#my dad had a set schedule so I could look forward to getting out at least once a week

[sensitivegoblin]

I'm having a bad day cus I slept all day and no one's on a schedule here so autistically speaking I'm fucked up

Vent below

[ssahotchnerr]

girl!dad aaron reading to his daughter over the phone while on a case! 🥹 just like that one episode of jj and henry 😭🥰

nightmares

i will sob. 🥺 i'm also setting this in ellie's bad dreams era :( cw; fem!reader, girl dad!aaron, slight angst, fluff <3

"It looks like this is his comfort zone." Using a red marker, Spencer circled an area on the map. "If we pinpoint-"

As he was continuing his thought, Aaron's phone rang. He fully expected to see Penelope's name, anticipating her call as she was working her magic to narrow down a pool of potential unsubs. However, his eyebrows furrowed in worry as he saw it was from you instead.

"Excuse me." He spoke lowly yet urgently, keeping his eyes on his screen and hurrying away with no hesitation, missing the team's concerned glances.

"Hey," he answered, closing the door to the empty conference room behind him. There was knowing feeling deep in his chest - and a grim one at that. "Everything alright?"

"Kinda... no." You switched up quickly with a sigh, slight distress in your voice. "I'm sorry, I know you're busy. But can you spare a minute or two?"

"Another nightmare?" Aaron's eyes shot to the clock perched on the wall. While it was somewhat early for him, it was getting late back home, timezones to thank. And doing the math quickly, bedtime for the kids had been about two hours ago. So sadly this - right on schedule.

You hummed in confirmation, beginning with the positive first. "She fell asleep in her bed tonight, actually. Went down easy, not much protest. But then woke up crying, and was nearly inconsolable for a while. She's with me now." Your eyes shifted down to your frightened daughter besides you, who was inching closer and closer to seemingly making herself smaller. "And keeps asking for you."

Aaron glanced out; the team was still preoccupied, discussing the geographical profile amongst themselves, and could definitely manage without him for a while longer. "Yeah, I have some time."

There was a quick rustle as you set your phone down, placing it on speaker. Your voice was farther now, not by much, but it felt treacherously distant, as if more miles had been added. "It's Daddy, honey."

"Hey Ellie Bellie." Aaron's tone quieted, his face softening as he spoke. "What's the matter?"

A light sniffle came from the other end. "I had a scary dream."

"A scary dream, huh?" He repeated, an achy pang producing in his chest. Ellie's nightmares have been occurring for a while now, and indubitably becoming a problem. You both expected the dreams to run their course, eventually pass, and things would return to normal. But as time moved forward, it was becoming clear it was well beyond that as they worsened. "It's okay, you're safe with Mom now, right?"

Ellie nodded, unknowingly to him. Her small voice cracked, laced with tears. "I want you."

"I know, and I'll be home when work lets me, I promise. You can even use my pillow tonight too, if you want." He bit down onto his lip as Ellie mumbled a small 'okay' in response. Hard. "Or how about a story? Would that help you feel better?"

Her head rose up and down again, prompting you to speak up as Aaron was met with only her silence.

"We have a few right here." You reached across her, grabbing the few storybooks that frequented Aaron's nightstand and settling back against your own pillow.

"Your pick sweetheart." Aaron pulled a chair from the table, sitting down and making himself comfortable momentarily.

"Goodnight Moon?"

Goodnight Moon, also one of Jack's favorites when he was younger. Between him and Ellie, Aaron's read it so many times, he had the entirety of the book memorized. In addition, Ellie's other, more lengthy favorites - he had gone through and cleverly taken a picture of each page, all stored safely in his camera roll for instances such as tonight. No matter where he happened to be, he could read the text, while also drawing attention to and discussing the images with her.

"Sure. Get all comfy and cozy up to Mom, yeah?"

Ellie nestled herself more into your side, her head resting on your arm as she death-gripped onto her plush bunny. You adjusted the duvet to adequately cover the two of you, scooting down and propping the book up for the two of you to see.

"We're ready when you are." You told Aaron, brushing a few stray strands of hair away from Ellie's face.

As your brief sentence concluded, a harsh pinch formed behind Aaron's eyes, the guilt creeping in as he pictured the two of you laid together, where he also should've been. His little girl was beside herself in fear, wanted him, and yet here he was. Far away on the other side of the country. He felt as if he were failing her; letting her down.

Aaron swallowed to even out his voice, to sound as cheery as he possibly could, and to refrain any agony from being heard. He took a deep, yet small guttural breath.

"In the great green room..."

[f1boistrash]

i have a name | l.s

a/n: so this is an idea i had after the miami gp and its been stuck in my head so im finally writing it. there is some slight jos slander and reader is max's sister

summary: y/n verstappen drives for f1 academy. they find comfort in a certain american when the media gets too much

Your whole life you've always been Max's sister. You didn't hate your brother for it because it wasn't his fault. You hated the world for being so small minded. You hated your dad for not caring. His words stuck in your head like a broken record. 'You're overreacting Y/N. It's not a big deal. You need to grow up.'

But it was a big deal because why couldn't they be bothered to learn your name. Your accomplishments throughout your career always amounted to 'Max's sister' it was never 'Y/N Verstappen'. You were sure if they could your trophies would say that too.

Going into the F1 Academy you thought it'd be different. You were excited when you got the call. The first person you told was Max and he was even more excited than you, if that was even possible. You were at the forefront of the series, watching young girls across the world become interested in the sport you loved. Something you wished you had growing up.

The driving was great. The team was great. Everything was great except the media. Its the one thing you dreaded stepping into the spotlight more. You tried to develop a thick skin like your brother but it was difficult when you constantly got picked at.

"So, Y/N, great day today. You qualified third. How was it?" The interviewer asked.

"Yeah it was great. Obviously we'd prefer P1 but we're still happy with the result and looking forward to pushing it even more tomorrow." You replied, grinning at your result. It might not be front of the grid but you were still proud.

"Your brother Max had a phenomenal season last year. Can we expect the same this year?" And there it was. Your first interview of the weekend and it only took one question before they asked you about your brother. Normally you didn't mind talking about Max's accomplishments. You were so unbelievably proud of him. It's when they start talking about him when they should be asking you about your race and your season that you get annoyed.

You plastered on your fake smile, hoping no one saw the disappointment flash across your face. "It's hard to say what this year will bring but what I do know is that Max will give it his everything. Whatever happens though I'm still proud of him."

Before anymore questions about Max could be asked your manager made a sign that time was up. You thanked the interviewer and left the media pen. She gave you a run down of tomorrows schedule as you were now finished for the day. Your manager didn't need to ask if you were okay because she knew you weren't. Working with you for a few years meant she had learnt all your tells.

You thanked her for today before parting ways, leaving you alone. The night air was brisk but welcoming. You shut your eyes and sighed enjoying the silence. You were supposed to be meeting Max tonight yet you couldn't bring yourself to move. Not wanting to face him just yet.

It was late and you weren't expecting many people left at the grid. Especially the F1 drivers which was why you jumped when a voice broke the silence. "Y/N right?" Logan said, your stomach fluttered when you looked at him. You have never really spoken to Logan before, only seeing him in passing but you always thought he was cute. He also called you by your name and not 'Max's sister' which was a welcomed surprise, used to his friends calling you that. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine, just wasn't expecting anyone to be left at the track." You told him. You took in his appearance under the setting sun. He was in his Williams uniform, his hair slightly tousled from wearing his hat all day.

"Yeah, I was just heading out. Had to do a few tweaks before tomorrow. What are you doing here late?" He asked.

"Media." You grimaced. Logan laughed, understanding your reaction.

"That bad huh?"

"Yep." You nodded. "Talked about Max the whole time."

The two of slowly started walking towards the car you have rented this weekend. It was one of the few left in the parking lot. "Seriously? That's so shit." Logan said, shaking his head. It wasn't out of pity though, more like anger.

"You get used to it." You shrugged.

"You shouldn't have to though." He told you, pulling you both to a stop. His eyes, looking at you intensely making you nervous. "You were incredible out there today and I'll definitely be watching tomorrow as you get your first podium of the season."

"Wait, you watched qualifying?" You asked, surprised.

"Don't tell my trainer though." Logan grinned, winking at you making you laugh. It was a sound he could get used to.

"Well thank you Logan. It means a lot." You thanked him, coming to a stop when you reached the drivers seat door.

"You have a name, Y/N. Your not just Max Verstappen's sister and I hope you know that." He said, earnestly.

You don't know what came over you but you found yourself leaning up, pressing a kiss on Logan's cheek. "Thank you."

-x-

"You're late." Was all Max said as you walked through your hotel room door. You kicked off your shoes, walking further into the room seeing your brother lying on your freshly made bed scrolling on his phone.

"Don't you have a sim race or something?" You asked, shoving his feet off your bed trying to change the subject because what else can you say? The reason you were late was the slight breakdown you had about the interview and then you bumped into Logan. You couldn't exactly tell Max that.

He playfully stuck his middle finger up at you, knowing you were making fun of him. "How was your day anyway? Excited for tomorrow?"

"Yeah it was good." You lied. You liked that Max was oblivious sometimes because it meant you didn't have to talk about what people said about you. However, you also hated his obliviousness because sometimes you wanted your brother to comfort you. "Hopefully people won't get sick of the Dutch national anthem." You grinned at Max who laughed loudly.

You asked Max about his day and he told you about how confident he was with this years car, excited to see what he can get out of it. He carried on talking as you got out of your team uniform and into some comfy clothes when he quietened down.

"When were you going to tell me?" Max asked when you exited the bathroom. "About what the interviewer said?"

"It's fine Max." You said, avoiding his gaze on you by putting your clothes away. You were afraid if you looked at him the dam would break.

"It's not fine, Y/N." He huffed, his voice raising out of anger. It wasn't aimed at you though, Max would never raise his voice at you. "It was so unprofessional. Not to mention the commentators today couldn't even be bothered to learn your name. I'm going to do something about it."

Max's reaction reminded you of Logan's. You didn't think anyone would care this much. Especially someone who you never really had a conversation with before. You knew it was pointless to ask Max to leave it alone so you didn't bother. "Just please don't do anything stupid."

"When have I ever done that?" Max asked and you laughed. You would run out of fingers if you counted all the times Max did something stupid.

It was getting late and you and Max said your goodbyes, leaving you alone once again with your thoughts. Instead of the video on repeat in your head it was Logan's words. You reached over for your phone and unlocked it, going straight to instagram to find Logan's profile. You hit follow before going to his dms.

Y/N:

Thank you again for tonight.

His response was quick making your stomach flutter.

Logan:

You don't need to keep thanking me Y/N

Y/N:

I know

I enjoyed talking to you tonight

So thank you for your company 😊

Logan:

I enjoyed talking to you too 😊

I hope we can do it again some time

You were sure you were grinning like an idiot but you didn't care. You had fallen for the American and hard.

Y/N:

I would love to ☺️

Good luck for tomorrow Logan 💙

Logan:

Good luck Y/N 😊

[hotluncheddie]

For the @steddie-spooktober day 17 prompt : hayride

rated: T | cw: none | tags: Steve Harrington owns a farm, Eddie Munson is a clown, fluff

🤡🤡🤡🤡

Steve is on the last leg of the days final hay ride rout. It’s been another weekend of setting up and making sure all the stalls are covered with their seasonal workers, checking in with health and safety and ensuring the entertainers got the newest version of the final Halloween themed weekend schedule, before everything shifts to the Christmas holiday themes.

But it went off without a hitch, another solid season overall.

The farm had been his passion project. Built thanks to his Grandad’s sudden death and meticulous stipulations that all his money go to his only grandson. Freeing Steve completely from under his father’s thumb and allowing him breathing space to finally do something he enjoyed. Even if he is using the business degree his Dad bullied him into, it’s definitely not the route his father wanted for his life.

But Steve loves it. Every moment. Working outside, with people he trusts, like Robin who runs the creative side, marketing a decorating and generally making the place look amazing. Being an honest to god farmer, much to his mother’s chagrin gives him a real sense of purpose and pride, every pumpkin he manages to grow is like a pat on the back.

