship. Only if you were very serious about someone” Lance shared and Katie smiled sadly, hugging herself.

She was convinced that the universe held a personal grudge against her when Lance uttered those lines, “I thought I was like that too” she mumbled.

As she looked up to meet his ocean gaze, for a second it felt like her past feelings had resurfaced “But I guess things change…”

________________________

“Katie, did I ever tell you how amazing you are?” Lance breathed in joy as the familiar building came into view. “Well you have a few times but it never gets old so you can say it again” she cheekily smiled.

Lance took a hesitant towards her, he was dying to engulf her in a tight bear hug. One of the things, he learned about his friend in the last few days was how much Katie cared in the name of not caring. He never realized how well she knew him, sometimes better than even himself.

As much he wanted to, Lance let his arms fall to his sides and instead gazed at the building that made his stomach turn with nostalgia. “Lance are you gonna stare at it all day or actually intend to go inside?” she remarked sarcastically.

“Sorry. I can’t just believe it’s still here” he marveled. “I didn’t believe it either at first but I have known about it for a while now. Just didn’t want to come alone” she mumbled the last part.

Lance smiled softly at her, “To think there was a time we actually had to drag you here”

Katie glanced back at the brightly colored ice-cream shop. It was an old tradition for Lance, Hunk and a reluctant Pidge to come here after a stressful week of exams or whenever one of them got a good grade. Basically any good news was an excuse for them to visit Mr Willows old ice-cream shop.

“I am glad you did” she finally admitted, “I just really wish Hunk and Keith were here too. It’s not everyday when Lancey Lance does well at the stimulator exam” she teased.

“Oh like you are the one to talk. You were with me everytime we failed. We failed together” Lance reminded, despite the playful remark. Lance’s smile fell as he realized, how true the statement was. They had been together, through all of it. From worrying about their next exam to worrying about the Galra to now this…

Yes they had almost two years of estrangement between them but that time made him realize something important. He needed her. He needed Pidge. He needed Katie. More than he ever tried to realize before and this time he will try to be better person, the friend she actually deserved.

“Katie. Veronica is taking me tonight to celebrate the end of exams, can you please come too?” Lance asked hopefully.

Katie’s face fell, “I would love to but I already have a date with Eric tonight. Sorry” she apologized. Lance shook his head, “Hey no need to apologize. He asked you first”

Katie nodded gratefully and headed first into the shop, he watched her go inside with a distant look in his eyes. Maybe Katie didn’t need him anymore…

__________________

“Uh.. Mom why are there two suitcases in the hallway?” Katie questioned, as a frantic Colleen appeared.

“Katie. I forgot about the wedding!!” Colleen exclaimed, Katie’s nose scrunched up trying to remember what wedding was her mother talking about.

“Your Aunt called me today asking about at what time should she come to pick us up from the airport and then I remembered it was Isabel’s wedding in two days” Colleen explained before disappearing upstairs again.

Oh that wedding, Katie was really hoping that they had forgotten about that one. She really wasn’t in the mood to be bridesmaid for her cousin’s wedding, one of the few things she and her cousin actually might agree on.

“So all of us are going?” she asked, glancing back at a very confused Lance. Colleen appeared again, holding a smaller bag this time.

“It’s just your Father and I. Someone needs to be here with Lance. I will tell your Aunt that you have gone for a intergalactic meeting” she replied, Katie immediately grinned this might be the best news her mother ever told her.

Lance on the other hand, looked guilty. “You shouldn’t ruin your plans because of me. Katie should go to her cousin’s wedding, I can crash on Veronica’s couc-OW!” he yelped as Katie pinched his side.

“Shut up” she mouthed furiously to the Cuban boy, thankfully Colleen was yet again distracted with her suitcases to notice the silent exchange.

Sam was next to appear, he didn’t look particularly excited for the wedding either. Katie felt sorry for her father but currently it was every man for himself. “I finally got our tickets booked. Our flight is in three hours” he informed.

“Good good” she muttered, absentmindedly taking a seat on the couch. “I just can’t believe that I forgot. I am the worst sister ever” she whispered tiredly. Sam shared a startled look with Katie and Lance, before going over to his wife.

“Honey. It’s not your fault, she will understand” he comforted hugging his wife. Katie nudged Lance to follow her into the kitchen to give her parents a moment.

