#no she's just gonna happily kill some guys and go 'u sound like a woman and women suck except 4 me and other action heroes'

[smallhatlogan]

another still weird after all these years asoiaf fandom thing is all the people who watched Game of Thrones, then read the books, and then didn't immediately realize "wow Game of Thrones kind of sucks actually" and drop it as soon as Sansa married Ramsay

[baroquebucky]

caress

soulmate au where when you touch your soulmate you see glimpses of your future with them; the winter soldier touches you and realizes there’s so much more out there

series masterlist // previous // epilogue

part five

word count: 6k (v worth it me thinks)

masterlist

a/n: the final official part has arrived bffs </3 i will be doing an epilogue of just pure fluff do not fret <333 i hope u all enjoy this one !! made it xtra long for y’all <3 let me know what you guys think pls !! , i cried writing jt and the ending is my favorite thing ever eeek !!!

You were sitting on the couch next to Natasha, it was quiet as the news played on the tv in front of the two of you, news reporters talking about the aftermath of Thanos’ doing. 

23 days.

23 days since you had lost half the team, since you had lost half the universe. Since you had lost bucky.

Life was dull, you cried for hours on end at night, longing filling your chest. Sometimes you would dream of him, a smile on your face as you slept. Then you would wake up, reaching out next to you in hopes of your fingers being met with the cold vibranium of his arm. You were met with cold sheets, emptiness.

Steve missed him too, sometimes he would sit next to you when you were in tears, placing an arm around you and comforting you as best he could. Natasha and him took turns watching over you, making sure you stayed healthy.

The sound of low rumbling brought you out of the trance you were in, you furrowed your brows and looked at nat, she looked back at you equally as confused. As you went to get up things around you started shaking, steve came of the restroom concerned.

“what the hell is that?” You questioned, Rhodey and banner walking into the room together. The five of you ran out into the yard, looking up your eyes went wide. You recognized carol carrying the giant ship, you had met briefly when she came to earth after receiving Fury’s signal.

Your mouth flew open and tears filled your eyes as you saw tony, a smile on your face as Steve ran to tony, steadying him as the woman next to him handed him off.

The rest of you watched from afar as pepper ran up to tony, the two hugging. You felt your heart tug in your chest as the two soulmates embraced.

You were sat next to thor as while the others explained what happened, though you figured from the pain in their eyes they had suffered the consequences of thanos’ actions themselves.

“whats wrong with them?” Tony asked, looking at you and thor.

“oh he’s pissed, he thinks he failed, which he did-” the raccoon continued to talk but you zoned out.

“did barnes..?” Tony asked softly and steve nodded, his eyes softened, if he had the energy he would’ve gotten up and hugged you.

As they continued to talk you could see tony getting angrier at the captain, you hated it. You hated knowing that things would most likely never be the same between the two friends. You watched teary eyed as the two argued, the lump growing in your throat.

Thor placed his hand on you arm gently, reassuring you everything would be okay. You looked up and saw tony take out his arc reactor, shoving it into Steve’s hand.

“here, take this. You find him, and you put that on, you hide” tony spat, immediately falling to the ground. Steve was quick to catch him, holding him up.

Before you knew it he was passed out, steve carrying him quickly to a bed with steve and Rhodey hot on his heels.

You sat back down next to thor, he handed you some of whatever he was snacking on and you smiled at him softly. The two of you watching the rest of the team bicker and talk about where thanos was.

“-unfortunately they didn’t have you guys” carol replied to Rhodey, you looked at thor, nudging him and he nodded, getting up while he still chewed.

Thor walked up to carol, holding his hand out as Stormbreaker came to him, barely missing carol. The two stared at each other before thor nodded.

“I like this one” he turned to you and you gave him a tight lipped smile.

“Let’s go get this son of a bitch” steve spoke, a determined look on his face as everyone moved to get ready.

“y/n are you not coming?” Steve spoke and you hesisted, looking around before shaking your head.

“I’m gonna stay here with tony and pepper, in case they need something” you replied, fiddling with the dog tags you still wore around your neck.

Steve knew that wasn’t the reason, but he didn’t push you, simply nodding his head, giving you a hug and then walking away.

You sat back on the couch after letting pepper know you would be there if they needed anything. You let your mind wander back to the flash on you and bucky at a picnic, the sun seemed so bright and you caught yourself smiling as you thought of bucky. Your eyes were closed as you seemingly looped the flash of your futures in your head.

“isn’t the sunset so beautiful james” you sighed contently, a small smile on your face as you looked at the pinks and reds. You turned to look at bucky, but he was gone. “Bucky?” Your heart raced, tears in your eyes as you looked around.

“y/n?” You whipped around quickly, mouth falling open as you saw bucky fading into dust.

“no!” You cried out, running to catch him.

Your eyes shot open and your heart raced in your chest. That can’t be right, that can’t happen. Bucky was your soulmate. Those visions were set in stone they had to happen, those were the rules, they can’t just change all of a sudden. Right?

You peeked into the room, checking in on tony and pepper.

“can i get some water actually?” Pepper asked and you nodded, quickly coming back with water and some snacks for her. “Thanks” you whispered and you smiled at her.

“they’ll bring him back, i know they will” pepper reassured you. You gaveher the best smile you could manage and replied, “i know.”

You held out hope for the time the others were out. Shaking away the thought of the flashes of your future changing. It’s just because I’m on edge, that’s it. You reasoned, your leg bouncing as you waited for them to return.

Everyone walked in, you ran up to them hopeful for good news, you looked at steve with a smile, hugging him and holding your hand in his. He felt his heart crush in his chest, this was the happiest you’d been since the decimation and it was going to be torn from you immediately.

“so? did you get the stones? when are we getting everyone back? Does someone need to snap or clap or what? did you guys kill him?” You rushed out, eyes shining in hope as you looked at everyone. Your stomach fell as you saw the look on their faces.

“he destroyed them” Natasha spoke cautiously, “there’s no more stones, we- there’s nothing we can do.”

“oh,” was all you managed to say, your hand going limp in Steve’s, you felt a new wave of pain coming up and you didn’t want to have another meltdown infront of them.

“y/n, please we’re here for you” steve spoke, trying to grasp your hand again after you pulled it out of his.

“I’m fine” you smiled, walking away quickly to your room. Steve sighed, going to follow you but Natasha stopped him, knowing you would want some space.

You laid on your bed, at first nothing happened, you just looked up at your ceiling, an emptiness in your chest. Then it all hit you.

Bucky was gone, there was nothing that could bring him back. The one person you were destined to was gone and you couldn’t do a single thing about it. The little time you had together wasn’t nearly enough to you. The two day trips to wakanda left you wanting more, but you could never get more time. You were always out of time.

For years you had been praying to finally touch your soulmate, to meet them and live a long happy life together. You knew you would never get that the moment you reached out to bucky and saw your future with him. You knew the road would be bumpy but you held out hope, both of you did. You tried to keep him within your grasp, you tried to hold him close to your heart for as long as you could despite knowing you were out of time. You thought of how he would embrace you, how he would keep you safe in his arms while you slept.

Now you slept in an empty bed, knowing there wouldn’t be a next visit to wakanda. Knowing your soulmate was gone and you didn’t get to say goodbye. Knowing you were back to where you started- Alone.

——

Five years.

It had been five years since the Decimation happened, everyone else called it the blip.

Gently, you set down the bag of groceries, finally closing your apartment door after your third trip up. You arranged everything quietly, 40s music softly playing from your speaker and the jingle of Buckys dog tags filling the apartment.

You never took them off. They were all you had of him, they were the only thing to keep you going. You would fiddle with them and hold them close to your chest. They brought you comfort. The same comfort bucky would give you, the comfort he had given you during your time in wakanda. The same you should’ve had right in this moment.

One more fight

The words rang in your ears, taunting you. Rage, sadness and pain all filled your chest, your heart aching as you finished putting everything away, shutting the music off and turning on the tv. You looked down at the dog tags that rested on your chest, tears welling in your eyes as you read over them.

The hot tears fell down your face and you held the dog tags tightly in your hands, mind going blank as you let yourself wallow in the pain for a moment.

Your phone rang and you wiped your tears away, sniffling as you saw Steve’s contact picture. You hesisted before answering.

“hi steve!” You spoke brightly, putting on your best act.

“hey y/n how are you?” Steve spoke smoothly and you wiped at your tears before replying.

“I’m doing good! Just got back from the grocery store” you wanted to hang up, to just watch reruns of your favorite show and forget about everything

“are you sure?” Steve spoke cautiously and you replied quicker than you intended, “course I’m sure!”

Then there was a knock on your door.

“great because I’m outside” steve replied happily, hanging up and waiting outside. Your stomach fell, you looked in the mirror, your eyes and nose were redándolo your cheeks flushed.

Quickly you ran to splash water on your face, taking in a shaky breath as you dried your face and moved to open the door, putting a smile on your face and greeting steve.

“if it isn’t my favorite captain” you smiled, steve looked at you warily, taking you into a hug after you let him in.

“you forget i have enhanced hearing y/n, i know you were sniffling right before opening the door” steve spoke bluntly and your shoulders fell. “y/n, you can’t keep shutting me out, Natasha is worried about you too” he spoke softly, taking your hand and leading you to your couch.

“i just miss him” you whispered and steve sighed, pulling you into him so your head rested on his chest, he wrapped his arms around you as you cried quietly.

“i know, i do too, we just have to learn to live without him, he would want you to start a life y/n, you don’t have to be alone” steve spoke. His presence was calming.

You and steve had been friends for so long, there was a reason he knew he could call you when SHIELD fell. You were the one to help him adjust to modern society, you were his first friend out of the ice.

“how about you go shower and change, and I’ll make some food for us okay? We can watch your show while we eat” steve smiled, he knew you hadn’t showered in three days from the way your hair was tangled and messily thrown into a ponytail.

“okay” you nodded, smiling softly as he helped you up, handing you some tissues before the two of you headed to do your own things.

You were grateful for steve, he had always been there to check up on you, constantly making sure you were okay. You had basically shut everyone else out, Natasha didn’t really reach out. You didn’t blame her.

You walked out of your room, the smell of pasta hitting your nose and your stomach growled, steve smiled as he set out the two plates.

“tried my best” he mumbled and you shook your head.

“thank you steve” you hugged him tightly and he returned it, letting go after a couple moments so the two of you could eat.

“i saw some whales the other day” you spoke up, “when i was coming up the bridge” steve smiled, glad to know you were leaving the apartment.

“fewer ships, cleaner water” he nodded, “might tell Nat, I’m sure she could use some good news” you nodded.

The two of you ate in silence, watching your favorite show as you did. Steve stayed for a bit longer before heading back to the compound. He hugged you tightly and you held onto him.

“promise you’ll reach out” steve pleaded and you nodded, “I’ll try” he smiled at your words, it was a start.

It hadn’t even been an hour when steve was calling you again, you rolled your eyes as you answered the phone.

“steve im not crying i swear” you joked, a small smile on your face.

“you have to get to the compound” he spoke in a serious tone and your stomach dropped, “scott Lang is here” you felt your heart race.

“wasn’t he- i thought he-” you cut yourself off, moving to get a jacket and your car keys, “I’m on my way.”

When you arrived you rushed towards the living room watching as Scott paced infront of steve and Natasha

As you set next to steve, scott began to ramble, talking about quantum physics and his time i. The quantum realm.

“wait, are you talking about a time machine?” You asked him, and he shook his head.

“no, of course not, it’s like a- yeah a time machine i know it’s crazy but there’s gotta be a way” scott mumbled.

“Scott, i get emails from a raccoon, nothing sounds crazy anymore” you smiled at natashas comment.

“so who do we talk about this?” Scott asked nervously, you and steve looked at each other for a second.

Tony.

The four of you approached the cabin, your heart heavy as your eyes land on tony. You knew how much he wanted to just stay out of everything, he was happy for once, he was with his soulmate, he had a family.

“we know what it sounds like” Scott spoke as he finished explaining his plan.

You were quiet as tony and steve talked, Scott joining in when he mentioned his plan of a time heist.

“we can bring everyone back” Natasha reasoned and tony scoffed a little. “Or we could make things worse” he stated and you shifted. The four bickered for a while longer before you spoke up.

“Tony, we have to take a stand” his eyes landed on you and his gaze softened a bit.

“we did stand, and yet here we are” he spoke sharply.

“i know you got a lot on the line, a wife, a daughter, but i lost someone very importantly me, a lot of people did-” you zoned out as Scott spoke, your eyes resting on the lake and watching as the water moved slowly.

“Mommy told me to come and save you!” Morgan smiled as Tony picked her up. You smiled at the pair.

“good job, I’m saved” tony smiled at her, he turned to you guys before sighing, “i wish you’d come to ask for something else, i missed you guys” his eyes were soft and he spoke sincerely.

“I’m happy for you, i really am. But this is a second chance” steve pleaded and tony replied quickly, “i got my second chance right here.”

“Aunt y/n!” Morgan smiled as her eyes landed on you, wiggling out of her dads grasp as she ran to hug you.

“hi little stark” you smiled, picking her up with ease and carrying her on your hip.

Tony smiled at you as the steve and Natasha looked at you in confusion.

“i visit, I’m not a horrible person” you mumbled, you knew steve would have some choice words for you later.

“If you don’t talk shop, you can stay for lunch” tony spoke up, the others sighed, walking towards the car.

You set Morgan down, telling her to head inside. You gave Tony a hug, “I’ll visit soon, just haven’t been feeling the best” you mumbled and he rubbed your back.

“you always have a room here y/n” he smiled softly and you nodded, waving goodbye before going the other three in the car.

“we’re gonna need a big brain” steve spoke, Scott looked at him in disbelief.

“bigger than his?” Scott questioned and you rolled your eyes, knowing you would be seeing Bruce soon.

“can you drop me off at home actually?” you spoke up, steve looking at you for a moment before nodding, driving to your apartment building. You got out quickly and said goodbye, “let me know what you guys find” steve, Natasha and Scott nodded, wishing you goodnight.

The cold New York air nipped at your skin as you rushed up your stairs, holding your jacket tightly as you fumbled with your key and let yourself in, sighing when you closed the door.

You changed into your pajamas quickly, brushing your teeth before grabbing the notebook and your pen on your nightstand and sliding into bed. You flipped to the next empty page as you began to write.

hi james,

today was okay, steve came over and found me crying. he stayed and made dinner, he’s been taking care of me for a while now, i feel kinda guilty.

You continued to write into the journal, letting all your feelings pour out into the page. As you finished for the night you clicked you pen and set them on your nightstand. You had finished all the pages in the notebook already. With a sigh you got up from your bed, grabbing the small notebook and placing it on the floor as you reached for a container under your bed.

You reached for the lid and opened it, there were numerous other notes book, you placed the one you had just written in next to your last one, closing the lid and sliding it back under your bed.

For the past five years you’ve been writing to bucky, it helped you stay somewhat sane. If he ever came back you didn’t want him to feel left out, you wanted to make sure he felt like he didn’t miss those five years of your life. You wanted him to be there. Your hands fiddled with the dog tags as you laid on your side.

You needed him to be here with you.

The next morning you woke up to a call from steve, with fuzzy vision your answered the phone, bringing it to your ear.

“hello?” You mumbled and steve spoke quickly, your eyes widened as he spoke.

“tony found a way” was all you needed to hear to have you scrambling to get ready.

“be there in 30” you rushed out, a smile on your face. You felt hope blossoming in your chest, thoughts of the picnic with bucky flooded your mind as you got ready.

You were going to get him back. You were going to be together.

You ran into the compound as smiled at those around you, rocket looked at you in shock when you smiled at him.

