#mr neighbor give me strength

[anonymouspuzzler]

TODAY. BABKA ROUND 2: THE BABKA-ING. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR UPDATES

[holylulusworld]

Get off my lawn

Title: Get off my lawn

Written for @buckybarnesbingo (Round 6)

Card: B004

Square Filled: Y5: Kink: A/B/O Society

Ship/Main Pairing: Alpha (Teacher) Bucky Barnes x Omega (Teacher) Reader

Rating: Mature

Major Tags/Triggers/Warnings: a/b/o, a/b/o dynamics, misogynism, arguments, enemies to lovers, idiots in love, panty theft, implied smut

Summary: You hate your neighbor and co-worker.

Word Count: 1632

@buckybarnesevents „Hot Bucky Summer 2024”: “We’re…enemies to lovers.”

@buckybingo (expired): Square 3: High School Teachers AU

@AllCapsBingo (expired):  G3: AU: Teacher

@warmandfluffybingocards: Square 9: Enemies to lovers

@the-slumberparty (expired): Square 7: Lingerie

@buckbarnesbingo Round 5 (expired): B1: Knitting

You need time away from … everything and everyone.

Sometimes it’s hard to love your job. On days like this, when the parents of your students bug you because they believe you are more than a teacher you want to quit. According to some parents, you must be a therapist, a nanny, and a private tutor at the same time.

Impatiently clicking your pen, you listen to the last father’s rant. He’s angry because his son won’t do better than a D for months. It’s not your fault his son plays on his phone all the time.

“I’ll stop you right there,” you raise your hand, not letting the man argue with you. “It’s past my work time, still, I agreed to talk to you.” You rub your pounding temples. “Let’s be honest. Your son could do much better if only he put a little more effort into schoolwork. He just doesn’t want to.”

“That’s not true!” And he tries to argue again. Alphas are all the same. They try to force you into submission by raising their voice. “He’s a smart boy, but you don’t give him a chance.”

“Sir, I must ask you to lower your voice. I’m not your omega, and I resent your tone,” you get up from your seat. “Your son plays on his phone all the time. When I ask him to listen to the lecture, he gets cheeky. He doesn’t respect his teachers or fellow students. He’s disturbing the lectures too.”

“Mr. Barnes said my son is a good student,” the alpha snarls and puffs his chest. You roll your eyes and decide to end the conversation.

“Mr. Barnes is a gym teacher. Of course, he believes your son is a good student. Jack only ever shows interest if he can push others around and use his physical strength to intimidate others.”

“Are you implying that my son is a bully?”

“No,” you smile cooly. “I’m not implying that your son is a bully. I’m telling you that he is a bully. If you want Mr. Barnes to teach your son English too, you can ask him to be his tutor from now on.”

You grab your bag and jacket to leave the room, ignoring that the alpha snarls in your direction. You have handled men like him before and won’t whine only because he believes you must cower in front of him.

Today is not your day. First, you had to endure your student’s father, and now you run into the only co-worker you hate.

“Ah, Ms. Y/L/N,” James Buchanan Barnes, the cockiest motherfucker you ever met, purrs. “I heard you had trouble with Jake’s dad.” He grins, knowing he made things even harder for you. “Maybe you should leave the young alphas to me.”

“Maybe you should not stick your nose into other people’s business, Mr. Barnes,” you quip before marching away. He won’t get under your skin. Not today out of all days. It’s the last day of school. Summer lies ahead and you won’t allow him to ruin your mood.

“I wonder if you bought these for someone special,” Bucky laughs as he steps toward your fence to look at your rotary airer – or rather at your lingerie hanging on the airer. “I thought you hate any alpha.”

“Get. Off. My. Lawn,” you twirl around to glare at him. “What the fuck is wrong with you? What kind of man sneaks around an unbonded omega’s house to stare at her lingerie?”

He snorts when you put your hands on your hips, and snarl in his direction. “I’m not on your lawn, doll. This is a public street. I can stand here as long as I want to.”

“If you don’t get out of my sight, you’ll regret it,” you point your index finger at Bucky. “I’m warning you.”

“You’re cute when you believe you can scare me,” he laughs. “What are you going to do, huh? Threaten to throw your lingerie at me.” Bucky throws his head back, laughing. “No, I know. You are going to stab me to death with your knitting needles.”

You growl loudly. “How do you know I knit?”

“Women like you,” he steps closer to your fence and puts his hands on it, “lonely omegas no one wants to mate spend their time with knitting and telling themselves they love being single.”

“You—” you inhale sharply before turning around. Bucky is still laughing when you grab the water hose. You suddenly turn back around to spray Bucky right in the chest, soaking his shirt. He ungracefully backpaddles.

“You…” He growls when you laugh at his predicament. “Do you think this is funny?” Bucky takes off his shirt and flings it at you. “You’ll wash it and give it back to me.”

For a moment, you look at his chest, drinking his defined abs in. He is perfectly toned, and you hate him even more when your eyes drop to his thick thighs.

“In your dreams,” you rip your eyes off his body to grab the shirt and toss it in his face. “Get away from my house, you creep. What kind of man stares at a lady’s lingerie?”

“Lady,” he snorts. “You’re a fury, not a lady!”

“Bastard!”

“Bitch!”

Bucky watches you storm off, an amused smirk on his lips. He loves to toy with you and rile you up. Your scent gets stronger, and you almost drown him in it. The alpha inhales deeply, purring low in his throat as his lower half yearns for something more than your scent…

“That bastard,” you pace back and forth in your living room, eyes drifting toward the wool and your knitting needles on the coffee table. “I should stab him with my needles. One day, I’ll do it.”

Your cat meows loudly. The stray you saved a year ago wants more food, not an angry omega disturbing its sleep. “What? I took you in. You should be on my side!”

You’re about to fight with your cat when a knock interrupts you. “Christ, can I not get a moment of silence?” You walk toward the door, taking deep breaths to calm down. You don’t want to yell at someone only because Bucky Barnes riled you up once again.

“Coming,” you coo while opening the door. You put on a fake smile, but it falls when no other than the thorn in your side stands in front of you. He waves his shirt and growls your name. “What are you doing here?”

“I told you; you’ll wash my shirt!”

“I told you to get off my lawn, bastard!”

You snatch the shirt out of his hands, drop it to the ground, and stomp on it before kicking it away. “If you come here again, I’ll stab you with my knitting needle.”

“I knew you are knit—” he can’t end his line because you slam the door in his face.

“Yeah, fuck you too!”

“Where are my…” You stare at the empty rotary airer. All your lingerie and even your favorite nightie is gone. There is nothing left but Bucky’s dirty shirt. “That motherfucker stole my panties!”

He made it. Today is the day you’ll end James Buchanan Barnes's life. You run inside to get your knitting needles, a grim expression on your face. He brought it upon himself with his cocky attitude and stupid smile. How dare he drown you in his scent anytime you are near him.

The alpha will die and it’s all his fault…

“Open the fucking door!” You harshly knock at his door. “I know you are at home, you fucker! Stealing is a crime. Trespassing is a crime too!”

Bucky slowly opens his door. Today the cocky fucker has his hair pulled back. The white undershirt he’s wearing is a little too tight. He smirks at you and crosses his muscular arms over his chest. “What can I do for you doll?”

 “You know exactly what I want, Barnes,” you throw his dirty shirt in his face. “Give me back my lingerie and nightie, you fucking creep!”

“I don’t know what you are talking about?” He dips his head to let his eyes wander up and down your body. “If anyone stole clothes, it’s you. How did you get my shirt, doll?”

“You won’t get away with stealing from me,” you take a step closer to Bucky to push against his shoulders. He stumbles backward and hits the door with his back. Bucky yelps when you press one knitting needled against his crotch, poking his balls.

“Doll, what are you up to?” He watches you place your other hand on his chest, moving it up and down. “Y/N?”

“You’ll never underestimate me again,” moving your hand to his throat you smirk. “I want my lingerie back. If you don’t give them back, I’ll take something from you.”

“I can’t give them back,” he breathes heavily feeling the needly poke his sack. “I’d love to give them back…though…but…I can’t…I swear.”

“Why not? Did you give them to one of your one-nighters?” You snarl his name. “Where are my panties?”

“In my nightstand,” Bucky licks his lips. “They are dirty…though.”

You gape at him. “You fucker!”

“Yeah, I fucked them good and hard,” he grins when you drop the needle to cup his crotch. “I imagined it’s your needy hole I stuff with my thick cock.”

“You’re a pervert and a creep,” you fist his undershirt with both hands. “If you don’t want me to stab you with my knitting needle, you’ll wash my lingerie…”

“Hmm…” he purrs when you step away to move your hands under your summer dress. You shimmy out of your panties and ball them up. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, you will wash these with your dirty mouth…”

Part 2

Tags in reblog.

[loucifersbitch]

yay for the follower milestone! For the prompt, can I suggest buddietommy and sleep deprived?

*looks at prompt* yeah, no way i'll be able to only write 11 sentences for this sldkfjslkfjskl

Eddie gets home first, dog-tired after a harrowing shift. They went their entire 24 hours without so much as a 5 minute break between calls. Willing himself to remain conscious, he drops his bag in the bedroom, stripping out of the clothes he'd hastily thrown on before leaving the station. The bed is damn near calling to him, but he knows he smells after the shift he just went through. He makes sure everything gets into the hamper (because otherwise someone will have something to say about it) before heading to the bathroom and starting the shower.

Stepping across the stone floor and under the rain shower head, he moans. The water pressure is heavenly, and for a few minutes he stands still under the spray, water running down his back, his sore muscles soaking in the heat. His eyelids droop with the exhaustion, but he forces them to stay open.

He barely registers the sound of the bathroom door opening, the smell of eggs and bacon and sausage permeating the air before the latch clicks again. Stuck in an almost trance-like state, he wishes he could sleep standing up. Or that the strength to lift his arms to wash his hair would hit him sometime soon.

Large, sure hands wrap around his hips from behind, and he immediately melts into it.

"Hey," Tommy says, his voice low as he kisses Eddie's shoulder. "Rough shift?"

"Mhm," he hums, nodding.

"Yeah, Evan said you guys didn't get a break."

Eddie hums in agreement again. "Where is he, by the way? I thought he was right behind me when I left the station."

"You know him, gotta make sure we eat before passing out for the next twelve hours. He'll be along soon."

Like they summoned him, the bathroom door opens and closes again, Buck joining them almost as soon as he'd entered the room. He plasters himself to Eddie's front, arms reaching around them until he's grabbing Tommy's shoulders.

"Jesus, Buck, why are you so cold?" Eddie asks, looping his arms around Buck's middle.

"'m not cold," Buck grumbles, burying his - very cold - face in Eddie's neck. "You jus' have the water temperature too high."

"Or he spent 10 minutes out in the freezing rain trying to catch Mrs. Petersen's dog for her again," Tommy murmurs.

"Hey, Greg is fast, and she's 74! I was helping. It's called being a good neighbor, Thomas."

"Mhm, and how exactly did you plan to catch him with your bare hands in the pouring rain?"

Eddie snickers at the mental image that springs to mind.

"I was being chivalrous," Buck grumbles again.

"Good thing it's your turn to do laundry," Tommy continues. "I wouldn't want to be the one to get those mud stains out of your jeans and shirt."

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up and get clean. We're wasting water," Buck says, staying exactly where he is and making it impossible to clean anything.

"Okay," Tommy says with finality, "Eddie first. Evan go sit on the bench."

Eddie can feel Buck beginning to pout where his mouth is buried against his clavicle.

"But I -"

"Now, Evan."

Buck huffs, but listens, sitting on the large wooden bench at the back of the shower.

Tommy begins washing Eddie's hair, and Eddie can't hold back the whimpers and gasps as gentle fingers massage his scalp. Tommy isn't trying to make it sensual, but Eddie is affected nonetheless. He can't help it when one of his partners' hands are in his hair.

Tommy moves methodically - meticulously - like with everything else he does. He has this particular way of caring for Eddie and Buck that makes them feel spoiled and cherished all at once.

When Tommy's done with him, Eddie and Buck trade places, and Eddie watches Tommy give Buck the same caring treatment he'd just received. There's a soft smile on Tommy's face as he works. This is just as much for him as it is for them.

Eddie and Buck both try to wash Tommy's hair for him, but he waves them off. They do manage to talk their way into washing the rest of him. Very meticulously.

The three fluffy towels on the counter hadn't been there when Eddie stepped in the shower, but Tommy always thinks of everything. They towel off, throw on the bare minimum of clothing, and quickly eat the breakfast sandwiches Buck had prepared.

They finally fall into bed, an unidentifiable mass of limbs and muscles, their bodies beyond exhaustion, their soft words turn into quiet snores almost immediately.

[msmk11]

Five More Minutes

Finnick Odair x fem!reader

WC: 1.5k

CW: Fluff, angst, the games, illusions to death

Summary: Five more minutes. A phrase you say often but only now really mean.

Day 16 of mk’s mad dash

The cold waves crash against your legs as you run through the water away from Finnick. Two person tag is pointless, really, but at the young age of eight, practicality is not an important thing on your mind. You’re still at the age where you’re similar in height and strength to the blonde, so you pretty easily outrun his attempts at tagging you.

“Wah, wah, you can’t catch me Finny!” You tease, sticking your tongue out.

“I told you not to call me that!” he yells, a pout growing on his face.

By the way his brows furrow in concentration, you can tell that your best friend is more determined than ever to catch you.

You run back up onto the shore, your feet sinking into the wet sand beneath you.

“Hey guys!” A voice shouts distantly.