“Katie, your parents are the ultimate couple goals” Lance stated to which she laughed.

“Believe me I know. They were separated so many times but still manage to find each other no matter whether the distance is countries or galaxies” she added.

“I would love to have something like that” Katie whispered wistfully, surprising Lance by the sudden confession. “I have all these examples of true love around me and sometimes I just wish there was someone like that for me too”

The look in Katie’s eyes gave him goosebumps, it was a completely unguarded look. Suddenly she seized him with a more determined look, “You have experienced true love, right?” she asked suddenly.

“I guess?” he blurted out despite being the one asking the question she didn’t much heed to his response for she already looked she looked long lost in her own world. “Eric is a great boyfriend” she sighed. “We always have a good time together but I never feel this rush of electricity when he holds me” she explained, frustratedly.

As to emphasize her point, she gripped Lance’s right hand between her two pale ones. “You have surely felt it right? That spark? She questioned. Her intense gaze held him hostage and demanded an answer but for the first time, the talkative boy truly found what it meant to be tongue tied as goosebumps ran down his spine.

He prayed that his mind was playing tricks on him for he felt not just a jolt of electricity but as he if had been electrocuted again but it made him crave it more at the same time for it felt nerve wrecking yet addicting at the same time.

His gaze hadn’t broken hers and he watched as Katie’s expression slowly relaxed to a more softer look and her face slightly inched closer to his. His heart started beating wildly, feeling her softer hands around his calloused one, a crazy idea formed in his mind. He wondered what it would feel like to actually kiss her.

BAM!!

"Stupid suitcase!” Sam Holt’s distant cry made them snap out of their trance.

Katie was first one to pull away, her cheeks were lightly dusted with red and Lance was sure that his cheeks didn’t look much different. The two of them spared each other the embarrassment by not making eye contact with one another and made their way back to the living room where Lance started helping Sam with the suitcases while Katie listened to her mother’s last minute instructions.

Not long after Katie waved off her parents as they got into the taxi, Lance stood at the doorway watching the scene. He had a peaceful look on his face but the truth was that his mind was buzzing with crazy possibilities and questions.

As Katie made her way back to the house. Their eyes met and they were forced to finally acknowledged each other again. Her eyes looked guarded behind a thousand walls and she hugged herself before saying. “Uh..sorry for you know earlier. I got a bit carried away with my rambles, didn’t I?” she laughed weakly and Lance could only manage a small smile in response.

“Anyway I better go. Start getting ready. Eric will be here soon after all” She mumbled tiredly and Lance nodded, ignoring the deep seated disappointment in his heart.

Katie sighed sharply observing her friend, “You should probably take shower too before Veronica arrives” she suggested and then slowly walked away.

___________________

“So that��s why I didn’t want to go to the wedding. I am so glad I managed to get out of it. Dad didn’t want to go either but Mom really wasn’t ready to go alone” Katie informed. “I see” Eric replied, absentmindedly.

“You aren’t listening” Katie pouted, Eric chuckled in response as he wrapped one arm around her frame. “I was listening. Your Mom and Dad are gone to your cousin’s wedding and since you two never got along you are glad that you didn’t have to go because Lance is staying with you” He summarised easily to which Katie nodded proudly.

“But wait..” he suddenly stopped walking and faced her again. “Does that mean it’s just you two in the house?” He questioned seriously. “No we have Bae Bae too” she joked but Eric didn’t laugh.

“What is it?” she questioned yet again not understanding the implication. After a moment Eric’s face relaxed and he brushed off the earlier conversation, “Nothing.. although I gotta ask you. Is there a chance you might be forgetting something too?”

“The Garrison formal ball is this weekend!” She remembered. “How could I forget about this. I sure I am turning into my mother as well, I haven’t even decided what would I wear…” Katie rambled.

“Katie I am sure whatever you wear. You’ll look beautiful” He assured, lifting her chin and pulling her in a deep kiss.

It surely looked like one of the most romantic sight ever as pale moonlight fell on them and faint scent of roses from the park filled the air.

But as they pulled apart, Katie only weakly smiled at him before tucking herself underneath his arm like before. Disappointed was a small word for what she felt, she had really hoped that this one would be different. Things would be so much easier, if she truly was in love with him. Eric was everything she could ever ask for, it would have been so perfect if she had actually fallen for him.