“didn’t know she did that” he remarked and Scott looked at him equally as shocked.

“Steve! Tony!” You beamed, crashing into them and taking them into a group hug. You let out a sigh of happiness.

“Is it true? Can we actually get them back?” Your eyes shined and tony found his heart growing, it had been so long since you had been happy.

“we have a shot kid” he nodded, “Clint just tried it out and it worked,” your smile grew, throwing your arms around him as everyone gathered into the room

“well what are we waiting for? Let’s plan this heist!” You smiled, looking at everyone and steve nodded.

You listened as everyone spoke, sharing their knowledge on the stones. You sat next to Natasha who was taking notes, glancing over at them your gears turned, speaking up as they talked about Stephen Strange.

“he lived in New York?” You questioned and they nodded, Tony rolling his eyes at you, “are you paying attention?”

“if you pick the right year there’s three stones in New York” you replied quickly, everyone looking at you in surprise.

Not long after your realization there was finally a formulated plan. You were nervous, excited and hopeful. You were going to get everyone back, you were going to get bucky back.

“Six stones, three teams, one shot” you mumbled, everyone nodding as you looked at the plan you had come up with steve and tony.

“I’ll stay behind just in case, you all know what you’re doing and ive been out of the loop so” you trailed off and they nodded.

“you already did enough, i mean you came up with the whole plan” tony scoffed and you smiled at him.

“you guys got this” you encouraged them, natasha smiling at you. Without hesitating you pulled the three in for a hug, squeezing tightly before letting go.

“okay, go kick some ass” you smiled.

The team filed onto the time machine and you waited by the buttons, looking for steve signal.

“see you in a minute” natasha called out to you and you waved goodbye, pressing the buttons and holding your breath and they all shrunk and disappeared from your sight.

It was only a minute later when they all appeared, you smiled as you ran up to them, quickly doing a headcount. Your stomach fell when you saw Natasha was missing.

“Clint wheres nat” you asked quietly, voice shaking. He didn’t reply. You stumbled back, teary eyed as you walked out.

You looked at the lake, steve, Tony, thor, Clint and Bruce gathered around you.

“do we know if she had any family?” Tony asked and you scoffed.

“us” steve spoke up and Thor looked at them confused.

“you’re acting like she’s dead, why are we acting like she’s dead?” Thor spoke up, his voice growing louder and you winced as he continued, Clint soon jumping in and arguing with him. The two men shouted and you let your tears fall silently, steve noticed and wrapped an arm around you, pulling you into his chest.

“she’s not coming back” Bruce mumbled quietly.

“we have to make it worth it” you spoke up, wiping your tears and standing up.

“we will” steve spoke, getting up after you did.

“the what are we waiting for” you looked at them with a small smile, squeezing Clint’s arm before walking past him and into the lab.

You waited anxiously for them to finish the gauntlet, jumping up when rocket walked in with it in hand.

“who’s gonna snap their freaking fingers?” Thor spoke up, immediately volunteering.

“no Thor, wait a second” you stopped him, everyone else protesting his actions.

“what we’re just waiting for the right opportunity?” He huffed and Scott spoke up.

“we should at least discuss it”

Thor nodded his head, speaking up again, “I’m the strongest avenger this is my responsibility, it’s my duty” you were quick to stop him.

“it’s not about that” you spoke gently. He furrowed his brows and turned to look at you angrily.

“stop it! Just let me!” You could see the tears in his eyes, “let me do something good, something right”

Tony explained to him the power the stones had, trying to reason for him to not do it. Thor argued right back before Bruce cut him off, explaining how it almost killed thanos when he snapped and how no one else could survive it.

“how do you know you will?” Steve asked cautiously.

“it’s mainly gamma, it’s like i was made for this” he whispered as everyone moved back you noticed Nebula was missing.

Bruce’s grunts of pain made you focus back onto him, “are you okay? talk to me!” You screamed, frantic as he yelled in pain.

“I’m okay!” He spoke fighting against the pain and snapping his fingers, you held your breath as he did so, your heartbeat thumping in your ears.

You looked out the window and saw two birds, a smile on your face as you realized it had worked. Clint had a smile on his face as he answered a call, “honey, honey!” He spoke.

You turned to tell the team it had worked, but before you could you were blasted away by missiles, the compound crumbling underground.

You groaned as you heard rocket calling out for her, you and Rhodey doing your best to free him. Finally he wiggled free, the three of you sighing before your eyes went wide. A flood of water washing over the three of you as you panicked.

Rhodey called for help and you heard Scott on the other end. You kept your head up high, trying to not drown, rocket clung onto you as Bruce tried to hold the structure up.

“see you on the other side” Rhodey spoke and you geared up shaking your head.

“Hang on! I’m coming!” Scott yelled and you tried your best to stay above water, Rhodey struggling next to you as rocket clung onto your back.

Before you knew it you were clinging onto Scott as he turned into giant man, Rocket continued to Clint onto you and Rhodey held on for fear life.

Scott placed you and rocket down, you spotted the wakandans next to you and ran towards them, smiling as you saw t’challa and shuri amongst them.

“shuri!” You cried out, hugging her tightly. She handed you a gun and some knives and you quickly strapped them to you. “How’d you know” you smiled and she shrugged.

“you people never seem prepared for battle” she teased and you smiled, standing next to her as you prepared to face thanos’ army.

Your eyes scanned the crowd for bucky, heart beating louder and louder and you couldn’t find him. You ran onto the battlefield with everyone, immediately shooting and fighting the aliens off.

You shot them as fast as you could, but they were quickly surrounding you, grunting as one of them tackled you,

Before you could even think of grabbing a knife it’s body fell limp and you pushed it off you, looking at the bullet wounds.

“hope you haven’t been fighting like that this whole time doll”

You felt your heart drop and your stomach flutter. Bucky.

You turned around quickly, a smile on your face as your eyes met his baby blue one. Your smile grew as you ran towards him, dropping your gun and throwing yourself onto him. He picking you up as you wrapped your legs around his waist, holding you tightly.

“you’re here, you’re back, you’re here” you spoke over and over, tears streaming down your cheeks as you buried your face into the crook of his neck.

“I’m here doll” he reassured you, holding onto you tightly and closing his eyes for a moment. The sound of an alien screaming made you snap out of your bubble.

You groaned as you picked up your gun, shooting it in the head before turning back to bucky, you smiled at him before crashing your lips onto his. He smiled into the kiss, leaning in for a second before the two of you pulled away.

“been waiting five years to do that” you spoke breathless and bucky smiled at you.

“after this you can kiss me all you want sweets” he spoke and you giggled, moving to press your backs against one another, shooting at the aliens.

You thought back to wakanda, how familiar it all was. But this time you would win. This time it was your last fight, you would win and you could go home with bucky. You could be with your soulmate.

You watched as the other tossed the gauntlet around, trying to keep it away from thanos.

“Bucky we have to go help them!” You called out and he nodded, the two of you running towards where steve, Thor and tony were, helping fend off the aliens attacking them.

You saw thanos get the gauntlet and you felt you blood run cold, you froze in your spot. Please, not again. You turned to bucky, dropping your weapon as you clung onto him tightly.

“not letting you go again” you mumbled, kissing him before letting go and grabbing a knife from your suit and running towards the titan.

You threw the knife at thanos with all you had, lodging it in his shoulder. He cried out in pain as it stabbed him, giving Tony the chance to attack him once more, pulling the gauntlet before Thanos punches him away.

“I am inevitable” thanos spoke, your blood ran cold as he snapped, flinching away when he did. When nothing happened you looked at him once more, a smile on your face as you saw the glove had no stones.

“And i” tony spoke, “am Iron man” he snapped his fingers, the white light blinding you before bucky pulled you into him, shielding you from the light.

As the two of you looked again you saw the aliens fading into dust. You held Buckys hand tightly, your knuckles white. You looked at him in excitement, wrapping your arms around his neck when you realized you had won.

You had won.

Turning quickly you ran to look for tony and steve, the smile falling from your face when you saw peter over Tony’s body.

You ran towards him, falling to your knees next to him.

“tony? no you can’t” you shook your head, tears welling in your eyes and he turned to look at you.

“hey kid, take care of my girls yeah?” He smiled and you shook your head, “you can take care of em you have to hold on a bit longer” you protested.

“always told you that you had one hell of a throw” he chuckled dryly, “‘ts what helped me get the stones” he smiled gently and you broke down into tears, “you have him now, you’ll be okay” he whispered.

Bucky pulled you aside, letting pepper speak to tony. You cried into Buckys chest, not knowing what would happen to you if you looked back.

It happened so fast.

You were in a black dress outside the cottage you had visited countless time. You didn’t imagine the next time you visited would be for Tony’s funeral.

Bucky held your hand, his thumb making small circles on the back of your hand to calm you down. You could help but lean into him, his presence relaxing you immediately.

You smiled fondly as you thought back to the time tony tried to talk you into breaking up with bucky one time after you came back from wakanda. You knew he was joking but he still felt a little bad, buying you dinner as compensation

As the service ended you followed bucky, steve and Sam to the time machine where Bruce waited.

You stood next to bucky as steve said goodbye to Sam, walking up to you guys next.

“Don’t do anything stupid ‘til i get back” steve spoke and bucky smiled.

“how can i? you’re taking all the stupid with you” the hugged tightly for a bit before pulling apart.

“gonna miss you buddy” bucky sighed and steve looked at him softly.

“it’s gonna be okay buck” he turned to you.

“bye steve” you let out softly, bottom lip quivering. He hugged you tightly, kissing your temple softly.

“you’re still gonna be my favorite best friend” he spoke softly and you smiled, letting out a soft chuckle before sniffling.

“you finally have him back y/n, you’re gonna be happy, i promise” you nodded and hugged him one more time, knowing it would be the last time.

As he stepped into the time machine you melted into Buckys side, he put an arm around you and kissed the top of your head.

Steve vanished as he went to return the stones, seconds later Bruce signaled to bring him back, but he didn’t appear.

“where is he?” Sam spoke, worry lacing his voice.

“I don’t know he blew right past his time stamp, he should be here” Bruce panicked and you and bucky looked around your eyes landing Onondaga older version of him sitting on a log.

You nudged bucky as you heard sam and Bruce arguing.

“sam” you called out, looking at him before back at steve. Sam walked towards you cautiously as you pointed at steve.

“go ahead” bucky spoke to the man, the two of you smiled at sam as he approached steve.

You and bucky smiled as steve handed sam the shield. A grin on your face as he put the shield on his arm.

“he’s gonna be a great captain america” bucky smiled fondly and you nodded. “Steve made the right choice” you added.

The two of you walked away hand in hand, getting into your car and heading back to your apartment. Bucky settled in quickly, sitting on your couch and pulling you down with him, a small squeal leaving your lips as your back crashed onto his chest.

“missed you so much buck” you mumbled, wiggling so that you could cuddle into him, leaving open mouthed kisses on his neck and onto his jawline.

“i missed you too doll” he whispered, kissing you softly, his hand moving to the back of your neck. He pulled away when he pinky felt the familiar chain of his dog tags, hooking it onto his pinky and pulling them out from under your shirt.

“you kept them?” He looked at you teary eyed and you nodded, heart racing.

“they were the only thing left of you, course i did” you smiled, taking them off and placing them onto him, fixing them so that they laid on his chest.

“that reminds me!” You smiled, getting off of him and running to your room, pulling the bin from under your bed and carrying it towards bucky.

“i- uh- when you were gone i wrote in these journals almost everyday, to kinda keep you up to date for when you got back” you smiled sheepishly and bucky felt his heart grow in his chest.

“you never lost faith?” He questioned, he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. You shook your head.

“sometimes i wanted to” you mumbled, holding his hand in yours, “but you never took me on a picnic so i wasnt letting you go so easily” you pouted and he smiled, kissing you.

The two of you smiled into the kiss, giggling and he peppered kisses all over your face.

“I’m your forever y/n y/l/n” bucky whispered, his forehead resting against yours. You felt your heart rate speed up, your stomach full of butterflies. Closing your eyes as you relished the moment.

“and I’m yours forever bucky barnes” you kissed him softly before opening your eyes, the two of you pulling away a bit.

You reached out and caressed his cheek, you smiled at each other. You finally had your soulmate, and you had forever together.

[artificialqueens]

Take You to Heaven (And I'll Show You All Around It), 1/2 (Rosenali) - Mattels

summary: rosé is sure the woman who orders coffee under a different name every morning is trying to fuck with her (not, as jan put it, trying to fuck her.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29601828/chapters/72762987#workskin

-

It’s a Monday and Rosé feels like death.

She’s sure she looks it too, if she’s being honest. She woke up early– like five-o’clock-sky-still-dark early– nursing a spectacular hangover and then promptly rolled out of bed to throw up in her and Lagoona’s shared bathroom. She has a killer bruise on her shin from God knows what last night, and her head is still fucking killing her despite the off-brand Advil Crystal had handed her, whilst pretending she wasn’t laughing at her state.

Don’t let Lagoona convince you to go out on a Sunday, she thinks to herself, rubbing her under eyes to find pieces of glitter stubbornly clinging to her skin.

“Are you okay, hun?” Gigi asks her when she arrives at her job in their seemingly perpetually-empty café, arranging delicate cakes in the fluorescently lit pastry case.

Rosé groans slightly in response, lowering her forehead to rest on the cool metal of the cash register.

Gigi laughs, “and remind me again why you decided clubbing on a Sunday was okay…?”

“Fucking ‘Goona.”

She barks another laugh at this, reaching behind her for a pile of croissants Jackie had baked earlier. “Getting old?”

Rosé lifts her head to glare at Gigi, who, of fucking course, looks perfect as ever. Her ginger hair is pulled into a sleek ponytail, bangs neatly straightened into uniformity. Gigi is easily one of the prettiest girls Rosé’s ever seen, even in their decidedly unfashionable company-branded aprons. She only works at the café part-time, spending the rest of it at one of the best fashion schools in the city; her designs are always executed with excruciatingly minute details, Rosé knows she wouldn’t have the patience for.

“We open in ten, girls!” Jaida calls from the back, where she counts inventory with Jackie on her heels, writing everything down neatly in a notebook.

“Geege, are you nearly done?” Crystal, who’s wiping down tables at the front with disinfectant, asks. “Can you help me with chairs?” She asks when Gigi responds with an affirmative.

Gigi wanders around to the front of the shop, planting a chaste kiss on Crystal’s cheek when she passes her to grab the chairs stacked in the back. Rosé mimes stuffing her fingers down her throat with an exaggerated gag to Jan, who’s refilling bottles of flavoured syrup behind the espresso machine.

“Fucking ew,” Jan says rolling her eyes in mock-disgust to Rosé. “You hear that guys?” She says loudly, and Gigi and Crystal both turn to look at her, “your love is fucking disgusting.”

Crystal laughs loudly, tipping her head back so Rosé can see into her mouth. “Okay homophobe, whatever you say.”

Jan rolls her eyes, flipping the pair of girls off, who both laugh lightly. “First of all, Crystal Elizabeth, I’ve slept with more women than you have fingers, so fuck off, thank you very much.”

Crystal coughs loudly, which sounds suspiciously like dry spell, leaning over to Gigi and planting a kiss ending with a resonant smack, snickering when Gigi blows an equally obnoxious kiss in Jan and Rosé’s direction.

“This is a workplace, sluts!” Rosé sighs, “if I have to clean ass prints off those tables one more fucking time, I’m sending HR a very strongly worded email!”

Crystal roars with laughter at a red-faced Gigi, who ducks her head and tries to bury herself into Crystal’s shoulder. “It was one time!” She squeaks.

