#mommy needs to look in the mirror try on dresses and twirl for her new husband

[museenkuss]

sigh I miss being the pretty little babydoll of some older internet friend who would coddle me and at times make snide little comments and such that made me crave their attention and validation.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Stuck Between a Jock and a Metalhead

Summary: Nancy, on a whim, decides to visit Steve at Scoops Ahoy, which leads to her overhearing confessions from Steve that leads her to think about the decisions she's made. A few days later, she decides to come back. She finds him being hit on by the town freak. What's a girl to do? Oh, get stuck in a freezer with the both of them.

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Nancy waited for her sister patiently at the bottom of the stairs, but she was taking longer than she should have for someone who knows now how to get dressed herself. She was just about to go up there when Holly came bounding down the stairs, her blond hair loose around her shoulders.

"I'm ready for the mall, Nancy!" Holly exclaimed. "I put on makeup just like you would."

Nancy put her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter. Holly was wearing bright blue eyeshadow that was spread across her eyelids and well over her eyebrows. It made her look permanently surprised. She had lipstick spread across her lips and around them.

"Did you look in the mirror yet, Holly?" Nancy asked.

"No, does it look bad?" Holly asked.

She couldn't help it, she burst into laughter. It caused her mother to come in from the living room.

"What is going - Oh my goodness," Karen snorted.

"Apparently, she put on makeup just like I would," Nancy giggled.

Karen picked up the polaroid from the hallway table and snapped a picture.

"Can I see, Mommy?" Holly asked, and she showed her. "Oh! I look so silly. I look like a clown."

Holly giggled and honked her nose. Nancy swooped her up in a hug and pressed a hard kiss to her cheek. Karen had snapped another picture. Nancy settled her on her hip.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up, and then I'll braid your hair," Nancy chuckled as she bounded up the stairs.

Karen dropped them off at the mall, announcing as they got out of the car that she would be running errands and that she would be back soon. Nancy scoffed as she watched her mother drive away. She knew exactly what kind of errands she would be doing. Ally told her what she saw her mother doing at the mall. . .checking out Billy like most women. Not only was it disgusting because he was an evil asshole but he was also the same age as Nancy. Honestly, his personality was too ugly for her to find him attractive. That was the difference between him and Jonathan. . .intent. It was also the fact that Jonathan actually gave a shit about his brother. Maybe that was attracted her to Jonathan in the first place. Before Nancy could venture further into her darkening thoughts, she felt a tug on her dress.

"Come on, Nancy!" Holly said.

She smiled at her sister and took her hand, deciding to enjoy the outing. Nancy and Holly went to the bookstore first, where she had to pull Holly away. She was really happy that Holly was interested in reading but she also needed to buy her shoes before lunch. The kid was outgrowing the shoes faster than she could wear them out. Of course, with the new shoes, Holly also wanted a dress to go with them. She ended up finding a purple one with flowers on it and one that's similar to hers for Nancy. They twirled in front of the mirror.

"What do you think? Should we pay for them and wear them out of the store?" Nancy asked.

"Yes!" Holly grinned.

Once they paid for them and got bags for their other clothes, they started heading towards the food court. Nancy made sure they chose a place that served chicken nuggets. While Holly loved all food, chicken nuggets were always a must with her. She was looking for a place to sit down when she spotted Eddie sitting with a couple of his friends. He spotted her, and his face brightened up at the sight of her.

"Nancy!" Eddie exclaimed, waving her over.

He had forgotten that his legs had been wrapped around the chair, and in his hurry to jump up, he stumbled to the ground. His friends burst into laughter. Nancy giggled.

"You want to meet my friend Eddie?" Nancy asked Holly.

"Yeah, he looks funny!"

Carrying their baskets and their bags, they wandered over to the table. Eddie dusted himself off and stood up. He smiled when they arrived at the table.

"Nice face plant, Eddie," Nancy said.

"I meant to do that," Eddie said.

"If your purpose was to kiss the floor," Nancy said, and his friends laughed. "Then yeah, you succeeded."

"Nancy Wheeler, these are my friends Gareth and Jeff," Eddie introduced. "They're also in Hellfire and in my band, Corroded Coffin."

"Oh. You didn't tell me you were in a band," Nancy said.

"You didn't tell her you were in a band?" Gareth asked him mockingly.

"Our band?" Jeff asked, and Eddie rolled his eyes.

"And who's this little lady?" He asked.

"My sister, Holly," Nancy introduced.

"Hi, Mr. Eddie, we got matching dresses!" Holly said.

"I see that. You guys look like a couple of pretty princesses," Eddie said.

"Who also fights dragons!" Holly exclaimed.

"Well, would a couple of princesses who fight dragons want to sit with us?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, you aren't scary," Holly said as she plopped down in the seat next to him while Nancy sat on Holly's other side.

"I'm not? Well, that's a first," Eddie said.

"You're fluffy like a teddy bear," Holly said. "Eddie! Teddy!"

"I think that name is sticking, man," Jeff said with a snicker.

"Am I scary?" Holly asked.

"Oh, yeah, very," Eddie said with a gasp and clutched his chest, causing her to giggle. "So, what else you get?"

"The Hobbit. Nancy said I would like it," Holly said. "Our bubba, Mike, won't let us use his book."

"Oh, you're going to love it," Eddie grinned. "Why won't this Mike let you use his book?"

"Mike is an asshole," Holly said seriously, and the boys struggled not to laugh.

"Holly!" Nancy exclaimed. "You shouldn't call him that!"

"What if he is being one?" Holly asked.

"Yeah, Nancy, what if he is being one?" Eddie asked, and she glared at him.

"You still shouldn't," Nancy said.

"You call him that all the time, Nancy!" Holly exclaimed.

"Eat your chicken nuggets, Holly," Nancy said, trying to hide her amusement.

"You ladies doing more shopping after this?" Eddie asked.

"No, Nancy's going to take to me Scoops Ahoy to get ice cream, and she's got a surprise for me," Holly said.

Nancy mouthed Steve’s name over Holly's head, and Eddie grinned.

"That sounds like fun," Eddie said.

"Well, look at that. . .we've got to go," Jeff said, nudging Gareth.

"Oh, yes, we just remembered we've got that thing," Gareth said.

"We were supposed to browse the new music store after lunch," Eddie frowned.

"Well, like we said, we've got that thing," Jeff grinned.

"Teddy! Do you want to come with us?" Holly asked. "Do you know Steve? He works there."

"Oh. I know Steve. I like Steve," Eddie said.

Jeff and Gareth shared a knowing look. Nancy grinned. It looked like they suspected the same thing that she did.

"I like Steve too," Holly grinned.

"Holly, who told you that Steve works there?" Nancy asked.

"Mike," she replied.

Nancy rolled her eyes. Of course, that asshole would ruin the surprise.

"You just called him that word in your head, didn't you?" Eddie grinned and winked at her.

Nancy blushed and rolled her eyes.

"Well, we've got to go," Jeff grinned. "Have fun with Eddie."

"Teddy, you mean," Gareth said as they stood up.

"Bye, Mr. Gareth! Bye, Mr. Jeff!" Holly exclaimed.

"Farewell, Princess Holly," Gareth bowed.

"Oh, fiercest warrior and slayer of dragons," Jeff bowed. "Farewell."

Holly giggled and waved at them until she couldn't see them anymore. She sat back in her seat.

"I like them," Holly said.

"Eh, they're okay," Eddie shrugged with a grin.

"I like Jeff. He's cute, but he's too old, though," Holly said.

"You hear that, Nance? He's cute, but he's old," Eddie grinned.

"Oh God," Nancy laughed.

"Kids say the darndest things," Eddie said.

Once they were finished with their food, they started walking towards Scoops Ahoy. Holly took Nancy's hand and then Eddie's.

"So, you don't get lost," Holly said.

"Smart," Eddie said. "Metalheads like me are very well known for getting lost in malls."

"I didn't know that," Holly gasped. "Nancy, we can't let him get lost."

Nancy's heart fluttered in her chest as she watched Eddie converse happily with her little sister. He was great with her, too. His grin was so wide as he talked animatedly with Holly that he was flashing his dimples. They were very cute and suited him well. Eddie noticed her staring, and he winked at her. Nancy felt her cheeks warm.

"There it is!" Holly exclaimed. "That's it, isn't it?"

"Yes, but - " Nancy started to say.

Holly slipped from their grasps and ran ahead of them. They started running after her, but she was quick to dive between people's legs.

"Jesus! This kid is fast!" Eddie exclaimed.

"Holly!" Nancy yelled.

Suddenly, they heard her scream and they were running faster than ever. They found her lying on the floor, a large stony faced man glaring down at her. Holly's bottom lip was trembling. Nancy realized that it was the delivery guy who had dropped off the ice cream. He growled at Holly, and crocodile tears started welling up in Holly's eyes.

"I'm sorry I ran into you. I didn't mean to," Holly whimpered.

"Hey! The kid said she was sorry! Do you have anything better to do than to scare the shit out of her?!" Eddie snapped, and the man was growling at him now. "Do you understand me? Fuck off, man!"

Nancy knelt down next to Holly and pulled her to her side. The man stepped into Eddie's face menacingly. There was a flash of fear in Eddie's eyes, but he stood his ground, clenched his jaw, and stared at the man right back. When the man realized he was drawing attention from other people, he snorted and walked off. Holly pulled herself out of Nancy's arms and threw her arms around Eddie's legs.

"Are you okay, Teddy?" Holly asked. "I thought he was going to hurt you."

"I'm okay, sweetheart," Eddie said and scooped her up. "Are you okay?"

"I think I scraped my elbow," Holly said.

"Well, let's get that fixed up, shall we?" Eddie said and pulled out his first aid kit. "We can use Princess Nigel. Steve gave him to me, and I named him."

They went to the nearest bench where Nancy pulled Holly into her lap. Eddie knelt in front of her and started patching up her elbow. He stuck his tongue out while he worked.

"I'm sorry for running away, I just got excited," Holly sniffed.

"Well, you scared the crap out of me and your sister, but I think you scared Nancy the most," Eddie said softly.

She didn't realize how close to crying she had been until Eddie had said something or that she was shaking.

"I'm sorry, sissy," Holly said.

"You're okay now. That's the important thing. Always hold hands, though, okay? Promise?" Nancy asked.

"Promise," Holly sniffed. "I'm sorry too, Teddy."

"It's alright. You know, I get into accidents all the time. I'm a huge klutz which is why Steve gave me this," Eddie said as he slipped it into pocket. "I gotta say, though. You're a lot braver than I would have been. I would have shit my pants."

"Then Nancy would have to change you just like she did when I was a baby," Holly giggled.

Eddie and Nancy laughed.

"You know, since you got injured in the line of duty, I think this little warrior deserves a piggyback ride," Eddie said and turned around.

Holly cheered as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. He snorted like a pig and started walking with Nancy, who was gazing at him fondly.

"Teddy! Always hold hands, remember?" Holly asked.

Eddie grinned and held out his hand towards Nancy, wiggling his fingers at her. Nancy blushed and took his hand. Somewhere along the way, their fingers slid together. When they entered the parlor, Holly immediately jumped down from Eddie's back and started running towards the counter. Steve ran out and met her halfway, scooping her up.

"There's my girl!" Steve exclaimed.

"I missed you!" Holly squealed and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I missed you too, pumpkin," Steve said.

"I like your outfit," Holly said.

"I like yours," he replied.

"It matches Nancy's outfit," Holly stated proudly.

"I see that," Steve laughed. "But you know what it needs?"

He took off his hat and plopped it down on her head. She giggled madly.

"How do I look?" She asked.

"Better than I do in the hat," he said. "What have you been up to? Catch me up."

"Me and Teddy almost got eaten by a troll!" Holly exclaimed.

"Okay, I'm a little lost," Steve said.

Nancy watched with a smile on her face as Eddie and Holly both recounted the story in their own adorable way. She loved the way that Holly lit up with both of them. Looking at Steve with Holly, she knew without a doubt that she was still in love with Steve, but there was also something else stirring for Eddie as well. As she looked at both of them, she knew she couldn't put them through what she put Steve through, especially since she could recognize that Steve and Eddie were starting to like one another. She couldn't come between that, and she couldn't mess it up for Holly. If only there was a way for her to be with both of them. Her eyes slid to Robin's, who was now looking at her with wide eyes. It looks like she figured it out, too. Robin slowly raised her hands and gave her two thumbs up. Nancy didn't know what that was supposed to mean. She ignored it and sat down to enjoy some ice cream with the three of them, pushing aside the warm feelings of affection in her stomach.

Chapter Six

[joshstambourine]

A Girl Named Ivy

Warning: None! Unless you dislike fluff

Word Count: 2350

Synopsis: Just a cute lazy day with Jake and his little girl

Thank you so much for this request @anditsmywholeheart , I can’t even begin to explain how much joy it brought me to write. Hopefully you love it--- and that you don’t mind that I named her, I find it a lot easier to write when I have names. 

Taglist: @anditsmywholeheart @babydxll

Jake let out a weak sigh as he could feel small shifts of weight on the bed. The movements were slow, as if trying not to wake him up. It wasn't long before the shifting stopped and there was soft pattering leading away from the bed. Jake couldn't help but peak his eyes open to see what was happening. He could see a tiny figure standing at the window on the far side of the room. The small figure wore a set of blue floral pajamas, with soft brown hair falling over her shoulders, she was on her tippy toes trying to see outside.

"...Ivy... what are you doing?" Jake called in a groggy manner, which immediately caused the little girls head to turn and look at him.

"Mommies gone again…" she tells him lightly, "I wanted to see her before she left." Ivy admits in a sad tone. It was a rather normal thing for Ivy to check and see if (Y/N)'s car was there in the morning, she still hadn't managed to get herself up early enough despite all of her vows to do so.

Jake couldn't help but smile a little, "Come here sweetie." He tells her, lightly lifting his arm and moving the blanket a touch. Ivy was rather quick to scramble her way back to the side of the bed and climb back up so she could cuddle into Jake's chest.

Jake wraps his arm around her tiny figure giving her a small kiss on the top of her head, "Mommy will be back before you know it. She always is." He whispers against her hair, his hand rubbing her back in a loving way.

"But why does she have to go? You don't have to go away everyday." Ivy points out, wiping her little nose with the back of her hand.

Jake smiles a little, "Well, we have to make money so we can pay for all your toys and clothes." He tells her beginning to twirl her hair around his finger. It always surprised Jake just how much Ivy looked like him; she had his soft brown hair that always sat so sweetly on her shoulders, her eyes… they were the same color as (Y/N)'s but their shape was just like his when he was small.

"Well… I don't need any more toys." Ivy tells him, "Do you think if I tell Mommy that,  she'd stay home with me?"

Jake softly laughs pushing her hair away from her face and looking into her eyes. "Maybe… but y'know we can have lots of fun without Mommy here sweetheart."��

Ivy pouts a little, "You always say that…" She utters; she may have all of Jake's features but that pout was pure (Y/N). 

"Annnnd? Don't we have fun?" He asks her. To which Ivy shakes her head. "No?! What do you mean no?!" Jake quickly responds, a small frown appearing on his lips. "Daddy isn't fun?" She again shook her head. "What?!" Jake quickly says again, hands moving to her sides, "Daddy isn't fun?!" He quickly asks, beginning to tickle Ivy’s sides.

She just as swiftly begins to giggle and try to push his hands away, "S-Stop--!" She giggles, Jake complies and instead pulls her into a tight hug for a moment.

"I think you just don't want to admit that Daddy is more fun than Mommy. It's okay you can tell me…!" Jake whispers by her ear, "I won't tell Mommy." He continues.

Ivy seems to think over this idea for a moment or two before lifting her little hand, "Pinky promise?" She whispers back as if (Y/N) was in the room now.

"Pinky promise." Jake tells her, locking one of his calloused pinkies with hers. They were so small, Jake couldn't help but stare at her tiny hand for a moment. Four years had gone by so fast, it felt like he closed his eyes and when he opened them again Ivy had sprouted up and was preparing to go to kindergarten.

Jake could still remember the first time he got to hold her in his arms… it felt...as if everything in his life had purposefully led up to that exact moment. Jake had tried his best to not let on how big of a deal this was to him to other people; of course, (Y/N) knew. 

Just like the moment (Y/N) had told him that she was pregnant… his tough guy façade crumbled, and he became a crying mess. They were happy tears of course… just overwhelmingly happy ones. Jake held the small bundle close to him, "I'm your dad…!" He lightly whispered, to her--- and more importantly to himself. “...I’m your dad.”

Jake immediately bit his lip a little having recalled that very special moment in his life. He refused to cry as he looked down at his little girl who was growing up faster than he ever could have imagined.

"Daddy?" She lightly called him.

"Yes Ivy?" He responds softly, her hands cupping his cheeks.

"You look sad!" She tells him honestly, seeming to have noticed the change in how he looked at her. Jake could never quite grasp just how good kids were at picking up on people's emotions.

Jake shook his head giving her little palms a kiss, "No! I'm not sad, just thinking~" He tells her with a tender smile. "I was thinking about a fun thing we could do today… to surprise Mommy?" He lightly suggests.

"To surprise Mommy?!" Ivy soon beamed, her little cheeks were so cute when she smiled.

Jake nodded, "To surprise Mommy." He hums as she moves to kiss her nose. "What do you think of making cupcakes?"

"Chocolate cupcakes?!" Ivy quickly suggests,

"Is there any other kind?" Jake smiles at her, Ivy quickly sits up and starts to dance a little.

"Come on Daddy!! Let's go make them!" She urges, taking his hand and trying to pull him to sit up. She was clearly excited, pushing her hair out of her face.

Jake chuckles a little as he sits up, "First." He starts, "We have to get you dressed for the day okay?" He tells her.

She was already crawling her way towards the door, "Can I pick my clothes?!" Ivy eagerly asks, next to vibrating with the new found excitement for the day.

"Sure, honey." Jake smiles lightly watching as she happily hops off the side of the bed and begins running down the hall. "No white clothes Ivy. You hear me?!" He yells.

"Okay!" She yells back.

Jake now stood in the bathroom, brushing back Ivy's hair. She was now dressed in a light purple summer dress that ruffled down to a flowy bottom at her knees. On her feet were mismatched socks, one covered in orange flowers, the other ladybugs. And of course as a crowning glory she wore a long pink beaded necklace. "How do you want your hair this morning?" He lightly asks her, looking at her in the mirror.

She taps her chin, "Two buns?" Ivy suggests.

"Two buns eh?" Jake utters, "Not just one big bun?" He asks her, he wasn’t surprised by the choice. Ivy seemed to like her hair in two buns or a fancy braid normally; that being said (Y/N) normally did her hair because she was much better at it. Jake began to divide her hair so he could pull the two sections up the way she wanted.

"Are you going to have a big bun Daddy?" She asks, her gaze showing she was looking up at him in the bathroom mirror.

"Well I was thinking about it."

"Can I do it for you??" Ivy quickly asks him, watching as he tied the one side into a messy but sweet bun. It was different from how (Y/N) did her buns but Ivy knew her dad was trying his best.

"It'd be faster for me to do it, honey..." Jake tells her. Ivy did his hair very often and Jake really did love letting her play with it, but he assumed she would want to get straight to baking today.

Ivy bit at her cheek for a second watching him start on her second bun. "I want to do it for you." She reaffirms, "When you do buns they're so messy… I want Daddy to look pretty today." Ivy tells him pointedly.

Jake looks down at her pretending to be offended by that statement. "Hey! I thought I was pretty good at it…!”

Ivy seemed to make a slightly disgusted face as she shook her head, making Jake smile even wider. “Well how would you do it then?” He asks her, handing her the hair brush now that he had finished up her buns. 

Ivy spun around on the stool and pulled him down by his arm, “Turn around!” She tells him, Jake gives her a peck on the cheek before sitting down with his back facing her. Her hands were quickly in his hair, yanking the brush mercilessly through any knots Jake had in his hair. He wouldn’t say anything, not wanting to kill her little creative spark. He just bit his lip and allowed her to tug and pull until finally she seemed happy with the little bun she had made on the top of his head. “Where is the thing Daddy?” Ivy asks him, clearly looking for an elastic or scrunchie.

“On the counter baby.” He replies, suddenly getting a sharp pull on his head. She was reaching for one of her floral scrunchies to put in his hair. Once she found one it took her a few minutes to get it in his hair.

“There!” She hums giving him a small smack on his shoulders.

Jake looked up at her, before getting up and turning to look in the mirror, “Oh wait!” Ivy stopped him pulling him down by his hand once more before opening a drawer and pulling out a white headband of (Y/N)’s and quickly pushing it down on Jake’s head. “There! Now you’re beautiful.” She hums.

Jake finally looked at himself in the mirror, curious to see just how messy his hair was. Ivy had actually done a bang up job for the most part, aside from a few little pieces poking up. “I love it.” He smiles, leaning down to give her little kisses on her cheek, “Thank you Ivy.”

Ivy grinned proudly at her handy work.

After a few more stops during their morning routine, Jake and Ivy were now in the kitchen. Ivy knew the drill: she had to get her stool, she also had to find her apron, and most importantly she had to put some music on for the two of them. Ivy began to dig through the records trying to find her favorite album he had buried away. Finally she pulled free an album and handed it to Jake carefully, knowing very well how delicate records were. “The space ship one!” She cheers, having picked out Boston’s album.

The sight of it made him smile, he knew she only liked it because it had a space ship on it but it still made him happy that she wanted to listen to something like that. “You know what to do.” He lightly tells her, not moving to help her just watching carefully as she placed the record on the turntable and very carefully moved the needle over it, 

“Right there?” She asks him, wanting to make sure she would drop it in the right spot. Jake leaned a little closer and soon nodded,

“Right there. Remember to put it down slowly.” He says. Ivy did so with ease, having done this many many times, within seconds music began to fill the house. “Good job!” Jake hums offering his hand for a high five, Ivy happily hit it and began to the kitchen excitedly.

The rest of the afternoon was full of fun as Ivy worked with Jake to bake some beautiful surprise cupcakes for (Y/N). They were covered in batter and icing by the time they were done, sprinkles all over the counter from all of the decorating they had done. As it drew closer to the evening Ivy had cuddled herself up on the couch and fallen asleep watching a movie, she couldn’t wait for (Y/N) to get home so she could give her the prettiest cupcake she had made.

The front door of the house soon creaked open, keys jingling as (Y/N) called out. “I’m home!” 

“In the kitchen.” Jake responded softly, not really wanting to wake Ivy up yet. 

(Y/N) stepped into the kitchen to find Jake cleaning everything up as well as a plate full of cupcakes on the counter. It immediately brought a smile to (Y/N)’s lips, “You guys clearly had a fun day.”

Jake smiled back at her, “Those are supposed to be a surprise, so you better act surprised when she shows you them.” He points out, as he continued to scrub out one of the bowls.

(Y/N) came up behind Jake to hug him from behind and place a small kiss on his neck, “I will~” She smiles resting her head on his shoulder, “It was a fun day though?”

Jake nodded, turning a little to place a soft kiss on (Y/N)’s lips, “Y’know what?” He whispers,

“What?” (Y/N) asks.

“She says that I’m funner than you.” He grins being very proud of this.

“What?!” (Y/N) laughs, Jake just kept nodding, not saying anything else. “Well we’ve gotta change that.” She continues pulling back from him and beginning towards the hallway, “Is she in the living room?”

“Yeah she’s sleeping.” Jake hums, 

(Y/N) nodded as she started her way down it, “Ivy! Mommies home!” 

Jake could hear her call as he turned back to the dishes, his smile wouldn’t dampen. He still couldn’t believe just how lucky he was… to have this beautiful little family. More importantly, how lucky he was to have his sweet little girl named Ivy.

[sangorous]

cinderella

word count: 1.06k

genre/warnings: fluff? angst/none.

nozel silva x black!fem!reader

a disney princess series part 1: cinderella

it's been five years since your mother has passed away and your father remarried someone new.

the move from your small town to the clover kingdom was something that you weren't expecting at all. you were so used to being in a small own where everyone knew each other, but when you moved to the clover kingdom, you felt like an outsider.

but now, you had a new life with your father, stepmother and two stepsisters.

your stepmother and stepsisters seemed nice when you first met them, but as soon as your father left the house; they became new people.

kicking you out of your own room, and moving you to the attic, where it was dusty and dirty. they turned you into a housemaid, carrying out their duty and doing their chores.

everyday you barley ate and drink, and it was a pattern you were use to. you became a slave in your own home as your father was away for work.

listening to your stepsisters nonsense, listening to your stepmother bicker and nag about situations that weren't a big deal, you couldn't take it anymore.

everyday, you'd go to your room in the attic and pray to the man upstairs that one day, you'd be free from their hell.

↳ ❝ [𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀] ¡! ❞

you were downstairs sweeping the floor when a knock was heard from the door, "well don't just stand there stupid, open the door," akane scoffed, looking at you.

you sighed and walked to the door and there stood an unfamiliar man, "hello madam, the king and queen are hosting a ball today to help their son, prince nozel, find his bride," the man bowed.

"here is an invitation, we hope to see you there," he handed you an invitation.

"thank you kind sir," you smiled at him as you waved him off.

"what's in your hand ugly?" aiyo spoke as she walked up behind you.

"the king and queen are holding a ball," you softly spoke, handing her the invitation but she snatched it from you.

"you certainly don't need that," your stepmom chuckled, walking into the living room.

"now let's see what we have here?" she spoke, looking at the invitation.