And, privately, Steve gets to give kids the kind of memories that he could only dream of when he was younger. And that’s worth more than anything.

That last thing is part of the reason why he so often spends the last couple hours of opening running the hay ride. He gets to hear the families and kids enjoy their time together, react to the view and the wooden characters Robin painted, huddle into their coats and snuggle in close. It’s magic. Steve loves it. So he drives the tractor as often as he can.

It’s great. He loves his life, he really does. But, unfortunately, it can’t all be perfect. This season in particular has had one little problem. One bit of danger.

The danger which just so happens to be the first thing he sees as he rounds the last bend of the hay ride. Eddie. Their newest entertainment hire and the thorn in Steve’s side.

He’s way too hot for Steve to be any kind of normal around him.

A honest to god clown. With tricks and magic and jokes and songs. With his little autumn themed outfit and matching makeup. Steve’s heard nothing but good things about him, a shoe in to be rehired every season going forward. The crowds can’t get enough of the guy.

Which is all great. If Steve didn’t have a disgustingly huge crush on him.

Even dressed fully in his clown paint and outfit he’s hot.

It really shouldn’t be hot.

But it is.

And Steve can’t even think about what he looks like in his normal clothes because he could honestly start to get hard thinking about it. The guy is insane.

Not to mention one of the kindest sweetest people ever. To everyone, but it seems to Steve especially. He can’t count the amount of times Eddie’s made him blush just from being so sweet or a little flirty or a little tease.

So really, it’s been hell, the whole season, because I Steve can’t work out a way of asking the guy out that doesn’t make him come off as some creepy boss.

And now Eddie’s there, waiting for Steve at the end of the hay ride. And Steve has no damn clue why.

Steve parks and opens the gate for people to file out. Waving and thanking them for coming, hoping to see them soon.

He stalls until everyone is gone, until the section of farm is empty except the two of them.

Steve bites his lip, jumping up to grab the tractor keys so he can have another moment not looking at Eddie.

Eventually though, he turns, smiles. ‘You good man?’ He asks.

Eddie nods. Looking fidgety. He’s still in his clown makeup but his costume’s been replaced with black jeans and a padded flannel.

Steve crosses his arms and tries not to think about that way the denim stretches over his thighs.

Eddie takes a deep breath. ‘I know you’re my boss and all. But, well, my last shift just finished and I would love if you extended my contract, seriously, but. I’d honestly kick myself if I didn’t at least try.’ Eddie says in a rush.

Steve scrunches his eyebrows.

Eddie revels a bouquet of balloon flowers from behind his back, shy through the face paint, biting his red lip.

Steve is lost for words, mouth opening and closing dumbly.

This is the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to him.

‘This is the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to me.’ He says, dumbfounded.

Eddie smiles, his whole face lighting up. ‘Steve Harrington, will you please go on a date with me?’ He asks.

Steve laughs, takes the flowers and sniffs them just to hear Eddie’s giggle. ‘Yeah.’ He whispers. ‘I’d really like that.’

🤡🤡🤡🤡

Tag list: @scoops-aboy86 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @pearynice @thecatkingsthrone @marvel-ous-m

@cheesedoctor @chickensinrainboots

[solarmorrigan]

39 + 95, ship of your choice

Fanfiction Trope Mashup: 39. Survival/Wilderness Fic + 95. Sleep Intimacy

Hello! So I'm going to be honest with you and say that survival/wilderness stories have always given me anxiety and I've never enjoyed reading them, so the closest I got in writing one was a camping fic. I know it's not the same, but hopefully this is alright <3 (ship of choice was Steddie)

-

You might not know it to look at him, but Eddie had been an outdoorsy kind of kid.

He’d loved playing outside (he’s still the king of finding cool sticks to use as wizard staffs) and he’d always looked forward to his and Wayne’s annual camping trips. Wayne had taught him a lot about surviving in the wilderness on those long weekends, and Eddie had looked at them as grand adventures.

Eventually, of course, Eddie had gained other interests, and Wayne’s hours at the plant had changed, and the camping trips had petered to a stop. Eddie looks on the memories fondly, but doesn’t necessarily feel the need to go back and relive them (particularly not after the days he spent roughing it during the spring break from Hell). He’s happy to leave the outdoorsy activities to Steve these days. Steve loves going hiking, loves swimming, doesn’t even mind doing yardwork; he’s the one people would look at and assume he’d spent his childhood outdoors, except–

“You’ve never been camping?” Eddie asks, sitting up to look down at Steve where he’s squished in beside Eddie on a pool lounger that is absolutely not meant to fit two people.

Steve shrugs. “I always wanted to go, used to ask my dad a lot, and he used to promise he’d take me when he could get the time off of work,” he says. “I think he got pretty fed up with my asking, though, so I just kinda… stopped.”

Well, damn, if that doesn’t poke at a soft spot in Eddie’s hardened little heart.

“We could go,” Eddie blurts.

Steve blinks up at him. “What?”

“Me and Wayne used to go camping every year. I remember a lot of how it’s done, so… you and I could go,” Eddie offers. “If you want.”

“Yeah?” Steve asks, a smile blooming across his face.

Eddie can’t help his answering smile. “Shit, yeah. Let’s go.”

If it makes Steve this happy, Eddie thinks in between Steve’s excited little kisses of thanks, then even if it goes terribly, Eddie won’t regret offering.

It takes a little bit to finagle their schedules and get time off together, but they manage it on the first nice weekend in spring. They pack Steve’s car up with a tent and sleeping bags and provisions and everything else Eddie can remember them needing (and a few things Wayne helpfully reminds him of), and they set off on their adventure.

The weekend starts off well. They set up the tent with minimal swearing, and manage to get a fire going, and explore the trails surrounding their camp, and spend the first night looking at the stars that shine brighter here than they do over Hawkins, and it’s nice.

It’s nice right up until Midwestern weather rears its unpredictable head while Eddie and Steve are out hiking on Saturday afternoon. The clouds roll in fast, rain-scented wind kicking up and shaking the limbs of the trees above them; they turn around to head back to camp, but they aren’t quick enough to beat the incoming rainstorm.

They’re soaked by the time they reach the tent, running and spluttering and laughing breathlessly, zipping the flap shut behind them and shucking their wet clothes before they can drip all over everything. They leave them in a heap off to the side, hopefully to be line-dried later, and do their best to dry off in the confined space.

“Gonna be hard to warm up without the fire,” Steve comments as he tries to scrub the rainwater out of his hair.

The weather has been nice, but not so nice that standing around damp and in their underwear is particularly comfortable. Even in the close space of the tent, the air isn’t warm, and Eddie eyes the goosebumps texturing the bare expanse of Steve’s tanned skin.

“I have an idea,” Eddie says, and Steve looks up at him expectantly. “C’mere.”

Eddie nods to the little nest they’d made the previous night by zipping two sleeping bags together and covering it with a couple of extra blankets. They don’t bother with dry clothes – isn’t skin-to-skin contact better for warming up, after all? Eddie slides in first and Steve joins him, immediately pressing the line of his body up against Eddie’s, curling an arm around his waist, tangling their legs, and resting his cheek against Eddie’s chest. Eddie tucks the blankets up a little closer around the both of them and settles down, wrapping both arms around Steve’s back.

“How’s this?” he asks.

He can feel Steve’s contented sigh as much as he can hear it, and Steve wiggles a little against Eddie’s front, as if there’s any space left between them to eliminate.

“This is good,” Steve says softly.

And it is, Eddie decides. He presses a kiss to the top of Steve’s head, where the earthy smell of the rain lingers, underscored by the faint, familiar scent of Steve’s shampoo. Rain continues to patter against the roof of their tent, and the soft, dim afternoon light does nothing to discourage either of them from beginning to drift.

If it can always be like this, Eddie doesn’t think he’d mind making camping an annual thing again. He wouldn’t mind at all.

[andreafmn]

Speak | Chapter 9

Word Count: 3.6K Story Description: Bella Swan was a disaster when Edward had left. Deciding she needed a little help, Charlie Swan receives with open arms his younger daughter (Y/N) Swan. She helps Bella during her depression and becomes inseparable from her long-lost friend Jacob. What she didn’t expect was falling for a hotheaded short-tempered silver wolf. Chapter: 9/? A/N: one day I'll upload early, y'all. but I am truly trying to keep to the schedule I posted, as hard as it is. But thank you for bearing with me. You guys have no idea how much it means to me 🥰🤍 My content will always be free, but if you’re feeling particularly generous, you can leave a tip on any of my posts to support me and my love of writing or buy me a coffee TikTok • Instagram • Business | MASTERLIST If you’d like to be tagged in this or any other story: click here Make sure you have my notifications on so you know every time I post!  Taglists for Twilight get filled quick and Tumblr only lets me tag up to a certain point. Notifications are your best bet.

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Chapter 9

The Swan sisters had been raised with a misconstrued idea that the new year meant a fresh start, a clean slate. That it could magically erase any and all afflictions the year before had caused. That it truly was the first page of a new chapter.

And maybe that’s all that (Y/N) was hoping for that New Year’s Eve. That the coming year would be the first page of her new chapter in Forks. That whatever was happening with Paul would die that December night. That Bella would finally turn over a new leaf and forget Edward. That she could move forward with her relationship with Jake.

Because that’s what she wanted.

That’s what she had always wanted.

The thing she most needed was to get over whatever fluke it was that had made its way into her life. Whatever breach into her timeline that had decided to make her heart flutter out the sound of someone else’s name. It had been too sudden and unexplainable to not be a mistake.

Paul Lahote had no business settling into her heart in the way he had, and she would stop at nothing to pluck him as quickly as he had attached himself. Even if she looked forward to seeing him in her dreams at night, even if her heart skipped a beat at the mere thought of him, even if all she wanted was to get as close to him as possible.

(Y/N) wanted —at least she thought she wanted— to go back to being excited that Jacob had finally set his sights on her. She wanted the same thrill she got about Paul with Jake. He had been the crush that had withstood the trials of time. It could not be trampled over by a guy she barely knew.

Yet, she could not stop thinking how his favorite color was red, how he moved to La Push after his parent’s divorced when he was eight, how he didn’t remember much of his mother even though he had been old enough to, how he had never been in love but desperately wanted to know what it felt like. (Y/N) could not stop picturing the way his eyes would shine under the warm glow of the setting sun, how his smile would grow as he listened intently to every word she spoke. Nor could she shake off the feeling of his warm skin against hers, how soft his hands had felt where she believed they’d be rough and calloused. He was everything and nothing like she had thought, but she knew that was as far as she could go to know him.

“Well, don’t you look mighty nice?” Charlie’s voice broke his daughter out of thought. “I think you’ve been to more bonfires this month than I have been to in years. People might start forgetting the sheriff’s face around there.”

“I doubt that’s even possible, dad,” she chuckled, smoothing over a piece of hair that had been unruly for the better part of the day. “Really wish you could join us, though. Since Bella won’t be making it out there, I wanted a Swan there for moral support.”

“This about that Paul fella?”

The question took (Y/N) aback. She had thought no one but Jake knew about that whole fiasco, and she was certain he had not said anything to her dad. “How do you…?” she stammered.

���Bella muttered a thing or two about him. Said he was the one you had been with the other night,” her father said. “Something happen with you and Jake?”

“Nothing happened,” she muttered. “I’m just making new friends seeing as my stay in Forks might be longer than anticipated.”

“Well, that’s a good idea. Just be careful of the people you keep in your company.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Jake might have mentioned this Paul Lahote character is not the greatest influence,” Charlie added. “He thinks he might not have the purest of intentions with you, (Y/N). I just don’t wanna see you get hurt.”  

“Well, I can tell you right now that you have nothing to worry about,” (Y/N) smiled comfortingly.  The last thing she wanted was for her father to worry about her when his other daughter was still no more than a statue in their home.  “I have only hung out with him that one time and I don’t think it’ll happen again. But thanks for checking in.”