“And that’s one time too many,” Jan says with a pointed look at Crystal, who gives her a shit-eating grin in return.

Crystal holds her hands up in mock-surrender, “sorry mom.” 

Rosé cracks a smile at Jan’s outraged face, busying herself with filling a plastic cup with tap water to avoid being on the end of Crystal’s razor sharp tongue. Her head throbs as she downs the liquid, filling it up again as she swallows.

She checks the time on her phone, cursing under her breath when she realises they open in two minutes. Already she can see a woman standing outside their glass doors, clearly waiting for Jaida to flip their sign to Open.

“Opening up!” Jaida calls, coming out of their back storage room to open their door. 

Rosé shoots Jan a look that screams help me I’m going to kill myself, to which Jan chuckles, moving over so Gigi can dart behind the bar and work their espresso machine.

The woman walks in, bell tinkling as the door pushes open, a pair of dark sunglasses obscuring her features. Rosé plasters on her best I’m approachable, please give me a tip! smile, flashing her perfectly straight teeth, (thank you, several years of braces).

The woman doesn’t stop to look at their neatly displayed array of pastries, instead parking herself straight in front of Rosé.

“Hiya, what can I get for you?”

The woman flips her glasses so they perch on the top of her head, and Rosé feels like she’s taken a punch to her stomach. 

She’s unbelievably beautiful, even with slightly messy eyeliner and already smudged lipgloss. Her icy blonde hair is french braided loosely, and is curved over one shoulder. When she politely smiles at Rosé, twin dimples are embedded into her tan cheeks.

“Good morning,” she says with a smile. “Could I get a medium americano to go, please?”

Rosé can’t stop her nose from wrinkling at the thought of black coffee. Ew, she thinks to herself, grabbing a takeaway cup from the stack to her left.

“What? Not good?” The woman cocks a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her. 

Rosé looks up at her, in surprise. “Huh? Oh, shit, no, no, I just–”

“–Oh no, you’re good honey, I’m only joking!”

Rosé can feel the tips of her ears burning red at the pet name, a tiny thrill running up her spine. “Can I get a name?”

“Julie,” she says with another smile, the dimples in her cheeks making Rosé’s palms slightly clammy, as she grips the thick marker to write the name in her loopy handwriting.

The woman pays, thanking Rosé and going to stand by the pick-up point to wait for the drink Gigi makes way too quickly, leaving before Rosé can snap out of her daze.

“Julie,” she murmurs under her breath when their door swings shut.

Jan turns to her with a grin, “alright there Rosie? Looking a little flushed, doll.”

Rosé rolls her eyes, pulling her phone out of her pocket, opening the camera to use as a mirror. Her stomach drops; she looks just as bad as she feels, she realises with a loud groan.

“Are you kidding me?” She groans to Jan, “I just met the hottest woman I’ve ever seen, and I look like this?”

Jan shrugs, leaning against the counter behind her. “You went about as pink as your hair too, so…”

“Fucks sake.” She swears, running her fingers through her greasy pink roots. She’d sprayed dry shampoo in it this morning, when she couldn’t be bothered with washing and blow-drying it, but clearly it hadn’t much helped the situation.

She stares at her image in the camera, trying to wipe the already-flaking mascara from her lower lash line. It could be worse, she thinks to herself, at least she didn’t try and blend out last-night’s makeup again. 

“Babe, I think that’s not gonna help.” Gigi says, watching as she tries to fix her appearance. 

“Shove off, little miss perfect,” Rosé all but growls, irritation running high. Her head is still pounding, despite being momentarily distracted by the pretty woman.

Gigi pretends to busy herself, dusting non-existent coffee grounds from her pristine work surface. She’s smart, Rosé begrudgingly admits, knows when not to push it. The same, however, can’t be said for Jan, who’s already texting Jan about it on their Stephanie’s Child groupchat.

goona: bahaha sorry rosie <3

goona: defo my fault shouldn’t have dragged u out last night babes

“Can you not?” She whines at Jan, “this is so embarrassing!”

Jan shrugs, “it’s so funny though.” She teases, mimicking Rosé’s drawn out inflections. “It’s fine, Rosie, she’s bound to come back at some point.”

“Will she?”

Jan stands, leaning over Rosé to pick up their tip-jar just in front of the register. “She left a nice tip.” She says, pulling out the ten dollar bill. “That’s pretty hefty for a three dollar coffee,” she notes, putting the jar back down. “Must be for our impeccable service.” She says, flashing a teasing grin at Rosé, who groans again, dropping her head in embarrassment.

☆☆☆☆☆

Rosé can’t pretend she isn’t a little surprised when the woman appears again at the same time the next morning. 

Jan nudges her in the ribs as she walks in, laughing a little at Rosé’s whisper to fuck off, please and thank you. But she says it with a smile, happily remembering how even her winged liner came out this morning, and makes sure to smooth any fly-aways from her curled ponytail.

She’s sure to give her the best smile she can muster for seven in the morning, butterflies happily swarming in her stomach, as the woman approaches her.

“Hiya,” she says, pretending not to have remembered her from the day before.

Her hair is down today, falling prettily in soft waves around her face. “Good morning,” she smiles; it’s all white teeth and dimples. “Could I get a medium americano to go?”

Rosé nods, grabbing a medium cup, “can I get a name?” She asks, despite already writing Julie on the cup.

“Naomi,” she says.

Rosé’s brow furrows slightly in confusion, staring at the cup she’s already written on. “Naomi?” She cocks an eyebrow, waiting for the woman to correct herself.

She nods, “N-A-O-M-I.” 

She reaches for another cup, writing Naomi on it, instead of the expected Julie. The woman pays with a smile, and Rosé is still too confused to notice the wad of dollar notes she slides into their tip jar.

Gigi makes the coffee, what feels like much too quickly again, and Rosé finds herself watching the door shut after the woman.

“I thought you said her name was Julie?” Jan asks when she leaves.

☆☆☆☆☆

By the end of the third week, Rosé’s figured it out. It was, in large part, thanks to Jan, rolling her eyes and telling Rosé how it was oh so clearly a game, Rosie, followed by both Crystal and Gigi’s insistence that she’s flirting with you!

She’s cycled through Kristen and Tracy and Laura and Rebecca and Violet, introducing herself as a new person every morning. Rosé started having a medium cup at the ready every morning, marker poised to scrawl whatever name she picks for the day.

“So,” Gigi says in the late afternoon, leaning her head against Rosé’s shoulder. “When are you gonna ask her?”

Rosé turns her head to look at her, “ask her what?”

Jan, who’s cleaning their blender, sighs loudly, putting her cloth into the sink and looks over at them. “Her name, dipshit.”

Rosé shrugs noncommittally,  “I like our dynamic.” She lies. She doesn’t want to admit how flustered she makes her– the butterflies at the pit of her stomach have only seemed to multiply, taking flight even at the mere thought of her bleached hair. 

Rosé never considered herself to be anything less than straightforward; she’s never had any sort of problem coaxing pretty women in bars to come home with her, and she’s definitely never had any trouble telling them exactly how to curl their fingers inside her to make her see stars. But The Woman, as they’ve dubbed her with a capital T and W, makes Rosé feel like she’s a middle-schooler, desperately trying to hide her first crush from everyone.

“I’m just saying maybe you could… y’know…” Gigi starts.

“I could what?”

“Get some pussy?” Jan suggests with a laugh, “Lagoona says it’s been a while.”

Rosé blushes high in her cheeks, “Lagoona doesn’t know shit.” She lies again, thinking back to the last girl she brought back with her seemingly months ago.

Jan arches an eyebrow at her, but doesn’t say anything, choosing to turn back to her sink instead. 

“How’s school?” Rosé asks Gigi, trying to casually change the subject whilst opening their register and grabbing a sticky note to note down their cash.

Gigi starts a long spiralling story about her midterms and the designs she’s trying to get Crystal to model for her, interjecting her speech with explanations of her school’s system of grading, coupled with descriptions of their intense assignments. It makes Rosé’s head spin, and for once she’s glad to have finished at her theatre school a handful of years ago.

Somewhere during Gigi’s tirade, the bell at the door goes off, welcoming in a new customer, unbeknownst to Rosé, until someone is awkwardly clearing their throat in front of them.

“Hi, sorry, how can I–” She stops mid sentence when she realises it’s her. “Oh, it’s you,” she says with a laugh that’s much too breathy. Calm down, she tells herself in an attempt to stop her palms from sweating.

“It’s me,” The Woman says with a smile. 

“You’re not usually– erm, it’s, uh, afternoon, and you’re usually, uh, y’know, morning.”

“Yeah,” she laughs, “I know. I just, er… wanted a coffee.”

“So, uh, what can I get for you?” She asks, already reaching for the medium takeaway cup.

“Can I get an americano? Having here?”

“Oh,” Rosé puts back the takeaway cup, “yeah of course. Can I get a name?”

She smiles, and Rosé wants to drown in her dimples, “Karen.”

Rosé snorts as she plugs in the name on the order, “Karen huh?”

The Woman gasps loudly in a mock-protest, placing a delicate hand over her chest in disbelief. “You don’t think I could be a Karen?”

Rosé grins, letting her eyes pass over her once. No fucking way was she a Karen of any sort. “So sorry ma’am, let me grab my manager for you,” she says with her eyes twinkling, beginning to turn around in an act of looking for Jaida.

“Denali.” 

She spins back around on her heels, eyebrows raised quizzically. “Sorry?” 

“That’s my name,” The Woman smiles softly,, “Denali.”

“Denali? Like the mountain?”

“Like the mountain.” She looks at Rosé, “why don’t you ever wear one of those, uh, nametags?” Rosé looks down at her apron with a shrug. “Y’know,” Denali continues, with a shy smile, “so I’d know the name of the pretty girl who takes my shitty coffee order every morning.”

Rosé’s face burns red– she can practically feel it radiating heat. Pretty girl. It reverberates around in her skull, making her feel a little dizzy for a second. “Rosé.” She stammers out, waiting a beat too long to reply. “It’s Rosé.”

“Like the wine?”

"Like the wine.” She confirms with a smile, her face still as pink as her bubblegum hair.

“Two dollars right?” Rosé looks at her dumbly, “like, erm, for the coffee?”

“It’s on the house!” Jan says over her shoulder, shooting a shit-eating in Rosé’s direction.

“Oh! Uh, are you sure?”

Rosé nods awkwardly, and Denali responds with a thank you so much , before wandering off to find a seat in the fairly empty café.

Denali. Rosé lets herself roll around the sound in her mouth for a second like it’s a caramel. Denahlee, she thinks to herself, stretching each syllable like taffy. She thinks it might be the sweetest sound she’s heard in a while. If she leans forwards, she can see her (Denali, she thinks to herself, Denali) sitting up on their bar that faces the window, a book held open in front of her.

Jan sidles up to her side with a knowing smile. “You’re welcome Rosie.”

“For giving her a free coffee so we get no commission?” Rosé jokes, trying to play it cool even though her heart is still beating like she’s just run a marathon.

“She clearly came in to see you, dumbass,” Jan says with a smile, watching Gigi click the grounds-filled portafilter into the basket.

“She told you her real name!” Gigi adds as they wait for the espresso shot to fill. “That’s, like, something, y’know.”

“She called you pretty!” Crystal reminds her from the pastry case she’s doing a half-hearted job of rearranging. 

Rosé sighs, “okay guys, I really don’t need this whole peanut-gallery thing– can you please get your big noses out of my life.” 

“Oh puh-lease, not a chance diva!” Jan says, already typing furiously on her phone.

Rosé feels her own phone buzz in her pocket, pulling it out to read the handful of texts Jan’s already sent to Jan through their groupchat. She groans at Jan, who gives her a nonchalant shrug in response.

“Do you want to take it to her?” Gigi asks as she pushes the steaming coffee mug towards her. 

“Please just fucking take it to her, Rosie.” Jan whines. “Let me live vicariously through your love life!”

Rosé laughs, rolling her eyes as she picks up the saucer the mug is on, careful not to touch the hot ceramic. She walks it over to Denali, putting it down in front of her with a smile. Denali thanks her with a grin, turning back to her book and letting Rosé sulk back to her job, trying to come up with witty conversation starters in her head.

☆☆☆☆☆

Denali sits in the café for a half hour before she gets up again to order another americano from Rosé.

“Can I get one of those little cake things too?” She asks, pointing at a miniature cake Jackie had neatly piped pink rosettes onto. Crystal pulls it out of the case onto a plate for Rosé to pass to her. “How much?” She says pulling out a wallet from her bag.

“On the house,” Rosé says, offering her a smile.

“No, c’mon, you have to let me pay for something–”

“–It’s fine, it’s on the house–”

“–I feel like I have to give you something,” she opens her wallet, “please?”

“You could give her your number,” Jan pipes up from the back with a laugh.

Rosé doesn’t believe in God, but if she did, right now would be just the time to pray for the ground beneath her feet to split open and swallow her up. Please God, just take me.

“Do you have a napkin?” Denali asks, snapping Rosé out of her momentary prayer. “And, like, a pen?” When Rosé doesn’t move to get one, Denali gives her a look that Rosé is sure is asking her if she’s hard of hearing. “For, uh, my number…?” She trails off, looking a little embarrassed.

Rosé’s mouth goes completely dry, and her hands reach for a napkin and a pen on their own accord. Before she knows it, Denali’s handing it back to her, a phone number written on it in chicken-scratch handwriting.

“Maybe you could take me out sometime?” She says with a laugh bubbling in the back of her throat, throwing Rosé a playful wink. “Thanks for the coffee, gorge.”

Rosé’s heartwhiz-bangs in her chest, and she’s sure she’s gone to heaven.

-

[free-pool-trash]

dangerous game - part iii

Here is part 3 :) the caps lock button on my laptop is broken so excuse some of that :)

Word count: 2.4k

Taglist:  @badluckposting​ - @c0-77​ - @my-remical-chomance​ (lemme know if u wanna be added)

Warning(s): fluffy Warren time (y’all are getting some Peter flashbacks next part dw;)), swearing, i pulled an all nighter so if this makes no sense we’re all just gonna have to be okay with that

Masterlist 

(gif isn’t mine :))

For the most part, things had gone back to normal within your friend group. It took a while but you and Peter were finally back on speaking terms, which he was glad for but it wasn’t quite where he wanted to be. No, he wanted to be where Warren was.

Because while Peter had been grinding to get you to speak to him the way you used to, Warren had you giggling and almost swooning. They were moving into dangerous territory and although they both wanted to be the one you loved, they were both equally as terrified of what the other would do to make you change your mind once you finally made a choice.

Of course you were blissfully unaware of the game the boys were playing for your affections, everyone else in the group noticed, though. Jean and Jubilee were living for the drama of it all, constantly wondering who you’d pick in the end. Scott and Kurt were constantly on edge, afraid a fight would break out between the winged boy and the speedster. And Ororo, who had just returned from a particularly long mission, was utterly confused by the drastic change in atmosphere.

You and the group were sitting around outside, under the shade of a huge oak tree in the garden as it had finally started to feel like spring and the academy had been hit with a heatwave. You were laying down on the grass, hands crossed under your head and your eyes closed as the sunlight that slipped in through the gaps of the tree covered your body, keeping you warm.

“I love spring.” You sighed out blissfully, Warren looked down at you fondly from where he sat, back against the trunk of the tree.

“It suits you.” He said, the beginning of a smirk on his face. He meant what he said, spring looked good on you, you looked ethereal, the way the light washed over your shoulders, that were exposed by your top, was driving him crazy and when you cracked your eyes open at his remark and threw him a cheeky wink he had to let out a low chuckle, he knew for a fact that you knew the effect you had on him.