You stop running and look up to see Finnick’s mother at the back door.

“It’s time to come inside my loves, dinner is ready!”

Just when you’re about to respond, a cold wet hand presses your arm.

“Tag, you’re it!”

Finnick stands beside you, golden hair windblown and wearing a big smirk.

“Not fair!” You shout back, betrayal written all over your face, “the game was obviously paused.”

“Never said so,” Finnick answers, arms crossed bossily.

“I’m gonna get you!”

You look back at Finnick’s mom, “five more minutes!”

*****

“Five more minutes.”

You look up at Mrs. Odair standing next to you, arms crossed and an anxious expression on her face that she absolutely cannot hide from you.

“Five more minutes,” you agree, reaching out and squeezing her arm gently.

Five more minutes. Five more minutes until Finnick would finally arrive home from the Capitol.

Finnick. Your Finny. The Capitol’s newest Victor. The youngest too, winning at the young age of only fourteen.

After being gone for weeks, you’d finally get to see him again. You’d finally be able to rest easy, knowing that he’s alive, safe, and within walking distance.

You hear it before you see it- the horn of the large, silver train warning everyone to back away from the railway. As it glides smoothly into the station, your stomach erupts in anxious butterflies, equal parts eager and nervous to see Finnick after all this time.

The train door slides open and the first person to step out is Finnick’s mentor, Mags. But then, there he comes, your best friend.

It seems the entirety of District Four is crammed into the small train station awaiting Finnick’s return, so the whole platform erupts into cheers at the sight of him exiting the train.

Finnick, ever the charmer, immediately puts on his best smile, waving to the crowd. Though you know a lot of it is an act, you can tell a part of him is genuinely happy to be home surrounded by his neighbors and friends.

His smile turns fully genuine, however, when he sees his parents and you waiting for him near the front of the platform. Finnick runs straight into his mother’s arms. Though he already towers over her, he looks so small at this moment, relieved to be back with his mama after all the trauma he had faced. When he pulls away, he gives his dad a hug too and then turns to you. If possible, his smile grows even wider and he opens his arms to you. You run straight into his arms at full force and he catches you, barely even stumbling under your weight.

You bury your face in his neck, “Welcome back, Finny.”

*****

You’re already ready to kill someone and the games haven’t even started yet. Interviews, in front of millions of people, are starting soon, and you’ve never felt more uncomfortable. You aren’t against dressing nice, but as a sixteen year old girl from the districts, you’re certainly against dressing uncomfortably and so lavishly. The big, poofy, blue gown you’re wearing is supposed to resemble the ocean, but you’re sure your stylist has gotten it all wrong. One is pleasant and good and makes you happy, the other is a stupid-ass dress with itchy fabric.

Luckily, your team has at least given you a few minutes alone before your interviews to collect yourself.

There’s a soft knock on the door and before you can even respond, it’s opening and closing quickly. Finnick is upon you in a second, arms wrapped around your waist and his chest flush against yours.

“Finnick,” you sigh, “what’re you doing here? I thought mentors weren’t allowed to be back here before the interviews?”

He pulls away a little and gives you a wink, “perks of being the Capitol’s Darling.”

You roll your eyes and scoff at him, but secretly you’re grateful for his status in the Capitol. Without his unwavering support at your side every second of your games journey so far, you certainly would’ve cracked. You’re not sure how you’re gonna fare in the arena.

Finnick looks you up and down, “you look….”

“Like an idiot?”

“No,” the blonde says, suddenly very serious, “You look beautiful, really. Though I suppose you always are.”

“Finn-“

You’re interrupted by the door opening. A backstage assistant peeks their head in the room, “you’re on in ten.”

When the door shuts, Finnick squeezes your waist gently, “okay, we should probably go.”

You stop him before he can pull away, “wait! Five more minutes, please.”

Finnick nods and pulls you impossibly tighter, resting his forehead against yours. As you stare into his seafoam colored eyes, a wave of calm overcomes you.

You’re so close that your breaths intermingle, and your stomach does a flip.

“Finnick-“

But you don’t need to say anything else, because his lips are already on yours.

*****

Even though Finnick never has to work another day in his life if he doesn’t want to, he’s still up and off to the docks every day before the sun even rises. It’s a habit of his you used to admire, maybe selfishly so, because he always showed up on your doorstep after a morning on the water with some sort of gift or breakfast in hand. But now, now that you and Finnick live together, you hate it. Even though you’re happy he’s doing something he enjoys, you, again, selfishly, want to keep him in bed a little longer.

When you feel him start to stir next to you, you instantly whine into his bare chest.

“Where are you going?”

Finnick’s strong arms squeeze you tightly, “gotta get up and head to the docks, sweetheart, you know this.”

“No,” you moan tiredly, “stay here.”

Your boyfriend places a soft kiss to the crown of your head and mumbles into your hair, “you know I can’t. Gotta work.”

You open your heavy eyes and look up at him, chin still resting on his muscled chest, “but you don’t have to. You could stay here and lay with me.”

Finnick sighs and you know he feels bad, but you also know you won’t change his mind. You find his stubbornness endearing, even if it works against you sometimes.

“Sweetheart, I’ll be back before you know it, okay?”

You huff dejectedly, “fine. But will you at least lay with me for five more minutes?”

The blonde pushes a strand of hair out of your face, “okay, pretty girl, five more minutes.”

The squeal of delight that escapes you makes your boyfriend chuckle, and you wrap yourself around him like a baby koala bear.

You look up at his pretty smile and long, soft eyelashes and place a soft kiss to his jaw, “Thank you, my love.”

*****

Much like all the mornings before, you cling to your husband tightly as you two lay in bed, preparing to face the day ahead.

But nothing about this morning is typical.

Instead of contentment you feel fear, instead of rested you feel restless, and instead of Finnick being eager to start his day, he clings to you just as tightly, head buried in your chest listening to the beating of your heart.

You mindlessly run your fingers through your lover’s curls, the only thing keeping you from completely breaking down.

Today is the day of the quarter quell. A day you never thought would come- when you have to enter the arena again. Even worse- when Finnick has to enter the arena again.

You’re still in shock over it all, and you can’t help the bitterness you feel towards the “girl on fire” for putting you and Finnick in this position again. Still, you try to keep your husband’s words in mind- it’s all for the revolution.

Only time will tell if you two would make it out alive.

Finnick’s rustling startles you from your daze and you look down at him, watching as he glances towards the clock on the nightstand.

“We probably should-“

“No.”

You pull Finnick towards your face, “just five more minutes, okay?”

Five more minutes. A phrase you’ve said countless times, but only now really mean in the face of death.

Five more minutes to hold your husband. To kiss him. To love him in the security of your bed. To pretend that the world doesn’t wait outside your door.

*****

Oh what you’d do for five more minutes.

[call-me-strega]

How to Become a Step-Dad in 5 Easy Steps: ch.4/5 of p.2

First, prev, next, lore, ao3,

I've already said it but thank you for all your wonderful comments and for engaging with my story. It really motivated me to finish up this chapter. I hope you all enjoy and Happy (early) Halloween! As a bonus I'm also releasing some memes for this chapter here.