“Just wanna make sure your transition back here is as smooth as possible, kiddo,” he responded warmly. “I know it’s gonna be hard to settle back here after being with your mom for so long. Forks might be a bit slow but it’s truly home.”

“I’m actually excited about staying. Even if it wasn’t the plan originally, there’s something about this town that’s just begging for me to stay,” she confessed. “Even if I came to help with Bella, I’m glad I decided to stay. It will also keep mom from taking us both back to Florida —at least for a while.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” The older Swan said before she nodded in response. “I’m just glad you two wanted to spend time with your old man. Even if I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“You’re doing good, dad,” (Y/N) chuckled. “I will say you got the shortest end of the stick having to be the one dealing with this breakup but I know you’re doing the absolute best you can. Hopefully, this new year brings us all the fresh start we so desperately need.”

“I hope so too, kiddo,” he sighed in defeat. “But have fun tonight, (Y/N), and make good choices.”

“Have I ever done anything else?”

“Very funny, kid,” Charlie chuckled. “Well, I’m off to work. I’ll probably not be here yet when you get back, so happy new year, (Y/N). And have fun.”

“Happy New Year, dad.”

Everything in Forks seemed to move at a punishingly fast pace, even if at times it felt like the town was stuck in time. But (Y/N) had been there almost four weeks which had already felt like a lifetime.

In comparison to living with Phil and her mother, in the midst of travel and adventures that she had loved for a time, (Y/N) had forgotten the calmness of remaining stagnant, of going to sleep and waking in the same home. She had forgotten what walking the halls of a school felt like, of having a group of friends that lasted more than a year.

Forks would give her that opportunity, or at least she hoped it would. The town had already started to change her and given her more than she could’ve hoped for. And that night she truly believed would set everything in the correct motion. Everything she had wished for with no more flukes.

An hour later and from the street she heard the honk of a horn. She gave herself a once over, not feeling completely comfortable with the way she looked that night. In part, she felt it was merely the nerves of seeing Jacob after the altercation with Paul.

But there was another part, the bigger part, that knew it was because of Paul. There was a calming thrill to him that she couldn’t explain. Even the juxtaposition of the thought made no sense to her. As much as she wanted to stay away from him, she wanted to get closer. It scared and excited her all at once.

Yet, the person that was waiting for her was not him. It was Jake, waiting impatiently behind the wheel of his truck.

“What took you so long?” Jacob grumbled as (Y/N) got into the car. “We’re already late as it is.”

“Sorry, Jake. I couldn’t find my jacket.”

“It’s fine, (Y/N). It’s just that Quil came back from his trip, and I wanted to catch up with him before school starts,” he said. “I also haven’t seen Embry since last weekend since he was with his mom visiting some family.”  

“Yeah, I get that,” (Y/N) responded meekly, sinking into her seat. “At least we have the rest of the night to hang out with them.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” he smiled forcefully. “What about Bella? Is she not coming?”

“No,” she said through gritted teeth. “She wasn’t up to coming. Still bummed about this Edward guy.”

“What a shame,” Jake sighed. “Being around people would be good for her.”

“Yeah, maybe,” she mumbled. “But I can’t really force her. This guy did a number on her and nothing dad and I are doing is working. I’ve even decided to…”

“Maybe you guys don’t know her as well as you thought,” he blurted. “I mean, no offense but she’s not the same girl that left Arizona. She’s not even the same girl that came to Forks.”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t help her, Jake. And that’s what we have been doing this whole time. Still, we can’t help someone that doesn’t want to help themselves.”

“I’m not trying to start a fight, (Y/N),” he grumbled. “I’m just saying that  maybe your efforts have not worked because she’s not the same Bella you knew.”

The girl remained quiet, anger filling her body instantly. Bella remained a sore subject in the new relationship, always being brought up by Jacob, reminding (Y/N) that he had liked her sister first –and, deep down, she knew he probably still did. Still, wanted to remain in the delusion that he had chosen her for as long as she could.

“It’s fine. Let’s just drop this, okay?” (Y/N) pleaded. “I just want to enjoy tonight. Please.”

“Alright, yeah. Whatever.”

The rest of the ride went by in silence, a heavy tension filling the air and suffocating her. At that moment, more than ever before in her life, she needed to believe that the new year was truly a fresh start. A new beginning for her sister, a new beginning for her relationship, and a new beginning for her life in Forks.

As soon as the truck rolled to a stop, Jake was out of the car and heading to the beach, mumbling something to (Y/N) that he was gonna see his friends and that he’d catch up to her soon enough. Then, he left her in between the small sea of cars that lined the border of the beach.

The younger Swan was left dumbfounded, completely perplexed at Jake’s reaction. His outburst had made her feel small and unwanted. And as she stood frozen at her spot, watching the community celebrate before her, she wondered if there was any reason for her to be there. Because maybe the best thing she could do, for everyone, was leave.

“I’m glad you came, (Y/N),” a voice startled her. “You look beautiful tonight.”

“Paul, hi,” she blushed, looking down at the black jumpsuit she wore under a white coat. “Thank you. You look great too. Especially with my sweater.”

“Oh, it was cold tonight and it was the first thing I grabbed,” he chuckled. “I promise I was gonna bring it back to you, not use it like it was mine.”

“Honestly, it looks better on you than it does me. Sometimes I feel like I drown in it.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. Your look great in a paper bag,” he grinned. “But I really am glad you came tonight.”

“And why is that, Paul Lahote?”

“Because I wanted to apologize for the other day. I never wanted things to end the way they did,” he said. His eyes searched hers in the darkness, wanting nothing more than for his hands to reach her, to feel her skin against his once more. “I’m sorry if I caused any trouble between you and Jacob. The last thing I would have ever wanted was for you to be blamed for my actions. You don’t deserve that.”

“Thank you, Paul,” she smiled, her hand unconsciously reaching for his, giving it a comforting squeeze. “But it’s not your fault. I was the one that agreed to spend time with you knowing that Jake would blow off the handle. If anyone is to blame for what happened that night, it’s me.”

Paul couldn’t help himself as his free hand flew to rest on her cheek, cradling her face in a soothing manner. “Nothing that happened was your fault, (Y/N),” he said. “Jake simply showed you who he is. You never did anything wrong. We didn’t do anything wrong.”

In that split second, (Y/N) remembered Jake’s words. She broke away from his contact, as though his touch had burned her skin, turning away from the enchanting trance his eyes held over her.

“What’s wrong?”

“It's just that Jake said something about you and… your past,” she sighed. “He said I was just an attempt to make your body count higher.”

“I hope you know how untrue that is,” he said, seething on the inside but not daring to show it to her. “You are special, (Y/N), and I would never do anything that would make you feel otherwise.”

“But why, Paul? What is so special about me? To everyone, I’m just Bella’s little sister.”

“You have to know that that is the least interesting thing about you,” he said. He reached out to her, needing to look her in the eye again. “You’re funny, you’re kind, you’re smart and witty. And that’s merely the tip of the iceberg. I may not have known you for long but I know there’s so much more to you than you let on. And all I’ve wanted was to learn about those parts that you hide from everyone else.”

“I still don’t know why!” (Y/N) responded, frustration pooling beads of tears in the corners of her eyes. “How can I trust someone that somehow says everything I want to hear but won’t give me a straightforward answer? Why me, Paul? Out of all the people in the world, why do you want to know me?”

At that moment, he felt he would spill everything. He wanted her to know just why it was her, why the universe had decided that it had to be her. Paul wanted to confess what bonded them and would keep them for the rest of their lives.

And he would have, but the fear of putting her in any danger could not let him say the words. He could not bring himself to utter any of the words that would throw her life up in shambles. “Why not you, (Y/N)?” he asked her, biting his tongue to keep what he wanted to say from spilling. “Is it so hard to believe that I could have seen you and be intrigued by you?”

“You saw me for a split second, Paul. Someone you’ve never known of cannot be worth all this trouble.”

“You are worth it, (Y/N).”

“And you are frustratingly vague,” she finally cracked a smile. “Why can’t you just answer me? What is it that you’re hiding?”

“You’d never believe me if I told you,” he copied her smile. “And isn’t a little mystery fun?”

“It could be if it didn’t get me in trouble with my boyfriend.”

“That could be fixed by breaking up with him, you know,” Paul teased. “A lot of things could be fixed if Jake was gone.”

“Are you threatening my boyfriend, Paul Lahote?”

“I would never,” he laughed. “But I still believe that he doesn’t deserve you, (Y/N).”

“Will you ever let that go?”

“Don’t think I can.”

And maybe she knew he was right but it was too hard to admit it, to him or to herself. She had wanted Jake for the better part of her life and one night could not change that. She wouldn’t let it. “Then you’re gonna have to if there’s ever gonna be some sort of friendship between us,” she said. “Might be hard to spend time with someone that’s always trashing their boyfriend.”

“I mean, you’ve only got a couple more weeks before you have to go back to Florida, right? I think I can control myself in that time.”

“Actually, I decided to move to Forks with my dad,” she smiled. “Bella isn’t getting better and I’ve honestly gotten attached to this town. It might be that some people have made this place so enchanting.”

“Then I guess I’m gonna have to work harder on pretending that I like Jake,” he grinned. “But I am glad you’re staying. The town wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“I’ve only been here for three weeks, Paul,” she laughed.

“And nothing has been the same since.”

“You’re something else.”

“I could say the same about you,” Paul added before noticing Jared calling him over. “And on that note, I will have to leave you. I’ve got a couple of things I have to do. But not before you give me your phone number.”

“My number?”

“That way I’d we ever wanna see each other it doesn’t have to be by me showing up at your house or running into each other at a bonfire.”

“Right,” she chuckled, handing him her phone. “That’s smart.”

 “I’ll see you around, (Y/N),” he smiled before kissing her on the cheek and disappearing down the beach.

As soon as he was out of sight, (Y/N) looked around, hoping that no one had witnessed what had just happened. As innocent as everything could have been, in such a small town, everything was known.

Once she had calmed down, she finally walked toward the commotion of the beach. Feeling as confused as she had been since meeting Paul, but at peace. Being around him made her feel serene, tranquility spreading through her veins. Though he made her heart race, he didn’t make her chest feel tight. It was a feeling that made her feel equal parts uneasy and calm.

“Where were you?” Jake asked as she joined him and his friends, a hint of annoyance dancing between his words.

“Just around,” she smiled. “I was actually planning to get something to drink. Do you guys want anything?”

“We’re good,” Embry smiled kindly. “But thank you.”

“Just hurry,” Jake added before becoming more interested in the conversations he was having before she had gotten close. “And bring me back a water, thanks.”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

(Y/N) left him quickly, needing to compose herself before heading back toward him. She could feel how annoyed he was at her. Ever since that afternoon with Paul, Jake had become distant and rather cold toward her but she could understand why. As much as it pained her, she knew why and that she had to do something to make it up to him while keeping what angered him a secret.

“It’s good to see you around, (Y/N),” Billy said as he joined the girl’s side at the refreshment table. “I was wondering when I would see you again.”

“Hi, uncle Billy,” she smiled. “I’ve been meaning to go by the house but I’ve been busy these couple of days.”

“And things have been heated between you and my son.”

“How did you…?”

“Small town,” he smiled softly. “But I’ve already had some words with my son about his behavior toward you. It was completely unacceptable.”

“It might have been an overreaction but it was warranted,” she said looking down. “I knew what I did would anger him but I still did it.”

“That doesn’t mean he can chastise you in the middle of town. My son is young and can be quick-tempered,” Billy sighed, taking one of (Y/N)’s hands in his. “He says and does things that he doesn’t know he will regret one day, and you don’t deserve to be in the receiving end of that.”

“Thank you, Billy,” (Y/N) smiled, squeezing his hand reassuringly. “But I’m sure he’s sorry for that night and we’ll work through it together.”

“You know, I love my son, but he can be quite stubborn when he wants to. Even at his own detriment. Still, I hope this new year brings you both clarity and growth. Both personally, and if the gods want it, in your relationship as well.”

“I hope so too, uncle Billy.”

“My son is lucky to have you by his side. Even if he doesn’t know it.”