It’s not like she didn’t try to during the last few months but despite how great he was and how many times he showed that he genuinely cared for. Katie felt like she was only settling and that wasn’t fair to either of them. Katie glanced at him, his dark brown radiated with happiness as he narrated an old childhood story.

He deserved better, someone who mutually adores him. She breathed in his familiar cologne and felt the arm that protectively rested on her. It wasn’t easy to let go of someone who adores you and dotes on you. Someone who gave you what you wanted for a longtime but it was the right thing to do.

After earlier today, the bitter truth was that her heart was still set on the Cuban. She couldn’t even deny it if she tried and although she was well aware that she didn’t have any chance with him. Staying with Eric would still be unfair, due to her selfishness he might miss a chance to meet his true love.

“Katie, do you wanna try the new ice-cream shop?” Eric asked innocently, unknown to her inner turmoil. She simply nodded in reply, as they started walking to his car.

Soon, she decided. She will end things soon. A part of her knew she might regret it but she simply couldn’t make him expect more from her. Her heart raced remembering those ocean eyes. Damn you Lance. You never gave me back my heart.

The second part is out as well! I hope you enjoyed the first part. Please reblog and tell me about your favorite part

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btch3sluvme · 2 years ago

Note

Can I get a jjba match up!:)

I want a male character

Ima girl and I go by Ayumi

So basically how I look physically , I wear bangs on my face and have a pony tail on the side with all my hair going down but sometimes I like having two buns or two pig tails cause I like looking cute. Im asian , 5,2. Black long hair , I like to wear scrunchies or hair bows and I like girly dresses , skirts and crop tops. Im have social anxiety , its very hard for me to make friends cause it scares me , Im artistic(I like to draw and sketch) and I like anime.

I like eatting candy and I like stuff toys so I guess you can say I am a bit childish.

Im a bit chubby cause I like eatting but its not noticable

Im introverted and Im not interested in talking to most people cause I find them boring but I have a close friend group , Im usually stand off-ish with people but if we are close I make a lot of dirty jokes and im very playful and light hearted but again half the time I will be introverted. I like deep conversations , talking about feelings and philosophical things and Im self conscious of how I look and im insecure but I dont tell anyone unless we are close. I like deep emotional connections , Im an INFP

I really like physical affection , I like PDA.

I'm idealistic and I day dream a lot about romance and etc but Im not a hopeless romantic.

I have an inner world in my mind.

I like helping my close friends out.

I don't like small talk.

I want to make friends but my anxiety is a lot

I get jealous of others a lot and I need to be nurtured

I want someone to focus on me than other people and don't forget im there when im around people cause in groups Im quiet.

I want someone to care about me and nurture my feelings a lot and I like feeling valued.

I make very lewd jokes and I make some other jokes others may laugh at or find me weird

I really like positive people because I look up to them and I think their cool but I want someone with emotional depth to talk about deep inner emotions

I can also tell when someones upset or sad simply because I can based off of body language.

I like being there for others even though sometimes I dont know what to do , im very emotionally nurturing , I like spending time with people I love a lot.

I also live in a fantasy world in my mind and I love music and I like making people see me as attractive or act playful and bubbly cause it boosts my self esteem and makes me feel hot

Sometimes I can be too quiet but it depends on my mood , I dislike most people cause I view them as "Normal"

People think im shy when really i just dont feel the need to interact

Ok first: WTF THIS WAS SO UNEXPECTED, TYSM FOR REQUESTING AYUMI

And i think i have the perfect man for u!

Johnny Joestar ⭐💙

(don't ask abt the image just, appreciate)

C'mom you guys are made to each other!!

Gyro will constantly annoy you by telling you that you are soul mates from the same ring of hell or shit like that

you guys will often find yourselfs talking to each other about the meaning of life late at night and then just cuddling till sleep

Due to his reputation as a womanizer, you might think that he doesn't want anything serious, but deep down his biggest priority is to have a deep and serious connection with his partner.