This chapter a heat wave overtakes Gotham and causes some trouble, but at least Jason gets a title upgrade.

~~~

"Uggh! How is summer in Gotham so miserable that I'm still sweating buckets in the rec center? It has AC?!" John complained, setting down the box he was holding. He stopped, pulling a hair tie from his wrist and tying his hair up in a circle man-bun. "I swear I can feel my hair sweating!"   

"Hah! Sucks to suck whiteboy! Maybe if you chopped off that mop, you'd be less sweaty!" Irene taunted, hoisting a box onto her shoulder.   

"Well, we can't all just decide to shave it off the second we get bored of our braids, now can we Irene!" Johnny fought back, lifting his box with new vigor. "Some of us had to work for this kinda hair growth!"   

"Like I said, 'sucks to suck'! Get good whiteboy!"   

She stuck out her tongue as she trotted past him.   

Jason sighed as he dragged two of his own boxes out of the truck and followed behind.   

"Would you two quit yer yapping? Yer hot cause we've been moving in and out, carrying boxes in the middle of a recorded breaking heatwave during a Gotham summer. And, might I add, that I'd like to finish moving this shipment in on schedule, ya know before my skin melts off? So that I can actually enjoy the industrial-strength air conditioner we installed in this place? Plus, you know Fern won't be happy if they find out that all the equipment for the new kitchens and cooking classes didn't get set up 'cause you two were too busy trying to goad each other into a rumble."   

The pair stiffened.   

Fern was 152 pounds of rage, spite, and mischief, condensed into a 5'2" package, decorated with kitties, glitter, and spikes.   

Neither of them wanted to see Fern mad.   

They promptly stopped their bickering and rushed toward the kitchens, mumbling complaints under their breaths.   

 "Who even says rumble anymore," John muttered. "S.E. Hinton much."   

Jason rolled his eyes, gently bumping the door with his hip to keep it open. He walked over to the table where they had piled the rest of the boxes, setting them down with a soft grunt. He pulled up the bottom of his shirt, using it to wipe his brow as the three of them took a brief pause in the kitchens to catch their breath.   

That's when a ringtone went off.   

"Huh? Whose phone was that?" Irene questioned glancing between Jason and John. "Did one of you change your ringtones?"   

Jason knew exactly who it was.   

He flushed slightly as he reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, hoping in vain that neither would notice his embarrassment. Irene sidled up to him with a smirk.   

 "Who's that? Your hot neighbor-dad crush?" she teased with a cheshire grin. "Did you set a special ringtone for him lover-boy!?"   

Jason defensively tried to hide his phone.   

 "Maybe? And what if I did!? Now back off and let me pick up!"   

He shoved the smug girl off him as he picked up the phone.   

 "Hey neighbor," Jason gave his customary greeting, fully expecting Danny to give it back. Instead, he was met with panicked breaths and an anxious little girl's voice.

 "Mr. Jason? That's you, right?"   

Jason's hackles instantly rose.   

 "Yes, it's me, Ellie, it's Mr. Jason. Is something wrong sweetie? Where's your dad? Why do you have his phone?"   

 "You like to help us right? Daddy said you told him we could come to you for help. You'll help, right?"   

 "Yes, Ellie I did say that. I promise I'll help, but you need to tell me where your dad is, okay? Can you take a deep breath for me sweetheart? What's going on munchkin?"   

John and Irene exchanged nervous glances, responding to the way Jason tensed up. They watched on apprehensively, the mood quickly growing somber. This wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, that one of them picked up a call and had to ask questions like these.   

 "Huuup-haaah,  - um well, Daddy took me to the park, the one with the purple swings, because I really wanted to play today, and Sasha said they were doing soccer today and I really wanted to go. And, and I made Daddy run around with me even though he was getting tired. And then Daddy said he was getting too hot, so he was gonna rest, b-but he fell before he got to the bench and he- he's not getting up."   

The young girl explained, fighting back tears.   

"Hey- hey, Ellie, Ellie! I want you to listen to me, okay? First things first, I'm proud of you for reaching out to me when you knew you needed help, okay. That's a very responsible and big girl move. Next, I need you to understand that this isn't your fault, okay? Sometimes the hot weather can make people sick just like cold weather can."

 "Mmm-hmm," she sniffled.

 "Great. Next, I need you to find an adult at the park you can trust. Is your friend Sasha's mom nearby?"   

 "Yes."   

 "Good. Here's what you're gonna do: When I'm done talking, you're gonna go up to Sasha's mom and tell her your dad needs help. Tell her that she needs to call the VPA, okay? The V-P-A. Try to cool your dad off, maybe get him some water. If he can't drink it's fine to pour it on him since it'll still help cool off. I'm going to come get you so I can help. Stay with your dad and Sasha's mom until I get there, alright?"   

 "Alright, Mr. Jason."   

 "Good girl, can you repeat back to me what I said?"   

 "I need to go to Sasha's mom and tell her Daddy needs help. I need to tell her to call the VeePeeAay. I should try to cool Daddy off and stay with Sasha's mom till you come to help us."   

 "That's right. Good job, Elle! You're such a big, strong girl! I'll be there as soon as I can, okay?"   

 "Okay, Mr. Jason. Please hurry."   

 "I will sweetie. Promise."   

Jason hung up the call.   

 "I'm sorry guys, but I gotta ditch. It's an emergency. Neighbor's daughter called saying he passed out after playing with her at the park. It's probably heat exhaustion. Hopefully, the Volunteer Paramedics Association will have sent someone by the time I get there."   

He promptly had a pair of car keys shoved into his chest. He made eye contact with John to see him giving him a serious look.   

 "Take my car, Jay. From the sounds of it, it'll probably serve you better than your bike. Don't worry about returning it. I know you'll have Hood get it back to me when you can."   

Jason gave him a look of appreciation. "Thanks, Johnny," he said, turning to leave. He looked back at Irene, who nodded at him in determination.   

 "Get outta here! We'll cover for ya. We can handle the rest of the delivery ourselves. Now go help your lover boy, lover-boy!"   

He nodded in thanks before rushing out the door. He hopped in turning the AC on full blast and taking off.   

~   

Jason tore through traffic as fast as he could, breaking several minor traffic laws along the way. He hastily parked and rushed through the park looking for the Nightingales.   

She said the park with purple swings. Ellie was playing soccer, so they'll be near the field.   

He scanned the area as he approached. Suddenly he felt like his blood froze as he locked onto a small crowd formed near a tree. He assessed the crowd: a few parents, a couple of kids, two people in paramedic uniforms, and them.   

Jason marched over, pushing through the crowd with one single-minded purpose echoing in his head: Help them.   

He could see that the paramedics had laid Danny down and elevated his feet on a balled-up picnic blanket. His face was sweaty and red, his eyes barely open as one of the paramedics helped a pleading Ellie coax him into taking a few sips from a bottle of water. Another used a small hand fan borrowed from a parent in the crowd to cool him.   

He pushed forward, reaching out a hand to call to Ellie, only to be stopped by a hand hastily pressing against his chest. A small portion of him grew enraged as he turned to see who stopped him.   

'Who dares stop us from getting to our people!'   

A tall, lean woman in a t-shirt and athletic pants. Judging by the age lines on her face she was likely in her late-30s, maybe early-40s. Her hair was pulled back in a severe ponytail and her face was just as severe, promising pain if she deemed it necessary. She spoke first.   

 "I don't know who you are, but you can't go over there. Don't get in the way."   

 "Tch! Let me through. I'm here for them." he growled out.   

The woman tensed.   

 "Look I don't know what you want from them, but that man is in no position to give you whatever you're after." Her face grew more dangerous. "And don't even think about getting near the girl."   

That's when Jason belatedly realized he had had his mission face on the entire time. This woman mistook him for some sort of collector or enforcer. She was trying to protect them. He felt himself warm up to her a bit, releasing some of the tension from his body. He had to explain to her why he was actually here.   

 "Look ma'am it's not like tha-"   

 "YOU'RE HERE!" a small voice interrupted.   

Ellie promptly attached herself to Jason's leg. Jason bent down wrapping his arms around her. He stroked her hair, trying to reassure her.   

 "I promised I would be, didn't I?"   

 "Ahem," the woman glanced between him and Ellie with a slightly reproachful glint in her eyes. She addressed Ellie first.   

 "Ellie dear, do you know this man?" 'And are you safe with him?' her eyes asked. Ellie nodded in response.   

 "This is Uncle Jason. He lives in the same building as us, near me and Dad. He came to help us b'cause I asked him too. He's the one who told me to ask you for help."   

Jason expertly masked any surprise he felt over the new title Ellie had given him, which implied a level of trust and familiarity he wasn't 100% convinced he'd earned just yet. He simply nodded in agreement, waiting for the woman to confirm his theories on her identity.   

 "I am Katrina Malone; my daughter Sasha is friends with Ellie. We all live in the same building apparently. You can call me Trina." She addressed him this time, holding out her hand. Jason shook it, nodding at her once.   

 "Jason. Ellie called me in a panic, and I got over here as fast as I could." He returned. She simply nodded in acknowledgment.   

That's when one of the paramedics approached them. Jason recognized them as one of the kids that apprenticed with Dr. Thompkins, Emilio something-or-other.   

 "Ah, Jason! I'd say it's nice to see you but, well..." He glanced back at Danny. "If I overheard correctly, you're here for the patient?"   

 "Yes, I am."   

 "Ah-well, it's a pretty bad case of heat exhaustion. My guess is that he hasn't been sleeping right or enough. We've cooled him about as much as we can, but it would be ideal if we could get him indoors, preferably somewhere with air conditioning. That is assuming you don't want to take him to the hospital."   

Jason nodded along. "I brought a car with me. I can take them home; we live next door to each other, and I definitely have AC. I can accommodate them just fine."   

"Great. We've already administered some first aid, but keep in mind for once you get back that he should be kept in a cool environment. Try to elevate his feet if you can and have him drink something with electrolytes. Handle him gently when helping him move. He didn't hurt anything much when he fainted, but his head and side may be a bit tender."   

Jason stood up and walked over to Danny, Ellie trailing behind him. His face was considerably less red, but he was still barely conscious. Danny cracked his eyes open and looked up at him with through his eyelashes. He managed to mutter out a weak "Hey" before trailing off, unable to remain fully cognizant.   

 "Easy does it, your highness," Jason whispered as he went to pick up Danny.   

He slid an arm under his knees, the other supporting his back and hefted him up off the ground, holding him close to his chest. He dismissed the paramedics and said a quick goodbye to Trina before turning to Ellie.   

 "Come on princess, let's get you dad home."   

He led her to the car, carefully buckling into the two most precious pieces of cargo Jason had ever transported. And then they were off.   

~   

Jason gently placed Danny down on his bed, taking great care to make sure he was comfortable. Ellie, in an attempt to be helpful, shoved a cushion under her dad's feet. Jason couldn't help but give her a slight smile at the cute gesture. He reached over and gently ruffled her hair, before moving around the room.   

First, he double checked that his AC was working, even setting it to a lower than he normally used. Then, he dragged out some folding chairs he kept in his closet for the sake of convenience. One for him and one for Ellie. He set them up next to the bed and gestured to Ellie to go ahead and sit. Finally, he went to his kitchen.   

'He needs something simple and easy to eat that will help rehydrate and cool him off ', he thought.   

Jason ended up going with some simple orange slices with a sprinkle of sea salt and the light blue Gatorade (he refused to call it "frost glacier freeze". It was light blue, goddammit!). He set them on a tray with some pretzels, hummus, and carrots that he cut up into little sticks for Ellie.   

He walked back into the bedroom, placing the tray on the side table.   

"Come on munchkin, you've had a lot of excitement huh? Come have a snack. I'll watch your dad."   

She looked up hesitantly, glancing between Jason and her dad.   

"He'll be alright sweetheart. He just needs some rest."   

Eventually, Jason managed to coax her into eating while he attempted to get Danny to drink some of the Gatorade. Danny managed to pull himself into consciousness long enough to drink a fourth of the bottle and stomach a few orange slices. Before he went out again, he managed enough energy to reassure Ellie he'd be better after a nap, and lock eyes with Jason briefly saying "thanks" and then he was out again.   

Ellie finished her snack and hopped up onto the bed, laying down next to her dad. She left some space between them but reached out to hold his hand as he slept. She looked at him from her place on the bed and murmured a small voice, "Thank you 'ncle Jas'n."   

Jason felt his heart clench. He wanted to ask her why she had called him that. To ask if she really trusted him that much. Could he really say he deserved the opportunity to become such an important figure in her life?   

"You're welcome sweetheart," he whispered back instead, letting her rest with her dad.   

Jason decided to step out of the room at that point. He went to sit in the living room for a bit to try to get his thoughts in order. He updates John and Irene on the situation, thanking John again for the use of his car, then heads to the kitchen to whip up a quick lunch. Something the Nightingales could eat when they woke up. He ended up making some fruit salad, ham and cheese roll-ups, and using some left-over grilled chicken to make chicken pesto sandwiches with tomato and mozzarella. The rhythmic motions of his knife calmed him as he mulled over the day's events.   

'Her actions were calculated. She wanted to express her trust in me so that her friend's mom would ease up and let me help,' he analyzed.  'But... but there was no hesitation or unease. She knew what she was doing and did it anyway. I- I want to make the most of her actions. I'll prove I deserve the trust she placed in me. '   

Once he was finished, Jason carefully stored the food in his fridge before going to check on the father-daughter duo.   

Jason cracked the door open, peaking in at the pair sleeping soundly on his bed. He walked over to one of the chairs he'd set up earlier, quiet as an assassin. He sat as softly as he could and observed the pair.   

Danny's complexion had greatly improved, beginning to return to his normal color. His chest slowly moved up and down and his calm face was at peace. Likewise, once Ellie had fallen asleep her worry melted off her face, leaving a calm expression so different from her usual boundless energy. She looked so much like her father it was almost uncanny.   

Sitting there looking at the two, absolutely relaxed and trusting nothing would happen as they lay in his bed, Jason came to a realization. One he honestly should have expected sooner or later what with his Big Realization, last week. He closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.   

'I want to protect them.' he thought.  'When Ellie called me, I was so scared something was wrong. But the two of them are safe with me. In my apartment. In my bed. I don't want to lose this trust. I don't want to lose them.   

~   

Jason woke up with a crick in his neck.   

He groaned, straightening himself out and cursing himself for falling asleep sitting. Couldn't he have at least fallen asleep on the couch? He stands up from the chair, stretching out his back. 'It's nearly 5', he thinks as he checks the time. They've all been asleep for around 3 hours. 'Oh well, at least I'll be rested for patrol later’ he thinks, heading to the kitchen to go eat something, never mind the fact that it won't be dark for a few more hours.   

He pulls out the lunch he made earlier, serving himself a portion. It's closer to dinner now but he'd be damned if he let food go to waste. As he was eating, he heard the sound of light groans and shifting coming from his room. Abandoning his plate Jason gets up and goes to check on the Nightingales.   

He opens the door to see the pair sitting up in his bed, both rubbing the tiredness out of their eyes in the same way.   

Like father, like daughter, huh?   

"Feeling better your highness?" He says leaning up against the wall.   

In unison, the two stare at him with wide, innocent eyes before smiling those smiles that never fail to make Jason's heart melt.   

 "I'm feeling much better. Thank you so much for taking care of us Jason. I'm sorry to have worried you," Danny began, a finger coming up to scratch his cheek as if trying to dust his embarrassed blush away like a few stray crumbs. "I've had some health issues in the past which make me more susceptible to the heat. I really should have planned better, even if it did get hotter than I thought it would. I must have given you and Ellie a big scare, huh?"   

He turned to his daughter pulling her into his chest. She hugged him back for a few seconds before abruptly pulling away. Danny stared at her in shock only to find her pouting. Ellie scrambled off the bed and made her way to Jason. She indicated for him to pick her up. He obliged. Once she was in his arms, she reached up awkwardly hugging his face to show her dad and gave him an ultimatum.   

 "You scared us both, daddy! If you don't take care of yourself and scare us again like that, then me'n Uncle Jason will just move in together until you learn to take care of yourself! So, if you don't wanna be lonely, you better not scare us again!"   

'What is she saying!?’  Jason sweat-dropped, nervously staring at Danny's shocked expression.   

 "Is that right, Uncle Jason?" Danny asked, raising an eyebrow.   

'Fuck what am I supposed to do now!?'

 "Uuuh- uh, yeah! Me and munchkin here will just stay together if you don't take care of yourself!" He wondered what the hell he was thinking as he doubled down on her words.   

 "So, please," he continued genuinely pleading, "We care about you, try to take better care of yourself."   

Or at least let me help. 

Danny gave a bemused chuckle, getting off the bed. He sauntered over to Ellie and Jason, wrapping his arms around both of them. His face slid into the gap between Jason and Ellie's, fitting in easily as a puzzle piece. Jason couldn't see his face anymore, but he could practically feel the affection rolling of the man in waves. Danny squeezed them tight before speaking.   

 "Alright. I promise to take better care of myself. I don't want to worry either of you."   

 "Pinky promise daddy?"   

Danny pulled back and extended his pinkie out to his daughter.   

 "Pinky promise, Ell."   

His pinkie was larger than hers, wrapping her own finger like a hug. Keeping their hands in place, Ellie turned her unwavering gaze to Jason.   

 "You too, Uncle Jason."   

Jason agreed, giving her a slight smile.   

 "Alright, me too."   

Jason brought up the hand that wasn't supporting Ellie's weight and wrapped his own finger around Danny and Ellie's. His finger was bigger, thicker, rougher, and covered them nearly perfectly. He almost felt like he was acting as a protective barrier, which he felt wasn't an unappealing thing to be.   

Eventually, they all had to let go. Jason, remembering that they hadn't eaten properly, led them to the kitchen. The three managed to easily fall into a comforting and familiar atmosphere.   

Once the Nightingales finished eating with Jason they returned to their own apartment. They stood in Jason's doorway stretching out their goodbyes.   

 "I really can't thank you enough for all your help, Jason. Is there anything I can do to pay you back for this? I'm just so thankful for all your help."   

 "Hey now, I already told you there's no need. Really, I was happy to help."   

 "Oh, but I insist."   

 "Look, it really wasn't that big a deal but if you really insist, I'll accept some more of that fudge you gave me," Jason joked.   

 "Deal. I'll make a special batch just for you," Danny replied with a light blush dusting his nose.   

He leaned over, giving Jason a brief hug.   

 "Good night, Jason."   

 "Good night, Danny."   

 "Me too!"   

Both of them looked down at Ellie before glancing at each other. In unison, they bent down and took her in their arms.   

 "Good night, Ellie," Jason spoke softly. Her small hand tightened its grip.   

 "Good night, Uncle Jason."   

With that, Danny and Ellie went back to their apartment. Jason closed his door, sitting on the floor with his back against it, his head cradled in his hands, and pondered these newfound desires swirling in his chest.   

'What do I do now?' 

~~~

Okay y'all that's all for this chapter. I hope it was enjoyable. Let me know if you think the flow and pacing is going well. As always, I'm open to constructive criticism. Also, I'm thinking about adding an extra to the series where I go over my visions for some of the side character OCs so if you are interested in more info on them or to see anyone in particular, let me know.

[a-cartoon-lover]

Mr. Puzzles x reader who was a friend/neighbor in his childhood

A/N: Hi! This is my first x reader fanfic! Maybe there are some mistranslations, and it's based on my dream, also wanted to write down it before forget it all so it's kinda messy. Hope you'll enjoy!

___________________________________

"Where... is this place...?"

Before you realized it, you were standing at the entrance of what seemed to be an amusement park.

Your memory was in disarray. You were sure you had been lying in bed, falling into a deep sleep at home.

Yet, here you were, standing in front of a massive arched entrance.

"Welcome to Puzzle Park!"

A voice suddenly rang out beside your ear. Startled, you turned around to see a man standing there.

He gazed at you with shining eyes and a wide smile.

It seemed he was the manager of this park. The man stepped closer and extended his right hand toward you.