"this is tonight?" she shouted.

"what are we still doing here? we have to find the finest dresses out there for you two," she clapped her hands and grabbed her purse, you sighed as they cheered and grabbed their handbags and followed their mother.

"mother perhaps i may tag along with you guys tonight if i finish my chores early?" you gave her a weak smile.

"of course dear," she gave you a fake smile.

"that's if you can finish them in time,"she whispered, laughing to herself as she closed the door.

you smiled to yourself as you watched them slam the door shut, and began to clean away.

↳ ❝ [𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀] ¡! ❞

after three hours of cleaning the house, you rushed upstairs and decided to take a nice warm shower in the guest bathroom before your stepfamily came back from their shopping spree.

once you were finished, you walked out of the bathroom and cleaned it the way it was before and walked upstairs to your bedroom.

meanwhile downstairs, akane and aiyo and nancy made their way to their bedroom where they had their new dress in hand.

"so one of us has to get the prince so we can get out of here," aiyo scoffed, looking around the room.

"who are you telling? this house isn't big enough for us," akane gave a pout to the body mirror that stood in front of her.

"and that disease of a 'sister' thinks that mommy is going to let her out," akane snickered fixing her dress.

"i think it's time to go show mommy how beautiful we look don't you think?" aiyo looked at her sister with a big smile.

"let us go,"akane replied, lifting her dress up and walking out of their room and downstairs.

[akane's dress below: ]

[aiyo's dress below:]

"wow look at my stunning daughters," your stepmother spoke in awe as mina and nancy walked downstairs. you stared in awe as you watched your stepsisters make their way downstairs, looking like royalty while you looked down at your dress and saw that it was basic.

[ your dress below:]

"you tried stepsis, but you've got to try harder," aiyo snickered, patting your back as she walked away from you.

you sighed as they gathered by the door, taking pictures and smiling at the camera.

"is everyone ready?" your stepmother spoke and they nodded their heads.

"well let's go," she clapped her hands as they opened the door.

"oh dear," your mother turned around.

"can you get my purse down the hall please?" she gave you fake smile, and you nodded your head.

she saw this as an opportunity to quickly place a small nail on the end of your dress, and when you began to walk towards the hall, you heard a ripping noise. you turned around and your dress was ripped from top to bottom.

"oh no," you cried, dropping down to your knees.

"your dress is ruined," your stepmother gasped.

"which means you can't go to the ball," she gave you a fake pout.

"don't worry, we'll have fun for you, aiyo snickered, walking out of the house and to the carriage.

"don't stay up to late sweetheart," your stepmother shouted, slamming the front door.

you ran upstairs to the attic and dropped yourself on your bed, 'how could she do such a malicious thing?' you thought to yourself as the waterworks came down.

you just wanted a night out of the house. a night to have fun. a night to meet new people. and lastly, a night to find true love, but that was taken away from you.

you looked at your dress and cried once more as you changed back into your pajamas and stared at the hole that ruined your chance at love.

"what's the matter darling?" a soft voice spoke, causing you to slowly turn around.

"who are you?" you asked, observing the petite woman.

"i'm your fairy godmother," she gave you a smile, walking towards you.

"fairy godmother?" you questioned and she nodded her head.

"yes whenever you're having difficulties, i am summoned here to help you. now what troubles you dear?" she spoke, looking at you.

"i wanted to go to the ball, but my stepmother took a small nail and placed it at the end of my dress, causing it to rip," your eyes began to water as you looked at the dress.

"all i wanted was to go to the ball. i'm always locked up in the attic and sent off to do chores and it's not fair!" you shouted, slamming your hand on the bed.

"don't you worry about that sweetheart, we'll make it happen," she smiled, waving her wand around you.

you felt yourself lifting up and saw glitter and sparkles being thrown around you as you twirled around and felt something covering you. once everything was done, you were back on your feet and stood in front of the mirror in awe.

[ your new dress: ]

"well don't just stand here, go to the ball sweetheart," she smiled at you, and you carefully jogged down the stairs and out of the front door.

a beautiful white carriage waited outside for you, and your jaw dropped, "now listen to me. this is only temporary, you have until the clock strikes midnight. once midnight is here, everything will go back to normal. the carriage, your dress, the makeup, and everything else," she gave you a stern look.

"thank you so much, how can i repay you?" you looked at her.

"your hard work already paid off honey," she winked at you as the carriage drove off.

↳ ❝ [𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀] ¡! ❞

you stood outside the mansion and everyone was either walking inside the ballroom or talking outside.

you slowly walked up the stairs and made your way inside the ballroom. people were dancing with each other, sitting down eating, or making conversation.

as you walked around, you felt your shoulder collide with someone else's.

"oh im so sorry," you softly spoke, looking at him.

"it was my mistake," he chuckled softly.

"i'm prince nozel," he added, sticking his hand out.

"i'm cinderella," you shook his hand with a small smile.

"would you like to dance?" he asked, looking at you and you shook your head.

nozel grabbed your hand, and the two of you headed to the dance floor where the two of you danced. as the two of you were dancing and making conversation, you lost track of time.

you looked around for a clock and when you found one, it was already 11:50.

"oh no," you gasped, letting go from him embrace.

"where are you going?" he asked, following behind you.

"i must return before curfew," you shouted, running down the steps.

"wait will i ever see you again?" he shouted, behind you.

"i hope so," you shouted, turning around.

you stared at him and gave him a one more smile before you turned around and ran to the carriage, hoping you'd make it home in time before the carriage turned back into the pumpkin.

nozel sighed as he shook his head. the one opportunity he had to find his princess, failed. he was really intrigued by cinderella and wanted to see her again. he slowly walked down the steps and when he walked down the last steps, he saw something: a blue glass heel.

"this might be hers, which means i can see her again," he smiled to himself, walking back to the ball.

this was pure shit, but anything for nozel. ~tori 😗

[alj4890]

Choices October Challenge

Day 8 Theater

(Thomas Hunt x OC*Amanda) in a Choices Red Carpet Diaries drabble

A/N BFF @krsnlove​ requested this pair and their children for today's prompt. Taking this from And Then I Met You storyline. Here you go M, something fluffy for the Hunt family.

@choicesoctoberchallenge2020​ @lucy-268​​  @lxaah11​​ ​​   @alleksa16​​ ​​   @penguininapinktuxedo​​ ​​   @blackcoffee85​​ ​​   @stopforamoment​​ ​​     @hopefulmoonobject​​ ​​     @krsnlove​​ ​​    @hopelessromantic1352​​ ​​   . @sunflowergirl05​​ ​​   @desireepow-1986​​ ​​  @greywitchyshots​​ ​​   @lilyoffandoms​​  @moodyvalentinestories​​ ​​  @emceesynonymroll​​ ​​   @my-heart-beats-for-ya​​ ​ @aworldoffandoms​​ ​   @ab1901​​ ​     @lolablackwrites​​ ​     @flyawayboo​​ ​   @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​​ ​   . @trappedinfandoms​​ ​   @kate-mckenzie​​

Masterlist

Family Night Out

"Daddy?" Ian looked up as his father finished helping him straighten his tie. "Do we have to go?"

"We do." Thomas smiled down at him. "It was your sister's turn to choose our family activity."

The five year old huffed, shoulders slumping at what was ahead of them. His twin sister was always choosing girly activities. At least their older sister, Kathleen, tried to think of something he would enjoy too.

Elizabeth had picked the worst activity ever.

"They're going to sing." He folded his arms, frowning in a manner that his father easily recognized. “They always sing.”

"Most likely." Thomas knelt before him. "But we will go and enjoy ourselves."

"How?"

"Because we will all be together." He explained. "You and I and your mother and sisters will see a story brought to life. We then will talk about what we liked and disliked, learning even more about one another."

Ian's shoulders slumped. "But a play." He pouted some. "Why couldn't Eliza pick a movie?"

"Ian, your sisters love musicals and princess stories, especially when the two are combined." Thomas's lips quirked. "It won't hurt us to indulge them every once in a while since they readily agree to our chosen activities."

He leaned closer to whisper. "Plus, I bet we can talk our ladies into stopping for some ice cream afterwards."

Ian's frown disappeared. "We can?"

"I think between the two of us we have enough charm to convince them." He chuckled when his son hugged him. "Now don't forget to compliment them."

"Yes sir." Ian looked up the grand staircase when he heard his sisters hurrying down.

Thomas smiled at his daughters dressed up in varying shades of St Orella's blue.

Elizabeth did an excited twirl when she reached the foyer. She waited with a bright smile for her father to say something.

"Ladies, you look lovely." Thomas nudged Ian. "Don't your sisters look pretty in their new dresses?"

"Yes sir." Ian closed his eyes at this unfortunate consequence of having sisters. "You look pretty."

"Thank you." Kathleen and Elizabeth chimed together.

"Daddy, Mommy needs your help." Kathleen told him. "I tried to help her with her dress, but I couldn't get the hooks right."

"You three wait here." He went upstairs to see what clothing drama had occurred.

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

"Who puts this many hooks in a dress?" Amanda muttered, twisting to reach some of the tiny hooks. "This is the last time I trust an overly eager sales rep."

"Allow me." Thomas brushed her hands away.

"I wasn't sure the girls gave you my message." Amanda studied their reflection in the mirror. "I was trying to get out of this dress and find another."

His eyes swept down her. "No need. You look stunning."

"You say that about everything." She teased.

Lips curving, he pressed a kiss to her neck. "Nearly everything. Those pajama pants you wear from time to time do stretch my compliments."

Amanda laughed, settling back in his arms when he hugged her to him.

He raised his eyes to the mirror, a soft smile formed on his lips as he looked at what he had been able to hold for the last fifteen years.

She met his gaze, turning to loop her arms around his neck. "You know, that very look is what caused me to have three children downstairs."

"Did it?" Thomas pressed a kiss to her lips. "Interesting."

She stepped out of his arms, taking his hand in hers. "It did and it is why we better leave now or we will have one very disappointed little girl if we are late to the theater."

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

Private box at St Orella's theater...

"I thought we were seeing The Princess and the Frog." Elizabeth's brow furrowed in confusion when a prince found a girl frog.

Sitting behind their children, Amanda and Thomas glanced down at the program.

"The Frog Princess." Amanda whispered. "Oh dear."

"I didn't pay attention when I bought the tickets." Thomas whispered back.

The two shared a look, both trying not to laugh at the mistake.

"How does a frog catch an arrow?" Ian propped his elbows on the railing.

"They're magic arrows." Kathleen whispered. "To help the prince find the one he is to marry."

"But she's a princess!" Elizabeth muttered. "She should be in pretty dresses!"

"I like her better as a frog." Ian grinned at this unexpected twist.

The three giggled when the prince exaggerated being grossed out at the thought of having to marry a frog.

"I think your mistake worked out." Amanda whispered.

"Good." He settled his arm around her shoulders. "I was going to have to think up more bribes if it didn't."

"Bribes?"

"Bribes might be too strong of a word. Ian was not looking forward to a girly night, so I promised him we would talk you and the girls into going out for ice cream." He rested his head against hers. "Lord knows what Elizabeth would have asked for to make up for this mix up."

Amanda kissed his cheek. "I'm sure whatever it would have been, you would have managed to get."

Thomas lowered his head for a tender kiss. Smiling against her lips, he nodded toward their children. "So...do we get ice cream?"

"When have I ever been able to refuse you?" She teased, kissing him once more.

[weareloserstogether]

I uh couldn’t stop thinking about this

I re-blogged a post a while ago that gave me a soulmate idea and i just couldn’t stop thinking so here’s a very short and kinda skippy one shot i had to make with the idea (it is quite skippy but i made it in like a day, might make a more detailed version of this on a later date with more characters and such)

Eddie was in his room, staring at the ceiling of his room as he twirled the unmagnetized half-circle of steel between his fingers. Eddie could hear his mom in the area below his haven, listening to the TV and most likely asleep in her lazy boy.

Eddie always wondered who his soulmate was, who would hold his hand and make his half-circle magnetize. He took a look at his bracelet before letting it fall with a sigh. He was already 16 years old and hadn't found the one met for him yet, and it weighed down on him.

After a few thoughts, Eddie let himself fall asleep with the same uneasy feeling that he had every night.

--

The next morning he woke up and started his same routine. He started with a shower, washing his hair with both shampoo and conditioner and stepping out once he was clean. He would stand in front of his mirror and look at his body to make sure he was staying a good weight. Once Eddie was done, he kissed his bracelet and hoped for a good day.  

Eddie dried his hair, pushing his fingers through his hair to get the right style for the day, combing it and re-styling it again. Before putting on his clothes, which were just his usual Tee and shorts. 

Eddie took one last glance at himself before heading out of the bathroom towards the bottom floor. His mother had made the food for him and set it on the table, but she was nowhere to be seen. Eddie assumed she was already sitting in her chair, seated in front of the TV, and he would be correct. "Morning, Mommy" He smiled to his mother, and she nodded back with a similar smile, "good morning, Eddiebear; how was your sleep, sweetie?" Eddie shrugged to this but decided not to say anything about it. His mother nodded and kept the same smile plastered on her face.

This conversation went on for a little before she insisted Eddie eat before school. Eddie had given her a slight nod as he began eating half the food off his plate. Once the 5’ something boy finished eating that half of the food his mother had prepared for him, he began to leave the house with his small backpack that slung around his shoulders effortlessly. Eddie got about 20 steps from his home before getting bumped into by some fucking asshole who wasn’t looking where he was going “Fucking watch it!” Eddie yelled out without thinking, wanting to hide in a hole afterwards since he knew he could easily get beat up by anyone who came across him. Eddie fought the fear and looked up to the other that had bumped into him in the first place, immediately knowing who it was that decided to talk “shit man, sorry. You alright?” It was that fucking Trashmouth that many people had hated back in elementary (Except those two kids named Stan and Bill that seemed to enjoy him quite a bit despite his non-stop talking) Eddie nodded and looked at the hand that the male in front of him outstretched to him. This person didn’t seem to wear his bracelet. It was odd to him, but he didn’t see the need to think about it “are… you sure? You’ve been staring at my hand for a good little bit there,” Trashmouth spoke with a chuckled. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine” he nodded and grabbed his hand, almost immediately hoisted up to his feet by the relatively taller male. Eddie was quite astonished by the strength of a teenager who was only a year older than him. The Trashmouth that stood in front of him was quite good looking, Eddie had thought to himself as he glanced up and down the form of him. When they were younger, Eddie had seen him messing around, and it always caught his eyes, but he was never allowed to hang out with those ‘rowdy kids that’ll get you hurt Eddiebear’ hearing his moms’ words in his head made him feel weird. He admired the way Richie seemed careless, and like all the world, just rotated around him. Eddie was pulled out of his state when Richie petted his hair and smiled, “I’ll be careful not to bump into you next time, Eddie?” Eddie nodded to this, which caused Richie to smile “right, well, See ya, Eds!” he waved and walked away with a bright hop in each step he took

Stan and Bill, who had been smiling the whole time and looking as if there was a joke somewhere in the words Eddie and Richie were sharing that Eddie wasn’t getting, were pushing Richie along and brightly laughing, knowing some Eddie didn’t. Richie looked back at him with a soft smile, almost like he didn’t want to stop looking at Eddie. Eddie shook these thoughts and sighed, ‘There’s no way Richie, the loudest and irritating kid in school, would linger on Eddie of all people.’ 

These words that Eddie told himself were far from the truth, which he would soon find out. See, Richie had been lingering on Eddie probably his whole life. Still, he thought that Eddie would never want to talk to a Trashmouth like him, so he just watched from afar until this day and damn...now that Richie had a taste of talking to this sweet boy, The Trashmouth would damn himself to hell if he didn’t continue. 

Even though Eddie thought that Richie would never like him, he wanted more than anything to check if his bracelet had magnetized from their hands, closing contact with each other. Eddie finally got his thoughts out of his head and grabbed his things, walking to the school that he now had another reason for liking.

That day had started an event that happened every single day before school, and then during school and slowly every minute of the day that Eddie was free, Richie was there.

They became best friends, inseparable. Eddie was brought into Richies’ group and loved every second of being there. Today was the middle of summer, and Richie brought Eddie to get some ice cream, and Eddie finally brought it up. “Hey...Richie, why don’t you wear your bracelet?” He asked, lifting his ice cream cone and pointing to the bracelet, that slid a bit down his arm from the movement, with the other hand. Richie looked down at this and shrugged, “I don’t think it has much of a purpose, plus what if my soulmate isn’t the one I love now? Do I have to wait and go through not being with the one I want?” He asked questions that Eddie hadn’t thought about before, “I guess you’re right, though I’d like to know the person I love will be with me for our lifetime,” Richie nodded, understanding what he meant. Eddie had been thinking about if Richie was meant to be his soulmate for a long time now, but since Richie didn’t wear his bracelet...he wouldn’t know ever. Richie saw the look on Eddies’ face and sighed, “I can wear it tomorrow if you like? Maybe we are soulmates, Eddie Spaghetti” Richie spoke with a smirk on his face that Eddie kinda loved, but he glared at him “yeah, right, that’s fucking stupid.” Eddie licked his ice cream, secretly enjoying the idea of holding the others hand and their magnets clicking together. Richie chuckled and again had the idea that if they didn’t click, he would officially stop looking for a good and stay with Eddie because he finally knew that Richie loved him, and he really couldn’t give a fuck.

The rest of the day, they were together was filled with banter and just all-around fun times that Eddie would look back on and smile to himself while trying to fall asleep.

Once Richie had let the other back to his house at curfew, Richie sighed, “I was serious earlier, Eddie” He looked at him and smiled softly, waving and walking home, leaving Eddie to wonder what he was serious about all night long.

It had been two months since then, and neither of has had mentioned that day again, Richie was too scared to find out the truth, so he just kept his bracelet in his room, in the drawer that it had been in since the beginning of middle school. Though today was the day before school would start and Richie decided he should find out. He already got dressed and tried to brush out his hair today, though it didn’t quite work. He deep dived in his sock drawer and pulling out the fucking bracelet that he had wished didn’t exist for years. Richie put it on the wrist; he would always hold Eddies’ hand with if he ever fell or wanted contact. He put it under his sleeve so no one would see it and walked out of his room for the day, anxiety whirring through his stomach, making him want to puke and stay home today, but he knew Eddie wouldn’t want to be with him if he wasn’t his soulmate.

------

For the last day, all the Losers were meeting in the clubhouse out in the woods. Some additions were made to it since Eddie had joined like beanbag chairs, new lighting fixtures and some end tables that were used for things like an ashtray and a lamp that was never on, only put there for design. 

Bev and Richie just got back from smoking, and all Richie could think about was the bracelet that wrapped around his elbow from the sleeve, moving it up more and more as the day went on. Richie had told Bev his plan, and her reaction to that was getting quite excited and chanting random old elementary songs that were written from the idea of the bracelet. Richie’s eyes planted on Eddie, sitting in the hammock with a comic in his hands that Richie had been reading the day before. Richie sighed and walked up to Eddie, leaning against the post “let me in” He stretched the side of the hammock and Eddie got scared by this at first but chuckled and nodded “I’m not stopping you, Richie.” Richie got into the hammock without a second thought, not without trouble, of course, but he didn’t mind that. Richie just sat and grabbed a comic. Richies’ legs were quite long actually; they reached Eddies’ shoulders when lying on the hammock, so he liked to get in without shoes and put them under the younger boys back. The time went by past, and Richie hadn’t touched Eddie’s hand the whole day, he was scared. 

Most of the losers had left, leaving only Mike, Bev, and Ben in the clubhouse with the two boys lounging on the hammock. Bev finally got up and smiled, “alright! I’ve got to go home, and Mike is the only one with a car, so let’s go” Bev reached out her hand to Ben, and when Ben took her hand, their magnets connected. They had found out they were soulmates since the two met, and they truly loved each other, it was amazing to see. Unlike them, Mike had been actively avoiding the group leaders, Bill,  hand since he was brought into the group since he was scared they weren’t meant to be, but maybe if Riche and Eddie were meant for each other, he would try. Bev had pushed the two out of the clubhouse, earning a little pout from Eddie and a slight nervous stare from Richie. Bev winked to Richie and waved, “bye, boys!”

Once the hatch of the clubhouse closed, the room filled with silence. A thick, dense thing that would only leave if Richie spoke, so he did, “Do you have your bracelet on today?” Richie asked, knowing the answer, Eddie never too it off “Yeah. why?” He asked, and Richie shook his head, “can...can, I see?” He asked, hoping that if this didn’t work, Eddie wouldn’t realize. So, Richie reached out. He started with taking his small finger in his hand, and slowly he passed his hand, grabbing the bracelet and bringing his write towards himself. Eddie looked confused but leaned towards him. Richie knew that it would only magnetize the half circles when they held hands entirely, but Richie wanted to make it an intimate moment. Once Eddie was leaned up and just staring at Richie, he started talking, asking him why he was doing this with small laughs. Richie then moved his hand down, caressing his hand to his own and intertwining their hands together, and that’s when he felt it, a surge of energy, something that he knew Eddie felt just by looking into his eyes. Before Richie could speak, the bracelet travelled down his arm, connecting his magnet to Eddies, creating a full circle of intricate designs that describes their own personalities “fuck…” Richie trailed off, and neither of them knew what to say, but Richie smiled. This was the moment he had wanted for years, and that only grew as they got to know each other. 

Eddie didn’t believe what was happening. Their circles were connected, held tight to each other, “Richie...are we?” He asked in a hopeful voice, Richie not speaking for a moment before nodding. A huge smile broke out onto his face “yeah” They both smiled to each other in disbelief, and Eddie finally made a move to hug Richie, laying his body between his legs and wrapping his arms around his waist and snuggling in close. Richie chuckled, “Jesus Eds; you can’t be this cute” Eddie looked up at him and laughed before adding a pout to his face which was cracking due to the urge to laugh and smile. 

Richie smiled down at him. He kept their hands together, taking his other hand and lifting his face to his own and planting a kiss to the other���s lips leaving Eddie to kiss back if he pleased, which he did. They stayed like that for hours, talking and laughing, not caring about the time.

The next day they went to school hand in hand, their magnets attached, walking to the Losers and smiling, Richie making it quite apparent by holding their hands up. The group smiled ever bright and congratulated them, bringing them both into tight hugs, the whole time keeping their hand interlocked, sharing looks that could only be described as love.

[chilling-seavey]

Ok but like what Daniel would be like for the girls prom or first school dance or something would be so cute

I’m working on a prom one right now buttttttt speaking of school dances…there’s no doubt that there’s at least one father-daughter dance thrown by the elementary school and that was when Clementine was nine...

It was a whole deal; the teacher had printed little invitations and tickets and were going to set up the gym to be like a little formal dance for the girls and their fathers. For nine-year-old Clementine, this was the best idea ever and the second she got in the car after school, she was shoving the invitation into her mother’s hands with a grin.

“Can I go, Mommy?” Clementine pleaded as she buckled up her seatbelt.

“I don’t think I’m the one you’re supposed to ask.” Florence chuckled, making sure all three girls were buckled and ready to go.

“When’s Daddy home from work?”

“Around 5:30 but we can go surprise him if you’d like.” Florence suggested.

“Yes!” the girls grinned.

So they made a stop on the way home to the studio and headed inside. The secretary knew the family well since they had been around a lot and she greeted the girls with a smile. Clementine walked right up to the desk, “I need to see Daddy. It’s important.”

“Important, is it? I’ll buzz you in and you can go find him right away.” The secretary chuckled and unlocked the inside door for them.

Clementine thanked her loudly and took off running down the hallway despite her mother’s call for her to slow down as she carried the toddler in one arm and held Penelope’s hand with her other. Daniel was in one of the studios at the end of the hall and Clementine peered through the glass door before letting herself in. Daniel looked up from the soundboard and smiled at the sight of his daughter.

“Hey, you.” he welcomed her eager hug as the rest of their family came in and he leaned back in his chair so Florence could dip down to kiss him. “What’s the special occasion?”

“I have something I need to ask you.” Clementine said, her hands grabbing tightly onto his arm.

“Okay?” Daniel glanced up at Florence hesitantly before looking back to their eldest.

“My school is having a dance…a very fancy dance…and I wanted to ask you if you would please go with me?”

“A very fancy dance?” Daniel questioned.

Clementine thrust the invitation at him and he skimmed it over, his smile only growing as he read the contents and he bent down to press a kiss to her head.

“Of course I’ll go with you, angel.”

It was only a week away on the following Friday night and Daniel took that afternoon off work so he could make sure he was home in time and all ready for the dance. He was almost more excited than Clementine was, and she was the one with a new dress. When Florence brought the two oldest girls home from school that afternoon, Daniel was already cleaning himself up in the ensuite bathroom, pushing his hair back and nearly emptying a can of hairspray on it, already in his dress pants and white button up that was still untucked and unbuttoned.

Florence whistled from her spot in the doorway, making him glance over at her a shoot her a small smirk before turning back to his hair, “Good thing there are no moms at the dance tonight or else you’ll be fighting them off.”

“Very funny.” Daniel rolled his eyes teasingly as she walked up beside him and rested her hand on his shoulder and they looked at each other through the mirror.

“Wedding suit?”

“Yeah.” Daniel pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Florence only smiled and gave his shoulder a little squeeze, “I gotta go help your date get ready. Button up your shirt before I tell you to just take it off.”

“Keep it G-Rated, baby, my gosh.” Daniel tisked playfully after her.