(Y/N) felt a new surge of confidence as he joined Jake and his friends once more. Knowing Billy was watching her back made her feel stronger about her relationship with Jacob and that it was worth investing her heart and time into. She knew her heart yearned for Jake and all she felt toward Paul was a strong sense of friendship.

As the hours passed and the tension between her and Jake seemed to dissipate, her resolve simply solidified itself. She would do anything possible to fix her relationship with her boyfriend and keep her friendship with Paul separate from Jacob.

But there was the smallest part in her that replayed Paul’s voice. He kept telling her how she deserved better and that Jake was not the right person for her, even if that was who she had wanted for so long.

Still, when the clock struck twelve, Jake was the one she kissed, and wished things would work out between them. She wished for him to only see Bella as a friend and finally give his whole heart to her. Wrapped in his arms as they cheered the new year, she begged the universe to give her the chance to have everything she had wished for.

Yet as her eyes found Paul’s in the crowd, she doubted if it was what she truly wanted or if she was holding onto a silly childhood dream.

Next ->

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[apocalypseornaw]

Chapter Two

Settling in a new place, even temporarily takes time. You set out to get the twins in a daycare, Hayley goes to finish her ged and you find a job.

Dean takes a notice to how jumpy the new neighbors.

"Mom, are you sure they're gonna be ok?" Hayley asked as the two of you walked out of the daycare Simon and Kiya recommend for the twins. You took a deep breath and let it out slowly before nodding "If Simon and Kiya trust it, so do I. They haven't let us down yet" the place was locked up tightly and had a security guard. It wasn't some run of the mill place that just anyone could walk into.

She looked back over her shoulder one more time before nodding "Ok. I have my test scheduled for an hour" she'd decided to take her ged. You'd talked to Simon and as soon as she passed that meant he could cover her trail but also it would clear up any issues moving forward with her should she want to pursue college and keep you clear of truancy.

"Are you sure you want to do this? The local high school is supposed to be good! Plus they just got out so you'd have all summer to get ready" you wanted to make sure this was her choice, not what she felt like she needed to do. She smiled "It is. I can be through with school and help you out more. I can get a job part time or just watch James and Amelia more" "or just try to be a teenager" you offered and she laughed "or that"

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

The first week or so that all of you were in town you spent simply getting used to the new house, routes to the grocery store, the daycare, nearest hospital and fastest way out of town. Everything you normally did when you ended up in a new place. You and Hayley practically had a checklist at this point.

Your neighbors Dean and Ben had proven to be fairly quiet considering. In fact the only times you'd heard anything from them was doors shutting when they'd come or go.

You'd saw in the paper Ben was in the recent graduating class so you weren't sure if he'd be leaving for college or sticking around. Not like it mattered, the four of you would be here a year tops before you'd have to move again. Like Hayley said, the only way to keep them safe was to keep moving. You couldn't let your past catch up with your kids.

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

"Mom!" Hayley's voice made your head snatch in her direction. The two of you were standing next to your car but she was pointing a bit down the street to a rather large car garage "Winchester's Auto. Think that's our neighbors?" You shrugged "Possibly. Not like we know the area well enough to know if they're the only Winchesters" it would make sense though.

Along with the Winchester's Auto, there was Harvelle's diner which belonged to one of your landlords Ellen, a coffee shop, a bakery and a few shops in the main strip of town without going into any big chain stores. And lucky for you the bakery and coffee shops had now hiring signs in the window. "I'm going to take you to the library then head to the bakery first to check on putting in an application" you told Hayley as you backed out the parking lot. She nodded and held up her phone "I'll call if anything comes up"

Ben moved around the garage as well as he moved around his bedroom at home. He'd practically grew up in the place. At one time it'd been his great grandmother's and from what he knew the only thing worth passing down from the Winchester line. His grandpa Bobby had come into possession of it to keep it in the family when the threat of back taxes almost took it then when his dad was ready to take it over Bobby had signed it over to him.

He'd known how to work on an engine before he could ever legally drive on the road. Now that he had graduated he was taking classes at the local tech College and working in the garage. It paid good, he enjoyed it and it wasn't too bad having your dad as your boss.

"Ben" he heard his dad's voice and stepped back from under the hood of the car he was currently working on "Yes sir?"

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

Dean was working on a stack of paperwork higher than his damn head when the phone in his office started ringing. He hated this side of the business. He loved working on cars, he loved owning the garage but the damn paperwork gave him a fucking headache.

He dug around for the phone before finally finding it "Winchester's Auto" he answered it a bit more gruff than he meant to and heard Bobby's scoff of a laugh "Been meaning to call you son. Have you met the neighbors?"

He sat back in his chair and nodded to himself more than anything, running a hand over his head. He needed a hair cut considering he now had to push his hair out of his face at times. He was starting to look like Sam. "Yeah. What happened to giving us a heads up before someone moves in?"

"An old friend's son called. He knew her, said she's in a tight spot and needed a place. She's a single mom with three kids Dean. What was I supposed to tell her? No? Would you rather her or some loud obnoxious assholes?"

Bobby was right, of course. Dean would much rather have Y/N and her kids next door than most other options but it made him wonder just why she was in a tight spot. Any time he'd seen her she seemed so, alert? No that's not the right word, spooked? Like she's waiting for someone to try to hurt her or one of her kids and that didn't sit right with him.

"Bobby, what she running from?" He knew he shouldn't sound so damn protective over someone he barely knew but he blamed it on how the man on the other end of the phone had raised him. "I wouldn't bring anything dangerous to yours and Ben's doorstep" Bobby reassured and Dean chuckled "Not what I asked. Have you met her?"

"Not yet. She's talked to Ellen though, I figured she'd be more comfortable with her for now" Dean nodded "What did Ellen say?" "She seems like a sweetheart but scared" "yeah she does" Dean agreed then ran a hand down his face "What did you need anyways?" Bobby laughed "I need to talk to my grandson and he leaves his phone on vibrate while he's at work so can you get him to the phone?" "Yes sir" Dean laughed and clicked the call onto hold before heading out to find Ben.

When you pulled up the library Hayley had just called you to say she was ready so it was perfect timing. You watched the door as she damn near came skipping out. When she spotted the car the skip turned into a car. You raised an eyebrow when she collapsed into the passenger seat with a broad grin "Let Simon know I passed!" "You passed?!" You squealed and pulled her into a hug.

She squeezed you then pulled back "How'd the job hunt go?" "I got the job at the bakery! Split hours but full time" she grinned "Awesome! Can we go pick up the twins now?" You laughed lightly and nodded "Yeah. We can go pick up the twins now"

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

Everything was always a slow go at first then before you knew it time would slip and it would be the time to make that move again but for now you'd enjoy the few moments to catch your breath and enjoy what victories you could.

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

Later that night after the twins and Hayley was asleep you were double checking the windows and doors. You couldn't sleep despite knowing you started work in two days. It was safe for now, he didn't know where you were. There was no way he could. Simon and Kiya covered every move you made. The job wasn't under your real name, the daycare wasn't under their real last names.

You checked the window over the kitchen sink, it looked over partially into Dean's backyard. You could see his firepit and a few chairs around it. Your heart ached for something so simple. A since of safety, to let down your guard that easily. You sighed and closed the curtain before deciding to go to bed as well. Morning could come quicker than you'd like and the twins never slept in.

@stillhere197

[philsmeatylegss]

fascinated by you saying you have a license but shouldn't. i would love to hear that story

Oh I love this story.

So I waited until my seventeenth birthday to take my driving test (in America you can take it at 16, I was just lazy). But my seventeenth birthday fell in May 2020. Idk in other places, but in my state, the DMV shut down for months and cancelled all driving tests from march 2020 to like September 2020. So the problem was that when the DMV reopened, they had to keep up with the tests that were already scheduled to happen on top of making sure everyone whose tests were cancelled also were able to take a test (it was promised that if your test was cancelled you would reschedule for free). So that’s keeping up with one day’s worth of tests as well as one day from the month before and before and before if you get what I’m saying.

So the genius idea at least my state came up with was quiet literally shortening the test to nothing. I remember every single aspect of the test. I am not leaving out a single second when I say this is what I did:

Put your seatbelt on

Drive forward

Stop at a stop sign

Drive forward

Have the test Procter guide me into parallel parking

Have the test Procter guide me into pulling out of parallel parking

Drive straight

Turn the car

Drive straight

Stop car

Pass the test

That was dead ass it

And I mean it in the nicest way when I tell you my brother (who I have mentioned quite a lot is autistic) had a friend who, for lack of a better way to describe him, took an actual IQ test and scored a 74. He failed his test three times prior to when he also scheduled his fourth test for May 2020.

He also passed and as far as I know still has a license

I drove sporadically from when I got my license in September 2020 until June 2021 where I was pulling out of a parking space in my school parking lot and up until this point I had been parking in a lot with three other cars because it was 2021 and our school set it up so only half the grade had the choice of coming in on certain days, so I was used to having my space. But then it was June 2021 and the entire graduating class including me had to meet and it was all jammed and when I pull out of the parking lot after the meeting I definitely can feel and hear impact made with the car next to me. There was definitely a bit of friction, but I convinced myself it wasn’t that bad. So I just drove away.

The next day I’m awoken to the news of a big ass dent in my poor father’s car and our town’s police force coming after me for a hit and run. 

It wasn’t that serious it was all on camera and obviously just an accident that I didn’t know any better and paperwork was all filled out and everything was fine but now it’s been over three years and I haven’t driven since

Point is the reason I hit that car was because I did not know how to drive a car with other cars within like a five foot radius. No clue how to parallel park. Idk how to get on highways. I went once, didn’t know how to look behind me, a car beeped, I pulled into a nearby Panera, and I called my mom crying who was on vacation in florida and my brother and dad had to drive in one car so one of them could drop me off at therapy and the other could drive the car I took home.

So basically I should not have a license and it’s likely anyone who got their license in 2020 after march 2020 shouldn’t have it either

[tlou-reid]

The Show Must Go On - Stick Season

♡ DISCLAIMER: this story deals with heavy, dark, and triggering themes. warnings will be included on each chapter. this story is 18+, minors do not interact. (also i can not guaranteed my timeline is exactly right but i am doing my best)

♡ DISCLAIMER: i am incapable of writing songs so reader's music will all be from noah kahan's stick season. songs used in each chapter will be linked at the beginning, and the character is inspired by the story he creates throughout the album.

♡ WARNINGS: alcohol consumption, takes place in a bar, jesse and ellie get drunk, ellie being a Simp

♡ fem!musician!reader x ellie williams (eventually)

❥ prologue ❥ next part

“Come on, Ellie,” Joel rushed her out the door, lightly pushing her back, “I thought you’d be excited for this.” It was Ellie’s 18th birthday, something she’d been looking forward to since they can came to Jackson. And honestly, Joel was excited too. While there was no official set of laws, it was general knowledge that you had to be 18 to be able to go into the Tipsy Bison and have a drink. Joel was excited to see Ellie in this kind of environment, and he couldn’t wait to embarrass her in front of everyone.

“Dina and Jesse are gonna meet us there, right?” Ellie asked, making sure she’d get to spend her birthday with her best friends. Joel nodded yes, and they continued their trek to the bar.

The saloon-esque doors opened and Dina and Jesse’s hands shot in a wave to Joel and Ellie almost immediately. Sitting along with them was Tommy and Maria. Ellie smiled at her found family and raced over to them. Joel could only chuckle as he followed behind. A few other people were there, acquaintances of the groups. They all cheered for Ellie, wishing her a collective happy birthday.

It wasn’t until she reached her friends when Ellie noticed the music. She followed the sound to the small stage set up in the very back of the bar, where her eyes on landed on you. She paused for a second to listen. This wasn’t one of the songs she’d ever heard on the radio, or even had on cassette to listen to. You went into the next verse and she stopped to listen to the words you were singing.

“So I thought that if I piled something good on all my bad, that I could cancel out the darkness I’ve inherited from dad.” She noticed how beautiful you looked with your eyes closed and a slight smile on your face as you continued your song, “No, I am no longer funny, cause I miss the way you laugh. Once called me forever now you still can’t call me back.”