"You're the luckiest person in the world, no doubt about it. And why? Because, of course... you're the very first guest of my Puzzle Park, Mr. Puzzles' Puzzle Park!"

He spoke with pride. You felt a wave of suspicion toward this strange man. What was he talking about? Where was this place? And why were you here?

As these questions flooded your mind without answers, Mr. Puzzles seemed to notice your unease and gave you a gentle smile.

There was no malice in his smile; he simply appeared to be welcoming you. But at the same time, something about it felt unsettling.

"Puzzle... Park?"

You took a step back in confusion. Where was this place, and why were you here? You wanted to know the answers, but the words got stuck in your throat.

"Yes, Puzzle Park! And you have been chosen!"

He placed a hand on your shoulder, still smiling.

As if being dragged, you tried to shake off his hand, but your strength failed. Your body wouldn’t listen, and you were swept along by his pace.

Inside the park, everything was colorful, like a dream. Yet somewhere within, a sense of discomfort and fear tightened your chest.

"And the best part is, you get a personal tour from me! You're really lucky!"

Mr. Puzzles continued speaking enthusiastically.

"So, where should we start the tour—oh! Do you like carousels? Or maybe shooting games? Or perhaps—"

"I’m sorry, but... I have to go. And, I was just about to leave, so—"

You managed to squeeze out the words, resisting as much as you could to interrupt him. But he continued, seemingly ignoring you, his voice still cheerful.

"Ah, don’t be like that—there’s also go-karts and a mirror house!"

Hearing his words, your fear intensified.

Why was he so insistent? Why was he so fixated on you?

Questions swirled in your mind, but no answers surfaced—only more confusion.

"Perhaps you could let someone else take my place—"

"N-No, at least... at least visit the arcade!?"

His voice suddenly took on a desperate tone.

"I’m still working on it... could you at least give me your thoughts? The arcade is right next to the exit! Just a quick stop, okay???"

He grabbed your shoulders, and the strength of his grip was impossible to resist. Fear paralyzed you, and you had no choice but to nod.

His desperation hinted at something deeper. Part of you wanted to know the reason behind it, but another part was afraid to find out.

With mixed feelings, you had no choice but to follow him.

"...Only the arcade," you muttered.

To your surprise, he didn’t follow you, and you headed toward the arcade corner alone. The space was vast, lined with old game machines.

Among them, one purple machine caught your eye.

You didn’t know what kind of game it was, but for some reason, you felt drawn to it, and found yourself walking toward it naturally.

As soon as you touched the machine, you couldn’t pull away. It felt as though a powerful magnet was pulling you in, your body being absorbed into the machine.

In your hazy consciousness, the machine's form gradually shifted into that of Mr. Puzzles.

Before you knew it, your hands were wrapped around his head. The scene around you transformed into what seemed like a dim, underground space.

He stared at you with an intense gaze. Fear gripped you, rendering you motionless. He gently placed his hands on your cheeks, gazing at you lovingly.

"You'll stay with me, forever..."

His distorted voice echoed in your ears. Your body started to feel numb, and your mind began to cloud. His voice seeped into your consciousness, overwhelming you.

You couldn’t move a single finger, as if you were paralyzed.

He pulled you closer, embracing you softly. His embrace felt filled with affection, and his expression softened.

But there was still something ominous lurking beneath the surface.

___________________________________

Thank you for reading! Also there's bonus. After captchered, dream was still continue so here it is. It's suggestive maybe!

Bonus:

When you opened your eyes again, you were in a dimly lit castle-like space. There was no one else around—just Mr. Puzzles and you. You were lying in his lap as he gently stroked your head.

"What does he want…" You thought, but the body remained frozen.

Smiling with satisfaction, he stopped stroking, for some reason, placed his index finger in your mouth, making you suck it to the base. Had no idea what he was trying to do, but you sensed he was checking something.

---

"Does he think I'm a cat?" You wondered to yourself. As that thought crossed your mind, he began taking selfies with you while petting your head. His expression was full of smugness, as if he was completely sure you were under his control.

And all you could do was stay there, next to him, with no escape in sight.

[kissorkill16]

Company: A Hello Neighbor Fanfic

By JJ

Summary: Nicky brings Trinity over for the first time.

Nicky caught up with Trinity and walked beside her, "Hey!", he said, getting her attention. Trinity turned to look at him.

"Glad you didn't sneak up on me this time.", said Trinity.

"Yeah, I learned from last time.", said Nicky, "I do admire your strength though."

"Thanks."

They walked beside each other, minding their own businesses. It was silent for a moment longer before Nicky spoke up again.

"Do you want to come over to my house?", he asked his new friend, "My parents won't be home for another hour, so I normally just do whatever until they come back."

Trinity's eyes widened, "You just do whatever you want?"

"Kind of.", replied Nicky, "Mom and Dad have to work and travel a bunch, so I gotta find some way to keep myself entertained until they get home."

Trinity thought about it for a moment.

Her mind flashed back to the time where Principal Abanate stopped by her house to warn her about Nicky and his bad behavior. She seemed to know a lot about this kid.

But Trinity's barely known him for a week, so who was she to judge?

She nodded, deciding to take him up on his offer. If her parents asked her where she was, she could always say she was walking home with her friends.

"That sounds really nice, Nicky. I'd love to go to your house."

The walk home was silent until they walked onto Nicky's front porch. When he tried to open the door, his shoulders sank when he realized it was locked.

"Mom forgot to make me a spare key.", he mumbled. He turned to Trinity, "Follow me.", he said. Then he ran to the side of his house.

Trinity followed the boy, despite being super confused. She was even more confused when he just started climbing his trellis.

"It's my spare entryway.", he said as he noticed Trinity's confused face. When he finally got into his window, he motioned for her to follow him.

Trinity was hesitant, but she reluctantly climbed up the trellis and into Nicky's bedroom. She just wished she wore better shoes if she knew she was going to have to climb today.

She looked around Nicky's room to see a bunch of Alien movie posters and Talking Heads posters hung up on his walls, and the shelves held a bunch of conspiracy theory books, old toy UFOS and dismantled CB radios.

One thing that sat alone on one shelf was a piano like machine with an air horn glued to it. Nicky noticed her looking at it, so he decided to give her a little surprise.

He picked up the machine and talked into the microphone, "This is my fart noise machine.", he said.

A loud, juicy fart echoed through the room.

In an instant, Nicky fell to the floor, hugging his sides and laughing so hard. Trinity just stared at him in a bit of amusement and disgust.

"He really is a weirdo.", she thought, she looked around the room again, "And a nerd."

Nicky slowly got up, still wiping his eyes from laughing so hard that he started to cry a little bit. "I'm sorry, I just had to. It's been a while since I've played with that thing.", he said in between giggles.

Trinity walked around the room, hands behind her back. "Well you could still play with it, no one's forcing you to follow Mr. Peterson everywhere."

Suddenly, Nicky stopped laughing altogether. He looked down at the floor, his eyes hinting sadness. Trinity noticed this and began to grow worried.

"What's the matter?", she asked. "Was it something I said?"

Nicky put his hands up, "No no, of course not. It's just...", he sighed. "Look, the more time I spend playing with my toys, the more I realize that Mr. Peterson could be killing his next victim. So I thought it'd be best for me to just put all of this aside until justice finally gets served."

Trinity raised her eyebrows. "Ah, okay.", she said.

Nicky sat down on his bed and pulled out a box full of spy gear from underneath. "We could use this to gain more info on Mr. Peterson."

Trinity sat next to Nicky, listening to him ramble on about the gear.

As he talked, Trinity couldn't help but not pay too much attention. Why? Because she was looking at something she didn't know that she liked.

Nicky's eyes.

They were so beautifully sparkly and jade. Her favorite color was normally purple or violet, but her second favorite color was the color of Nicky's eyes.

She thought it was jade, it could be jade. Maybe blue green, turquoise, or light blue.

Either way, they put a warm feeling in her heart.

Those eyes were so lovely, lively, full of joy, and they just glistened in the reflection of the other pair of goggles in the box he held.

She thought she should stop staring at them so much before it got too creepy, but they were just...impossible to look away from.

Just then, a knock on the door came, making Nicky drop the box in his hands. A man and woman stood at the door. The man had brown hair and a blue shirt, and the woman had black hair and a violet shirt.

"Huh.", said the woman, "I would've cleaned if I knew you were gonna bring company over, Nicky."

Nicky fell to the floor, picking up all of the gadgets that fell out of the box. "Mom! Dad! When did you guys get back?", he asked through nervous giggles.

"Don't change the subject, young man. It would be nice if you could call us to let us know -"

"Work wrapped up earlier than we expected.", said the man, interrupting his wife. "Who's your friend here?"

Trinity waved at the man and woman, who she just put together were Nicky's parents. "Hi, I'm Trinity. Trinity Bales. Me and my family just moved in a couple weeks ago."

The woman smiled, "Nice to meet you, Trinity.", she said. "Do your folks know you're here?"

Trinity's eyes widened a little. Her parents had no idea she was here, no idea that she was still hanging out with Nicky after Principal Abanate specifically told her not to associate with him. But she calmed down.

"Yeah, I texted them before I came here.", she said. She looked back at Nicky with pleading eyes, and Nicky nodded in agreement.

The man clapped his hands, smiling wide. "You kids want some snacks? We got Zingers, Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Ho's, Suzy Q's -"

Trinity put her hands up, "Kind offer, sir. But I have to decline.", she said, pointing to her stomach. "Diabetic."

The man looked down at his shoes, a little ashamed, but he quickly perked up. "Well that's alright. I can always run to the store and grab some sugarless cookies if you like.", he offered.

"That would be very nice."

And just like that, the man left the room, leaving his wife to the kids.

"He did the same thing the last time Nicky brought friends over.", she said to Trinity. "Y'know, Nicky's has friends over before, but he's never brought just one friend over."

Trinity looked at the woman in confusion, "What's the matter?"

"I just didn't think Nicky would want a relationship so early."

Nicky dropped the box again and his face turned red, "W-What?!", he said as he turned to his mother. "Mom, she's not my girlfriend!"

"I didn't say she was, I was just -"

Nicky pushed his mother out of the room, looking down at the floor to hide his red face. "Well, we're busy, Mom! So come back when Dad's back with the sugarless snacks! Bye now!"

Then he shut the door.

He looked back at Trinity, who was looking at him with her cheeks as red as his face.

"I'm sorry about that, Trin.", said Nicky. "My parents can be a little embarrassing at times."

Trinity crossed her arms and looked at the floor, "Yeah, I understand. My parents are like that sometimes too. Especially my mom."

Nicky went back to his bed and sat down, "Well, regardless of how embarrassing they are, I love them anyway. They make me happy with just their presence.", he said. "Now, back to the walkie talkies."

Nicky continued to ramble about the spy gear in the box, and Trinity resumed to just staring at those beautiful jade eyes she liked so much for some reason.

As she was lost in her trance, Nicky suddenly stopped talking when he realized that Trinity was looking directly into his eyes. His face turned red again. "What?", he asked.

Trinity snapped out of her trance and looked away all flustered. "N-Nothing. Sorry.", she quickly said. "Just keep talking about the walkie talkies."

A moment of silence passed through the room, then Nicky resumed to talking about the spy gear and how it worked.

Both their faces red.

[astrologicalsstuff]

Composite observations

Composite is median of two placements that can indicate the nature of the relationship. What you value in your own chart can be compared to the composite and show what the relationship means to you.

This is not my art😖😖

Aries (fire) placements in composite probably show up in your first relationship.

It gives first love kind of energy burns hot and fresh.

Lots of planets in the 7th house composite can indicate polyamory or at least a couple that likes to be around other people a lot ESPECIALLY Venus sun or mars.

Pluto in the 7th can mean the opposite, where when other people try to join the relationship they feel left out or try to come between them.

Sun and rising in composite can show where the relationship takes place example: cancer at home, Leo at parties

Dignities may matter more in composite than they do in a natal chart, they just indicate very bluntly strengths and drawbacks.

Sun in libra is debilitated because aries exalts the sun. Libra sun can indicate codependency! Not necessarily a bad things depends on the couples needs but I’ve seen this for couples that just fall into place and it’s hard to work without each-other. Honestly in terms of relationships it’s a great placement just watch out you may find yourself in years to come realizing you’ve lost yourself completely or you have no goals of your own.

Mars in libra composite is also in fall and could indicate a relationship where one person is just trying to keep the peace. Mr friend had mars in libra with this guy we both knew and the guy didn’t like the her but didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to start a problem.

I noticed moon in the 12th house indicates that someone if not both parties are hiding their feelings I have friends who are married with this placement and it is hard to watch.

Neptune in the first house LIES or romance? This is such a deceitful placement watch your back I’m not kidding my friend thought this guy was in love with her and he hated her behind her back. Same with Pisces in the first. This can also indicate drugs and alcohol upon first meeting.

Difficult planets in the 11th can indicate their friends don’t like you (Pluto,neptune, Mars, Saturn.)

Having natal squares to the composite chart is not a bad thing, opposite signs learn a lot from each other so in a composite they usually create whit would be a square to the natal.

Gemini placements in composite may also be a more social couple that needs other people to keep the relationship going.

I think neptune in the 8th in composite may also indicate some confusion around feelings. Or a sacrificial bond? Still unclear.

Sun square moon composite big fwb energy the role of the relationship conflicts with the feelings

Similarly aries sun or rising may be a relationship based on sex

Virgo risings in composite you met your partner in your everyday life, my friend and her husband have Virgo rising with Mercury in the 4th(home) and she met him because he was her neighbor.