Clementine had a brand-new dress to wear to the dance, the bodice full of silver sparkles and the knee length skirt a metallic silver satin with a cute little bow around the waist; she even had a pair of silver kitten heels to wear underneath. Florence curled her hair in her bathroom mirror, the other two girls sitting with them watching in awe as their older sister’s blonde waves fell in soft little ringlets down her back. The look was finished off with a bit of pink lip gloss and Clementine grinned at herself in the mirror.

“Like it?” Florence asked, ruffling a hand through her daughter’s hair before spraying a bit of hairspray to keep it in place.

“I love it! Thank you, Mommy!” Clementine shrieked, throwing her arms around her mother’s waist before they were heading back into the living room. The girls sat on the couch as Florence put a few things in a little purse for Clementine, Lucy busying herself with tugging lightly at her sister’s curls.

Daniel finally came back down the hallway, dressed and ready to go in his full suit down to the shiny black dress shoes and the silver cufflinks that he was adjusting as he walked in. Clementine gasped and jumped off the couch.

“Daddy, you look so handsome.” she grinned and rushed up to him eagerly.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Daniel chuckled, taking a second to admire her, “You look absolutely gorgeous. I think there’s one thing missing though.”

Clementine’s face fell, “What?”

Daniel held out his hand and she took it, letting him lead her to the kitchen and he opened the fridge and pulled out a plastic box. Inside was a small white rose corsage and matching boutonniere and he leaned down in front of her to show her, watching how his daughter’s eyes went wide and absolutely sparkled with excitement.

“Gotta treat my date like the grown-up lady she is, right?” Daniel took her right hand and slipped the corsage on her wrist. “That okay?”

Clementine nodded and admired the flower before throwing her arms around his neck with a squeal before pressing a sticky kiss to his cheek. The other girls came over to see what all the fuss was about, both of them gaping jealously at their sister’s corsage as Florence helped pin Daniel’s boutonniere to the lapel of his jacket and then wiped the little lip gloss print off his cheek. He thanked her with a sweet kiss.

“Hey!” Clementine frowned up at them. “You’re my date tonight!”

“Sorry. You’re right. How awful of me.” Daniel said. “I’ll take it back.”

He pressed another kiss to his wife’s lips and pulled back dramatically before looking down to his daughter, “Okay?”

Clementine narrowed her eyes at them, “Fine.”

The two of them got their pictures taken in the living room and then were in the elevator down to the car to head towards the school. Daniel, of course, opened the car door for her and she thanked him sweetly as she climbed into her car seat and buckled her seatbelt up herself. When they got to the elementary school, there were already other father and daughter duos lining up and heading inside with their tickets and Clementine held onto Daniel’s hand as they made their way into the gym. Most of the dads wore nice collared golf shirts and ironed khakis, a few in slacks and button-ups, but Daniel was probably the only one in a full suit. He was a bit shy about it at first but as soon as they walked into the gym that was decked out like a little fairy-tale set and Clementine pulled him up to her principal who was greeting people at the door and said a proud, “This is my Daddy!”, Daniel could have freaking melted.

Dinner was served at the dance and they ate at a table of 8 with three other pairs of dads and daughters and Daniel knew two of the dads since their girls were friends with Clementine but all of them at the table seemed to be eyeing him almost jealously as the young father of not even twenty-eight yet was clearly outshining them in his pristine suit, perfect hair, and wrinkle-less face. Daniel was too hung up on his daughter to even care about what anyone else thought about him, how she sat there looking just like her mother and Daniel could only smile with pride at her as she talked excitedly to the table about whatever she so pleased.

And when the dancing started, Clementine and Daniel were inseparable, and he let her do lots of twirls under his arm so her sparkly dress would spin around and catch the light off the sequins sewn into the material. When the slow song came on, they held hands and swayed slowly around the gym floor, Daniel singing along softly to the song as Clementine beamed up at him. There was no one he loved more in the world and that was obvious, their bond strong and unique from the very start.

And when she fell asleep on the drive home, she looked just as little as when he held her in the hospital the day she was born, those long lashes resting on her cheeks and lips pouted sweetly. Daniel couldn’t help but stare at her through the rear-view mirror at each red light, how the city lights rippled across her face as they drove, a peaceful little girl he didn’t want to see grow up.

He carried her inside when they got home and, even though she was getting big and was quite heavy at nine-years-old, he still made it all the way to the fifty-sixth floor and into the apartment with her arms around his neck and her face squished against his shoulder. Daniel laid her down on her bed and carefully got her changed into her pyjamas while trying not to wake her up before tucking her under the blankets and pressed a kiss to her head, twirling one of her curls around his finger as he admired her a moment longer.

Florence was still awake in their room when he closed up the rest of the apartment and headed for bed himself. She smiled warmly at him as he closed the bedroom door behind him and loosened his tie with a heavy sigh.

“How was it?”

“So much fun.” Daniel admitted through a grin and leaned over the side of the bed to press a lingering kiss to her lips. “I love her so much.”

“I know.” Florence smiled, running her thumb over his cheek.

“She looks so much like you, you know.”

“So I’ve been told.” Florence chuckled and he kissed her again. She pushed a hand through his hair, eyes locked on his, “You gonna come to bed now?”

“Still wanna get me out of this suit?” Daniel bit lightly at his bottom lip, eyes dropping to her mouth before offering her a little smirk.

“Already did once on that honeymoon of ours, didn’t I?” Florence teased, shuffling herself a little as he climbed over top of her and kissed her strongly. She pushed his jacket off and to the floor between long kisses and took his face in her hands.

“God, I wanna make so many more babies with you.” Daniel groaned, grabbing her legs and tugged her farther down on the bed so she was laying down before leaning back in for another hungry kiss.

“Three’s our limit, remember?” Florence laughed.

“I know, I know.” Daniel buried his face in her neck to suck softly over her skin before moving back to look at her, “I love you.”

Florence grabbed the front of his button-up to keep him close, their noses brushing in their close proximity, taunting him with a cheeky, “Prove it.”

[kumkaniudaku]

Savage

A/N: Happy Two Year Anniversary to this blog. I hope you enjoy. 

Summary: CoCo’s trying to get back to herself with a special photoshoot and help from an unlikely source. 

Standing in the bathroom mirror dressed in nothing but the skin God blessed her with, Tasha proudly turned her hips from side to side to examine her body. A small smile crept across her golden features as her eyes raked over her hips before landing on her backside. She used the tips of her fingers to grasp at the cuff of her ass and lift the area.

"Hey there, girl. Been a long time since we've seen each other. Lookin' good." Tasha's hands took the scenic route to her breast, stopping at her stomach and rubbing her palm over the section that had plagued her for years. When she reached her chest, she playfully pushed her breasts together and smiled. "And look at you guys. Sittin' all pretty after all these years."

With her hair loose and untamed and Beyonce's self-titled album playing in the background, CoCo felt a surge of energy that began a swirling motion in her hips. She watched the natural curves and jiggle of her body as she moved and smiled, finally feeling comfortable with the "new" her. A year and half postpartum was filled with the ups and downs of understanding the changes within her and accepting them. Tasha's silly dance moves were a moment of celebration that her husband, who quietly stood in the doorway to enjoy the morning entertainment, understood and appreciated.

In the middle of twirl to the rap portion of Yonce, Tasha was startled by her husband. She quickly rushed to her phone to pause the song and end her private dance party.

"No, don't stop," Chadwick laughed as he stepped into the bathroom. "I'm lovin' the show."

"I feel like you're laughing at me."

"Of course not, baby. I'm laughing with you." His last words became a sultry mumble as he made space for his lips on Tasha's. Goosebumps pebbled on her cold skin wherever Chadwick's warm palms landed, finally finding a home just above her ass. They stood in one position, holding each other and making silly conversations that kept the energy light. In the middle of a debate on which child would be the first to wake and terrorize the house, Tasha decided to share a bit of news.

"I got an email this morning from Rihanna," she casually introduced, keeping her eyes away from Chadwick's as she pretended to take an interest in the chain around his neck.

"Is this for another one of those wild girl's nights that ends up on Instagram?"

"Wow, I accidentally showed a little nipple once on IG Live once, and now it's a whole thing!" Chadwick cocked his head back with his eyebrows raised and a soft smile resting on his face.

Instead of bringing up the instantaneous internet reaction that lasted for days after the unintentional peep show, he laughed at the memory and shook his head.

"Anyway," she emphasized with an eye roll. "It was an invitation to do a little modeling very soon."

"Modeling for Rihanna, huh? Is this the Fenty makeup stuff you look so good in?"

"No, but I'll make sure to bring your compliment up the next time I speak to her," Tasha laughed before going silent.

Her sudden reluctance to continue didn't escape Chadwick as he playfully pinched her backside to get a response.

"Don't leave me hanging, girl, what is it?"

"Ow! Okay! Rihanna wants to see me in some of her new...lingerie."

"I'm sorry what was that," Chadwick asked after noticing his wife's intentional rush past the last word.

"I said Rihanna wants me to model some of her new lingerie."

"Lingerie. Like half-naked, ass out in see-through lace lingerie?"

"Possibly. She says, and I quote, that I have a nice ass that deserves to be seen all over the world. She gave me the entire rundown of the campaign and the process. Baby, I really wanna do this. I'm finally feeling back to being myself after having Noah, and I want to celebrate! I'm not going to have this body forever. I should show it off while I still have time, right?"

Chadwick could hear and see the excitement radiating from Tasha at the thought of working on the campaign, but he worried about her. From the beginning of their relationship, he'd vowed to protect her from the often cruel opinions of the public. While he trusted CoCo's ability to take the comments in stride, he wasn't sure if he would be able to refrain from unleashing his wrath upon some unsuspecting teenager behind a keyboard.

Dropping his head, Chadwick placed a chaste kiss on Tasha's nose. "If you think you can handle it, I'm all for you showing off your little cupcakes within reason."

"Oh, yeah, right. You love these little cupcakes."

"Mm, I do. 'Specially when you have 'em all oiled up for me. Ooh, or in that backless satin dress you wear on special occasions."

Tasha rolled her eyes and smiled as he ran through all of the ways he liked to see her derriere present for his viewing pleasure.

"Do you wanna hear about the overall concept of the shoot or not, lover boy," she laughed while Chadwick nipped at her neck and pressed her body closer to his.

"Go ahead; I'm listening. I can listen and rub at the same time."

"Well, what if I wanted to be rubbed separately?"

CoCo could barely hear her husband's response over her squeals as Chadwick lifted her from her feet to place her on the counter. They quickly abandoned playful tickling for more sensual forms of touching until they were too wrapped up in each other to notice other sounds in their home.

Their escalating round of flirting came to a sudden halt when the repeated clicking of the bedroom's doorknob caught their attention.

"It's time for breakfast," Micah yelled from the hallway. "You guys said playtime was at night! I'm hungry."

"What are we eating this morning, baby girl?"

"I dunno! I'm not a grown-up yet. Can Mommy wake up and make us pancakes? MOMMY WAKE UP!"

Tears pricked CoCo's eyes as she fought to stifle laughter and catch her breath. "I'm awake, Chicken Little. Pancakes coming right up. Go check on your brother."

Micah answered with an unenthusiastic grumble before dragging her feet down the hallway in the direction of Noah's bedroom. One look at each other sent Chad and CoCo into a fit of laughter at the sheer comedy of the moment.

"That's our girl," Tasha laughed.

"She's a little diva. I wonder who she gets that from."

"Oop! Is that sarcasm I hear, husband?"

"Oh, never!" Sneaking a final kiss, Chadwick stepped back to make his way toward the threshold of the bathroom. A mischievous smirk graced his face as he turned to address his wife. "She absolutely gets it from you."

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

"Hit a switch on a fake nigga, like a station. Sex with me so amazing…"

Tasha silently mouthed the words to Rihanna's ANTI album while her house buzzed with staff members assisting with the early morning shoot. Though her exterior was calm and collected on the outside, she was suffering through an awful surge of anxiety.

When she initially accepted Rihanna's invitation, CoCo didn't even consider the specifics. She'd been a part of plenty of photoshoots, but all of them had he styled in clothing that didn't show off very intimate curves and lumps. Never had she been tasked with fighting to cover her nooks and crannies with her olive-colored Savage x Fenty robe.

"You think I can fit this?"

Snapping from her onslaught of negative thoughts, Tasha shifted her eyes to get a glimpse of her sister through her vanity mirror.

"Yeah...in about four months."

"I don't have four months. I wanna have sex tonight. I'm hormonal, and I want it immediately."

"Then, by all means, cram those big lactating titties in that bra."

Tiana laughed from the pit of her growing belly for several seconds until she paused. "I think I just peed a little."

This time Tasha joined in, motioning for the makeup artist to pass her a few tissues to catch the tears welling in the corner of her eyes.

"Sit your ass down, TiTi. The only person allowed to pee on the carpet by accident is still learning how to stand on his own two feet."

"I just love my little chunk muffin," she gushed, referring to her nickname for Noah. "When are they coming back?"

"Hopefully, long after all of this is over. I don't know if I'm ready for Micah to see me dressed so...so scandalous."

Taking a seat on the chaise across the room, Tiana shook her head in disapproval. "Oh girl, hush. You're a woman with a beautiful body, and Micah could stand to learn an early lesson about the power of living in your skin unapologetically. A healthy body image at a young age is important."

"When did you become a damn poet," Tasha asked in faux annoyance. She knew her younger sister was right in her advice and needed a moment to process the statement.

"I became a poet when you invited me over here for moral support. It's my new thing after reading all these rich lady parenting books."

"Who knew my little sister had morals?" The pair locked eyes through the mirror and smiled at each other when Tiana flashed her middle finger and waved Tasha off. "Really, though, thanks, Ti. I appreciate the advice."

"Yeah, yeah. Show your appreciation by directing me to the best snacks in your pantry."

The hairstylist took a break from situating CoCo's pin curls to finally release his laughter, making the Greene sister duo join in.

"You two need a YouTube channel. I would subscribe," he complimented as his laughter subsided. "Feel free to grab some food from the catering station on the deck. Or we can get someone to bring it to you. What's the order?"

"Oooh, fancy! Don't worry about that, sweetheart. I need to get some exercise done anyway. Gotta keep my girlish figure for my Savage shoot one day."

Tiana gave the room a show as she playfully ran her hands up her legs and twisted her hips in a sultry dance. Once she exited the room in search of lunch, silence filled the room once again.

Megan Thee Stallion became the soundtrack of Tasha's thoughts as she pondered Tiana's advice. Maybe it wasn't Micah that needed the body positivity message. Though she didn't necessarily hate her body, she was used to living in her shell in public, and only embracing her natural self in private. It was time for a change.

"Knock, knock." A set of knuckles rapped against the hardwood door of CoCo's vanity area inside of her closet, making her pause to catch her breath. Such a melodic blend of West Indian charm and homegirl inflections could only belong to one person.

"Rihanna?!? In my house?!? Am I dead?"

The Bajan Beauty chuckled as she moved further into the room to check on the progress of Tasha's glam prep. "If you're dead, then I'm gonna need all this shit back."

"Wow, so you wouldn't let me represent the Fenty brand for Jesus?"

"Who said you were going to see Jesus?" Everyone in the room fell into a fit of laughter as Rihanna wrapped her arms around CoCo in a warm embrace. "You look so good right now! Like...damn!"

"Do I? Because I feel like an old lady trying to be young again."

"Oh, please! Stand up." Tasha immediately began to protest, but her words fell on ears that would not take 'no' for an answer. Before she could make a mad dash for the bathroom, Rihanna rushed to pull Tasha in front of the full-length mirror to get a good look at herself.

They stood in silence for a moment, allowing CoCo to quietly regard her body while Rihanna adjusted the straps of her racy bodysuit. The custom Savage by Fenty silk robe hanging off of her shoulders hid most Tasha's body, but what she could see brought a small smile to her face.

"Cross Fit is full of a bunch a dudebro white boys, but I have to say, it works," she laughed as she turned her body to get a better look.

"I told you! I know a bunch of old bitches that need to take a seat and hang it up. You are not one of them." Finally done with her adjustments, Robyn stood on her tip-toes to rest her chin on Tasha's shoulder and smile. "Now that we're on the same page, you ready?"

Taking a deep breath, Tasha nodded and smiled, "I'm ready."

"Good. Now, get this bitch some wine and turn up the music. She needs to get loose!"

As ordered, CoCo took a break for red wine before settling in the mood of the shoot. Rihanna explained her vision for the afternoon as a beautiful look into the sexiness of motherhood and being a wife.

"It's like Desperate Housewives meets XNXX," she described as Tasha downed the last of her Merlot. "Ho, but make it, mommy."

Though the visual was funny, CoCo understood the intention and used it to fuel her movements from scene to scene. Exaggerated arches while pretending to vacuum or make up the bed felt silly initially until the praise of the photographer began to boost her confidence. In her second outfit, a floral lace teddy, she felt covered enough to be comfortable and exposed enough to feel like the most beautiful woman within 100 miles.

"Look at me like I'm your husband walking into the kitchen after a great night, and you're making breakfast to thank him. Give me those bedroom eyes."

Everyone in the kitchen could sense an energy shift as Tasha bit her lip and gave the camera a coy look over her shoulder. Flashbacks of a scenario matching the request made her stomach flutter with the emotion of seeing her man waltz down the stairs after their first night together.

"Oh, she's feeling it," Tiana smiled as she leaned over to speak to Rihanna. "I recognize that look, T!"

"You fantasizing over there, girl?"

"Let the master work in peace, please. Thank you!"

CoCo's thoughts of Chadwick became a reality when her exhausted husband walked through the front door with both kids in tow. The sight of a full crew roaming his home added an extra layer of anxiety to an already turbulent afternoon. But, taking a step into the kitchen and laying eyes on his wife gave him a second wind.

He watched her charm the room and the camera like a pro.  

He wasn't the only person speechless for her display.

Micah's eyes sparkled as she watched her mother dazzle, and she couldn't help her tiny squeal. The sound drew everyone's attention while she rushed into the room.

"Mommy, you look like a movie lady," she exclaimed.

Tasha turned just in time to intercept Micah's hug before pulling her off the ground. When she looked up to find Chadwick, he gave her an apologetic look.

"I know I said we'd be gone, but Noah was fussy and I -"

"Baby, it's okay." Tasha's laughter caught Chadwick off-guard.

"You...you sure? I can take them to the park or something."

"It's fine! Right, Robyn? It's cool if they stay?"

"Girl, this is your house! It would be very Karen of me to tell you who you can and can't have in here," Rihanna laughed. "Plus, I wanna hold the baby. Gimme!"

Chadwick took Rihanna's request as an opportunity to get closer to CoCo, who welcomed him with open arms and a kiss to the cheek. Leaning in to return the gesture, he made it a point to brush his lips across her ear.

"Keep this outfit for another time. You look amazing."

"Yeah? Maybe you can help me into the next one." The thought of another racy number had Chadwick on high alert and more handsy than he would generally be in front of a crowd. "Hey, now! Get on out of here. You're holding up the crew."

"Bold of you to assume we didn't get all of that. I want some more," Rihanna added as she tickled Noah. "Miss Micah, you wanna take some pictures?"

"Yes! Please please please, Mommy! Pleaseeeee!"

CoCo looked to Chadwick for confirmation that he granted her with a nod and a smile.

"Of course, baby. Let's go find you an outfit."

With some help from the team on set, Micah found in a dress that matched the styling direction of Tasha's bodysuit. The bright sun provided perfect light for the outdoor setting, making the backyard's greenery and the blue water in the pool. Micah was a star from the first click of the camera. For a child that had only been in the world for a little over 6 years, she had knowledge of her angles and how to interact with another person in the shot. Her facial expressions mimicked Tasha's as they posed together under Rihanna's direction. Her apparent excitement to be part of her mom's moment put CoCo at ease.

Soon, Noah joined the shoot for the final 20 frames. His baby giggles infused the perfect amount of energy to finish the day.

Long after the shoot had ended and the house cleared of visitors, Tasha still found herself buzzing. Standing in front of the mirror in the bedroom, she smiled at her reflection.

"You think I could model full time. Like for AARP?"

Her comment made Chadwick choke with laughter before he could respond. "Yes to modeling, no to AARP."

"That's the right answer. Good job, babe." Once she'd had enough of looking at herself, Tasha flopped across the bed and closed her eyes. "Today felt so...good. I've never felt this free before. And seeing Micah look at me like a superhero made me feel important. She is six years old and giving me more validation than anyone in the world. It's wild."

"She thinks the world of you, trust me. We all do."

Popping her eyes open, she got a glimpse of Chadwick smiling down at her, making her feel warm all over. This was the high she's been chasing as she made the journey back to herself. In all of the photos taken and posted for likes and commentary from the public, nothing could compare to the way she felt when her kids told her 'I love you' or when her husband winked at her from across the room. His comments were confirmation of the lesson she'd finally learned. She didn't need to look a certain way for people she didn't know or care about.

All the love and adoration she desired was already around her.

[kissmyafropuff]

Shooting Star (3)

Hello Beloveds!

Now, before anyone else calls me out, I’ll admit it myself that I’ve been slacking. It’s been way too fucking long since I posted chapters 1 & 2– my bad. 😬 Just love me, okay? A bitch is out here living a whole ass life.

If you don’t want to be tagged, let me know. If you do want to be tagged, let me know. 

Here it is y’all, Chapter 3.

Author’s Note: I am very new to this, so be kind to me.

Warnings: Idk what goes here? Swearing? Use of the n word is inevitable.

Words: ~ 1.8K

Enjoy my loves xo 🖤✨

Chapter 2

The air was thick. Almost opaque with the fear and anger; frustration and impotence rolling off of Erik and all around those nearest him. Why had her eyes zeroed in on his daughter, and why had the trio taken a collective glance at each other? Erik tried to shift Aurora away from the thieves' sightline, but they’d locked in. They had seen her necklace, and it was apparent to all around them that this was what they were really after.

Zora attempted to break their laser-like focus on the child, “Look. The alarm has an auto trip function. Anything or anyone so much as cracks that glass above and it alerts the local police and SWAT. You’ve got 3 more minutes tops before--”

“You shut her up, or I will.” Tatania never took her eyes off of Aurora’s necklace, but calmly and swiftly silenced Zora with a delicate yet deadly looking blade which just seemed to appear in her hand. She twirled it-- gracefully, almost majestically, but no less menacingly.

Puck went to Zora quickly and shook his head at her, revealing some of the short and gruesome cuts all over his neck and upper torso, just below his collar bones, trying to do for her what no one seemed to have done for him: shut her before things got worse. The sight of Titania wielding that knife seemed to have relieved him of his incessant chatter.

Nothing in Erik’s life could prepare him for this moment. No amount of time in the SEALs, nor number of deployments to Afghanistan could have prepared him with the tools to quell the fear which had taken root in his belly. The almost palpable tension in the air had him in a cold sweat; perspiration covering his whole body in a matter of moments, causing his black v-neck t-shirt to cling to his torso, his palms slick with the ever growing reality that he is outnumbered and outgunned while this psycho bitch has her focus zeroed in on his babygirl.

“My, my, my. What a beautiful little flower you are, ma petite” Titania practically purred as she made her way across the bank’s lobby. She pulled up just short of the Stevens family.

“Errrrrriiiiiiiiiiik!”

He didn’t need to see Portia’s face to know she was upset with something. He also didn’t need either degree from MIT to know that if he didn’t hurry his narrow ass up those stairs to help her, it would only get worse. He sped up.

“Yea, bae. What’s up?”

“This is all your fault! I hate you for talking me into this, and I swear I’ll never forgive you.”

The morning sickness had been almost non-stop since her first trimester.

“Can I get you some Saltines? Tea? A ginger ale? Anything? Fuck, lemme get you a cool cloth.”

“No, no, I’m fine. I’m just being bratty,” Portia said, head still in the bowl, ready to offer up yet another sacrifice to the porcelain gods. She knew that being miserable for the last 7 and a half months wasn’t Erik’s intent when he first brought up trying for a kid. He’d grown up longing for a family for so long, and from what little she’d shared about her own, he knew that her’s wans’t close. Building a family, just the two of them, had been his dream for the first two years of their marriage. When they decided to start trying, Portia didn’t expect them to be so...good… at it. Within the first month of trying, it seemed to have taken, because within the first 6 weeks, she was puking every day.

Loudly. Painfully. Incessantly.

“It’s not bratty behavior when there’s actually something upsetting you.”

“Mon chou, I’m not upset. Your child is just tossing and turning in there, and I’m riding that wave of sea sickness. I’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve only got literal days at this point. This little butter bean will be here before we know it,” Portia finished weakly, lifting her head and trying to reassure him with a grimace she hoped looked more like a smile.

“Uh, bae. I love you, but you gone stop calling my daughter a fuckin bean.”

“Well, since someone can’t agree with his wife on a name or even agree to find out the sex, it looks like I’m sticking to veggies and fruits. Maybe I’ll just call him Mommy’s Little Kiwi.”

“Aye--”, Erik responded with a deadly look in his eye, “ No daughter of mine is gone be some dumbass Kiwi. If ANYTHING, she’s a pomegranate. She regal as fuck.”

Portia erupted into laughter. It was just the right kind of laugh to help her get out of wallowing from her morning technicolor yawn. Erik helped her to her feet, and she washed her face and brushed her teeth.

“Okay, well, if we can’t agree on a fruit or vegetable, should we move from edibles to something else? We have to call him something.”

“HER name will come to us as soon as we lay eyes on her. How am I supposed to name my daughter before I ever see her?”

