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maya1525 · 9 months ago

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SUCK ~ & ~ F*CK 😋🍾

✩ Featuring Kokichi Muta or Mechamaru ✩

18+MDNI

Pairing✩࿐Fem!Reader X Kokichi Muta (Mechamaru)

WARNINGS✩࿐Fem!Reader giving oral, unprotected vaginal sex, male virginity loss, cream pie, sex in front of others, language

Word count✩࿐2.2k

Summary✩࿐This is based on my original post: SUCK ~ GUESS ~ F*CK. But you know ahead of time whose dick is in your slutty mouth. Kokichi drew the King of Spades ♠️

A/N✩࿐Ngl, 🤭 as soon as that episode came out of Kokichi getting his body healed by Mahito DID something to me. I just had to write a smutty fic of him loosing his virginity to the reader! Feedback is highly appreciated, I love reading your comments! 😙💖

“The game is quite simple.” Gojo stated in a matter-of-fact tone, “You’re going to be blindfolded and will have to guess which man's dick is in your mouth. If you guess incorrectly, the man gets to choose which position to fuck you in. If you guess correctly, then you get to choose the position. To keep things interesting, you’ll suck dick for three minutes and get fucked for seven.”

You nodded your understanding as you sat on the large and cushy futon in Gojo’s apartment. He had planned on fucking you alone tonight, but your boyfriends wanted in on the action, plus they thought it would be a good idea to invite two of their friends, Mechamaru and Noritoshi.

You felt your cheeks warm up with excitement, never in your life, you’ve felt so deeply desired before. Everyone’s eyes were on you, especially because you wore a revealing teddy one-piece. Satoru bought it for you, and it complimented your figure perfectly. He even put a stunning custom collar on you, with a diamond-covered ‘S’ on it.

You couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed to be this exposed in front of Noritoshi and Mechamaru. You were familiar with both of these men, but you were still getting used to human Mechamaru. Muta was on the leaner side compared to your boyfriends, he had sharp features and a large and noticeable scar on his upper cheek. While Kamo on the other hand always seemed like a strong and serious leader among his comrades. The thought that he yearned for you just as much as your boyfriends made you wonder what he would be like when he fucked you. The thought made you anticipate his turn.

While you thought about those two men, your eyes were subconsciously drawn to both of them. Noritoshi sat on the far side of the sectional, his heated gaze stared you down hungrily. Beside him sat your boyfriend Megumi with a starved look in his midnight blue eyes. Next sat Itadori, he eyed you with such desperation, that it looked as if he was going to jump off the couch any second to get to you. Next to him sat Satoru smugly, his eyes gleamed playfully in your direction. Beside him was Muta, he eyed shyly with a faint blush on his face. To his left sat Yuuta and Inumaki, Toge was leaning into the couch comfortably, his violet-colored eyes sparkling over your stunning body with admiration and Yuuta had a similar look of awe on his face.

“Ok Y/n, I’m going to put this on you if you’re ready,” Satoru murmured, his gorgeous blue eyes gleaming down at you, while he wrapped his black blindfold around your eyes.

You were shocked at how you couldn’t even see small streams of light through it. You had always assumed that it was sheer fabric and that Gojo could slightly see through it, but you were mistaken. Satoru’s amazing Six Eyes technique is one to behold, he certainly is the strongest jujitsu sorcerer.

“OK, now that her eyes are covered, I’m going to hand each of you a playing card. Whoever draws the highest card gets to go first.” Satoru explained nonchalantly, as the sound of him shuffling the cards expertly made itself known in your ears.

After a short moment of listening to each man shift on the couch to get their card, Gojo spoke. “Now let’s reveal our cards.” You heard a few small sighs of excitement from some of the men, and you also heard some hisses of displeasure, assuming that they would have to wait a while until their turn.

Soon enough your ears picked up on the sound of someone coming towards you. You felt this man's warm hand gently caress your cheek. His fingers were nimble, could this be Inumaki? You quickly ruled out the guys you knew who had larger hands. You heard him fumble with his zipper as he struggled to lower his pants. He’s probably nervous… you thought.

You felt the head of his dick softly rub against your kissable lips. You decided to examine his cock with lips, as you brought your right hand up to his shaft. The girth of his dick wasn’t familiar. He seemed to have a very thick cock. You felt your pussy warm up with want at the width of this man’s shaft.

You grazed your lips along the left side of his penis. You managed to get a whiff of his scent, he smelt like clean clothes with a hint of light and airy cologne. His scent wasn’t any of your boyfriends… so you promptly ruled out Inumaki from your mind. Inumaki smelt fresh with a more detectable fragrant cologne.

You brought your mouth back to the tip of his dick and gave him a sweet and juicy kiss. You immediately felt the head of his cock ache towards you.

“Mmh-“ he whimpered from his throat. You could already taste his precum on the tip of your tongue. You greedily latched onto his thick and delicious rod. You sucked him off masterly, you made sure to lap your tongue on the underside of his cock in the process. You felt his fingers tangle into your hair impulsively.

“Ahh-“ he groaned quietly as he lost himself in the heavenly feeling of your mouth. He struggled to stay quiet and you were able to hear small barely audible moans escape from his lips.

Muta looked down at your beautiful face sucking his dick so perfectly, he’s never felt something so wonderful before. A faint blush crept across his face, it felt slightly embarrassing that he was experiencing this in front of his friends. The other males flashed him smirks and gave him slaps on the back of encouragement.

The way you moved your lips and tongue around his cock felt absolutely heavenly. He found it difficult to keep quiet with your hot mouth working on him.

Without meaning to, you whimpered onto his dick, due to the thought of how hot this situation may look. You couldn’t help but feel yourself dampen even more. You began to grow more impatient, you wanted this man to fuck you already. His small sighs and groans of delight didn’t help much either. It turned you on even more, you could tell he was trying his best to not make any noise, but your sinful mouth made that impossible. Suddenly you felt his hands lightly pull your face away from his rod.

“Has it been three minutes already?” You spoke out quietly.

“Yeah.” He whispered.

“So I’m guessing you’re… Mechamaru?” You questioned as you lowered Gojo’s blindfold from your eyes.

You were greeted by the pleasant sight of Kokichi standing above you with a desperate look on his face. His cheeks had a faint pink tint on them and it seemed like he couldn’t catch his breath.

You smiled up at him triumphantly, “Yes, I guessed it right!” You beamed up at him cutely as you rapidly guided Muta down to the couch. You maneuvered yourself so you sat on his lap, and he stammered underneath you nervously. You helped him unbutton his shirt and traced your dainty hands across his lean body. You didn’t want to embarrass him in front of the other guys, so you brought your mouth to his ear and whispered ever so quietly, “You’re a virgin aren’t you?”

Mechamaru gasped with surprise at your bold question, “Y-yeah…” he said softly through his teeth.

“Then I’ll ride you.” You murmured seductively as you licked the shell of his ear, causing him to quiver underneath you. You noticed his hands were respectfully at his sides, so you gently guided them to your waist. His fingers slightly fidgeted against the lacy fabric of your lingerie. “Have you ever kissed anyone before?” You muttered in his ear, while your hands trailed their way down his torso. You’ve never felt so dominant before and you were loving the power you had over him.

“No, I haven’t.” He exhaled, as his sharp brown eyes stared at you with an insatiable hunger.

With that being said you delicately pressed your lips against his. He froze up with shock as you kissed him. He didn’t move his lips against yours, and you noticed he was holding his breath. You tenderly kissed his upper lip so he could kiss your plump lower one. His mouth moved cautiously as he got used to the feeling of kissing. You brought your other hand to the back of his neck and tangled your slim fingers in his thin black hair.

Kokichi was ecstatic to share his first kiss with you. He admired your soft-spoken and gentle personality. He secretly thought that you were the most alluring girl he’d ever met. He felt a prick of insecurity because you had three boyfriends though. He wondered if his lack of experience would deter you. He feared that you were only kissing him out of pity.

On the other hand, you thought the opposite; when it came to romance you were typically the bottom. Now’s your chance to take the lead and corrupt this innocent man right in front of you. Your hand grabbed ahold of his thick rod and you rubbed the head of his dick against your clothed pussy lips. You enjoyed the friction of the head of his dick brushing against your clit. You were able to quickly feel his precum dampen your underwear from the outside.

“Will it even fit in there?” Muta questioned sincerely, with a genuine look of curiosity on his face.

You flashed him a mischievous smile as a wave of encouragement set flame in your veins. You swiftly pushed the fabric that covered your pussy lips to the side and lowered yourself onto his raging rod. He was one of the thickest dicks you’ve ever taken and he stretched you out almost painfully. Mechamaru let out a surprised groan, you felt his fingernails dig into your waist as your tight pussy enveloped him entirely.

“Fuck…” Muta hissed under his breath, you were incredibly tight and wet. Your juices soaked his dick once he was completely lodged inside of you.

“Mmm-Mechamaru…” You moaned out at the delicious feeling of his rod being wedged in your horny hole. The slight ache of his broad dick straining your cunt, quickly melted away into hot pleasure. You began to swivel your hips against his sexily, loving the feel of his dick jolting around inside of you.

You studied Kokichi’s handsome face as you ground yourself onto him. His narrowed brown eyes gleamed lustfully into yours. He clenched his jaw with focus as he began to instinctively hump his dick up into you. His hips moved sloppily due to his inexperience, but that didn’t bother you. You loved his enthusiasm and how he was visibly enjoying you.

Mechamaru was on cloud nine, he would have never dreamed of this ever happening; his whole life he knew nothing but pain and suffering. His previous disabled and broken body prevented him from having a comfortable life. Every day was agony and he knew he’d trade anything to just be normal; so when that miraculous opportunity made itself known to him, he accepted without hesitation.

Right now in this very moment, Mechamaru was fully relishing in you. You looked like a beautiful angel in his eyes, especially because you made him feel such amazing bliss. His gaze lowered to your glorious bouncing breasts as you hopped on his dick like a bunny. You noticed his wondering eyes and guided his hands to your squishy boobs with a seductive smile. He held them in awe as if they were the most precious things he’d ever had the experience of feeling. He leaned forward and crashed his lips against yours with heated passion. He was speechless at how incredible you felt, and he felt an unfamiliar urgency in his lower region. Was he about to cum?

Even though you were in a room full of other guys, and their starved eyes burned holes towards the both of you, they all melted away. You had your full attention on Mechamaru. The way he bullied his dick up inside of you made you whine uncontrollably. You had no idea that he could have such a girthy and appetizing cock. Muta gripped your hips firmly and began to bounce you on his dick while he pounded you ruthlessly.

You were taken aback by his sudden strength and power, which caused your pussy to leak all over his length. Kokichi felt you dampen tremendously while he took control, which made him quickly realize you enjoyed being manhandled.

“Oh, yes!” You moaned out in delight while Mechamaru fucked you good. Due to how saturated you were, his cock slid in and out of you scrumptiously. You lowered your mouth to his neck to leave little possessive marks on his flawless skin. You knew for a fact that you’d love to enjoy him again.

Kokichi couldn’t handle it anymore, you felt so inviting to his horny dick, and he burst deep inside of you and choked out a surprised moan. You felt his cock throb as he shot his first spurts of cum into your slippery walls.

“Mmh-Kay you two, it’s been seven minutes,” Satoru announced huskily from a few feet away. Reminding you that other men were watching you two like hungry wolves and they were patiently waiting their turns.

#jjk smut #jjk x you #jjk x reader #jjk x fem!reader #jujustsu kaisen x reader #jjk x y/n #jjk fanfic #smut fic #kokichi muta #jjk mechamaru #muta kokichi #jujutsu kaisen x you #jujitsu kaisen smut #jujitsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader

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sunflowhamato · 11 months ago

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𝑳𝒆𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒊: 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝑵𝒐𝒏-𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒑 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒂 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒊 𝑹𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕. 𝑨𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒎, 𝑼𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔.

My first language is not English, use a translator, so if there are mistakes, I apologize. Most of the analysis was translated by

All credits to her.

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As I began watching Rottmnt, I was surprised by several aspects, most notably the widespread belief within the fandom that Leo was gay and in a relationship with Usagi. This rumor piqued my interest and became one of the main reasons for following the series.

I eagerly awaited the "chapter" where Usagi would make her appearance, anticipating to understand the basis of this relationship. Like many other viewers, I was shocked to discover that Usagi does not actually appear in the series, leaving me baffled.

Although this revelation was disappointing to find that there is no interaction between the two characters, my curiosity was intensified.

I asked myself: How did this shipp come about and why is it so popular? Despite my initial bewilderment, I found myself without answers as to the origin of the shipp. Although I can speculate, I believe a deeper context is required to understand its emergence.

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-🅲🅾🅽🆃🅴🆇🆃 🅻🅴🅾🆂🅰🅶🅸-

In 1984, the Ninja Turtles, created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, achieved great success in the world of comics. In the same year, Stan Sakai began publishing Usagi Yojimbo, a series following the adventures of the samurai rabbit Miyamoto Usagi in Feudal Japan.

The friendship between Stan and Laird led to a crossover between the two series in 1987. Since then, Usagi has appeared in various Ninja Turtles-related media. In these crossovers, Leo and Usagi develop a close relationship, being considered better than the other two. friends on some occasions, depending on the version. This bond led to the emergence of a "shipp" between the two characters, becoming one of the most prominent non-canonical Ninja Turtles shipps.

Although they have had encounters in the comics and in the 1980s series, the 2003 series delved more deeply into the interaction between Leo and Usagi, showcasing several significant moments that strengthened their connection. The 2012 series did not explore this relationship as much, as it focused more on Usagi.

With the premiere of ROTTMNT, the series received mixed reviews, and drew attention to Leo's attitude, leading some people to speculate about his membership in the LGBT community.

In 2022, "Samurai Rabbit," which follows the story of Yuichi Usagi, a descendant of Usagi Miyamoto, was released on April 28, ending on April 1 in September of the same year. A few months earlier, on August 5, "Rottmnt: The Movie" was released. I couldn't find out exactly who came up with the idea of joining the two characters from different series, but it had a significant impact on the fandom of both. Thus was born the "Leoichi" marking a major shift in fan perception.

The Leosagi is widely recognized as the shipp involving Leonardo and Usagi Miyamoto. On the other hand, the Leoichi is completely different, and many gave it a unique name to avoid confusion.

To clarify, Usagi Miyamoto is not Yuichi Usagi. In this thread, I will focus exclusively on Yuichi and Leo.Since the characters have no official interaction, I will focus on my personal experience and share how I discovered this shipp.

I will quote some stories, comics or illustrations from talented artists, and from there, I will start my analysis to try to explain why this shipp is so popular and appreciated.

🅼🆈 🅵🅸🆁🆂🆃 🆁🅴🅰🅳🅸🅽🅶

I began my immersion in shipp content by reading stories, and one in particular caught my attention due to its popularity and the positive feedback it was receiving. I opted to start with "When Worlds Collide" by the talented celestiangel, fortunately already completed, which allowed me to read it in one sitting. From this story, I will take a few points related to shipp. However, I would not recommend reading this story at the beginning of your shipp exploration, not because it is bad, quite the contrary, but because it can generate confusion. In my experience, I read it before watching "Samurai Rabbit" and was quite confused, although that was my mistake. It is simply a small recommendation for those who are just starting to know this shipp.

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I will give a mini analysis of this beautiful story, so if you haven't read it yet, I recommend skipping this part, as I will give spoilers for the ending.

"Set in the first season, Yuichi is tasked with romancing Leo to get information about the dark armor for Draxum, but falls genuinely in love with him, generating conflict and pain between the two."

"When Worlds Collide" (WWC) stands out by addressing aspects that many other stories do not explore, especially as it relates to Yuichi's altering of history. Although its narrative differs from "Samurai Rabbit," the character remains the same, maintaining his prankster and rebellious nature.

The story dives into deep themes, focusing mainly on self-love and forgiveness. Yuichi is the central focus of the plot, allowing readers to delve into his thoughts. Although at first he seems disinterested in Leo, the story subtly reveals that Yuichi is deceiving himself and the viewer. This aspect requires a second reading to be fully understood.

I was surprised to discover at the end that Yuichi accepts his feelings, despite expressing his distaste for the situation in earlier chapters. The way you approach the subject of self-love is admirable. Leo's acceptance of Yuichi marks a subtle change in his personality. Unconsciously, Yuichi teaches Leo his true nature.

They both show affection without expecting anything in return, being a key driver for Yuichi to change and make the decision to risk his life for the person most important to him. The story culminates with a beautiful lesson about forgiveness. Although Leo does not immediately forgive Yuichi due to the pain of betrayal, he gives him a second chance.

Yuichi, now accepting himself, is determined to rebuild Leo's trust. The story highlights self-love, as Leo prioritizes his well-being before granting forgiveness, while Yuichi accepts himself and is willing to start over without making similar mistakes.

From here I will take several aspects to analyze, starting with

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In the context of the fanfic, a detail to highlight is that, both characters feel attracted in the first meeting, or in the first chapters (like a love at first sight), the way this meeting is portrayed in the story does not feel forced in any of the two parts.

While it may sound cliché, the narrative manages to make it fit naturally, reflecting the idea that love doesn't always need concrete reasons to emerge; it just happens.

The concept of "good chemistry" also ties in with the above. From the very first moment, there is a palpable connection between the two characters, regardless of the plot. Even considering a more "canonical" approach, the chemistry between Yuichi and Leo, according to my perspective would be very similar to how the fandom describes it.

The similarity and difference between the two characters are exceptionally balanced, reflecting the essence of lasting relationships. The presence of this chemistry is a charming element that resonates with viewers when two characters manage to connect convincingly.

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Sharing similar interests and characteristics can lay the groundwork for establishing any kind of relationship. Both Yuichi and Leo share several affinities, such as their love for the sword as a weapon, their fascination with comic books, a strong belief in their abilities that could be interpreted as a certain degree of egocentrism, leadership roles in their respective teams.

Both characters experience arcs in which they learn to accept responsibility and improve as warriors. They also share moments of madness, showing that they would follow each other's example. In addition to their awkwardness and a certain antisocial tendency, evidenced in their difficulty to make a good first impression.

One more detail in common is that blue is their favorite color. Despite these similarities, having absolutely everything in common could prove difficult, as a relationship also involves both parties showing how they see the world differently.

Leo could introduce Yuichi to innovative aspects such as technology, skyscrapers and the vibrant life in New York, as well as sharing his love of pizza and keeping up with fashion trends. On the other hand, Yuichi could teach the importance of constant training, knowledge of one's own history (especially in relation to Yokai), and provide perspectives from someone who lived on a farm.

He could also share the beauty of life in the countryside, such as the ability to see the stars. Both characters would become reciprocal teachers, showing their respective worldviews and learning from each other.

🆂🆄🅿🅿🅾🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🅲🆁🅰🆉🅸🅽🅴🆂🆂 🅰🅽🅳 🅳🆁🅴🅰🅼🆂

In all the stories, comics, or whatever medium I've explored, I've noticed canonical events that always occur in one way or another.

One of them is that Yuichi always laughs at Leo's jokes, no matter how terrible they are or if no one else finds them funny. He manages to get a genuine smile out of Yuichi, even playing along on several occasions.

The acceptance and support for each other's follies comes across as genuinely charming. Another canonical event is that they both support each other's goals.

They have full knowledge of each other's capabilities and never judge, but rather take pride in each other. Leo can hear Yuichi's goal of becoming the best samurai, and confirms his admiration through multiple compliments of his skills.

In turn, Yuichi is aware of Leo's skills and is always willing to listen to him and give him a little push for any problem he may face.

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Although there are several stories in which Yuichi becomes Leo's emotional support, there is one crucial aspect in all of them: Yuichi simply listens to problems without judgment or opinion.

This approach reflects the realization that, as one grows older, one realizes that sometimes people just need to be heard to vent their problems. Therefore, it is preferable to offer advice only when it is requested. The aspect is handled effectively in several stories, where if Leo doesn't ask Yuichi for an opinion, the latter simply listens.

Both characters shoulder problems together, but this does not imply that the other will automatically solve the partner's problem. Rather, they provide a little mutual boost, as they both know what they are capable of and fully trust themselves and each other.

Loving someone and learning to face problems together involves not only trusting in oneself, but also in the other's ability to be supportive.

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Most fanfics address Leo’s PTSD, some in detail and others more generally. IMO, I couldn’t say if they portrayed it correctly or not, but the inclusion of details and respect for these moments and tensions, they make them feel authentic and moving.

In these situations, usually one of the brothers or Yuichi provides precise support, which is relevant and can resonate with anyone who has faced similar situations. It is particularly notable that the support that Yuichi offers, although Leo also offers the support.

Yuichi never leaves Leo alone and is willing to help him through these difficult times as many times as necessary. This representation highlights how, when you love someone, you learn to cope with the conflicts and problems you may face.

Yuichi's unconditional support adds a layer of authenticity to the narratives and reinforces the idea that true love involves being present and supporting the person you love during difficult times.

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I've read several stories where Yuichi loses his family during the Kraang Invasion, or this "mistake" on Leo's part is addressed. The interesting thing is that, although a conflict may be anticipated, none of the characters take the blame. nor does he recriminate the errors of the other.

This reflects the idea that one should not judge without first knowing the full story. When you love someone, you do so with all of their past, as well as the possibilities that the future holds for them. The Leoichi becomes a great representation of this, since none of the characters are judged for their mistakes.

They accept each other and love not only who they are in the present moment, but also help and support each other in their personal growth. They are anxious about the future ahead, recognizing that the past experiences are an integral part of the person you love. This approach shows how love involves accepting the loved person in their entirety, with all their imperfections and mistakes, and supporting their evolution and future development.

And I feel that a great example of this is one of the fanfics that best portrays Samurai Rabbit. So In Love And Yet Nothing To Talk About by rosesofenvy

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“Leo wants to find his soul mate and is willing to throw himself (and his siblings) headlong into a new mission to achieve it.”

The story in particular handles the relationship between Yuichi and Leo exceptionally well. HE takes into account the story of "Samurai Rabbit" and incorporates its characters in a more meaningful way. This fanfic stands out as one of the few that actually considers Yuichi's story, elevating it to a broader level and giving it considerable relevance.