Saturn in the second house we didn’t give each other ANYTHING.

This is so specific but I had Chiron in libra in the 8th with a guy and we were poly and he gave me an std from the other person we were with but I never had sex with her and he never got it😭😭😭

That’s it for now I’ll do composite readings for free if you send me a message through my Instagram account I just want to learn more about composite relationships but there’s not a lot of info out there🥰🥰

[hlficlibrary]

HL Fic Library 🌸 Short Fics

(Part Two ~ 5k-10k)

Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find our other recs here.

🌸 Just Your Jinx by @larryatendoftheday (T, 10k)

Harry Styles may or may not have accidentally jinxed his extremely fit new neighbor, and it's not so easy to make things right.

🌸 a garden in bloom by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry (G, 10k)

Louis used to live the quiet sweet life of a small business owner in the English countryside.

Then Harry Styles came along.

🌸 Make Him Want to Sin by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird (E, 9k)

The stranger’s sharp gaze landed on him immediately, the eye contact shattering through Harry’s defenses. For the first time in his life, Harry had an instantaneous reaction to someone. The man stared down at him with interest, like he wanted to take Harry apart and put him back together again, piece by piece. Harry wanted that more than anything, and he wanted it right now. It took every ounce of strength he had ever possessed to not drop down to his knees instinctively.

All from one glance.

Harry is a curatorial assistant at the London Museum of Natural History, on the day of the big annual gala he catches a glimpse of someone unexpected.

🌸 Give Me One Excuse by green_feelings / @greenfeelings (T, 9k)

Louis gets dumped by his fiancée and Harry is his replacement. It's not their decision to get engaged, but it's their decision to get married.

Or, an Arranged Marriage Royal AU.

🌸 You Deserve It All by Rearviewdreamer / @all-these-larrythings (NR, 9k)

Just once Harry would like to face his ex and feel confident, but he's shit at confronting Nick and unfortunately his shopping skills aren't much better. Thankfully for him, the cute sales boy at the clothing shop knows a thing or two about fashion and making ex boyfriends green with envy.

🌸 Night Out by @helloamhere (E, 9k)

Symphony hall was the first place Louis had felt at home in this city, and he always had the box to himself. Until tonight.

🌸 a body wishes to be held & held by @turnyourankle (E, 9k)

Harry wants to return the favour after Louis helps him out with his heat.

🌸 Sweet to the Soul, Health to the Bones by wildhalos (T, 9k)

“When you walk in, every single thing stops. I see you, only.” Someone keeps declaring their love on the brick wall outside Louis’s office window. It's possible Louis should be concerned, but the romantic in him would like to believe a stalker would use something slightly more vicious than chalk and pretty words.

🌸 Second Time's the Charm by @cherrystreet (E, 8k)

Louis’ mother is convinced she met her son’s soulmate at the market. Louis is extremely hesitant to go on the blind date she’s set up, but she’s persistent, begging and pleading, pulling out all the stops. After all, mothers do know best.

(Or maybe they don’t.)

🌸 Now That It's Over by @lululawrence (NR, 8k)

“What are the odds we would both be at Mariano’s on a Thursday night?”

Louis’ shoulders tensed. What the hell was he doing here?

“Harry? Hi? The odds are pretty crazy, yeah.”

Harry smiled down at Louis the way he used to, but there was also a glint in his eye that Louis absolutely did not like. Harry was also dressed in his favorite black and white striped women’s jeans and a printed shirt only he would ever be able to pull off. It was quite rude of him to come and interrupt Louis, particularly while looking so good. Louis hadn’t seen him since he’d finished moving his shit out of what was once their shared flat, so this being the first time seeing him wasn’t exactly providence in Louis’ mind.

Or the one where Harry and Louis broke up two months ago, and Harry just might be sabotaging Louis' dates.

🌸 good enough (for you) by localopa / @voulezloux (G, 8k)

omega louis is next in line to rule the pack. in spite of the rule saying he needs an alpha to rule, he creates an impossible olympics to find a worthy mate. harry somehow wins the gold.

🌸 Mr. Tuesday by @jaerie (E, 8k)

Tuesday. Harry loved Mr. Tuesday.

It was true that most of his clients were regulars, but there was just something about Mr. Tuesday that would make him stand out amongst the others even if he hadn’t booked almost every single Tuesday with him for the past year. It was the first day of Harry’s work week and Mr. Tuesday always eased him into it in such a pleasant way.

🌸 Holding out for something more by SunTomato / @sun-tomato (NR, 8k)

"This isn't a social call, is it, Curly?" Harry's gaze drops to the floor. "No." Harry takes a deep breath, fists clenching at his side, before he looks up again. His eyes meet Louis’ with a mix of fear and determination. "I want to make a deal."

OR The one where demon Louis really doesn't want Harry to trade away his soul, even if he can't explain why.

🌸 I Don't Love You I Want in Your House by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup (T, 7k)

Harry comes into the bakery almost every day trying to woo Louis.

Zayn works out at the gym maybe a little more than necessary so that he can get the chance to watch Liam train.

Niall is the only one who ever checks the mail.

🌸 Your secret’s safe with me by lightswoodmagic / @lightwoodsmagic (M, 7k)

He knew almost everything about Haz, considered him his best friend. He knew his favourite movies and books, how he liked his coffee, knew how many pets he had and what he was most afraid of. Louis knew how to calm him down when he was panicking, and that he’d lost his virginity to his ex-boyfriend when he was 17. He knew that Haz had curly hair, green eyes, that he was tall and considered himself slightly awkward. He knew his Instagram account that only had aesthetic pictures or ridiculous jokes, but in the all the time that Louis had known him, he’d never learnt, or been allowed to know, Haz’s full name, what he sounded like, or what he looked like.

Louis didn't care.

Or, when Louis' favourite singer comes back and announces he's performing again, him and the rest of his group chat decide to go. When Haz, the man Louis' fallen in love with without meeting him, says that he can't, Louis tries his best to convince him with a drunken phone call, hearing his voice for the first time. It's not until he's at Royal Variety that he swears he can hear it again.

🌸 'Sup by MediaWhore / @mediawhorefics (G, 6k)

Gemma really wants her little brother to sign up for a dating app and get back in the game after a messy divorce. Harry thinks he’s way too old to swipe. They compromise to devastatingly embarrassing results.

Meanwhile, all Louis wants is to finish the play he’s been commissioned to write, but one of the regulars at his local coffee shop keeps distracting him.

ft. older larry, pushy gemma, harry being a disaster gay and silver fox louis.

🌸 Easier by @allwaswell16 (E, 6k)

The last person Louis wants to see is his ex-boyfriend who also happens to be his soulmate.

🌸 Bijou by @kingsofeverything (E, 6k)

Being in love with his best friend wouldn't be so awful if Harry didn't have to listen to him constantly complain about how the guys he dates don't measure up.

🌸 We're Getting Better With Time by @haztobegood (T, 5k)

Hello Harry, this may seem out of the blue, and even weirder if you don’t remember me. We hung out for a few weeks back in the summer of 82. A picture of you showed up on my facebook tonight, I think because we have a few mutual friends on here. I know we haven’t spoken in forty years, but I thought I’d just shoot you a message. I hope you’re doing well. L

Or, the one where Louis is single, Harry is recently divorced, and they reconnect on Facebook forty years after they first met.

🌸 old macdonald had a farm by vintagehistories / @adoredontour (NR, 5k)

Louis is a hedgehog, Harry is a fish, Niall is a parrot, Liam is a golden retriever, and Zayn is Zayn. It’s a crazy twenty-four hours.

🌸 Only Reason by @letsjustsee (NR, 5k)

“We are so lucky to have with us one of the leading experts on beekeeping in the modern age, Dr. Louis Draper.” No. No, no, no… “I know I speak for many of us when I say that this man’s books have guided our practice, or helped us get started,” Harry continued, and Louis watched as the crowd nodded their heads in agreement. Oh shit. No. What? No. But then Harry was gesturing towards him, saying “Dr. Draper?” into the microphone, the crowd was applauding, and Louis found himself walking up the stairs to the stage.

Or, Louis is most definitely smitten with Harry from the second he sees him, but he is also most definitely not the world's foremost expert on beekeeping. He decides to roll with it anyway.

🌸 Get Nesting & Soft Knots by ishiplouis / @pocketsunshineharry (G, 5k)

AU where Omega Louis who runs a nesting materials Youtube channel meets Alpha Harry who knits his own blankets

[myth-blossom]

I have had “Cold Hard Bitch” by Jet stuck in my head for days…

Hello Nonny! That song is so damn fun and I’ve been blasting it on my speakers again. It got me thinking about Diana and Grey and the frenemy nature of their relationship. With that in mind, I hope you like how I re-envisioned their first meeting. Enjoy! 😁

She entered the popular lounge and chose a private booth in the back, her image clear in the reflection of the large mirror behind the bar’s bottle display. Her sultry blue cocktail dress replaced the muted colors of professional wear he had grown accustomed to seeing, though for a Friday night, her change of attire wasn’t unusual. He casually sipped his bourbon and watched her order a drink before lighting a cigarette.

Lucas Grey didn’t know what to expect of Diana Burnwood, and that bothered him. When Olivia was unable to dig up much about Burnwood’s past, he decided to follow her from a safe distance. After a week’s worth of quiet observation, he hadn’t discovered much about her personality, her habits, her potential weaknesses or her hidden strengths. She handled herself carefully, not that he expected much else with her ICA affiliation. Though as a handler to 47, he had rather hoped she would let some sort of intel slip.

Getting closer wasn’t ideal, but it was a calculated risk for his mission. Burnwood became slightly easier for Olivia to track and him to travel to, with her having stayed in one place for longer than a few days for once. If he hoped to learn anything about her and get an opportunity to reunite with 47, he would have to close the distance between her daily route and his recent perch over the café across the street.

He was impressed when the bartender appeared with another bourbon for him ten minutes later, its pour coming from a finer vintage than he had previously consumed. “On behalf of the lady, sir,” she offered, gesturing to the back of the lounge in Burnwood’s direction. It seemed his target was sharper than he realized.

Grey took the glass and turned in his seat to raise a toast in her direction. She nodded and seemed to beckon him to the booth with a smile. Against his better judgment, he left the bar to make his approach.

“Was that an invitation?” he asked. She sipped the last of her wine and returned the glass to the table.

“I thought this would give you a better view,” she teased. “Please, sit.”

He slid into the booth beside her, guarded but wearing a smirk. She had chosen the best area of the lounge with no neighboring patrons nearby to pay them any mind, as if her presence dictated the exclusive reservation of the space. She was certainly interesting, if perhaps more dangerous than he had originally given her credit for. He couldn’t allow the distraction of her dress raised high on her thigh as her slender leg crossed over the other, or of the shape of her painted lips as she blew out a steady stream of smoke… 

He tore himself away to gesture at her empty wine glass. 

“Can I return the favor?” He noted the imprint left behind by her lipstick and ignored the urge to stare at the origin. “A glass of red, was it?”

“That’s correct,” she nodded. He signaled a waiter over to refresh her drink before giving them privacy once more. “Thank you, Mr….”

“Call me John,” he replied.

“John,” Burnwood repeated, her face neutral but her tone offering a hint of mischief. “Do you come here often, John?”

He sipped his bourbon, its taste more striking the second time around. He would’ve feared the addition of poison had he not watch her keep still at her table the entire time. This is a great vintage, he thought, and let his caution stay hidden beneath a calm expression.

“No. Just visiting.”

“How do you find it?”

He eyed the well-dressed businessmen and socialites near the bar with not-so-subtle disdain. “The crowd is unappealing—present company excluded, of course,” he gestured to her stiffly. She chuckled. “The drink is decent, though.”

“I see. And is it the drink or the company that keeps you here?”

He held her gaze as he drank his bourbon. “I haven’t decided.”

She placed her hand on his thigh and leaned in closer. He felt his breath catch in his throat at her intimate touch, her warm breath tickling his ear as his grip tightened on his near-empty glass. 

”Oh, but I think you have…”

Just observe, he tried to remind himself. You’re only here to observe.

The voice of reason faded into nothing as he allowed her temptation to meet his lips, his eyes closing easily at the pleasurable sensation of a stranger’s kiss. It had been months…years?…since he last allowed himself such a delicacy, and for good reason. It was far too easy to get distracted from his surroundings, to let his guard down, to become prey instead of predator in enemy territory—

Fuck!

He felt the recognizable sting of a needle pricking his leg, his attention so ensnared by the temptress that he neglected to notice her subtle movement. He would’ve spat a particular curse against her lips had his vision not immediately grown foggy, his body succumbing to the drowsy effects of the sedative. She took the glass from his loosened grip as his arm thudded weakly to the table.

“I don’t know who you are or how you found me, but I won’t let it happen again,” she murmured, her voice slipping away as his head dropped to his chest. He watched her drink the last of his bourbon before exhaustion claimed his vision.

“Sleep well, John.”

[picafreesita]

🌈4🌈

When my head touched the pillow in an instant, the morning light arrived…

Exactly, it was already daylight.

I quickly got up, looked around, next to me I had Sally and Julie peacefully asleep, the occasional snore coming out of their mouths. It was as if they had actually slept more hours than I felt. What was happening? Sunlight flooded the house just like yesterday's birdsong.

From outside you could hear a good morning. I went out and went to the first window I could find, opened it and watched as the neighborhood filled with life again with the neighbors.

Wait…what was that smell?

It was strange, it was as if it were something dead, a nauseating smell that was mixed with hints of sweet smell; I had never smelled anything like that. I took several inhalations to look for its origin, this only made me begin to lean forward, allowing a part of my body to come out of the window.