Portia tried a different tactic. “Well, it would help us if we just knew what sex we should be expecting, then we could be compiling a list of names to choose from. That way when he, or she -- she interjected quickly-- makes an appearance, we have a short list. Can we at least agree to a short list? We won’t even have to make a decision, we’ll just have a jumping off point today.”

“Fine,” Erik acquiesced. “Let’s start with the boys, it don’t really matter no way,” he said sucking his teeth.

“Excuse me,” Portia questioned, incredulously.

“I’m just sayin, ma. I know you carrying my little Princess. I just know it!”

Portia looked up into her favorite eyes in the world. Their depths fathomless when he was this full of love, and their color reminded her of the vanilla beans her grandmother used when making fresh ice cream when Portia was a young girl. She couldn’t deny him anything when he looked at her like this. If she had the power to snap her fingers and move heaven and earth to give him a daughter in that moment, she’d do it.

“Okay, well just humor me.” Portia asked they dressed to head out of the house.

They came up with a list of three names for a boy: Oscar, Maurice, and Bryan

For the girls, Erik wanted to stick to more of a theme. While he may have fought at the beginning to not even go down this path, now that he was here, he was determined not to walk away from this conversation without landing on his daughter’s name.

“Okay, how about this: she can have one name from each of us.” It was a little hard to hear Portia’s words, coming through muffled since she was presently stuck trying to slip one of Erik’s hoodies over her puffy hair and swollen midsection.

Smart enough to not comment on his wife’s dilemma, Erik just set out to help her finish pulling it down over her belly, and without a word on her current predicament, went to the closet to grab her slides.

“I like it,” Erik agreed. “But which names? I don’t have any family names I want to pull from. The only woman in my life growing up was my moms, and she was gone so soon, I wouldn’t even want to lay all of that on a little one,” Erik quietly confessed to his wife.

“Let’s see. She could have a name from the Xhosa language for her heritage and family on your side. I don’t know what to do for mine.” Portia was almost ready to go, just looking for her favorite hair wrap to tie up her mane.

Erik was quiet for a moment. Heart still grieving a mother and relationship long gone, while still overflowing with love for this swollen, smart mouthed woman that he knew his mom would’ve adored.

“Anathi,” he said before he realized it. “It means ‘they are with us’. Seems pretty fitting, huh?”

Portia’s eyes caught his in the mirror as she tucked the last end of fabric in her wrap. Both sets were bright with tears.

“I love it,” she whispered, words barely audible. “But what are we going to do about a first name?”

“Well, I like that thing your family has going on. All of y’all are named after women in literature, but they also are the names of constellations, right? How about, Juliet?”

“Nigga! I am not naming my daughter after some little precocious child who thought she was in love and wound up offing herself over some knucklehead boy before they even turned 16. Try again.”

“Astrid,” Erik risked, only to be rewarded with a sharp sniff coming from Portia’s direction as she gathered her keys and wallet.

“Aurora!” He exclaimed.

“Pretty sure I’ve never read that name as a leading lady in any story,” Portia countered, her haughty ass attitude slowly slipping away. These mood swings were getting out of hand.

“Fuck. I just couldn’t deal with you gettin any snippier, so I just thought of the most beautiful sight I could think of that made me think of the stars,” he answered, bashfully, putting on his finishing touches, and grabbing his phone, wallet, and keys.

“It’s perfectly, imperfect. Not quite what we set out for, and somehow precisely what we needed.  Aurora Anathi Stevens. I love it, mon chou.”

His dimples took over his whole face. “Really? I just wanted her to have a little of both of us in her name. She gets your family’s bougie ass legacy with names, and one of mine as a reminder of all the ancestors who’ve come before us.”

Portia was practically bouncing in place she was so happy. “I love it. Really, really.” She took a heavy, negro spiritual sigh. “I have to call my family and tell them we’ve landed on a name. We don’t talk much, but they at least need to know.”

“How bout this: you call them while I drive. I think we’ve earned a very nice breakfast of your choosing. Naming my daughter is kind of a big fuckin deal and all; let’s celebrate.”

“Oooh! I know just what I want.”

Erik rolled his eyes and mouthed along, “Strawberry pancakes.” It was the same thing Portia had been craving this whole pregnancy. One short stack order of strawberry pancakes with blueberry syrup.

“Aiight now, but don’t be tryna pick off my plate. I’m getting chocolate chip pancakes, and I ain’t sharin’ shit.”

They climbed into his car just as Portia’s family answered her call.

“Hello, Erik.”

That cadence. The subtle lilt of an accent she’s tried through years of practice to discard. Fuck.

TAG LIST:

@princessstevens @killmongersgurl @purple-apricots @vikkidc@marvelheaux @simplystormie @blaqqbuddha  @killmongersmistress @loveeeeandaffection @prettymuchboodup @mzbritt @eyeknowmywrites @chaneajoyyy @killmongerdispussy @chefjessypooh @marvelheaux @glittermakesmesmile @queenof-wakanda @always-improve17 @determinednot2fall @yoyolovesbucky @goddessofthundathighs @spidermans-l-o-v-e-r @nickidub718 @muse-of-mbaku @abeautifulmindexposed @thadelightfulone @hello-therree​ @fd-writes

[freddiesaysalright]

Peace Like A River Part 3

A Gwilym Lee x Reader Story

Summary: Reader is a stand up comic with a pretty dark past. She has a three new lights in her life: her daughter, Violet; her anonymous correspondent, Dear Friend; and Gwilym Lee.

Word Count: 3.8K

Tag List: @psychosupernatural @someone-get-a-medic @bensrhapsody @deakyclicks @crazylittlethingcalledobsession @minigranger @simmisblog @assembledherethevolunteers @lookuptotheskiesandsee @readinghorn @riddikuluslypotter @doingalrightt @misslolasworld If you want to be added, let me know!

A/N: Glad you guys are liking this one! Hope you enjoy this next part! Shit gets real lol 

Part I  Part II

Part 3 here we go!!!

The following day, you went shopping with Stacy and Violet to find a gown for the charity gala. Boston wasn’t quite the shopping dream of New York, but it still had plenty to choose from. It reminded you of the first time you went to the Emmys and shopped for a dress. It was the most glamorous thing you had ever done.

“That’s really the only time you’ve been gown shopping?” Stacy wondered. “What about when you got married?”

“Henry and I had a courthouse wedding,” you said with a shrug. “We were twenty years old and couldn’t afford a big event.”

“I’m sure you still looked beautiful,” she insisted with a smile.

“It hardly matters now,” you returned, holding the door open for her and Violet as you went into the first boutique. 

An associate immediately came over and offered to help. Her name was Lisa and she was about your age, with a wide, eager smile. You took her up on her offer since you tended to get lost in places like this. 

“Go ahead and pick out anything that catches your eye, and I’ll get you a glass of champagne,” she said sweetly.

She went into the back while you perused the racks of gowns. They were designer and beautiful. You tried to imagine Gwilym’s face at each one. Violet called to you from another rack.

“Mommy, look! Try this one!”

She had her hand on the skirt of a poofy pink ball gown. It was a bit young for you. You were certain it was meant for a girl’s quinceañera and not a grown woman’s charity gala, but Violet was so excited about it. You sighed and smiled. 

“Alright, tell Lisa when she comes back to put it in my fitting room,” you said.

Lisa emerged with two glasses of champagne and a sippy cup of sparkling grape juice for Violet. When Violet showed her the dress, Lisa shot you an uncertain look, but you shrugged.

“Just to try on,” you said. “We can indulge her a bit.”

You and Stacy pulled a couple other gowns that captured your attention while Lisa put the ball gown in your changing room. Then you headed that way. Stacy took one of the chairs and Violet sat in her lap. Lisa closed the curtain and helped you into Violet’s choice first. You were surprised it fit you, but laughed when you saw it in the mirror. You looked ridiculous in it.

“Ready to show them?” Lisa asked.

“Oh, absolutely,” you returned.

She pulled back the curtain and you stepped out. You gave a twirl as Violet gasped.

“Mommy, like a princess!” she cried, clapping.

You laughed. “I don’t know if it’s right for tonight, but maybe next time, sweetie.”

She hung her head. “Aw, but it’s so pretty.”

“I do want to send Gwil a picture,” you said, and Stacy pulled out your phone.

“What are you going to say?” she wondered.

“I’m gonna tell him I’m wearing this,” you told her. “Just to mess with him.”

She giggled as she snapped a photo. “He’s gonna know you’re joking.”

You took your phone and typed out your message.

I’m wearing this tonight and you can’t stop me.

“Even so,” you said. “At least it’ll make him laugh.”

Gwilym was in the airport, waiting at his gate when his phone dinged and he saw the message from you. He opened it and did in fact burst out laughing. 

Love it, he wrote back. Did your abuela make it for you?

You looked at your phone as Lisa unzipped the dress and you chuckled. You couldn’t believe he’d had the same thought as you about the dress’s most probable purpose.

Actually, Violet did, you replied. She’s an incredibly talented seamstress.

He quickly sent back, She certainly is. Is there money to be made with such a gifted child?

You gave Stacy your phone back so Lisa could continue to help you out of the ball gown. It was truly a beautiful dress, and some girl would be very lucky to wear it, whether she was coming of age or just going to the prom. But it was not for you. Lisa took it out of the changing room and helped you into Stacy’s pick.

It was a red, sequined gown that was skin tight. The neckline plunged almost to your belly button and the slit in the skirt came all the way up your thigh, almost to your hip. It made you incredibly uncomfortable. In the mirror, you caught a glimpse of the scar on your right side.

“Do you wanna show them?” Lisa asked. “You look dynamite in this.”

You shook your head and looked away. 

“Are you trying mine on?” Stacy called.

“Yeah!” you returned. “Are you trying to make me look like Jessica Rabbit or is that just a coincidence?”

She laughed. “It was completely intentional.”

You rolled your eyes even though she couldn’t see you. “I’m not coming out, I look...well, I look bangin’ but a little too bangin’.”

Finally, you got into the dress you picked out. It was a black, satin dress that was fitted at the top with a loose skirt. It also had a slit, but it didn’t go up nearly as high. The sweetheart neckline and thin straps across your shoulders were very flattering. It was hard to convince yourself that you were beautiful, but as you gazed in the mirror in this dress, you knew you were. You could really imagine yourself beside Gwilym, and that he would be proud to have you on his arm.

“Wow,” Lisa breathed. 

When you stepped out, Stacy choked on her champagne. Violet’s mouth fell open but she was grinning. 

“Mommy’s a queen!” she exclaimed.

All of you gushed over the dress as you looked in the mirror. It was decided quickly that it was the dress. You looked too beautiful in it to not get it. They all helped you pick out shoes and accessories as well, so your whole look came together. Even you had to admit you looked absolutely killer. You were so excited to show Gwilym.

That night, he picked you up. Stacy came to stay with Violet while you put the finishing touches on your makeup before heading down to the lobby. 

“Hey, Stace,” you said as she greeted your daughter. “You sent my letter this morning, right?”

“Yeah, I did,” she assured you. “But try to focus on Gwilym tonight. Dear Friend will still be there while you have a good night.”

You rolled your eyes. “Of course I’ll focus on Gwilym,” you said. “I was only double checking. Now, how do I look?”

“Incredible,” she told you, smiling.

“Okay, Vi, c’mere and give me a hug,” you said, kneeling down to wrap your arms around her.

“Have fun, Mommy,” she said, kissing your cheek. “I love you!”

“I love you too, precious,” you replied. 

You rose to your full height and headed out the door, shooting them one last little wave before it closed behind you.

When you made it to the lobby, you spotted Gwilym, already waiting for you. He looked dashing in his suit and tie. You beamed at him when he spotted you and you began walking toward each other. His eyes went wide as he took you in.

“My God,” he sighed, looking you up and down. “You look...breathtaking.”

A blush crept up onto your cheeks. “Thank you!”

He didn’t answer as he continued to gaze at you.

“Gwil?” you said. “Are we gonna go or are you gonna stand here and stare?”

“I’m perfectly content to stand here and stare if you’d rather skip the gala,” he teased.

You shoved him playfully. “Let’s go, you idiot.”

He smiled and offered you his arm. You took it and followed him to a waiting car. He helped you into the backseat before sliding in beside you.

“So how’ve you been since we last saw each other?” he asked.

“Great, actually,” you told him. “I haven’t heard a thing from my family, and - perhaps best of all - I’m in love.”

Genuine happiness crossed his face as he smiled at you. “Are you really?”

“I am!” you said, giddily. “It’s such an incredible feeling.”

“The most beautiful and natural of feelings,” he quoted.

Your heart nearly stopped and you sucked in a sharp breath.

“W-what did you say?”

“The most beautiful and natural of feelings,” he repeated, brow furrowing at your reaction. “It’s a Tolstoy quote.”

“Yes, but-” you shook your head. “Never mind.”

Your heart hammered against your chest as you replayed this moment in your head. Could it be that your friend, Gwilym, was actually Dear Friend? They were certainly similar. Both were well-read, educated, English, and very kind. But that couldn’t possibly mean they were the same person. Thousands of people had those traits. And thousands of people had read Tolstoy. It was entirely likely that Gwilym and Dear Friend both were familiar with such a quote. You told your heart to slow down. It was just a coincidence. 

“What about you?” you asked to change the subject. “How’s your love life?”

He chuckled. “I feel strongly for someone. But, I’m still not sure how she feels.”

“How strongly are you feeling?” you pressed.

He flushed and looked at the floor of the car. “Well...I’m very much in love with her.”

“Do you think she loves you too?”

“I think it’s likely, but she hasn’t said it.”

“Well, just talk to her,” you suggested. “I mean, relationships are all about communication. It can’t hurt to ask her the blunt question and she how she takes it.” You put your hand on his. “Sometimes, you have to take a risk.”

“Thank you,” he said with a small smile. “And really, Y/N, I am so glad for you. Even when we first met, I thought that of everyone, you were a person who deserves true love and happiness.”

It was your turn to blush. “That means a lot. Thank you, Gwilym.”

You gave his hand a small squeeze.

“Now, tell me about this ex,” you said. “Why did you need a date so badly?”

“It’s a bit weird,” he began. “We only went out a few times, but it was never serious enough where we slept together or anything. I figured out rather quickly she was using me to network.”

“Ew,” you said, wrinkling your nose. “Why are you going to her stupid party?”

“Y/N, it’s for charity,” he reminded you. “Just because I don’t necessarily like her doesn’t mean I don’t care about important causes.”

“What is this important cause?” you wondered.

“The proceeds are going to a women’s shelter here in Boston,” he said.

You huffed. It was hard to argue with that.

When you reached the venue, Gwilym helped you out of the car and you walked inside. It was an art gallery and you wondered how any of this worked. You figured if an organization had the money to throw this sort of party, then they had that money to give to the cause. The need for people to parade about their wealth in order to give to the “less fortunate” made you a bit sick. It was a beautiful party, but you found it hard to appreciate.

You walked over to the table where they were serving drinks while Gwilym went to say hello to some people he knew. That first crisp sip of wine was great and helped ease some nerves that had risen. You always felt out of place in these circles. A tall, blonde woman approached you with a nasty nice smile on her face.

“Hi,” she said, her voice dripping with an emotion you couldn’t quite name. She already didn’t like you, you could tell. But for what reason remained to be seen. “I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name?”

“Y/N Y/L/N,” you told her. “I’ve never been here before. Are you the hostess?”

“I am,” she replied, in that same uptight, trying to hard to seem calm and gracious voice. “I’m Helen Albright and I’ve organized this event. You must be here as a plus one.”

“I am,” you told her, resisting a brutal urge to mimic her tone. “I’m here with Gwilym Lee.”

You saw him approaching out of the corner of your eye. Helen didn’t see since her back was facing him. You gave a subtle pump with your hand to signal him to stop. He did, a bit confused, but stood close enough to hear what you said.

“Oh, yes, Gwilym and I are old friends,” she said. “Are you his girlfriend or something?”

“Yes,” you answered. “I’m his girlfriend. Didn’t you two kinda...have a thing?”

She laughed humorlessly. “It was nothing really.”

You let out a low whistle. “I don’t know how you got out of it.”

You caught Gwilym frowning, and held back a laugh. Helen looked confused.

“What...what do you mean?” she wondered.

“Honestly,” you said, under your breath, but Gwilym could still hear. “He’s a bit too much for me in bed.”

Gwilym choked on the sip of whiskey he was taking, and you bit your lip to stop your smirk. Helen looked astonished.

“What?!” she gasped.

“Yeah,” you went on. “I used to think I’d love starting every day with two or three orgasms, but after a while, it gets to be kinda overwhelming.”

“T-two or three?” she squeaked.

You nodded. “And that’s just with his mouth.”

Her cheeks were turning bright red. Gwilym’s mouth was hanging open, just gawking at you.

“He seems like your typical nice guy, but girl, in the bedroom, he is a straight up animal,” you continued. “I think I might have to end it because it’s so much, but I’m honestly afraid I’ll never have sex this good again.”

She was wringing her hands and could not look you in the face. Her proud head finally lowered. Her cheeks were pink and sweat beaded at her hairline.

“How did you manage it?” you asked. “Letting that go?”

“I - well - we never - I didn’t -” she sputtered.

“Oh, I see,” you relieved her. “You never got there. Well, it’s probably for the best. I mean, I’m basically ruined for all other men.”

At this point, Gwilym could take it no longer and approached, slipping an arm around your waist. You beamed at him.

“Hi, baby,” you greeted. “Enjoying yourself?”

“Immensely,” he returned, kissing you on the forehead. “I see you’ve met Helen.”

“I have,” you said. 

Helen finally turned eyes on Gwilym, and you saw a fresh hunger there as she looked him up and down. You got to her. She regretted what she had done.

“H-how are you, Gwilym?” she asked, batting her eyes.

“Excellent,” he said smoothly. “This really is a wonderful gala you’ve thrown. How do you do it?”

“Well, I’ve got lots of time on my hands,” she said with a casual shrug, recovering at last from her blushing.

“Lucky,” he said. “Not us, right love?” He shot you a smug look. “We stay very busy.” He accentuated the last word with swift pat on your ass.

You gasped and giggled when his large hand made contact. It sent a wave of heat through you that took you by surprise. A sudden image flashed through your mind - Gwilym, shirt off, lips on your neck, hands on your rear, and hips between your thighs. You cleared your throat and took a sip of wine to bring you back to reality.

“Very busy,” you said huskily, furthering the joke which had frustratingly turned against you.

Helen sighed and excused herself at last, giving Gwil one last wistful look before disappearing into the crowd.

“You are a naughty thing, aren’t you?” he said, removing his hand.

You looked smugly at him. “Don’t pretend you didn’t like it.”

“Alright,” he chuckled. “Don’t pretend you didn’t, either.”

You rolled your eyes. Then it was time for dinner and speeches. The food was delicious but the speeches went on forever. Once again, you found yourself resting your head on Gwilym’s shoulder and closing your eyes. When they were over, he nudged you gently awake. You shook out your shoulders and clapped as the last speaker left the stage.

The room was cleared and a jazz band took the stage so people could dance. You were surprised at how many couples were already on the floor as soon as the music started. In your experience, people were too nervous at first. But, you told yourself, the alcohol had already been flowing all night, so maybe everyone was already well in the mood. Gwilym stood up and offered you his hand.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked.

“Sure,” you replied, taking his hand and letting him lead you onto the floor. 

He spun you into his arms and you swayed together to the tune. It was sweet, with the sax on the melody, which you loved.

“So, tell me more about this woman you’re in love with,” you said. “How come you didn’t ask her to come to this?”

“She’s not here,” he answered. “We’re sort of long distance at the moment.”

“What’s she like?” you wondered.

“How much time do you have?” he retorted.

“All night,” you said sweetly.

“Well, she’s smart,” he began.

“Smart?”

“Yeah. We discuss literature and philosophy and music. She’s really well-educated. I admire that about her.”

“Is she beautiful?”

“Naturally.”

You smiled. “‘Naturally’ as in her beauty comes naturally or ‘naturally’ as in ‘of course she’s beautiful’?”

“Both,” he replied.

“What else?” you continued.

“She’s been through a lot,” he said. “Sort of like you. And yet, she’s incredibly kind. Her experience didn’t make her hard. She has a very soft heart.”

“A soft heart,” you repeated, letting those words form carefully on your lips. 

“Yes,” he said. “When we first started talking, she was defensive. But after a while, she became more open hearted and she told me things she had never told anyone.”

“Sounds like a great foundation,” you said. “I do hope she loves you too.”

“You and me both,” he chuckled. “What about your man?”

“Oh, he’s amazing,” you gushed. “Really, he’s one of the most understanding people in the world. And he really understands me. He’s gentle and sweet. A real Disney prince of a guy.”

He smiled, but it faltered.

“You know, Y/N, you can talk to me about things without making a joke to lighten it,” he said. “You don’t have to be defensive around me.”

It was like he’d pulled the pages out of your heart and read them to you. You wanted desperately to yank them back inside. To keep them to yourself. Locked away where only Dear Friend could access because he had never actually stood in front of you. Humor was your absolute defense mechanism. The wall that kept the rest of the world from your scars. Gwilym, faster and easier than Dear Friend, had blown a hole through it. You could not joke your way out of this.

“I’m sorry,” you said. “I’m still getting used to easing tension.”

“I’m not saying you can’t joke around,” he returned. “You are funny. But you can tell me that you love someone without having to tease yourself or him so it’s not too serious. It is serious. And you’re allowed to feel it.”

The urge to make a snappy retort was overwhelming. The further he pushed behind your defenses the more uncomfortable you became.

“I love him so much,” you said earnestly. “He means the absolute world to me and I want to marry him and have his children and grow old together. He makes me soft.”

It felt clunky, but it was honest.

“Now that was a real moment,” he said, a gentle smile claiming his lips. “Well done.”

“Thank you,” you replied. “That felt...really good.”

“I’m glad you shared with me.”

You continued to dance and as the evening wore on, you found yourself even more comfortable with Gwilym. He took you back to your hotel when you were both too exhausted to carry on. It was even harder to say goodbye this time. 

“Thank you for coming tonight,” he said.

“Thank you for a great evening,” you returned. “Really, I had a wonderful time. I’ve missed hanging out with you.”

“Me too,” he agreed. “Let’s do it again soon, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

You embraced each other. You held him for a long time, grateful to have such a friend. He kissed the top of your head while you hugged and then you slowly broke apart.

“See you soon,” he said.

“Bye, Gwil.”

He left. You headed for the elevator and to the sixth floor, where your room was. You went down the hall, your heels making a dull thud against the carpet. When you came into your room, you found Stacy and Violet asleep on the bed, cuddling as Looney Tunes played on the TV. Smiling, you switched it off before slipping out of your dress and into your pajamas. After you washed your face and brushed your teeth, you joined your daughter and assistant. You felt whole. 

The next week, while you eagerly waited for a letter from Dear Friend, you thought about Gwilym a lot. If you were being honest with yourself, you had to admit you had a bit of a crush on him. Spending this time together and becoming vulnerable with him really made you feel connected to him. But, you both were in love with other people. You were resolved to just not act on your crush. They were harmless, and once you met Dear Friend you wouldn’t have it anymore.

You sat in your hotel room in Chicago, going over some notes for your set, making small adjustments based on the reaction from the last crowd. Stacy came into your room with an envelope and you leapt from the bed.

“Thank goodness!” you cried. “This is so much harder to do on the road.”

You tore it open and began to read.

Dear Friend. Now that we are clear on our feelings for one another, I think it’s time we met! You asked where I am in the world, and I’m glad to report I’m finally in the United States. I’m carrying your love with me, darling. I know you’re in Los Angeles, and it’s a long way to go, but I’m going to be in Atlanta in two weeks. Is it possible for you to come and meet me?

You checked the date on the letter. It was from a week ago, when you were in Boston. That meant he would be in Atlanta a week from now,  the same week you were going to be in Atlanta on your tour.

Dear Friend was going to be in the same city as you. At the same time. And he wanted to meet you. The color drained from your face.

“What is it?” Stacy asked.

“He wants to meet,” you said. “He’s going to be in Atlanta next week.”

Her eyes went wide.

“Oh, my,” she gasped. “What are you going to do?”

What were you going to do?

[sugarcrash]

Clumsy // Ethan Dolan

 (A/N: So, I’m taking up writing again, now that I’ve gotten the swing of things in the new school year! Feel free to request! Also, ya’ll better be grateful, this took a long time to write and it’s 4,396 words lol)

Summary: When Y/N gets clumsy, she ends up making a mess - on Ethan Dolan. So how will it go down when they meet again?

Warnings: Swearing, quite a long intro (lol sorry)

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

“Ugh.” Y/N groaned at her phone. The alarm had been going off for the past minute, blasting the same annoying tune into her ears. Rolling over, she hit the “stop” button on the glowing screen.

The girl turned to snuggle back into her sheets when the door opened, revealing her mother, who was still in her pajamas.

“Y/N, you’ve really got to stop setting that thing so loud.” she complained. “It’s woken your brother up twice this week, and I honestly can’t handle it anymore.”

The young lady smirked into her pillow. Her 10 year old brother, Tyson, was a crazy creature when woken up early. She heard his tinny little voice singing the obnoxious Pokemon theme song, and it was clear he was seeking attention.

“Ty!” her mom stalked to the little boy. Y/N listened in silence as she heard her mother scold him for almost waking up their cranky father.