Both protagonists go through problems related to the respective invasions they experienced at the time. If you are new to consuming content from the shipp, I would definitely recommend this fanfic as your first choice to read. Helps to better understand the history of both characters, and the theme of soulmates, which is something new in the universe of both series, will surely awaken your curiosity until the end.

The well-developed plot and careful integration of elements from both stories make it a great read. enriquecedora para aquellos que buscan sumergirse en este shipp.

-🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆁🅸🆃🆈 🅾🅵 🅻🅾🆅🅴-

One part that captured my attention and only made me fall more in love with the shipp was the extraordinarily sweet way the relationship between the characters develops.

People often associate love solely with kisses, but this fanfic stands out. that love can manifest itself in various ways and does not have to be rushed to work. Both characters act clumsily when falling in love, which makes sense since they are not experts on the subject.

In several fanfics I have noticed that, although they both fall in love in the First chapters, they take their time to express their feelings. There may be moments where they show their affection for each other, such as when Leo taps Yuichi's head or when Yuichi moves his ears.

This representation of pure and innocent first love is important and tender. Since they're teenagers, there's no need to rush things, and this is one of the main reasons I love this shipp. The content addresses this aspect without becoming cloying, allowing you to enjoy consuming the content and become attached to it. with both characters in a unique way.

It is also notable that in some stories, they can take until the end to kiss, highlighting the idea that everything has its proper time. Although it is clear that there is content intended for a more mature audience, it is less frequent.

-🆃🅷🅴🆈 🅰🆁🅴 🅸🅽🅴🆇🅿🅴🆁🅸🅴🅽🅲🅴🅳-

As I mentioned, being teenagers, it is logical that many of the actions of both characters in the shipping content are childish and clumsy, which is adorable. It's like reliving first love, where we do crazy things for the other person.

This is a recurring element in each type of content, whether it is a story or a comic (although there are exceptions). We will always see Leo trying to tell a joke to make Yuichi smile, or Yuichi trying to demonstrate his skills as a samurai. Overall, the Leoichi relationship begins innocently and sincerely.

Both characters learn along the way what it means to love someone, which contributes to creating a charming and touching atmosphere. The clumsiness and innocence that characterize his actions faithfully reflect the experience of first love. making the connection between both characters more authentic and endearing.

-🅲🅰🅽🅾🅽🅸🅲🅰🅻 🅴🆅🅴🅽🆃🆂-

It is interesting to note that in many shipp stories there are recurring events that we could call "canonical events", as if they were characteristic elements that are repeated as a game.

Some notable examples include: Choosing a Picnic as a setting for a date or meeting is common in many shipp stories. It is common for the characters to meet in "Run of the Mill", and in several of these stories, Yuichi works in said place. Although there are few exceptions, in most stories, Leo is portrayed as the first to fall in love. In some plots, one of the brothers becomes overprotective regarding the relationship between Leo and Yuichi. It is common for both characters to be the last to realize the attraction they feel for each other. Although in a way curiously, on many occasions, it is Yuichi who suffers the most, and may even die in some plots. Events involving joint training or a fight between Leo and Yuichi are recurring in these stories.

The follies of both characters often result in some kind of disaster or comical situation. These recurring elements could be considered part of the "formula" that defines the dynamics of the relationship between Leo and Yuichi in the ship, offering readers a recognizable set of situations and events that they contribute to the charm and familiarity of these stories.

-🅻🅶🅱🆃 🆁🅴🅿🆁🅴🆂🅴🅽🆃🅰🆃🅸🅾🅽-

The topic of inclusion has gained relevance in recent years, and in Rise, diverse representation is evident, with Leo being the main focus and universally considered part of the LGBT community.

Labelling the characters or questioning whether the Representation is adequate may seem unnecessary, since each person is free to decide or change their preferences over time. While some stories deal with serious and realistic topics in exceptional ways, others may focus on engaging the audience without going in depth. in these aspects. What I highlight in the Rise universe is that it does not seem to focus on demonstrating the sexuality of each character.

Everyone is free to decide their preferences, and these do not seem to generate conflicts. Whether April is lesbian or Splinter is bisexual, the story does not create dramas around these elections. It is crucial to normalize these terms without the need to question each individual's attractions, recognizing that tastes can change over time. Works such as Sakura Card Captor or The Owl House address this topic in a way that conveys the message that "love is simply that, love." Be yourself without the need for labels.

The Leoichi has stories that touch on this topic respectfully, providing interesting information. Although it is not the central focus, when it is addressed, it is done in a way precise and accurate. It is an LGBT ship that manages to captivate without depending exclusively on being a representation of the community, showing the diversity of relationships in a natural and authentic way.

-🆁🅴🅲🅸🅿🆁🅾🅲🅰🅻 🅻🅾🆅🅴 🆆🅸🆃🅷🅾🆄🆃 🅴🆇🆃🆁🅰 🅳🆁🅰🅼🅰-

The Leoichi stands out for its balance of love, respect and empathy between Leo and Yuichi, showing a healthy and authentic relationship. When we explore love stories, elements of drama are often included, such as the recurring love triangle.

Fortunately, the Leoichi avoids this cliché. Although there are stories that address the topic, they focus on it from the beginning. Instead of falling into typical clichés, the Leoichi adopts different approaches, such as family overprotection, distance or conflicts related to the villain's plot. Overall, Leoichi avoids common clichés that could be considered unnecessary.

-🅰🅽🅰🅻🆈🆂🅸🆂 🅾🅵 🆃🅷🅴 🅽🅾🆃-🆂🅾-🆂🅴🅲🆁🅴🆃 🆂🅴🅲🆁🅴🆃 🆂🅰🅽🆃🅰-

IMAGE

BESIDE LEO IMAGE TEXT: it is my moment. mine of me To all the assholes who underestimated me, you will see romantic Leo

BESIDE USAGI IMAGE TEXT: You're not going to believe who touched me in Secret Santa. I knew I was God's favorite.

“Where Usagi gets to be Leo's secret santa and vice versa. “Both boys believe this is the perfect opportunity to declare themselves.”

Are you a person who looks for new and innovative things to tell a story?

This story offers an innovative narrative by following the events leading up to Yuichi and Leo's declaration. The unique way tweets and conventional storytelling structure are intertwined is captivating. Unlike many narratives, it shows that it is not necessary to address sad or deep themes to create an attractive story.

The plot focuses on the relationship between Leo and Yuichi, exploring their own thought worlds and their connection with friends. What is notable is that the story is not limited to Leo's perspective, as is usually the norm, but also considers Yuichi, providing a more complete view.

The plot unfolds in an understandable way, and manages to get several laughs on multiple occasions, which is evident by the positive reaction of readers, even those who do not fluent in Spanish have made efforts to understand it, highlighting its significant impact. In short, I don't think I have to explain why I would recommend this story (It's great).

Offers a distracting experience that brings smiles, uniquely exploring both characters, as well as others, maintaining the reader's interest and leaving the feeling of wanting to continue reading more.

-🅰🅽🅰🅻🆈🆂🅸🆂 🅾🅵 🆃🅷🅴 🅲🅾🅼🅸🅲 🅱🅸🅶 🅼🅰🅼🅰'🆂 🅲🅷🅸🅻🅳!-

“A ROTTMNT and Samurai Rabbit AU mainly inspired by Tangled, where Leo is separated from his family and becomes Big Mama's son”

The enveloping plot of this story is fascinating, although it is inspired by "Tangled", it manages to infuse it with your own touch of originality.

The mysteries surrounding the characters, especially the relationship with the past between Leo and Big Mom, keep the reader intrigued. At the same time, Yuichi is not marginalized, since he contributes with his own story, adding layers of mystery surrounding the Hamato and exploring the intriguing topic of Jei.

Unlike the base story, this story broadens its horizons by touching on topics just as serious as the film, such as the separation of the brothers, the representation of Big Mama as a fearsome villain, the Yuichi's connection to the Hamato, as well as the stories of his friends and the world where they live. The plot also addresses the theme of death, adding complexity and depth to the narrative.

Characters' unique reaction to challenges contributes to the uniqueness of history. The way the plot unfolds and envelops the reader is impressive, and the fact that the story is told not only through narrative, but also visually, with beautiful drawings and a fluid rhythm, adds a significant plus. Details like the colours, clothing and surroundings combine to create a fascinating and captivating experience.

-🅵🅰🅽🅳🅾🅼-

Leoichi content, created by the passionate fandom, stands out for its support and positivity. As an upcoming artist, entering this space is an incredible experience, with notable support for content creators. The connection between stories and art is palpable, with artists expressing their appreciation through visual creations inspired by the plots.

This appreciative environment towards writers, cartoonists and other artists is unique and rewarding. The community has made a significant impact, and being a part of it is a source of pride, since the Leoichi, although small compared to what the entire TMNT fandom encompasses, reflects the constant support for creative projects, providing an unmatched feeling of support.

-🆁🅴🅿🆁🅴🆂🅴🅽🆃🅰🆃🅸🅾🅽 🅾🅵 🆈🆄🅸🅲🅷🅸-

It is disappointing to see problems in the representation of Yuichi in various media, and it is essential to advocate for change. The lack of knowledge and understanding about this character highlights the need for further investigation.

Yuichi is a character notable with a fascinating story, which is told in Samurai Rabbit, and deserves fair and accurate representation. Advocating for a deeper understanding of characters and their stories is key to overcoming these challenges.

-🅾🆃🅷🅴🆁 🆂🅷🅸🅿🅿🆂-

It's notable how many Shipps exist in the fandom like the "Donsagi", and I personally enjoy this type of content. It brings freshness and generates interesting stories with new concepts, earning my full support as a multishipper. It is common for them to raise diverse ships in fandoms, and respecting each person's preferences is essential. If someone does not share the preference for the Leoichi or other ships, that is their right, but it is crucial to avoid negative comments towards those who support it. As long as you don't follow tcest or any sick shipp, there won't be any problem (Don't support this type of content, seriously- Sunflower) (I also do not support this content. -Tiny)

-🆁🅴🅲🅾🅼🅼🅴🅽🅳🅰🆃🅸🅾🅽🆂-

Although I haven't explored everything in the Leoichi, I would like to recommend a few stories that I think stand out and could be ideal if you are discovering this Shipp or already know it. These recommendations are only a small sample, since the complete list would be extensive.

-StarBlind by WeirdNCrazy: It is one of my favorites, although it is not over yet, it really manages to make me scream at several moments, and although its focus is not entirely Leoichi, it is a very interesting Alternate Universe story that I recommend

“Leo has been blind since he was mutated by Draxum when he was a baby turtle. Although the plot remains similar to the series, it develops in a unique way due to this circumstance. Additionally, more complexity is added with the arrival of Yuichi and his friends.”

-Midnight Blue by TugboatExpress: Although it is a One-Shot, it really portrays the dynamic in a unique way for both characters, having tense, sweet and funny moments. I laughed a lot at this story and each character has their moment to shine, which only makes it more special. It has a second part, which is also one of my favourites.

“Leo faces death in a hostile dimension, but the next minute he finds someone special. “This is the life of Hamato Leonardo.”

-It's Worse to be Nothing With You by CheddarCat20: The dynamic between siblings, the problem of long-distance relationships, and the theme of a band. This fanfic has many things that I love, and it cannot fail with the moments or complications that Yuichi and Leo face, it has a satisfactory ending, although it makes you want more of this AU.

“I read andHis brothers, the band Teenage Mutant Ninjas, seek help from Usagi Yuichi, a famous Japanese musician. “What starts as a business becomes something more meaningful for Leo.”

-Ghost of New York by jamisafan: This is one of the few fanfics that manages to perfectly detail the Yuichi's personality, Leo's subtle background plot that will be important, and their relationship from hate to love.

“Usagi had wanted to be a ghost hunter ever since she could remember, it was where she belonged. Finally, the aunt sends him on his first solo mission, where maybe I’ll make a friend along the way.”

Believe me when I tell you that I have more favourite stories, but I didn't want to go overboard with this thread. I will leave the links to the stories, and I will also leave the link of users who make content that I recommend from this Shipp (I must clarify that they are not all the ones I would recommend)

-🅻🅸🅽🅺🆂-

-When Worlds Collide-celestiangel:

-So In Love And Yet Nothing To Talk About-rosesofenvy:

-StarBlind-WeirdNCrazy:

-Midnight Blue-TugboatExpress:

-It's Worse to be Nothing With You-CheddarCat20:

-Ghost of New York-jamisafan:

- El santa secreto no tan secreto:

-Hitok´s (Big Mama's Child AU and Villain!Usagi AU comics artist):

-🅵🅸🅽🅰🅻 🅾🅿🅸🅽🅸🅾🅽-

What can I say?, I LOVE THESE TWO!, and I think this thread is proof of it. The Leoichi is one of my favorite Shipps, it really manages to hook you from the first moment, you can feel identified with any of the two involved, all the content that I have consumed and continue to consume is a gem for me and brightens my days, there are several reasons To love the ship, I love the whole story behind it and that precisely this analysis has come out only because of the content that the fandom has made (Which is admirable). I have to mention that I have not named as many recommendations as I would like, but if you are an artist or writer If you want to make yourself known, you can leave a comment in this thread (Here we support everyone <3).

Also with the analysis of this beautiful Ship, I considered the option of starting to analyse its content, really the analysis that I gave to When Worlds Collide is very little of what I have in my mind, and I would like to give it an appropriate analysis with every detail, going deeper into the theme it addresses, the character arcs, the final teaching, etc. I feel that it would be a good start, and in that way move forward to analyze other stories or comics.Many credits to the talented artists who made the illustrations I used in this thread <3

Without further ado, thank you for reading the thread, if you have anything to say regarding everything I have mentioned, you have your right, all with due respect wait for the analysis of When Worlds Collide soon <3

PD:It doesn't let me put links to some talented artists who make Shipp content, but I leave the link to my profile so you can see the thread (There are links to the artists)

#leo x usagi #rottmnt #rottmnt usagi #rottmnt leo #yuichi usagi #leosagi #leoichi #rise leo #fanfic #artists on tumblr #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #samurai rabbit #character analysis

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tcvsfiredemon · 8 months ago

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Platonic Narumayo and Romantic Tension

I was originally gonna post this as a twitter thread, but it started getting really long and that toxic sludgepit doesn’t deserve that kind of effort. Get yourself a snack or something, it’s gonna get rambly.

I think people who go out of their way to shut down the possibility that there could be any romantic attraction between Nick and Maya are missing out on a really cool aspect of their platonic relationship.

There’s a lot to be said about the many facets of the Narumayo friendship, from their bonding through shared trauma, to their building a found family with Pearl, to their effortless ability to trade off being the straight man of their comedic duo. But I think a lot of people miss how much of their friendship is informed by the fact that they both kinda want to kiss each other.

First off, Maya is constantly teasing Phoenix, and often in a weirdly flirty way. Just a few examples off the top of my head. She says Max is dreamy with stars on his face and immediately suggests Nick put stars on his face. She acts like a spurned lover when Phoenix is talking to Adrian, specifically in an attempt to get him flustered. She explicitly compares Phoenix rescuing her from being kidnapped to the DeLites’ love story.

There’s quite a few moments like this throughout the games, and coupled with a lot of Maya’s actions and reactions, I get the sense that we’re supposed to believe that she has a thing for Nick. Maybe that’s just the shipping goggles talking, but it really does feel like the intended subtext. I mean, look at that what she instinctively drew when she was in

(You’re probably wondering when the platonic part comes in. We’ll get there.)

But even if Maya does have a crush on Phoenix, does he return it? Obviously she’s very important to him, but is that really as a romantic interest? We often see him get flustered or stunned into silence whenever people assume he and Maya are dating(which happens a lot), but I feel like that can easily just be read as him being uncomfortable with people assuming he’s in a relationship with his assistant.

In general, Phoenix’s feelings for Maya are fairly ambiguous and probably not something that he’s thought through too much himself. That is, of course, until the waitress scene. That scene, in my opinion, is the single hardest thing to justify if you’re trying to deny any romantic tension within Narumayo. I’ve seen people say that it’s just Phoenix giving a compliment to his best friend/sister figure, but is that really the tone that’s being conveyed there?

That initial comment on her voice. The pregnant pause when he sees her. The weird pick-up line that probably just came out of his mouth without any thought. That’s not the actions of a guy innocently complimenting his friend, that’s the reaction of a guy who just realized that he finds his friend hot. I’d argue that the case can’t even proceed the way it does unless Phoenix thinks Maya is attractive, because that’s what gives him the idea to try to get her to seduce information out of Kudo.

So between Maya and Phoenix we have two best friends with a lot of chemistry who are probably into each other, and whose friends definitely think are already togeyhet, but we never actually see them take that step into romance. And you know what? It fucking works!

(See, told you we’d get into the platonic stuff eventually.)

One of my favorite movies of all time is When Harry Met Sally, and while the titular couple does get together in the end, most of the film is about the two of them navigating being best friends while obviously having romantic feelings for each other. It’s a beautiful story of these two people building a wonderful platonic relationship and then very nearly ruining it when they try to turn it romantic.

That’s the dynamic I see between Phoenix and Maya. They love each other and are probably in love with each other, but they insist on keeping things strictly platonic because to change that could mean to destroy what they’ve spent years building up. It’s an underlying tension that underscores a lot of their actions.

It’s the dynamic that the two of them still have almost a decade later in SoJ, where they find immense comfort just being in each other’s presence, investigating cases like old times. And no matter how much Phoenix gawks at Maya like a sun fish, no matter how many times Maya teases Nick while they’re investigating a wedding-based case, no matter how much they may or may not want to kiss, they’re so happy just to be friends.

(Not that I’d be mad if they did end up kissing…)

Obviously there’s nothing wrong at all with seeing Narumayo as siblings or as purely platonic friends who would never in their wildest dreams be romantically interested in each other, but I do feel like something is lost in that interpretation.

Like, I’m not the biggest fan of romantic Narumitsu, but I don’t think you can truly appreciate their friendship while ignoring that those guys have a weird pseudo-romantic tension going on. Without it they’re just two dudes who used to be friends and don’t have a whole lot of chemistry but would still for some reason die for each other. Once you acknowledge that “oh, they’re kinda in love, aren’t they” it all makes perfect sense.

I don’t think platonic Narumayo exactly falls apart if you ignore their romantic tension. They still have all that other stuff I talked about, but their relationship loses a lot of richness if it’s reduced to just “besties” or “siblings”. Even the games themselves took a little time to explore the potential romantic tension between Phoenix and Maya, and I think that’s been pretty instrumental in making them one of the coolest male/female friendships this side of When Harry Met Sally.

#ace attorney #narumayo #nickmaya #phoenix wright #maya fey #long post #but seriously #avoid looking up narumayo on twitter #there’s good art #but it’s mostly a hive of villainy

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novelizt · 1 year ago

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I CAN BUILD A CASTLE OUT OF ALL THE BRICKS THEY THROW AT ME ☁︎ ANTHONY LOCKWOOD

GENRE ➺ angst + fluff, fake relationship

SYNOPSIS ➺ you recruit the daring anthony lockwood to stage a relationship that will rile up the press and give his company publicity.

WC ➺ 10.9k

DISCLAIMER ➺ actress! reader. the fic also sings the "all these people think love's for show, but I would die for you in secret" beat. lockwood calls reader "darling" and "starlet" because... you'll read why. i'm not sure if The Daily Gazette is a real thing. if it is, i mean no slander — this is merely fiction and I needed a publication name.

NOTE ➺ this is for the oldest/only child who takes on a lot for their family — i see you. also, imagine the nick-priyanka chair pull; i like to think that it's lockwood and darling in a nutshell. my ideas were all over the place so this came out a bit messier than i anticipated, but it is lockwood content so i hope you enjoy! especially you, @t2sh0 !!

They say the brightest stars are the ones that burn out first. That was probably what the gazette was counting on, at least.

Ever since you stepped into the limelight, and shortly earned the title of London's Darling, they made a dime a dozen in making your business their business. They would sing your name to high praise one moment then drag it through the mud the next.

You were content with letting them run their mouths, because it was no skin off your nose, but you drew the line at insulting your family.

Someone at the gazette thought it would be absolutely riveting to write about the dirt poor origins you were raised from. In the article, they not only criticized you, but put your parents under a microscope as well.

"All that really happened is, their daughter put on diamonds and called herself a queen," the Daily Gazette said. "It's only about time until they return to their roots—of which aren't much."

They insinuated that you might not even be your father's daughter—or if you were, it wouldn't be long 'til you came out to be as ill as he was. They called your mother weak for not being as proacticve in generating money, and you a fool for being their lapdog. No one in their right mind would just sit and let a publication sully their name like that.

If they were going to make up hullabaloo, you were going to step ahead and give them something else to talk about, and what better play than having London's Darling Starlet fall in love?

It had came to your attention that the gazette had set their eyes on one agency in particular: Lockwood and Company. Specifically one, Anthony Lockwood.

Where they besmirched your name, they glorified his. The kid was talented at weaving through a conversation, you'd give him that. From what you'd read, you already knew he liked being in the glare of publicity.

You were taking a gamble when you walked right up to their statute of work without a disguise. If the someone at the gazette saw you, you hoped that they would get the ball rolling. All that would be left to do is recruit Mr. Lockwood.

But Lockwood hadn't been the one to greet you at the door. You tried not to appear too shocked, but no one really expects to see someone geared in oversized cleaning gear. Whoever it was looked more alien than human.

"Arif's?" the curly haired boy inquired.

You were tempted to scratch your head, because what in the world was an 'Arifs'?

You were conjuring up a response, but then the boy was shoved aside. The girl who had taken his placed looked both inquisitive and sleep-deprived at the same time. Some kind of recognition happened in her eyes and you smiled, mirroring hers.

The curly haired boy looked positively disturbed by it.

"Hello," you said delicately. "does Mr. Lockwood happen to be in at the moment?"

"He is," the girl said. "You must be the Darling of London. I've seen you in the papers. My friend, Norrie, would be so happy if you could—"

"Luce?"

You weren't usually struck by strangers but you knew right away, that it must be him: Anthony Lockwood. He had the timbre and tone of a well-trained celebrity. It was no wonder the gazette was tripping over themselves to write him.

"Lucy's busy smiling at the Darling of London, or whatever she called her," the curly-haired boy reported, akin to a child who wanted to see their sibling be scolded.