You and Ellie made eye contact as your eyes opened for the chorus. The strums of your guitar after each line made Ellie smile, and, much to your amusement, she was nodding her head along. “And I love Vermont but it’s the season of the sticks and I saw your mom, but she forgot that I existed…”. Joel tapped her shoulder, making her reluctantly take her attention off of you. Behind her back, Dina was smirking at Ellie’s reaction to the singer.

“So what are we drinking?” Joel asked, excited to give her what he thought was her first drink. “Hamblen whiskey,” Ellie answered with a proud smile on her face. “How the hell do you know what that is?” Joel asked as he waved the bartender over. Ellie just answered with another smile, before turning to her friends.

“Who is that?” Ellie asked, gesturing to where you were finishing up your song on the stage. Jesse told her your name, and explained how you sang here on Fridays, and how often Seth complained about it. “It brings more people in, so he puts up with it.” Jesse finished with. “Why have I never seen her before?” Ellie inquired.

“You guys kinda run on opposite schedules, like with patrol and stuff.” Jesse explained. “And she kinda keeps to herself. She writes music, the songs she sings are hers. Her and Michael are good friends, they’re patrol partners most of the time.” Dina added on while Joel passed Ellie her drink. It was definitely not the whiskey she asked for, but it was alright.

“Thank you guys! See you next week!” You announced as you pulled your guitar off your shoulders. Ellie couldn’t help but watch as you rested it on a stand, presumably for you to grab when you leave. Much to her surprise, you started making your way towards her and her group. Her eyes raced up and down your body, unabashedly checking you out as you came over.

“I heard it was your birthday,” you smiled at her, “why don’t you let me buy you a shot to celebrate?” Ellie was dumbfounded. She was sure her mouth was hanging open, as if she been approached by a celebrity. She could feel her cheeks warming at your words, already forming a little crush in her own mind. You let out a chuckle when she nodded. “C’mon then,” you reached out towards her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her closer to the bar. Dina and Jesse let out a laugh when you two walked a few steps away. Ellie turned and glared at them over her shoulder.

“I’ve, uh, I’ve never seen you around here,” Ellie started as you flagged down the bartender. “I’m Ellie, I’ve only lived in Jackson for a few years now.” She was proud of herself, the way she could form an introduction. You introduced yourself, telling her your name. “I sing here every week, you’ve never come in before. I would’ve noticed a pretty girl like you.” Once again, she was at a loss for words. When your attention turned away from her to tell the bartender what you wanted for the shots, she took the opportunity to check you out again.

Ellie couldn’t deny how attracted she was to you already. Up close she could see every detail that was hidden from her when you were on the stage. She could see the necklace that dangled from the way you leant over the bar, the small freckles that spread across your cheeks, the chipped paint on your fingernails that shined in the light as you waved to the bartender. She was so enthralled by you, she didn’t even have the chance to wonder how you got nail polish in a literal apocalypse. All of your little details had her memorized all the way through. She could feel her head getting lighter, her heart beating fast, her pussy getting wetter, and her fingers tapping harder against her thigh.

“Yeah, I just turned 18, Joel said I had to wait to come hang out here.” You laughed as you handed her the shot. “So this is your first shot?” You asked. She nodded. “Okay, let’s get to it then.” She nodded again, watching you and following your actions as she took her first shot. Her face winced up at the taste. “What is this?” She asked, reaching for the drink Joel had given her. “I don’t know, I asked the bartender for the nastiest shit they have. It’s a rite of passage.” You laughed and she flipped you off, very quickly, from behind her glass.

“You didn’t even react!” Ellie squealed, still trying to recover from the taste. She wasn’t sure if it was the nastiness of the alcohol that raised her voice two octaves, or if it was how close you were standing to her. “Oh,” you laughed, “I don’t drink. I told him to put a little bit of water in my shot glass.” Ellie’s mouth dropped, “that’s not fair!” You laughed, the sound filling her chest with warmth.

“It looks like the party’s over here!” Jesse yelled, slurring his words a bit. His arms wre thrown around yours and Ellie’s shoulders, as Dina laughed behind him. Ellie rolled her eyes at his interruption. “Ellie, this is y/n. Y/n, Ellie’s been checking you out since we came in!” Jesse drunkenly rambled. Ellie’s face was heating up again as your gaze turned to hers. “Is that so?” You asked with a smirk gracing your beautiful face. Ellie couldn’t tell if she was embarrassed or turned on. “Well, the feeling is mutual.” You said with a wink, before pushing Jesse’s arm off of your shoulder, “I’ll see you guys around, I’ve gotta get the stage cleaned up before the bartenders shift switches. Happy birthday, Ellie.”

And just as quickly as you’d shown up, you were gone. Ellie turned to socialize with her group, letting everyone wish her happy birthday and buy her a few drinks. Her eyes kept drifting to the stage, where you were organizing everything on it, and putting your guitar into its case. She was unaware of the way your eyes drifted to her, checking her out as well.

“Jesse,” Ellie slurred later in the night. Jesse was half-conscious, drunkenly stooped over a table in the bar. Most of the people had left, leaving a few stragglers and Ellie’s group. Dina was the most sober, taking care of everyone. Tommy and Maria had retired home, calling it a night. Joel was sat in the corner, sipping on a drink and keeping an eye on the kids. “I need a favor.” Ellie finished. Jesse let out a disgruntled groan, not excited about the sound of her voice in his ear. “I need to be put on patrol with y/n. You gotta be a wingman here.” Jesse let out another groan, one that seemed to be of agreement.

Later in the night, as Joel helped Ellie stumble into her bed, all she could think about was you. She’d never had such a crush on someone who was relatively a stranger. She’d never been approached by anyone, let alone someone who was so confident and seemed to be interested in her. All she could do as she passed out from the amount of alcohol in her system, was hope and pray that Jesse would remember the agreement he’d made. All she wanted to do was see you again.

Unfortunately, that didn’t last long for Ellie. In the morning, her focus was entirely on the pounding headache and upset stomach she was nursing. This was her first hangover, so she laid around most of the day. Until Dina came knocking on her door. “Els,” Dina shouted, making Ellie groan, “come on, let’s go get the kids all set up.”

Ellie had totally forgotten she was movie duty tonight, taking care of the children and setting up the film with Dina. With a groan, she got up to open the door. Dina yelled out something along the lines of, “you’re not even dressed!”, but Ellie was too focused on shushing her to really understand what she said. Ellie got herself together as quickly as possible before heading to the community center to set the movie and snacks up.

When she passed the stables, she saw your figure emerging. You guys held eye contact for a second, and you brought your hand up to wave at her. Ellie’s cheeks flushed a shade of pink as she smiled and waved back. Dina chuckled from next to her. “You like her? For real?” Dina asked, not in a teasing tone. She was asking if Ellie liked her, or if she was just attracted to her. “I don’t really know her.” Ellie answered, ever the mysterious type. “But you want to?” Dina didn’t miss the rosy blush that reappeared on Ellie’s cheek, despite her silence following the question.

Luckily for the girls, Jesse had shown up and started getting things together. Dina helped seat the kids as Ellie went to set up the film. Soon, everything was running smoothly, and the three were standing in the back of room. “Jesse,” Ellie whispered, leaning into his side, “do you remember the deal we made yesterday?” Jesse’s eyebrows furrowed, answering her question without saying anything. “The girl, the uh, the singer from last night,” Ellie nervously started. What if he made fun of her for asking? What if he ran off and told her that she asked for this favor?

“Could you maybe, uhm, set us up on patrol together?” She finished. Jesse’s face broke out in a smile, “yeah, of course. I’m a great wingman. It’ll just be a while, the schedule’s made for like two weeks or something. You’ll have to go on a night patrol, since that was she does. You think Joel will let you?”

Ellie didn’t know how to say, ‘I don’t really give a damn what Joel has to say about it, I’m going on that fucking patrol’ without sounding like an asshole. Instead she said, “yeah, I’ll make it work. Just make it happen for me.”

The night passed and Ellie made sure to follow-up with Jesse almost everyday until he confirmed that they were scheduled together for 15 days out. Ellie marked the date in her journal, outlining it with little hearts.

[sebstanismyspiritanimal]

Third chapter! I didn't think so many people would like this concept! I thought it was a really niche au that only I wanted to read but y'all are changing my mind! I will probably start posting to ao3 once I hit 5 chapters, because I'm anticipating a fairly long story. Would you guys want me to keep posting the whole chapter here too or just a link for the new chapters for ao3? Let me know! As always if you missed part 2 here is a link for it!

The next couple of days saw Eddie relaxing into a routine at the bureau. There hadn't been a new case yet so Emily and JJ had taken to showing her the different paperwork forms and walking her thru how to do them, for when she had some of her own to complete.

Spencer had also been sharing the stack of cold cases files he worked on periodically and letting her get familiar with the process of trying to help solve them.

Watching Garcia hustle past the desks in the bullpen without so much as perky smile, Eddie and everyone else knew they had a case.

She followed the lead of everyone else and made her way up to the conference room, nervous and excited to participate in her first case.

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

"Lucy Barlow age 34 was found yesterday along a hiking trail after being reported missing for 5 days by her sister-in-law. There's no evidence of sexual assault, but the ME did find evidence of restraints on the hands and feet." Everyone was listening intently to Garcia's debriefing as they looked at the crime scene photos behind her head, no one saying anything, but looking for any clues or evidence as to what they were dealing with.

"It's a heroin overdose." Eddie said abruptly, standing up to look closer at the photos displayed, not realizing that all eyes were on her.

"How do you know?" Hotch asked, leaning forward to watch the new agent take her first shot at profiling.

Eddie turned to look at him and faltered slightly seeing the whole team watching her.

Clearing her throat, she turned back to the pictures, "She has miosis or heroin eyes, her pupils are constricted instead of dilated. Her fingernails are blue which is a sign of heroin use, and shes got vomit on the side of her mouth. Most overdoses include vomiting, but her muscles are also slack when they should have already been stiffening up."

Eddie went to sit back down and Garcia continued her debrief with a proud look in her direction.

"She's right, cause of death was ruled overdose by heroin."

"If it's an overdose, then why are we being called in? It sounds like she went on a bender for 5 days and OD'd." Derek said bluntly, everyone else nodding or humming in agreement.

"Because another woman was reported missing this morning, 35 year old Andrea Lakes." Penelope clicked to another photo and the team understood the connection, they looked eerily similar.

"Wheels up in 30." Hotch stood and walked out the door, the rest of the team standing and collecting belongings to start to head to the jet.

"How did you know that those were signs of a heroin overdose?" Eddie could hear the honest curiosity in Spencer's voice, the rest of the team perking their ears up at the new info, the newest agent had been pretty tight lipped about her life, even the parts that weren't redacted or classified.

"My mom overdosed on it when I was 5, we were alone in the house so I got a pretty good look at what it does to the body. Plus I spent a lot of time in trap houses after my dad had sole custody." Eddie said, nonchalantly packing the iPad and files into a carry on bag for the plane ride. She looked up when no answer came from the genius and saw everyone watching her with sad eyes, not even pretending they weren't eavesdropping.

"I'm sorry. I-I didn't know." Spencer mumbled, looking very upset at himself for unlocking a part of Eddie's Tragic Backstory.

Laughing slightly she squeezed his shoulder, "There's no reason for you to have known, Spence. I'm fine you guys, this was a long time ago. Besides the trap houses were my favorite places to stay, they always had the best snacks for the kids." With a grin at the teams slightly horrified looks, she shouldered her bag and went to find the jet.

The plane ride was uneventful, they spent the first 30 minutes to Nebraska going over the case and the rest of the time relaxing. Eddie had started reading a book when Emily tapped it suddenly.

"You read Tolkien?" She questioned in a loud voice making Spencer perk up and the rest of the team to groan exasperated.

Eddie slipped in a book mark, guessing that his was going to be a long conversation.

"Yeah? It's been a while since I read the Hobbit and I figured its a good plane book."