If you were being honest with yourself you weren’t quite sure what was going on between you and Warren but whatever it is, you really liked it. It was light and fun, it didn’t go too deep but you still knew it meant something.

What you didn’t know was that between Warren and Peter it meant everything.

Peter watched the pair of you with a pout, he was mad that he couldn’t even be mad about what he’d just watched, Warren was smooth and Peter wanted to give him some credit for that because he was right, spring did suit you, so did summer, it always had. To Peter you were the literal embodiment of that summer feeling, you know the one that's just warmth and pure bliss? That feeling that if it was a colour it would be golden? That’s how you felt to him, of course he never voiced this to you and fuck if he regretted it because if he didn’t know any better he would’ve thought that Warren was starting to develop the same idea.

As the afternoon went on you found yourself growing bored of sunbathing and opened your eyes to see that all of your friends looked content, Jubilee and Kurt had found their way onto one of the tree’s branches, they were giggling among themselves, you had to stop yourself from cooing at the sight of them. Jean and Scott seemed to have snuck off somewhere and Ororo was in her element soaking up the sunshine. Peter was asleep in the grass, walkman on and music playing through his headphones as he napped, you hadn’t seen him so calm in ages, it was nice to be able to just hang out again. You really missed him, you still did, the closeness just wasn’t there anymore and it wasn’t clear if you’d ever get that closeness back. You hoped so, but you couldn’t be sure.

Your eyes moved to Warren who was peacefully reading against the tree trunk, you moved yourself up so that you were leaning on your elbows and the movement caused the blond to raise his eyes to look at you, you smiled softly at him and watched as he heaved himself up from his sitting position and made his way in front of you, arms stretched out towards you in invitation.

Letting out a soft giggle you raised an eyebrow in question at the grabby hands he was making at you, “Come on, let's go on a walk.” He said and you finally placed your hands in his much bigger ones and allowed him to pull you to your feet.

“Alright, Birdy. Where to?” You asked as you dusted yourself off.

Warren shrugged, green eyes glinting with mischief as he began walking toward the school gates, “Anywhere but here.”

This would definitely get you both into trouble later but with the heat of the sun and the way the literal angel was looking at you clouding your judgement, you didn’t care what happened, so you caught up to him and the pair of you strolled casually out of the school.

You walked side-by-side pretty aimlessly for about a half hour before you actually saw any sign of civilization, a small and pretty dingy looking diner sat on the side of the road you and Warren had been walking on and you decided you’d go in and risk getting food poisoning for the sake of the little adventure you guys were having.

The place was empty, save for the few members of staff who were working, none of whom seemed at all bothered by Warren’s metal wings, which was good you supposed. Warren picked a booth and slid in across the red leather of the seat to be by the window and you slid in right beside him, legs pressed together.

Lately you often found yourself wanting to be closer to Warren, he’d become like a safety blanket to you, you weren’t sure what it was just yet, but he made you feel safe, like nobody could hurt you, neither physically or emotionally as long as he had anything to do with it.

“What’re you thinking about?” The boy in question asked, looking at you intently, curious as he rested his cheek against his hand.

Smiling at him, you bumped his shoulder gently, “Just the usual.”

Before he could question you any further a sweet looking waitress walked up to your table, she seemed to be in her 60s give or take and wore a bright smile on her face “What can I get for you two lovebirds today?” She asked, a kind tone in her voice as you and Warren blushed and smiled at her awkwardly.

Clearing his throat, Warren answered her, “What would you recommend?”

The woman’s smile never faltered, “The milkshakes are just wonderful. I bet you’re a strawberry kind of gal, right?” She directed at you and you laughed in amazement, “Yeah, I am, actually!”

“And you… chocolate.” She looked to Warren this time, a knowing look on her face as his eyes widened and you giggled at the look of childish bewilderment on his face as he just nodded to her.

“Milkshakes sound great… one strawberry and one chocolate, please.” You gave her the order with a huge smile on your face, trying not to laugh as Warren shook his head, “Lucky guess.”

“Coming right up, sweetheart.” With that she walked away and turned toward Warren, smile ever present, “I like her.” You declared happily and Warren huffed out a laugh and tried to calm his heat rate as he looked at you. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of you and your smile and your eyes that seemed to be sparkling with happiness, you had him completely enchanted and he wondered if you even knew that he’d both kill and die for you.

Pulling himself out of his trance he allowed himself to smile at you and you had to fight the urge to fall into a trance of your own when he did.

“I think she thinks we’re a couple.” He stated and you nodded in agreement, looking in her direction while mumbling, “Should we tell her we’re not actually a couple when she comes back?”

“What and break her heart?” Warren asked cheekily, throwing his arm around your shoulder and bringing his mouth close to your ear, you could feel his breath against your skin, biting your lip to stop the grin that was trying to form you listened as he began to whisper.

“Besides, I think I’ll enjoy being your boyfriend for a little while.” You rolled your eyes at him but you couldn’t quite shake the smile from your face. He was smooth and he knew it, but still, you’d be lying if you said you weren’t going to enjoy having him as your not-boyfriend for a little while.

After a few minutes the waitress returned with your milkshakes, you both thanked her as she walked away and began sipping through your straws.

Throwing your head back, you let out a overly-sexual moan as you swallowed a sip of your strawberry milkshake, “Fuck, this is heaven.” You spoke into the air.

“I agree.” Warren told you, eagerly sipping the cold drink, nose poking into the whipped cream at the top of the glass.

When he finally separated himself from the chocolate milkshake, he looked towards where you were giggling beside him, “What?” He asked you, almost pouting.

“You’ve got cream on your nose…” You let him know, laughing harder as he went cross eyed trying to see for himself, “Here, let me.” You said, not thinking as you leaned up absentmindedly and pecked the tip of his nose with your lips, successfully removing the speck of cream from his skin.

“There… All gone.” You moved away slowly, blushing as you realized what you’d just done. You really just kissed Warren Worthington iii’s nose as if it was nothing.

The grin that formed on his face sent a shiver up your spine, “Oh so that’s how we’re playing it? Okay, love.” He said, smugly while nodding his head and scooping some cream from his cup up with his finger.

“What’re you doing, idiot?” You asked with a laugh, quickly being silenced when he smeared the cream he’d collected on his finger directly onto your lips.

Furrowing your eyebrows at him, you didn’t have time to ask him what that was for before his lips met yours softly, after a second of looking at him with wide eyes, you gave in, eyes fluttering closed as you moved your lips against his.

Your hand moved to his cheek as he tilted his head slightly, deepening the kiss when your began to smile against him he pulled away, pressing smaller kisses to your lips before regaining his previous distance, which wasn’t much.

Smugly he told you, “You had cream on your lips.”

“Alright, I see what you did there, Birdy. Well played.” You commended, nodding your head in approval of his move.

“Didn’t become your diner boyfriend because of my lack of game.” He said with a wink, arm tightening around your shoulder as his pulled you into his side, reveling in the sound of your laughter.

“Course not, your dashingly good looks sealed that position for you.” You teased, poking his side.

It was strange, you’d just made out with one of your closest friends less than a minute ago and yet messing around with him about it felt like the most natural thing. And you couldn’t lie… The kiss was good, it was really good, in fact your heart was still hammering. You definitely wanted to revisit that later.

After another while chilling in the diner, you decided it was time to return to the school, the sun was getting ready to set and golden hour was hitting a little different as you and Warren walked, stealing glances at each other. A kind of understanding had settled between the both of you after the kisses you shared in the diner, it was the understanding that what you guys had was for sure deeper than just friendship.

Upon arriving back to the school, Warren walked you to your dorm.

“I had fun today.” You told him, shyly tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear, your earlier confidence seemingly gone.

“Me too.” 

Smiling sweetly, you leaned up and pressed a small kiss to his cheek before stepping into your room, “See you tomorrow?” 

“Tomorrow.” Warren confirmed with a smile on his face, walking backwards away from your door as you shut it.

Pressing your ear against your door, you made sure you heard him leave before you let out a squeal you’d been holding in since you kissed his nose, the day had been like something out of a shitty coming of age romance movie and you fucking loved it.

Running out of your room, you knocked on Jubilee’s door frantically.

“Jubes! Jubes! Jubes!” You chanted excitedly as your knuckles rapped against the wood.

The door swung open and you were met with a confused looking Jubilee, pushing past her you entered her room and quickly shut the door, ushering her to sit on her bed.

“I have news.” You shot off into the story of what had happened between you and Warren in the diner and it was safe to say that she was more than happy with the information you’d just given her.

She wanted you with Warren 100%, you were good for each other and plus, she couldn’t wait to rub this in Jean’s face who had been rooting for Peter in the game to win your heart.

Her train of thought brought her to the question she spit out with a perplexed look on her face, “Wait, what are you gonna do about Peter?”

With that, your rose coloured glasses shattered and you were brought back to Earth, your stomach dropped at the thought of how your and Warren’s developing relationship would make Peter feel.

Sure he screwed you royally, but you knew exactly what it felt like to see someone you love give their love to someone else, at least when it happened to you, you had some distance but Peter was about to have a front row seat.

You still loved Peter but you definitely have very strong feelings for Warren too and you had a feeling that things were going to get really messy.

“Fuck…”

[thiswasinevitableid]

Apple, Delight (Sternclay)

Prompt for the fourth was: Apple Orchard

Barclay has cinnamon sugar in his pores, he’s certain of it. The first of October means the crowds arrive in earnest to Amnesty Farm which, from late September to mid-November, becomes a center for fall fun. They don’t serve tons of food, but Barclay is in charge of what they do offer, his pride and joy being their apple cider doughnuts, which he’s made by dozen since eight that morning.

He’s ready to settle in for the night when he discovers he has less firewood than he thought. Ah well, Sass needs to go out anyway, a trip to the wood pile won’t kill him. 

Except, as he’s gathering an armful of chopped logs, Sass goes tearing off towards the orchards, dark fur disappearing into the shadows under the trees.

Barclay sighs, sets the wood down and starts off after him. It’s not like he can get too lost, since the farm is fenced in on all sides, but it’s supposed to rain tonight and he’d hate for him to be out in it. Plus, if he gets into the garden display again, Dani will be pissed. 

He passes the petting zoo, then the goat and sheep pens, smiling when soft clucks come from the chicken coop. They’re on a country road, so at night there’s no traffic to drown out the sounds of the farm and the nearby woods. Maybe some people find it eerie, but hes’ grateful for the relative quiet after a day of being in the kitchen. 

Skirting the end of the U-Pick Pumpkin Patch brings him to the apple orchards. There are also pear and cherry trees, but the apples make up the bulk of what they grow, and visitors are welcome to pick from designated sections. 

Now if only he could spot a wagging tail or hear a jingling collar in the midst of them. 

“Sass!” He whistles, but no shape comes bounding towards him. Usually when the dog fails to come when called, it’s because he’s chasing some poor squirrel or rabbit into the underbrush.

Which is why, when he hears a  distinctly human cry of alarm, Barclay jumps out of his skin before taking off towards the subsequent barks. 

He finds Sass directing his deep woofs at a man about Barclay’s age, with dark hair that was slicked back at some point but is now mussed, and a sweater and jeans that are far too clean for him to be a farmhand. When he gets closer, he realizes he recognizes the guy; he’d been in with his family earlier that day, and Barclay had just enough time to think he was hotter than the fryer before a new wave of visitors came to the counter. Given that he was there with a woman and  young girl, he’s gonna assume the guy is off-limits for flirting. 

“Sass, c’mon boy, heel.” 

The dog turns, lopes over to Barclay as he steps to the man and offers a hand. 

“Sorry, he’s a surprisingly good guard dog for something that gets distracted by butterflies.”

The man takes his hand, stands and brushes leaves from his sweater, “and he's terrifying to have bolting towards you out of the darkness.”

Barclay raises an eyebrow, “that's kind of the point of a guard dog. Y’know, keeping intruders out?”

“I’m not an intruder, I am a visitor who misplaced something.”

“We’ve been closed for two hours.”

“I’m aware. But the front gate was locked and I couldn't get anyone’s attention.”

“Because the staff who live here live out towards the back. That's why we put that phone number on the gate. '' He turns them back towards the cottage, Sass trotting happily in front of them. 

“Which would have worked perfectly. If the thing I was missing wasn't my phone.” The man holds up a smartphone.

“I mean, guess it’s good you found it, but you coulda used someone else's and let us know to look for i in the lost and found. Folds are good about bringing dropped stuff back to the main farm.”

“I considered that option but I might not have a job come morning if I did it that way.”

“Jesus, where do you work?”

“The FBI.”

“Ah.”

“Yes, pretty much.”

“That how come you were able to scale the fence so easily?”

The man nods.

“What kind of work do you do in the FBI?” He may as well make the most of having a cute guy walking with him. A little practice flirting can’t hurt. God knows he needs it. 

“I work for the, um, the UP.”

“....Holy shit, I didn’t know that was real, I thought they made it up for the X-Files.”

“No, though it involves far more dead ends than that show portrays. Oddly, Twin Peaks is more accurate to what I do.”

“Man, that’s fucking cool agh, shit” rain patters on the leaves, “please tell me you moved your car away from the gate?”

“Only a little.”

“Shit. Okay, you probably figured it out from wandering around, but we are literally on the other end of the property right now, and the golf cart is in the shop.”

“It’s, um, it’s alright, if you get me to the main route through the farm, I can walk back on my own and climb the fence. Again.” His tone suggests he’s already working through the logistics in his head. 

“Uh, if you aren't in too big a hurry, at least let me swing by my place and get you a raincoat?”

“Oh. Um, that’d be great. Thank you.”

They veer right and soon the cottage comes into view. He grabs some dry firewood while Sass waits on the step and the man rubs his hands together. 

Once they’re inside, the man turns to him and Barclay has to work to keep his focus on his words rather than the blue eyes and handsome face.

“May I use your restroom? I got a bit muddy.” He holds up his hands. 

“Just down the hall.” 

The man smiles, and Barclay starts building a fire as he walks away. There’s a ding, and he goes to check in case Mama needs something. But it's not his phone, it’s the other man's, glowing where he set it on the table. 

Hayes: I expect better than technical mishaps from you, agent,

Shit, he wasn’t kidding about work. And his other notification is showing thirty unread emails.

The water shuts off in the bathroom and he hurries back to the fire, is just getting it caught when there’s a groan behind him. Turning, he sees his guest running a hand through his black hair, staring defeatedly down at his phone. 

“I’m moving to the bottom of the sea.”

Barclay chuckles and the man looks a little embarrassed at being heard.

“If you want something closer to home, we're hiring seasonal help.”

“I’m sure it’d do wonders for my physique, if you’re anything to go by, but I doubt I’m cut out for it. I’m white-collar through and through, unfortunately. Sorry” he looks at the hardwood floor, “probably shouldn’t whine about my job, since you’re helping me stay dry instead after I committed at least two misdemeanors on your property.”

“It’s Mama’s, I just work here. And it’s okay. Though, uh, kinda surprised you wanna talk to some random dude on a farm about it instead of, like, your wife.”

“Wife?”

“The woman who was with you today? You came into the restaurant at one point.”

“Oh! No, that’s my sister, I came with her and my niece. Her opinion on my work troubles is to get a boyfriend so I’ll have someone to complain to.”

Barclay closes the fire grate slightly harder than he means to at that last sentence.

“Did, uh, did you all have a good time?”

“Very. Ellie, my niece, adored all the animals, and Lily comes here every year to pick out pumpkins for decorating the house. I, um, my favorite part was the food. Those doughnuts were amazing, as were the pumpkin scones.”