"George," Lockwood turned his attention with a terse intonation. "why don't you pop on the kettle?"

George's smirk fell. He muttered something at Lucy before retreating to the door beside the stairwell. The wide berth he left gave you your first glimpse of the gazette's most recent favorite.

Anthony Lockwood was a spectacle in a suit and tie, looking exactly like his pictures in the papers. He cleaned up nicely enough. You just couldn't help but wince at the disarray his hair was in.

"Lucy, will you please?" Lockwood gave Lucy a look. She cast a glance at you before hesitantly joining George in the kitchen.

You made a mental note to ask about her friend, Norrie, later. It's the least you could do for her saving you from George.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Lockwood turned his attention back to you. He leaned easily against the doorframe, giving off the impression that he was conversational enough, even if you weren't being very good at being polite.

"Welcome to Lockwood and Co., I'm Anthony Lockwood," he said courteously, flashing a smile that would make the press go crazy. You've seen just one like it on cast mates, but he had done it so well you know he'd practiced to get it perfect, or maybe he was naturally good at smiling. You wouldn't know. His voice waded through your reverie. "How can we help you?"

"The kind of help I need isn't a usual request, Mr. Lockwood," you said forwardly. You glanced over his shoulder before offering a chaste smile. "May I come in?"

—

You didn't expect an audience of three after being lead to the receiving room. Then again, you should have. The reasonable assumption was that you were here for ghost-related troubles. You weren't sure how to clarify that you weren't.

You accepted a cup of tea and took in the air in the room before proceeding. Lockwood was sat right across from you, attentively bent toward you. Lucy was trying to keep on a amiable façade in her seat (likely to get a signature for her friend). George was... being himself. He was an odd one, but he had rid himself of his space suit, so that was nice. None of them seemed to be hostile though. That was always a good thing.

"I have a personal favor to ask of you," you started. You rested your hands over your knees, retaining your resolution. "and it involves the recent rumors about me."

"Which one? The one about your prissy attitude or the inevitable downfall of your entire family?" George wasn't as ignorant as he made himself out to be. He took a sip of tea when Lucy glared his way. Lockwood didn't look too surprised by his snide, George must regularly be like this.

You stifled a laugh of your own, amused by his forward nature. "Both, to be honest. The gazette has been generous with their slander lately." You tapped your finger on your knee. "One can only take so much . . . That's what brought me here. I need your help to keep them under control. You'll be properly compensated, of course."

"Miss Darling—" Lockwood started. It wasn't your name but you let it be since he sounded genuine enough. "—we are a psychical agency. What you're asking, it's out of our area of expertise."

"I am aware of that, but I'm not making this request to Lockwood & Co.," you said firmly. You steeled yourself when you set your eyes on him. He flinched under the intensity. "I'm asking you directly, Mr. Lockwood."

George hunched forward, unsuccessfully staunching a laugh. Lucy had straightened in her seat, eyes bugged out of her head. And Lockwood? The surprise on his face couldn't have been fake. He blinked and blinked, but his brain couldn't catch up.

You went on. "My family's been involved. I can't sit idly by while their names are being tarnished. I need something to dissolve those rumors, or at least distract the public enough to forget about them."

He cleared his throat but it was clear he was still ruffled by your earlier admission. "And how would I contribute to that?"

You tried to sound professional, but even your most prim tone sounded odd when it came to a request like this. "I need you to court me."

George stopped trying to muffle his laughter. He even grew bold enough to take a biscuit to snack on. "This is rich. 'Court' and 'Lockwood' in the same sentence? Never thought I'd see the day. You're better off with someone like Quill Kipps, Miss Darling—was it? At least he can act."

Lockwood shot a glare at George but he didn't budge, smiling as he devoured his biscuit. Lucy had recovered and gave her two cents. "George is right. Lockwood doesn't have the best track record in terms of subtlety."

Lockwood looked affronted. "I'm not as bad as you make me out to be."

"You're right," George said gleefully, smiling at you with his eyes. "He's worse."

"You know what," Lockwood said with renewed inspiration. "I'll help you, Miss Darling. Regardless of what my colleagues have to say." He turned his attention to you. You almost cracked a smile at the sheer determination in his complexion. Anthony Lockwood clearly despised being bad at anything. "I'm at your service, starting this very second." He poked the table to enunciate every word. Amused didn't feel like an apt word to describe what you were feeling.

"I was hoping you'd be the opposite of subtle," you said with a polite smile. "You're an enigma to the gazette, Mr. Lockwood. I need you to attract as much attention to us as you can."

He lifted his chin with that award-winning smile. "Consider it done."

George was still grinning to himself, finishing off his biscuit with a dodgy sort of laugh. Lucy had thrown herself back, likely holding in a sigh by the way her shoulders sunk.

Regardless, you felt hope rush through you as you reached across the table, sealing the deal with a handshake that shouldn't have been half as memorable as it was.

—

Lucy's Norrie had set off the domino effect, and you would be forever grateful for it. It didn't take long for the gazette to catch wind and write up their narrative.

!! LOCKWOOD & CO.'S SPECIAL CONNECTION TO LONDON'S DARLING

Recipients, it has come to our attention that London's Darling has shipped out a special signed poster for a friend from Lockwood & Co. The two parties have never had an interaction prior to this instance. We suspect a budding alliance from two very distinct worlds. More about Lockwood & Co.'s most recent escapade on page 7!

It was the first time you finished reading an article without your jaw tensing. It was doing well for your family's temperaments as well. Your mother was now inquiring about the blooming relationship between you and a certain someone instead of agonizing over the manic rumors told about the family. Whenever asked, you feigned ignorance and left the conversation at that.

—

The next time the gazette wrote about London's Darling and Lockwood & Co., it had been about a genuine act of kindness that had been caught on camera.

The trio had finished up a case late in the morning and you dropped by to gift them a hearty breakfast. You didn't intend for the gazette to pick up on the minute interaction, but they always found ways to weasel their way into things. If you didn't despise them so, you would have given them credit for their tenacity.

!! LONDON'S DARLING NOW BECOMING THE DARLING OF LOCKWOOD & CO.

Recipients, an insider recounts the story of seeing our Darling at 35 Portland Row. Coincidentally, the official offices for the psychical agency, Lockwood & Co. She narrates that the starlet had hand-delivered doughnuts and some other necessities; Actively taking time out of her bustling schedule to tend to the operatives she has recently befriended. For the first time since her limelight debut, she has a heart! Our insider also notes a particularly bright smile from the agency's founder and boss, Anthony Lockwood. Is this another one of our Darling's summer flings? See page 4 for news about Darling's controversial role in unveiled coming-of-age film.

You saw a couple reading the recent print as you were walking to Portland Row. They were particularly giggly, so it was safe to assume that the public was falling for your theatrics.

You arrived to Lockwood's abode with a smile.

—

"The gazette's gone feral, haven't they?" George exasperated, throwing the paper on the table after he had cut out Lockwood & Co's bit in the headlines. "You didn't even have to try for this one, did you?"

"Not at all," you chuckled. "They have a way of finding out, even if we don't mean for them to."

"They could have chosen a better picture," Lockwood murmured, eyes permanently narrowed at the cut-out George had hung on their wall. "I did not look that worn out that morning."

"I can't remember it, so I can't lie," Lucy said passively. She slid a pot of tamarind soup through the disarray of cups and papers. It gave you a wider glimpse of the doodles on the cloth. Lockwood had explained the nuance of the doodles earlier. You strongly believed anyone would find the scrawled notes (and insults) endearing.

You leaned over the table as the fragrance of the soup wafted into the air, like tendrils of smoke tempting you for a taste. You held back a smile and tried not to stare at their dinner for too long. You had more self-control than that, but, despite your best efforts, your stomach had a mind of its own.

Your stomach didn't usually rumble but it had chosen that specific moment to do so. You tried to play it off but the members of Lockwood & Co. had already paused in their steps, turning to you with varying levels of surprise. George looked disturbed; Lucy, startled; and Lockwood, amused.

"Hungry?" Lockwood asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not at all," you waved off. He saw right through your stoicism with a growing smile. "It was just a stomach cramp," you insisted.

He didn't move his eyes away from you as he pulled out a chair, but didn't sit in it. "Can't send you home with your belly doing that, can we, George?"

"The gazette might as well write us up for being terrible hosts," George said agreeably.

Lucy set out an additional plate and bowl. "We have a reputation to uphold, you know."

There was an air of something you couldn't quite place. You saw Lockwood's smile first, amused and welcoming all at once. From the corner of your eye, you found George and Lucy doing the same. There was no other word that could describe the moment other than 'warm'. With a feeble smile, you sat in the chair Lockwood had pulled out for you and tried not to look like a mangy raccoon in the midst of a famine.

Only when the sound of clinking cutlery and plates filled the room did you muster the courage to speak again. "Thank you for having me."

"Don't mention it, Starlet," Lockwood said, nudging your side. "You're the reason our clients have been burgeoning lately."

"Who knew a movie star had so much influence?" George asked rhetorically. "If we keep this up, we might be able to afford more biscuits."

"Even if that happens, the biscuit rule stays," Lucy stated, pointing her spoon at George.

There was always something gleefully odd about this place. Sometimes, it was hard to keep up. "What is this biscuit rule?" you asked, looking between all three of them.

"I'll tell you after dinner," Lockwood promised, carefully placing a bowl of soup next to your plate. "Eat. You must be starving."

You withheld the urge to smile but found that, even with your experties in pretending, you had a hard time acting in the company of Lockwood and Co.

—

"How strict is the biscuit rule rotation?" you inquired Lucy.

You had never experienced sleeping over at someone else's house. Doing so, at your mature age, felt a little zany. Not that you could do much about it.

The expert (Anthony John Lockwood) was firm about not letting you walk home at this dark hour. Even more so because the sun had set earlier than expected. Hence, the reason you found yourself rooming with Lucy for the night.

"Strict," was Lucy's answer; half with you, half not. She was at the vanity, writing in a journal. Likely for her friend, Norrie—if their names scribbled on the front was anything to go by. She looked so focused, you would have guessed she was aspiring to out-write the folks at the Daily Gazette.

Defeated, you heaved a sigh and submitted yourself to a few moments of quiet in a place so unfamiliar.

The bed bounced under your weight. The springs you heard in the mattress reminded of you of home, yet, the stars on the ceiling reminded you that you weren't. Most of them clung on but some had fallen off, leaving behind star-shaped irregularities in the paint. You counted four fallen stars before you were reeled back by the feeling of another weight falling beside you.

"Comfortable, Miss Darling?"

Lockwood.

You righted your posture. He sat up with you, taken-aback by your shift in demeanor.

"Yes," you said stiffly, combing down your hair. "Thank you for letting me stay the night."

"I couldn't let you go in good conscience," he said offhandedly. "Don't be tense. I'm only here to offer pajamas."

Your eyes found the neat pile stacked right beside him. The little act of kindness had warranted him a smile, one he returned with equal sheepishness.

"Thank you," you said again.

"It's no trouble." He flourished his hand as he said it. The springs creaked again when he shuffled off the bed. "Sleep well, Miss Darling."

"My name or just 'Darling' is fine, Mr. Lockwood. 'Miss' is much too formal."

"It's Anthony then, darling." He said it with such resounding charm, you almost regret allowing him to continue on that way. "Sleep well," he trailed off.

He stared at you, like he was looking for something in you. You were accustomed to getting weird, prolonged glances in the street, but you felt conscious when it was him. You blamed it on First Sleep-over Jitters. When you finally averted your gaze, he snapped out of his reverie. With a noncommital smile, he jerked a thumb at the door. "I'm right downstairs if you need anything."

"I'll keep that in mind, Anthony." As you said it, you couldn't shake the feeling similar to stepping into a classroom for the first time. There was a flash of surprise on his face before he schooled his expression, back to his notorious smile.

You wouldn't have known, but he couldn't shake the thought that he'd never heard his name sound so nice before.

He held back a smile as he said, "Goodnight then, darling."

You did worse at hiding yours. "Goodnight, Anthony."

You said his name so carefully, he ought to think he was important. Even if the smiles exchanged were bashful, it encapsulated his world.

He retreated to the steps, halting to occasionally look at you before Lucy had gotten sick of his snail pace and told him to bugger off. She had taken her side of the bed when her journal entry for Norrie was finished.

"Is he always that odd?" you asked her, taking the pajamas and heading to the bathroom to change.

The clothes were light, but they weighed much more to you. Who could blame you for admiring a simple shirt and pajama pants? That was your first sleep-over, after all.

Past your ogling, you could still hear Lucy's voice through the door. "Who, Lockwood? Not usually. Suppose he wants to make a good impression."

"Because I'm your highest paying client?" you inquired in a sing-song tone, slipping the shirt over your head. You should have expected the smell of lavender to engulf you.

Lucy snorted, laying back on her pillows. "Because he's a fan, Miss Darling."

"You can call me by my name, Ms. Carlyle," you chuckled, trying to keep your tone even as you examine which way the pajama pants go.

"And you can call me by mine, Miss Darling," she retorted.

When you got your pajama situation under control, you poked your head out of he door. "Touché, Lucy."

She tipped her invisible hat. "I try, Miss Darling."

"Is my name ugly?" You questioned, tone bordering on a sigh. You set yourself down on the vacant side of her bed, planting straight into the pillow on contact. "Just tell me that it is, I won't be offended. Why else would people avoid it like the plague?"

"Miss Darling does sound odd, doesn't it? In my opinion, it's quite regal. You should change your surname to it, honestly. The word just fits you."

You exhaled, catching sight of the stars on the ceiling once more. "And who gave you that absurd idea?"

"Lockwood did," she told you, taking you by surprise. You physically reeled at the fact. "He watched—What was the name of that film again?—Timeless. You played the teenage version of the main character. He wouldn't shut up about the movie for ages, said your character was his favorite. I believe her name was—"

"Darling..." you whispered the same time she said it.

"—and he kept going on and on and on about how you were the epitome of the word. He wouldn't put a stopper on it," Lucy shook her head, recalling his raving vividly. "We couldn't get him to shut up, even while we were off on fieldwork. Eventually, it stuck with us. I couldn't unsee you as 'Miss Darling'. Then the press started calling you 'The Darling of London'. It only proved his case. If there was a word more fitting than 'insufferable', 'Lockwood' would be it."

You believed snorting was the only correct response to that.

"I'm surprised he hasn't fallen over himself trying to impress you," she chuckled. Lucy crossed her arms over her belly, cozying up to her pillow. "Don't tell him I told you though. He might take away my turn in the biscuit rotation. He can be petty like that."

"Sounds childish," you muttered.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Lucy said with a shrug. "He already thinks he's God's gift."

"He's in the good graces of the Daily Gazette. So, he's close enough to it for me," you chuckled.

"Only you would think that." Lucy shook her head. "Go to sleep, Miss Darling. Else you'll have nightmares 'bout him."

"Is that a real warning?"

Lucy shut off the lights. "Yes," she said into the dark.

It was far too late for you. Just seeing the gentle limerence on the ceiling brought your thoughts right back to him.

Unbeknownst to you, Lockwood couldn't put his mind to rest either. Him knowing you were just a stairwell away was an involuntary shot of adrenaline.

—

Amusement parks smelt like burned popcorn and sugar. It was unbearably noisy but the neon lights and the shining attractions negated the cons. Lockwood thought he might just kiss you for bringing them here on a Thursday.

There were enough people to make the place feel alive but it wasn't so crowded that they couldn't get on the rides they wanted to try.

He namely appreciated that fact because Lucy and George didn't look too upset about being out of their element. They looked excited, even. Lucy was glancing at a shooting game and George was oddly fascinated by the horror house.

As if driving them here wasn't surprise enough, you dropped a heavy pouch in each of their palms with the simple instruction to knock themselves out.

After agreeing to meet up before dark, the group broke into three. Lucy went off to win herself a rapier, George was off to scare the clowns in the horror house, and Lockwood was trailing behind you.

"You can do your own thing, Anthony," you reassured, lined up for cotton candy. "I can handle myself in daylight."

"Darling, I'm a gentleman. I can't leave a dame alone in such a vast scape," he replied, bold enough to tap your nose. "What kind of make-believe boyfriend would I be if I did?"

He was amused by the way you rolled your eyes. Lockwood was convinced that only you could make something so trivial so enigmatic. Warmth prickled on your cheeks, turning them the same shade of pink as the cotton candy the store owner handed to you. You ordered one for Lockwood before telling him, "Press isn't here—they'd have to pay the tall entrance fee to enter. At ease, soldier."

"Negative. I'm staying by you—as a very concerned friend," he rebutted with resolve, asking for a brief pause to receive the cotton cone spun for him. "Is that so bad?"

"I thought you three deserved to enjoy some time away from work," you confessed.

You didn't know where to head so Lockwood steered you toward a bench, guiding you with one hand on the small of your back. It took all your effort to keep your expression neutral but you continued to chatter, biting down the urge to grin like an idiot.

The only way you knew how to distract yourself was to speak. And speak, you did. "You're either working with ghouls or with me for you know what. I thought you'd be sick of me by now," you joked.

"Of you? Never."

He said it like it wasn't an arrow straight to your heart, and you couldn't shirk the feeling that you should have prepared yourself better. He was Anthony Lockwood, after all.

Like the heathen he is, took a sizeable bite out of his fluff of cotton candy. In your favor, your attention was drawn somewhere else. His upper lip was crusted in princess pink sugar and he was flashing his princely smile, completely unaware of his mustache. You pressed your lips together to keep your laugh in.

He lowered his head, trying to meet your eyes, to no avail. You screwed them shut and curled into yourself to keep your composure.

He cocked a brow. "Cute as you are, I want to know what are you laughing about."

"Nothing," you said unconvincingly. You took a glance at him and snorted.

With a pinched expression, he looked at himself in the reflection of a metal stall then he rubbed the sugar away with the sleeve of his coat, scarlet tinging his ears.

"Never speak of this," he told you.

You mimed yourself zipping your lips and he nodded, satisfied.

Your composure broke the moment he crossed his arms and hunched into himself like a kid.

—

You'd been to that same amusement park many times in your life. You rode the same rides back when you were a starlet in the entertainment world. You won the same prizes when you wanted to impress your parents. You ate the same food you did when you were a tyke.

All those memories, and none of them compared to experiencing all of it with Anthony John Lockwood. His incandescence weaved into every new memory, leaving his face seared into the back of your eyelids. Even if you tried to deny it, the pain in your cheeks reminded you that you spend hours on end smiling with him or at him.

Despite your best efforts, his presence made you feel something you never expected to feel for anyone. There was no word for it, and you refused to give it a name.

When the sky theatened to turn orange, you snagged his arm and drove him all the way to your favorite ride. Even if you craned your neck all the way, you could never see the top of the ferris wheel. Perhaps Lockwood could, but you were too timid to ask.

The decorative lights looked weak in daylight but it was magical nonetheless. Nothing could complete your day like hopping into your favorite gondola and seeing the park from all the way up.

When you pulled him back, he had to complain. "That one was empty." Lockwood frowned at the dandy green gondola that circled past.

"No, no. We can't take that one, it has to be this one."

Lockwood had never seen so much excitement shine through your usually collected demeanor. It was like a breath of fresh air. He couldn't bring himself to fight you on it.

When the coral pink gondola swung to a stop and creaked its doors open, you pulled him right into its bowels. The interior was vandalized with countless pens and markers. Even in the chaos, he recognized your penmanship. It was messier than it was now but it was undeniably yours. Only you swooped your 'y's that extravagantly.

Someday soon, I'm going to be the biggest star you'll ever see!

Some of the ink was scratched off but the message stood the test of time. He wondered if you remember even writing it, but one glance at you told him all he needed to know. You paid no mind to the vandalism, eyes enthralled by the rising view outside. He felt his cheeks ache from the beginnings of a smile. He forced it down when you laid your eyes on him.

"Just wait 'til we reach the top. The pathways form a giant star if you look down. There's nothing quite like it."

Endeared, he asked, "How did you find that out?"

If your smile was anything to go by, the memory was very fond to you. "The first time I passed an audition, my parents took me up here and told me to look down. I was terrified of heights back then but they told me some things were worth conquering fears for." You let out a seraphic laugh at the memory. "I saw the giant star . . . and I swore that I'd be a bigger star than it one day; that all their sacrifices would be worth it. They did their best to support me and my pipe dream. I would pay back their labor, ten-fold."

"And you did," Lockwood said in an out-of-breath kind of way. You didn't know what to make of it.

"And I did," you whispered in reply. "I even scribbled my promise somewhere in here. I don't remember where exactly. May have been scratched off."

"Maybe," Lockwood chuckled, leaning his side against the wall; hiding your kiddish penmanship from your view. He had no explanation as to why he did, but he'd rather you to focus on the present. You achieved a lot between then and now. He thought it was much nicer to look forward than to look back.

He didn't realize how long the trip to the top would be. The silence didn't feel tense or forced, it was comfortable. Like an air of understanding had made the air warm instead of still.

Perhaps it was you and how unguarded you had become since stepping into the gondola, but all he knew was that your honest heart inspired him to be brave. He took a leap in a brightly painted gondola, miles up from the ground, just about to touch the clouds.

"My family would have loved seeing this," he said.

Your eyes tore away from the view to look at him. Curiosity whirling in those eyes of yours. "Where is your family? I don't think I've seen them. Are they abroad?"

When you looked at him like that, he forgot all his fears. "They aren't around anymore."

Your expression heartened. You turned all your attention to him. "I'm so sorry, Anthony. I shouldn't have—"

"No," he interrupted you, a ghost of a smile on his face. "I want you to know."

Your lips quivered, forming something that was a half-smile, half-frown. "I don't know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything. I just thought you should know." His eyes fell to his knees, picking at the frays of his coat sleeves to distract himself. "My parents were researchers. They wanted to know what rituals other cultures had to communicate with spirits and keep themselves safe. They were working when they passed away. My sister, Jessica, she was ghost-touched." Everything came out when he was looking directly at you. Knowing you were paying attention was solace enough. "You should have seen the ghost when I was done with him, ha. As for my family . . . Even if they're not around anymore, they continue to remind me of the most valuable lessons. I do my best to never forget."

"Must be why you're so protective of Lucy and George," you said lightly, offering him a sunrise of a smile that brought back the color into the world.