I turned to look down.

Its colors were vibrant, it was as if a rainbow rested on each petal except for some that were a deep blue color that took away the symmetry of its beauty; Although this sounded like the most incredible thing about their figure is not compared to those black and white spots that stole the spotlight from the rest, I would swear that they seemed to be… eyes

I frowned as I felt a new wave of his foul scent.

"Good morning, Jolly" Poppy greeted me from the street, I could see her standing.

"Oh hello"

She walked towards me and told me

"Do you really like flowers? They are wonderful, don't you think?"

"The aroma calls me… a strange aroma, I had never smelled anything like it"

"Where do you come from the pansies don´t exist? These grow everywhere, you could even find them in soup. Sometimes I like to use them for that, they give it a good touch with other ingredients"

"I guess it tastes better than it smells, its smell is horrible" I let out a small laugh.

"That can't be"

Poppy bent down to cut one of those flowers and then smell it.

"To me, it seems like a sweet and splendid smell, even Eddie and Julie make wreaths with them"

She handed it to me and I smelled it again, in a quick reaction I frowned and moved it away from me.

"Maybe the problem is my nose, it may be broken"

"Oh no! Let me see" With her big wings she took my face to see it closer to her, she held me so tightly that the only thing on the other side of the window was my feet hanging on its frame.

"It seems that everything is in order," she said with a sigh of relief, returning me inside.

"Oh, good morning Poppy," Sally greeted behind me. The two girls slowly walked out of the pillow fort.

"Hello girls" She kindly waved one of her wings as a greeting.

"Yes, I'm hungry. What do you want for breakfast?" Julie asked.

"Waffles! "Let's make waffles!" she said, Sally.

"I'll see you in a while, enjoy your breakfast," Poppy said saying goodbye and walking away from the window.

Both girls shouted:

-We will do it!-

During breakfast, Sally and Julie began to play with their food, they decorated it with colored sprinkles and syrups of all the flavors you can imagine to form funny faces on them, I don't know if it was just me but my waffle looked like…

"David" I whispered in a sad tone.

"Did you say something? Is there something wrong with your Mr. waffle?" Sally asked.

"No, nothing. Only Mr. Waffle is very delicious" I responded with a smile.

Looking at the clock in the living room I noticed that it was 10 in the morning.

"I think I better get ready to leave" I interrupted and then got up on the table.

"Wait!"

Julie also got up and told me:

"I have been thinking and we should wash and even mend your clothes"

"It's true, you should leave completely renewed. This way you will have much more strength to find your friends,” Sally replied.

"I really don't want to abuse your kindness" I responded.

"I insist, now we are friends. And friends always support each other"

I guess they had a good point, what I was wearing were nothing more than scraps that I found along my way, things that I could even consider as proof of my survival.

"So what am I going to use? I don't think I can´t spend most of the day in my pajamas"

"Let's see what's in my closet, you may be a little taller than me, but I Julie "fashion icon" know that I have something perfect for you, trust my magical design skills," She said moving his fingers while He began to walk backward until he entered the room.

"Come on!" Sally said pushing me inside. After they finished getting ready it was my turn.

I scrolled through thousands of outfits, some that were tight and some that were too baggy, many more was like something Sally said "didn't suit my vibe," from plain colored clothes to those that had the most eye-catching patterns I've ever seen. Dresses, pants, scarves, shirts, and more flew through the air creating thousands of possible combinations.

"Wait a minute, I think I found the perfect outfit!" Julie said, confident of herself.

In a last round, they dressed me in a three-piece outfit along with some white high-waisted boots. It was a long, puffy, colorful shirt that was accompanied by a black vest with hearts sewn on as pockets and along with an orange skirt.

"I think…I think I like it" I said

"It's perfect!" They shouted at the same time.

"But there's still something to fix, and that's your hairstyle," Sally said.

"That´s a cinch!" I was dragged again, only now towards the bathroom where they began to brush.

"Gosh, I didn't realize that many parts of your hair are shorter than others everywhere"

"I cut it myself" I confessed embarrassed.

"I'll have to match it. Sally, scissors"

A hairdressing gown had covered me up to my shoulders.

"Let's get to work!" Julie exclaimed.

After a certain time, I began to see many strands sliding smoothly on the hairdressing gown.

"Now we have to style it"

With a few more brushes and several passes of hairspray, Julie was finally done.

"Vuala! My masterpiece!"

When I looked in the mirror I couldn't believe that it was me that was in front of me, I got up and took off the hairdressing gown revealing the complete look.

"Wow"

Sally laughed and said:

"Yes, you are pretty"

I couldn't stop looking at me from head to toe. Am I really pretty?

"Very well, since we are all ready, it is time to go" Julie indicated.

She took my clothes and put them in a yellow bag.

We left the house heading to Poppy's house which was sitting knitting near one of her windows. Julie kindly asked her to fix my clothes and she accepted the task without any problem and even told me that I looked very pretty.

"Thank you," I said shyly.

When we said goodbye we walked to Wally's house to find out what he had in store for us that day.

🌈3<<<;<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>5🌈

[just-some-random-blogger]

May i request a sandman fic where Dream is forced to interact with children, preferably with Death

(also, despite death being there, could you perhaps not make it depressing)

Didi's Brother

Dream of the Endless x Reader (but its mostly dream & ze baby boy)

Summary: "Di!" I rather excitedly called, grabbing the woman by the arm, "you didn't tell me your brother was hot." She laughs, "don't you think it would be rather odd if I told you 'oh, I have a hot brother.'"

Word Count: 1k+

Warnings: fem!reader, single mom!reader, Death is referred to as Didi, Dream boy Morpheus is referred to as Murphy, fluff, angst?, typos, etc.

A/N: i hope you like it!!! its pretty fluff! and also nonnie ???? it's never depressing when death is around!!! HAHAHH i made the kid a baby boy because i normally write dream in a girl dad lens. boy dad time HAHAHH Tagging: @pinksirensong @aralezinspace @sloanexx @deniixlovezelda @shadow-pancake9

The moment the boy heard a knock on the door, he scrambled in excitement and ran to the door screaming, "MUMMA, SOMEONE'S AT THE DOOR!"

Upon hearing this from the bathroom, I yell back, "okay, I'll be out in a minute. Don't open the door."

The child nodded but ran to the door anyway, checking to see who it was, pressing his cheek to the entrance. He hoped it was their neighbor. She was an old lady who always gave him sweeties (in secret).

When he doesn't hear anything, he pulls away and busts a lung out, "WHO IS IT!"

He hears a chuckle.

"It's auntie Didi!"

Oh em gee, that was even better!!!!!

"MUMMA!" the boy screams his guts out that it echoes inside the bathroom.

I sigh but chuckle. I flush and step out.

"HURRY IT'S AUNTIE DIDI! MUMMA! mUMmA! MUMMA! M U M M A !"

"Goodness," I huff as I jog towards my son, who was jumping in excitement, "give me a chance."

The moment the door opens, the boy leaps towards the dark clothed woman and strangles her legs, "HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Both of us look down and chuckle at the boy. Didi brushes his wispy hair back and gently pinches his cheek, "hello, Benji."

"HI, AUNTIE DIDI!"

I lean in and hug the woman, "hey, Didi, thanks for coming."

Didi chckles, "happy to watch this sweetheart."

When we pull away, I then lock eyes with the man behind her. My lips part at his dark eyeliner, sharp cheekbones, and messy hair, "oh... hello there."

"Greetings," he says, lips barely curving into a smile.

Didi turns over her shoulder, "this is my brother, Murphy."

"Oh," I say, unable to take my eyes off him, but do so rather reluctantly.

"I hope you don't mind. He's going to be babysitting with me today."

Upon hearing this, Benji pulls away from Didi and peeks behind her, examining the tall man. Seeing that he looks quite similar to his beloved auntie Didi, with their goth aesthetics, he agrees with himself that he's probably going to be just as fun as her.

This was how Murphy became Benji's right-hand construction man as he busied himself in the livingroom, building a fort.

"HMMM," he hums loudly, "I think you should up and-" he fixes the pillow walls, "-and- and get mumma's pillows because it's falling!"

"Benji, no," I call as I hear this. I adjust my coat on my shoulders as I head for the door, "just use the pillows here."

Benji whines as his right hand man kneels down next to him to keep the pillows from falling. The boy protests, "but mumma!!!!"

"If you want him to get the pillows, you have to go up with him," I say as Didi chuckles at the child, "and you have to ask him politely."

Benji beams and immediately yanks Murphy from the fort, making it topple down, "uncle Murphy, can we please, please, please get some pillows upstairs."

"Benji," I warn.

Murphy stands and nods, "very well."

Benji excitedly drags him with all his strength, "we can get the stuffed toys too!!!! MR. SNUFFALUFFAGUS!"

I watch as Murphy bends to allow the boy to drag him by the hand up the stairs. I turn to Didi, who is also watching them go upstairs.

Because of the boys short legs, it takes rather long for them to climb the steps one by one. Murphy pulls his hand out of the boy's grip to hold him on both arms, "would you like to hold on the hand rails, Benjamin?"

Benji turns to Murphy and reaches out to him instead, "carry?"

Murphy stills for a moment, but then picks up the child, craddling him in his arms. Something happens to my heart as I watch him climb the stairs with my baby. Once they are at the top, my stomach flurries at the sight of him tickling my son sweetly.

"Di!" I rather excitedly called, grabbing the woman by the arm, "you didn't tell me your brother was hot."

She laughs, "don't you think it would be rather odd if I told you 'oh, I have a hot brother.'"

I burst into a fit of laughter, "point taken."

Didi giggles with me.

"So... is he single?"

Didi rolls her eyes, "why don't you ask him yourself?"

I clear my throat and shake my head, "just curious..."

She raises a brow and crosses her arms.

"Are you sure it's alright for him to watch Benji with you?"

She shakes her head, "oh, you saw them. Just go already, unless you wanna be late. And anyway, I'll be right here the whole time."

Eventually, all the pillows in the house were used to fortify the castle upon the couch. Murphy was then assigned to play a monster and Didi was assigned as a fairy. Benji was obviously a knight.

"Okay," Benji points as he looks to Murphy, "destroy the castle."

He is a bit shocked, "must I? We spent much time balancing the pillows in order to stand like this."

Benji shakes his hands, "no, you have to-" but then hurtles himself into the plush pillows and destroys it himself as he growls.

Didi giggles as he watches the child do this. Murphy watches, entirely still.

Once destruction was laid upon the pillowy castle, Benji stands and then gasps, "OH NO THE MONSTER DESTROYED IT!"

Didi places a hand on her lips, holding back her laughter, "gosh. Don't you just hate it when that happens?"

Murphy finally understand his role. He crosses his arms then tilts his head, a rather threatening stance in all honesty. The prince of stories muses, "𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔯𝔢𝔪𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢. ℑ 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔨𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔶 𝔣𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔪. 𝔔𝔲𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔪𝔶-" SMACK!

Benji takes a pillow and wacks it across the monster's waist in the middle of his speech.

Flabbergasted, Murphy could not do much other than accept the assualt of the Knight of Featherdown. The pillow slips out of Benji's hand because of a particularly hard hit on the man's leg. The boy then grabs the other pillows and stuffed toys, chucking it to Murphy. It barely hits the monster because of knight's poor hand-eye coordination.

Didi laughs, "the fairy will help!"

And so the knight and the fairy fight the monster until he gets the wits to grab a pillow and shield himself.

"ℑ 𝔴𝔦𝔩𝔩 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔟𝔢 𝔡𝔢𝔣𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔡!" Murphy proclaims, "ℑ 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔡𝔢𝔳𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔪!"

His sister translates for the boy, "sir Benji! He says he's going to eat everything!"

"NOOOOO! YOU DON'T EAT PILLOWS!"

"𝔅𝔲𝔱 ℑ 𝔞𝔪 𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯."

Benji growls through a giggle, "GOOD ALWAYS WINS!"

Eventually, Murphy is defeated, sprawled chest down on the carpet, a five year old sat on his back victoriously.

Benji, thoroughly excited by the turn of events, giggles as he catches his breath. He decides to mimic the man and lie chest down on Murphy's back. The latter feels his cells come alive at the feel of the boy's heartbeat.

"You are a valiant opponent, Sir Benjamin," Murphy mutters.

Didi chuckles and sits down next to them. She rubs the kid's back, "he means your a great knight, Benji."

"Indeed."

Benji turns to Didi then slides off Murphy. The boy walks over to her, "Aunti Didi."

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Is Murphy a puppa?"

Didi blinks and turns to her brother. She places her hand on the boy's back, "why don't you ask him."

Murphy, who obviously heard this, pushes himself up and sits down, waiting to be asked.

Benji turns to him, "are you a puppa?"

He straightens his back and nods, "I am."

"Do you have a son?"

"I do."

Upon hearing this, the boy frowns, "oh."

Didi brushes the boy's hair, "why do you ask, Benji?"

Benji shakes his head and gives no response.

Lord Morhpeus does not like this, and so, he makes the child sleepy.

Benji yawns and stretches.

Didi smiles at him, "wanna take a nap?"

Benji nods.

The moment Benjamin goes to sleep, Murphy meets him in the Dreaming. The child is clad in armor and is sat upon the back of a unicorn. Murphy asks the knight what his question meant and the boy tells him he wanted to ask him to be his puppa.

Murphy thinks about the boy's words for a moment then nods, "I will be your puppa whenever you are in my realm."

Sir Benjamin, Knight of Featherdown, beams, "thank you, puppa."