Barclay blushes; a cute guy complimenting his cooking tends to make him all fluttery.

“You thought those were good, then I got something you need to try. Uh, I mean, if you want to stay a little, if not I can get the coat and we can go.”

The man looks at his phone, then back to Barclay, “what the hell, things are under control until the morning. I’d love to stay. Um, may I dry my sweater by the fire? It got pretty wet just in the few minutes we were out.”

“Sure thing uh, Mr-”

“Joseph is fine.”

Barclay smiles, heading for the kitchen, but not before watching Joseph's shirt catch on his sweater and ride up, revealing honest-to-god cut muscle. Instead of asking if he can lick apple butter off his abs, he grabs the jar of said butter, the loaf of bread, and starts a kettle for tea. 

Soon he’s setting a plate and a cup of cranberry-apple tea un front of Joseph, who inhales appreciatively.

“Let me guess; you made all of this?”

“Yep, the apple butter is an old family recipe.”

They eat in silence for a few moments until Sass, roused from his spot by the fire by the smell of food, pads over to sit in front of Joseph and stare. When that fails to produce treats, he turns his puppy-dog eyes on Barclay. The cook makes him sit and shake before tossing him a small piece of bread.

“What kind of dog is he?”

“Bernese Mountain Dog and Rottweiler, we think.”

“Is his name short for something?”

Barclay smiles, “Sasquatch. He had huge feet as a puppy.”

“We have similar dog-naming habits.” Joseph pulls out his phone, “this is Nessie.” When he turns it, Barclay almost snorts tea out his nose, unprepared for the sight of a greyhound in a sweater decorated with tiny Loch Ness Monsters. 

“Believe it or not, she adores that sweater. Last time I took it off to be washed, she whined for an hour.”

“Awww” It’s an adorable image, but not quite as adorable as the thought of Joseph on laundry day, in pajama pants and one of Barclay’s shirts, hair still relaxed from a shower. 

“She’s a good girl.” He tucks his phone away, “I feel terrible whenever I have to travel for work; my sister can’t take her so I have to board her somewhere, and it’s just infrequent enough that she forgets the staff and is terrified of them anew each time.”

“We could always get her used to me and board her here, assuming she and Sass get along.” The offer is sixty percent out of the goodness of his heart and forty percent wanting to see Joseph smile. 

“You’d really do that?”

“The farm is secure, she’d have a playmate, and there’d be lots of people here looking after her. She’d sleep in the cottage, of course.”

Joseph gives him an inquisitive look, then glances down at Sass, who’s wagging his tail so hard he’s sweeping the floor.

“Sure, what the hell. Assuming they get along, the next time I have to go, she can stay here.”

They chat for awhile longer about books, cooking, and various farm mishaps, before Barclay reluctantly fetches the spare raincoat so they can get Joseph back to his car. 

“Doesn’t quite bring out your eyes the way that sweater does.” He murmurs, then tries to correct for the come-on with, “because it’s such a, uh, a nice sweater?”

Joseph stays close to him as he replies “I’d offer to trade, but I’m not sure any of my clothes could survive that broad chest.” He ghosts his fingers across Barclays shirt, “Though it could be fun to see them try.”

The walk to the gate isn’t nearly long enough, and he blushes when Joseph once again thanks him profusely for his help and his company. The walk back, however, feels like an eternity, one that gives him time to doubt the other man had any interest in him at all. 

But all that evaporates when he gets home. Because sitting on the table is a slip of paper with a phone number and a short message. 

For arranging dog playdates. And dinner next Friday if you’re interested.

-Joseph

And sitting just below the message is a small, precisely drawn heart.

[cutegirlmayra]

I saw this idea played around with a few times but I'd love to see your take. Sonic and the Black Knight role reversal. Amy is the one sent to the time of King Arthur taking Nimue's place and she has to fight her back to her world. So sonamy and like I guess king arthur x amy as well. Also when Amy comes back Sonic is super worried but also relieved she's okay. Thank you very much ❤

I’m so sorry, I’m a little confused... who is she fighting? King Author as in a Sonic look-a-like or the Black Knight guy??? I’m gonna do my very best to interpret this and make it interesting :)b

Super excited to be back in Black Knight! Let’s see how it all turns out... shall we?

Prompt:

“I was so excited for my date with Sonic that I left early!” Amy skipped gleefully down the sidewalk as she headed towards the chilidog stand, but realized she was extremely early, and looked a little awkwardly to the large clock tower near her.

She sighed, not really upset about it, but sad she didn’t have a super power that could speed up time!

“Guess I’ll kill time with something else...” She looked around the place, it was bustling like a hive of shoppers, workers quickly trying to get through the crowds, and friends on their phones. “Hmm... Maybe there’s a cafe near by... ah!” Amy’s ears bent a little, worried she may be terribly bored if she took a white table outside and enjoyed the shade of their multi-colored umbrellas. However, in her moment of concern over what she was going to do for the time being, her eyes happened upon a cute little bookstore, looking like a part-antique shop as well!

“Now, that’s exciting!” She squee’d, shaking her fist she had raised excitedly and looking both ways before crossing the busy street over to it.

“On a corner and everything...” Her eyes shined with how perfect the scene looked for the setting of the little shop. “It’s so quaint! Teehee!” she kept that comment to herself but noticed the shopkeeper seemed to be wearing an old cloak of some-kind.

Her face was covered by the top of the cloak’s hood, and seemed to speak very quietly, “Are you lost, young child?”

“H-huh?” Amy turned to the voice, and apologetically waved her hand to show she didn’t meant to disturb her. “S-sorry, no... I was just browsing around, is that alright?”

The woman nodded her head, and Amy felt her demeanor was a little odd.

“A-alright then... thank you.” a bead of sweat slid down the side of her head slightly, seeing the woman didn’t even smile at her bubbly energy.

She was used to being seen as a ‘child’ but sort of hoped Sonic didn’t see her the same. They were only a few years apart, in a couple years, would that really keep them apart?

She definitely didn’t think so; after all, she was sticking close to his life, and he had agreed to even taking a ‘casual’ date with her for a quick snack!

She hoped it wouldn’t be too quick, but she had prepped all morning for it!

She immediately forgot the weird woman’s lack of communicative mannerisms and instead, was immediately taken aback in wonder at the back of the store. So many antiques! All full to the brim with knickknacks, home decor, and...

“Books?” Amy wasn’t surprised they were here, only that the shelf they had them on was tucked away in an odd spot, not up against a wall and hung high above you on shelves, but instead, was placed on a small, open spaced drawer with next to some dolls and china sets.

“Hmm, I guess I could buy a book and read it while I’m waiting for Sonic...”She felt sorry for their poor condition, putting a finger up to her mouth and wondering if her own collection needed a new--rescued--friend.

“Well, one adventure for another!” she thought that amusing, and began gently ruffling the wearing edges with her skimming fingers, going down and reading the book titles as she waited for something to catch her curiosities.

Amy was a creature that thrived off of mysteries. Sonic was the greatest mystery of all! And the adventures she’d join him on were just apart of further enjoying that mystery... He was aloof but deeply cared about things. Passionate about nature and encouraging of his friends and the potential they often couldn’t see in themselves.

“Kinda reminds me of-” she saw one book that gave her a magical sensation as her senses honed in on the good ‘juju’, since Amy was also a creature of fortunes and magic! “King Author!” she pulled the book up and looked at in excitement.

This was strange too... it seemed to almost look brand-new, unlike the old and dusty look of the other books.

The colors were vibrant but of darker hues, and the golden lining with decorative arches and designs didn’t seem to match this shop’s image of ‘old’ objects...

There was a circled shield almost with an orb in the center and an old English cross design, then the gold letters read: King Author, and the Knights of the Round Table.

“Well, welcome to Amy’s hands!” she giggled, deciding to not focus so much on the strange aura she was picking up from it.

Then, she began to move to take the book and purchase it, she suddenly heard a faint sound of jumbled words, as though a woman speaking.

She looked around, “H-huh?” She didn’t see anyone, and looked around the corners, “Is anyone there?”

      “O brave lady, swift as the wind you follow! Heed my call!”

The book began to shake with a blue light coming from it’s pages.

“Ahhh....!!!” Amy shrilly voice was heard falling through the blackened sky, as the woman looked up to remove her cloak, the shop keeper!?

Amy landed with a hard hit, making the others around her look to each other as though expecting something else.

Amy shook her head and gripped it, wobbly getting to her feet and then looking around. “Ahh!” she picked up a leg and tucked her arms in.

The woman was a bit shocked, looking up at the light above her head and then dashing towards Amy, as though it wasn’t what she expected, but she’d take any help she could summon.

“Being from another world,” she began, as Amy worriedly looked around her before turning behind her to the woman. “Forgive my abrupt summons!”

“Umm...” Amy looked at her dirty dress, “That’s one way to put it.” she dusted it off, “Hey, are you okay?” Immediately noticing she looked distress, Amy went over and gently placed her hands to the girl’s shoulder.

The girl was amazed at her kindness, and then looked down as though disappointed in the circumstance.

That’s when a black figure, smokey with purple glowing robes and golden armor, approached the two on a large horse.

Amy turned around not sure what to expect, but immediately put a hand out to defend the girl, summoning her hammer. “What’s going on? Are these people bullying you?!”

The woman looked more worried, her face turning to Amy and away from the strange man. “Please... I request a formal response to my plight.” she looked over her shoulder, as Amy also looked back, seeing the scary monsters behind her.

“Ohhh, I think I got caught up in something Sonic’s more used too... but that’s okay! I’ve got this!” Amy smirked, holding out her hammer with a few twirls and then dashing off.

The purple haired girl watched in amazement as Amy darted from foe to foe, hitting them valiantly with her hammer before landing back in front of Merlina.

Then it was a stare down... her and the mysterious black figure.

She wanted a mystery, now she’s got one!

“Lady of the Lake...” the man suddenly spoke out, flashing out his sword to his side in a mighty swipe, “My quarrel is not with you...”

“Huh? Lady...?” She tilted her head before a golden ray of light suddenly darted around her. “Ahh..!” she shielded her eyes from the dust that came up from the fast movements. “This.... wind...” she peeked out from her hands before the wind stood still... and she saw a familiar silhouette, but garnished in gold plated armor, and wielding a sword.

Her eyes widened, “Sonic!?” She happily charged towards him, tossing her hammer and jumping to embrace him from behind. “Oh, Sonic! So you’re here too!”

The figure smiled, but kindly turned to pat her hands from around him.

“Kindly, Milday, I’m afraid it’s too dangerous for introductions.”

Suddenly, her eyes blinked and she looked up to see Sonic’s face--phew! Not another blunder of identities!-- but...

“King Author!” Merlina looked a bit shaken by his arrival, as though wanting to avoid this.

She stepped back a moment, her face clearly worried struck, but Amy just looked between the two in astonishment. Stepping slowly away from him, she backed down and her face slowly lost it’s joy...

“King... Author?” She seemed very confused.

He continued to give her a pleasant smile, as though unfazed by her, and then turned heroically to the man in misty black.

As King Author hunkered down... before charging at the Black Knight, blade meeting blade in sharp sparks of light, Amy also cried out and began to summon her hammer again, ready to aid him.

“Sonic..!” She began to run back to help him, seeing the danger but Merlina immediately held her back, pulling her to her.

“No, you mustn’t!” she fell back with her, them both tumbling down.

Merlina used then pulled her staff forward, moving Amy off of her as though not really caring, to the side. She formed a spiral of wind that seemed to teleport her and Amy,... though...

“C-couldn’t you have-” Amy coughed from all the flying clouds of dust getting stuck in her lungs. “Done that without-” she hacked, “summoning me? Now I’ll be late for my date with Sonic! Ohhh!!!” she gripped her head, clearly in a dilemma as she was hoping she could end the conflict quickly enough to get back and tell Sonic her amazing adventure!

But... King Author? What was Sonic playing at?

Merlina put her staff down, as though annoyed, glaring at Amy.

“U-uh... is everything okay?” Amy got a bit nervous, but it seemed Merlina had taken an unexpected character change.

“You must report to the lake, at once. I’m Merlina, and in order to preserve the sad fate of this world, I’ll need your help to aid King Author and the Black Knight... you gave him his power, now you must take it back.”

Amy was very confused.

So, after some explaining, Merlina escorted Amy to the Lake, where Amy was to use her ‘powers’ to restore the Lake’s magical properties and help King Author defeat the Black Knight, a false king.

“I’m... Uh, I love the dress! Don’t get me wrong! But...” She was in the lake up to her ankles, as a dress of sprayed water spiraled around her and gave her Nimune’s icon look. “I’m not the Lady of the Lake!”

“You must be, the missing piece was meant to be King Author himself... but for some twist of the story... fate has removed you instead.” she explained, “I’m unable to assist you further, I must guide the King and Knight to duel... only then,...” she gripped her staff and looked down and away from Amy, as though sticking her courage to the sure place in her heart... “Can my purposes be completed.”

“Y-yeah, umm...” Seeing the odd nature of this girl, Amy wanted to find out what those ‘purposes’ actually were... But Merlina began to walk away before she could ask. “H-hey!” Amy stumbled in her new dress, feeling the weight of its bottom lining being dragged down by water weight.

“Wait!” She called out, lifting the now heavy dress up and waddling out of the water...

“I must save this world...” Merlina vanished, and with it, Amy’s only hope for further intel on how she was meant to revive the lake and help the so-called, King.

“Ha....Haha...” her fingers twitched outstretched in the air, the corner of her mouth doing the same as she fell to her knees. “Now what am I gonna do!? I want to help, but my Sonic’s waiting for me in my own world!” She seemed unsure of where to go next, but then a voice spoke to her and she looked up towards the sky.

“My current wielder may be immortal... but my voice still echoes this lake. Lady... You must take the place of my master, Nimue, the only one who can hear my voice...”

“W-who are you..?” 

‘What is it now..!?’ Amy whined in her head.

“I am the scabbard, missing my other-half, Excalibur. I will tell you all you need to know... to heal this lake’s magic, to assist the King, and to allow this world’s destiny to unfold.”

“O-oh... can we get it done before lunch time?” Amy rose a weary finger, as though not sure if she should really be requesting something so petty at what sounded like a quest so dire.

“I-I mean... if possible, anyway...”

“Hmm... I will see what I can do.”

“I just want to go on my date.” Amy admitted, but straightened up her dress, “But this world needs me! And think of how amazed Sonic’s gonna be when I tell him I became the Lady of the Lake in King Author! He’ll be like- ‘Oh wow, that’s so cool, you’re so cool, Amy. I didn’t realize you were so cool and summoned on cool adventures too. I should stay by your side so I can come too and see how cool you are! Ahhh, you should marry me! I should marry you! Let’s get married!’ hehe~ I’m in!” Amy got herself pumped up, her imaginings taking over as the voice seemed to grow quiet... as though awkwardly waiting for her to refocus again.

It wasn’t long before Amy did learn to use magic, and it was thrilling! The scabbard’s voice told her everything she needed through the increasing power of the Lake, and even Amy could feel her power rising as suddenly from within the Lake House’s tea room, the voice told her the King had arrived...

A talking sword?

‘Well, I speak with a disembodied scabbard, so yeah, that works.’ she shrugged to herself, but the scabbard instructed her to be more lady-like...

“I’ve got this.” She whispered, winking to the sky as she hid behind a pillar, then rippled herself to teleport and appear in front of the king. “I’ve been waiting for you...” She smiled kindly.