Just as she was checking the time on her iPhone, her older brother, Asher, appeared at her doorway. “Hey nerd, gonna get up or what?” he raised an eyebrow. 

Y/N let out a sigh and shifted her head to meet his eyes. “Just because I wear glasses doesn’t mean I’m a nerd, y’know.”

Asher rolled his pupils to the ceiling. “Well, the glasses and the fact that you’ve never gotten a grade lower than a straight B.” he knew she couldn’t argue with that.

“Whatever. Now leave so I can get dressed.” he did so, shutting the door behind him.

Y/N lugged herself out of bed and stared at her body in the full length mirror next to her dresser. She rubbed her tired eyes before glancing at the digital clock on her wall, which read 5:30 am.

“Why does school have to start so early?” she whined to herself as she bent over to her drawers, shifting through them before finding some simple black leggings and a pale yellow sweatshirt, one of her favorite outfits.

Before Y/N threw them on her body, though, she gave herself a quick sniff. Sure, she’d taken a shower last night, she smelled fine, but the bra she had been wearing for the past two weeks did not. She quickly changed her bra and panties before noticing there was a red splotch on her underwear.

“No, no no! Shit! You’re not supposed to be here for another week!” Y/N grumbled. Thankfully, she never put her tampons in the bathroom. Not only is it farther away from her room, so she’d have to run in bloody panties, but Asher and Tyson would probably find them.

She reached to her secret stash in her nightstand, pulling out the familiar blue-wrapped tube.

After she put in the tampon, she shoved on her clothes and rushed to brush her teeth. While she was doing so, Y/N received a text from her best friend, Lola.

*Text*

L: Hey babes!

L: How ya doing?

Y/N: Not good, Aunt Flo decided to visit

L: Aww u poor thing! Cramps start yet?

Y/N: Nope, just waiting in agony. I hate having to walk around school with a little box of tampons

L: U can do it! For women everywhere!

Y/N: Cheers, bitch

*End*

Y/N spit the foamy toothpaste down the drain, watching it swirl as she got lost in her thoughts. Wasn’t that math quiz today? No, that was tomorrow. Would she see her crush, Alex? Would he acknowledge her?

“C’mon, dork, if you want a ride, get a move on!” Asher announced, walking down the hallway. Y/N grabbed her laptop and phone from her desk, brushing her hair as she made her way down the stairs. She grabbed her backpack from the coat rack, shoving her electronics and hairbrush inside before checking to make sure her tampon box was ready to go.

In the little flimsy plastic pouch she had found in a tampon kit for this very reason, there were three orange paper tubes. With a sigh, she stuffed them in her low side pocket on her leggings, throwing on some random socks and her Adidas tennis shoes.

Y/N checked the time again. 5:45. School started in around 20 minutes, and it was 15 or so minutes away from the house. ‘We’re gonna make it’ Y/N decided as she pulled her hair into a quick ponytail.

With her backpack over her shoulder, she wen to the kitchen to look for breakfast when Asher shouted “Think fast!” Before she knew it, Y/N was hit in the face with a breakfast bar.

She leaned over, face twisting into a mad expression when she saw what it was. She picked it up, then complain loudly to her 18-year-old brother. “Asher, you idiot!”

“Keep it down! Dad’s trying to sleep!” her sleepy mother came downstairs, Tyson weaving in between her legs.

“Mommy said that’s a potty word!” he announced, making Y/N roll her eyes. She needed to escape this mess, so with her breakfast bar in hand, she turned the handle and stepped out the front door. 

She hopped into Asher’s worn-down pickup truck, a gift from their grandfather on his 16th birthday. Y/N’s older brother soon appeared in the driver’s seat, using the key to start the car. Y/N pulled some headphones over her ears and let the music consume her.

A few minutes later, Asher pulled his car into the school parking lot with an abrupt stop, as to get Y/N’s attention. He lunged forward a bit, her headphones slipping off her ears.

“We’re here, sis.”

“Well, duh, I know.” the 15-year-old grumped.

“Alright, then get out.”

Y/N huffed and opened the car door, stepping out and taking a deep breath before starting toward the doors.

She looked down at her phone, and the time read 6:10. She had exactly five minutes before classes started and she was in trouble.

Y/N practically ran to the front doors, almost falling twice before reaching them and yanking the metal handles, revealing a main area full of students, most groggy.

She rushed to her locker, twirling the familiar lock to the right combo when Lola appeared next to her. 

“Hey, hon.” she chirped. Lola had always been a morning person, whereas Y/N was not.

“Hey.” the girl’s locker swung open, the small mirror reflecting her face. She gave a little smile to it before stuffing her backpack inside the cold metal space, grabbing the materials for her first class, language and literature.

“Aren’t you so glad that we have lang and lit this hour? Poor Maddie, having to go to math first.”

Y/N nodded her head just as the warning bell sounded, demanding that students get themselves ti their classes before they needed a  late pass. “Better start walking. We don’t need Mrs. Cooper getting mad at us again.” she nudged Lola, teasing her for yesterday’s mistake.

“Okay, okay, shut up.” she groaned at the memory. “Don’t look now, but someone’s right there!” her voice dropped to a singsong-ish whisper, and Y/N blushed, knowing just who she was speaking of. 

She glanced and caught his eye as they passed. His.

Alex Kallio’s.

The brown-haired boy had been Y/N’s crush since eighth grade, but he never noticed her. He fit in with the popular crowd. She did not. It only actually worked in movies.

“Y’know, Hayden was over there, too.” the girl told her friend. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and Y/N smiled. “You can’t deny it anymore.”

“I don’t have a crush on him! God!” her face was adorned with playful annoyance as the young lady next to her rolled her eyes, showing that her little love was all too obvious.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“Stop it!” Lola whined. They pretended to be mad at one another before looking at one another, bursting into laughter.

They then reached the door. “Wanna know something?” Lola asked Y/N, who nodded. “I think one of the Dolans was totally looking at you.”

“No way. They’re, like, the most popular sophomores. And so handsome.”

“Looks like someone has two new crushes. Move over Alex, here come Ethan and Grayson.” the two giggled and took their seats just as the teacher walked in.

“Good morning, class.” Mrs. Cooper spoke, her voice filling the room.

“Good morning, Mrs. Cooper.” the class groaned back.

There was a click from the door and in waltzed the Dolan twins, goofy smiles on their faces. “Sorry.” they apologized together, but it was clear that the word meant nothing.

“Boys! We’ve talked about this before, you can’t continue to be late to class every day!” Mrs. Cooper scolded the teens.

Y/N raised her eyebrows and closed her eyes, her ears soon filling with the daily lecture on how it’s important to be a good student, and blah, blah, blah.

The twins sort of just stood there, secretly stealing looks and rolling their eyes at their friends, showing that it was clearly not a care. Then Ethan caught Y/N’s glance for a split second, and that’s when she realized she’d been staring.

“Lola!” she hissed at her friend. “How long was I looking?”

The girl let out a giggle. “The whole damn time.”

Y/N groaned and hid her face in her hands at Lola’s response, lifting it up only to see that class was starting.

*Time Skip*

Finally, 4th period. Lunch. Y/N could finally hang out with all her friends at once, rather than having to pass along notes and retell stories over and over again.

Y/N subconsciously walked into the cafeteria, lost in her thoughts. She found herself heading over to the lunch line, thinking about her love life.

“Do I really want Alex? What about Ethan? Or Grayson? I suppose there’s always that one kid, Adam, who’s always been nice to me.” she thought to herself, grabbing a tray from the stack.

As she made her way down the line, she noticed that the kids at the popular table somehow got a hold on a small foam football. She shook her head, getting a focus back on reality, rather than daydreaming and watching.

Y/N waited patiently as the long line got shorter, until she was next to get food. A school cook scooped some spaghetti onto her little tray, along with some salad.  Just as she had gotten out of line, she turned to her usual table, where all her friends were placed. 

Y/N began to fast walk toward them, not looking at her surroundings. Neither was Ethan Dolan, who, at the moment, was making an attempt to catch the small football before it hit the ground. He caught the ball in a jump and settled on the ground

Y/N was walking forward, but her head turned when she looked across the room, getting back to her thinking. She headed straight toward Ethan and, BAM! They collided.

Y/N spaghetti flew out of her hands , landing on her favorite sweatshirt with a thump, probably leaving a stain. She fell backwards onto her butt, the small tampon pack in her leggings flinging out, unclasping and sending the products all over the floor. 

Ethan had barely flinched at the contact.

He took a look at who had crashed into him, before realizing what a mess the girl was in. He immediately ran to go get napkins for her, as she got herself up and tried to gather everything.

People started to laugh as they noticed what had happened, and Y/N felt hot tears begin to prick at her eyes. “I’m so stupid, so clumsy.” she thought.

Ethan came back while she was still attempting to clean, though it was hard. She sat on her knees for a moment, resting her hands on her sides before feeling around.

Her tampon box was gone. Y/N started to mentally freak out, now frantically looking before someone found them and she got even more embarrassed. But it was hard to search, seeing that her eyes were blurry with tears.

“Hey, are you okay?” Ethan asked. Y/N only nodded her head. “Are you looking for something?”

She was about to nod again, stopping herself and realizing that, if she told him, he’d want to help, and he’d have to know what it was. She decided against his help, responding with a short “No.”

“Well, it looks like you are. Here, I’ll help.”

Y/N panicked as he looked on the floor, trying to find something that he didn’t even know what it is was, before his eyes settled on the bright orange tampon wrappers, along with the little blue box. Y/N was doomed.

The muscular boy picked them up and smiled, proud of himself that he did something right, but then Ethan realized what they were.

Both sophomore’s faces flushed with embarrassment as people realized their predicament, roaring with laughter around them.

“A-Are these yours?” Ethan asked sheepishly.

Y/N snatched them out of his hand, touching it for only a second, but long enough for something to spark. She looked into his eyes, then tore her gaze away, sprinting out of reach and into the empty hallway.

Once alone in the girl’s bathroom, Y/N broke down, tears running down her cheeks. Her favorite sweatshirt was ruined, she embarrassed herself and a popular kid in front of the whole school, and her crush would probably never look at her again.

The door burst open with a bang, hitting the wall behind it, and in came her friends Lola, Maddie, and Zoe.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Maddie asked. 

“We saw the whole thing!” Zoe exclaimed.

Lola sat down next to Y/N, and the two other followed. They gave her a huge group hug and let her cry.

After Y/N was finished, Lola suggested that she get a new shirt. The girl agreed, and the four went to the office to look for something in the lost and found.

“Well, honey, why don’t you go look in the bin? There should be a shirt or two in there.” the secretary told the girls.

They sifted through the large blue bucket and found two shirts, an old white one that smelled awful and was looking a little yellow, and a stupid Lego Batman shirt that was in pretty good condition, but smelled as if someone mixed too much cologne and sweat together.

“No doubt, these are from the boy’s locker room.” Zoe pinched her nose with her left hand as she used the right one to hold the shirt far away from her while she examined it.

“Whatever. At least it’s better than the one I’m wearing now.” Y/N grabbed the dangling shirt and sighed before marching to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Y/N came back into the office. The shirt fit her perfectly, giving a sign that it was probably from some nerdy kid with no build whatsoever.

“Oh, good, sweetie, you found something. Now, you kids better get back to class before your teachers get mad.” the secretary instructed. The four girls nodded and headed out.

Once alone in the hallway, Maddie spoke up. “Okay, like, I know this whole thing was traumatizing for you, Y/N, but can we just talk about how cute you and Ethan would be?”

Zoe and Lola laughed, but Y/N quickly clamped a hand down on Maddie’s mouth. “Don’t! Someone could hear!”

“Yeah, but it’s not like it’s a false statement.” Zoe giggled.

Lola smirked. “Totally. I ship.” 

Y/N covered her ears, playfully getting annoyed at her friends and running ahead of them, making the girls chase after her. They reached the sophomore hallway, laughing as they rushed to their lockers as to not be later than they already were.

Y/N collected her binder, pencil case, and laptop before turning to her friends. “Bye guys, see you after class.”

“Bye.” they called in unison.

The rest of the day went on painfully slow, and Y/N was called out several times during the day, getting comments on how she was clumsy or embarrassing. But there were always a few nice kids who asked her if she was okay.

By the time the bell rang at the end of the day, the girl was exhausted. Sh had been assigned at least 5 pages of homework, and probably an essay or two. But she couldn’t really say, because she hadn’t been paying that much attention.

To top of all the bad luck of the day, Ethan hadn’t looked at her again. No matter how many times Y/N attempted to catch his eye, he’d purposely turn his head the other way. They both knew what he was doing.

“Fine then.” Y/N thought to herself. “Save your ego. Can’t have anyone catching you look at me.”

She then blushed, realizing she was getting mad at him like he was her friend. They had barely ever interacted, why was she feeling and acting this way?

Y/N met Asher outside of the school, in the student parking lot. He was already in the car, obviously annoyed that his little sister had taken so long.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” she babbled apologies as she clambered into the car and buckled up. Though she would never admit it, she tried to impress her brother and stay on his good side. He was in with the popular crowd at school, and she took every chance she got to look cool to him.

“Yeah, whatever. Listen, I heard what happened to you today.” Y/N’s face flushed red when he brought up the memory. “I know you had a bad day, so I’m gonna give you a deal. It’s a one time thing, though, okay?”

He turned to look at Y/N, and she nodded. 

“If you want, you can come to this party with me tonight. I’m hearing that some of the sophomores will be there, too, so it’s not like you’ll be alone. You wanna go?”

“Oh, yeah. That sounds like fun.”

“Okay. We’re leaving at 8:30. If mom or dad asks, we’re going to the movies with a few friends. I will not have my night ruined by some kid who can’t keep her mouth shut.”

His sister pursed her lips, showing that her lips were sealed. He put his key into the ignition and started it, driving back to the house.

Once they arrived from the ten minute drive, Y/N raced straight up to her room, taking no time in saying hello to the rest of her family. Really, though, it was only her mom, because her dad was at work and Tyson was still at school.

Y/N immediately texted her friends about the party.

*Text*

Y/N: Guysss!!!

L: Wat

Z: What is it??

Y/N: I’m going to a party 2nite!

M: R u serious? How?

Y/N: Asher

L: Ah, that makes more sense

Z: What r u gonna wear?

Y/N: idk

M: Well, when r u leaving?

Y/N: 8:30, why?

L: IT’S 3:30 U ONLY HAVE 5 HOURS TO DECIDE WHAT TO WEAR

Z: R U INSANE HURRY

M: U guys r so overdramatic

Y/N: Agreed. Will text when I have perfect outfit.

*End*

Y/N set her phone gently on the bed before turning it off, going over to her dresser and rooting through it to find the perfect combination of an outfit.

She pulled out various dresses, skirts, pants, and shirts, sifting through each one carefully and pairing together different items that may look good together. Y/N tried on each option before settling on the perfect ensemble, one that was casual but cool at the same time. “Coolsual”, she called it.

Y/N flopped onto her bed and flipped open her laptop, going to YouTube to entertain her for a few hours before she showed her friends what she’d be wearing. 

Eventually, time passed (though Y/N would admit quite slowly because of how excited she was to go to this party)

She threw on her outfit, a skin-tight black off-the-shoulder top that adorned long sleeves, paired with a pretty black and white plaid skirt with a small chain hanging off the hip and connecting to one of the belt loops. Y/N also had on knee-high black socks, and finished off with a slight coat of make-up.

The girl stood in the mirror, snapping a picture before sending it to her awaiting girlfriends, who responded with “omg!”s and “love it!”s.

Y/N smiled at her phone, knowing they would’ve said the same thing if she staples herself in a trash bag, even if she knew they were lying. 

“Are you coming or not?” Asher yelled from the bottom of the stairs up to her room. Y/N hadn’t realized the time and yelled back in response, grabbing her purse and heading downstairs.

She pulled on some quick tennis shoes, not wanting to be bothered with the burden of having heels on, even if they weren’t that tall.

“Finally, you slowpoke, I texted you only a million times!” her older brother complained.

“Girls take longer!” she complained, but the both of them knew that she was just lazy in getting ready.

Asher chuckled and shook his head at the younger girl. “Whatever. Let’s go.”

They started out the door and into the driveway, entering the car. The senior put his key into the ignition and they drove the 5 minutes in silence to his friend’s house.

Once they arrived, Y/N noticed that there were so many more people than anticipated. She could already tell that this wasn’t going to be as fun as she expected, and she recognized no one out on the lawn.

“Whatever.” Y/N thought to herself. “I’ll just hang out by the cooler the entire time. No big deal.”

But she was lying to herself, and she knew it. It was a big deal, seeing as she was never one to be so involved with large crowds of people. She had her group of friends, and that was all she needed. Nevertheless, she snapped out of her thoughts and brought herself to push open the car door. 

The minute they stepped out of the vehicle, Asher was swooped away by his friends, no surprise there. Y/N, left to fend for herself, went to the food. It was in the corner by some chairs anyways, so it was a nicer place to be alone rather than out in the sea of bodies that were dancing, some quite inappropriately, she may add.

Suddenly, the girl felt someone sit next to her. Y/N turned her head to find Amber, a girl that she sometimes talked to in her math class. They were getting to know each other pretty well, finding things in common when they had the time.

“Hi.” the brunette spoke, a bit quietly. It could’ve just been the loud music, but Amber was a known introvert, so it was a surprise to see her in a place like this.

“Hey. What are you doing here? I wouldn’t expect to see you at a party, no offence.” Y/N responded.

“None taken, and I could say the same for you. My friend Samantha dragged me here. I don’t know why though, because she knows I don’t go to these things.”

“Ah. My brother offered to take me, since I had a pretty bad day, but I realize it’s definitely not my scene.”

Amber hummed in response, and the two girls people-watched for a few minutes, until Y/N noticed a certain someone in the crowd.

Ethan Dolan.

He stood next to his twin, Grayson, talking animatedly to a few of his friends. Y/N hadn’t noticed she was staring until Amber poked at her side for the second time.

“Y/N! Earth to Y/N!” she called, before noticing who she was looking at. “Ooh, you like him?”

“Yeah.” the girl called absentmindedly, unaware that Amber had even asked a question, let alone what the topic was.

Amber squealed. “Oh my god! It’s gonna be hard to get to him, though, he practically has a line of girls waiting for him.”

“What?” Y/N turned to Amber. “Please explain, I have no idea what you just said.”

As Amber talked to the sophomore next to her, unbeknown that she was being watched.

From across the room, Ethan was looking directly at her, watching as she talked to a girl that was probably in the grade, but never bothered to learn who she was.

Y/N and Ethan had only ever crossed paths a few times, seeing as she was obviously less popular than he. But after today, he felt butterflies dashing around in his stomach, and he wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or having a crush.

Little did he know, Y/N felt the same way.

Whatever the feeling, the muscular boy decided to suck it up and go talk to her. On the other side of the room, Y/N was oblivious to his attempts to get her attention.

After a few minutes, her gaze eventually shifted to him, and Y/N grinned at Ethan when they made eye contact. He ended his conversation and sauntered over to the sitting girl.

“Hey.” he spoke, causing Y/N to blush a little bit. She couldn’t believe it, a popular kid, talking to her. Willingly.

“Hi.” she quietly spoke, afraid that she would mess something up. The two sophomores looked at each other for a minute, small grins on both of their faces.

“So,” Ethan broke the ice. “How are you doing after today? Y’know, with the whole cafeteria thing...”

Y/N silently thanked him for asking “I’m doing good. Unfortunately, my favorite sweatshirt was ruined, but it’s okay.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I should’ve been watching where I was.”

“No, no, it’s my fault.”

The taller boy breathed out of his nose before speaking again. “So, see you around?”

“For sure.”

With that, Ethan left Y/N to go find his friends once more. What they didn’t know is that both of them felt the same feeling of butterflies invading their bodies, jittery and nervous.

Alex Kallio who?

[pynkhues]

It’s officially ~spooky szn~ which means we need a brio Halloween fic, pleaaasee!! Like can you imagine Beth insisting on making costumes for all five kids?? Anyways, even if you don’t have time for this just want you to know that I love your writing and I look forward to any and all fic updates :)

Thank you so much! And haha, happy spooky season, anon. Hope you like it. :-) 

Set in The Centre and Circumference / Domestic Fic universe

“You know, I actually think it looks kind of cool,” Annie tells her, eyes on Beth’s blue-dyed fingers as Beth fiddles with her makeup palette, comparing the shades of skin toned foundation a few shades lighter than Annie’s own. “Like you’ve been finger banging one of those aliens from Avatar or something.”

And just - - god. Beth blanches before she can stop herself, stopping in her ministrations long enough to shoot Annie a look, before refocusing on the task at hand.

“Please never say that again,” Beth says, shaking her head as she throws a dash of grey face paint into her mixing palette with the foundation – gets it all thick and moonish. She tests it a little on her own hand before grabbing her make-up brush, lathering it up and starting on Annie’s face.

“Fine, sorry I’m trying to make your weird blue monster hands less terrifying.”

Rolling her eyes, Beth uses those weird blue monster hands to lay the first layer of ghoulish foundation on Annie’s face. It’s not like Beth isn’t used to it anyway – has dyed enough fabric in her time to know that dying your hands is just an unfortunate side effect. Still, she’s tried everything to get it off – all her tried and true measures, but nothing’s worked, so Beth has resigned herself to the fact that it’s just going to take time.

It’d all been worth it anyway – to see Marcus’ face light up as soon as his eyes had locked onto the Captain America costume. She feels like she’s spent the better part of the month making costumes – dying and sewing and cutting up fabrics, and sure, it’d been exhausting, but somehow not as exhausting as previous years, even with the extra one to make. And god, as weird as it is to think about, she’s pretty sure that that comes down to Rio more than anything else. The second he’d realised he couldn’t talk her out of making them from scratch herself, he’d been more helpful than she thinks even he’d realised – whether that was in organising dinner so she could work on them, or stopping by the craft store, or distracting the kids so she could work, or even just staying up with her, reading on the couch while Beth poured over her sewing machine, taking them both to bed when she stopped making any sense.

“All I’m saying is you could throw something together if you really wanted to come out with us,” Annie says, sucking in her lips when Beth does in instruction, twitching back when Beth paints the make-up hard over her mouth. And Beth knows she shouldn’t be annoyed by this – knows there’s no accusation there, no shame, more just a double check that Beth is really happy for Annie to take the kids trick or treating without her.

It’d become something of a tradition years ago – that Annie would show up and bundle all the kids together and take them out – her endless energy when candy was involved meaning they didn’t turn around until all the kids were dragging their feet, instead of after three or four houses when Beth’s own exhaustion from the lead-up would inevitably start begging her for bed. Annie was forever the Fun Aunt, and Beth was forever - - well, not the Boring Mom, but the Mom Mom. The mom you wanted making costumes, not the one you wanted tagging along to trick or treating and asking if you really needed that extra houseworth of candy, and honestly? Beth was pretty much fine with that.

Anyway, Annie had seemed extra keen this year.

(“With this new neighbourhood?” Annie had said with a scoff when she’d offered. “You know they’re handing out the good stuff, and Sadie deserves every opportunity to gorge on fancy candy as your kids do.”

“Sadie?” Beth asked, arching an eyebrow, and Annie had replied with a shit-eating grin.)

“I’m good,” Beth says now. “Seriously. I have a date with a glass of bourbon, a pizza and whatever spooky movie is playing on TV.”

“You know you don’t have to play Russian Roulette with basic cable anymore, you can actually like, choose your spooky movie now. It’s through this brand-new start-up – I think it’s called - - Netfilm - - no wait, Netflix, I think? Gotta tell you – I think those guys are onto something.”

Beth snorts, getting more make-up / facepaint onto her brush, and opening her mouth to reply, when Emma twirls back into the dining room, her golden dress billowing as she moves. She comes to a stop in front of Annie and Beth, who are sitting opposite each other on the same side of the dining room table – their chairs turned to face each other, the tools of Beth’s day – make-up, sewing kit, hot glue gun, curling iron, sprawled out across the table beside them.

“Mommy, I can’t find my tea set,” she says with a pout. “I want to take Mrs. Potts.”

Emma’s Belle costume from Beauty and the Beast had come together surprisingly well – or not surprising, Beth corrects herself, remembering Ruby’s words earlier that day (“What? Something you made looks amazing? Shocker. You gotta learn to own your talents, B, seriously.”). She’s good at this, after all, and she already had the fabric templates from Emma being Anna from Frozen last year (although Beth had added a few more layers to the Belle skirt to give it volume).

“I think it’s in the playroom, honey,” Beth says, and Emma darts out of the room in a puff of glitter hairspray and gold satin. Turning back to Annie, Beth grabs a small sponge, finds the bruise-purple eyeshadow she’d set aside earlier, only to blink at the look on her sister’s face.

“Okay, so, please remind me why we were robbing grocery stores when you can do that. That costume is - -” Annie kisses her fingers, and Beth grins, batting her hands away from her mouth.

“You’re going to smudge your make-up.”

Which wouldn’t be ideal, Beth thinks, shifting back in her seat. It’d be good to get the kids out of here – Annie’s the last one after all. Beth has already put the finishing touches on Kenny’s Hopper costume from Stranger Things (fake beard and all), Danny’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle one, and Jane’s, which was - - weird, to say the least. Or - - maybe not. The shiny-obsessed crab from Moana feels pretty on brand for her. Hell, she’d even put together Sadie’s - although deciding to go as Karl Marx meant it mostly only entailed getting him a suit which Annie had done, and finding the right wig and faux beard which fell strictly in Beth’s jurisdiction.