[hidden-poet]

Till.Death; 1

original(ish) story

description; Harry has always been a traditional man with traditional values. A women place was in the home, with a man to protect and provide for her. Harry was happy to play to his role, becoming rich and powerful with only the intention of bring it home to his little wife. The only problem was that the ex's piled up and his bed remained cold.

Until a young female barista started working at his local coffee shop, and Harry was determined to live out his white picket fantasy.

Only posting so i always have a copy. Please no feedback. I wrote this quite young.

The continuous door bell woke Harry from his sleep. He flicks on his lamp and rushes out of his bed room, grabbing his dressing gown from behind the door. His feet shuffle over the cold wooden steps and the cold titles of his home as he reaches the door. Swinging it open in annoyance to revel the women he threw out of his home 48 hours ago.

"I am pregnant" where the frozen women first words. He eyes the wet women standing at his door step. Her coloured red hair was dark and stuck to her forehead, her skin pale with red blotches were the rain had harshly come down upon her, her nose and cheeks carried a crimson red from being flushed and her attire did not meet the expectations of a cold winter season of London. Still he did not invite her in.

"Congratulations" his tone was bored and it matched the closing of the door. She wasn't the first cunt to try and pin a pregnancy on him and she wasn't the last.

She stopped the door with surprising strength that made Harry stop and give her a second audience.

"It's yours" she begs.

"It's not. I used protection" the door beings to close once more.

"Yeah, well, it didn't fucking work" she shoves against the wood.

He flings the door wide and grabs her by the neck, "you ever swear at me again, whore, and I'll do some remodeling with your head"

He shoves her back into the rain as he releases his hold, stepping himself into his door frame. He needed to see if the neighbours were watching. There were no secrets in the protected, high class community of everdale. The bored housewives and their maids were always peering out their window looking for a good story to tell the others as they ran into them at the supermarket or book club.

Harry was their favourite topic and the last thing Harry needed was for a gold digging whore to ruin his representation. If not for himself, for his future half. He must protect her representation as Mrs styles.

"it's yours! I haven't been with anybody else" she pleads, in a louder voice then Harry would have liked.

His laughter competes with the heavy rain.

"It's true! I haven't even had a chance to pick up my phone since we left hells gates night club together. When you fuc-" Harry eyes darken at the thought of the word coming out of her mouth towards him.

"When you sleep with someone" she correct, "you run the risk of a baby, and we've done a lot of that over the last four days"

He scans the neighbored for any busy bodies but figures it was too early in the morning for the upper class to even consider getting up to hear what the commotion was about.

"Please, I have no where else to go. Look I'll do whatever you say. I'll play subservient to you like you like. Treat you good, baby. You know I know how" she steps forward towards him and his attention goes back to her.

His eyes go to her belly; it could very well be true. They did screw a lot, it's possible that one of the condoms were faulty. A rush ran through him. He could be a father. Sure, it wasn't how he wanted his first child conceived but still excitement at the prospect of his own child shone through.

"Get inside of the house" he commands. She runs past him into the warmth of in doors, and he slams the door closed behind him.

"go sit in the living room" he watches as she instantly does, "on the wooden arm chair, not the fabric stuff" he yells after her.

Harry storms back up stairs, taking them three at a time until he reaches the landing, and takes a sharp turn into his bedroom. Going to his bed stand he picks up his iPhone and dials his doctors number.

He doesn't pick up the first time, and the sound of the message bank send Harry into a rage, kicking his oak stand and throwing his only source of light across the room.

HE sits on the bed now in the dark and try's the number again. This time the doctor doesn't take long to pick up,

"Mr. Green is, ak-hum, is everything ok?" the old man asks, clearly just haven woken up.

"No, No, not everything is ok. I've got a women in my house claiming to be carrying my child, and i need to know if that's true or not"

"Oh dear" The old mans nerves were frazzled when it came to his only client. One, he was too old to be dealing with a full case load, only having to be on retainer for one healthy, fit, young client and still being able to pay off his mortgages was a dream come true. Secondly, whenever Harry came for a check up, it felt like he saw through him. As if Theodore was not worth the time to sit there and discuss his results with, despite his older years and experience.

It fairness, however, Theodore was a obstetrician, having specialized in small children and child birth. Even if he was among the top of his field in the practice, It was odd to him at first as to why Harry was so persistent to keep him on retainer, and only him. Now he thinks, it was for situations like this.

"well, bring her into the practice tomorrow morning first thing, and we can find out. How far along is she?"

"maybe five days"

"Mr. Green, she has to be pregnant at least three months before we can conduct a parental test"

"Three months? The hand whore has to be in my house for three fucking months?"

"well, Sir, You could always get her hotel"

"so she can run away with my child? no until i know for certain, she's not going anywhere. Three months from today we will be at your office at 8:30am. That's Friday, 18th of March. I'll see you then, doctor"

harry hangs up the call and throws his phone back on the table top. Part of him hopes that the child is his, even if its not born from his wife. It may not be the way he wanted a child but he was getting on in years, perhaps it was better to get it out of the way.

He rubs his face feeling a head ache come on. He was now going to have to deal with Vanessa for the next three months.

cold vanessa, who may be holding his future baby in her wet frame.

He grabs a towel from his en suite and goes back down stairs to the living room where she sat on the wooden arm chair like she was told.

She watches him carefully as he approaches her, holding out the towel.

"thank you" she says as she takes it and wraps it around her. She remembers, he was big on manners.

He doesn't offer the same curtesy back, sitting down on the white fabric sofa, and turning on a lamp so that he could see her better.

"this is how it's going to go. You are going to stay in one of the spare bedrooms in the house for the first three months of your pregnancy before i can find out if the bastard is mine"

She goes to object; it was his, she was sure of it, but his hand flashes up to stop her. Don't interrupt him when he was talking, she remembers.

"you will not drink, smoke or have sex. You will be on a healthy diet, and you'll go to the classes to find out what you're supposed to be doing to ensure the health of the baby. You will do all of this without fail or i will chain you up in the attic, and you will loose whatever little freedom i give you for the next couple of months. After the time is up if it is true, and the baby is mine, I'll give you a hefty sum to carry it to term and a larger sum to disappear after it's birth. if it's not true, i toss you and it to the curb".

her eyes don't sway from his own; something harry hated.

"it's yours, harry, and when that's proven, I'll be everything you've ever wanted" she moves towards him, kneeling down and resting on his knees, "i've seen the box that you keep hidden"

His eyes turn cold at the thought of it. He had caught her snooping and kicked her out, assuming she was looking for things to take. what she found was much worse then any valuable he had.

"the cut outs of the domestic families, the stuffed bunny , the good little house wife rule book, the wedding ring" he grabs her jaw tightly to stop her from talking.

"you go through my things again, and i'll break every bone in your hand".

Friday 18th of March

Harry dives into a park, cutting the engine off quickly and unbuckling his seatbelt. It was the day he waited for the last three months. He has been up since 5, and even now they are 20 minutes early.

"it's yours. You'll see, Harry, and we'll be one big family" Vanessa promises, partly to herself.

"stop talking" he demands as his long legs stretch outside of the car. She follows him in her sundress, that she wore especially for the occasion.

He walks ahead of her into the building, a small practice with a push and pull door that actived a bell upon use. He holds the door open for her, and another pregnant women walking through, who both thank him.

They walk straight into the waiting room that were situated along two corridors of doors.

harry takes off his sunglasses and places them into his pocket, "go take a sit. I'll tell the doctor we are here"

Vanessa kisses his check before doing as he asks. It disgusted him beyond measure to be kissed in public by a women who was not his wife.

He wipes it off harshly, and try's not to take his anger out on the receptionist. A young girl, with long black hair and a wedding band. Another thing he was disgusted by; married women in the workforce.

"Hello, Sir, how can i help you?" she greats.

"i am here to see DR Anderson" He trys to stop himself but his eyes fall to her ring, following it as it moves.

"He is just back there waiting for you, ill page him right now"

'Thank you"

Was her husband dead and too poor to leave her any money? she seems like she would be a dutiful wife; polite, efficient, tidy. If he wasn't dead, he should be.

His next train of thought took him to his own finances, he should buy more passive stocks for his future kids. Something that could act as pocket money but nothing that would be too high risk. It would be good for them to learn management and manipulation of stocks early. Perhaps, it might save them the fate of this poor young girl who married a fool, and is now forced to work. And while his first born son would take over his company, and look after his siblings and mother in the event of his death, setting up a nice passive income would take off some pressure off James, or maybe, Benjamin, or maybe-

the sound of his name being called broke his day dream.

He shook his head and turned around to gather Vanessa who came waddling over at the call of her lovers name.

"You're early, Mr Green" the old man wore a doctors coat over his 50's era suit, and black square glasses.

"yeah" he breaths and takes up Vanessas arm.

"it's no worries. I've just finished setting up the room if you wanted to come back. And who's this lovely creature, the partner, I assume?" he hold out his hand to her and Vanessa looks to take it.

"It doesn't matter. Lets go" he urges, tugging her along behind the rushing doctor.

Only when the door had closed was she released.

"if you just want to take a seat up on the table, dear, and I am just going to take a sample of your blood. And Mr Green, i need a swap from you"

The doctor passes Harry a tube with a cotton swap, and he places rubs it against his cheek, while the doctor takes a blood sample from vanessa.

He holds the tub tightly in his hand while he waits for the doctor to encapsulate the blood, print out a label and then ask for it back.

"i'll be back in five minutes with the results" Theo squeezes Vanessas hand and gives her a smile before disappearing to do the test.

The couple sit in silence while they wait and Harry was grateful for it. Either way he feels like he looses.

"did you mean it, when you said you were going to kick us both out? Don't you want a family?" vanessa questions.

"was that your plan? hope that my want for a family wins against any sane thought i have?" He bends his head to the ceiling trying to find focus.

"I've been with you everyday these last few months, i can tell you there is very few sane thoughts in that head"

"So it was a payout you were after? you weren't expecting me to actually find out if it was true or not, only pay you go away money?"

"what i want is for you to love me! haven't i been perfect! Haven't i played house well enough for you, cooked you meals, made you cup after cup of tea, ironed your shirts" She begins to whell up, a mixture of hormones and stress that her and her baby might be homeless in less then 3 minutes.

He brings his head back down, "no, no you've been less then perfect from the start. You think a few cups of tea makes you worthy to be my wife? You're not wife material, you're a whore who went home with a man you didn't know because of his net worth. And got used for days not because you were worth something but because you were worth nothing. And this baby-this baby if mine is staying with me, and you are going either on a seat in a first class plane or in a wooden box. You fucking decide"

The door opens again and cuts the scene. They return to that anxious parents,

The doctor re-enters the room with a slalom look on his face. "i am very sorry, Mr Green. You are not the father"

Harrys head returns to the ceiling as a mixture of emotions run through him, he gathers himself quickly and pushes past the doctor and out the door with Vanessa following behind him.

"Harry, just wait, please" she begs, he does wait however, only to hold the door back for a women entering the clinic. Even in his rage, he wouldn't deny that.

He walks out and lets the door fall into vanessa.

The sound of her begging is disrupted by him unlocking his vintage car with his keys.

"does it matter, really? it can still be your child"

He freezes as she goes around to the passenger door and hold a hand up to her, "what makes you think you are getting in this car?"

Harry gets in the car himself, with what was suppose to be with great vigor to get out of main street. Instead, he sat there, rubbing his face, giving Vanessa enough time to sit in the car and buckle herself in.

"FUCK" he screams suddenly, bashing his hands against the steering wheel, "i was suppose to get one thing. ONE thing that i wanted. IT'S MY TIME. IT'S MY TIME".

"Hey, Hey" Vanessa wraps her hand around his and he shoves her off.

"look, if let us stay, i promise i will find you that girl you are looking for. I know exactly what you want right? someone sweet, a goody two shoes, someone to take care of you, right? I can find that. You're too busy, let me find her. Who better then a fellow women who can see what they are truly like. Let me stay and prove to you that i can find your happy ending"

Harry doesn't verbally answer her but turns the car on and drives home with her, which is answer enough.

Two years roll pass of fighting with Harry. The girls she set up weren't enough. he wanted her out of his house. He was stupid for allowing her to stay.

But she did in the end manage to find her. Plain Jane behind a counter in a ugly uniform but a bright smile and a lovely attitude. She was sure that Harry would adore her. Just his type, shy but friendly, intelligent but not overly so, eager to please, a push over, she took care of people; remembering their orders, giving them extra napkins without needing to ask, wiping down a table before they sat down, covering regulars when they were short-changed.

Harry was not a normal man, who could adore things safety. Vanessa knew that once she was found, she was lost to the world forever. He would ensure that he had complete control over every aspect of her life. Her studies would never be completed, she would never get to travel through Europe with her friends, her family may not even ever hear from her again.

He had wanted this, her, for so long that Vanessa was sure it drove him insane. She would be his possession, his little wife, bare foot and pregnant as good little wives should be.

[empresstheresa-guide]

Theresa and Steve, a love story for the ages.. part 2

Part 2: A little ditty about Jack and Theresa. This will be short. 

In chapter 3, Theresa goes to Boston College. Before she even has time to settle down, guys are already staring at her in the cafeteria. 

”There was a group of kids at a nearby table looking at me.  A girl learns to read expressions. ”

Every time Norman describes how girls/women think, I lose a brain cell. 

”One boy was intently looking at me.  I called him Mr. Intense.  He was very handsome, with short hair as black as my own, and he was around six feet which was a good match for my five feet four inches.  I liked taller guys and apparently he liked smaller girls. He wasn’t gawking at a pretty girl, or lusting for her body.  He looked interested.  And that’s ok.  A girl gets used to being looked at.”