Derek groaned around a grin that was forming, "Don't tell me you're a secret nerd Eddie! Spencer and Penelope are too powerful together, we can't have someone else joining their ranks!"

Eddie laughed and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know how much of a secret it is, Derek. I started a DnD club in highschool, nothing quite says nerd like a 20 sided die." The rest of the group groaned as Spencer shot up out of his seat and ambled up to the open one next to her, quickly starting up a conversation about LoTR, ignoring the laughter and teasing the whole plane started at the two of them.

[jerzwriter]

The Missing Piece

Book:                   Open Heart (Post Series)

Pairing:                Tobias x Casey Carrick (F!MC), The Carrick Girls

Rating:                 Teen

Category:            Domestic Fluff

Summary:   Casey's heading out for a night with friends, and Tobias is on Dad duty. The night goes well overall, but it's not complete until Casey returns home.

Words: 2,000

A/N: So this ask is now over three months old, and I'm so, so sorry for the delay! But I hope that you will find it was worth the wait! This was just SO much fun to write! I hope it brings a smile or two! Participating in @choicesmonthlychallenge All the Fluff and, if I'm not too late, @openheartappreciationweek - The Future.

When they first got married, they made themselves a promise. Time together as a couple would still be a priority, but time alone was something they’d make time for, too. Before Samantha was born, their goal was one date night a week and one night to themselves. They joked that it could be dangerous, reminders of a less chaotic life may not be the best idea, but they often found it hard to tear themselves away.

Flash forward to the present:  three girls, seven, five, and one. With them, and two busy careers, they laughed when they realized how naïve that earlier schedule had been. Still, they made sure to have a date night once a week… a happy marriage was one of the greatest gifts they could give their daughters, and it was a priority. But the nights alone, they often fell by the wayside. But when Tobias learned Sienna, Aurora, and Jackie would all be in DC for the Women in Medicine conference, he insisted Casey make plans to go out.   She needed the grown-up time, and he looked forward to some time with his girls. The night had finally arrived.

Casey sat before a mirror in her bedroom, holding earrings up, unable to decide which pair worked best. When Tobias sauntered into the room, he took one look at his wife, and he began reconsidering their evening. Her hair was pulled into an elegant chignon, and her make-up was done to perfection. And she was wearing that dress…. the little black velvet wrap number he loved so much… and not only because it was so easy to get off.   As he approached, he let out a low whistle, reminding himself again that he was the luckiest of men.

 “Looking good, baby,” he cooed as his arms wrapped around her waist. Casey giggled like a schoolgirl as he nuzzled into her, peppering kisses along her neck.

“Tobias! Stop,” she laughed as he finally relented. 

“What, ticklish?”

“That… and if you keep it up, I won’t leave. It’s been such a long week. I’m looking forward to seeing my friends, but I’d rather just be home with you.”

“Case… you haven’t been out for a night alone in months now. It’s important; besides, you don’t see them often.”

“I know, and I am going. I’ll just… miss you… and the girls.”

“Well, of course, you will!” He smirked, playfully flexing in front of her. “Who wouldn’t miss this? But in all seriousness, we’ll be here when you get back. Just make sure you come back. Looking like that… you may get a better offer.”

“As if,” she smiled, slipping on her rhinestone cluster earrings. She was all set now, and it was time to go.

After an extended goodbye in the foyer, Tobias nudged his wife out the door. He threatened to get Jackie involved if she didn’t leave already. Then, when she was out the door, he turned around with Kayla on his hip to find his other daughters glaring at him. Kayla’s arms wrapped around his neck, happily sucking on her pacifier; she hadn’t a care in the world. But Samantha and Brooke had their arms crossed in front of them… they were looking to be entertained.

“Yes?” he droned sarcastically. “Mom’s not out the door a full five seconds, and you’re already giving me those looks?”

“We just want to know what we’re going to do tonight, Daddy,” Brooke all but sang.

“Yeah. Mommy and Grammie always have something for us to do,” Samantha chided.

“Oh, really, little lady,” he jabbed back, “and what about your nights home with Daddy? Are you saying we don’t have fun?”

“No, we always have fun,” Brook insisted.

“I’m waiting for you to answer, Sammy. And remember, your Christmas gift may depend on it!”

He placed Kayla in her high chair, and once he made sure he was secure, he rushed over and tickled his eldest daughter, who dissolved into a fit of giggles.

“Daddy! Stop!” She laughed, curls thrashing around as she attempted to escape. “You’re fun too, Daddy. But Grammie says I need to keep you on your toes!”

“Ah, what do I say about Gramme?” he asked.

“Only listen to her after you’ve run it by Mom and Dad,” Brooke recited proudly.

“There we go!” Tobias laughed while opening the front hall closet. He reached up, pulled down a box, and instructed the girls to join him at the kitchen table.

“You think Dad’s no fun, but Dad’s lots of fun! On top of ice cream later, I got this.”

The older girls clapped with approval at the new Bluey puzzle Tobias tossed on the table.

“Now, you know how much Dad loves Bluey, but there is no way I can put this together without your help. You gonna help me?”

“Yes,” they both shrieked as Tobias opened the box.

“That’s a lot of pieces!” Brooke noted. “How do we even know where they go?”

“Well, it’s a good idea to find the four corner pieces first, and then we take it from there.”

Samantha nodded in agreement. “After we find those, we look for pieces with the same colors and try to fit them together.”

“It’s gonna take a long time,” Brook sighed.

“Well, do you have a date Daddy doesn’t know about tonight, sweetheart?”

“No,” Brooke laughed. “I’m too little to date, Daddy!”

“Well, thank God for that… in more ways than one…” he mumbled. “Then we have plenty of time to work on this puzzle.”

The night went smoothly, with only a few minor catastrophes as they worked…

“DADDY!” Samantha yelled. “Kayla is eating a piece of the puzzle!”

Tobias took it from her mouth, assuring the older girls that a bite mark or two would not ruin the puzzle. Crisis averted.

“Daddy, I have to do poopies,” Brooke announced.

“OK, you can use the bathroom in the hall.”

“But I need you to hold my hand!”

Samantha gave her dad a serious look. “She’s been having some difficult poops, Dad. She needs the emotionional support.”

Tobias choked back a laugh. “Oh, does she. Well, then let's go, little lady,” he said, taking Brooke’s hand. “Sammy, this means you’re in charge until we get back. Think you can handle it.”

Samantha briskly saluted her father with a smile. “I’ve got it, Dad!”

“That’s what I like to hear!”

After “emotionally supporting” Brooke, Tobias returned to the table with some veggie snacks. In no time, they only had about ten pieces left to place. 

“Daddy, what do we do with the puzzle once all the pieces are together?” Brooke asked.

“We could do one of two things. Take it apart and put it back in the box, so we can do it again. Or, I can leave it on the mat and bring it to be framed.”

“Framed! Framed!” The two older girls chanted in unison. Even though Kayla couldn’t say the words yet, her happy little gurgles let Tobias know she fully supported her big sisters.

“OK, OK! The little people have spoken! Daddy will get the puzzle framed.  But first, we have to finish it.”

After the cheers receded, they put the last pieces in place until….

“Uh oh…” Samantha fretted.

“Daddy?” Brooke queried anxiously. “Where is the last piece?”

“It’s gotta be here someplace,” Tobias insisted. “Did it fall on the floor?”

Kayla stretched her neck in the high chair as the other three looked under the table.

“Not here!” Brooke hollered.

“OK, let’s look on the table….” Tobias offered.

“In our chairs….”

“Kayla’s high chair?”

But they were coming up empty.

“Maybe you took it with you to the bathroom?” Samantha insisted.

“I wouldn’t take a puzzle piece to the bathroom!” Brooke grumbled.

“Not you, beautiful, but maybe Daddy did by mistake. Let me check.”

Sammy turned to Brooke once Tobias was in the hall. “I think we should take the cushions off the sofa. Maybe it’s under there.”

“Good idea!” Brooke agreed, even though they hadn’t been near the couch all night.

When Tobias reentered the room, it was minor bedlam. The two older girls upended everything in search of the missing piece as Kayla happily tossed her last bits of carrots around the room.

“Girls! What are you doing?” Tobias demanded, doing his best to keep his cool.

“Daddy! We have to find it!” Brooke’s lip quivered. “We can’t get it framed if a piece is missing!”

“Yeah,” Samantha agreed. “Especially since it’s the piece with Bluey’s eye!”

“We’ll find it. It has to be somewhere.”

In all the commotion, no one heard Casey enter the front door nor the clicking of her high heels as she walked toward the kitchen. Her brows raised when she saw the state of the room.

“Hey, everyone. What’s going on?”

“Mommy!” Brooke yelled. “We can’t find the last piece of the Bluey puzzle…it’s… it’s GONE!”

“OK,” Casey tried to reassure her daughter. “It’s OK, it has to be here someplace. We’ll find it.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Samantha sighed. “Now I feel better.”

“You… you what?” Tobias huffed. “I just said the same thing, and you didn’t calm down.”

“Yeah,” Samantha smiled, “but Mommy sounds more confident.”

Casey looked at Tobias with a giggle. “Don’t take it personally, dear. Let me take a look around.”

“You’ll never find it!” Sammy insisted, “we’ve looked everywhere, and….”

Casey’s eldest's words halted, and everyone but Kayla looked at Casey, astonished as she held the missing piece between two well-manicured fingers.

“Is this what you’re looking for?”

“How… what… where did you find that?” Tobias blurted.

“It was right here on the counter,” Casey laughed. “What would you all do without me?”

Sammy placed her hands on her hips. “Daddy must have put it there when he got us snacks!”

“Look at you! Throwing Daddy right under that bus!” Tobias turned to Casey.  “That’s it. She has to stop spending so much time with my mother.”

Casey laughed and kissed her husband’s cheek. “OK, so who gets to put the last piece in?”

“Why don’t you do it, Mommy?”

“Yeah,” Sammy agreed. “Then we can say we worked on the puzzle.”

“That sounds perfect to me,” Tobias concurred. 

All three girls cheered as Casey put the last piece in place.

“Now it’s all done!” Brooke giggled.

“And we’re going to frame it, Mommy!” Sammy informed.

“Oh really? And what room are we hanging this in?”  

“I think it should go in Daddy’s office,” Brooke offered.

“My office?”

“Yes, Daddy. We all know how much you love Bluey, so that’s where it should go.”

“I’m sure your patients will find that endearing,” Casey chuckled. 

“You know what! I bet they will! Great idea, Brooke!”

“Mommy, did you have fun tonight?” Sammy asked.

Tobias smacked himself in the head. “God, with all the craziness, I forgot to ask you! Did you enjoy yourself?”

“I did,” Casey beamed, “but I’m still happy to be home. Why don’t we put on our pajamas, and we can watch one episode of Bluey together before you girls are off to bed?”

“Yes!” Brooke yelled, racing for the stairs. “I’m going to put on my Bluey pajamas!”

“So I am!” Sammy said, chasing after her.

Tobias fell back against the cabinets with relief the second they left the room; his laughing wife fell right into his arms. 

“What the matter, baby? Are you sad that you don’t have Bluey pajamas, too?”

“Hey, I can always buy a pair,” he grinned.  He placed a kiss on top of Casey’s head. “I’m so glad your home, and not just because the rugrat to grown-up ratio is more in balance now.”

“I’m glad, too. Now, let's get ourselves and Kayla into our jammies. We have some quality family cuddling time ahead.”

“Ah, my favorite time,” Tobias beamed. “Case, how did my life ever become this perfect?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” she teased. “You met me.”

“Don’t laugh, princess… you were absolutely the missing piece.”

“Mmm, I’m so glad you were better at finding me than Bluey’s eye!”

“I can’t argue with you there,” he said as they ascended the stairs.  “Can’t argue with you at all.”

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Tobias Only: @icecoffee90 @kyra75

[contentment-of-cats]

We now return to your regularly scheduled chaos of daily living.