At the thought of Sadie, Beth glances out of the dining room, down into the living room, where he’s helping Danny play Jacks (Glenvale Elementary has a Retro Games Club, which is intensely sweet, but also makes Beth feel about a million years old. It’s not like she played Jacks, but she knew what it was.)

She’s pulled from her thoughts by the front door springing open, and she knows who it is from the delighted reactions on the kids’ faces more than anything else. Doesn’t see him though until he steps light-footed through the living room, carrying the seven plastic, pumpkin-head candy buckets and an enormous bag of ghost-shaped candies – each individually wrapped for any trick or treaters they might get tonight. She sighs in relief, mouthing a thank you as Rio spots her, tilting his chin up in acknowledgement. God, she can’t even believe she’d forgotten to pick them up in the stress of finishing the costumes.

Leaning down to fist bump Sadie, then Danny, Rio promptly gives Kenny the pumpkin buckets, directing him to pass them out to the other kids before they head out. Darting over into the dining room, Rio moves easily into Beth’s space, leaning down to give her a quick kiss that makes her blush despite herself, before glancing over at Annie, who’s zombie hillbilly look is almost complete.

“Thought you said your sister was wearin’ a costume?” Rio asks her, forehead furrowed in faux confusion, and Beth bites back a grin, rolls her eyes a little as Annie yanks out her prosthetic teeth to scoff.

“Funny,” Annie says with a snort, scowling over at Rio. “You should take that act on the - - wait. Was that a dad joke?”

Her jaw briefly hangs open, and Rio huffs out a laugh, adjusting his grip on the bag of candy in his arms and heading into the kitchen, away from them. It’s enough to make Annie surge up in her seat, briefly checking the kids aren’t listening before whisper yelling:  

“Don’t give up your day job as violent gangleader, I think your career in comedy is lacking!”

Rio just waves an arm out at her, jogging over to where Marcus and Jane are sprawled out on the kitchen floor, colouring in an enormous haunted house picture Beth had picked up from the PTA. They grin as they see him, and Rio ruffles Marcus’ perfectly quaffed Captain America hair just to make his son gasp, and then immediately starts laughing as he gets his first real look at Jane’s blinged out crab costume. Red cheeked and outraged at Rio’s response, Jane opens her mouth to yell, but then Rio’s swinging her up into his arms, rocking her around, making her cackle like a little lunatic, and just - -

Beth exhales happily, turns back to Annie only to pause.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Annie says, then shrugs, smiling. “Your face. Weirdo.”

“What?” Beth repeats, rubbing at her cheek, like there might be something on it, but she knows whatever Annie saw wasn’t - - well. Beth blushes, dips the sponge back in the bruise coloured eyeshadow and finishes the last one off. “I think I’m done, anyway, so you should probably get the kids out of here.”

“Sure sure,” Annie says knowingly, and when Beth squints at her, she adds: “So you can bone daddy over there.”

“Annie,” Beth groans, a bright flush finding her cheeks as Annie leaps to her feet, grabbing the vanity mirror off the table to check out Beth’s work.

“Not bad, not bad,” Annie says, shoving her prosthetic teeth back in and grinning at Beth in a way that just makes her shake her head, not quite able to hide the affection in her grin. With her messy hair and her pallid skin and her buck teeth and her flannel shirt - - she sort of has the zombie hillbilly look down.

“To the streets, my pretties,” Annie calls, and the kids seem to materialise around her like she’s summoned them, a bustle of energy and attention and joy, and Beth’s grin only falters when Annie leans down and adds: “I’ll text you when we’re on our way back so you can, y’know, hide your shame.”

With that, they’re all out the door and into the bustle of the night.

Beth huffs out a breath, briefly collapsing back into her seat at the dining room table, furiously swiping at her face, the exhaustion of the last few weeks finally catching up to her. Still, it had felt too good, giving them all what they wanted – her four and Marcus and Sadie and Annie too – making them feel so good. She can’t bite back her grin, can’t help but feel the worth in it, even as she leans forwards to start to bundle up her make-up and her craft supplies to pack away.

Only she’s interrupted when Rio suddenly leans over the table in front of her, his body bent as he eyes her off, lips twisted into a soft, barely-there grin. Beth raises an eyebrow at him, her fingers curling around her make-up brush again,

“Sorry, did you want me to do you too?” she asks, brandishing the brush in his face, and Rio rolls his eyes, but grins, pinching the brush from her fingers, grabbing a tissue from her collection to wipe off the last of the make-up. He makes neat, easy work of it and - - right, Beth reminds herself. Sisters.

“You gonna chill now?” he asks her, and it takes Beth a minute to process the words, to lean back in her seat, looking up at him, but then - - she nods, leaning back into her chair at the dining room table, folding her arms over her chest. She looks a little wistfully at the door, that contentedness she’d felt seeing them out of it warming in her belly all over again. But then again - - she wrinkles her nose. 

“At this time of year? Maybe for a week,” she says, her voice dry. “Thanksgiving is just around the corner, after all, and then there’s Christmas, and New Year’s too.”

She’d already found at least four new recipes she wanted to try too – experiments alongside old favourites. The menu for both Thanksgiving and Christmas already half-set in her head.  

“Thanksgivin’, we gonna go to my sister’s place.”

The words are enough to jerk Beth out of her own thoughts, to blink up at Rio, surprise evident in her look, and Rio stares back at her, then away, twirling the make-up brush in his hand.

“Carmen’s always wantin’ to host it, but she’s usually workin’ at the hospital. She got it off this year. Wanted to let her do her thing. Only found out yesterday.”

Beth turns the thought over in her head. It’s not that she’s adverse to it, rather - - she’s just not used to it. Annie’s never wanted to host, and Thanksgiving is the only holiday that Stan’s parents insist on, meaning Beth hasn’t had a Thanksgiving with Ruby since her and Stan were married. And after Dean’s dad died - - well, the expectation was that he’d host it, as the eldest son, and Dean hosting it always meant Beth hosting it, but - - but she’s not married to Dean anymore, she’s with Rio, and all the rules are out the window.

She looks back at Rio, who seems almost a little uncertain, like this wasn’t how he planned on broaching this with her, like maybe he expects a fight, and in the end - -

Well.

“We still have to take something,” Beth says, and Rio’s gaze darts up towards her, filled with a look that he gives her too often – something between amused and annoyed, before it gives way to something that’s just - - just deep and warm, and Beth can’t even begin to explain the feeling it unlocks in her own chest. But then Rio’s flicking the tip of her nose with the end of her make-up brush, and Beth rolls her eyes, going to grab it off him, but he holds it steadily out of her grip.

“I’m givin’ you a cap then, mami. One dessert, one side.”

“There are seven of us,” Beth counters easily. “Plus, Annie’ll need to come, so eight – maybe even nine if she has Sadie too.”

“Then Annie can go buy that nasty ass pasta salad she always does and bring that too.”

“Your son loves that nasty ass pasta salad.”

“He does, and if you don’t think I hold that against your sister, you kiddin’ yourself, darlin’.”

And Beth just laughs, wrinkling her nose, because the pasta salad really is awful, so she figures it’s fair, and her reaction is enough to make Rio boop her nose again with her make-up brush.

“One dessert, one side,” he repeats, dropping the brush back into her make-up bag before flicking off her hot glue gun and her curling iron. “That’s an order.”

And - - well, Beth arches an eyebrow at that, folding back into her seat, staring up at him, still mostly amused.

“An order?”

“Mmm,” he hums, pushing her crafting gear and make-up palettes aside before planting his ass on the table in front of her, kicking his legs out briefly like she’s seen Marcus do, before he’s knitting his hands together in front of him, dipping his head. “It’s a thing bosses do, yeah? Delegatin’. I know you’re allergic to it or somethin’, but - -”

“Last I checked, you weren’t the boss of me,” Beth interrupts, tone a lot less amused now, and Rio just laughs, the sound easy and lyrical in a way that makes her heart leap and also tells her that he fundamentally disagrees with that statement, and Beth rolls her eyes, opening her mouth to tell him all the ways he isn’t, when Rio smacks his hands down on his knees and looks over at her.

“So in all this craftin’ and knittin’ and stitchin’, you get yourself a costume?”

And just - - what? Beth blinks, head reeling back as she eyes Rio off. They’d had only the briefest conversations about Halloween – one that mostly revolved around the kids, or Annie (hell, she’d been surprised by the visible pleasure he’d taken in the prospect of Annie taking Marcus as a part of the Boland kid tradition, but then - - Marcus seems a little more enamoured with Annie than she thinks Rio’s realised). Still, she’d figured it wasn’t really his thing, and she’d been glad for it, particularly since Dean had always insisted on the goofiest, most embarrassing ways of celebrating it.

“I don’t really do costumes,” she says slowly, and Rio arches an eyebrow at her, before pointedly looking behind himself at the stacks of fabric offcuts and the make-up and her sewing kit.

“I mean, for me,” she replies. “Honestly, I just always run out of time, and I can’t exactly just run out and buy something. Nothing ever fits.”

He lowers his gaze to her chest then, reaches out, hooks a finger in the top of her blouse in a way that makes her breath catch. He tilts his head from side-to-side, considering.

“Worse things than a shirt that don’t fit.”

And well – that’s enough to make Beth laugh out loud, her hand finding his wrist, pushing it out of her top.

“I’m not talking about sexy, tight things, I mean like - - buttons that won’t do up and like - - too much fabric in places, and not enough in others and - - okay, you are not hearing me at all.”

Because he’s not, if the hot, amused look on his face is anything to go by, and it figures, she thinks. Guys really don’t get the intricacies of how much women’s clothing has never seen a woman’s body. She hits his leg, and he laughs, head back, and her gaze travels his throat, the long line of his neck, and she really must be tired because all she can think about is how much she wants to lick it.

She shakes her head, cringing a little at herself, before she looks away from him, out across the dining room, towards the kitchen, where Jane and Marcus’ colouring in is still sprawled out across the floor.

“Did you want to dress up?” she asks Rio tentatively, because maybe he does, maybe she assumed too much, but then he barks on a laugh, and Beth jerks her head back around to look at him, wrinkled nose and all.

“Fuck no.”

“You just said - -”

“Wanna see you in a costume. Well,” he laughs hoarsely in a way that pools hot and low in her. “Want to get you into one to get you outta one.”

He hums a little, considering, and it really is incredible, she thinks, a little hysterically, how easily he seems to be able to undress her in every sense of the word.

“Nurse Elizabeth,” he drawls. “You could give me a bath.”

And god - - that pulls her out of any reverie. She knows him sick now, knows him fevered, knows exactly the kind of patient he is, and just - -  

“You would hate that,” Beth says, laughing, and he huffs out a breath, but agrees all the same.

“Hmm,” he tries instead. “Maybe a witch then, huh? Or a librarian?”

Beth snorts, looking up at him, and immediately regretting it. There’s a heat in his look that she’s too used to – but - - there’s something else too, something she can’t place, something that runs deeper, and she shifts a little in her seat, electricity bolting from her knee when he knocks it with his calf.

“Mermaid or some shit.”

“You are not creative with costumes,” she says, trying to lower her temperature, and Rio hums in agreement. The next thing she knows, he’s tugging her up by the arm, and Beth lets herself be tugged, lets him move her between his legs, lets him brush her hair back, lets him unbutton her blouse to her belly button, pull it open enough to press a kiss against the top of her chest.

“Panty model,” he decides, and Beth scoffs – a sound which quickly turns into a gasp when Rio bites the curve of her breast. “Centrefold.”

“You’d hate that too,” she breathes, and Rio laughs.

“Mmm, don’t want nobody else lookin’ at you,” he agrees, and Beth shivers when his hands slip around her back, unhooking her bra with a practiced ease. “Then shit, it’s just pretend, ain’t it? We ain’t us.”

“I like being us though,” Beth breathes, and Rio exhales against her breast.

“Me too, ma. Don’t mean I don’t want to see you in some sea shell bra though, huh?”

And that’s enough to make Beth laugh, to rock against him as he unbuttons her shirt the rest of the way, slips it off her shoulders, and pulls off her bra. He makes a sound in his throat which is just - - so pleased, and it makes Beth keen before she even realises she’s doing it, makes her breathless, makes her shift a little closer, and then he’s sucking a hickey into her breast, his hands groping at her ass, pulling her closer - - so close that his half-hard cock digs into her lower belly, and her own nails are scratching through his short hair, her panties soaking, and god, she thinks, this isn’t fair, how quickly they get here, how much this - -

A yelp suddenly pulls her from her thoughts, and Beth’s head jerks around to find Annie standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and her lips broken into a sort of mortified grin. Beth jerks backwards, covering herself, before changing her mind and throwing herself at Rio instead, poking her head up over his shoulder, using him as a human shield.

“Is this a haunted house, because this is certainly straight out of my nightmares,” Annie says, with a half laugh, and Beth scowls at her.

“What are you doing back here?!” she hisses, and Annie rolls her eyes, striding into the living room and plucking an orange pumpkin bucket off the coffee table.

“Relax, sis, I just forgot my candy collector, not to be confused with your vagina, or like - - gangfriend’s mouth right now, apparently.”

“Annie.”

“I’m going, I’m going, jeez, I thought you were supposed to lighten up when you were getting some on the regular.”

“Ain’t you babysittin’?” Rio asks sharply, hand at Beth’s back, pulling her safely into his chest, and Annie huffs out a breath.

“Yes, sir, I have briefly tagged Sadie in, but I’m going straight back. Right now, in fact. So. Anyway, enjoy your - - this.”

Annie steps back, and Beth glances up at her, her blush only deepening when Annie offers her a pointed thumbs up before disappearing back out the front door. Briefly, Beth hears the chatter of her children, of Marcus and Sadie too – buzzing with excitement still for the night and just - -  

“Oh my god,” Beth says with a groan, burying her face back in Rio’s shoulder, feeling him shift beneath her, before suddenly leaning back, heaving her up off her feet, on top of him on the table.

“Don’t stress,” he tells her, settling her weight on top of him, his fingers gliding over her thighs, briefly squeezing her ass, and Beth just laughs emptily, cringing, because god, Annie will never forget this, and there’s no way she won’t immediately tell Ruby - - hell, she’s probably already texted her.

“I - -”

“No,” Rio says beneath her, kissing her. “Nuh-uh.”

He kisses her again, longer this time, harder, and when it breaks, Beth blinks down at him, her cheeks still flushed, his hand warm now on her back.

“I will stress about it after.”

“I know,” Rio tells her, letting her push up off his chest, folding her arms across her own as she straddles him lightly.

“I can never sit with Annie at this table again.”  

“Don’t think about it too much.”

“I  - - ”  

“Elizabeth.”

Beth stops, looks down at him – at the length of him, his handsome face, his tapered torso. Her blush briefly deepens, the heat in her resparking.  

“We got maybe an hour and a half til they get back.”

She blinks, surprised, almost flails an arm out to gesture but then remembers that her arms are the only things covering her (and god – her hands are still so fucking blue). She shakes her head instead.  

“That’s a lot of time.”

Making a noise in the back of his throat like he disagrees, Rio lowers his hands, settling them on her hips. He nudges up against her, his cock shifting against her cunt through both their jeans, and really - - it shouldn’t be legal – how much she wants him.

“You ain’t got no costume,” he drawls after a moment. “But you can try me on if you want.”

And well - - that’s enough to make Beth snort. She looks down at him, wrinkling her nose, and Rio just gives her a shit eating grin in reply.

“That was bad,” she tells him, and he hums in agreement, before surging up and closing the distance between them.

“Yeah, but shit, ma. Works for us.”

And well, she thinks, pressing her lips hard against his.

He’s not wrong.

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Αιώνια αγάπη (DT AU), pt. 15

15/Finale: I choose you

A/N - Instead of a summary, I just wanted to thank everyone for bearing with me on this series and for all the support. I hope I did the story justice and gave you all something to look forward to in the past, to take your mind off real life even if it just for a few minutes.

Also, special thanks to @godlydolans for being Yashi in the story. Love you girl!

Word count: 3.2k

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Αιώνια αγάπη (DT Modern Greek god/frat! AU) MASTERLIST    

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Apollo and Hermes spent most of the next month half out of their mind and half pretending to be fine while they spent time with the kids. One would stay with her, the other reassuring two very confused four year olds who were convinced mommy turned into a sleeping beauty or Snow White and someone needed to kiss her in order to have her back. No one could tell them otherwise. And gods and goddesses have tried. All of them did.

"They're as stubborn as their fathers." Hera smiled softly, unable to contain the light inside her heart the kids have brought back to the surface after so many centuries of complete darkness.

"Is this where you tell us this is karmic justice?" Hermes groans, rubbing his forehead as if he's trying to keep a headache at bay. He's been human so long that he forgot headaches aren't just human traits - gods have them too, he just didn't realize they came after hours of chasing two very wicked little cuties, both of them his blood in various degrees.

"She always wished us to have kids that were like us." Apollo agreed, resting his head on the bed beside Y/N, clutching her cold hand in his for some sort of comfort. It's the only way to remind himself she's still there - her heart barely beating, but the change taking over with every passing hour. He knows she's almost ready to open her eyes, completely made new - still his beautiful Y/N, just a little less fragile.

"No. But I can't say I'm not enjoying this." Hera chuckled, giving Hermes a quick pat on the back before retreating to her room, overjoyed with the fact her grandchildren are sound asleep right when it's her turn to watch them.

"I miss her." Hermes whispers, taking her free hand in his much larger one, or so he felt like it is. Lying there on the bed, Hermes forgot how small she really is for her attitude and strength always gave him an impression of a much larger, robust human being that could force anyone on their knees begging for forgiveness over something they most likely haven't even done.

"Yeah, but look. She's already more like us than mortal. She'll be with us in hours. I can feel it." Apollo kissed the back of her hand tenderly, smiling against the skin fondly.

Standing up, he sighed deeply, hating himself for having to leave her behind but ever since Poseidon's been killed, he had to return to his kingdom and take care of business. He could find time to see her and the kids every day, spend hours upon hours, but at the end of the day he had to return to his new home and face his responsibilities. He's wearing thin, but so is Hermes. After all, he has a kingdom of his own to take care of - one as complex and as torturous as death itself.

Hermes stood up as well, just as torn about leaving his love alone, but he had a job to do and his job was never-ending. After all, people die all the time and while his old job has been taken care of for now, long enough for his son to take over once he's grown, he had to take his crown and rule as Hades and he had to make amends - starting with Hecate and Yashi, two women he did wrong more than anyone else.

"Back to Atlantis, brother?" Hermes smirked, having trouble hiding the giddiness over knowing not only does Apollo have to leave and he won't be the first one she sees in case Y/N opens her eyes, but also because he was genuinely happy his brother got a throne of his own. As a man who loved adventure and sea, nature in every form, he knew Apollo would do his new job well, even the old one - until little Valerie could take over.

"You going down too?" Apollo raised an eyebrow, kissing Y/N's forehead before starting his walk back to the door, side by side with his brother. He had already claimed his trident, picking it up just before walking out.

"See you in the morning, little bro." Hermes winked, his form clouded by a gust of black smoke just as Apollo is swallowed in a water portal, each of them gone from Mount Olympus, missing a crucial moment.

The very moment she's been left alone, Y/N's eyes opened, sitting up with a strangled gasp, looking around in panic. She placed a hand on her chest, not that she needed to touch her chest to feel her heart because it pounded too strongly, too loudly for her to miss.

"I'm alive." She whispered under her breath in disbelief, pushing her legs to one side of the bed, the one closer to a mirror placed in far left corner of the room. Struggling with the dress someone had seemed fit to put on her, she grabbed fistfuls of it as she rushed toward the mirror, stepping once her image showed in the reflection.

Her hair is long, longer than it was back when she met the boys and definitely not the mom cut she did after the kids took up all her free time that she had zero time for herself and the long hair she knew Ethan and Grayson loved on her. The curls formed down the thick mane her hair had become, drawing a smile up on her lips. But then she noticed the elaborate braid crown on her head too. She places her hands on her face, admiring the way her skin is soft like silk, void of any imperfections that brought her insecurities to a torturous level. Her eyes seem bigger, brighter, no longer surrounded by dark circles, rather framed by long and voluminous lashes she envied men for because they never knew how to appreciate their god given beautiful eyelashes. And then her fingers grazed her lips, slightly more plump, pink and gentle, definitely improved in comparison to her previous small lips. Her body is curved, yet still short in stature, but she didn't care as she admired the incredibly beautiful dress that clung to her body - like melting gold on earth and a perfect fit on all her curves. Twirling, she caught the ends of her hair spark purple under the light, a little reminder she belonged to Hecate's bloodline.

Running her hands down her dress and to her waist, Y/N straightened up and lifted her chin, smiling to herself for she finally made the ultimate sacrifice to be with the ones she loves. It would be a sure way to not only spend an eternity with her two gods, but have her children grow up in safe environments, nothing they could need for she could provide them with everything. She wondered what her power is, hoping she doesn't find out by accidentally making a mess.

The Underworld

Hermes paced back and forth, trying to find the proper words as Hecate and Yashi stared at him with unyielding glares sent his way. Neither of them understood why would the new king summon them, especially with the way they left things in life, and in death.

"I've done you both wrong." He stops, turning toward them, his hands set behind his back as they looked toward one another in shock and confusion. To hear Hermes even wanted them around was a surprise, let alone hear him confess to something for that part seemed almost impossible.

"Wait. Is this some new form of torture?" Hecate interrupted, looking around wildly like something would jump out at her any moment now.

"What? No!" Hermes shook his head, stepping down from his throne in order to make himself seem more remorseful and approachable. To be perfectly honest, he did feel bad. After going over their history, he's learned exactly how badly he messed up.

After taking Yashi's virginity and her heart, she had lost the one thing that mattered back in the day. At that time, men valued a hymen more than beauty in a woman, reducing her chance of love and moving on almost to nothing. She chased him off, true, but had she let him stay he would have returned to Mount Olympus and she would have stayed a disgraced woman, alone, possibly with child and at that time it was just as bad as a death sentence. He learned she pushed him away in order to take up an offer of arranged marriage her father set up for her. A man, one much older than her who didn't care much about her not being a virgin, had requested her hand in marriage and he was willing to pay a lot of gold for her. She didn't see a way out but to accept his offer and secure her family's standing in society. Not only did she lose her maidenhood, but she also did it with a man who wasn't of her religion nor did he have money to redeem that fact - basically, no one in her family would have approved of Hermes. But this man...he was kind to her and he protected her. She loved him, but she was never in love with him. Hermes knew he robbed her of the chance to have a true love in her life and she never forgave him for having to live without it.

Hecate on the other hand married another. By force, not a choice. She married Helios, the former god of Sun and all Apollo had attained once he was of age. He was a bitter god, banished to Tartarus and his hate for Apollo is spoken of in every story ever told of him. He was anything but kind to Hecate, the former wife of his worst enemy's brother. He abused and used Hecate as he pleased over the centuries, having a single child together. She, a woman who despised cheating, turned to mortal men for love and affection, having many more kids over the centuries that allowed her bloodline on Earth to continue. But he understood why she hated him. Not only did he cheat on her even though she loved him, which he couldn't even fathom at the time. But his banishment caused her to suffer even more ever since and he didn't blame her anymore. He just wanted to find a way to help her.

"I've done terrible things, caused horrid things to happen to you and all because I was selfish and crude. I want to change this." Hermes took in a deep breath, turning to Yashi first.

"If you'd like, I can have your soul reincarnated on Earth. Give you a chance of a proper life, a great love and with no meddling from me." He offered, seeing Yashi's eyes widen with the thought of having all she longed for.

"It's the only way I can think of to repay you for all the pain I've inflicted." Honesty was never his strong side for Hermes liked to manipulate, but Yashi could tell he's being truthful. One nod on her behalf, a single clap of his hands and Yashi was gone, sent back and reborn as someone he knew would have a much better life than the one she was dealt before.

"What can you possibly give me to fix everything you've done? Cause there isn't anything you can do to undo centuries of hurt, Hermes." Hecate's spiteful tone isn't lost on him, but he knew he could help make her afterlife somewhat better.

"How about I end your marriage with Helios by sending his soul to Chaos and you can finally be free of him? I'll reunite you with your children and send Persephone to live with you on the Isle of the Blest while she's here too?" He offered, raising both eyebrows once he noticed her usual frown is erased, exchanged by absolute shock. She didn't even know he noticed how close she and Persephone were, nor how badly she longed for her children to be with her for she didn't raise any of them. After so many men screwing her over, she was ready to be far from them and just enjoy the afterlife.

"I...That...would be nice. I'd like that very much."

Atlantis

"I'm sorry, your majesty, but there has to be an earthquake on daily bases. It's a rule Mother Nature set in place a long time ago. It's to keep the humans fearful of the gods, loyal to us."

Apollo turned around swiftly, his usually calm and beautiful face now twisted in rampant rage, uncensored as he feels his mouth foam unrestrained.

"I know! But I said a minor earthquake in the middle of the Pacific! Not right on the shore of one of the greatest cities!" His thunderous voice echoed the castle, spreading throughout Atlantis. Returning to his kingdom only to find his people have decided to set a natural disaster to happen without his approval had set him off and he had already sentenced more than a dozen to do some time in the Underworld. His brother would surely find a proper way to punish them for taking lives that weren't on the list quite yet.

"There is a list of mortals who are meant to die and none of them were on there! You've put a ripple in the timeline and destroyed the butterfly effect. We have to contact Chronos to rewind time just to erase your idiotic mistake."