"I am," he said with renewed confidence. "I'd do anything for them."

"Like make deals with prissy, troubled actresses?" you jested, bumping your knee against his.

His lips twitched, threatening a smile. "Yeah." He bumped his knee to yours but didn't move away, content with being close to you in any way you'd have him. "Exactly."

A smile crept up your face. "You have a wonderful family now, Anthony."

"I would say the same but I realize I haven't met them yet."

You threw your head back, laughing. The sound was so precious, he wished he had half the hearing of Lucy to remember it well. "Someday, Anthony. Someday..."

"I'll hold you to it."

The light that filtered in turned yellow, touching your face with gold. The sun was dipping between the far hills and, finally, your gondola had reached the pinnacle of the wheel.

You gently cupped his chin to turn his attention to the view. Your touch made his breath hitch, but the view had successfully stolen the air from his lungs. Even in his wildest dreams, he couldn't have predicted just how breath-taking the view was.

True to your word, the amusement park was laid out in a way that made the pathways draw a star—the stall lights that began to appear accentuated the shape. The stripped roofs of the attractions were like swirling patterns that encircled the the display. For lack of a better word, it was stupendous.

Your voice matched the sereneness of the moment. "My grandparents said that seeing fireworks from the top of a ferris wheel was an experience like no other, but with the Problem and the curfew, we might never be able to see something like it..."

"Wouldn't hurt to dream though, would it?"

You chuckled. "No, it wouldn't..."

Vaguely, in the reflection of the window, he saw your smile. A true, unfiltered smile. It's the brightest you'd ever appeared to him, and it was worlds better than the view you were gawking over.

The magic fizzled when the gondola began to decend, bringing you closer to earth and away from the utopia in the middle of a ferris wheel.

He couldn't recognize you once your mask came back on. Lockwood didn't realize why until he saw a flash of light in the corner of his eye.

The gazette had spilled coffee all over a perfectly good day.

—

!! LOCKWOOD'S DARLING

Recipients, we can confirm that there is a blooming romance between London's favorite Starlet and Lockwood & Co.'s charismatic leader. In the middle of a busy week for both individuals, they set aside time for a romantic ferris wheel ride in Starcrest Amusement Park—an ideal recreational venue for families and couples. See also: additional reports from our inside sources on page 7.

!! A DARLING'S DARLING

Recipients, we have more news on London's most fetching young couple. Both Darling and Lockwood have been growing bolder in putting their relationship in the spotlight. Recent reports state that Darling had invited Lockwood and Company to her film set — a feat of trust we haven't seen from her until she'd been swept of her feet by her latest and only suitor, Anthony Lockwood. He even presented her a bouquet of her favored flowers upon visiting. Backstage photographs from our insider on page 3!

!! A NOT VERY INVISIBLE STRING

Recipients, London's most captivating young couple was spotted wearing matching red-string bracelets, shifting to the 'private but not secret' path in their relationship. However, we always fetch you the ripest updates on their heart-stopping romance. More on page 4!

—

You were more than pleased by the sound of swishing newspaper and the snip of scissors. George had extracted another pretty picture of the recent news and hung it on the wall of achievements.

"Featured on a handful of headlines and it hasn't even been a year," Lockwood said, sounding very pleased with himself. He barely lifted a finger and Lockwood and Co. already had five additional clippings to their wall. "Gazette patrons are calling in to have us take care of visitors with all this media exposure." He set his hands on the stair newel and set his chin on them, looking up at you. It may have been a trick of a light but he was more radiant from where you were standing. "I have you to thank for that."

"You're the one helping me," you smiled. "I haven't heard a bad word about myself or my family. The peace is . . . unsettling. They really are bent on painting you as a saint, Anthony."

"Am I not?" he smiled.

You returned it, just as joyous. "That's the charisma I need for my birthday ball."

That made him straighten and grow brighter, if that were possible. "Birthday ball?"

You nodded, returning your eyes to Lockwood & Co.'s wall of accomplishments. "Lucy and George, too. It's a black tie event, and, yes, you may bring your rapiers."

He tilted his head, jarred. "What kind of people will be in attendance if we're allowed rapiers?"

"The most terrifying kind," you said with exaggerated dread, starting for the door. "Extended family I don't know well and journalists."

He sped ahead, clicking the door open for you. "Petrifying."

"Very," you chuckled. "Can I expect you to be there?"

He leaned toward you and you deluded yourself to believe he was doing so for his own benefit, but you knew damn well that there was a camera in the corner of your eye. Lockwood had caught sight of it before you, crowding you against the doorframe to paint the stomach-fluttering picture of a boy who simply couldn't resist being near his girl.

The idea was far more appealing than it was supposed to be.

His voice sounded saccharine up close. "What kind of flowers does your mother like?"

You titlted your head. "What for?"

"It's common courtesy to gift the in-laws. It wouldn't hurt to be prepared." He grinned at you, and you couldn't help but return it.

"She likes roses, and my dad is a fan of Ferrero Rochers."

"Noted," he chirped. He tugged a strand of your hair lightly before pulling away, taking his warmth with him.

You mustered a convincing enough smile. "Goodbye, Anthony."

"Goodbye, darling starlet."

He should have known you were going to do something. You grew up under the limelight, after all.

You've kissed many boys but he hoped you don't kiss them like you kissed him. Truthfully, it was only a kiss on the cheek, but he'd recall the feeling of your lips at the most untimely moments. He was ghost-touched because he couldn't shirk it.

—

You gave them a plot of the house. So, they did expect your house to be massive. What you did not tell them was the fact that your birthday ball was a masquerade ball. Lockwood was quite struck as he watched people file in with half their faces concealed under frivolously decorated masks. Lucy and George were just as confused.

"You're sure you didn't hear her say anything about this?" Lucy asked, hugging her arms as the evening chill began to creep in.

"Positively. Would I lie about something like this?" Lockwood replied, readjusting his grip on the generous bouquet of roses.

"Lie or not, we have to head in eventually. Unless your girl has a butler or handmaid who'd fetch us," George nipped. It was bad enough that Lockwood had forced him into a suit, but he had to stand in the freezing cold while passerbys walked right into the grandeur of your family's estate. The chandeliers casted gold silhouettes across the shadows. George bet it was warm in there. "Perhaps a visitor will come put us out of our misery."

"Keep your shirt on, George," Lockwood said firmly. "Perhaps having us enter without decoration was her intention."

"Who goes to a masquerade ball without a mask?" George scoffed.

"Lockwood & Co., apparently." Lucy rolled her eyes. She cast a nervous glance behind her but found lanterns had been lit. They smelt of lavender, reassuring her that despite your family's reputation, you weren't ignorant to the Problem. "Shall we head inside or face the treacherous cold?"

Lockwood, thoroughly done with their snideness, promptly decided on the former. He rolled his shoulders back and righted his posture before joining the line to the threshold.

"I see a buffet," Lucy said with new-found energy. Suddenly, the cold wasn't so unforgiving.

"Is that a chocolate fountain?" George inquired. Even if he did his best to keep his tone even, they caught the subtle intonation on the word 'chocolate'.

"Compose yourselves," Lockwood reminded primly. "we are representatives of the agency as well as guests, so, do try to mingle before losing yourselves in the smorgasbord."

"Sure."

"Absolutely."

Lockwood didn't know who said what, but he knew their answers were merely supplementary. They would bolt for the buffet as soon as the made it past the front door. At least their concerns about the lack of disguise were put to rest.

As they neared the doors, the warmth from the inside began to thaw away their frigidness. By the time they stepped into your abode, they were swallowed by the luxury. The word 'cold' didn't exist in a place as decadent as this.

The velvet curtains were pulled back fully, showcasing ceiling-length windows that glimmered with reflections of your guests, . A large chandelier illuminated the ballroom, washing everyone in supple, golden light. It brought out everyone's best features. Even the floor was polished so perfectly, it could have been a mirror.

If he didn't know better, Lockwood would have thought he walked right into a fairytale. He didn't realize Lucy and George had made their escape until he looked behind himself to find them gone.

He didn't have to idle by for very long. Like how sun rays pierce through storm clouds, you parted the crowd. You shone under the chandelier-light, a star put on earth, and you smiled so brightly he had to think you only smile like that for him. Lockwood lost his words, but his mouth was moving.

You were chuckling when you neared. Only when you dodged the roses and leaned on your toes to kiss his cheek did he realize that you didn't supply yourself with a mask either. His earlier guess had been right.

Whatever mirage he was in the middle of was cut through by two more figures coming into view; your parents, most likely. You resembled them a lot.

His joints went rigid but he was experienced enough to project an easygoing energy. All while he repressed bubbling exclamations.

He played on his best smile and reached for your father's outstretched hand. They met in the middle for a firm handshake.

"You must be the lad our little darling speaks so highly of," Mr. Darling chuckled. He had the kind of smile that put everyone in the room at ease. It reached his eyes. He must be the one you inherited your eye-smile from. A nail of guilt hit him right on the head because it was obvious that the man didn't know his daughter's romance was a fad. "Anthony, is it?"

"You're correct," Lockwood said amiably. His smile widened as he watched your mother's eyes gravitate to the bouquet of roses. "Anthony Lockwood, at your service, sir. And ma'am . . . These are for you." He offered the arrangement to your mother, who accepted them with the grace of a royal. You must have inherited that from her. He would have found it adoring if another strike of guilt didn't come down on him.

"How courteous," your mother said, hiding a smile behind her newly acquired bouquet. Her eyes moved to you and you shared a look Lockwood didn't quite understand. His stomach churned. Your mother then shot a peculiar look at him — like she could see right through him. It made his blood run cold.

Lockwood didn't have the option to ponder on it. Your father had seized Lockwood's attention with a firm pat on the shoulder. Lockwood had to tense his back to keep himself from toppling over.

As grayed as your father was, he had the kind of voice that commanded authority. "Don't be coy, boy. You can call us Ma and Pa. If our little starlet likes you enough to introduce you to us, you must be something special."

Lockwood glanced at you, momentarily paused by your smile. "She's the special one between us, sir—"

"Pa," your father corrected.

"Pa," Lockwood rectified smilingly. He wasn't sure what about it made him feel so melancholic and comforted at the same time. "I should be groveling at her feet. I'm very lucky to have caught her attention."

"I like the way you talk. It's no wonder she's so taken by you, Anthony."

Your father surprised Lockwood with a boisterous laugh. He was sure the room tremored for a moment. Lockwood was happy enough to laugh with him, the same time his heart was pounding against his ribcage.

The exchange was interrupted by your mother's squeal of delight. She had found the Ferrero Rochers laying in the bed of roses. She, with bright eyes, brandished them to her husband and Mr. Darling looked positively thrilled by the surprise.

"And thoughtful, too." Your father gave Lockwood the kind of nod you'd only get after you ask for their daughter's hand in marriage. "He's a keeper, little darling."

Lockwood's smile shook. Your mother looked at him strangely once more. He tried to regained himself.

Guilt.

GUILT.

It was drowning him, yet, he kept his cool. (At least, tried to.) You didn't seem to notice the change in his attitude.

You, with your rosy cheeks and resplendent smile, hooked your arm with Lockwood's and said, "I know, pa. That's the plan."

—

"That was not the plan," Lockwood respired, loosening his tie as soon as he stepped into open air. Even when he breathed in lavender, his lungs felt as if they were stuffed with cotton.

You had lead him to a balcony to give him a moment of reprieve only to be met with a glare. So much for being bad at acting, you were convinced his earlier niceties were real.

You regarded him with crossed arms, your cool façade practically a wall between you. "I invited, and you came. That's all that happened here."

"You made a spectacle of me," he rasped, his breath coming out as frost. "I would have been alright with that, but you brought your parents into this. They don't even know you're doing this, do they?"

The way he motioned between you as he said 'this' made you feel like someone's dirty secret. The way you faltered was laughable. Your heart clenched and your nails dug into your palms. You replied the only way you knew how: stronger.

"I don't see what the big issue is, Anthony," you scoffed. "I pay you, you do as I say. What if my parents don't know it's a ploy? The point is to set the stage for the press. I told you that."

"God," he laughed without feeling, raking a hand through his hair. He was heaving like he had just ran a marathon, face turning red. "You don't get it do you? We don't play with people. I don't want to play with people. And that's your family, starlet! Does it not bother you that you are lying to their faces?"

"No, it doesn't," you replied, stoically, standing your ground. "and neither should you. You know I'm doing this for them."

"Are you?" Where you stepped back, he stepped forward. He scoffed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "It's ironic that a whole ballroom of people hiding behind masks are more honest with themselves than you are to yourself."

"What are you implying?" Your words come out through gritted teeth.

He stood tall, more intimidating than you'd ever seen him. The gauntness in his eyes were more pronounced then. His stature made your composure slip. His words made your knees buckle. "You're an actress. You're a professional at what you do. Even in your own home, you have a façade. Maybe you are, in some twisted way, doing this for the sake of your family, but I can't see that anymore. You're stringing them along . . . As far as I can see, you're just as bad as the gazette makes you out to be. I don't even know if you've been lying to me for the sake of keeping your mask on."

You feel the full force of his words drop down on you. Taking a few steps isn't enough to quiet the rush of throughts crowding your mind. All you see is his despondent face and a hundred and one headlines flash before your eyes.

He takes your hand—making you wish the circumstances were different—before he dropped his red-string bracelet into your palm. It felt heavier than it was supposed to. You couldn't pry your eyes away.

When he turned and left, your thoughts turned into white noise. He had taken every joy with him, deserting you in the muted chatter of what was supposed to be a celebration.

—

!! TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Recipients, it is to our sorrow that the couple that took the country by storm, Darling and Lockwood, seems to have called it quits. Lockwood no longer flaunts the bracelet that had started a trend for couples on this side of the globe. It is unknown whether he had lost it during a skirmish or willingly stopped wearing his. With Darling's trail of broken hearts, it's safe to assume the worst. The Starlet seems to be continuing activities, as usual. The ice princess, unmoved by a romance put to the grave. On a lighter note, read more about Lockwood & Co.'s achievements on page 7.

—

The gazette went for the jugular with that one. For once, they wrote something that had some truth to it. You didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Even your newly developed habit of morning walking barely helped your heartbreak. You've never mourned for something that never was, but, damn, did it hurt. You knew you were in too deep when your feet carried you right to 35 Portland Row.

You stared at the agency plaque for an unnecessary amount of time before you folded yourself over and hugged your knees. At the time, George and Lucy would be out running errands before a case and Lockwood would be arranging their bags inside. Perhaps the security of knowing their schedule made you so confident to sit and wallow the death of what could have been.

Yet, you couldn't mourn that in peace. The silence was interrupted by a shutter. You lifted your head and spotted a paparazzo who didn't even try to hide his presence. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties and already fading. He had a smile on but it set off alarms in your head. You didn't have to ask. You had a feeling. The gazette was all too good at dampening a sunny day.

You stood up quickly but found yourself backed against the wrought-iron gate.

"The Darling Starlet of London... Quite the title. Never thought I'd get to see you in person." His smile widened. You didn't budge. Even with your fiercest glare, he didn't get the message. He looked down at his camera before his smile fell. "Do you know how upset we were when you started going out with that... that pathetic excuse of a human—"

"He's an agent," you cut off. "and he's the reason degenerates like you get to walk the streets without being ghost-touched at every turn."

"Degenerates?" He laughed, covering his mouth. "Oh, Darling Starlet—" The name you found home in was chemical coming from him. "you should know that we made you. He's lucky the chief likes him enough. You'd be nothing without us."

"Without the gazette?" You scoffed, tempted to roll your eyes at the fool. "You do more harm than good."

"But we make or break a career." His hand came away from his mouth, revealing a smile made of pointed teeth. "and what would happen to your folks if your reputation makes a sharp decline, hm? Your father needing all that medicine, your mother taking care of him... What would happen if our little darling turned out to be a little bitch?"

Your anger was boiling over, but the fear of that possibility had crippled you. Words died in your throat. Your will fizzled to nothing. You felt blood drip into your palm, nails clenched into your flesh.

You were still trying to regain yourself when the cold of the gate was pardoned from your back. A familiar warmth replaced it, an arm coming around your middle and a voice that quelled all your fears sounded in your ears. A rapier crossed the distance, severing the neckstrap around the photographer and sending his camera into the pavement. It's lens shattered and the photographer let out a yell.

"If you ever talk to my girlfriend like that again, a broken camera will be the least of your problems."

"Anthony J. Lockwood," the paparazzo snorted. "Your agency hinges on the exposure you get from us. Don't play hero when you know you're defending a sham."

"I'm defending my girlfriend," Lockwood's grip tightened on your hip, and his rapier shined in the light. Your heart did immeasurable things in lieu of Lockwood's doing. "and if you ever threaten my family like this again, I will come after you. The gazette isn't the only publication in London, and I've built a rapport with enough people in the industry to secure my place. I'm not afraid of you."

"You—"

Lockwood turned you around, covering you from view and urging you toward the door. "Head inside, darling. I'll take care of this."

You looked up at him, searching his eyes for resentment or even hate, but found none. His eyes were sunlight through bottles of whiskey. The smile had disarmed you, finally getting through to you.

You took a few hesitant steps before he nodded, assuring you that it was alright. He made sure you were safety inside before he returned his attention to the photographer.

"I do have morals. So, I'll be civil." Lockwood poised his blade. " That said, get off my street before I show you how proficient I am at my job."

—

Some part of you was desperately hoping that things would smooth themselves out after what had transpired. When he offered you his coat before telling you that he'd be walking you home, you knew you were in over your head.

That same night, you flipped the events over in your head. Clenching and unclenching your newly bandaged hand to remind yourself that it was real.

You didn't get much sleep with his voice echoing in your ears and his eyes burned into the back of your eyelids.

—

Your mother must have known something was wrong with you. You mistaked salt for sugar in your morning coffee, you walked into a wall on more than one occasion (a large vase had fallen victim to your daze), and you refused ice cream for the first time in your life.

In the middle of the day, Mama Darling decided that she'd seen enough. She set her knitting things down and urged you to put your book down. You obliged because you couldn't absorb the words anyway.

"My darling girl," your mother started. Her tone is so heartfelt, you felt yourself lax in your seat. A smile came to your face as she caressed your cheek, just as she'd always done. "You've always been such a kind child. So selfless . . . Your only flaw is that you need to know when to let go of your fear and let us handle ourselves, dearest."

You stared at her, lost. She simply smiled, taking your hands in hers. "I know your recent escapades with Anthony were a play, my dear girl." Your spine calcified, heat prickled your eyes. "I always knew. I'm honest when I say he's good for you. He brings out your ugly smile— Don't frown, I mean it in a romantic sense. I know the look of love when I see it, dearest. Don't sacrifice it for pride or fear, my girl. Go get him back."

"Ma," you shuttered, pausing to collect yourself. You were choking on yourself and that wasn't the worst of it. Your vision had blurred from your tears. "you and Pa need me to focus on my career. I have to—"

"No, you don't." She tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and swiped her thumb across your cheek. "You'll always be a princess in the eyes of the public, dearest. Any person with two eyes and common sense will see that. You just have to break out of your shell, actually talk to the journalists. Just not the ones from the Daily Gazette—they are something else entirely."

"They are, aren't they?" You manage to laugh through your tears. Only your mother could make you feel these many things at once. She saw right through you. "Right now, Anthony doesn't even want to talk to me. I'm so scared that if I try, he'll tell me everything I don't want to hear. I'm scared he'll see all the nasty things the gazette talked about and hate me for them."

"Darling," your mother said sternly. "we just went over the fact that the gazette is complete and utter bullshit."

You can't help but snort. The rare curse from her had broken through to you. "Sorry, Ma."

"Don't be sorry, my dear girl, be brave." She flipped your hand over and drew lines across your palm. She did it three times before you realized what she was doing; she was drawing stars. "Some things are worth conquering fears for."

The Starcrest ferris wheel. Stolen smiles. Dreams of fireworks.

Your mother smiled at the renewed light in your eyes. She didn't question you as you bolted to the exit.

"Home before dinner! You may bring Anthony!" she called just before you smiled and closed the door behind you.

—

"Lucy?"

"No, this is George."

The world must hate you. You couldn't do much about that. You coiled the telephone wire around your finger as you took a deep breath. "This is... darling."

"I don't know anyone with a ridiculous name like that. Sorry."

You bit your cheek, inhaling the urge to sigh. "The prissy actress."

"Oh. You." He shuffled, crossing his arms. "Speak, before I hang up."

"I have a favor to ask of you," you winced, already expecting the worst.

"What's in it for me?"

You took a breath. "What do you want? Biscuits? An allowance? Access to the VIP collection in the library—"

"All of that, and you have yourself a deal."

"Done."

—

"George— You're usually against room invasion," Lockwood quipped, allowing himself to be dragged up the steps. "and Lucy wouldn't be happy about this."

"When I tell her what I bargained, she'll be fine with it."

"Bargained?"

"Not that important right now, Lockwood. Sit. And for all things grotesque, don't move."

George had pushed Lockwood into the mustard seat beside the attic window. The latter was ready to protest, confusion evident.

A resounding pop had interrupted him. The lights in the room shifted. The shadows stretched and receeded. It took a moment for Lockwood to realize that there were fireworks going off outside.

On the third floor, he had a bird's eye view of the shower of sparks in varying shades of blues, reds, and yellows. He was wondering where the firework show had come from, but his questions were put to rest with a singular look onto the street.

Other than the tins of fireworks, he saw you—looking much like a panicked frog while lighting the fireworks. You looked absolutely ridiculous. His perceptions of you had been thrown to the wind, and he couldn't help but smile.

The last firework burst into pink sparks, lighting up his eyes and your silhouette; embedding itself into his memories. When the air had cleared, he cracked the window open.

"What are you doing down there? Have you gone mad?"

You cupped your hands around your mouth, shouting an answer at him. "Lighting fireworks! You like dem?"

He shook his head, endeared. "How do you even know how to light them?"

"I don't! It was about time I learned!"

"You really are a lunatic..." he chuckled.

You cocked your head. "What did you say?"

"Come in!"

You showed him your thumbs, scuttling to the front door.

Lockwood had never raced down the stairs so quickly before. He apologized quickly to George, who he had almost bumped to ground floor, and Lucy, who had just gotten home with groceries. He raced for the door; hair a mess, breathing short, but smiling widely. He greeted you with the same smile he had on when you first met.