And I can easily imagine the two of you just lying on the floor in your dorm just listening to music and relaxing while there's a big party outside and u both are just not in the mood for partying

Gyro makes one of his classic puns? You both are just: ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ ( then u look at each other and start laughing)

About your body type? He does'nt care at all, you're perfect for him with a six pack, with a tummy, plus size, what is the point? Our bodies are temporary

If you two are in the middle of his circle of friends (HP, Diego, Gyro etc) and you can't interact because everyone is talking at the same time, he probably will stop the conversation to introduce you to them

And i feel like he would ask you do sketch Tusk just to spend more time w you

"Don't worry i have all the time in the world to love you"

NOTES:

Im so so sorry it took so long! I was busy and tired.... And lazy, im really sorry but i hope u like It!

#jjba #jjba matchup #match ups #jjba fanfic #character x irl #jjba part 7 #jojo steel ball run #jojo sbr #steel ball run #arsonjonathanssimp here!#kamaitachi #cute people #johnny joestar #jojo bizarre adventure #johnny jojo #blonde bitch #im sorry for not posting #sorry for the bad quality

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aussieokie · 7 years ago

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“The Mission”

A short Ressler story for my partner in crime on The Blacklist Secret Santa, @nancyjocom. It was a pleasure working with you again on it!

Jostled by yet another harried customer in search of a last minute gift, Ressler groaned. Why was he doing this again? What was it that made sense sitting at his desk 30 minutes ago that was rapidly losing its appeal now? As the madness of the large department store unfolded around him, he knew what it was, and despite his grouchiness (Oscar had nothing on him) he was still determined to carry out this mission. Through the throngs of shoppers and the incessant dinging of the Salvos ringing the bell outside the doors, he stopped. Which wasn’t a good idea, as the woman behind him bumped into him with a non-too feminine response. Offering a hasty apology and scooting out of the line of fire, he stood near the pumpkin pies strategically placed near the checkout, and scanned the signs hanging from the high ceiling. Of course, where he needed to be was right at the back of the store.

He set off, his goal in sight, sidestepping shopping carts and a mad driver of one of those old-man-scooters who narrowly missed driving over his foot. Stopping was no longer an option, and with the loud speaker again announcing that the store would be closing in 15 minutes, he forged on through the crowd. The sound of voices, laughter, shouts, tired kids crying and screaming (he knew how they felt) and the beep-beep of a forklift loaded with last minute supplies deafening him, he approached the rear of the store and his goal. An area of the store fraught with danger. Of pink and glitter overload in one aisle, and Lego and superheroes in another. The toy section.

He headed into enemy territory, right down the pink aisle. His mission, which he’d foolishly chosen to accept, was to procure a toy for a special little girl. One who had no idea he was doing this, and wouldn’t miss it if he backed out of this now, he quickly thought, but no, he was committed now. As the loud speaker nagged him again that he now had just 10 minutes until the doors closed, and for him to please make his way to the checkouts, he dove in. A pink mini car? A pink pony? A pink tutu ballet dress thing? A pink cooking fake kitchen set? It was overwhelming. How did parents deal with this for birthday and Christmas every year? Well, for starters, they didn’t leave it until 8 minutes before the store closed on Christmas Eve, with no clue what to buy.

He walked down the aisle, eyes flitting over the sea of pink. Just choose something, anything, he told himself. A mother and two kids were ahead, a little girl and a little boy, who carried a box with a toy airplane in it, zooming it repeatedly into his sister.

“David, I’ve told you to stop that!” said the mother, checking a worn shopping list.

Yes, David, thought Ressler, please stop that.

His sister yelled at him again. “Stop it! You’re making Suzie cry!” she wailed, holding a doll protectively.

Suzie wasn’t the only one about to cry, thought Ressler, getting closer to the war zone as David’s toy plane readied itself for another bombing run.

“Lindsay, put it down, you’ve got more than enough dolls. We have to go!” the mother told the girl, who kissed Suzie goodbye and placed her back on the shelf.

“Bye bye Suzie,” the girl said, running to follow her mother. “She’s so squishy, mommy!”

Ressler paid them no mind as they left because, as he was reminded again, he now had only 5 minutes until the store closed. Decision made, he eyed his prize. Suzie might not be going home with little Lindsay, but she’d be spared a life being dive bombed and who knew what else at the hands of her brother. The doll was dressed, naturally, in a pink dress and stared up at him. And deal made with the blue plastic eyes of the doll, he seized her, then took off almost jogging toward the front of the store carrying the doll who was indeed squishy, he noted. He passed David, still annoying the crap out of his sister and mother, and reached the checkouts. He hoped like hell Lindsay wouldn’t notice he’d stolen Suzie and chose a checkout a few down from where they were heading.