And he did. Apollo had managed to strike a deal with Chronos to rewind time, saving a lot of lives. He knew he'd have to take lives in his rule, some would be evil and some innocent, but it's the heaviness of his job. He's no longer just Apollo, he's the new Poseidon and he has to preserve the butterfly effect and the veil of this reality humans call life. Without it, they'd all perish. And as hard as it is, he felt comfort knowing he won't be alone in the task. He'll have a good woman to keep him company, his brothers and sisters to keep him sane and his children to keep his heart light.

Mount Olympus

On cue, a dark cloud of mist appeared at the same time as a portal made solely of water, allowing the brothers to return to their home and see their love. They expected to find her in bed, nearly screaming at the top of their lungs once they found it empty, a smooth, kind voice coming up from behind them.

"Missed me?"

They turned around instantly, taking in the way immortality had sculptured their beloved just a little differently, giving her the poise and grace every goddess possessed, but keeping the merciful look behind her sweet doe eyes.

"More than anything." They said at the same time, rushing toward her, pulling her into a soul-crushing hug, each of them pulling her closer to them, but they couldn't really hurt her anymore. Not now, not like before. She could return the hug wholeheartedly and they could truly feel her press into them, let her lilac scent rush their senses and render them slaves to her will.

Parting, she smiled up at them, still unable to get used to her enhanced vision, seeing every little line of perfection and imperfection on their bodies, appreciating their beauty even more.

"I still can't believe you drank it!" Hermes exclaimed, claiming her left hand as his.

"I was sure you'd take the kids and go back." Apollo agreed, deciding the right hand is his as he intertwined their finger.

"Why? After all, I choose you. Every time. No matter what happens, I choose you. The kids will always come first now, but if once choice gives me all four of you, why would I let it pass?" She cocked her head to the side, her lips twitching into a small smile as they both caressed her with their eyes alone.

"So, you, uh...chose us both then?" Hermes wets his lips, wondering just how difficult this will be, knowing she can't fight her heart anymore.

It's humans who have decided monogamy is the right thing. It's the humans who claim that love should be restrained and placed in one person. But love doesn't work like that. You can't choose who you love nor is there a scale that will decide who you love more. The heart can only feel, love, it knows no rules of social conduct nor does it care. And her heart, pure as it is, has fallen for both of them.

Neither of them could ask her to break it in half and dispose of the part that held one of them inside. They couldn't handle losing any piece of her, not after they thought they had lost her entirely.

"I know it's wrong." She closed her eyes, willing to defend her choice, but Apollo placed his index finger against her lips, stopping her effectively.

"It's not. Not here. Not when we both have children with you. It will be hard for us to learn to share the time we spend with you, but ultimately, we don't care. We all have a kingdom to take care of now, each of us busy at one time or another, taking care of the world's fate or our children. We'll take turns, giving the other to spend time with you." Apollo reassured her, kissing her cheek.

"So, that means", she starts, Hermes interrupting her.

"That we choose you too." He smirks when she frowns, pursing her lips. Without a warning, she huffed, her hands emitting a light blue flicker that instantly dropped both brothers to their knees at her side considering they both held onto one of her hands - like a jolt of electricity that forced its way through their bodies.

"I don't like being interrupted." Y/N corrected Hermes' behavior, smirking at the way both their eyes widened and their mouths opened.

"Holy hell, I'll follow you to the end of the world woman!" Hermes blurted out, mesmerized by her for she's finally in her full form and glory.

For the longest time, he was sure this story wouldn't have a happy ending or it wouldn't end happy for him to the very least. He had believed he was past saving, unlovable, too hateful to ever have someone like Y/N love him.

Apollo had a similar thought. He was certain he'd never know love for he never loved anyone as much as his family and himself. He was selfish and self-righteous, someone who would end up alone for all the sins he had committed. Who knew he'd find a woman to not only love him, but bear him children?

"Is it weird that I liked this?" Apollo chuckles, not nearly enough vigil after the shock to notice Valerie as she jumps at him, tackling him to the ground with a high pitched "DADDY" leaving her mouth. Henry didn't hesitate to do the same to Hermes, rendering him powerless on the marble floor, stealing glances at Y/N who had the widest, sweetest, most happiest smile on her face while she watched all the pieces of her heart before her.

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Tags: @mutuallynotmutual @lanadeldolans @xalayx @accalialionheart @gia-kerks @historyheart  @heyits-claire @daddygraysonsbitch @fallinginlove-16  @lanadeldolans @beautifulfound @thearachna-kid  @dinnerwiththedolans  @graydolan12 @justanotherfangurl272 @dxlansfxck  @godlydolans @flowery-dolan @dominatedolans @buckysjuicyplums @ethanhes @dolandolll @dolanstwintuesday @peacedolantwins

[camillemontespan]

the history of us [drake x camille] [part six: 30th july - daddy daughter date]

Part Five  here if you want to catch up.

Warnings: Extreme fluff. Angst. Sexual undertones. Angst. Alcohol abuse. Angst. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

@fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore @jovialyouthmusic @pug-bitch @sirbeepsalot @moonlightgem7 @emceesynonymroll @burnsoslow @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @stopforamoment @rainbowsinthestorm @dcbbw @notoriouscs @symonde @gardeningourmet @iplaydrake @drakewalkerisreal @drakesensworld   @i-bloody-love-drake-walker @ccolz88-blog @nomadics-stuff @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat

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Drake slumped down on the sofa after Camille had left. He could still taste her watermelon lipbalm on his lips. He could still smell her Chanel perfume which cloaked the house. If he closed his eyes, he could just pretend she was here.

Drake picked up the diary. He was going to finish it as soon as he could. He couldn't take another second without her.

30th July 2023

Samantha has arranged for Drake and Lily to attend the new live action film premiere of Tangled. We haven't told Lily yet but you can bet she's going to be so excited.

Samantha thinks it will be good PR for Drake to show he's a good dad. He already is but some of the public need convincing, which gives me actual pain. Like a really deep pain in my chest. How anyone could say he's a terrible father is beyond me.

Drake smiled at the diary entry. The Tangled premiere had been brilliant. It was quality time with Lily and that's what mattered.

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Lily burst into tears when she was told she would be seeing Tangled. At first, Drake and Camille sat her down, trying to cuddle her to see if she was okay. They genuinely thought she was upset.

'Honey are you upset?' Camille asked softly. She looked at Drake who shrugged, as confused as she was.

Lily shook her head and rubbed her eyes harshly. 'Will Flynn be there?' she asked quietly.

Drake read over the invitation. The actor who was playing Flynn would definitely be there.

'He will be, baby,' he told her. 'You might get to meet him.'

Lily's eyes bulged. Her parents waited with bated breath, unsure if more floods of tears was going to come.

Instead she clapped her hands to her mouth and shrieked, 'I get to meet Flynn!'

Camille realised her tears had been tears of shock and happiness. Thank God.

Lily grabbed her hand. 'Mommy, I need my starry dress.'

Camille burst out laughing while Drake groaned. His daughter was so in love with Flynn and even though he was fictional, it still made Drake nervous that Lily got crushes. He didn't want to be that stereotypical dad who vetted her future boyfriends but the idea of interrogating future partners while casually holding a rifle was starting to look like a good idea.

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The following night was the premiere. Camille helped Lily get ready, helping her button up her silver satin dress with silver stars embroidered on the skirt. Lily had chosen it specially, as she was obsessed with stars and she paired it with black tights that also glittered. On her feet she wore silver sparkly Mary Jane shoes.

As Camille pulled Lily's hair up into a ballerina bun, she studied her daughter in the mirror. She was a mini Camille - it was so strange to have a four year old doppelganger. Lily had the same eyes, skin tone, pixie nose and rosebud mouth. The one thing she had inherited from Drake was his smirk, utilised when she had done something naughty and she knew it.

Lily snuggled up into Camille and sniffed her neck. 'You smell pretty, Mommy.'

Camille smiled. 'That's my perfume.'

Lily closed her eyes and inhaled some more. Gently, Camille stood up and went to her vanity, picking up the Chanel bottle. 'Come on, hold out your wrists,' she said. Lily obediently held out her wrists and Camille sprayed a tiny amount of perfume on the inside of her wrists. 'There, now you can smell like me.'

Lily grinned and studied herself in the mirror.

'You look like an angel!' Camille told her, smiling. Lily beamed with delight. She awkwardly lifted her arm which was still in its cast. 'Do you think Flynn will sign my arm?'

'If you ask super nicely, I think he will,' Camille reassured her. Lily jumped up and down, unable to contain her excitement. Camille had to hold her still so she could fix another kirby grip in her bun.

Camille took Lily downstairs to where Drake was waiting in the living room with Geoffrey. Drake's eyes roamed up the staircase to watch his wife and daughter walk down the stairs. He was wearing a suit. Camille smiled, thinking this felt like a prom date.

'Well you look beautiful!' Drake cried.

'You're the belle of the ball,' Geoffrey told her, giving her a wink.

Lily grinned and twirled around, showing off her outfit.

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

The cinema was full of media and screaming fans. Drake held Lily's hand as they made their way up the red carpet. As they passed, Drake overheard choruses of 'she looks adorable!' and 'awwww!'

They had to pose for photos which Lily loved. She had none of Drake's awkwardness and all of Camille's easy charm. She waved and twirled. Drake couldn’t help thinking, ‘What have I raised?’

Eventually, he managed to drag her away from the cameras. They had been given a box seat  on the balcony in the cinema so it was their own private space and Drake made sure he bought popcorn for Lily to snack on. He placed a booster seat on her chair so she could see over the balcony wall. Lily looked down at the audience below, her eyes like saucers. This was a whole new experience for her; they rarely went to the cinema and now she had her own balcony to sit on! 

Drake took out his phone. ‘Hey, Lily, come take a photo with me so we can send it to mommy.’ 

Lily sat on his lap and Drake positioned the phone camera to take a selfie. ‘Hmm say... Pascal?’ Drake suggested.

‘PASCAL!’ Lily cried, grinning at the camera. Drake smiled and took the picture. He then sent it to Camille, writing, ‘She’s having the best time.’ 

The lights went down and Lily hopped up and down in her seat. She was going to see a live action Flynn. A human Flynn. Not a cartoon Flynn; ACTUAL FLYNN.

Be still her beating heart.

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

Lily had been entranced watching the film. She never made a sound except a little squeak when Pascal came on the screen or when Flynn tried out his best smoulder on Rapunzel. Drake looked at her and chuckled when the credits came up; she had her hands clasped tightly to her chest, as if she had just witnessed the most amazing thing in the world. 

Drake carried her back down to the foyer of the cinema. The press stopped him at the red carpet to ask what Lily thought of the film. 

‘It was amazing!’ Lily shrieked. The cameras flashed and Drake kept holding her on his hip. 

‘Where is Camille?’ a journalist asked. 

‘She’s having a late meeting with the other Duchesses of Cordonia,’ Drake explained. ‘They got something big planned. So tonight is mine and Lily’s daddy-daughter date, isn’t that right Lils?’

Lily nodded enthusiastically. ‘Daddy daughter date!

The cameras flashed more pictures of them. 

Lily eyes suddenly widened. 

‘Daddy, Flynn’s behind you.’

Drake turned to see the actor who played Flynn wandering up to them. The actor smiled at Drake and Lily, bowing to him. 

‘Thank you for attending our premiere, Duke Walker,’ he greeted him. 

‘It was a great adaptation,’ Drake told him. ‘Lily loved it, didn’t you babe?’

Lily was gawping at the actor. 

The actor grinned at her. ‘Hey there, pretty lady!’

‘H-Hi..’ Lily whispered. She had suddenly gone shy. 

‘I’m so glad they finally got me in to do the film properly,’ he told her. ‘Like, my nose is right in this! I told Rapunzel that I can do all the smoulders I want!’

Drake realised the actor was pretending to be Flynn. From the look on Lily’s face, she believed Flynn had come to life.  

‘I love your dress,’ the actor/Flynn  continued. ‘You’re so sparkly. You know who likes sparkles? Pascal.’

‘Pascal?!’ Lily cried, finally breaking out of her shyness. 

‘Yuh huh. He loves sparkling things. He’s always trying to steal Rapunzel’s jewels.’ 

‘I love sparkly things too,’ Lily said, her voice growing more confident as she chattered away. ‘My mommy has so many sparkling things and so does my Aunt Olivia, she had these red things that are so shiny and she lets me wear them and I feel like a princess.’ 

‘You’re just adorable, aren’t you?’ actor/Flynn said. He looked at her arm and frowned. ‘What happened to your arm?’

‘I fell out of the tree.’

‘Ah. Were you having an adventure?’

‘Yes!’

Drake stepped forward and quietly said, ‘Do you mind signing her cast? I think she’d love it.’

‘Say no more!’ the actor/Flynn told him, grinning. He took out a pen. ‘Lily, can I sign your arm?’

Lily nodded and stared as he wrote on her cast.  Get better soon, Lily! Flynn Rider (Eugene) x

The actor’s publicist came up to him. ‘You gotta go for an interview.’ 

The actor shook Drake’s hand and ruffled Lily’s hair. ‘See you later, champ.’ 

He left them. Lily stared after him, watching him go. 

‘I love him..’ she whispered. 

Drake looked down to stare at her face. ‘Okay, we’re taking you home, right now.’ 

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

Samantha covered Drake’s desk with magazines and newspapers. 

‘I am so fucking good,’ she said. 

Camille and Drake studied the articles. ‘Oh my..’ Camille murmured. 

The newspapers were full of pictures of Drake and Lily at the premiere the previous night. They were all positive; how happy Lily had been, how Drake had described their night as a ‘daddy daughter date’. 

It had been ‘heartwarming to watch,’ said Cordonia Focus. 

You can see how much he loves her - Trend. 

She looked like a little angel as she held her father’s hand up the red carpet - Cordonian Herald. 

Samantha then turned on her iPad. ‘And without further ado, look at the online stuff!’

Drake paled. 

Drake Walker is the DILF we didn’t know we needed - Buzzfeed. 

Drake Walker being a dad has made us thirsty - Cosmopolitan

17 pictures of Drake Walker topless because why wouldn’t you want to see that? (and he’s our Torso of the Week!) - Heat

Can we just talk about the sudden  Daddy hotness that is Drake Walker? - Eleganza

‘Where the fuck did they get photos of me topless?’ Drake whispered. Samantha shrugged. ‘You go on holiday, Drake. Paparazzi follow you there too.’

‘What the hell is Torso of the Week?’ he asked. 

Camille looked ready to explain, seeing the panic in his eyes, but Samantha interrupted. ‘Heat is a British magazine,’ she drawled, ‘and every issue they have a feature called Torso of the Week. Well done, it’s a great achievement.’

Drake blinked. ‘I’m in magazines in the fucking UK?’

‘Relax!’ Samantha sighed. ‘Look, you’re only in this issue. Next week, it could be Hugh Jackman. This will die down.’

Drake stared at the articles on the screen. He felt like an idiot. Like a joke. All he wanted was for people to take him seriously as a father and now his bare torso was on the internet for all to see. And he was Torso of the Week in the UK apparently.

Samantha left soon after. Camille was watching Drake, his eyebrows furrowed as he scrolled through the articles. She placed her hand on his, stopping him from moving the computer mouse. 

‘Drake, talk to me.’

She could read him so well. 

He sighed. ‘I just wanted people to see me for the dad I am. I know Samantha was planning to make me a DILF but I didn’t realise it would happen so quickly and I didn’t know that this is what would happen. I look like a joke.’ 

Camille turned him around to face her. ‘You are not a joke,’ she said fiercely. ‘You are Drake Walker-’

‘Yeah, Drake Walker, the DILF Buzzfeed didn’t know it needed,’ Drake said bitterly. 

Camille clenched his hands. ‘You are Drake Walker, you are my husband and Lily’s father. That’s so much more important. I’m sorry you feel embarrassed about those topless photos, I’ve been there; do you know how many bikini photos are of me on the internet? You honestly just have to ignore it. I know you’ve tried your hardest to make sure we aren’t photographed in private but sometimes, these photos get out.’

Drake looked down at the floor. ‘I just want to be taken seriously.’

‘I take you seriously,’ Camille told him. ‘Our friends take you seriously. Drake, you’re brilliant. You are not a joke and believe me, once these silly articles die down, that’s when the real newspapers will stand up and write about how incredible a father you are. You just have to ride it out.’ 

‘What if that takes a while?’ he asked quietly.

‘You’ve got me there with you,’ Camille whispered. 

He looked into her eyes now. She had so much faith in him. How did he get so lucky? 

Their lips met. Drake pulled her in close, his hands wrapping around her back. Camille groaned and ran her hands under his shirt. 

‘Get those abs out for me then, Walker,’ she teased. Drake chuckled and pulled his shirt off, throwing it to the floor. 

‘Lily’s not gonna come in here, is she? he asked suddenly, alert. Camille shook her head.

‘She’s watching Tangled on repeat. I think she’s on her fourth watch.’ 

Drake laughed and pulled Camille towards him, settling down on his chair. She sank down on his lap and nipped his lower lip with her teeth. 

‘Now, imagine if it was the photos I have of you on my phone that were published,’ Camille whispered in his ear. ‘You would be DILF of the century.’ 

Drake blushed and pulled her in to give her a deep kiss. ‘Only you get to see those,’ he murmured. Camille reached down and stroked his crotch, smiling as his jeans tightened. 

‘Lucky me,’ she said, before unbuckling his belt. 

How did Drake get so lucky?

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

Afterwards, Camille went upstairs to see Lily. Drake stayed at his desk and scrolled through more of the articles. He kept trying to remember Camille’s reassurances but he still felt so embarrassed.

Drake was a private person. Having pictures of him in the ocean was not private. Pictures of him and his daughter on the internet was not private. 

He reached out and grabbed his bottle of whiskey. He took a deep gulp; he didn’t even bother to pour it into a glass. 

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

Drake looked through the box to study some of the photographs Camille had put in the box. There were loads. In the age of Facebook photo albums, Camille preferred to be old school. She took photos on her camera and had them printed so she could keep them forever. 

He came across the selfie of him and Lily at the premiere. They both looked so happy in it. Lily was sat on his lap, a cheesy grin on her face. What had he done to ruin his relationship with his daughter? She had idolised him. He adored her. What had he done?

Drake sniffled. He was sick of crying. Clearing his throat, he rubbed his eyes fiercely and put the photo back in the pile. Enough of that.

He felt alone. Sad and alone. Somehow, even though reading Camille’s diary was painful, he felt like she was talking to him. By reading her words, he could hear her voice in his head and he could pretend she was there. It was somewhat comforting.

He opened the diary again and turned to the next page. 

31st July 2023

I am so angry with myself. I’m angry with Drake, but more so with myself.  I didn’t realise it had gotten to this point. I cancelled my meeting because Drake is so much more important. I just want to understand him and help but I feel like his walls are being built back up.  I wish he knew that I was here if he needed to talk; in fact, he does know that because I’ve told him so.  I guess I just wish he would listen to me. 

I’m scared if the walls go back up, I won’t be able to bring them back down. 

Drake paled when he read the next entry. All happy thoughts of Lily at the premiere and Camille in his arms dissipated to this unhappy memory of the next day. 

He had been a fucking idiot.

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

More news articles had cropped up about Drake. But now, Lily was involved too. Everyone had been admiring her dress and now the dress had sold out. 

Articles about how cute she is were published. 

Articles about her potential future were written. 

Drake hadn’t asked for Lily to be written about. This wasn’t okay. He and Camille were trying to raise her to have as normal a childhood as possible and having her splashed in newspapers, magazines and online blogs was not a normal childhood. 

Camille was getting ready for her meeting with Liam, Olivia, Hana, Penelope and Kiara. The Duchesses were in talks to launch a campaign to promote women’s equality in the workplace; Cordonia was still old fashioned when it came to that topic and Kiara had been trying to get into a diplomatic relations role for years. She had the skills and intelligence to do it. Her gender held her back.

When Kiara had told Camille, Camille decided enough was enough. She rallied the other Duchesses and they approached the King to see if he could help. 

The meetings were taking up a significant part of Camille’s working life now and she loved it. She wanted to make a difference and improve the lives of Cordonian women. 

Drake was in the kitchen. He was drinking a large cup of coffee with a double measure of whiskey mixed in. He needed the drink after seeing more of the articles. He needed to take the pressure off. He needed to slow down. He needed to not think too much about it. 

‘Right, I’m heading off,’ Camille said, shrugging her trench coat on. ‘Lily’s in her room playing dress up, that will keep her entertained for a few hours. Make sure she has some vegetables for lunch?’

Drake smiled. ‘Sure, babe.’

Camille eyed his coffee and then looked at her watch. ‘Gah, I don’t have time for breakfast which is annoying, my Skype call with Bertrand took longer than expected.’ 

She rushed over to Drake to kiss his cheek. ‘Ugh, I need coffee,’ she said. Reaching out, she took the cup. 

‘No, Camille-’

She took a sip of the coffee.

Drake could see the confusion on her face turn into shock. She stared at him, her chest rising and falling. 

‘Drake.. since when do you drink your coffee Irish?’

[umccall71]

Chapter 16

Characters: Prince Liam and MC Lady Sexy

Rating:Mature content includes profanity, sexual content,talks about depression.

Word Count:5789

Disclaimer:All characters are property of Pixelberry except my OC Lady Saige. The use of these characters are for entertainment only and i am only borrowing them.

Summary:After a summer of a lifetime,Prince Liam thought he could have it all.He was carefree, free, and sharing time with the woman of his dreams.When life was easy, a balancing act between love and duty, he realizes his truths are lies, wrong is right, and decisions do have consequences. Lady Saige never imagined she would be one of his consequences.When an utter act horror throws her world into a tailspin.

Warning: This series contains subject matter of depression and hopelessness.The story may trigger certain individuals. Please be advised. If you are reading this series you are acknowledging you are 18+.

A/N:Sorry for the long delay.Things have been hectic in my life for a bit.I had to take some time to focus on my health. Thanks for your understanding and support.

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@eadanga @ao719 @lodberg @silviasutton1989

@rainbowsinthestorm @silverofdreams @ownworldresident @the-soot-sprite @jared2612 @sashatrr @jovialyouthmusic @smalltalk88 @custaroonie @kuladekiwi @whenyourheartskipsabeat @marietrinmimi @furiousherringoperatortoad @gibbles82 @choices97 @fantasy-of-fiction @romanticatheart-posts @drakesensworld @simsvetements @blackcoffee85 @3pawandme @indiacater @hopefulmoonobject @elles-choices @carabethpow

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It was finally here … Coronation day for the newly crowned king. Liam effortlessly moved about the palace signing off on every detail that had been planned for weeks. As much as he knew this would be a huge responsibility for him, the crown, he was more anxious what the transition would mean to his queen. Saige was already apprehensive about her new role and the pregnancy, but she was also spending more nights tossing and turning in her sleep. She hardly slept nights with this underlying fear for her boogeyman… his father and visiting the bathroom several times a night from becoming sick. He would feel her trying not to disturb him as she slowly slid out of bed making her way for her nightly ritual. Some nights Liam would lie in bed with his eyes silently listening to Saige talking to their unborn child. He did not want to encroach upon those private moments hearing the promises and hopes she had for the baby.

“Hello my little wish.. I hope that I am the mommy that you need. You are so lucky to have Liam as your daddy.”, she softly smiled while rubbing her barely there belly. “I never imagined being anyone’s mommy until I met your daddy. He makes any girl wish and dream a little bigger. He loves us so much and we can’t wait to meet you. I can imagine you being placed in his arms for the first time… the pride will be undeniable. He cannot wait to introduce you to the world.”she sighed , “I just want to keep you nestled in our arms only for us , as long as I can love.”

Liam couldn't help but feel the weight of her fears as he listened to her sniffle before drifting off to sleep.

Liam bought his thoughts back to the present day, preparing for the coronation and the grand announcement of his marriage and the next heir. He mulled around pointing and correcting the tiniest detail… everything had to be flawless… going off without a hitch. He wanted Saige’s official welcome to be seamless, the perfect welcome home. She would be spending this night … her first of many hopefully in the royal quarters. He looked forward to carrying her over the threshold to their home within the palace. He made certain that Constantine and Regina were no longer residing under the same roof. Bastien had worked around the clock with the guards and staff to get them setup in a distant property belonging to the royals, but also insuring him some distance from the former king and queen. He needed no reminders to Saige of what his father had done to her peace of mind , and stealing more of her dream state.

Liam had made arrangements for The royal Phantom Rolls Royce in White to be sent ahead to carry his queen to be and Duchess Olivia to the palace from Lythikos. Inside waiting were two dozen sterling roses wrapped in royal blue and gold , and tied with an ornate gold ribbon. He also made certain there was small spread of royal blue roses representing the royal family inside.

“Liam really went all out for you Saige. He wanted nothing but the best for his wife… his soon to be queen.”,Olivia grinned like a proud mama. “You certainly have our soon to be king head over heels in love and .. loving every minute of it. Once Cordonia learns that you are queen … it won't be long before the press and the people are hounding you both about how long until the royal heir.”,she giggled.

Saige sat silently tracing the rose closest to her.She did not respond… that caused Olivia to pause. “Wait a minute.. Your rather reserved for such a big expectation.I would think you would chewing your right arm to get away from such a pressure.” Saige looked out of the window as the Rolls Royce made its way closer to the palace.