In her mind’s eye though, she was squee’ing. ‘He looks so handsome! Ack! Wait! Oh no!’ horror suddenly struck her within her mind’s eye as she continued her scripted conversation with King Author. ‘If Sonic finds out I missed our date to go on a date and save another world with another hero that looks exactly like him, what will he say!? Of course I know what he’ll say!’ she acted out his part again, rambling in her imaginations as her act of Nimue still played out. ‘Amy, I can’t believe you would do this to me. Lie just to see another guy? Who is he? I’m heartbroken! Ahh!’ She acted as though he’d run away in tears. ‘Nooo...!!!’ she acted her desperate cry as she laid on the ground, reaching for him escaping.

‘I’ll just hurry through this! I won’t lead him on or anything. It’ll be perfectly fine and I won’t need to fib to Sonic!’ she nodded her head but the sword spoke to the King and he nodded to it.

“You’re right, where are my manners?” He suddenly took her hand, stopping her from guiding him back to the lake’s bridges.

“A-ah, um...” she panicked slightly, looking at the Lake’s gazebo like design and not sure why he had stopped her.

He bent to a knee, and immediately caught her curiosity...

Her eyes widened as she slowly turned around, forgetting everything for a moment as this Sonic look-a-like placed his other hand up to his other shoulder, bowing to her respectfully. “Milady, I am King Author of the Round Table. I humbly ask your assistance, and thank you for your speedy audience with him. I’m very glad to see and meet you... once more.” He lightly pecked her hand with a gentlemen’s kiss, and Amy had to do everything in her power not to lose her ‘regal’ and ‘refined nobility’ persona.

Flinching from her fangirling, she slowly turning to shake a hand towards the room. “S-shall we discuss the venture more inside... S-sir-”

“No, your Majesty!” the scabbard protested.

‘Sheesh! you’re just as bad as his talking sword!’ She scolded back, and then turned with a shaky grin with reddened cheeks. “I-I mean... your majesty.”

Where the heck was Guinevere?!

Amy didn’t want to get jealous of some other Sonic, after all, she would never cheat. Unfathomable really. B-but... she hoped there was another dimensional Amy... but if she was the Lady of the Lake then???

They walked into the room and sat down, Amy nervous that she was on a ‘date like scenario’ with another man, and trying to just go through her script as instructed.

However... his eyes were so gentle. They pulled her in and made her script softer... slower... as though she couldn’t fight the loving look of interest in his eyes.

“I’m the one who gave it to him... so it’s kinda my fault... S-see?” she looked down, before turning away and putting her hands to her cheeks. ‘Amy Rose The Hedgehog! You will NOT, under any circumstances, swoon and blush over this guy!’ she firmly told herself. ‘E-even if he’s a gentlemanly Sonic... h-he’s also not Sonic! Don’t forget that, okay..?’

“But still...” Amy told herself, not realizing she had said this out loud as she moved her face back to the table.

His head tilted slightly, “Still what?” he politely took some tea and sipped it, but every little gesture looked so appealing to Amy, he was only drinking and his smile completely wounded her ‘loyal girlfriend’ pride.

‘It’s only because he LOOKS like Sonic!’ Amy was so flustered, she suddenly realized it was likely that she had missed her date with Sonic already... M-might as well take the date in this world... with this Sonic... r-right?

But she wasn’t cheating cause it was a Sonic! Just a... more princey... Sonic...

“Whoever takes this fake King’s scabbard... might end up turning out the same way, right?” She suddenly grew worried about him, and her girlish delight in seeing Sonic in him suddenly turned to worry for this look-a-like.

King Author suddenly gave her a warm reassurance as he offered her his hand, “Milady, are you worried about me?” he set the drink down, took her hand as she flinched to not move it, unsure if she should really indulge in this ‘fantasy’ of sorts.

“I see...” His talking sword stated, and she smiled a bit knowingly at it, as though making fun of the fact that she knew what he was to become.

“I can promise you, Milady.” he did the same hand to the shoulder bow gesture, not breaking eye-contact with her as she remembered his sword was right there and they weren’t really alone... “I will make all things right.”

‘You certainly are...’ she looked at his hand in hers... how she longed for her unknown date with Sonic to have happened... just like this...

“I’ll use every bit of my power to aid you...” she continued, speaking as though she was talking to her Sonic... “I would never let you down, Sonic... I-”

“Sonic?” His hand moved slightly from its light hold on hers, sliding slightly out of it.

“O-oh!” she blushed again, “S-sorry!” waving her hand out, she tried to cover up her blunder. “W-what I mean is... I have three tests for you.”

He shifted himself more towards her, giving her more attention than Sonic had ever seemed to do while she was looking.

“Y-your majesty?” she felt the same excitement she would if it really was Sonic, his face made it hard to distinguish the two, but his personality was clearly a dead giveaway.

“Whatever is concerning you...” He placed his other hand over her own, holding her hand now with both of his. His armor glistened in the light off the surface of the lake, and Amy’s whole being stood still in that moment... except for her chest that rose up and down, worried how if Sonic really was here... or yet, aware of what was going on, wouldn’t he not be okay with this?

She didn’t want to lie to him, she wanted to tell him what had happened and why she had missed their date... how would she explain this? She couldn’t just not tell him!

“I will be there to vanquish the thought.” He looked down at her hand, “Your hand... heh.” she couldn’t help but fall for that subtle chuckle. “It’s trembling. Why is that? I thought you held no fear in the world... after all, when we met, you acted like my honesty was a blessing that very few possessed. Tell me, Nimue... Do you still doubt my virtue?”

She immediately met his eyes, realizing he had seen through her and knew she was nervous about something. “No, my king!” she immediately took on the role, thinking that maybe this Nimue... could be his Guinevere... except, not betray him or anything like that for a Lancelot!

Who, at the moment, she didn’t know looked like another familiar face...

In fact, she wouldn’t know this till later, and get very white in the face with the awkward realization that Guinevere could be a gender-bent character as well in this world.

She didn’t want to think of what that meant...

“I... Only fear for your safety, Dear Author.” she removed her hand, trying to stay ‘professionally acting’ but smiled slightly behind her withdrawn hand at how romantic this Sonic seemed to be.

“Dear..?” He gave her a sly look with his eye, and she had to look away.

‘No flirting!’ she mentally slapped her hand, as though that was the root of all evil.

They continued speaking, and as she escorted him along the bridge, he kept his proximity close to her... and as she held her head low, she could tell he wanted this meeting to be closer... as though two lovers walking out from a rendezvous.

‘Oh, forgive me, Sonic...’ Amy thought to herself, not wanting to constantly be in her head all the time... but...

She glanced up at him again, and he was happily, politely, still engaging her in talk of his life after they met... she hoped that the real Nimue would show up soon, ‘Your King in shining armor is waiting for you... he misses you so much.’ she bent her eyes to him, so happy that at least in one world, Sonic was surprisingly sweet and romantic.

“You have three days.” she almost said this to get him to turn around... to see his face once more.

As he did, he bowed again and took her hand, kissing it lightly, before giving her a long pause as though he didn’t want to verbally say goodbye.

“Good luck...” she slowly moved her hand out of his own... and used her Lake magic to ripple away and appear on the opposite end of the lake.

She gripped her chest and fell to her knees, “AHHH... he was so charming! How did I ever survive that without embracing him and possibly cuddling!!!” she covered her face, not glad she admitted it, but the desire to be couply and cute was hard to resist for her.

“But I did.” she triumphantly exclaimed, flopping her hands down on her dress before sweetly giggling to herself. “And he really did seem to care for Nimue...”

She later continued to help the King, and when she returned to her world, found that Sonic was still waiting by the chilidog stand, with two delicious hotdogs in his hand.

“Yo!” he called to her, walking over.

She was frazzled, not sure if she looked okay, but to her surprise, she was as stunning as she hoped to be.

Smiling excitedly to him, she gave him a heads-up and outstretched her arms, showing she wanted to hug him, “Hehe! Sorry I’m late!”

“That’s new,” Sonic looked taken aback by her lady-like gesture as she slowly moved in to hug him, though he had braced already in expecting her to launch at him, and took the chilidog he offered her after a small, but tight hug. “You usually show up early to these things, and I’m late!” He laughed, “So that makes you doubly late!”

“I know, I know!” she whined cutely, “But I swear I’ll make it up to you! Boy, do I have a story to tell you!” she grabbed his hand as though that was natural, but it took him by surprise and she led him on to eat with one hand... talk during intervals of chewing and swallowing, and kept her hand in his own.

It did feel different... like...

A whole ‘nother magic!

“I bet... kinda got me a tad bit worried for a minute there...” He seemed sheepish to admit that... taking his finger and scratching the side of his head a moment as he looked away with a goofy smile.

Was he excited for this date too..?

“Aww... really?” She remembered the King’s words, and gave a sly look to Sonic. “Hehe!” she put a little more pressure to the hand-hold, and then proceeded to excitedly tell him- “I was transported to another world!”

“What!?”

“I know, right!? I stole your gig!”

[albino-whumpee]

An old thing 5

First

Continued from here

I´m quite proud of this part. Do you remember the Walmart man? Yeah. More angst and sick fic than whump, but there.

CW// Non Con, Dub Con, NS*W at times, dehumanization, slavery, human trafficking, escape attempt, blood, broken noses, implied death, regain of identity, whump of minors, manhandling, prong collar, past torture, creepy and explosive whumpers, physical and emotional abuse.

Everything will be tagged and if there´s tags to be added, tell me please.

Dimitri was speechless.

“Can you repeat that, please?” He said.

“You’re too close with Kit, we’re gonna send you to a vacation house. Dont worry about Roahn, you will see her when it’s the mounting” Layo said across the table. Kit and Danae were playing outside.

“Im…I…when?” He asked visibly stressed.

“Maybe on saturday. The vacation house is on the other side of the country, next to Sunnyhills Beach, I think you know whose property is it”

Dimitri knew.

His last master before them.

The one who had tried to kill him with the prongs collar.

“His son will be taking good care of you, so you better behave and do as he says understood? He wont accept escapes like us. You know his methods already anyways, you will know whats better for you” He said sipping on his coffee. “Ah, but you’re still ours. If he thinks he is entitled to damage you, He wont see the end of it”

“U-Understood…” Dimitri said still cleaning his plates. He had time. If he hurried up, maybe he could escape tomorrow. While they were on their cocktail party.

“I gotta believe I can do it” He told himself

—

Report came and Dimitri explained how he could the plan for the next day to Kit. How he would take him to that place.

“With Jen and Roahn?”

“Yes with them too” he smiled. “But you gotta tell me if they’re sleeping”

“Master was drinking a lot and Master was already asleep”

“Alright Kit. Ill show you something but you must not say anything ok?”

“Ok!”

He took out the improvised key from a vase and tainted the lock until he opened it.

“You could get out all this time?”

He sighed “No. Only on important moments. Now shhh” he put his finger on his mouth. “Come on Ill get you to your room but silence”

Kit put his lips together and followed him to his room. An spacious yet small little place with only the necessary and some toys. He was relieved he didnt live like them.

Dimitri put him to sleep.

“Goodnight Dimitri see you tomorrow?”

“Goodnight Kit. See you tomorrow” he said as he gave him a kiss on his forehead.

He closed the door silently.

Silent as a mouse, he went to his office. In all those years they had never guessed he had a key. So they had never bothered to lock the office. Dimitri knew perfectly where the copies were, but he knew keeping them would be too evident so he took them and made an improvised and quick copy of them with plaster.

He only needed to wait a few hours for it to harden.

He went as fast as he had gotten in but heard steps and hid quickly.

“Fuck…” Layo’s voice. He was going to the bathroom. And he would pass around the office for that.

Dimitri breathed quickly as he noticed. Was it that way he would end up? He took a stone decoration from a table and was ready to smash it on his head when he heard:

“Master? I can’t sleep!” Kit cried.

“What the…go to bed, Kit” the man said walking towards him.

“I can’t! Tell me a story! please, master!”

“Ugh what a pain is one am…Alright, Alright, coming go to your bed, Ill go take a piss before that…”

Dimitri held tight to the artifact.

“No!! Now!!”

“Argh! What a kid! Ok ok” he heard the door shutting.

Dimitri left the stone on its place and ran quietly to the cell. He closed it again and started working.

At 7 am it was ready. Later, Dimitri was preparing their masters for a full day outside when Layo said:

“Dont try anything funny Ok?” As he was locked up again. He had to hold the urge to laugh on his face.

“Understood”

Kit came running down a few minutes later.

“They’re gone!” He had told him.

Dimitri stood up. With backpacks on hand.

“Its time, Kit”

—

Dimitri got out of the cell and went upstairs. The house was empty. Or so it seemed.

“Kit” Dimitri held the boy’s small shoulders “I need you to go check on the door if there’s somebody. I’ll go get them ok? If theres someone dont scream it” he took the house phone and made it ring pressing a button “you do this and let the phone ring three times. Alright?”

The kid nodded. Dimitri gave him his binoculars back.

“Go see, explorer” he told him before the kid ran off.

He then made a little jump and sprinted towards the stairs. He went to the door where Roahn was and knocked three times. Her voice was husky.

“Dimitri?” She called

“Roahn, it’s me. We’ve gotta go. Now. Can you handle it?” He asked her through the door. A cough.

“Yeah” she said “always”

“We will take you to a doctor. I swear.” He said looking down and putting the keys on.

Roahn had been very sick for weeks. She couldnt give her enough milk and was very weak. Refusing to eat even. Miraculously, Jen was healthier than ever.

Finally the door opened and Roahn had her baby on her skinny arms. Eyebags dark in her face. Yet the light on her eyes were strong. He held her after giving her a hug.

“Lets go” he said as he helped her walk through the house. “Kit is waiting” that line made her sob happily.

“Our baby…” she said looking nowhere

They streamed downstairs, Roahn almost falling at various times due her legs not being able to move correctly. However Dimitri was there to hold her.

When they finally reached the kitchen Kit was waiting for them.

“Nobody on sight!” He said as if he was a sailor.

“Good” Dimitri told him “Kit, help Roahn out a bit would you?” He said putting her down to open the door. Kit sat besides Roahn and asked her if she was Alright to which she responded with a smile. Dimitri held the concrete key on his hand and inhaling deeply he unlocked the door.

The clicking sound of freedom was on his ears as if it was music.

-

The four of them stepped out of the house to the secondary door. Not before putting coats with hoodies that covered their faces. Then they ran. Quietly, agitatedly, desperately. The four of them reached the door withut problems.

There was no one apparently.

The door was in a vine wall. It was easy to pass through it because the key Dimitri had was a copy of the master key he used to buy groceries.

He held them down for a bit while he opened the door. It was the last thing.

The last.

When he opened the door he saw the street and a fist on his direction. A man in black suit punched him making him fall. Roahn and Kit immediately tried to run away from the man, but Dimitri, even when hazy due the pain, used a close by rock to knock the guy out by hitting his head. The man fell and Dimitri was alert to anybody else coming to try and stop them. But there was no one.

“Roahn!! Kit! Its ok!” He yelled with blood going down his nose. They went out of their hiding spot and went back to Dimitri.

“Are you ok?” Roahn said cleaning the blood off his face and stuffing his nose with tissues.

“Yes, we just need to go now” he told her holding her hand a second.

“Is he dead?” Kit asked without taking his eyes off the fallen man. Blood came out of his ears.

“No” Dimitri answered him taking the kid by his hand and running past the body “he’s just unconscious”

They ran and ran and ran until they were on a plaza with a supermarket and a pharmacy.

They were free.

“Now where?” Roahn asked him visibly tired.

Dimitri took a look at Roahn holding Jen like she was a precious stone. Impressively calm. Kit was amazed by everything he saw.