After an agonizing wait in line, he finally reached the woman, paid for Suzie, dropped her on her head into a plastic bag and grabbed his purchase. It was only as he was standing at the now closed front doors as an associate unlocked it for him, that he realized he had no gift wrapping paper or a gift bag. Suzie was going to have to hold the fort on her own, decked out in a white plastic gift bag (complete with Walmart stamped on the side) that perhaps a 2-year-old would think was wonderful. Or one that her mother would snatch away from her, terrified her toddler was about to choke on it. He immediately rethought the gift wrapping option, and decided Suzie was just going to have to make a grand entrance, sans gift bag, hidden behind his back to be revealed in all her squishy glory.

Fighting his way past those shoppers who stood indignantly, begging the associate to open the doors because they needed something last minute, he congratulated himself on having the fortitude to at least have got there in time. Barely in time, but hey, he was going to give himself a pat on the back for a moment. Shoving Suzie on the seat beside him, he apologized for suffocating her with a plastic bag and took her out, where she could see where they were going. And then glad that no one could see the thoughts inside his head, he made his way out of the parking lot. With a small smile, he glanced at his partner in crime on the seat beside him, and pictured the little girl who was about to receive her, and the surprise on the face of her mother as he showed up playing Santa.

20 minutes later it was show time, after having quickly called Liz to let her know he was coming. With a toddler, being fore warned was the best plan of attack, he’d decided. He rang the doorbell of Liz’s new apartment, and was relieved to see her smiling as she opened the door.

“You really shouldn’t have, but thank you so much! She’ll be thrilled,” Liz told him, as he stepped inside. Agnes was sitting on the floor, with a set of (new, he noticed) crayons and drawing paper around her. With a momentary hesitation, and wild thought that maybe Agnes already had a Suzie and this doll might be perceived as an evil twin, he walked over to her and dropped to the floor beside her.

“Hi, uncle Donnie! Did you know it’s Christmas?” she said, grinning at him.

“Well, it’s Christmas tomorrow, sweetie, but yes, I did know that,” he told her. As she dropped her crayons he lifted her onto his lap while warily eying the blue and green on her fingers perilously close to his dry cleaned suit. Why hadn’t he changed before leaving work? Because he’d been on a mission from God, he reminded himself, and the clock had been ticking. Liz saved him, and his suit, by kneeling down and wiping Agnes’s hands right before her chubby little fingers found his jacket.

“Did you bring me a present, uncle Donnie?” she said, lifting up his jacket and peering inside it.

“Agnes, you don’t ask people if they have presents for you,” Liz told her, sitting beside them and shooting an apologetic look to Ressler. He met her eyes and smiled then reached behind him and produced Suzie, her pink dress a little askew, and her hair in need of brushing (did they make doll brushes? Another thing he’d forgotten). “As a matter of fact, I did,” he told Agnes, giving Suzie her grand entrance.

And if he’d had any doubt that Suzie was going to find a good home here with Agnes, minus Lindsay’s kisses and David’s dive bombing, they melted (along with his heart) at the wide eyes of the little girl in his lap. He didn’t think a child’s eyes could get that big.

“Oh! Oh! Uncle Donnie! Look mommy! Look at her!” she cried, clutching the doll to her.

“Her name is Suzie,” Ressler told her, and caught Liz’s glance.

“You named her?” Liz asked, bemused at the Donald Ressler before her.

Well, he hadn’t but another little girl had, and that counted, right?

“Suzie! I love you Suzie!” Agnes screamed, as Ressler had a sudden flashback to the screaming kids at the department store.

And as he looked at Agnes inspecting every inch of Suzie, and then hugging her doll again, Ressler grinned at her, and put his arms around the excited child. “She’s squishy, isn’t she?” he smiled, congratulating himself on a successful mission.

Agnes beamed at him, then looked to Liz. “She’s so squishy, mommy!”