“I wonder what time Liam wants me to start getting dressed? This is a big night for him… for us.”Her voice grew quiet thinking about the big announcement. “I just hope his father stays as far away from me as possible. Would it be too much to expect to avoid him all together?”, she spoke her private thoughts aloud, deflecting on the conversation OLivia had started about expectations of an heir. She and Liam had not shared with anyone that they were expecting a child , not even her best friend. The number of people that knew , she could count on one hand.

Olivia arched her brow staring daggers at Saige, “No comment about what i've said?”, she questioned.

“So Liv , will Drake be joining you tonight? As your date? This is a big night for Liam and myself as his … wife. When are you planning to tell Liam that your involved? He has a lot of questions and even mentioned introducing you to some eligible nobles.”

Olivia snapped her head , “he wouldn’t dare… I do not need the next king to set me up like some old spinster. I can find my own dates, thank you very much!”,she emphasized the H at the end of her statement.

“You know all of this could be squashed if he only knew that you were already spoken for.. by Drake. He’d be happy as a clam to learn two of our best friends are in love.”

“Who said anything about love Saige? We enjoy relieving stress and being a warm body every now and then.” She seemed to protest louder as the conversation steered away from an heir to her love life. “Let us not get caught up in labels, he’s a fun ride, much like this gorgeous car. As those words were spoken the car came to a stop in front of the palace doors. The ladies were greeted by several members of the royal guard. The door to the Rolls Royce opened and Saige was formally greeted, Lady Saige, your grace… I am here to escort you to the boutique per his highness order. I am instructed to not leave until he meets you .” Saige was taken aback by all the attention.. Especially now. “That won't be necessary… we can find our way.”, she spoke softly. “Maam , I do understand, but I have my orders. The king would have my head if I left you alone… I'm sorry.”, the guard lowered his eyes as the two women slid from the back seat and made their way to the front doors in similar maxi dresses until they got dolled up together for the evening.

Moments after arriving in the boutique, Saige felt her purse vibrating from her incoming call...she instantly smiled. “Hello.”, her cheeks were hurting so much from smiling.

Liam cleared his throat, “ I have it on good authority that the next queen of Cordonia has arrived.”he smirked.

Saige twirled a loose tendril of her dark hair as she listened to the deep sultry tone of her husband on the other end of the phone. “I too have it on good authority that the next king is in the building … and he is gorgeous,'' she chuckled. “Love..In about two hours the transition of power will be complete...then you and I will take reign as the future rulers of Cordonia. For now.. I will leave you to get ready with Liv. I hope you enjoy my surprise. I will meet you in an hour to personally escort my bride to the ball.”

Saige ended her call and the boutique staff approached her with garment bags, stylish shoes, and hair and make up stylist were ready. They were ready to coif the beautiful auburn hair and porcelain skin of the next queen. The transformation was underway. She felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman , without the chosen profession of the lead character.

“My God Liv… is this really happening … all these people attending to me like a ….”, she trailed off.

“You mean like a queen? That is your title within the next few hours… Liam’s queen. Get used to it, having people anticipate your every need or want. Women would fall over themselves for your life, your man… your king.”, she lowered her voice for the tail end of the statement. “Get used to the fact that he loves you and he wants you with him, by his side in every facet of his life.

“Liv I know he loves me… that’s not my issue, it’s what the other nobles will think.”

“To hell with what they think… the only people that matter are you and Liam. As long as your both making each other happy, that’s all that counts. I don’t give a damn Saige what those uptight sons of bitches think about my best friend and the man she loves and he loves the hell out of her.Saige, your no consolation prize for our soon to be king Liam… you're his prize. That man chose you because you are what makes him happy… makes him smile… makes him see a future, your his future.”

Saige fell quiet, unnoticeably touching her belly. She stood in front of the antique mirror as the staff scurried around her preparing her hair and makeup. Olivia’s words washing over her like a thunderstorm filling the night sky and bursting out of unsuspecting clouds. No corner of her mind went unoccupied as she replayed her best friends words. Saige sat in the chair as the hair stylist composed her auburn locks into a meticulously braided updo.The elegant style was finished off with majestic flowers and greenery. She sat still as her porcelain skin was accentuated with light touches of blush , eye shadow, mascara,and lip stain.

When the finishing touches were placed upon her eyes , the ocean blue popped from her eyes. “Oh Saige … you look beautiful… There will not be a closed mouth as you enter the ballroom on the arm of your king.”, such pride laced every word as Olivia beamed at her friend.

“Thanks Liv… I appreciate your kindness.”

“It’s not kindness if it’s true. Everyone will see exactly who Liam sees. He didn’t fall in love with you, he leaped in love with you.”,she smiled.

“The phrase falling in love implies that you slipped and you didn’t know where you were gonna land. It was no accident that Liam wanted to court you and eventually marry you.He saw what a phenomenal woman you are Saige.” Olivia gently grasped her friend’s hand. Moments later the royal tailor appeared with a cobalt blue gown, satin flowy, off the shoulder gown meant for a queen. There was a slender tie detailing her midsection. The seamstress helped Saige into her gown and covered her mouth in awe of the beauty before her. Saige slid on a set of rhinestone stilettos that adorn intricate details on the heel.

“Madame… his majesty will be in awe of the sight of you.”, she grinned at the reflection of the full picture of Saige standing in the mirror.

“I couldn’t agree more Celeste. My love, you look stunning. I expected nothing less from you. You always take my breath away.” Liam slid up behind her and leaned down kissing her cheek as their eyes locked upon her image standing before him. Liam was dressed in his formal Royal uniform. He wore black with a red sash and royal blue and satin metals draping the sash.

“You look so handsome Liam… then you always look so handsome.I am a lucky girl to be escorted by you for such a night.”, her smile filled her face from ear to ear. Her dimples on display as she bursted with love in her eyes.

“Are you ready my love… this is our night and no one will stand in our way. I will formally introduce you as my wife and my queen.”Liam tipped Saige’s face up to look deeply into his eyes as he whispered, “we will be celebrating the upcoming birth of our child next. I am looking forward to making love with you in our royal quarters tonight.”,he stared at her with lust blown eyes filled with desire.

“I know the way to the ballroom and… I know when I’m a third wheel”, Olivia laughed, “i'll see you two soon .” She sashayed out of the boutique and down the flight of the grand staircase.

“Our guest awaits love… come.”Liam extended his arm and Saige wove her arm through his resting her hand in the crook. They both smiled softly as they made their way down the grand staircase flanked by the royal guards. As they approached the ballroom the sound of the orchestra playing bellowed down the hall from the acoustics. The doors opened and the trumpets sounded announcing Prince Liam and his date, Lady Saige.All eyes were on them as they were surveyed from head to toe. Saige swallowed hard trying to contain her nerves. She felt Liam reassuringly squeeze her hand. “You will be fine love… this is our night. Everything was planned down to the second.”, she nodded in acceptance.

Liam ushered Saige by the hand as he made introductions and his rounds before the formal announcement was to commence. She smiled as she met everyone officially and was reintroduced to Penelope and Kiara. “It’s lovely to see you both again, they curtsied knowing that Saige and Liam were already married and she was by right royalty.

Liam led Saige out into the center of the elegantly decorated ballroom where he led her in the Cordoniam waltz. Everyone disappeared as the couple danced effortlessly around what felt like every inch of the ballroom. “ I can’t believe you get to live like this all the time.”, she leaned her head down as she giggled softly.

“This is our life and we have a lifetime of happiness to experience.”, he kissed her cheek. The music slowed and then came to a stop as the staff started circulating with flutes of champagne to every noble in the room.

Olivia stood by the bar where she inconspicuously grazed Drake’s manhood as he sported a dress suit that was a surprise. “ I never thought I’d see you in a suit.”, she shot a sly grin.

“Don’t get used to it… it was only at the request of our king to be.”, he knocked backed a glass of whiskey.

The trumpets sounded again announcing the arrival of king father Constantine and queen mother Regina.

Saige cringed at the sight of her attacker, standing in front her bold eyes and entitled. She slid slightly behind Liam as they neared the dais.Liam gripped her hand as if to send her a message… that she’s safe with him.Olivia and Drake moved closer to the front in case Liam lost it and assaulted his father again. The two of them knew what very few knew… the events of the last night she spent in this ballroom.

Saige chewed the inside of her cheek as her nerves turned into battling butterflies in her tummy. Olivia moved to her best friends side knowing her internal struggle to keep it together. “We’ve got you Saige”, she grinned in the direction of Constantine, “besides I’m wearing my knives.. we can certainly cut him down to size.”, she sneered.

“ I’m okay.. tonight is about Liam and him being crowned king. Nothing will get in the way of his big night.”, she began dusting invisible lint from her gown.

Constantine cleared his throat, “ ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for joining us on this auspicious night. We come together for the next dynasty to lead Cordonia into prosperity. I have enjoyed spending the last three decades as your monarch, and now… I look forward to passing the baton to my son… Liam. He may not have been the first crowned prince, but he is destined to lead Cordonia forward. He is the next monarch Cordonia deserves. I am proud to pass the Royal signet to my son… our next ruler. I present … King Liam .”

The room burst into thunderous applause and the clinking of champagne glasses. Liam made his way to the dais where his father and step mother hugged him and raised glasses in celebration.

He raised his hand to silence the room before he began his speech. He smiled down at Saige as she stood beside Olivia, Liam’s blue eyes veered to his side watching his father and Regina.

“Thank you all for helping to usher in the next chapter in Cordonia’s future. I only want happiness and prosperity for all our people and myself. I only want the best and brightest future as your king. I will work tirelessly to be the best leader I can be to all of Cordonia. I want a Cordonia that will be legacy to all of our children, and grandchildren. This country, this kingdom is a home I aspire to build where families can come together and help shape a brilliant path for Cordonia. I owe lady Cordonia my life, and I will be forever indebted to her for bringing me such joy and pride. I know it is tradition that when a king ascends to the throne he must be engaged or married.”, Liam smiled brightly out into the crowd watching the women adjusting their dresses and primping in hopes of being honored to participate in the next social season. “ I will honor the tradition, but I also announce that there will not be a social season . You see … There is no need for a social season… I am proud to announce that I have already found my queen. I met my queen and fell in love with her upon sight. She has shown me that I can be a better man, a better king, a better husband and, soon I will add the title as a better father.”, his blue eyes sparkled as the light of the chandelier hit the flecks in his eyes. “I would like to formally introduce my wife, my new queen and the mother to the next heir to the throne… all hail her majesty , Queen Saige.”

The room was filled with gasps and shock as their newly appointed king had revealed he had his queen and a child on the way. He managed to silence everyone, including his father. Suddenly Olivia led the round of applause and a toast to the new king and queen. Penelope, Kiara, and Drake made their way forward as Liam walked down the stairs of the dais to greet his queen. He led her back up to the dais to show off his wife to all in attendance. Saige smiled gently, trying to hide her nerves as all eyes again landed on her and Liam. She felt as though she were under a microscope as the news was sinking in that she was married to the now king and carrying his child.. the next heir to the throne.

“Liam what did you just do? She continued to smile as the crowd cheered and applauded the royals. “Love… you and our baby are nobody’s secret. I am proud to have you by side… and now you will be celebrated for the queen you are in my life.”

Liam came down on one knee, “a king only kneels to his queen.”, he bowed his head, kissing her hand. He rose to his queen and led her out onto the floor heading out to the balcony doors when they were headed off by none other than king father Constantine. Saige’s face grew white as a sheet upon laying her eyes on her perpetrator.

“Liam… I wanted to pay my respects to the new queen … I would never have thought that such a simple woman would plant herself in the path of history as a concubine to the king.”

Liam locked eyes with his father, “I would choose my next words wisely old man. Go ahead... try what little patience I have dwindling when it comes to you. You will respect my wife, my queen… your reign of terror is over Constantine . Saige is my wife and the mother of my child. You should be bowing in her presence as the mother of the next Rhys that will ascend the throne. I strongly suggest you call upon your training to show your other nobles that you are happy for us… or I shall make sure everyone in this room learn of your past transgressions.”, Liam was seething but his reaction was hidden from an untrained eye.

Regina walked up and scowled momentarily as she smiled at Saige, “ I suppose you should be congratulated on your chess moves my dear , marrying the now king and then passing off some..”, she was cut off by Liam, “we bid you both good night .”

Liam took Saige by her hand and led her out onto the balcony closing the doors behind them.

He pulled her over into the alcove and held her in his arms and chest as she released her breath and her tears that she was fighting to conceal until she was away from prying eyes. As much as she wanted to break down in front of Constantine, she couldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“It’s okay love, I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.”, he whispered into her hair as she clung tightly to him as she collapsed in his arms holding onto him for strength and to hold her up, at least until she could fall apart in his arms, in their bed.

Saige looked up at Liam through wet lashes and saddened eyes, “I’m sorry Liam.. I didn’t want to ruin this night for you.”, she fought back sobs.

“Saige, you have zero to be sorry about love. This night is for us and no.one will take our joy.”Liam met her lips with fiery passion and he found his soulmate in that moment as the night sky burst into fireworks and he wrapped her in his arms as vibrant burst of gold and blue blaze a path across the sky.

Liam took a handkerchief out and dabbed the corners of her eyes as they glided back into the ballroom and nodding as they made their way toward the door. Liam thanked his guest as the evening wound down. The new king and queen slowly walked the darkened halls of the palace toward the royal quarters. After climbing the stairs and turned a maze of hallways they reached the ornate set of golden gilded doors.He turned and landed his blue eyes upon her matching set of blue eyes. “Welcome to our new home my queen.”He lifted her in his arms and carried her across the threshold kicking the door closed behind them . His lips melded to her as he carried her down the hall and to their suite.Liam gently laid her back on the tapestry of this duvet cover and the mountain of decorative touches and pillows. He slowly eyed her beauty as he was consumed with lust and love. “God you are beautiful.” His hands ghosted over her face, her chiseled jaw, her slender neck, her ample breasts and slid around to undo her zipper. His gaze never left her eyes as his fingertips traced gently down the soft skin of her back.

Liam undid the satin wrap around Saige’s waist and slid her cobalt blue gown down her frame. His lips were soft and warm as they gently sucked and nibbled her neck , her pink buds that stood erect under his touch, and relished the sensation as he moved effortlessly down her chest and paid homage to her tiny belly that was nestling their baby away safely.

He looked up as her manicured nails teased at the nape of neck playing with his fine hairs.

“ I crave you my love… let me serve you tonight.”Liam slowly parted her thighs so warm, as he seeked solace in her center.He felt her satin thong, “your so wet for me already love.” He laid a soft kiss to her perfection over her underwear feeling how damp she was for him. “What would you like my queen?”, he whispered as he stared between her eyes and her sex.

She panted in anticipation, “ I want you, only you Liam, my king.” With those words rolling off of her tongue like a soliloquy.His teeth locked on the waistband of her underwear and guided them slowly down her thighs.

“Oh Liam”, her fingers locked into his hair as he removed her underwear that were soaked from her desire.He eased up her thighs nipping at each exposed area as he found her now bare skin lying before him.

Liam smiled at her before he worshipped her, “the things I want to do with you love… I can’t wait to pay my respects to my beautiful queen.” He rubbed soft circles on her clit and slid his fingers between her slick folds. Saige’s body relaxed under his touch, growing slightly impatient wanting to feel his lips on her . A deep breath escaped her as she finally felt his lips latch around her pearl working his magic instantly.Liam curled two fingers inside her as he increased the pressure he applied to her clit.

His eyes slowly closed as he had his way , his tongue tracing slow figure eights as it danced around her sensitive clit. Her stomach rose and fell as she felt her lips fluttering around his tongue as she neared her release. “ Liam.. oh god… I ..,”, she trailed off riding this pleasurable wave as she tipped over the edge as he continued to ride her with his tongue and lips as she came undone under him. He smiled as he watched her lift her hips off the bed .

“Good girl… I love you my queen. Just know”, he licked his lips enjoying tasting her essence on his mouth. “ I’m just getting started my love”,he smirked as he moved like a cat with his prey up here body. He nipped and sensually ran the tip of his tongue up her sides. He played with her slick folds with his impressive girth and length. Liam was no small man, but she loved the way he made her feel, not just physically, but with the love he exuded as they came together time and time again.

Liam came to hover just above her as her nipples rose to come in close contact with his chest and chiseled abs . Saige was writhing beneath Liam counting the moments he would make her his ... again... only this time in the royal boudoir.

“Are you ready for me?”, he ran the tip of his massive member along the seam of her entrance. Liam ran his thumb over the tip coming in contact with his precum. He lifted his hand to her lips, “do you want taste what you do to me love?”, he smirked as her mouth fell slightly open allowing her lips to capture his thumb as she gently sucked and licked his fresh nectar. “Tonight is about you my queen.” He nibbled her chin as he plunged deep inside pausing for a moment allowing her to adjust to the way he filled her eager sex. Liam felt her stretching and gripping around him. “Are you okay love… I’m not hurting you am I ?”, he kissed her sensitive area beneath her ear. Saige shook her head no. She lifted her hips to meet his , pleading silently for him to move. She realized how desperately she needed him, she needed to be with him. Liam obliged by slowly working his manhood deeper inside of her quivering walls. Liam watched as her head fell back each time he hit her spot perfectly as he drove himself deeper. He lifted her leg around his hip allowing himself to move his hips driving her closer to the edge again.

Liam knelt on his knees lifting her hips , legs dangling over his toned thighs as he lifted her hips repeatedly as he met her thrust gently pushing her further as the fire built in her belly each time she felt her body getting closer… wanting to scream as he grinded his hips into hers . “Liam.. I’m about to …”, her words were swallowed by his kiss. “ come for me Saige… I need to watch you cum with me love “, his eyes flashed from deep sky blue to a darkened gray as he became consumed with his body molding to hers in perfect sync. He felt his abs tightening and his breathing becoming ragged as he picked up the pace . “Fuck Saige … you feel amazing. His mouth locked on her buds as she began shaking , thighs were weak as she coated his manhood as she came undone for a second time. Liam felt his member pulsing as she fluttered and clinched as she rode her release, he picked up speed and drove deeply into her pounding her spot over and over as she screamed his name losing herself. Something about hearing his name on her lips in that sensual growl sent him over the edge and he too met his own release.

Liam held her close to him , lowering her hips, allowing her legs to go limp beneath him. He gently kissed her belly before laying his head on her stomach. His fingertips slowly played with her belly as they both slowly felt their bodies and breathing returning to normal. They both laid covered in a light slick film of sweat as evidence of their passionate love making.

He kissed her belly, “I love you… I love you both with all my heart. I can’t imagine being as happy as I am tonight… lying beside you, here in the dark , feeling your heartbeating with mine… softly hearing your shallow breathing … I know that I’m home in your arms. I promise to work faithfully to make you happier each day we spend together. I may be king… but I will first and always be your husband.”

Liam maneuvered up and behind Saige’s body, wrapping her in his arms , inhaling her scent of jasmine as he nuzzled her neck with his nose .

“Are you happy my love? I want nothing more than for you to be happy… I hope your happy with me.” Saige listened to her self assured husband flashing a morsel of doubt. He seemed to fear that she would not feel that he was going to continue to make her happy.

Saige laid there quietly before she rolled over facing her king, “Liam… you never have to doubt that your my happiness… my best friend… my soulmate. I can never imagine a life without you.. without us.” , she exhaled. “ I’m just glad that your … father is gone from here… I don’t know what I would do if he were still ...still under this roof. I want him to stay away from me… from our baby. I can’t imagine spending the next thirty three weeks fearing that he will take our child.” Liam cupped her head in his large hand as he held her close to his chest. “ shh… don’t worry… we are going to be fine. He would not dare to come back here.”

Liam would not release Saige , he laid in the dark listening to her breathing slowly calming down before falling to sleep. He thought to himself, “I hate him for this hell he cursed upon you. Baby … I’m never going to let him hurt you again.” Liam leaned back holding her tight as he stared up at the ceiling with silent tears running down his face, as he cried for the pain of his bride. “This too shall pass... I have to restore her peace of mind... at all cost.”

[raven-black102]

(Major Jasper x Scarlet Witch Reader)

Chapter 5 Hospital and Prom Night

3rd Person POV

It was just Jasper and (S/n) in the hospital. (Y/n) has lost a lot of blood during the fight with James. Now she is lay there on the Hospital bed with machines connected to her.

"Daddy. Is momma gonna be okay" (S/n) asked Jasper as he sat on his lap. "I don't know son. But your mother is very strong." Jasper said as he felt the urge to cry but he couldn't. The thought of losing his mate was something him and the Major couldn't bare.

And that (S/n) looks and sometimes acts like his mother didn't help at all. 'We promised to protect (S/n)!' Major said to Jasper. 'And we failed to protect (Y/n) in the process!' Jasper growled causing (S/n) to look at him seeing Jasper eyes turn from gold to black every once an awhile.

"Daddy's. Please stop fight." (S/n) said grasping Jasper cheeks causing them to gasp. "Momma wouldn't want to see you two fighting." He said giving them a sad smile. Jasper smiled at (S/n) as he gabe him a gently hug. "Your just like your mother." He said softly.

"I think he acts more like you then me." They heard causing them to gasp and see (Y/n) smiling at them soft. Jasper let (S/n) run off to the bed as he tried to claim it but struggled. Jasper chuckled and picked him up befpre placing him next to (Y/n).

"Momma you wake!" (S/n) yelled only for (Y/n) to wince in pain. "Sorry." (S/n) mumbled causing (Y/n) to pull her son close to her ignoring the pain. Then (Y/n) looks at Jasper to see that the Major was there too. "Major Jasper." (Y/n) said with a loving smile.

"Don't ever do that to us again." They said with a stern look causing (Y/n) to giggle. "I won't plan to my loves." (Y/n) grin as Major Jasper gave her a kiss. "Ewww!" (S/n) said in discuss causing (Y/n) and Major Jasper to chuckle.

(Y/n)'s POV

"Just wait tell you have your girlfriend/boyfriend (S/n)." I said causing him to wrinkle his nose. "I don't want one." He said as he sat up and puffed his cheeks out with his arms over his chest.

"When can I get out?" I asked as the door opened showing Carlisle. "In a few hours we need to make a few more test on you just to be safe." He said kindly causing me to nod my head. "Thank Carlisle." I said with a kind smile as he returned one.

Time Skip

"Why do I have to wear this?" I asked Alice as her and Rosalie did my hair and make up. "Because its Prom and you want to be dancing with Jasper." Alice said grinning telling me she already saw the Future about it.

"I'll do it as long as I can wear shoes or high tops not though bloody death traps called high heels." I said causing Alice to sigh but still nod her head. "Fine. Now come on Rosalie." Alice said taking Rosalie away before she could say anything.

I chuckled softly as I went to the bathroom and looked at the dress. "Blue?! Why can't it be red? Why couldn't I wear the dress I already have?" I asked myself knowing Alice could him me. "Its still covered in blood and had holes in it (Y/n)!" Rosalie yelled causing me to sigh.

"Momma. Daddy's waiting for you outside!" I heard (S/n) called out. I sighed again as I looked at myself in the mirror nervously. "Its just prom (Y/n) you'll be fine. Esme and Carlisle will be watching (S/n) and you'll be alone with The Major and Jasper." I mumbled to myself as I took a deep breath.

"(Y/n)? You okay?" I heard Jasper asked as he knocked on the door. "Nope. I'm trying to convice myself in wearing this. I really don't want to go." I said as I heard Jasper chuckled then felt calm. "Better?" He asked causing me to giggle softly.

"Yeah." I mumbled as smiled slightly. "Now cover your eyes! Both of you!" I yelled as I peck through the door. "No pecking (S/n)." I called casuing him to giggle. I stood in from of them as I saw Jasper smirk slightly.

"Okay you can open them now." I said softly as Jasper opened his eyes and look up at me. "You look beautiful." Jasper said in awe causing me to blush slightly. "Mommy looks like a queen!" (S/n) yelled as I picking him up. "Yeah and you father is the king." I said as Jasper smiled and gently kissed my cheek. "And you are our little Prince." Jasper said softly as (S/n) squealed in joy.

Time Skip

"You know Bella's has been asking to turn." Major Jasper said as one of his eyes are black while the other is gold. "So I've heard. Rosalie doesn't really like that though." I said softly as we sway around in the garden alone.

"Would you want to turn?" They asked me softly as they twirled me around. "Not unless its necessary. But no. I wouldn't. I could hurt (S/n) or won't be able to control my powers." I said softly as they look at me in awe and love.

"And that time does come. I want you to be the one who change me." I said softly as he smiled at me gently. "Lets just hope its not to soon." They said as they gently pressed there lips agents mine.

"And you know (S/n) has been asking me that he want a little brother." Major Jasper said as they pulled away from the kiss. "Hmmm. Yes he's been telling me that too. But we have to discuss this with Carlisle. We won't know what our child well become." I said softly as he nudge his nose agents mine.

"As long as it doesn't hurt your or (S/n) purposely we're all for it." They said causing me to giggle. Then my eyes widen as I saw a flash of red on the second floor of the school. "Victoria." I mumbled causing Major Jasper to tense up slightly.

"I just saw her." I said taking his hand in mind as we walked towards where I sww her only to see Bella and Edward dancing in the gazebo. "She's after Bella and Edward." I said as Major Jasper squeezed my hand.

"It could be nothing Darlin' let just enjoy the night for now." They said agents my ear causing me to smirk slightly.

The End

There is more but it the end of twilight going to New Moon.