“Now…we take these off” he told her taking his hands to his neck. Feeling the belt like collar and undoing it. He took it out carefully and slowly. Holding it in his hands, Kit could see clearly the old scars on his neck. It grossed the kid to think about how he got such hideous scars.

Dimitri knelt down to Kit and took his collar off too. Kit felt lighter than usual and couldn’t hold the instinct to touch his now free neck.

Dimitri smiled a bit and ruffled his hair before doing the same to Roahn.

Roahn dropped a tear when she felt that lightness on her neck. They looked at each other’s eyes for a second but Roahn pulled him closer and gave him a kiss on his neck and then on his lips.

“Yikes” said Kit watching them. They looked at the kid and laughed.

“Sorry Kit” Dimitri laughed.

“What about looking around for a place to stay, hun?” Roahn asked sweating cold. “We’re tired and we will need to hide for a bit…” she said.

“You feeling ok, Ro?” He asked him cupping her face with his hands. She nodded slowly “We will take the bus to Keith City, I’ll go buy the tickets and have a doctor check on you there ok?”

“Ok” she said.

Suddenly Jen started revolving and slapping Roahn’s face.

“Hey hey what is it Jen?” She asked her. Kit moving towards her.

“Dont cry Jen! It will be alright!” The kid said.

“Is she hungry?” Dimitri asked. Roahn blushed in embarrassment.

“I cant… feed her. I need some baby milk powder. Do we have some?” She asked Dimitri.

He started to search but it was in vain and he knew it.

���Kit” the kid shoot his head up from trying to comfort the now crying baby “could you tell that man there where could we get an electric chair for Roahn?” He asked signaling a person with a supermarket uniform not that far away.

The kid ran to him and asked him. The man was almost a geezer but his smile was really bright.

“It’s for your mommy there? Is she alright?” He asked Kit.

“Eh…Roahn? I hope so…” the kid said unsettling the man a bit.

“Not your mom? Its your auntie then? You two look alike a lot” he said again pulling the electric chair to the woman.

“We-we do?” Kit said finding himself a question.

“Here it is lady. Everything alright? You look a bit pale ma’am” he said helping her get into the chair.

“Yes, sir” she answered him not conscious of her formality.

The man found the people on his view with a woman with baby on arms crying out loud, the many bags and the very attractive man with tissues on his nose very strange. But it was a walmart. He had seen all kind of people go there. So he just walked away.

They put some of the bags in the electric chair and the others on the package service. Then they entered the market. Dimitri was used to go so he wasn’t as excited as the others. Yet he couldn’t hide his happiness of not feeling that uncomfortable thing on his neck. It was now in the trash. They went through the isles calming the baby with a toy that hypnotized her long enough for them to look at everything. Kit was amazed. Asking questions about this and that. Roahn looked at the pharmacy isle where there should be a doctor with longing. Dimitri didnt notice as he was coming back with baby milk powder on his hands.

In the end they bought a few more things. Like the toy and a magazine for Kit. As well as painkillers. The cashier recognized him and greeted him “Good morning!” Dimitri greeted back. “Is that your family?” The teen asked looking at Kit showing Roahn an article from his magazine.

“Yes” he answered blushing.

“Your kid is very energetic” she remarked.

“He is!” He laughed a bit “excuse me, Lana, where would I get bus tickets? We’re going to Keith City to visit my wife’s sister, but my card doesnt seem to work now…”

“Oh! Here would be fine. Two adults and a kid right?”

Dimitri payed for the bus tickets that would depart in two hours and met Roahn and Kit.

Roahn was a bit uncomfortable to leave the chair, but they got a taxi to the bus station so she didnt have to walk any longer. She was now green.

“Everything alright ma’am?” The taxi driver asked her while Dimitri fed Jen.

“Y-yes, sir. No need to worry. Thank you” she answered.

Kit extended his bag of chips to her.

“Want one Roahn? You dont look good…” He said.

“Im alright Kit. Just tired, that’s all” she ruffled his hair. Kit pulling it down annoyed. “Ill be taking one, though” she said eating a chip slowly.

She rested her head On Dimitri’s shoulder who gave her a kiss on her forehead.

“Im not ok” she mumbled.

“We will get you a doctor there I promise” he whispered to her, giving her a kiss.

The rest of the way Kit talked with the driver asking him questions about his travels.

When they arrived at the bus station, they were good friends.

They got there just in time and went up the bus. It was a four hour ride, but all of them were exhausted and fell asleep as soon as the bus started moving.

Dimitri woke up an hour before getting there.

It was the first time he didn’t have a collar and walked around freely. It had been strange for him to book sits because of his lacking of last name. But he had come up with one last second.

His name was Dimitri Holberg.

Maybe it was made up, but he had an identity now. He wasn’t bee, yellow, dog or dildo.

He was a human being and his name was Dimitri Holberg.

He had a family and a mission to reunite them all.

With determination they arrived at Keith’s city.

[weasleysicon]

Conspicuous [Greaser!Ashton One Shot]

requested?: no

a/n: hello all, i’ve been very sad and stressed lately so i’ve decided to write a greaser!ashton one shot to fill that empty void in my life. the picture attached straight up gave me the inspiration. enjoy! i also recently hit 400 followers and i would like to thank everybody so much! i love u guys

warnings: language, violence, mention of violence, smut (i’ve never written smut before so i’m S ORRY if it seems a little awkward)

word count: 7.6k (this is the longest thing i have ever written in my enTIRE EXISTENCE)

another a/n: shoutout to my love, sierra (@cosmocalum), for helping me with this one shot when i was really stuck! love u buggy <3

Conspicuous, 1: standing out so as to be clearly visible. 2: attracting notice or attention.

1956

“SO, HEARD YOU’RE getting out today,” his cellmate, Vinny, piped from across their small shared cell. Ashton turned his attention away from the book he was reading, looking at the blonde man across from him.

“Seems that t’be that way,” he added quietly, not in the mood to have a conversation. Ashton Irwin was arrested for tagging and petty theft in 1953, leaving his entire life behind. He had everything he could’ve ever wanted, he was planning on finally giving the love of his life the promise ring his mother passed on to him, his family was finally opening their hearts to him, and he was surrounded with quite possibly the best people he could imagine.

He could still remember the day he was arrested; he could remember the look on his girl’s face as the cops busted into his small apartment and took him away from her, for three years.

“What are you gonna do once you’re a free man?” Vinny questioned, attempting to keep the conversation going.

“What kind of dumbass question is that, Vin?” Ashton grimaced, disgusted by such a question. He looked at Vin, who was holding a look of general wonder. He sighed, “if you must know, I’m going to get my girl. I know she’s been waiting for me all these years.”

“Irwin, she ain’t wait for you, bud.” Vinny wasn’t trying to sound like an asshole, but he felt that Ashton deserved the truth. “No girl ever waits for their fella in prison, no matter how much she loved you.”

Ashton turned his head back to the book, “she waited for me, Vin, I know she did.”

            -------

“Irwin, up! You’re out,” the guard sounded as he pulled open the cell door. Ashton closed the book he was reading and stood up to finally get out and find his girl. As he was walking through the corridor, some of the inmates were cheering, the others jeering. All of the words of anything but affirmation rolled off his back, he was getting out and they weren’t. Nearing the front desk, Ashton could see his best friend, Calum, sitting in the waiting room. A smile painted across his face, happy that someone came to get him. Rounding the corner to the desk, Ashton was presented with papers that he had to sign stating that he understood his parole and he was passed a bag with his belongings.

“Hey, mate,” Calum’s thick, gruff Australian voice sounded through his ears. Calum stood up from where he was standing to envelop his best friend in a hug, which Ashton very happily returned. “I’ve missed you, man. Streets ain’t been the same without you,” Calum said. He wasn’t lying, their small group of four hadn’t been the same once their key member was jailed, considering Ashton was like their leader in a sense.

Ashton flashed a small smile, “let’s go, Hood, I got things to do.”

As they neared Calum’s car, Ashton smiled again. “Still got your old Hudson Hornet? Nice to know that things haven’t changed much,” Ashton mused. Calum cracked a smile as he unlocked the doors and the two men slid into the car.

“What’re you gonna do now that you’re out?” Calum sounded, starting the engine. Ashton was ripping open the plastic bag and grabbed out the only two things he had on his person at the time of his arrest: his leather jacket, and his wallet. After sliding on the black jacket, he opened his wallet and took out the small picture he had.

“I’m gonna go see Sweet Pea, she’s gonna be over the moon that I’m out,” Ashton said quietly. He could’ve sworn he heard Calum’s breath hitch at the mention of Sweet Pea. The smile Ashton had on his face faltered a bit, “Calum, what’s wrong?”

“Mate, no one’s heard from Sweet Pea since you got locked up. She stopped coming around,” Calum said quietly, scared that if he said it any louder that Ashton would blow up.

Ashton’s head snapped away from the picture and towards Calum. She what!? He really had no words. She always told him that they were together forever, that they would always wait for each other, no matter what. “That’s… impossible. Maybe she just didn’t wanna hang out with you three dodo birds without me, take me to her house.”

Driving down the street couldn’t have been more awkward for Calum. He’d only scraped the surface of everything that’s changed. He didn’t even tell him the worst part of Sweet Pea dropping him, and honestly, he didn’t want to.

As they pulled up to her folk’s house, Ashton swung the door open and almost flew up the stairs to the porch. Upon knocking, the sound of laughter could be heard from inside and Ashton’s heart skipped a beat, that was his girl’s laugh. Knocking on the door, his heart was pounding in his chest. The door swung open, revealing some schmuck who didn’t look like he belonged in the house. “And who are you?” this mystery guy questioned.

A grimace took over Ashton’s face, “none of your business, where’s Sweet Pea?” As soon as he said her name, she appeared from behind the man, a worried look on her face.

“It’s okay, Johnny, it’s just Ashton,” she said, grabbing onto Johnny’s bicep. “Go wait for me in the kitchen, love, I’ll only be a minute,” as soon as she muttered those words, Johnny pressed a light kiss to her lips, causing Ashton’s eyes to almost bug out of his eyes. What in the actual fuck? Why is he kissin’ my girl? My girl! “Ashton--”

“Sweet Pea? What’s goin’ on?” Ashton asked. He couldn’t believe what was going on. His girl, with another man, kissing him and calling him love. “I just got out, babe, I’m here to take you home,” Ashton said, stepping closer, attempting to pull her into him. Sweet Pea backed away from him, rejecting his gesture with a swat of her hand.

“No, Ashton.” She ran a hand through her hair, trying to formulate the words she needed to get her point across to him. “You weren’t there for me, what was I supposed to do? Johnny’s good to me, Ash. He loves me, takes care of me, and most of all, he doesn’t get into trouble,” she explained. She wanted to wait for Ashton, she really did, but she couldn’t take the pain of not knowing if he was okay or not, if he was staying alive in prison or getting killed in the courtyard.

“You don’t belong with him, darling, he’s a fuckin’ preppy. He can’t protect you like I can, you know that, Sweet Pea,” Ashton tried to reason, stepping closer to her once again. When he reached for her again, he was met with Johnny stepping in front of her.

“I can do her one better, Greaseball,” Johnny taunted. “I can provide a life for her. The only thing you can provide for her is pain and danger, whereas I can give her the life of luxury a beautiful woman like her deserves--”

“You know nothing of our fuckin’ relationship, so I’d back up if I were you, you trust fund baby,” Ashton interjected, about halfway to sending Johnny to the emergency room with a broken nose.

“I know plenty, asshole. Get back in your buddy’s little car and tag a wall or something, trash,” Johnny finished, holding his arm out so Ashton couldn’t shuffle any closer to her. “She doesn’t love you, man--”

“Johnny, plea--” Sweet Pea tried to silence them, knowing now that Johnny was trying to get a rise out of Ashton.

“Men are talking, Sweet Pea. Go to the kitchen and find your mother,” Johnny turned his head ever so slightly to give her a hardened look. “I think you should leave, Trailer Trash.”

As Ashton was starting to step down the stairs, he turned around to glance at Sweet Pea once more, a look of sadness washing over his face. “You always said you’d wait, Sweet Pea, no matter what. You lied to me,” Ashton whispered the last part, scared that if he said it any louder, he would cry, which he did not want to do. Sliding back into Calum’s car, he let out an exasperated sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.

“For what it’s worth, mate, you still have us,” Calum said, trying to lighten up the mood.

Ashton whipped his head to Calum, “shut the fuck up and drive, Hood.”

             -------

“So he just showed up three years later—fresh out of jail—to… what? Try to get you back?” Rosie asked. Rosie was Sweet Pea’s long term best friend who knew every nook and cranny of Sweet Pea’s history with Ashton. It wasn’t hard to see the confusion in her eyes, this wasn’t a normal situation.

Sweet Pea swirled the tea around in her mug as they sat in the small diner on the Northside of town. Ever since Ashton was jailed, Sweet Pea steered clear of the Southside, scared that she might run into Ashton’s gang. “Yes! Then Johnny tried to pick a fight with him, calling him Trailer Trash and Greaseball, it just- it wasn’t good, Rose.”

“I can’t fucking stand Johnny.”

“Rose!”

“Well, it’s true. He needs to get off his high horse. You’ve been with him for, what, 11 months? You were with Ashton for 4 and a half years! Johnny doesn’t have shit on him,” Rosie expressed. Truth be told, Sweet Pea did feel something when she saw Ashton for the first time in three years. He was the first man she ever loved; he taught her how to be daring, showed her what true passion was. She could never forget that, no matter how much she wanted to.

She was angry at Ashton for getting himself locked up, yes, but he didn’t deserve to be dragged the way Johnny did. “I-I have to go, Rose. There’s something I need to take care of,” Sweet Pea blurted as she abruptly stood up from the booth and placed a few dollars on the table for her tea. She needed to talk to Ashton, to hear him out, without Johnny around. She didn’t know how she was going to do it, but dammit, it needed to happen soon.

             -------

“I’m sorry about that, man,” said Calum to his best friend, “what happened at Sweet Pea’s house this morning was uncalled for, you didn’t deserve that.” Calum was right. What happened at Sweet Pea’s house was uncalled for, but there was nothing he could do about it. Ashton appreciated having a friend like Calum though, he was always there and although sometimes he’s a little moody, he always made sure his friends and family were taken care of.

“It’s okay, Cal,” Ashton reassured. He sighed, he didn’t know what he could do to get her back, not when she’s with that fuckboy preppy. “I just-- I need to take my mind off of her. Would you mind taking me to my parents house? I need to apologize for not talking to them for three years.”

“Ashton--”

“I don’t have time to argue about this. Just take me, please, Calum,” Ashton pleaded. Calum obliged, as the two men walked out of Calum’s small apartment.

Pulling up to Ashton’s family home, he felt the same excitement and worry he felt as when they pulled up to Sweet Pea’s house earlier that day. Ashton didn’t keep in contact with his family while he was in jail, too afraid of the disappointment and the stress he’d be putting his mother and siblings through. As Calum’s car sat on the curb, Ashton stayed staring at the house. There was a different car in the driveway, which Ashton just waved off as the possibility of his mother purchasing a new car. But then he saw it. The curtains were drawn back and he had the perfect view of the inside of the house, where he saw a little old man cross into the living room and sit in a big arm chair that he also did not recognize. Ashton was… confused, to say the least. “What in the,” he whispered to himself as he unbuckled his seat belt.

“What are you doing, Ash?” Calum questioned, ready to stop his friend from going and scaring this poor old man.

Ashton looked at Calum for a split second before directing his stare back at the house. “I need to see who that is and why the fuck he’s in my mother’s house.” As Ashton was getting ready to open the car door, Calum placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“Listen, man, this is going to be hard to hear,” said Calum, “your family moved out of town about a year and a half ago, nobody knows why or where they moved to.” At this, shock took over Ashton’s body. He slowly pulled the car door closed and sat there, shell shocked. His family left him.