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hardcoremollywobbles · 8 years ago

Text

Momma Molly’s Smut-bunny Saviour #1

Here is where I will tell the kiddies to look away, and lock us in this room, so my own children never hear this conversation. I think Percy would faint. This lesson, if you couldn’t tell by the title, is not for kids. I have been noticing a set of rising trends in role-play and fan fiction. Trends that relate to the writing of smut. Certain words have come creeping into common use, that really do work against the writer, in achieving their desired response from the reader. I have decided, as an experienced mother of seven, a woman who knows her way around ‘the deed,’ to save you from yourselves. Here are some tips, to help you on your way. (Examples are drawn from things I have actually seen, so don’t judge me too harshly for them. Oh, and expect an obnoxious number of et ceteras.) 1) Pay attention to such things as where the chosen word is placed. There are different rules for where a word might sit in dialog and where one might fall in the narrative (the story being told outside of speech). If your chosen word is in the narrative, there are far stricter rules on what sounds good. Example: there’s a difference between one bloke telling his mate, “she’s got tits out to here,” and the narrative saying, ‘her tits were very big and bouncy.’ Coarse words, like ass, or any abbreviated word (nips, clit, etc.) have no place in the narrative. Their only place is in the dialog, if anywhere. 2) Avoid being too clinical. No one cares if you went to medical school, when you’re writing sex scenes. And no one wants to be reminded of a text book or a corpse, when they’re getting in the mood. Well, some people do, but necrophiliacs aren’t the majority of your audience. Avoid directly literal names that you would lift from a text book. These words sound rough, crass, indelicate, and also very medical (A.K.A. boring). Examples: Vulva, vagina, penis, blood engorged anything (just avoid blood, altogether, unless it’s external- blood drinking is fine), phallus, uterus, anus, colon, cervix, semen, sperm, fluid, arousal, lubrication, clitoris, labia/labial, fold, wrinkle, testicles/testes, appendage, prostate (as in prostate-stabber), muscle/love muscle/life muscle, perineum, organ, limb, etc. Even member can sound clinical, sometimes. 3) Avoid most short U sounds. That dreaded uh hangs there, like a mouth about to vomit. Some of these tend to sound or feel aggressive, as well. Unwelcoming and sandy. It turns off a good 60+ percent of your readers, even if they’re too polite to say so. I’ve developed this theory about the uh sound, and it seems to hold true. Examples in the flesh: front bum, love tunnel/fun tunnel/cream tunnel, pleasure nub, nub/nubbin (this makes me think of trying to make a vestigial tail or extra nipple erotic), butt, nut(s), fur, fur burger, cunt, smut (funny word, not sexy word), chubby, fuck stem, spunk/spunk trumpet and love trumpet, purple helmet yogurt chucker, vulva (and any of the above that fit the bill), pussy, mushroom/Mr. Mushroom, muff, muffin, humps/lumps (I don’t care if they’re your lovely lady lumps, nothing will make your cases of scoliosis and the mumps sexy, Honey), bulge/bulging, stump, slug (whether in Shell-shedding slug of affection, or When he went down on me, it felt like a slug in a slip-n-slide, there’s no sexiness here), rump, bud (only if you’re desperate for a second clitoris word), button/fuck button (”), junk, jugs, bumper, dumper, cum dumpster, buns, truncheon, rug/rug-muncher, chunky, turgid, etc. Examples in the deed: cum/cummies, nut, bust a nut, hump, pump (less bad than hump), fuck (situationally dependent, not great for narrative), punch, spunk, munch, lunch, bump/bump uglies, nurse and suckle (you’re not a baby), dutch love and titty fuck, chug, tug, rub and tug, slurp, guzzle, gulp, sputter, splutter, fudge packing (don’t draw attention to the feces, unless that’s what your fic is all about, Friend), etc. And never say your dick up-chucked its load. Please. 