Cute as he was, you couldn't take it anymore. You reached up, fingers brushing his forehead and fixing the strands that had been bothering you for ages.

"I'm sorry," was the first thing you said. You were still heaving from outrunning fireworks but he wasn't in much better shape. "I was scared, and my first instinct was to act like I don't care, but I do. I care so much. About you."

"I got the message," he laughed, looking over your shoulder to the smoke remnants of the showcase.

"No, I'm not done." You took a breath, bracing yourself for it. "I want you to know about me, too. Pa has been sick for a long time. He worked through it so they could afford my commute to and from auditions. The money Ma made was used for medicine or keeping me in school. We struggled for a long time. Some days, I couldn't sleep because I felt so helpless. I wanted to give back to them with every fiber of my being. When I finally could, I never wanted to go back to having nothing. I was willing to do anything to stay where I was—"

"Darling, I get it—"

"—and I lost sight of who I was doing it for. I was so comfortable in allowing anything just to keep a pristine reputation—"

"Darling—"

"—and I hurt you. I never meant to, I'm so sorry. I realize now that I was wrong and I should have been more honest with you because I don't just want to be colleagues anymore—"

"Oh, shut up already."

He bunched your shirt in his fist, pulling you to him with the anticipation born from a thousand dreams. When his lips touched yours, it felt like all of this was worth the wait.

You were sweet and a little smokey, he could have laughed but settled with smiling into the kiss. You stole a breath from him when you nipped at his bottom lip. He could have spent the night like that but the resounding boom from outside made the two of you jump, breaking away from The Best Kiss Ever™ to see the last of the fireworks finish off the moment with golden sparks.

Lockwood couldn't stay upset. After a short laugh, you grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him right back to you—giving him another kiss to think about for the rest of his life.

—

!! THE COUPLE OF THE CENTRURY, BACK AGAIN !!

Recipients, after a short-lived break, the couple of the century are back—stronger than ever! Various photographs have been taken of them: Dancing in the foyer of the Darling estate, partaking in Mrs. Darling's notorious tea parties, and running away from premiers to steal time for themselves. To see more of them, see page 4!

That was possibly the last good article written about anyone coming from the gazette. Not long after that, they began to be brazen in their attempts to tarnish your reputations. They published photos of the two of you flipping off the photographer, spitting your tongues out at unwanted paparazzi, and spreading the most degrading rumors you had ever heard.

At the same time, the gazette had been losing viewership to London Squire, who was only gaining traction with every article written about the It Couple of Europe. Soon enough, the gazette had lost all credibility; reduced to a mere scandal sheet. It was a breath of fresh air.

The public was enamored by your honest nature and respected the fact that you'd prefer to keep your relationship private. Though, you would be the talk of the town once the Squire got a hold of an exclusive interview.

The topic? Vows, silver rings, and rapiers to cut wedding cake.

DARLING-LOCKWOOD

— It's now official. Our Darling Starlet is off the market after exchanging vows with Lockwood & Co.'s founder and president, Anthony Lockwood. The union took place this weekend in a private ceremony with close family. The couple reveals that the ceremony was grand but they would like nothing more than to keep it to themselves. We are honored that both Mr. & Mrs. Lockwood has given us the opportunity to publish a few pictures taken during their most special day. The writers here at London Squire send all our warmest regards to the newly weds.

The picture wasn't much; Just a scene recreated from the movie that earned you the title of 'Darling'. Even when you shared his name, he persisted in calling you his darling starlet. Though, he takes the utmost pride when he does call you his missus.

NOTE ➺ i don't know if i can get all my 1989 tv songfics done in time but i plan to get them all published before the end of 2023 !

i hope this finds you when you need it. as always, don't be afraid to leave your thoughts in the comments or reblogs. i love to read feedback so don't hold back!!

⌠ @novelizt 2023 ⌡

#— ❨ 🌺 ❩ 𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐙𝐈𝐄'𝐒 𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐀 ₊˚.༄#1989 tv songfic collection #anthony lockwood x reader #anthony lockwood x you #lockwood x reader #lockwood and co fanfiction #lockwood x you #lockwood and co x reader #lockwood x y/n #anthony lockwood angst #anthony lockwood fanfiction

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builtbybrokenbells · 2 years ago

Text

Gold Dust Woman

Amidst a battle of silent pining over Sam Kiszka, y/n begins to believe her feelings are a bit misplaced after months of receiving nothing in return. A night of attempting to drink away his memory results in a messy hookup with the worst possible person. Now stuck in limbo with being in love with Sam, and in lust with his brother, she’s left to navigate her way out of the grave she’s dug for herself.

Read part two here

listen while reading: gold dust woman - fleetwood mac

Pairing: jake kiszka x f!reader

Word Count: 11k

Warnings: SMUT18+, fingering (f!receiving), oral (f!receiving), hookups, pet names, sort of angst?, embarrassing crushes, unrequited feelings, some feelings of guilt, drinking, swearing, partying, sorry if I miss any!!

howdy. new series on the way! here’s chapter one! slutty jake is my weakness, so here’s basically a whole chapter of him being a little shit disturber. and surprise surprise, i drew a little inspiration from my fav song, too 🫣 there’s a lot of fantastic work out for the forbidden twin lane, so I’m definitely a little nervous to post. also really trying hard to keep my stuff original! as always, enjoy, please be kind, and don’t mind any grammar mistakes!

Sam. Sam fucking Kiszka. The bane of your existence, but also the light of your life. Caught between hopelessly pining after him, and also wishing you’d never met him. You found yourself stuck in a never ending loop, constantly battling yourself and always refusing to give in to either side. It was relentless, exhausting, but exhilarating all the same. Always caught up in his minuscule movements, the small expressions that nobody else cared to look for, hanging on to every word as if it was necessary for survival. Whatever was so special about him, you weren’t sure. Even so, you couldn’t deny that you were wrapped around his finger, desperate for a hint of reciprocity. Desperate for the feeling of his hands on you, and the knowledge of what it was like to be wrapped around him. Unfortunately for you, it never came. You never spoke it aloud, never made it known that you felt such a way, because he never gave any idea that he looked at you as anything more than a friend. So, to avoid rejection, and to maintain the peace, you kept your mouth shut. Suffering in silence was better than disrupting the entire friend group.

So you sat, immersed in conversation with his best friend, caring little about the words exchanged, and more about what Sam found himself occupied with across the room. It was uncharacteristic for you, to be so uninterested in the person in front of you, but you couldn’t seem to stop yourself. He was addicting; fuelling you more than any amphetamine, more comforting than any opioid, and haunting you with no sign of easing his hold. And just like any other drug, he gave you nothing except an empty promise of lasting fulfillment. You wanted to rid yourself of him, never again speak his name or think of his face. At the same time, you never wanted him to go away. You wanted every aspect of your life to be laced with Sam’s being, just so you never had to fear losing him.

The liquor in your cup was achingly strong, pleading with you to ease off with each sip you took. Still, you continued, bargaining with yourself that the burn of the alcohol was more soothing than your relentless thoughts about Sam. Plus, it was a sure way to forget about him. “What’s on your mind?” The question almost produced a laugh from you. You looked to the speaker, eyebrows furrowed in thought.

“Uh, nothing of importance.” You answered in the most truthful way possible. Your thoughts were not important; far from it, actually. It was an endless stream of ideas all running back to the same pool of topic. One that wasn’t worth speaking into existence, mostly because you were already certain it would never amount to anything beyond a hopeless daydream.

“Oh, come on, y/n.” Danny pried. “All of your thoughts are important. I think so, at least.” You gave him a chuckle, appreciating his kindness.

“You ever get the feeling that the universe put something in your life solely to make you suffer?” You posed the theory, finally looking to meet his eyes.

“I mean, yeah.” He nodded. “Karma is real, I believe in that stuff.”

“Yeah, me too, but that’s not really what I mean.” You eased back into the sofa, feeling the tingle of tipsiness start to spread throughout your limbs.

“What do you mean, then?” He took a long sip from his bottle of beer, making you turn up your nose in disgust. You had no idea how anyone enjoyed the stuff. Alcoholic bread water was not your choice of beverage, and you made sure the boys were aware of that. You hoped maybe they’d jump off the beer train and settle on a drink that actually tasted good, instead of pretending to enjoy the bottles of craft swamp water.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily karmic. Sometimes, people do as much good as they can, and still seem to find themselves in the middle of suffering.”

“So, bad luck?” He chuckled, trying to piece together your drunken ramblings.

“Sort of,” you shrugged. “It’s hard to explain.” You dismissed the topic, regretting bringing it up in the first place. Perhaps you were letting the alcohol lead the conversation, failing to understand that it would ultimately lead back to the boy you were trying to drown the memory of.

“I’ve got time.” He assured you. You reached for the bottle cap resting on the table, flicking it in the air with your thumb and catching it in your palm.

“I don’t think there’s enough time in the world for this, Danny Boy.” You sighed.

“Try, at least. Your drunk rambling is my favourite part of these parties.” You caught his eye, laughing at his admission.

“They tend to be quite comedic, don’t they?”

“Sometimes. Other times they’re pretty insightful, I think. Your alter ego may be a philosopher of sorts. You have a lot of wisdom up there.” He reached over, gently knocking against your skull with his knuckle, giving you a grin. You couldn’t help but return it, despite your despair. As much as Sam Kiszka plagued your ability to enjoy yourself, you found solace in Danny’s company. He was always a great listener, and consistently had a few good jokes up his sleeve begging to be told.

“You’re too kind to me, Daniel. It’s a trap, you know. Inflate my head a little too much, and it’s just chaos. You’ll never get rid of me.”

“I’m fine with that.” He drained the liquid from his bottle and reached into the cardboard box for another. You watched him as he placed the cap to the edge of the worn down wooden table. He brought his hand down on top of it, freeing the bottle effortlessly. “I enjoy your company.”

“Charming.” You hummed, the foam from the carbonated liquid fizzling out the top and spilling on to his hand. “Seems like you’ve made a mess.” You pointed out. He shook off the bubbles, watching them land with a splat against the concrete floor. He wiped his hand on his jeans, ridding himself of the dampness.

“So enlighten me, then.” He settled back into the lawn chair after he pulled it as close to the couch as possible. You pondered your choice of words, unsure of where to begin.

“Karma is effect from cause.” You started, eyeing your drink suspiciously. You leaned forward, grabbing the pint of vodka and placing your cup on the table. As you watched the crystal liquid flow, you let your heart decide when to cut it off. You topped it off with some more soda, returning your attention to your company. “Some things don’t really feel like that. When you do something terrible, you wait for something to come back and bite you in the ass, to cause you some of the turmoil you’ve given to others. At least, normal people feel that way. Some don’t, but that’s another story for another day.” He nodded in agreement. “Sometimes, things happen, or people show up, or whatever it be, and they completely change the way your world works. In this case, I mean in a bad way. You don’t feel like you’re deserving of it, and you don’t necessarily feel like it’s an issue with luck. They’re there for a reason, but it’s just a shitty one.”

“So a lesson.” He deducted. Your eyes shifted towards him, your head cocking to the side ever so slightly. Eventually, you gave a slow nod, appreciating his input.

“Yeah, a lesson. That’s a better word for it.” You guided your straw to your mouth, sucking gently and feeling the spread of warmth fill your chest as you swallowed.

“So what is your lesson, tonight?”

“Haven’t decided yet.” You sighed. “I guess I’m more concerned about the why, rather than the what.”

“Okay, that’s fine.” He agreed.

“Why do some people need lessons? I mean, we all have to learn, but why does it always have to be so disastrous to do it?”

“Guess it leaves a larger impact.” He theorized. “If the lesson doesn’t hurt, you’re less likely to remember it.” You murmured a sound of understanding, realizing he was right. Whatever lesson Sam was teaching you must have been incredibly important, because it hurt like a bitch.

“That’s why they invented alcohol, Danny. So people like us can use it to ignore any hurtful lessons. I’m nothing if not spiteful, even to the universe.” He chuckled, reaching over and tilting his bottle towards you. You knocked your glass against it lightly, a gesture of gratitude for his listening ears.

“So that’s what you want to do tonight? Drink away your lesson?” You nodded.

“For the time being. It’s alright, because it’ll still be trying to teach me in the morning.”You both fell back into a silence, watching the crowd flutter around the room. Your garage had become the scene for social butterflies. Current friends and those of the past always stopping by for a quick chat, a good drink, and enjoyable music. You didn’t mind hosting; it made your home a lot less lonely. For someone who chose to surround yourself with people, you felt that way quite often. Always someone to say hello to, but never anyone to share anything meaningful with.

For a twenty-something socialite, who cared more about a good time than anything else, you’d done quite well for yourself. You started off without much of a chance, born into poverty and destined to remain there. In retaliation, you fought the expectation tooth and nail. You started working the minute you could, and saved every dollar you earned as long as the situation permitted. As soon as you turned 18, you vowed never to look back at your hometown. Since then, you hadn’t. You went to school, got a degree, and continued to work until you collapsed. Then, you got up the next day and continued on. The relentless effort never stopped until your hands were on a set of house keys that you could call your own. Now, you worked on your own schedule as a well-renowned music producer and backpacked off artists success, as you liked to word it.

You would much prefer to be the person behind the glass, but as the world allowed it, you remained behind the scenes. It was certain money rather than blind luck, and you appreciated your security more than passion. It was easier that way, especially with nobody to fall back on. So, you settled for Friday night shows at local bars, just you and your acoustic guitar, and no hope of anybody remembering your name. The too-drunk regulars seemed to love your performances, but as you saw it, any drunk fool appreciated something they could dance or sing along to. The production part wasn’t all bad, of course. It gave you some real friends, which you’d never really had before. Danny, being one of them. Well, all of the boys, really, despite your complicated relationship with Sam.

You’d made plenty of friends through the industry, some lifelong and some temporary. It was a plus to your success, meaning you never had to be alone. If you knew anything about musicians, it was that they loved to party, and you had an ample amount of time and space to do so in. Your house was rarely ever unoccupied, but when it was, the silence was deafening. You’d allowed so much room in your life for company, that you were almost unsure what to do when you were alone. Danny and his brothers solved that problem for you quite easily, always inviting you for hangouts and showing up to your place when the opportunity arose. They never went too long without communicating, and spent even less time away from you. Despite your hesitancy, they had slowly grown into a part of your every day life. As much as you hated loneliness, you also hated vulnerability. Unfortunately for you, they had made it a mission to know you fully, and they were doing a damn good job at it. Although you were still reserved, they knew more about you than anyone else.

As much as you tried to complain, you were eternally grateful for the great connection with such fantastic people. Even though your feelings for Sam complicated the nature of the situation, you couldn’t deny that they were genuine, sincere people, and you were lucky to have them around. They made life more interesting, and curbed the fear of isolation. And, in addition, they were pretty fun drinking partners. “Still thinking about that lesson?” You turned to look at Danny again, finding his concern endearing.

“Not particularly.” You eased his worry. “There’s always a brighter side to the story.” You gave him a smile, one filled with genuineness.

“Do I happen to be the brighter side?” He gave you a look of exaggerated excitement.

“Yeah, whatever, don’t give yourself too much credit.” You laughed. Your attention was grabbed by Josh walking by, a bottle of tequila in his hand and a dopey smile on his lips. He brought it to his youngest brother, bringing the bottle to his mouth and prompting him to take a drink. “We’re next, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, can never really escape him, can you?” You shook your head, still focused on the interaction. Josh pulled the bottle away a bit prematurely, causing a bit of liquor to spill down the front of Sam. It glistened on his chin, dripping down onto the exposed part of his chest, shining in the low light. You swallowed hard, having to stop yourself from fixating on the completely innocent mishap. Still, you couldn’t help but stare at the illumination, wishing to have access to the rest of him, desperate to see more.

You didn’t have time to linger, because just as you expected, Josh plundered towards you both. He made his entrance by producing the alcohol in front of you both with a messy extension of his arm. The liquid sloshed, some catching in the neck and spraying from the top. “You’re wasting precious tequila, Josh. Stop throwing it around like that.” You scolded. He nudged his pit vipers to his forehead, letting you see his eyes for a moment. They were glazed over, only proving his drunken stupor even further.

“Me? Waste?” He challenged.

“Yes, you, wasting.” You replied. He let out a hum of disagreement, taking a step towards you.

“Open.” He ordered. You rolled your eyes, but obliged to the request. You let your lips fall open, tilting your head back to allow him access. He tipped the bottle gently, letting the liquor waterfall into your mouth. You swallowed, fighting back the grimace you so badly wanted to give. He smiled in triumph, quickly turning his focus to your counterpart. You wiped the stray liquid from your face with the back of your hand, unable to escape the smell of it. Danny let out a shudder after his shot, feeling similarly to you.

He didn’t hover long, his mission complete and leaving him ready to move on to his next target. “He’s hammered.” Danny noted.

“Usually is.” You chuckled. “It’s okay, the spare bedrooms are all yours.”

“I can try to get him home,” Danny looked over, worried about overstaying his welcome.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You know you guys can always stay here.” You tried to brush the sentiment off, hoping your tone sounded more nonchalant rather than heartfelt. In truth, you loved the nights they stayed. It meant you didn’t have to wake up to an empty house. You scanned the room, forcing yourself to move past Sam when your eyes inevitably landed on him. He was chatting with a girl you weren’t familiar with. Although the parties were almost always held at your house, that didn’t mean you knew every face or name. Sometimes, friends brought their own friends, or partners, or coworkers. She was likely one of those, who took a keen interest in Sam.

You couldn’t blame her; he was gorgeous. If you had her confidence, you’d be up there with him, too, batting your eyelashes and ghosting touches over his arm with a sultry smile. Of course, that didn’t mean you had the ability to ignore the pain that stemmed from the sight. Your stomach twisted with every lingering smile and flirtatious gaze. You thought it ought of comical, you inviting him over and hoping he’d spend a second talking with you, but he always found himself immersed in another girl who was a bit more interesting than you.

You continued looking, locating Josh with ease. He hadn’t given up as the tequila tyrant, and was still forcing the awful liquid onto others. You were certain he only bought it because it sounded good in theory. Once he had enough of it, he wanted to get rid of it as fast as possible so he didn’t have to drink it anymore. As you searched, you realized you hadn’t seen the fourth boy who so often took solace in your company. You thought it was quite curious, unsure of where he could be. You decided it was best to stop being so concerned with the whereabouts of everyone else, and worry about your own well-being. You’d been drinking for a while, and still couldn’t seem to break out of the Kiszka chokehold. You decided your best course of action was to focus on having a good time, and maybe keep your mind occupied with someone else for the night.

“Beer pong?” You eyed Danny, hopeful for an enthusiastic response.

“Yeah, why not?” He said, making a move to stand. He held his hand out to you, helping you off the couch. As you stood, you realized you may have had more alcohol than you thought, finding your legs a bit wobbly and your head light. Danny kept his hand on you, picking up on it, too. “You alright?”

“Yeah, and you’re gonna get your ass kicked.” You said as a matter-of-fact. You both toddled towards the ping pong table, noticing that it had already been played on a few times that night. You took to one side and Danny went to the other, rearranging your cups in the correct order.

“Hey, I want to play, too!” A voice sounded from behind you. You looked back, noticing Josh making his way towards you.

“We need a fourth, then.” You informed him.

“I’ll get Jake!” Josh was normally loud, but with a single drop of liquor in his system, he always found himself stuck in a state of permanent yelling. It was something you had to grow used to. The adjustment period was not easy, mostly because every time he tried to speak to you, you thought he was yelling at you. After a few weeks and a lot of reassurance, you began to notice that he also spoke that way with everyone else. Now, things seemed too quiet if Josh wasn’t around to make a ruckus.

As if it were some sort of secret twin telepathy, within moments Josh returned with his brother. After not seeing him all night, Josh seemed to have the power to locate him as he wished. The two made their way over, Josh immediately joining Danny on his side of the table, leaving you with Jake. Not that you minded, but the unspoken assumption was a bit rude, you thought. “And where have you been, all night?” You asked Jake, a smirk tugging at the corner of your lips.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He asked, taking a stand next to you.

“Obviously, or I wouldn’t have asked.” You grabbed a ball out of a cup, shaking the water droplets off the plastic.

“Don’t be like that, now.” He smiled. You looked to the side, catching a quick glimpse of his face. The mystery of Jake was yet to be solved. He was quiet, always a bit more reserved than the rest, but hilarious in his silence. Most of his jokes were spoken through expression, and every phrase was well thought out and immaculately delivered. You were yet to break through his shell, and you were eager to see more of him; a need for connection beyond the surface, even.

But, even so, it was the same with you. You had mastered the illusion of connection without really having to share too much. It was a way of protecting yourself, even if it was a little fake. Despite that, the friendships you formed with the four boys were more real than any you’d ever had. Even if they barely knew you past the surface, it didn’t make the love you had for them any different. They knew more than any one else, and you were sure with time, you’d get comfortable enough to open up a bit more. “I’ll be nicer if you can help me win this.”

“What’s the reward?” He asked. You could feel his eyes burning holes into the back of your skull.

“Guess you’ll have to find out.” You replied, taking your first shot. The ball bounced off the rim of the solo cup, falling inwards and plopping into the water.

“Don’t get me excited.” You could hear the smirk in his words before he even stepped into your line of vision. He lifted his arm, tossing the ping pong ball with little care. You watched it land in the cup that yours had, unsure of how he lined up a shot like that without even trying. You looked towards him, finding he was already looking at you. “Better be something good, sweetheart.” A tingle ran down your spine at the pet name, never having heard such an endearing word from him.

You weren’t sure what it was. Maybe the vodka, or maybe how the light, even as dim as it was, seemed to cast a golden glow over his features. Or maybe it was his quiet tone and impactful words, or the scent of whiskey and sandalwood, paired with the faint lingering of a Cuban cigar that was heavenly enough to burn itself into your memory. Whatever it be, for the first time in the entire history of knowing him, Jake caught your attention in a way other than friendship. He was hot, and that little monster of a voice in your head was screaming it over and over again, not letting you forget it. The close proximity of his body to yours was driving you insane, leaving you curious as to what it would be like to reach out and touch him, just for a moment. The bottom two buttons of his shirt that were holding it together was not leaving much to the imagination, and you were quite thankful for it, tonight. Although, you did find it a bit limiting. A hidden desire arose, leaving you wanting to rip it from his body to expose the rest of him. Once it appeared, it didn’t seem to want to go away.