When I was first diagnosed with cancer, it was as if my world stopped turning. I was terrified. Reading the diagnosis in my release paperwork from Asshat General, it felt like I was in freefall, looking at the ground rushing up at me, helpless. I went through the preparations for radiation and chemo in a daze, but over time the terror transmuted into... well... Tuesday. You get used to it, you live with it, going from one day at a time to what day is it? Your mind bends to accommodate.

Our consciousness is already bending to accommodate the loss of five lives out of thousands lost last week. The nature of their existence set them apart from the drowned of the Mediterranean and the dead in wars declared and undeclared. Your mind bends to accommodate. I asked my aunts and my gran years ago what it was like to live during WW2, and they replied that you just got up and got on with it. You comforted the friends who lost their sons and daughters, you hoped your family who stayed in Europe were all right, then you did the dishes and got the kids to school.

Our collective consciousness is bending, much of that bending accomplished by the media in its ever lasting mission to feed us adulation of the plutocrats and oligarchy as a goose is fed for foie gras. A friend of Nargolet said,

Cut for rage-inducing bullshit.

“And I’m tired of people coming in now to insult the high achievers and disparage wealthy people that want to break trail for the rest of humanity. “These are risk takers, risk takers have always driven humanity forward and taking risk is what distinguishes us as men, and it’s the divine spark."

The divine spark is apparently for wealthy male risk takers, heroically blazing the way. At least Jeff Bezos had the balls to go up in his own rocket, and Rush was piloting his own unclassed, insufficiently tested, experimental jack-job of a vessel. However, the difference between Bezos and Rush is a gulf of knowing what you do not know. Bezos hired experts, did not cut corners, and kept his ego out of it so that people could do their jobs. Rush openly spoke of hiring 25 year-olds because people with decades of experience under their belts were 'not aspirational' enough.

In truth, the only reason a company hires young, inexperienced people - however brilliant - is because they are going to pull some straight up bullshit and young folks are too intimidated to speak up. I am happier than I can tell you that Millennials and first cohort Gen Z are calling that shit out. I love you, babies. You are the revolution.

Nargeolet and Harding were both experienced adventurers. Of the two, Nargeolet had the experience that should have spotted any red flags with the sub. Were they inured to danger, as many adventurers become? Did they believe that after decades of not being shot that they were bulletproof? Did OceanGate use men like this as window dressing to give the impression of safety - or that safety is to be had two miles down in the dark and cold at 6K+ psi? In my opinion, the answer is yes. We become blase about danger - when we learn to drive, we're terrified as we pilot a ton of metal, plastic, and fiberglass in a parade of unknowable lunatics. Five years later, we hop in the car and go to the store thinking about nothing more than the price of gas or hamburger. I believe that Harding and Nareolet expected to come up Sunday evening, have a few beers and think about a TED talk.

I'm sorry that they didn't.

I'm sorry that Suleman Dawood, while being terrified, did not want to disappoint his dad. He might have looked at his father and these impressive men and his own thrill-seeker father and put aside his misgivings, assured that these adults of many years experience would not put him in danger. He might have been calmed by the fact that Stockton Rush, CEO of the company, would be their operator to the ocean floor. He wouldn't put his ass on the line if there was a hint of danger, right? If ignoring danger made it go away, those five men would be back in St. Johns right now, and Suleman would be thinking about heading back to university in the fall with one hell of a 'what I did on my summer vacation' talk.

I'm sorry that he's not.

His dad was not an adventurer. He was a thrill seeking partaker of extreme tourism, an expensive gilded-age hobby that has resurfaced in an era of unimaginable wealth, just as it did in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The plutocrats privatize the 'thrill of discovery' and put the onus on their extreme thrill seeking fuckups on the shoulders of the rest of us. Us - the dull, plodding class of people who can't look up from our jobs for a minute to dream of a vacation that won't put us in the hole or lose us our jobs. The rest of us who are one disaster away from homelessness, squeezed dry as the ladders of social mobility or even a comfortable few years of retirement are pulled up, rungs sawn out, left fighting for crumbs in a dystopia.

I'm bitter - yes.

Of all things, I hoped to leave the younger generation a better world.

Instead, I watch as the machinery of wealth-worship spins up again, knowing that people will stretch up their necks and willingly be stuffed for the table.

[kayhi808]

Billy Mine - Act 2.1

Leaving Ray of Hope Children's Home felt so…final. It's what I wanted, but I had a hard time adjusting to family life all the same. I mised Billy Mine. He was like a drug in my veins and I was going through withdrawals.

My new parents, Patrick & Christina Ellis were wonderful. They were so patient and kind and loving. They are so much more than I deserved. Before I started high school, my father decided to throw his hat into the political ring. He went from local New York politics to becoming a US Senator. It made life more hectic. We were more in the spotlight. Of course being in the spotlight brings out a lot of lunatics as well. My father gets regular death threats that the Secret Service are aware of. Others are just threats from unhinged individuals.

A few days ago, I was attacked on my way home from work. Police think it was a potential kidnapping to use against my father. Luckily I was able to fend them off, but not without injury. I have stiches on my forehead, a black eye, a busted lip, bruised ribs & they dislocated my shoulder. Years of Muay Thai actually paid off. I don't think they were expecting me to fight back. I wasn't so helpless that they could have just plucked me off the street. I was causing too much of a scene and I'm sure some of them are in worst condition than I am. Bystanders came to my aide, and they took off. Mom & Dad were in NY not DC at the time, so when they found out, I got brought straight back to their place. Not that I complained too much, I felt like crap.

*****

"Baby, do you mind coming outside? There's someone I need you to meet. It'll only take a minute." Dad wraps an arm around me to help me out of my chair.

I couldn't hold back a groan. "I'm really not in the mood to see people," as he leads me out onto the terrace.

"I know, Jules. I swear, it'll just be a minute. I hired security for you and I want you to meet him."

"Daaaddd," I hiss and stop in my tracks but he keeps ushering me forward.

A man stands with his back to me looking out over the Manhattan skyline. Tall, broad shoulders, dark hair, bespoke suit…my skin breaks out in goose bumps.

Hearing our arrival, he turns around & greets my father, "Senator Ellis."

"Thank you so much for meeting here instead of the office." They shake hands. "My daughter, Jules."

He turns his attention to me & I'm lost in his obsidian gaze. There's only one other person who has eyes like that. I can hardly catch my breath. I feel faint and clutch my dad's arm tighter. "Billy Mine" I whisper. Billy's eyes widen with recognition before the darkness takes me.

******

"Sweetheart? Jules."

"Dad?" I open my eyes to find I'm still on the terrace, but on the chaise lounge not on the floor. Shit. Billy.

"You need me to take you back to the hospital? How do you feel?" Dad asked crouched down beside the chair.

"No. No. Don't do that. I'm ok." I look around. I couldn't have been hallucinating. Billy steps nearer. "Billy Russo."

Billy hands me a glass of water, "Here. Drink this."

"You two know each other?" I hear a protective tone in my dad's voice. Billy's eyes dart to mine.

"A..a long time ago. Ray of Hope. W...we were there."

Billy looked to be more in shock than I was. "Juliet."

"Bill owns the security company I've hired to watch over you, until the police or secret service find those men," reassuringly pats my leg. "Nothing like that will ever happen again."

Bill clears his throat, "We'd like to sit down and discuss your daily routine and schedule but we can arrange that for a better time," nodding at me & handing me his business card. I take it, careful not to touch him. "Please call my assistant to schedule something when you feel up to it."

He scans my face & injuries. His eyes are hard like the day he saw my bruises from Carla. Scary mad. "Of course. Thank you."

"Excellent. Thank you again for coming out here. I greatly appreciate it. Jules will set an appointment soon. She's still recovering."

"You're welcome, Senator. Completely understandable."

"Let me see you out."

"No, I can see myself out. Stay with your daughter." Turning to me, "It was good to see you again, Juliet, despite these circumstances."

I can only nod, my throat tightens with the sobs and cries I try to hold back. I haven't thought about him in over a decade but to watch him leave, I wanted to run after him. Have him take me with him.

"Jules?? What's wrong?" Dad brushes away tears that I didnt even know had fallen. "Are you in pain? I can get a doctor out here."

"No. I'm sorry." I start crying and my dad hugs me, "It suddenly feels overwhelming. But I'm ok. I promise." I lie to him. "Maybe if I just lay down for a minute." I kiss his cheek and squeeze his hand as he helps me return to my room.

I take some pain meds yet still sleep restlessly, tormented by dreams of Billy Mine.

@idaofinfinity @imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend @snowkestrel @ellooo0ooo @bustlingcrowdsxorxsilentsleepers @terry2227 @e-dubbc11

[tinyinvadr]

Here we go, the final chapter of Psychoborrower (I actually finished a fic yay)! It’s kind of short, but just wrapping things up. I might do a few one shots about Flint’s first week at camp, and then next will be Rhombus of Ruin!

Psychoborrower

Epilogue

I was up early the next morning. Or, early compared to Sasha, at least. He was so tired, he didn’t even make it to bed. He just fell asleep right at his workbench. Though, that wasn’t too out of the ordinary for him. Sometimes I think he works too hard.

Raz showed up in the lab shortly after I woke up. He asked if I wanted to hang out around camp before he had to leave, so of course, I took him up on it. After all, there was a good chance I’d never see him or this place ever again.

After we left the lab, he took notice of my change in mood.

“So… have you decided what you’re gonna do?”

I sighed. “Yeah… Sasha said to think it over and weigh all my options, but I’m really not sure what other choice I have. I’m a monster if I don’t go home and tell them what happened, but… I don’t…”

“You don’t wanna go back there.”

I nodded. It felt horrible and selfish to admit it, but my mind was completely at odds with itself. I didn’t want to hurt my family, but I also didn’t want to sacrifice my happiness and sense of self just to please them.

We both went quiet. Raz didn’t have any ideas, so we silently accepted that this was the way things had to be. I hated to bring his mood down, especially since he was looking forward to having one final fun day at camp without any evil plot to get in the way. And I wanted that, too, but it was hard to even think about having fun when I knew it would all be over in a matter of hours.

My train of thought was disrupted by a sudden blinding flash of light.

“Ugh, the faces you guys made look weird! This can’t go in my scrapbook!”

Lili snuck up on us with a Polaroid camera and took our picture. Why she was expecting it to look good when we were both clearly depressed and she caught us off guard with that flash, I have no idea.

Raz sighed. “We’re not really in the mood right now, Lili.”

“Aw, come on, please? Everyone’s gonna be in it, and you guys are basically the heroes of camp!”

She went on to explain how she always made a scrapbook for her dad every year, since he was the Grand Head of the Psychonauts and liked to keep up to date on the progress of the new generation of psychics.

Then, an idea hit me.

“Lili, this might be a lot to ask since you’re already making one, but could you help me make my own scrapbook to send home to my parents? Maybe if they see how happy I am here, they’ll understand why being psychic is so important to me.”

“Sure! I bet you can convince them if we get everyone at camp involved. We’re all rooting for you, Flint.”

Just as she said that, Bobby passed by behind her.

“I’m not!”

“Shut up, Bobby!” We both snapped.

So, the rest of the day was spent snapping pictures with everyone, and then cutting and pasting them together. Probably the only normal summer camp activity to ever occur at Whispering Rock, and arts and crafts wasn’t even on the schedule.

I was hesitant to interact with the other campers at first, but it was… nice. It finally felt like I was a regular kid for once. Of course, I was right about them having a lot of questions, but Raz and Lili were great about moving things along and keeping me from getting too overwhelmed by all the attention.

We were almost finished with the scrapbook when all of the campers were called to the reception area. Coach Oleander wanted to publicly apologize to everyone and thank Raz and I for setting him straight. I had confidence he could turn things around for himself. At the end of the day, he really wasn’t a bad person at heart.

He invited us to join him on the stage, and Ford took over from there.

“I would like to take a moment to recognize the accomplishments of two very promising students here. Against all odds, they were able to put aside their differences, face their fears, and use their powers for the greater good. Here at Whispering Rock, we teach our students to strengthen their minds. But the true marker of a Psychonaut in the making is strength of heart. You both have gone above and beyond these past few days, and it’s for that reason that I’d like to ask you something we don’t normally offer to campers…”

I held my breath. I knew what was coming, but I was still in disbelief. Then, any remaining doubts I had left disappeared when Ford held out two uniforms, one of which was perfectly scaled to fit me.