This is Steve. She’s basically in love with him already. What’s the difference between lusting for her body and being ”interested”? 

My experience is that most women don’t enjoy being stared at, but men think we do. Norman reminds me of those insufferable guys who think women’s main task on Earth is to attract men. He probably is one of those guys.

In Theresa’s case, of course, she’s already being watched by 400 government agents, so she should be used to it. But I don’t think Norman considered that here. She doesn’t even question whether Steve is a watcher, and that’s why he’s so intently staring at her. This chapter has zero HAL and discusses Theresa like she was an ordinary college student. There’s just one brief interlude - which I will skip here - about her watchers being caught by campus cops. 

One of Norman’s issues as a writer is that he doesn’t even try to fit different parts of the book together. This chapter is about Jack and Steve, so HAL is not relevant here. You’d think if Theresa gives off heat and has super strength, that would be mentioned at least in passing. The boys would notice she gives off heat, right? Or she could slip up and use her powers by mistake. That would have made the book much more interesting. Theresa’s career as a baseball player is also completely dropped, she has no interest in joining college level teams, and no one is pressuring her to do so. 

”   But it wasn’t Mr. Intense who made the first move.  A boy next to him, Mr. Fastmove,  brought his food tray over to my table.”

Mr. Intense is organic, if unoriginal, but Mr. Fastmove… There is a moving company called Fastmove, but apart from that, I didn’t find much on google. Maybe Norman coined this phrase. 

”Hi,” said Mr. Fastmove.  “Can I sit here?”

      “Sure,” I said with a smile.  I had been advised to be friendly from day one or be labeled a tease for the rest of our four years.”

Oh no Norman. No no no. No. 

”I’m Jack Koster,” said Mr. Fastmove.  “Aren’t you Theresa Sullivan, the baseball player?”

      I had been on television a lot.”

Gotta work in those brags at every opportunity. Once you mention his real name, you can drop the nickname, but I think Norman is just proud of what he did here. Also note there is NO description whatsoever of Jack’s looks or manner, just that he came to her table. Norman isn’t even trying. 

“I am,” I said, and we were off and running.  I noticed that Mr. Intense looked disappointed.  It made me think of someone whose neighbor won the lottery.”

Being with Theresa is like winning the lottery. Our humble girl. 

I genuinely don’t understand why she hooks up with Jack at all. All she had to do was say ”nice to meet you” and walk away. She shouldn’t feel obligated to date the boy who happens to talk to her first. 

Next, Theresa looks up both boys on BC’s computer system where, in 2017, ”BC provided free disk space and all the students were urged to set up a webpage about themselves before they got to school.” Norman probably wrote this part in 2001 and forgot to change it.

This is all she says about Jack: 

” Jack was a boy from close to New York City but not in it.  His father was owner of a specialty food store.  Jack was going to be a history major, a guarantee of a job in his father‘s store.”

Is Norman negging history majors? This reminds me of a skit show that advertised college degrees, including a 13-year degree for really dumb students who are just killing time before they get a job in their father’s business. Maybe Norman thinks history is equally pointless. (With the exception of Joan of Arc.) 

But enough about Jack, who cares about the boy she’s actually going to date. Let’s talk about Steve. 

”  Mr. Intense was Steve Hartley.  His father was a physicist for Intel and Steve was majoring in physics too.  That was interesting.  He mentioned he was Catholic.  Also interesting. ”

Wow, a Catholic boy in a Catholic college? How interesting. 

”Steve’s page showed the kid of a research physicist, precise, succinct, and somewhat lacking in spontaneity.  Something like myself, actually.  It wasn’t a bad thing, except in reality TV shows where they have to keep the gab going all the time.”

Just date him already. You can’t fully know someone’s personality just based on whatever ”webpage” they set up, either. He’s still a complete stranger. The mention of reality shows really ruins this paragraph, too. If people in reality shows just sat silently, it wouldn’t be very good TV. Norman has to work in every single pet peeve of his. This is a typical problem for people writing their first story. 

” Jack knew I was not the kind of girl who had to put up with foul language or crude jokes, and he carefully avoided them.  He was one smooth operator.”

*headdesk* Being a ”smooth operator” isn’t necessarily a good thing, and is in fact associated with manipulating others. I don’t even know what Norman means here.

” One Sunday Steve saw me at Mass.  He looked embarrassed, like somebody who had missed his chance, not somebody who did something bad.  Well, four years is a long time and the campus had a lot of women.   ”

Why are you even looking at him when you’re dating someone else? 

”Steve seemed nice in person.  He always gave me a little smile like he was glad to see me.  He and Jack were casual friends and apparently didn’t  talk about me.  But I’d seen the looks.  Steve was genuinely interested. ”

Yes, you already made this point. She’s going on about Steve and his interest, while dating Jack. Wouldn’t that be a sin, dating a boy you don’t care about and spending all your time admiring another boy? It doesn’t seem like something a good Catholic girl would do.

”There was nothing wrong with dating Jack for a while.  It was already clear that we were not compatible enough for a lifetime of commitment.  He was a little careless about schoolwork and had no passion for his major.  I was fanatical about mine.  But Jack was fun to be around for the time being.”

She’s fanatical about her major, which she doesn’t even name here. Spoiler alert: it’s math, which she picked because it was meant to help with HAL? I’m not sure how that would have worked. Later on, she says that all she ever wanted was to be a high school math teacher, something she never mentions before that moment. 

After Jack comes to her table, there is not a single scene where Theresa and Jack talk to each other alone, or go on a date. Not a single one. Jack is never fleshed out. What does he look like? Is Theresa attracted to him at all? What’s his personality like? If he has many stories to tell, you could give an example and have him tell a compelling story. That would have been interesting. 

One of the more famous triangle dramas was on ”The Office”. Roy was initially established as a jerk, but he was kind to Pam at least sometimes, and he truly tried to better himself. We knew she would end up with Jim, but Roy was not a complete monster, and he seemed human. Jack has no personality, no description, nothing. I believe KrimsonRogue said that the characters are somehow less than two-dimensional, and Jack definitely fits that description. He’s like a cardboard cutout of a boy. 

”Come October it was Homecoming week, always a big weekend on any college campus.  There were many special activities going on and we had to choose a list.”

Remember this later when she claims BC has no entertainment or parties at all. 

”Friday nights, the kids would ‘hang‘ around,  meaning drift up and down the dormitory hall talking and joking with anybody there. ”

How do you do, fellow kids?

”Jack’s door was open and I walked in.  There were six boys visiting Jack including Steve Hartley, and one girl.”

I guess it’s relevant for later that Steve is there, but it still sounds like she only has eyes for him.  

As Theresa walks into the room, an awkward silence falls. 

”Hi, Theresa” said Jack with not a lot of enthusiasm.  “This is Ginny.”

“Hi” I said.  There was not much else to say until I found out something.

“Ginny dropped in by surprise” Jack said.

”Yeah!  I could see that!  I couldn’t remember seeing her around campus, or at least not in our complex.  She might be somebody from outside.”

This would be a lot more powerful if Theresa actually gave a damn about Jack. 

Also names. Ginny is short for Virginia. There is another character called Virginia later in the book, just like there’s another character called Jack. I doubt Norman has read ”Harry Potter”; he probably knew young girls called Virginia when he was growing up. What’s wrong with age appropriate names for 2017? Emily, Sophia, Madison? 

”The embarrassing silence continued.  Ginny looked very uncomfortable.  She had known no more about me than the other way around.  Ginny’s position near Jack made it clear she considered herself his girlfriend.”

Jack has to be discarded so Theresa can be with Steve. For some reason, Theresa can’t just tell him they’re incompatible and she’s not interested in pursuing the relationship in the long term. He has to cheat on her, because this gives Theresa the moral high ground to dump Jack and move straight onto Steve.  

Norman probably thinks this is a great twist and the readers will be aghast at Jack’s behavior, but it just comes off as flat. He’s shitty, but there’s no stakes, because they hardly have a relationship at all. 

Jack promises to come up to Theresa’s room to talk. 

”I went back upstairs.  This was the most humiliating experience I ever had.  All those boys were watching.”

This at least is a normal human reaction to the events, I’ll give Norman that. But Theresa isn’t truly sad, she’s just embarrassed. It’s not her heart, but her ego that is wounded. 

And this is where the different editions begin. Buckle up for a wild ride through Norman’s weird imagination in part 3: roads diverged in the Kindle, and that made all the difference. 

[havenmoon1369]

Not Again (Sequel to Getting Her Back)

- Chapter 9

Drew arrived in Birmingham just before sunrise, his anxiety was through the roof, all he wanted was his kid back safe and sound, and fate just kept pushing their reunion out further and further. He pulled into the driveway of the house where Heath had kept Quinn, Drew jumped out of the car, unlocked the door, and ran inside. "Quinn! It's me dad, where are you sweetheart?" Drew yelled but he was met with absolute silence, "Quinn! Where are you!" Drew yelled again but no response. Drew's heart dropped, he ran through the entire house but there was no sign of Quinn. The TV was still on from the night before and the news was showing Heath had been apprehended but there was no sign of Quinn, Drew seeing this lost it. He picked up the TV and smashed into the ground, screaming with tears coming down his face, Heath lied to him and he believed him. Drew knew deep in his heart Quinn was gone and unless Heath came clean he'd never find her. Drew collapsed on the floor in anguish and despair, he was reliving the nightmares in real life, the one thing that mattered most to him was gone. Drew laid there until he couldn't cry anymore, his heart completely shattered by the grief, and no strength left. His phone ringing brought him back out of his state, it wasn't a number he recognized and he let it ring but after a few seconds it called again, Drew still not caring let it go to voicemail, but again after a few seconds the phone rang again, this time Drew taking notice that whoever is calling needs to talk to him, he answered the phone with a broken voice. "Is this Drew Galloway, father of Quinnley Galloway?" the voice asked, "Yes it is, who is this?" Drew asked, "Mr. Galloway my name is Detective Curtis Goodwin, I'm with the Birmingham police department, we found your daughter, she's okay but we're taking her to the hospital just to be on the safe side." the detective said. "Is she okay? What hospital?" Drew said, his heart pounding in his chest, "We've taken her to the children's hospital in the city, she looks to be okay, we're just taking her just to be on the safe side." The detective said reassuring Drew, "Okay I'm on my way, thank you so much" Drew answered and he hung up the phone, he rushed out to his car and began the journey to the hospital to be reunited with Quinn.

Drew arrived in record time to the children's hospital and was met by Detective Goodwin, "Mr. Galloway, they just took Quinnley for an x-ray she was complaining of her ankle hurting, probably nothing too serious, but I would like to give you some information while we wait" he said. "Alright that's fine, at least I know she's safe that's all that matters" Drew said. The detective took him to a private room to speak to him. "So Quinnley told us that when Heath stepped outside to make a phone call last night she turned on the news and saw the amber alert for her and took off running, she ran through the woods, tripping over branches and rocks, that's probably how she hurt her ankle, to a neighboring house to hide from Heath. She alerted the people living in the house when one of them came out to walk their dog and they recognized her from the alert. She said she spoke to you during the time she was with Heath and was under the impression Heath was just babysitting her, why didn't you tell her about her being kidnapped?" The detective asked. "I was told by Heath if I did then he would hurt her and I didn't want to risk it, plus my daughter has severe anxiety and I didn't want her to be afraid, so I told her she was just staying with Heath for the time being. I drove to meet Heath last night to give him a ransom he demanded and he told me no police and that Quinn was going to be returned to me then, now I see why she wasn't with him or at the house where he was keeping her, I have the address that he gave me, I know you'll need it." Drew said. Just then the nurse came in to tell them Quinn was back in her room and she would be discharged shortly, "You go on be with your daughter, we'll have you answer some more questions later." the detective said, Drew nodded and followed the nurse to Quinn's room, Drew took a deep breath and entered, "Quinn?" he asked in a gentle voice, "Dad!" Quinn screamed and ran over to her dad and hugged him, Drew returned the favor. "I was so worried about you sweetheart I'm so sorry" Drew said as he started crying, "Why didn't you tell me Heath had taken me?" Quinn asked through her tears, "He was doing it to hurt me, he blamed me for something that wasn't even my fault, and I didn't want you to be scared. You running away and hiding was the bravest thing you could have done and I'm so proud of you for it." Drew said, still crying. "I just ran dad, I ran as fast as I could, I think I heard him leave, did they catch him yet?" Quinn asked panicked, "Yes they did, he's in jail and he's never going to hurt anyone ever again" Drew said. Drew and Quinn sat together until the doctor discharged her, luckily her ankle was just twisted a bit and she would be fine in a day or two. Drew had told the detectives that he was taking Quinn home and that whenever they were ready to ask questions just to call him.

Three hours later, Drew and Quinn returned home and were met by Stephen and Erin. They both rushed out to hug and embrace Quinn, grateful she was okay and unharmed. 

[beyourselfchulanmaria]

You have the most beautiful and cute face I've ever seen in my life ❤️

Hello Miss or Mr. Anonymous :

O mo mo ... that's so sweet and I guessed You and the last one asked me Anonymous maybe are neighbors. 😅 😆 Have you got a meeting to think how to fix Chu Lan just for fun. 🤣 😎

THANK YOU! (comfort me such nice words)🍀 Have a beautiful heart and cute smile to give people strength for living, I think This's most important in anytime with any ways! 🤝 Taiwan mountains tea for you 🫖🍵 and I am having beers now... too hot, no rain, stuffy! 🍺😉

moon gif and COMFORT 🦕 gif