In your moment of weakness, the animalistic nature of your attraction posed a residual feeling of guilt, almost as if you were cheating on Sam. You were painfully aware that the feeling was ridiculous; the memory of Sam’s arm snaked around the unnamed girl quickly pushing its way to the forefront of your thoughts. Clearly, he had no interest in you, so why should you feel guilty over such a simple, natural feeling? It wasn’t as if you professed your love to Sam and immediately took to Jake within the same minute. Attraction was normal, human nature, and you felt no need to be shameful about of it. Both men were completely unaware of your affection, and it would be easy to navigate, specifically because of their ignorance. Silent pining and daydreaming about both of them was fine, you deduced, because you were confident in your ability to make sure they never found out. Besides, you were in love with Sam, and attracted to Jake. Two very different things, and neither would ever cause an issue as long as they remained unspoken.

So, you decided, if Jake was willing to initiate it, a night of harmless flirting wouldn’t matter. In the morning, you’d both move on and forget it ever happened.

It’s crazy how the human brain can justify a terrible decision when you want it bad enough.

“Your turn, angel.” Jake broke you from your internal brooding with a delicate hand on your back. For a moment, you thought you could live in the feeling of his touch forever. He handed you the spare ball with his free hand, the cool water on his fingertips offsetting the surging warmth of his skin. You took it, meticulously arranging yourself in the perfect place before throwing. Another splash of water signified the landing of the shot, causing a noise of triumph to sound from you. When you came down from your momentary excitement, you could still feel Jake’s palm resting on you. It was an intriguing sensation, imploring you to think further about the nature of the gesture. “Hidden talent?”

“Wouldn’t call it hidden. Maybe you just don’t know me as well as you thought.” You quipped. He elected not to respond, throwing his ball and landing it in another cup.

“If we win, you gonna let me see all the parts of you you’re keeping secret?” He said, leaning in provocatively close to your ear. You weren’t sure where his newly found fixation on you came from, but you weren’t complaining. Maybe the cloud of whiskey he enveloped himself in was calling the shots, pushing him to test his limits. Before now, you couldn’t recall a time where your conversations even toed the line of flirtation. Unless, you’d been embarrassingly oblivious to his advances, which you wouldn’t be fully surprised if that were the case. You were a professional at overlooking even the most obvious displays of interest, so much so that even the current situation had you second guessing his lingering touches and provactive statements. Plus, with the added distraction of your feelings for Sam, the idea of romance with another person never really crossed your mind.

“Depends on how bad you want to know about them.” You replied, the note of disregard for his statement seemed to spark a nerve in him, driving him a little bit crazy. He was nothing if not fond of a challenge. And in his eyes, you were more than worth the effort.

“Stop flirting and focus on the game!” Josh hollered, catching both of you off guard. As if you were two children being scolded by a parent, you both took an immediate step away from each other with a hint of a blush on your cheeks. With that, Josh threw a cannon of a shot and completely missed the table.

“You don’t even have any distractions, what’s your excuse for being shit?” Jake taunted, a laugh hidden in his jab.

“Have you looked at me, lately, Jake? I’m beautiful. I don’t have to be good at anything.” The comment rolled so slickly from his tongue, like he’d completely forgotten he was supposed to be joking and was speaking straight from the heart. Jake cocked his head to the side, trying to relate the two together and make some sense of his statement. You let out a little laugh, nodding your head in appreciation of his words. You couldn’t deny that all four boys were very attractive, even if you had a hard time seeing past Sam and his blinding beauty. “See, even she agrees.” Jakes eyes flicked towards you, inquisitive of your quick response.

“So what does that make me?” He asked you. You watched him, unsure of what he was hinting at. “If I’m good at the game, does that mean I’m not beautiful?” He clarified. You swallowed hard, the bluntness of his question hitting you with force. He gave a small smirk, one that radiated cockiness. He knew your answer without you even having to reply, but he was determined to hear the words.

“No, you… you are.” You assured him, feeling ridiculous for stumbling over your words.

“Glad you think so, sweetheart. You are, too.” He turned back towards the table, not lingering to watch the redness spread across your face, fully satisfied with your response. Josh caught your eye, giving you a wink that said more than any words he could speak. Even in his drunken state, he was painfully aware of his twin brothers intent. You looked to Danny for guidance, only to find him choking back a laugh and unwilling to hold your gaze.

‘Great’ you internally grumbled, mortified at the attention being on yours and Jake’s current situation. Whatever that was, exactly, was completely unknown to you. You were stuck somewhere between wanting to tell him to fuck off, and wanting to tear his clothes off and have your way with him right there. You had no idea when Jake became such an outlet for your closeted wants. No clue if he just suddenly became so attractive, or if he had been the whole time and you were just blind to it. Either way, every hint of cologne, sideways glance, every ghost of a touch, each laugh that fell from his lips, and every word he spoke was driving you crazy.

“Last shot, y/n. Make it count.” He hummed, taking a step back from the table. You have a curt nod, silently letting him know you would. You aimed, ensuring your arm was steady, and held your breath as you tossed the ball. It circled around the rim, leaving all of you on edge. After a few seconds, it rolled off to the side, sadly plummeting to the table and bouncing to the floor. You let out a long exhale, disappointed in the outcome. It was the only cup you’d missed so far. “S’okay,” Jake gave you a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I got it.” You took a step back, allowing him to take his turn.

Once again, with a lax stature and careless approach, he threw the ball and effortlessly landed it in the cup. A collective groan sounded from the opposite side of the table, both boys floored over the fact they lost. Instead of focusing on their bellyaching, your attention was completely stolen by Jake snaking his arm around you in celebration. You turned your head towards him, noticing nothing but the breathtaking beauty of his smiling face. He pulled you into his side, hand resting dangerously low on your back.

“Nice job,” you breathed, the warmth of his body distracting you from anything else in the room. He turned his head down to look at you, his face inches from yours.

“You, too.” You relaxed into his hold, playing into whatever game he’d started. You turned your body towards him, placing a kiss on his cheek. He wasn’t expecting the sudden change of pace, his fingers tightening against you. “Come and find me if you’re willing to share those secrets, angel.” He said, mouth practically on your ear. Before pulling away, he placed a small, innocent kiss to the side of your head where his lips were hovering, as if it balanced out the filthy invitation.

Before you could respond, he disappeared again, much like the entire scene was a figment of your imagination. The only reason that led you to believe it was real was the residual tingling he left on the spots he’d touched, and the prickle of goosebumps across your skin. That, and the growing feeling of arousal in the pit of your stomach. You looked back to the table, cheeks flushed and heart racing. You grabbed your drink, hoping to sip away the memory, painfully aware of how easy it would be to chase after him. How easy it would be to take him to bed, to give in to the temptation of feeling him on you, or in you, more so.

You bit down on the inside of your lip in a desperate attempt to satiate the sinful thoughts you were having about Jake. You knew you weren’t supposed to be feeling such things for him. Your blind, although misplaced, loyalty to Sam was screaming at you to stop. Still, there was a small, but loud, little devil that took permanent home in your head. It was ensuring you that one night wouldn’t be so bad, that the feeling of his hands, and his tongue, would help you to forget anything other than pleasure. You swallowed hard, forcing your imagination to stop fabricating such grand ideas, forgoing the straw on the drink and chugging the rest of it down.

“So, is that the lesson you’ve been so deep in thought about?” Danny asked, now presenting himself in front of you. The shock of his company cause you to inhale a bit of your drink, leaving you coughing and sputtering for a moment. He gave you a couple firm pats on the back, aiding you with the expulsion of the liquid from your lungs. Once you recovered from the moment of disarray, you looked to him, not being able to find a proper answer.

“Uh, not particularly.” You chuckled.

“So maybe this one’s an answer. Or an apology from the universe for all of the turmoil.” He grinned. It was so characteristically Danny to always have something positive to say. He was a little ray of sunshine, never getting on anyone’s bad side and always trying to keep the peace. Normally, you loved him for it. Now, with the presentation of his new idea, you wanted to strangle him for instilling such an thought in your head. You wished he would have called Jake out on his abnormal behaviour, or scolded you for playing with fire. Perhaps, you thought that deep down, he knew what you were struggling with all along, and this was his way of letting you down easy. But, you would have preferred him to say anything other than speak encouragement for the incredulous notion, even if it happened to be him telling you that Sam hated you. Any discouragement for that little devil in your head would have been helpful.

“Probably just another lesson, Danny Boy.” You sighed, making a move towards your bottle of alcohol. You poured yourself another drink, hoping the subject would drop off into another, less invasive one.

“Not everything has to be a lesson, y/n.” He scolded, but his tone was light. “You’re allowed to have fun, too, you know.”

“Seems like more of a headache to me.” You grumbled as you screwed the cap back on the glass bottle.

“Jake is quite delightful to be around, actually.” He insisted. Instead of responding, you continued to focus on your drink. He tapped his foot against the ground in an impatient manner, expecting a response.

“Headache, Dan.” You finally answered. “Can’t really go sleeping around with my only friends. Sounds messy, to me. Perfectly fine how things are. If he wants to flirt himself to death, he can be my guest. I’m sure tomorrow he’ll come to his senses.”

“Always such a negative Nancy.” He let out a disapproving tsk. “Balls in your court. I won’t push you. On another note, I am willing to hear all about those so called lessons you seem to dread.” He took his earlier seat in the lawn chair, relaxing into it. He grabbed another beer as he did so. “If you want to share, of course.”

“You’d love to know, wouldn’t you?” You smiled.

“Yeah, obviously.”

“Little gossip rag?” You teased. He let out a laugh.

“So that’s what I get for wanting to help out a friend?”

“Yep,” you popped the p at the end of the word, giving him a smile. As much as you disliked his persuasion in regards to Jake, he was still your best friend. You couldn’t find it within yourself to stay annoyed with him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go freshen up. Winning a game of beer pong really takes a lot out of a person.”

“Oh, okay, whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “We let you guys win.”

“Careful.” You hummed. “Nobody ever teach you that you shouldn’t lie?” He waved you off, dismissing you completely. You shuffled away from him, your giggle lasting until you were long gone from his company.

You disappeared through the side door of the garage, leading into the kitchen of your home. When you got inside, the first thing you noticed was a group of people gathered by the table, mindlessly drinking and conversing about nothing spectacular. So much so, that you didn’t even bother to listen in or look for a familiar face. You continued on in search of the bathroom, happy to find it vacant. You closed the door behind you, letting the tough exterior fall along with a long sigh. You turned to the mirror, studying your face for a moment. Your makeup stayed valiant through the nights events, the only wear being your lipstick. You searched through your cupboards, locating your makeup box and pulled out the correct one, reapplying it where need be.

When you were satisfied, you did the rest of your business and washed your hands. When you returned to the hallway, the muted chatter in the kitchen was still lingering, but there was a softer, more alluring tone coming from the direction of your bedroom. You turned your head towards it, following the sound almost as if it were calling to you. When you peeked your head inside, a soft smile began to grow on your lips. Jake was sat on the edge of your bed, hair falling in front of his face, picking away at your acoustic guitar.

“I don’t remember giving you permission to play my guitar, Jacob.” You teased, but your words were gentle and there was no malice present in the air. He looked up to you, a bit startled by the sound of your voice.

“Oh, sorry. Figured you wouldn’t mind.”

“I don’t.” You assured him. “Why are you up here all alone? Party too boring for you?” You took a step inside, a step closer to him, one that you shouldn’t have made at all.

“No,” he shook his head, attention now focused on you. “Just a lot, I guess. It’s fun, I like it, but I’d rather do this.”

“Want me to leave you to it?” You asked, worried you had intruded. He laughed at your question.

“Asking me permission to stay in your own bedroom?” He cocked an eyebrow up, tilting his head to the side to make sense of the question. You almost expected a witty comment to follow, but he bit his tongue.

“No,” you said, pondering what you were really asking. “Uh, I guess I was just wondering if you wanted to be left alone.” You gave an anxious chuckle.

“You’re cute when you’re nervous.” He noted. “Don’t mind company, especially if it’s you.” You felt the same dreaded redness creep onto your cheeks, unsure if you should advance. He patted the spot beside him on your bed, finding your hesitancy in your own home ridiculous. You took to the mattress, sitting cross-legged beside him. Your eyes immediately drifted to his fingers on the fretboard, which lead to the veins standing so prominent on the back of his hand, all the way up his arm, and to the flash of skin you could see on his chest. Once you’d studied every available part of him, your eyes landed on his face. He gave you a smile, not feeling a need to chastise you for the admiration. “You want to play?” He asked. You shook your head, almost immediately rejecting the idea.

“N-no, I don’t really play much. The guitars are mostly here for decoration.” You lied. Soon after, you realized you couldn’t pull a trick like that on a seasoned musician.

“Hmm,” he lifted the guitar so the top was facing him, eyes dancing over the strings on the fretboard. Then, he pulled it away from him, checking over the back of the body of the guitar. “These strings are awfully worn in. The back seems to have a couple nicks from,” he safely put the guitar back in his lap, reaching over and hooking his finger through the chain on your neck. “A necklace.” He gave you a small smirk. Once again, the feeling of his hand sent shocks of electricity through every nerve in your body, setting you on fire. “The pick-guard is scratched to shit, and it happened to be in perfect tune when I picked it up.” He listed, letting the chain drop back to your body. Instead, he gently ran his knuckle over your cheek. “You lying to me, Angel?”

By that point, you knew there was no escaping the truth. “Okay, maybe I play a little bit. Not the best, though. Mostly just campfire tunes.” You shrugged, internally cringing at your pathetic attempt at a lie.

“I don’t think the owner of the pub on Main Street would ask you to play there if you weren’t any good, sweetheart.” There it was again, sweetheart, angel. He was trying to kill you with the pet names, you were sure of it. Once you moved past the terms of endearment, you snapped back to reality with a flash of dread. He had a laugh at your bewildered expression.

“Stalking me, Jacob?”

“No, although tempting. Could watch you play all day. You’ve got quite the voice.” He complimented. “Just happened to be there one night, got bit of a shock when you jumped up on stage.”

“You never said anything,” you said, watching him carefully. “I didn’t even know you were there. You didn’t come and say hi.” He gave a little shrug.

“I figured if you wanted everyone to know, you would’ve said something by now.” He explained, letting his fingertips dance over the strings, picking out a tune with ease. “I would have said hello, but I was worried you’d be embarrassed.”

“Oh,” you whispered “thank you, Jake.”

“No big deal.” He assured you. “Your secrets are always safe with me.” He gave another smirk, the sight tugging at your heart. “Is that why you came looking for me? Finally willing to give a few away?” Not even God could save you from the sinful look he casted in your direction. The change in tone almost gave you whiplash. You were sure your heart stopped for a moment, realizing how the scene might have looked. You didn’t seek him with any intention of something more, but you couldn’t help but feel him pulling you in further with each second that passed.

“You’d like that too much.” You mirrored his expression, hoping to feign some look of fake confidence. It worked on the outside, but inside, you were crumbling at the sight of him. His dark eyes felt so wrong looking at you in such a way, but you liked it more than you cared to admit.

“Not into pleasing others?” He teased, gaze flickering down to your lips. “Never pegged you as a sadist.”

“Like I said, lots you don’t know.” You chided. He chuckled, standing for a moment.

“You’d love for me to find out, though, wouldn’t you?” He placed the guitar back on its stand, carefully clasping the plastic latch to ensure it didn’t topple over. His eyes glided across your walls, taking in the minuscule details he’d never noticed before. He’d been in the room plenty of times, but never in such an intimate manner. His eyes settled on the little framed picture above your bed. He read the words after soaking in the photo. “Gold Dust Woman?” He hummed, his stare finally landing back on you. He got a small thrill watching you look up at him, eyes wide with anticipation.

“Great song.” You offered, realizing he’d picked up on the Rumours cover print you’d hand drawn the lyrics on.

“Very fitting for you.”

“What does that mean?” You chuckled.

“Gold Dust Woman…” he said, more to himself. “Beautiful name, beautiful girl.”

“A beautiful song, yeah. Not a beautiful story, though.” He shook his head, letting out a small laugh at your unwillingness to accept the compliment. “In fact, it’s quite sad.” He didn’t respond. Instead, he hummed the melody of the song to himself, completely unaware of anything other than the sound. As he did so, you found yourself admiring the sight of him in front of you, the exposed skin of his torso still keeping your attention and nearly making your mouth water. You knew you should get up, just walk out and leave before anything regretful ensued, but you were captivated in him. The scent from earlier not only lingering on his skin, but entangled in your sheets, now. You realized you’d be quite content if it never went away.

“You’re looking at me like you’re trying to figure me out.” He noted. You shook yourself out of the devils hold, returning to the conversation. “Are you trying to figure me out, Gold Dust Woman?”

“Maybe,” you said. “More importantly, trying to figure out if this is a good idea.”

“What, exactly?” He didn’t move from his position, seeking an advance from you, first. You rolled your eyes, tired of whatever game he was playing.

“The flirting, the touching… the secrets?” You listed. He gave a smile.

“Nothing wrong with harmless flirting,” he explained. “Unless you’re thinking about doing something shameful.” You didn’t know how to answer, afraid of saying the wrong thing. The whole situation was so surreal that you were questioning your own sanity. Half of you believed he may get you to profess your fantasy, then leave you there to wallow in it. But, from all you knew about Jake, he didn’t seem like a deceitful person.

“You aren’t?”

“Depends on what you’re thinking about, angel.” He took a step towards the door, causing your stomach to plummet. You sprung to your feet, ready to stop him in his tracks without a second thought. The idea of him leaving was worse than any other consequence the night could bring. He turned his head towards you, a sly smile stuck on his lips. He knocked the door closed with one swift motion of his arm, turning back towards you. You closed your eyes for a moment, feeling ridiculous at your own habit of jumping to conclusions. Of course he’d be making a move to close the door, rather than leave you by yourself. “Seems like you don’t want me to go.”

“Fuck, of course I don’t, Jake!” You sighed, frustrated with your own inability to make up your mind. He took a step towards you, brushing your hair from your face.

“What do you want?” His palm settled on your cheek, soaking up the warmth. “Hmm?” The little devil in your brain was screaming over every other rational thought. The memory of Sam was barely alive within you, your only focus being on the begging question of what he looked like out of his clothes. “You can say it, baby.” He was close enough that you could feel the vibration of his chest while he spoke.

“I…” you started, unable to properly formulate your words. He waited a moment, just to see if you’d say what he so badly wanted to hear. When you didn’t continue, he took it upon himself to guide you. His hand on your cheek drifted towards your neck, fingers barely touching the back of your neck while his palm grazed the side of it. His free hand found your hip, gently guiding your body into his. His head was downturned slightly to meet yours, his forehead just hovering over your own. The tip of his nose was brushing against the side of yours, the smell of whiskey on his breath was intoxicating all on its own. Every gravitational pull in the universe was pushing you closer to him, begging you to taste his lips, even just for a second. Your chest was burning, searching for oxygen as you continued to hold your breath. You were scared to move, still worried about advancing, but terrified he’d pull away.

“Is this better?” His words were barely above a whisper, but they hit you with force, soaking into your skin and settling in your bones. Your eyes were closed, revelling in the closeness, wanting to think of nothing other than the feeling of him. He lowered his mouth, just barely enough to brush his lips over yours. If the feeling wasn’t so electrifying, you thought you might miss it. With the newest invitation, every moral and ethical thought in your brain was silenced. The only one left was the same, little, red devil who’d been hoping for this the whole night. The only worry left in you was about him leaving without you getting the satisfaction of having him completely.

Without another thought, you pushed through the invisible barrier you’d drawn, finally pulling him into a kiss. His hold tightened, letting you know he was ecstatic about your decision. It was hungry, fuelled by all of tension you’d been feeling all night. You finally allowed yourself the pleasure of letting your hands explore him, something they’d been eager to do for hours. You fought with the two bottom buttons of his shirt, freeing him completely. You brushed in from his shoulders and he dropped his arms, letting it fall to the ground. Your fingers danced over the bare skin, wanting to know every intimate detail the fabric had been concealing. Without breaking the kiss, he slipped his hand from your hip to your ass, pulling you further into him with a force that made your head spin.

When you finally parted, you were breathless and void of any rationality. When he snaked his hands under your shirt to pull it over your head, you were more than willing to comply. You lifted your arms, allowing him to slip it off with ease. You could tell just by his movements that he’d been waiting to get you out of yours, too. His hands went straight for the buttons on your jeans, something in which you greatly encouraged. Once you were left exposed, he guided you to the bed and laid you back on the mattress. You didn’t have time to get a word out, because his mouth was back on yours and he was pulling your bottom lip between his teeth. If you were in your right mind, you would have been more focused on the fact that you were naked and he was still partially clothed. Also, probably concerned with how quickly the situation evolved into what it was. But, the curiosity of his hands was too pleasurable to complain about anything, and the gentle exploration was highly appreciated.

His fingers found your nipple, brushing against it softly, allowing you to get a feel for his touch. When the breath caught in your throat, he rolled it between his fingers, giving a soft pinch. He smiled against your lips when you tensed in response to the action, his cockiness still taking up space in the room, even during sex. His lips trailed from your lips down your neck, silently searching for another spot that would give him a reaction. He settled below your ear, lingering there after you’d let a breathy moan slip past your lips, pleased with himself once again. He made quick work at sucking marks into the skin, easy enough to hide, but present enough to remind you of him. The last thing he wanted was for you to wake up in the morning and forget all about him.

He was settled between your legs, one hand still resting on your breast while the other held himself steady on the mattress. After he was satisfied with his work on your neck, he continued further, familiarizing yourself with every available part of you. He let his teeth graze over your collarbone, the unfamiliar sensation seeing you on fire. If his mission was to leave you desperate for him, he’d done well. You were a mess below him, unable to contain the whimpers and sighs falling from your lips. You wanted more; the teasing and the playfulness was fun, but you’d been craving him all night. The wait was unbearable, almost making it hard to enjoy the attention he was already giving you. When he pulled your hardened nipple into his mouth, you realized you were completely willing to do whatever he asked of you, as long as there was a promise that he’d never stop.