4) Not all alliterations are attractive. I know, it sounds like it can’t be true! Listen, though. There is many an alliteration that just falls flat. Or even if they don’t, they tend to be more funny than sexy. Examples: Pocket rocket (that sounds both small and fast), panty poking, hanky panky, womb groom, tonsil tickler, thrill drill, bologna pony/baloney pony, throb knob, flail nail, gasm chasm, etc. 5) Avoid certain short, flat A sounds. They often sound harsh and unsexy. Examples: Twat (also the American pronunciation of twot is unpleasant), snatch, ass, grab, fat, vag, mack, fanny (either way you mean it), jack, rack, slap (as in slap a tit/slap the sausage), clam/bearded clam (you can refer to the clitoris as the pearl, but don’t call the vagina a clam), yank, wank, crank, gap, gland, spooge cannon, tallywhacker, sack, mams, gag/gagging, stab, etc. 6) Avoid these uncomfortable words: Moist, damp, dank, musky (if it’s his scent, fine, I guess. If it’s a lady’s particular intimate region, die in some fiendfyre), musty, fishy, hairy anything (hairy sounds wild, unkempt, vulgar- there are sexier ways of wording it), weeping, seeping, leaking, dribbling, drip stink, stank, odor (scent or aroma is much better. Trust me. Even perfume), girth/girthed/girthy, slime/slimy, soggy, spongy, slobbering, liquefied, oozing, fleshy, meaty, turgescent, etc. 7) Genitalia are not interchangeable with animals, unless you’re a bestiac. Words like pussy, beaver, squirrel, and kitty are juvenile. And that’s before you get to camel toe and moose knuckle, dog/hound-dog/crotch dog, dolphin, porpoise, crotch-daschund, snake (and any kind of snake), weasel, worm, flobberworm, the giraffe neck, lizard, trunk, etc. 8) These words may not have been placed in the above categories, but they are just not sexy. Essentially, if you’d hear it out of a 14 year old boy’s favourite joke, don’t use it. Those are better for jest than lust. Here are some examples. -Male anatomy- Non-descript: Dong, ding dong, dingaling, thingy, thing (the thing that rose, the thing that grows, the thing that looks like an exclamation point, and more. Outta call that one an interrobang! But seriously, they are all terrible), pecker, the south pole, wiener, schlong, hard-on, prick (sounds so tiny and portable!), anything with masculine in it (It’s a penis. It doesn’t need to be a camo painted penis for us to get that it belongs to a bloke), wood, peen, manliness/man-ness, package (stimulus, or otherwise), Johnson/John-Thomas (not unless you buy it a monocle), etc. Visuals: man root, stem (so slender!), sausage, lightning rod, silly string shooter, tree trunk, baby’s arm, man meat, baby-maker, meat train, meat tampon, carrot (man or otherwise), boner (that’s a term for mistake for a reason), beef slinky, Mr. Floppy (as in, Mr. Floppy stood at attention), stiffy, lollipop (skinny, with a wonky, fat head?), batter blaster, You-know-what (I don’t need to hear about Voltemort’s erection), fishing pole, pickle/puking pickle, porker, pork or beef anything, leaking crown, knob, noodle/man-noodle, throat spackler, log/leaking log, monster, one-eyed anything, throbbing mass, man-cannon, etc. Basically, it will rarely, if ever, sound good to have man in front of anything. Twig and berries, meat and two veg... Meat pipe, meat whistle or meat flute. Basically, if it starts with meat, or any kind of meat, just don’t use it. Really. Balls, coin purse, funbags, punching bags, eggs, danglers, nuggets, spuds/love spuds, kiwis, etc. Many people feel like stalk, dick and cock sound terrible or gross, according to research, so branch out. Try some new words. Some people feel that weaponry euphemisms are too aggressive, or that they advocate unwanted sexual violence. Maybe try writing without words like sword and sheath, cannon, missile (and meat missile or heat seeking moisture missile), spear, blade, gun/love gun/rifle/DNA rifle/egg sniper/beef bazooka, ram rod, projectile anything, weapon/pleasure weapon, hammer of anything/warhammer, drill/fucktool, pike, spike and spire (so pointy!), helmeted warrior, mauve avenger, axe and axe wound, reamer, cherry assassin, battering ram, etc. We’re generally not trying to draw blood, here.