“Would you like to join the Psychonauts?”

Neither of us could contain our excitement. We were both practically jumping up and down, and it’s a miracle I didn’t end up falling off Raz’s shoulder. Everything I’d been working towards finally paid off, and it felt better than I ever could’ve imagined.

Not only was I finally being recognized as a true Psychonaut, but I felt like I finally found my place in the world. I had friends, a family, even, and they accepted every part of me. The borrower me, the psychic me, and just me in general. I had nothing left to hide, and that feeling is something I will never let myself forget.

“In that case, let’s all welcome the newest members of the Psychonauts, Razputin Aquato and Flint Loveseat!”

All of the campers clapped and cheered for us, but underneath it, I noticed Raz chuckle.

“Loveseat?”

“You’re one to talk, Aquato.”

Later that day, Lili finished up the scrapbook, and left me to look through it with Phoebe. Given the fact that I was born and raised in the walls of her house and I hitched a ride with her to camp, I figured it would make sense for her to bring the book home to my parents.

“Wow… so you’re saying we basically grew up together and I didn’t even know it? That makes you like my little brother!”

“Ah, big brother. I’m older.”

“Yeah, but you’re littler.”

“Fine, fine. Just… I don’t know how my parents are gonna react. When you’re showing them the scrapbook, make sure to keep calm, and take things at their pace, okay?”

“Of course, Flint. I really hope this works out.”

Suddenly, Sasha and Milla levitated over to us.

“Flint, darling, do you have a moment?”

I nodded, climbing onto Milla’s hand. Phoebe waved goodbye, taking the book and running off to the camp bus stop.

Sasha paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. I could tell this was serious.

“Grand Head Zanotto has been kidnapped. We’re leaving to locate and rescue him as soon as possible.”

“Oh no… Where do you think he is? Did you tell Lili yet? What should I do while you’re gone? What if-”

“We were going to ask you to come with us. You are a Psychonaut now, after all, and you and Razputin did just save all of our brains.”

“Of course, it’s perfectly alright if you need a break. We just wanted to offer.” Milla added.

This was it. My first official mission. Came up a lot sooner than I thought it would, but I wasn’t one to complain. It was a brand new day, and a brand new adventure was about to begin.

“Count me in!”

So, we met up with Raz and Lili to debrief them, and we all got into the jet to head off on our search for Truman Zanotto. Coach Oleander joined us, too, though Ford had to stay behind. His mobile psitanium supply wore off, causing his mind to revert to its shattered state.

Milla passed me over to Raz as she and Sasha took their seats at the front, and soon, we were ready for takeoff.

“See? I told ya we’d be Psychonauts together.”

I sighed. “You just love being right, don’t you?”

“C’mon, you’re glad I was right!”

If it were any other day, I’d fire a million snarky comments back at him. But not this time.

“Yeah… I really am.”

[wyxan]

WIP Wednesday

The delightful @noxnthea tagged me in this last WIP Wednesday, thank you 😊💜

I have two fic WIPs on the go with a decent chunk of words down.

I’m also working on three bits of art for the DC/Marvel Crossover Fanworks Event and having so much fun! If you want to join I think there’s still plenty up for grabs. It’s very low pressure and just about showing crossover works some love ❤️ you can create playlists, moodboards, art, remixes, podfics…

Fic WIP snippets:

1) Next instalment in the Sunrise on the East Side series. This one is a case fic with identity reveal, and a focus on Tim and MJ’s characters. I’m thinking it’ll be multi-chapter and I want to write it before I post it because I know how bad my ADHD brain is about get the exact feedback it wants to maintain motivation, so I want to just be able to organise a schedule to share something I’m already proud of.

“Tim? Look I need to ask a favour, a big one -”

Tim could hear a rasp in MJ’s breath over the crackling line, footsteps echoing at a run.

“- Peter’s, Peter’s missing. And Tony’s - I don’t fucking know where Tony is except never around when I need him to be -”

A door slammed in the background as Tim’s grip tightened on the phone. Peter was missing? It had to be coincidence - the vigilante disappearances were mounting, but for a civilian to vanish in the same window of time…

“You said - shit - you said you used to take pictures of Batman? In Gotham? Can you show me where you saw him? I know this sounds crazy, but Peter needs help.”

Her usually placid voice cracked at the end and Tim frowned.

“And you were thinking of, what, asking him nicely?” A vision of Bruce’s stony expression and clenched jaw flashed across his mind.

MJ’s tone was utterly dangerous as she hissed her reply.

“I’m asking nothing. I’ll climb every rooftop in Gotham if I have to, I’ll trample through every case. I’m not leaving until he helps - it’s Peter.”

2) Jason / Bucky fic set just after CA:TWS and just as Jason is arriving back in Gotham from the League. It’s an exploration of two different responses to trauma, what they can learn from each other, and what to learn accept about themselves. Unreliable narrators galore. Not gonna lie I’m kinda hurting my own feelings with this one.

He gestured wildly at where Bruce stood, cape heavy, mouth an impassive line.

“He should have burned the Batman down just for the chance to scatter the Joker’s ashes over Gotham. Why, why is he still standing there?! Where is the rage? Where is the grief? Where is my dad?”

“Jason…”

Bruce moved for the first time since Bucky’s entrance, stepping towards Jason. One arm lifted as though reaching out, but his fingers curled limply away. Always the push and pull, always conditional. Jason raised the gun again, roughly scrubbing rain from his eyes as he took aim. Before he could drop his hand from his face, Bucky slid in front of the barrel.

“Move.”

Bucky held Jason’s gaze, eyes soft even in the eerie light. His shoulders didn’t so much as twitch as Jason nudged the gun forwards, pressing against his thin t-shirt - all that was covering Bucky’s vulnerable chest.

“Bucky, move. Don’t think I won’t do this.”

He flicked the safety catch. Bucky had advanced healing, he could probably survive a gunshot. It would hurt, but it would be worth it, wouldn’t it? He could feel the handle pulse with a heartbeat - from Bucky or from his own palm, what did it matter. Jason’s finger moved to the trigger.

Would love to see any snippets you lovely lot are working on!

[pbandjesse]

I am at the museum while the bull roast fundraiser winds down. My feet hurt and it's been a very long day. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow being a day off.

I had a good day though. I didn't sleep amazing and James was holding me when their alarm went off and they startled and squeezed me really hard. Which is in retrospect very funny but in the moment it scared me. I was able to to back to sleep though.

I slept until around 830. James said they made crescent rolls with cinnamon. I was kind of in a weird mood. But I shook it off pretty quickly.

I wanted to wear my frog pants but I had to tear through my storage clothes to find them and was sad about making a big mess. But James put everything back before I could even really complain about what I did. I got a good husband.

We would eat our crescent rolls at the kitchen island. And we kept saying how nice it is to eat at a table together. I can't wait until the living room is more finished and I can enjoy it even more.

James had already taken all my materials to the car but they also helped me carry Samson's tank. Which was super kind because it was raining so hard. Like it was horrible out and I was not wearing the correct coat. And poor Samson's tank would get all wet inside and it would also make it much colder which was not ideal. But as soon as I could I would dry it off and try and warm everything up.

I got over to creative alliance and it was still pouring and I struggled to find a parking space. I would find one down the alley and didn't have to walk far. But I was all set by the time I got to the door.

Someone was there to open the door for me though and I was able to get inside and get warm quickly. Mostly because the classroom was exceedingly warm.

I was able to sort of make it cooler and worked on setting up. I wiped off Samson's tank and put all my materials out. And waited.

I worked on my example and as I was walking around making my example I saw a family across the street looking confused. I waved at them and held up the turtle I was making and they were like. Oh excellent and came over.

In the end I would have 5 people. And it was fun!

A mom and her 5 year old son and a mom and dad with a 3 (?) year old. And it was great honestly. I talked all though my turtle facts. Asked questions. Tried to involve the little one as much as I could, the five year old answered most things but I still tried to get everyone involved.

I brought Samson out and we talked about what he is. Made some observations and guesses. And it was honestly a lot of fun and the dad said he was surprised how much he learned which was very gratifying. I felt very very smart.

We would make our turtle craft next. And I gave them options but they all decided to sew. And that was great. The mom would do the family's sewing. Which the dad cut things out and the toddler colored some of the turtles patterns I had printed which was just fine with me. I had printed extras.

The five year old was so proud of himself when he was able to sew. And the mom was great. Super encouraging and she was so nice to talk to.

We would talk and work for most of an hour. We would pet Samson. And trouble shoot the sewing. And everyone finished with an adorable little felt turtle. It was a wonderful day.

We would finish up right after 11. I had scheduled to 1130 but with such a small group it wouldnt take up the whole time. Once we were cleaned up I checked with the front desk and was able to leave pretty quick.

I headed to puhtok to take Samson back. And about 30 minutes into the drive I realized I never unplugged the hot glue guns. I was mortified. I used the talk to text on my car to contact Parker and ask him to call the front desk. He would get back to me within a half hour and said it was handled and to not worry. Bleh. Embarrassing.

I got Samson back to his enclosure and rearranged his dirt and made sure he was good before I left.

I wanted to make being out there worth it. I would head to a goodwill I hadn't been to before. It was still gross and raining but I had a nice time looking around.

I did not get anything but this goodwill actually had some good prices. It was kind of far from home but not any farther then work is. I would like to make an effort to look for new places to go.

I wanted to get something to eat. I wanted to go home. I started driving home and was like. I will stop and eat. But then I never passed anything. And by the time I thought I would stop I was shaking and needed to eat so quickly. Like I was struggling.

So then I decided I needed to just go straight home. And of course I got stuck behind so many people. And my phone kept losing service and I was very very close to crying.

But I made it back and immediately microwaved a pizza because I needed to inhale something.

I would get cozy on the couch and fell asleep eventually. It was probably not the best nap ever but I'm really glad I did it because I still had a long night ahead of me.

When I woke up I was not feeling amazing. I felt like my face was all puffy again and I felt ugly. I would redo my makeup and braided my hair and tried to feel better but man. I was not having a nice time.

It would improve. I went and got a sandwich. And that would help my mood. And once I got to the museum I was really happy to see James and that improved everything.

And this whole night was great. I got to do the wagon of cheer again and new Jesse found a microphone for me and I had entirely so much fun with that. I also was an innovator and made a lanyard for the raffle buckets so they could be handsfree. Which made everyone who had one much more comfortable.

It was a busy night. I sold $1500 in raffle tickets. And I talked to so many people and it was honestly just a lot of fun.

I would lose steam around 730 and was very grateful for our dinner break. I was paired with Johnathan who is one of the high ups husbands. And we switched dinners so I could eat with James.

Me and James would sit in the educator office and we were both very tired. They had gone to see Dune two with other Jesse this morning and it was just so nice to sit together even if we were both clearly not at our best.

I would accidentally knock James's cup of water everywhere and was embarrassed

But James kept saying it was fine and their fault and I'm like how exactly is me knocking over your water your fault? Silly behavior.

We had another hour of the raffle. "You could win all of this! Not the wagon but everything in the wagon! 1 for $10 or 3 for $20!" Basically over and over. Just being really silly. But it was a lot of fun.

At 9 they called the raffle. I counted all the money. And James pulled the ticket and it was very exciting. I would go to the desk and helped James hand out the golden ticket raffle ticket prizes. And it was fun to give people prizes. And since then everything has calmed down. I have been writing my post while everything calms down around me. People picked up their coats. Paula, the financial person at the museum who runs this event, had some panicked issues with the auction site but figured it out and everything was good. And now almost everyone is gone. And James is turning off the lights. And soon we will go home.

I am excited to sleep. And tomorrow I hope to have a good day. Mostly just resting. I want to go to home Depot and get some stuff for our projects. I am going to try and take care of myself. I hope you do too.

I love you all. Sleep well. Be safe. Goodnight!!