In your desirous state, you realized that maybe that little devil you had in your brain was instilled in his, too.

No, you were certain the actual devil had buried himself in some part of Jake.

There was no rational explanation for the pleasure he was granting you just by his simple touches. It was sinful; every movement had to be laced with evil. Nothing pure could ever be so exhilarating. You were certain whatever power he had within his hands and his tongue had to be unholy, because in that moment, there was nothing you wouldn’t do to feel it again. The indisputable fact was hanging thick in the air: no matter how much guilt you felt about your entanglement with him, it was nothing in comparison to the inebriating feeling of him on your skin.

As his fingers sunk between your legs, dancing through the parts of you he’d been so desperate to know, you knew that you were fully tangled in his web. There was no way you could walk away from him, now. The act both of you were engaging in was blissful, that much was undeniable. But the lengths you would go to for the feeling of him between your legs was godless. You thought, if the decision of letting him bed you was a good one, there was no way it would have produced such an immoral desire within you. But, the mistake was already made, and you were dancing with the devil. Whether the devil being his hands or his tongue, or him as a whole, you weren’t sure. The relationship was solidified purely by lust, now, and no distance could drive away your need for him.

When his fingers slipped inside you and the pad of his thumb brushed over your clit, you were practically ready to come undone just by the first movement. Crying his name, biting your lips to silence yourself, but failing miserably. His unwavering silence was unnerving, but it was offset by the heaviness of his eyelids, pupils clouded with a longing for you that you’d never seen from another person. His lips were parted, gaze never moving from your face. He was completely enthralled in you, feral from the scene below him. The sight of him gave you some sort of comfort, knowing that the feeling between the two of you was mutual. He was willing to do the exact same things to have you underneath him forever.

“This is what you wanted, angel?” He asked, voice low and gravelly. “What you were too scared to ask for?”

“G-god, yes, Jake.” You breathed, wanting so badly to close your eyes and dissolve into pleasure, but finding yourself unable to look away from his face.

“Don’t ever be scared to ask again.” He said, looking down for a moment to let a trail of spit fall from his lips onto his hand. The act only tightened the knot in your belly even more. “I’d spend all day making you feel good, just to see those pretty faces you’re making,” he mumbled, eyes now focused on his fingers pumping into you. “Just to hear those gorgeous fucking noises.” His tone turned into a bit of a growl, as if he’d worked himself up even more just by talking about it.

“Fuck, Jake.” You let your head fall back to the pillow, finally breaking your stare from him. As you did so, he pulled his hand from you completely, causing a rise of panic in your chest. Before you had the chance to look up and see what was wrong, he’d sunk to his stomach on the mattress and hooked his arms underneath your thighs. In a single movement, he pulled you down towards him and onto his mouth.

The newly discovered form of pleasure was a million times more powerful than his hands. The talent he possessed in his fingers was minuscule compared to his tongue. He took his time, savouring every bit of you that he could, searing the memory into his brain forever. The taste of your arousal satisfied his need for you even further, making him wish he could live between your thighs for the rest of his life. When your hands snaked down and tangled themselves in his hair, he was certain he could’ve gotten off to that feeling alone. He worked at you, now only driven by his desire to bring you to an orgasm, needing to experience it as if it were necessary for his survival. He was practically begging you by the way he was using his tongue, as if he had to do beg to begin with. You were at the brink of an orgasm before he’d even started.

His fingers were digging into your hips, holding you on him like he was scared you’d disappear if he let go. You gripped at the roots of his hair, a plea for something, even if you weren’t sure what it was. Maybe for an orgasm, or for some compassion; you didn’t know if you wanted more or if you needed him to slow down. Everything about Jake was conflicting, but indescribably fantastic. You wished you hadn’t fallen into the trap, but there was nowhere else in the world you’d rather be.

“M’gonna cum,” You warned, barely able to get the words out. In response, he did nothing other than focus on you even more, as if it were possible. With his unwavering determination, it didn’t take much longer for you to unravel, spiralling into an orgasm stronger than any you’d ever had. It was earth-shattering, all the muscles in your body tense and stars dancing in your eyes. Your lungs burned for a hint of oxygen, as even your breathing stopped momentarily. When you started to come down, you weren’t even sure if you were still in the same realm. He tapered his pace once he noticed you relax against him, the hold you had on his hair beginning to loosen. Once your body was lax against the mattress, he pulled back. As greedy as it sounded, you wished he didn’t.

“Fucking divine, baby.” He mumbled, peppering kisses on the insides of your thighs. “Didn’t know someone could taste that good.” The words alone could have sent you into another orgasm. As much as you were enjoying the sentiment, the selfish part of you just wanted him to fuck you, now. Want wasn’t even a good enough word to describe it; you needed him. He wormed his way back up your body, wiping his face with his hand before pulling you into another kiss. This one was sweeter, less hungry than before.

When he pulled back and made a move to stand, a rush of excitement flooded through you. You watched him, anticipating the next move, hoping his hand would move to remove his belt. Instead, he bent down and picked up his shirt from the ground. The feeling of excitement was quickly replaced with dread. “Jake?” You asked, quickly rushing to sit up. He stood straight, pulling his shirt back on. He gave you a sly smile, one that made your blood run cold. He stepped towards you, lifting your chin with his finger and placing another kiss to your lips. You reached out for him, hoping your hold would change his course of action.

He parted from you, buttoning the same dreaded bottom two buttons. “Gotta leave something to the imagination.” He smirked, unwilling to change his mind. “If I fuck you now, you won’t invite me back.” If he only knew how wrong he was, he’d be laughing.

“Please, don’t go.” You didn’t care how desperate you sounded; him walking out the door was the most heinous act he could commit.

“As pretty as you sound begging for me, you’ll have to wait, angel.” He adjusted himself in his jeans, concealing any evidence of the acts you’d engaged in. “If you can’t sleep, you know my number. I’d be happy to help you out at least a little bit.” He sent a wink in your direction. The devil inside him was showing again, but in a much more malicious manner. He was being diabolical.

“Jake,” you warned, watching him with caution.

“I’ll strike you a deal, sweetheart. Just cause you’re so pretty.” He took one, single step towards you, just close enough so he could tuck your hair behind your ear. As much as he was set in his way, he still seemed to have a soft spot for you. “I was a bit greedy. I just couldn’t leave you here without a taste.” He crouched down, eye level with you, now. As mad as you were, the desire to kiss him was still very much present. “Needed something to think about when I’m alone, tonight.” He admitted. The thought of him getting himself off to you was driving you crazy; he had no idea the things you would do just to keep him in the room with you. Little to your knowledge, he was struggling to walk away, too. “Since you were so good for me, if you still want me to fuck you when you wake up in the morning, I’ll stay here all day. Any way you want it, however long you want it for. I’m all yours.”

“You can fuck me now, all night, if you want.” You professed, reaching out for his face. Your palm cupped his cheek, begging him to see reason.

“Ah,” he shook his head. “That wasn’t part of the deal.” He hummed, leaning in just a bit closer. “Like I said, baby. In the morning.” He said, lips dangerously close to yours, again. “If I fuck you now, you won’t need me to come back, and I really want you to want me to come back.” He gave you one last kiss, just enough to ensure you of his dedication.

“Okay,” you forced out, unhappy to be complying with such an unreasonable request. You were certain that if he fucked you now, you wouldn’t even be done with him by the morning. Even with the promise of his tongue alone, you’d be begging for his company. You didn’t need to wait for the sunrise to be sure of that.

He stood, brushing his thumb over your cheek and taking one last look over you, admiring the sight. With that, he turned towards the door. Before he stepped out, he looked back again with a smile. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” you sighed.

“Thanks for sharing your secrets, Gold Dust Woman.” Before another word was spoken, he had slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him. Now, in his absence, you were mortified at what you’d done, and felt even more shameful knowing how badly you wanted to do it again. You stared at the door where he’d been standing just seconds before, the same turmoil from earlier in the evening making a reappearance. You swallowed hard, well aware of the fact that you’d never be able to rid yourself of Jake, now. Never rid yourself of the desire for him, either. You had no idea what his intentions were, and it wasn’t like he’d been very clear about them, either. But, neither had you. You’d both fallen into the struggle of following your heart instead of your head, and it was sure to leave a path of destruction in its wake.

So you sat, stomach turning and head spinning, realizing what type of predicament you’d caught yourself in. You were undoubtedly in love with Sam, and now, completely in lust with his brother. Or, Satan himself. You still weren’t sure which title fit him better. He looked like Jake, spoke like him, but his ability to make you into such a fool for his sin came completely natural; almost as if it wasn’t even a struggle for him to make you fall to his feet with a single snap of his fingers. One feeling so innocent and pure, and the other absolutely concupiscent and filthy.

No matter which way you looked at it, you found no logical way around either emotion. No solace existing in your brain, either. You couldn’t help but feel ridiculous for being upset over your own stupidity, knowing the only one to blame was yourself. You curled up in your blankets, desperately searching for sleep, seeking a moment of peace. The only thing you could hope for was that maybe the morning could bring some form of clarity. But, hope was a fabled idea, and you’d already dug your grave too deep to climb out of it. No sunrise could rid you from the looming regret hanging over your shoulders.

Rock on, Gold Dust Woman

Take your silver spoon, dig your grave

392 notes · View notes

flamigoat · 2 months ago

Text

Peaches 💖🍑👑 - A Far Off Future AU Fanfic

Themes: Friendship, Romance, Humor, Angst, Hurt Comfort

Relationships: Mareach (Mario x Princess Peach), Raypeach (Rabbid Peach x Rayman), and Luaisy (Luigi x Daisy <—Mentioned)

Content Warnings: Pregnancy, going into labor/ giving birth (not explicitly described)

Context: Far Off Future AU (The distant future and continued story of my Phantom Roommates AU for Mario Rabbids) + There are some Rabbid biology and fused Rabbid memory headcanons in this.

Plot Summary: Mario and Princess Peach are expecting twins!! Rabbid Peach is acting as her companion during the pregnancy. When the Princess goes into labor early, it’s up to Peaches (Rabbid Peach) to help her!

Find the fanfic underneath the cut:

Rabbid Peach had never expected to be chosen as her friend, Princess Peach’s companion during her pregnancy. I mean, sure, she maybe had experience in the Rabbid colony she was originally from, but for a human? It was unheard of! She couldn’t even remember that part anyway.

Was it really a good idea to trust her with this?

Though the cheerful smile of her princess was enough to melt her worries away. It was an honor to do this for her. It meant she trusted her deeply, making Peaches feel, ugh, embarrassingly bubbly on the inside.

Bwahaha! Oh it absolutely took everything she had not to burst into tears of joy upon learning her friend was pregnant. Mario would make a wonderful father to Princess Peach’s child. Possibly children! Yeesh, hopefully, humans weren’t like Rabbids in that department.

Anyways, she stayed by her princess’s side, preparing their baby rooms, putting together maternity photoshoots, etc. It all had to be perfect and Rabbid Peach was eager to do it. Anything to make the couple’s shoulders lighter until their babies came. It turns out, they were expecting twins!! Oh my Stars, how exciting!

Sure, some days were more stressful than others. Peaches was lucky her partner Rayman was there with her through it. She’d always be able to come home to him and vent. He’d always provide her a listening ear and offer all the sweet cuddles in the world. Seeing his pretty, goofy smile every day was delightful, having a partner like him by her side. He always loved making him laugh so she could see it. She never thought she’d have a relationship like this.

Flash forward to now and the pair of friends sat together on the balcony overlooking the palace gardens, enjoying their favorite cup of tea. Rabbid Peach was on her phone, scrolling through all the pictures filled with memories of her friend’s pregnancy. She documented every moment, even if she had to cover it up as just wanting to take selfies. She knew how much Princess Peach would love to look back at them, especially when she was due so soon. Only the calming clinks of teacups and the tapping of Rabbid Peach’s fingers on her phone screen broke their silence. Enjoying a peaceful day with her best friend like this, was nice.

The rabbid’s attention drew back to her friend, when their eyes made contact it earned a huff of amusement from her. The princess hummed in response, continuing to sew little decorations into her ever-growing scrapbook. It was filled with pictures of her friends, tidbits of notes depicting how her day went, what she ate, and who she spent time with. Most importantly, telling her babies how excited all their aunties and uncles were to meet them. They were all one big family. A gigantic family of heroes. That warmed Rabbid Peach’s heart immensely to witness.

Looking at her now, her stomach was swollen, visibly pregnant. Wow. How fast time had flown by. The royal doctors knew she was going to be due soon, so she was confined inside the castle walls for now. It was heart-wrenching, watching her friend sink deeply into the dread of boredom. The princess had always hated being treated like she was made of glass. At least the little distractions Rabbid Peach put together were helping. Well, she hoped they were anyway.

Hmph. Now that she thought about it… Bowser hadn’t even tried to kidnap her in a long time. You’d think he would, especially considering she was way more vulnerable now than before. The entirety of the Mushroom Kingdom had been on edge about it, but every day there was a scare for one, he’d never come. Maybe he’d moved on? Or maybe he got the knowledge that it wouldn’t be cool to kidnap somebody pregnant? Heh! Whatever would get through that turtle’s thick skull. It is a lot quieter this way. More peaceful, a nice change of pace for the princess and her subjects.

“Hey, Rabbid Peach? Can I inquire you about something?”, Princess Peach spoke softly, a strangely serious tone to her voice.

“Bwahh! Sure thing! I told you Peach, you can just call me Peachy or Peaches. No need to be formal, we’re friends, remember? Besties! It’s okay!”

Her friend giggled at her, face crinkling with joy. Good. It was nice to let her friend loosen up now and then. Peaches couldn’t imagine what image it’d take to run a country constantly with no breaks in between. She would’ve gone crazy by now if she was in the princess’s place.

“My apologies, Peachy~. Is that better, dearie?”, the normally proper princess stuck her tongue out at her. The rabbid shot back a playfully annoyed look towards her friend, “Yep!”, her voice making a popping sound after the pronunciation of the p to emphasize her point. “So what’d you wanna talk about?”, amusement purred out of her throat.

Oh. This could be good. Some gossip the princess heard among her workers. Oooo! Maybe some drama from the other kingdoms?!? She had been hearing a certain green plumber she knew had been seen out with the princess of Sarasaland. Rabbid Peach sipped her tea eagerly, trying to prepare her throat for a long session of juicy conversation. She’d need it. They could and have talked for hours before.

“Do you ever think you’ll want children?”, Peach purred out casually, earning a sudden coughing fit from her friend in surprise. Rabbid Peach choked on the half swig of her tea, battering her chest with a closed paw. Okay, she was not expecting that!!

Then guilt hit her at her reaction when she saw the worry-stricken expression of her human friend across from her. The princess reached out to her, shooting upwards from her chair to lean over to the rabbid. It was crazy how tall her counterpart was compared to her. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Peaches!! Are you alright, darling?”, her voice quaking with panic. Oh no. She didn’t want to stress her friend out! Ugh! Stupid body! Stop choking!!

“Yes.”, Rabbid Peach wheezed out, voice coming out strained and shrill. After clearing her throat, she turned to her friend, blinking away the tear pricking at her eye. “S’okay, princess. Sorry, I just uh, wasn’t expecting that question.”.

Princess Peach frowned slightly at her friend, a red flush of embarrassment pooling on her cheeks. “Oh Stars! I knew it was too sudden of a question to ask! Sorry if that was improper. I was just…curious is all.”. The princess slumped back into her chair, desperately wiggling around to find a comfortable position to sit that accommodated her pregnant belly. Oh no, she did upset her friend. Augh! C’mon Peachy, you can fix this!

“No, no, no!! It’s not improper or anything! Um. Just, what brought this on?”

“Well… you looked so happy caring for me during the past few months. Truly, I am grateful for all your help! It looks like it’s a natural thing for you, caring for pregnancies. So I figured, maybe you would like children of your own one day. That is all!”

Rabbid Peach’s eye twitched. Wow. Okay. She really could read her like a book, huh? Ah well! Maybe she could change the subject? Peaches leaned back into her chair, quickly trying to turn on her phone. In her nervousness, she fumbled uselessly against the buttons to unlock it. Not subtle at a girl!! She replied casually to cover it up, “Awww! Thanks! Welp! I’m happy to know all my hard work has been appreciated, princess.”.

“It’s Peach, not Princess. We’re, hehe, ‘besties’, remember? Looks like you are dodging the question, my dear.”, the princess gave her a wink. Dang it! She got her there. Oh well, it’d be nice to talk about it. No use in bottling things up. That’d be taking a page out of Rayman’s book. Bwahaha! Peach is right, she’d get nowhere with that mindset.

With a deep sigh, the rabbid relaxed, giving Peach an friendly, yet annoyed look. How dare she know me so well?!?!, Peaches thought. “Urghhh… fine! I don’t know! I hadn’t thought about it until I started helping with your pregnancy. Plus, me and Ray might not even be able to have kids! We’re two different species after all. That must be hard, right? Sides’, he might not even want a family with me anyways.”.

Princess Peach’s posture straightened defensively as if the rabbid had said something horridly offensive to her. She said, “Nonsense!! I think you two would make the most adorable family!”, enthusiasm clear in her voice. Peaches blushed, fur bristling from the compliment. Their family would be adorable?!?! Awww! Did she really think that? That made her so happy, embarrassingly so.

Then the princess leaned towards her counterpart, giving her a sly smile, and raising a brow. Peach moved her hand up to her face, covering the side of her mouth, as if she was about to say something positively scandalous. “Do not think I have not noticed the… ahem, looks he has been giving you as of late. Hehehe. Reminds me of the way Mario would glance at me when he was thinking about proposing! Who knows? You might have a ring on your finger in a bit!”. The princess giggled as if she recalled a fond memory, presumably of Mario. Wait. What was that?!?!? Does she think Rayman will propose to her?!?!

Peaches’s ears flushed beet red. Oh. OH. That’s the weird looks Rayman’s been giving her meant?!?!? That soft, enchanting look in his eyes… lidded in happiness, face flushed with warmth as his gorgeous brown eyes gazed at her.

Okay!! Nope! Nope! Nope!! Oh, Stars she was too sober to think about that!! Redirect the conversation to kids! Yeah! That’ll be easier to talk about. Maintaining her composure, Rabbid Peach leaned into the table, “Oh wow! Hehe! Awww, thank you! Huh, I wonder what our kids even look like? They’d probably be a hybrid species, I guess.”

To Rabbid Peach’s surprise, her friend gasped in pure excitement. “Oh! I know!! I know!! We could draw some possibilities of what they’d look like! It would be a delightful time!”.

The rabbid then watched as her pregnant counterpart excitedly waddled to the nearest drawer, sifting through her coloring supplies. On the way, the princess rambled about the possibile combinations of what the rabbid and thingamajig species could create. Would they have rabbid ears or no ears? What could their hair look like? Would they be limbless or have limbs? Oh! Maybe half of the limbs would be connected and the other half was not? So on and so forth as she rummaged through the drawers, picking out similar colors to the couple.

Peaches, hung on every word, imagining the possibilities along with her friend. According to her imagination, they’d be so adorable! She was picturing a girl, she’d probably look a lot like Rayman! Maybe with her hair color? Also, wavy, like hers, and have beautiful brown eyes like her father. Oh, she’d be wonderful! As she daydreamed, Peaches got up to grab some papers from the lower shelves, running her paws across fancy pastel and white paper. Hmmm? What papers should they use?

Maybe she could ask Peach? It was her idea, after all. So she began to turn to her friend, papers in paw, presenting them to her playfully. “So…y’wanna use the fancy papers or-”.

“AUGH!!”

A cry of agony erupted from her friend, sharp and sudden. As if it was laced with intense confused shock. Out of concern, Peaches whipped around to see her friend, dropping all the papers she had in her paws if she needed to catch her. What if something happened?!?! Was she hurt?!?

There she saw her dear friend, clutching her stomach. The princess’s teeth were gritted, clutching onto the drawer with her other hand. Then she breathed out a shaky breath, a pained expression on her face as she turned to look at her rabbid counterpart. “I- I’m fine, honey. I think it was just the babies kicking, o- or something.”. The princess raised herself, turning to face her body towards Rabbid Peach to reassure her she was okay. “Whew!! These troublemakers sure gave me a start! Looks like they have the strength of their parents, hmmm?”, she laughed nervously after she spoke.

Then the princess flinched again, sucking in a breath of pain. Her grip slipped off the drawer, causing her to lose her balance. Peaches shouted, “Woah!! Hey, hey, hey!!”, as she dove to her friend’s side. In an instant, Rabbid Peach caught her in her arms, holding her away the ground, making sure her belly did not make contact with the floor. Peach used the rabbid to stabilize herself, lifting herself off her shoulders.

Peaches couldn’t focus on her friend’s frantic mumblings of apologies. She had more things to worry about other than thanks!! Something was wrong with her friend!! Maybe she should get a doctor, one of the royal ones. Yes, that’d be the closest!! Okay, okay, then where should she go to get one? What would be the nearest room to here?

Her mind raced frantically as she helped to keep Peach upright. The fabric of her poofy maternity dress pressed against her fur. To her surprise, she felt a wet sensation against her. It made the fur on her leg damp, an uncomfortable sensation. She turned to look at the spot and-

Oh.

The princess’s water broke.

Oh @#$*.

Peach began to realize too, her breaths quickening with worry. “D-darling, I think that was my water. D- does that mean?”, the princess said shakily, tightly gripping onto the sleeves on Rabbid Peach’s shoulders in an attempt to ground herself. Peaches sucked in a deep breath, yikes, how should she deliver the news? “Okay, be calm, be calm. Casual. Cool about it. You don’t want her to freak out do you?”, Peaches thinks.

“Yeah… hon, I think the- “

The rabbid was cut off by the panic-filled voice of her friend, “The- the babies!! Gasp! They’re coming!! Oh Stars!! Oh Stars!!”. The princess held her friend close to her, awkwardly with her pregnant belly in the way. She held her tight as if she could crush her like a grape. Peaches didn’t know if it was from the pain of her contractions or out of sheer stress. It felt like it was the latter, her breathing becoming more rapid and her voice hoarse with terror.