-Female anatomy- Jumbos, titties/tits, boobs/boobies, knockers, funbags, peaches, hooters, tatas, pillows, hood, headlights, melons, sweater puppies, milk sacks, chest balls, etc. Triangular area (way to take the sexuality right out of it), baby-maker, fun factory, snack shack, carpet, cavity (holy, unholy and otherwise), honey-pot, lady town, minge (ginger minge?), gay man’s nemisis (because vaginas are all at war with men that don’t want them? Ridiculous), location, love wallet, hairy checkbook/wallet, mound, flesh mitten, driveway/garage/oven, box, taco, pleasure casino (adding pleasure to something doesn’t make it sexy, ffs), lady garden, letter O, love pocket/cock pocket, hole, sideways smile, downstairs mouth/down south mouth, valve, etc. And, again, I really must mention the ultra violent imagery that calls bleeding to mind, such as gash, slash, axe wound, love wound, slice, slit/slit of ecstasy, pin cushion, arena/combat arena, missile silo, etc.

Gender-neutral anatomy: poopshoot/poop cavern, rusty bullet hole, Hershey Highway, strata chocolata, chocolate starfish, chocolate hotdog hallway, brown eye, fudge factory, fart factory, etc. Don’t draw attention to the feces, if you want to keep the reader comfortable or into the writing. Back door, rear, hiney, hind quarters, fleshy globes, balloon knot, button, boy pussy/boi pussi, wrinkled or puckered kiss, anal fortress, booty, etc. Narrow alleyway, cock cave, pool of sex/pool of ecstasy, taint, etc. Business, region, vicinity, down there, etc. Pubes/bed of pubes. Also, sex/the sex/his sex/her sex. This one is so vague and so overused. It’s probably the worst skill-based thing about the writing of Anne Rice. “He put his sex in her sex, and it was sex. Preternatural sex.” Yeah, I said it.

Fluids and related terms: toothpaste (even if it’s ‘the toothpaste of love’), juice, spooge (frothy or otherwise), pearl necklace and money shot, jizz, pre-cum, mayonnaise, baby batter/baby gravy (no one should want to think about babies when someone is in the act of release. Seriously), man-milk (remember about just jamming man in there?), protein shake, tadpole yogurt, etc. And don’t use vanilla for semen, just because of the colour. I assure you, it doesn’t taste like it.

Other words or terms: she took it like a man (devalues a gender strong enough to deal with periods AND pushing out babies. I’d like to see you try that), popping, grope, pork/porking (funny, not sexy), bone, eating out, handjob/blowjob, gobble, getting your rocks off, getting off, etc. And don’t ever use the words ‘his dick erupted like a zit, spraying its white hot load.’ Ever. Not least of all because load isn’t a sexy word, and the rest of it is stomach turning. It was the worst thing I read in a fic for a year. 9) This is how we do it. Here are some good starter tips, to avoid these clichéd traps and unpleasant expressions: - Stretch your vocabulary. Explore new words and phrases. Create something original. - Try to think of the story you’re telling, and the characters in it. Would they think in a direction that aligns with your narrative? - Try to think of how the words you chose will inform your reader(s) about your feelings or your character’s feelings. Are your words devaluing the other character(s)? Are your words treating said character(s) as one would an object? Is that your intent, as the story teller? - Remember foreplay. - Try to consider what responses feel real or true. - Think about the actual physics involved. What things would cause stresses on the body, and where? How would this impact the movements that your character(s) enact? Sex isn’t a clean and harmless activity, if it’s rough, for example. So, here goes busting some myths, for the purposes of delivering helpful information. If you’re holding someone up against a wall, there’s going to be limited ranges of certain movements. You will probably bang your knees. If you’re holding someone up, you probably won’t be able to get a hand between the two of you, to fiddle with anyone’s bits, or up, to pull anyone’s hair. You would need an extra hand for that. Also, it’s important to note that your character will probably only have two hands. If you’re penetrating, that singular entry will probably not be a seamless thrust to your hilt. You’ve got to push or slide that thing in. Thrusting tends to come later, Sport. And speaking of ‘come later,’ simultaneous orgasms are rare, and usually involve some tantric discipline. You’re not going to nail that, each time. And I’d be surprised if it happened on anyone’s first time. Gents who slip it in that first time will probably shoot off too soon, and that’s normal and okay. Homosexual males don’t tend to use melted butter for intercourse, and no, blood does NOT make a good lubricant. Also, gay fics have way too much anal penetration. Yes, you heard me. In most cases, a homosexual couple will tend towards more oral sex and foreplay, because if they were all only doing anal it would a) get boring fast, and b) cause a lot of unnecessary soreness. You need to balance those things, in a meaningful relationship fic. I get that not every character interaction involves care, but where it does, learn a little balance. Speaking of balance, when writing BDSM fics, remember the importance of aftercare. Read about it. Learn about it. It’s a big part of a BDSM relationship. I know that this is a bit rushed and disorganized, but I really hope that you find it helpful.

#helpful hints #writing help #smut #mommamolly #MommaMolly's Helpful Hints #smut 101 #Smut-bunny Saviour #word choice

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