Gently, Rabbid Peach rubbed her friend’s back, pawing at it in comforting circles. The way her friend had always liked it when the soreness of her pregnancy kicked in. “Hey! Hey…It’s gonna be okay, honey. Just take some breaths with me, like the doctors showed us, alright?”, the Rabbid cooed at her friend. To her relief, Peach followed her command taking a deep, shaky breath before exhaling. The human loosened her strong grip on her friend, clinging to the fabric of her blouse as she pulled away.

“Alright. This is official. The babies will be delivered today since she’s having pretty strong contractions. That’s cool! Unexpected, but we can work with this! Just get her to a safe place. Yeah! A safe spot to relax while you get the doctors, Mario, and all our friends here.”, Rabbid Peach thought, mind running a mile a minute.

This has to go well. She needed it to go well. Anything to ease her friend’s worries. Peaches moved to hold Peach’s hand, a strong, firm, comforting grip. The Princess held it back, continuing her breathing exercises. Her eyes pinched shut, fingers tightening around her friend’s paw. Maybe in an attempt to comfort herself.

Okay. Looks like Peaches will just have to lead her out. That’s okay! We’ve got this. So the Rabbid led her friend slowly out the door, alerting the Rabbid and Toad guards outside the room that the babies were coming.

Quickly, the Rabbid guards scampered off down the hallway, searching for the doctors and spreading the news. Peaches could feel her friend’s hand shaking. She seemed terrified, stumbling awkwardly as she walked. The Toad guards surrounded their princess, keeping her steady along with Peaches after their leader teetered a bit on her feet.

Rabbid Peach could hear the sounds of quiet, repressed sobs coming from her. It broke her heart, to see her friend in so much pain. Sure, she’d helped her counterpart with injuries in battles before. Horrible battles. This time was different though. This time, she couldn’t do anything to help her no magic, no healing, nothing! That thought frustrated her to no end.

Her friend’s tight squeeze on her paw broke her out of her spiraling thoughts. Ugh! Enough thinking about yourself! Think about your friend! Peach! She’s the one that needs help right now, not you! You still can help her! Just calm down, and comfort her dummy!!

“Okay. So the babies are coming. That’s okay! Everything is gonna be okay, hon! Now, just sit back, try to relax, and focus on not having the babies right this second. Got it?”, Peaches reassured her friend, rubbing her hand as they walked towards the delivery room, guards following closely behind. Luckily, it was close, just down the hallway. They just had to make it!! They can do this!

“Y- yeah! We can do this. I just… *phew* really need to sit down!”, Peach replied, teeth gritted in a forced, hopefully less stress-filled smile. Rabbid Peach winced when her friend suddenly squeezed her paw in a bone-breaking grip. Yeouch!! That must’ve been a bad contraction, Stars that hurt!!

Still, the Rabbid held strong for her Princess, biting her lip to prevent any noises of pain from escaping. Peach didn’t need any more stress right now. Slowly, the group led the princess to the delivery room bed, the doctors guided her away good!! That’s perfect! Okay, now what?

A sudden pang of dread hit her.

She was missing something. It was important, but AUGH!! What could it be?!?

…

Oh shoot.

Mario is nowhere near here right now.

=====================================

Mario felt the hot flare of a fireball barely streaking past him as he ducked behind the rubble of the entrance to Bowser’s castle. At least, he thought it missed him until he smelt the burning of his precious hat. Quickly he tore the hat off his head, throwing it to the ground and stomping out the flames in frustration. Oh please, of all the days Bowser had to try to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, of course now was the day! After all these months, now was the time? Seriously?!?!

Taking a breath, Mario accessed his surroundings, he had to make sure the citizens, now his subjects technically, were safe. As the Toads and Rabbids fleed around him, they remained scared, but physically unharmed. No horrid damage to buildings either, at least nothing they couldn’t fix.

So that meant…

Sigh… This was personal. Bowser was always the petty sort after all.

Bowser boomed out in a triumphant cry “HEAR ME CITIZENS OF THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM!! Today is the day, your RIDICULOUS PLUMBER HERO FALLS!!! BOW DOWN TO THE MIGHT OF THE NEW KOOPA-RABBID EMPIRE!! GRAHAHAHA!!”. His hovering clown car teetered loosely under his massive weight, standing a foot on it like a podium as he gloated his so-called victory.

Mario huffed in annoyance at the sound of the clown car’s cannon charging up another blast. Collecting himself, he reached into his satchel, pulling out his old reliable cape. His timing had to be perfect for this to work. And by the stars, he’d make it work.

The canon screeched as the flames charged, the plumber had about five seconds until it fired. He steels his courage as he counted down, blocking out Bowsers taunts being barraged at him. He stood up, concealing his cape behind the rubble so the turtle could not see it. Oh Stars, now its 3 seconds.

2, Mario decides to glare at the King of the Koopas, almost a look of disappointment. To think days like these would be over by now.

1, Bowser grins back at the hero, with a cocky grin. Not that he’d be smiling after this.

NOW!

The canon fired another ginormous ball of fire at him. The plumber could feel the white-hot heat blaring onto his skin. There was no time for fear, only action. So, with a simple flick of his cape, Mario deflected it right back at Bowser.

The ball collided with the Koopa’s vehicle, causing him to be launched straight into the fountain in the center of the plaza they fought in. With a loud crunch, Boswer’s body flung into the Princess Peach statue atop it, splitting it in half. As if in slow motion, his body went limp with defeat, sliding into the shallow waters below, causing waves to splash over the sides of the fountain.

Mario huffed a sigh of victory at the sight, taking in his frenemy’s defeat. While he knew he probably shouldn’t, he always felt a sense of pride one-upping the King before him. It had been months since their last fight, and Mario was pleased that he still had that sense of fight in him.

Dusting off his hands performatively, as if he was taking out the trash, Mario waved to the citizens around him that the fight was over, telling them to return to their daily lives and he and the Princess would make efforts to fix the buildings later. Finally, he took a moment to turn around to glance at Bowser, checking to see if he was alright. Sure, they fought, but he wouldn’t want him to drown or anything if he was unconcious!

What he found, had him holding back a chuckle with a hand. The massive turtle’s snout was just above the water as he laid on his belly, giving the red plumber a frustrated glare. A lily pad with a delicate flower on it was flopped between his horns, like a hat, the water boiling over with steam as fire burned within the Koopa’s body. He looked ridiculous to say the least. Bowser was always a sore loser, especially when it came to losing to Mario.

Bowser trudged through the water with a snort, smoke billowing out of his snout. “I WANT A REMATCH, PLUMBER! THIS ISN’T OVER YET!!”.

Mario smiled smugly, at him. Oh he seemed pissed off! Fine, he was still itching for a fight. Preparing a fighting stance, he braced himself, “Bring it on! I could-a do this all da-!”.

VRRRR VRRR VRRR VRR!!

He could feel the vibration of his phone in his pocket. Sighing, he held out a hand to Bowser, signaling him to wait. The turtle stopped in his tracks, looking at Mario in confusion.

“You need to take that?”

“Yeah, it’s from Peach.”

“Ah, I gotcha. You guys doing well? How’s the pregnancy going?”

“Good, good! They are doing great. I’ll catch up with you about it sometime, maybe over a game of golf?”

“Sure thing. Can I say hi to her?”

“Mmmmm… yeah. I guess that’s-a okay! I’ll put it on speaker.”

“Cool.”

The odd pair sat down on the crumbling rubble of the fountain, excitedly answering the call. Mario could feel Bowser bump against his side as shimmied in his seat, giddy to talk to Princess Peach.

“Hiya Princess-!“

“WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW MARIO?!?! PEACH IS IN LABOR!!”, the two were met with Rabbid Peach screaming at them.

The smile fell quickly on Mario’s face into a look of sheer horror. Looking over to his frenemy, his eyes went wide in surprise. Standing up, the plumber began to pace with his phone in hand, “Peaches! You can’t-a be serious, she wasn’t supposed to be due until a few weeks!”.

“Well she is now!! Peach needs you, so you better get your A$# over here NOW!!”

“I- Peaches I’m so far away right now!! Is she-a okay?!? Can they try to-a stall it or something? I don’t know!!”

“Yes, she’s okay. Yes, she’s safe. Yes, she’s with the doctors and NO they can’t stall it!! Just- figure something out!! STARS, I need to call the others- oh and Bowser, you get over here too! By-.”

The call cut off before she could even say bye. Mario was filled with dread for his wife. She was going through labor, without him to support her!! They had been planning out what to do about this for months! How could he slip up now, today of all days?!?!

Mario’s breaths began to quicken, feeling his heart beat uncomfortably fast. He needed to get to her- but how?!? How could he get to her all the way across the Mushroom Kingdom?!?!

His panicked thoughts were halted by Bowser’s massive hand on his shoulder. Stoically, the turtle said, “I know how we can get there.”. Picking the plumber up, he faced him towards the fountain, the clown car crashed into the stone pathway of the plaza, propellers still turning.

With a mutual nod of agreement, they raced towards the tattered vehicle.

=====================================

Rabbid Peach paced the hall outside the delivery room’s door. Her heart felt like it was beating a mile a minute, feeling her forehead clench with stress.

She called everyone. Luigi, Daisy, all of their friends were coming over, but out of all of them, of course it had to be the father of the babies being delivered right now that was missing!

Another shrill scream of pain erupted from her friend from behind the large door, along with the quiet reassurances of the doctors around the Princess. Rabbid Peach’s fur stood on end at the noise, bristling with worry.

Fine. If Mario wasn’t going to be there for her, she was!! Rabbid Peach shoved open the door, rushing over to her friend’s side. One doctor, a younger Toad, made noises of hesitaton at her action. “Wait! I’m pretty sure only family of the Princess can be here right now! I have to ask you to leave Miss… uh… Miss Rabbid.”

Just as Peaches was about to retort at the doctor, Princess Peach slammed her fist on the table beside her with a loud thump, causing all the people in the room to turn thier heads to her. To Rabbid Peach’s surprise, the Princess was shooting the doctor the nastiest glare she’d ever seen the her give. Clenching her teeth, the Princess spat out, “She IS family and she is STAYING here! That is an order from your Princess.”.

The toad gulped, sheepishly backing away from Peaches to continue tending to his Princess, “Y- Yes, your Majesty! Of course!”.

With a shaky breath, Princess Peach leaned back into the plush pillows of the maternity bed, pain returning to her once again, as if the high of her anger left her fast. It was heartbreaking seeing her friend look so… weak. The pain looked unbearable and Rabbid Peach found herself freezing, unsure of what to do to comfort her. She just wanted to take the pain far away from her friend, her family, but she couldn’t. The pained look of her friend gazing at her cleared away her thoughts.

“I-I can’t do it, Peachy. I can’t do this! I’m not ready. Mario’s not here, a- and- “, the Princess swallowed hard, tears streaming down her face as her lip quivered, weakly, her voice breaking as she whispered sharply, “I’m not ready to be a mother!”.

“I- I’m scared, darling.”, her voice broke as she sobbed weakly, clutching the bed’s railing in her hands. Gently, Peaches reached out to her counterpart, offering to hold her hand. The Princess accepted, gripping onto her paw firmly. A shudder of breath her friend’s body at the soft contact.

“You’re okay, Peach! You’ve got this. Just keep breathing, alright?”

“Okay, okay, huff… okay…”

Peaches didn’t know what caused it. Maybe it was the… strangely familiar look of pain and desperation in her friend’s voice. It was as if something snapped in, like a puzzle piece long missing fit perfectly into her brain.

She was flooded with memories. Her old colony, the warm, sweet smell of the Glade’s air. The soft touch of her mother’s paw as she walked alongside her. The rough texture of concrete against her feet as the colony met their new home. The smell of a once favorite food, far far away from this dimension.

Her sister’s sweet face as she held her kits for the first time.

Their proud smiles as she waved goodbye to them before entering that ever fateful washing machine.

It was weird how fast she acted. As if her body and mind were running on instinct. As if this situation was familiar, welcome, something that she had done once before. Many times before.

It was like, she couldn’t even think anymore. Just react. So she held the Princess’s hand soothingly, and spoke softly, at least, as soft as her normally harsh voice could manage.

“Hey, y’ wanna know why I knew so much about pregnancies?”

“W- Why?”

“Back in my old colony, my old home, I used to help Rabbids give birth. My mom, er- at least I think it was my mom, passed the position to me. So you’re in some really good hands right now!”

“Y-you actually remember that?”

“Bits and pieces sometimes, but all of the kits were super cute! You should’ve seen them, hon. They were real fuzzy, making such cute noises. Like yours will be soon!”

“Haha…hopefully not the fuzzy part…”

“Bwahaha! No, no, not the fuzzy part. Y’get what I mean though, right?”

“Mhm.”

“T- they’re called kits? Rabbids call their babies that?”

“Yup! Like little cute kittens.”

“Hehe! That’s…whew, that’s wonderful knowledge to have.”

“Adorable, huh?”

“Y- yeah. It is.”

“Y’know the cutest ones were when my nieces were born. Did I ever tell you I had a sister? I don’t know if I did.”

“N- no! You didn’t. C- can you tell me what she was like?”

“She was strong, like you. Her labor was tough, but she was tougher. Had a litter of six if I remember correctly! They were beautiful.”

“When she met them… h- how did she react?”

“It was the happiest I’d ever seen her. Her and her mate holding their kits. I was really happy for them. Proud. Like I’m proud of you now!”

“They’ll be beautiful, Peach. I just know it.”

“Thank you… Peaches.”

CRASHHHH!!!

An explosion at the other side of the door. In an instant, Peaches stood protectively infront of her friend, trying to shield her from any intruders that might come her way. It felt as if the world went silent as everyone stared in shock at the door. The door slowly creaked open revealing…

Mario and Bowser?!??!?

The pair stumbled out from behind the door, covered in tiny bits of rubble, dirt, and ash from seemingly an explosion, the creaking of the broken propellers on Bowser’s totaled clown car behind them. Mario and Peach stared at eachother, eyes glimmering with relief as their faces filled out with giddy love upon finding eachother again. Mario rushed to his wife’s side. The Princess pulled him into a hug, covering his chubby face with kisses.

“Where have you been my love? The babies are coming you know!!”

Mario turned to look back towards Bowser, who kicked a piece a rubble and looked awkwardly away from the couple. “I… had a bit of a fight with Bowser. He gave me a ride here though!”. The plumber gave his wife a thumbs up and a chuckle, as if that would try to make the situation better.

Rabbid Peach couldn’t help but stare dumbfoundedly at the massive turtle, as soon as Bowser met her gaze, he quickly looked away, seeming ashamed.

Softly, the Princess raised her voice, “Thank you, Bowser, for bringing my husband here. It really means a lot to me…”. It seemed genuine and sweet, as she stared up at Bowser with gratitude. The Koopa King blushed slightly and turned away her gaze, smoke billowing out of his nose.

“It was no problem, Princess…”, Bowser mumbled as he walked away from the pair, leaving the room.

The labor continued, Mario and Rabbid Peach supporting Princess Peach through every push. Everything was going well, she was in pain, but calming down. Baby A slipped out without any more problems. Peaches caught a glimpse of how happy Mario looked as he held his son in his arms. Joyful tears dripped onto the cloth the baby was swaddled in. Okay, first one done. Now, it was time to fight through Baby B’s delivery.

Without Mario to hold his wife’s hand, the Princess chose to tighten her grip on her Rabbid friend’s paw. It felt like her bones could crack from the tension. It took everything in her not to flinch in pain in her grasp, her expression fighting to remain cool and collected. Surely the Princess was going through worse, so she chose to toughen it out.

“One last push Princess!! Baby B is almost out. Keep pushing!!”

With one last push and scream of effort from the Princess, the second baby was out. It was over. They did it!! They actually did it!!

Relief overcame everyone in the room at the sound of the final baby’s cries. It was a beautiful baby girl. Gently, the young Toad doctor carried the infant to place into her mother’s arms. After swaddling up the baby in a pink, decorated blanket Peach and Peaches made, the princess cradled her baby in her arms. Happy tears streaming down her face.

The first baby, the boy, was also handed to her by Mario, now wrapped in a green blanket Peaches had made, little stitchings of powerups decorating it. Everyone in the room was sobbing, especially Mario, mustache drenched in his tears. His teary, puffy, immensely happy expression made his wife giggle at him.

With a nod to Mario, Rabbid Peach and Mario went to hug Princess Peach, taking in this sweet, priceless moment with her.

=====================================

After a beat of silence, Peaches spoke up, asking “So, what are you guys gonna name them?”.

With a relaxed sigh, Princess Peach responded, “For the boy…we decided on Lu. Heh, after Luigi, of course. For the girl, well…”. The Princess paused, smiling warmly, as if she was thinking about a cherished memory.

Looking back at her friend, Princess Peach finished her sentence, with the biggest smile on her face the Rabbid had ever seen, “Peaches. Peaches for the girl. That will be her name.”.

Rabbid Peach was taken aback. Peaches? No way. She must’ve misheard. The stress of the day weighing on her must be making her brain all foggy. They wouldn’t do that, would they? That’s her name! That’d be stupid. Having another Peaches around.

Wait…. Aha! That’s it!

“Ohhhh! Like Peach Jr., right?”

Mario chuckled, before gesturing with a hand toward Rabbid Peach, “No. She means Peaches. Like-a you.”.

“P- Peaches?!? Y- you’re gonna make this so confusing, hon. I’m already Peaches. Like, we all agreed on this.”

With an unladylike snort, the Princess replied with pride, “I know that, darling.”.

“Uh, yeah! Of course you know that. Then why-.”

Mario scoffed, cutting off the Rabbid’s rebuttal. How rude!! You know I’m right!! Peaches? Seriously?!? There’s already two people with the same name here! It was so much of a problem, they had to do nicknames to differentiate them! Peaches is her name! She claimed it!! So why was she going to name-

Wait.

WAIT A SECOND!!

Her quick dose of anger was extinguished. Not a trace left of fire within her. Only a mixture of confusion, shock, and a hint of the warm embrace of happiness. She was touched. Tears pricking at her eyes as her face scrunched up, ugly with raw emotion.

After a gross sniffle, Peaches choked out, “You- You guys wanna name your daughter after me? Seriously? Like, for real?”.

Peaches stood there, dumbfounded, looking at her friends. They smiled warmly at her, eyes puffy from their crying. The soft coos of their babies as they snuggled up in their mother’s arms. Their names, Lu and… Peaches.

Named… after her.

Tears began welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Her ears felt like they were on fire, overwhelmed with all the emotions she felt. She felt her face tense into what she was sure to be the ugliest form it could ever manage as the hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

The shock was just too much.

They were looking at her! Staring at her warmly with those stupid, genuine smiles on their faces!

She had to say something!!

“S- SHUT THE F@%# UP!! NO YOU GUYS AREN’T!!”

Laughter erupted from the couple along with the startled cries of their children at the loud noises. “P- Peaches! Dearie, do not curse in front of the babies!!”, Princess Peach said in between harsh laughter. She soothed her babies in a rocking motion, the biggest smile on her face.

From there, Rabbid Peach absolutely bawled her eyes out. The entirety of the heroes were slowly invited in, one at a time. She’ll never forget how much Bowser sobbed at the sight. Not with bitterness, like she expected, but pure happiness for the couple. Peaches left the room eventually, feeling the weight lift off her shoulders as soon as she began to exit, waving one last goodbye to the happy couple.

The Rabbid had no clue what overcame her in that room. The memories she had recovered were already blurry and fading fast. Though, whatever that was, she was thankful to relive them, even for just a moment. At least she knew at least a little bit about what her life, her family was like.

It felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. Letting out a satisfied sigh. Ah, she supposed it’s fine. The past is in the past and sides’-

Her family is here already. And, that’s enough, right?

Still, she was exhausted. It had already been a long day without the chaos of Peach’s sudden delivery. Peaches got there early in the morning to accompany her friend on her daily stroll, like she always did. Every day for almost nine months.

Nine whole months, huh? Wow. Time seemed to fly by so fast.

Y’know… now that this is over, she might actually miss this. Spending this much time with the Princess on the regular. The two learned a lot about each other over the pregnancy, good and bad. She wouldn’t trade that time she spent for anything. There were no regrets.

Rabbid Peach breathed out a sigh of relief as she finally was able to exit the delivery room. She felt so drained from the stress and craved even a second just to relax. To her surprise, her boyfriend Rayman was waiting outside the door, a goofy smile on his face, a cup of her favorite coffee in hand. “Hey, Peachy. Long day, huh? I got you your favorite coffee from the city!”.

“Oh you have no, idea.”, Peaches chuckled. The rabbid fell into his chest, taking in the familiarity of his smell. Pfft! Was he using her shampoo? Ah well, it smelled nice.

“Thanks hon.”, Peaches planted a tender kiss on his lips, pulling him close. He tasted sweet, a hint of caramel perhaps. Hm, I guess he might’ve gotten something at the coffee shop too. For a while, she held the kiss, pulling away as she delicately snatched the coffee out of his hand. She couldn’t help but giggle looking up at him, that dumb, lovestruck look on his face. “I missed you, Ray. Thanks for stopping by to pick me up.”.

“Heh! It’s uh- hehe… It’s no problem! I missed you too, sunshine.”, Rayman replied shyly, scratching a hand through his hair awkwardly. The poor guy had always felt shy about doing sappy stuff, but Peaches was proud to see it. He was trying his best and she found it adorable to she his flustered face every time she made a move towards him.

From there, they walked home towards the portal that would take them back to the Space Opera Network’s planet. From there, they could finally head home. Peaches was sure to pass out the moment she touched the bed they shared at thier apartment. As they quietly took in the gorgeous night sky among the beautiful scenery of the castle’s gardens, Rayman decided to strike up conversation again.

“Is the Princess okay?”

“Yeah. She’s okay. Just a stressful day is all. Better to leave them alone for now.”

“Wanna go get some takeout on the way home?”

“Oh you know I’d love to.”

Rayman bumped into her side playfully as they walked together, whisking a hand over to her waist to pull her closer to him. She leaned on him, cherishing the warmth of his hand and the plush softness of his hoodie. Being with him felt like home. He was perfect.

She… wanted to spend the rest of her life with this… beautifully goofy man. Raise a family with him. So, why not ask the question now?

“Hey, Ray?”

“Hm?”

“What do you think about… starting a family someday?”

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