“Th-They left me?” Ashton said in the smallest voice. Ashton wasn’t one to cry but dammit, this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

“Ash—“

“No, Calum, they fuckin’ left me! First, the love of my life decides to replace me with some preppy asshole and now my family up and left me! I have no one, man, no one!” Wiping a few stray tears off his cheeks, Ashton sniffled and the look on his face hardened.

“Ashton, you’re not alone, mate. You have me, you know my apartment is open to you,” Calum said quietly, “why don’t we get drinks tonight, huh? Might do ya some good.”

The ride to the bar was filled with silence, neither of them knowing the correct words to say. Ashton was a little more on edge, with good reason. The ride seemed to be going on a little longer than Ashton had remembered, noticing that they entered the part of town where Luke and Michael lived. Luke and Michael lived more on the Eastside of town, whereas Calum—and now Ashton—lived on the Southside of Grand Haven. “What are we doing, man?” Ashton asked, “I thought we were going to the bar.”

“We are, Ash, we’re just doing something first,” Calum assured him.

At this point, Ashton could add skeptical to the list of emotions he was currently feeling. “I can see that, but my question was what are we doing?” Ashton emphasized the question, hoping that Calum would catch onto the hint of annoyance in his voice. Calum did not.

“Just-- you’ll see, mate,” Calum said to his best friend, “you’ll see.”

Ashton sighed. “I fucking hate surprises, Hood.”

It turns out that exactly what Ashton thought was happening, was happening. They had picked up Michael and Luke to join them at the bar for the night. He wasn’t explicitly angry, he loved Michael and Luke to pieces, he just hadn’t told them that he was released from prison, much less anything else that was currently going on.

The rest of the car ride was awkward, to say the least. It was filled with small talk, mostly from Calum and the other two, with occasional head nods from Ashton to show he was still down on Earth with them. Every once and awhile, one of the boys would attempt to converse with Ashton about how he was doing, with no prevail.

About three hours later, Ashton was feeling light on his feet. He typically wasn’t one to get drunk quickly but not having a single drink for three years really changes a person's tolerance. Although he was feeling better, his thoughts were still consumed by Sweet Pea. He wasn’t sure what possessed him to get up begin walking towards the exit of the bar, leather jacket in hand, but that’s exactly what he was doing. He didn’t get far, as one of the boys tried to grab his bicep to stop him. “Whoa, whoa, whoa where are you going, mate?” Michael asked, trying to pull his friend back to where everyone else was.

“I’m goin-- I just need a breath of fresh air, mate,” Ashton said, “I’ll be back.” Knowing that he couldn’t keep him from going outside, Michael let him. As Ashton was standing outside, it seemed as if his brain and his feet were moving on autopilot. He wasn’t sure if what he was doing was the right thing, but the alcohol in his system was telling him otherwise. The bar they were currently at was located in the central part of Grand Haven, towards the back, but Ashton has made this walk many a time. The February air was quite chilly tonight, but his leather jacket kept him warm enough, as well as the alcohol in him. Walking down the street, Ashton was all in his head. He wasn’t quite sure of what he was going to say yet, he just knew he had to go to her.

About halfway to the Northside of town, the once busy streets of Grand Haven began to quiet down, as everyone was off of work and inside their homes. It was beginning to get colder as well, as it was nearing the later part of night. The walk from the bar to Sweet Pea’s house wasn’t very far, it was just taking Ashton longer since he was intoxicated and worrying about how he was walking so he wouldn’t trip and fall. He was so caught up in his own mind, he almost didn’t register the hand slamming on his shoulder. “Cal, mate--”

“Did you not hear me, Greaseball?” Ashton turned around to be face to face with some random townie. “Go back to your dumpster.”

Ashton blinked, suddenly it seemed as if the alcohol in his veins was leaving his body. “Excuse me?” He was confused for two reasons: why this person decided to bother him, and why in the hell did this townie think it was fine putting his hands on him?

“You don’t belong here,” the townie once again repeated. Ashton felt his face heat up, who was this person to say whether or not he belonged somewhere? Why does it matter? What was Ashton doing that bothered this person so much?

“Sorry you feel that way, mate,” Ashton said, “bye.” The townie obviously wasn’t pleased with Ashton’s tone of voice, seeing as he once again grabbed his shoulder and shoved him. If Ashton wasn’t already fuming, he sure in hell was now. As he turned around, he scowled at the person behind him. “What the fu--”

Ashton’s words were met with a fist straight to his mouth. Is this piece of shit townie really trying to pick a fight? It didn’t take long for him to react, swinging at the townie himself. Ashton let the anger that had been boiling in his body all day take over, swinging relentlessly at the guy, receiving a few punches to the gut and cheek himself. Ashton wasn’t going to stop until the man was on the floor and would leave him alone. With a few more swings to the stomach and chin, the townie was sent to the ground groaning. “Fucking hell,” Ashton muttered as he turned around to leave the man on the ground.

“You’re on the wrong side of town,” the townie groaned as he stood to his feet. Shouldn’t I be saying that? Ashton thought in his head as he turned around to once again come face to face with the townie. How in the fuck did he get up? The townie snickered, “you’re gonna regret coming back.” He reached into the pocket of his blue jeans and pulled out a switchblade, smirking at Ashton.

“What the fuck?” Ashton said, stepping back. The townie stepped forwards once again, swinging the switchblade, slashing him on his stomach. Ashton doubled over in pain, hand gripping his stomach. The townie swung again, this time slitting Ashton’s cheek. Shit, if Ashton thought he was in pain now, this was excruciating.

The townie crouched down to Ashton’s level, smirking, “you’re trash,” he spat, “go back to prison where you belong.”

             -------

The sound of the doorbell startled Sweet Pea from the half sleep state she was in. She glanced at the clock on the wall above the television set, 2:54 AM. She blinked a couple times, wondering who was at the door at such a late hour into the night. She flicked on the porch light, looking through the peephole. Ashton. It’s Ashton.

Sweet Pea quickly unlocked the front door and swung it open, to reveal a hurt Ashton. He half smiled upon seeing her, as that was all he could do without doubling over in pain. “Ashton,” she began, pulling her robe tighter around her as the chilly February breeze hit her unexpectedly, “are you okay? Let me take a look at you.”

Listening to her, Ashton sauntered over to Sweet Pea. She lifted her hands, running her fingers along his cheek, where the new slash made home. As her finger ran across it, Ashton hissed “Gentle, love,” he whispered, afraid that if he spoke too loud he’d scare the small, doe-eyed woman in front of him.

“Come on, let's get you cleaned up, okay?” She asked, carefully gripping his bicep so she could pull him inside her house. Sweet Pea lead him into the small kitchen and had him sit the table so she could get the first aid kit to tend to his wounds. Walking over to him ripping open an alcohol pad with his teeth, she looked into Ashton’s eyes for the first time that night. There was something in them she couldn’t exactly pinpoint; she didn’t know what she was doing. Here she was in her kitchen, cleaning up her ex-boyfriend-slash-ex-con after what seemed to be a bad fight at nearly 3 AM. “This is going to sting a little,” she warned him before bringing the alcohol wipe to his split lip to clean off the dried blood. Once again Ashton hissed, pleading Sweet Pea to be gentle, to which she replied with a small smile.

“I’m sorry,” Ashton started, “I shouldn’t have come to bother you, love.”

Sweet Pea sighed, “what happened to you?”

“I was at the bar with Calum and the boys and I needed to come see yo--”

“No, Ashton,” she said to him with her eyes shut as if she was trying to figure out what the right words were to say, “I’m not talking about tonight. I’m talking about in general. What happened to the man I once knew? My Ashton would not have gotten himself locked up.”

“Sweet Pea, please,” Ashton said. He’d been waiting to tell her why he got put into prison in the first place for the longest time, he just… he didn’t know how. How was he supposed to tell the love of his life that he was caught shoplifting when he already had a warrant on a tagging charge? “This is gonna be really hard for me to say, doll,” Ashton told the woman in front of him, looking at him with a sense of worry that Ashton could detect a mile away, “I was arrested on a petty theft charge when I already had a warrant out for tagging.”

“You… what? You had a warrant out for your arrest?” Sweet Pea was in shock, to say the least. She hung her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. Ashton had never felt more guilt for anything in his entire life and seeing Sweet Pea this incredibly disappointed in him made everything worse. “What’d you try n’ steal, Ash?”

“What?” Ashton asked, taken aback by her words.

“You heard me,” she said, “what did you try to steal?”

Ashton took a deep breath, “medication for Harry.” Little Harry Dawkins was Ashton’s youngest sibling, only twelve at the time of Ashton’s arrest. “He was-he was sick. Mum couldn’t afford the medication for him, I couldn’t afford the medication for him. I wasn’t going to let my little brother be in pain, doll, you know how much my siblings mean to me,” Ashton said quietly, lowering his head in shame. He looked at the floor and then slowly raised his head to make eye contact with Sweet Pea. “I’m angry at myself for getting arrested and leaving my family and leaving you for three years, but I’d do it again. If it meant Harry or Lauren or you were getting what you needed, then fuck, I’d steal anything.”

Sweet Pea felt her stomach tie itself into knots at his words. Ashton always has been a family man. “I understand,” she told him, “you shouldn’t have stolen, though. You could have come to me, love, my parents would’ve been more than happy to get Harry the medication, they have the money for it.”

“I was supposed to provide for you, Sweet Pea, not the other way around,” Ashton said, head hanging low once again.

As much as she would like to suppress it, Sweet Pea couldn’t ignore the feelings she still felt for Ashton in her heart. This was the man she was with for almost five years, how could she not still feel something for him? Sure, he was in jail for three years and she’s with Johnny now but she couldn’t help but think of that would happen if she gave Johnny, and possibly her family up, all for Ashton.

By that morning, Ashton was long gone. Sweet Pea offered for him to sleep on the couch, seeing as he was in no shape to be on his own, which he was thankful for, he just didn’t want her family to find him in the morning. After she cleaned him up, they spent hours catching up and laughing about old stories from when they were still together. Although he wasn’t afraid to admit it, he was scared of his feelings for Sweet Pea. He knew he still loved her, of course he did, but she was with someone new and he had to respect that. As much as he wanted to swoop her into his arms and kiss both of their pain away, he knew that’d only cause more tension.

             -------

Ashton walked into the small diner that morning, he quickly caught sight of his three friends sitting in a booth towards the back. As he was walking to them, Luke looked up and smiled when he saw his friend. “Hey, fellas,” Ashton said as he slid into the booth next to Luke. Looking at the boys, Ashton could tell that Michael was nursing a hangover, as well as Luke.

“What happened to you last night?” Calum asked Ashton, “you can’t just disappear like that, man.You look horrible.” Ashton let out a huff. He knew that Calum was just looking out for his best interest, but holy shit, Ashton was a grown man who could take care of himself. Worry about yourself, Calum.

“I went to see Sweet Pea,” Ashton started. Upon hearing that, all of the boys suddenly perked up. “On my way there, some random townie stopped me, talking about how I was in the ‘wrong part of town’ and then pulled a fucking blade on me.” As soon as he said the word blade, Michael’s eyes went wide.

“Dude, are you okay?” Michael asked.

Ashton laughed, “I’m fine, mate,” he said to Michael, “Sweet Pea cleaned my wounds for me.”

“Sweet Pea? She took care of you?” Calum asked, almost as if he didn’t believe what Ashton was saying. What’s that supposed to mean? Ashton tried to hide his annoyance, but he wasn’t always the best at hiding his facial expressions.

“Yes, Calum, she took care of me. After that we talked for hours. I explained what happened to her and then we spent some time catching up,” Ashton said, “it was really nice.”

“You sound like a lovesick puppy,” Luke chuckled.

“So what if I’m in love? It’s not like my feelings for her have faded away at all,” Ashton raised his voice. Who were they to criticize him spending time with Sweet Pea? Why did it matter if he was still in love with Sweet Pea or not?

“Mate, we’re not trying to piss you off or anything,” Luke started, “but you need to take a look at the situation. She’s in a relationship with someone else, who she probably loves. I know this is hard to hear, but you need to accept the fact that maybe she’s moved on from you.”

             -------

“Mom, I need your advice,” said Sweet Pea, walking into the living room where her mother was sat in her chair with a cup of tea.

“Of course,” her mother said, setting down the romance novel she’d been reading. Sweet Pea’s mother was always the one person she knew she could always count on. Her mother gave the best advice which always had her best interest in mind.

“Don’t get mad at me, mom,” Sweet Pea said to her mother who now had furrowed eyebrows, “Ashton was over last night,” As soon as she mentioned Ashton, her mother's face went to normal, her lips forming into a small smile.

“I know that, honey,” her mother said, “I could hear your guy’s quiet laughter.”

“Mom!” Sweet Pea yelled, covering her face with her hands. “I need to ask you a question.”

“Shoot,” her mother already could guess what Sweet Pea was going to ask, but didn’t want to prod at her daughter, she wanted Sweet Pea to come to those revelations herself.

“When Ashton and I were talking, I-I felt something. Something that I haven’t ever felt being with Johnny,” Sweet Pea started. She wasn’t sure how exactly how to word her feelings to her mother, or even to herself. “I think-I think--”

“You’re still in love with Ashton,” Sweet Pea’s mother finished for her. As soon as the words escaped her mom’s mouth, her eyes went wide. “Don’t worry, sweetie, I already knew. How could you not still be in love with him? You were with him for almost five years, you wanted to plan a future with the man,” her mother said, and she was right. Before Ashton was jailed, Sweet Pea had sat down with both of her parents, explaining that she was in love with the ill-tempered Greaser who she saw a complete future with.

“I don’t know what to do, Mom,” Sweet Pea whispered, hanging her head down in frustration.

“You tell him, dear,”  her mother said, “love is too beautiful of a thing to let go like that. If you don’t tell Ashton how you feel and you stay with Johnny, you’re going to regret that for the rest of your life.”

Sweet Pea took a deep breath, her mother was right. I need to tell Ashton, I need to tell Ashton, I need to tell Ashton. The sentence kept repeating itself in her head over and over again until they didn’t sound like words anymore. But what about Johnny? “Mom,” Sweet Pea said, “what about Johnny? Isn’t it not fair to him for me to leave him for someone he considers ‘trailer trash’?”

“It’s more fair for you to leave the relationship now then it’d be if you stayed with him while in love with another man,” her mother said. Sweet Pea always knew her mother had great advice, but it only seems that she is purely talking from the heart right now.

“Mom, you are really passionate about this,” she laughed at her mother. Her mother smiled fondly, looking over to photo of her and her husband.

“Honey, I was in another relationship when I realized I was in love with your father. If I wouldn’t have left that other man, I wouldn’t have your father and more importantly, I wouldn’t have you,” her mother explained. Sweet Pea wasn’t in shock, as opposed to just in awe of her mother. “You need to fight for love, Sweet Pea. And let me tell you, Ashton Irwin is worth fighting for.”

             -------

A little over a week later, Johnny was sat at the dinner table with Sweet Pea and her parents. She’d been acting a little out of character tonight, with good reason. She had given a lot of thought to what her mother said and yes, she was going to end things with Johnny and confess her feelings to Ashton. How could she not? It wasn’t that Johnny wasn’t good to her, she just didn’t share the same chemistry with him that she has with Ashton.

The family ate in silence, the awkward tension rising in the room. Johnny very awkwardly cleared his throat and looked at Sweet Pea’s parents. “If I could have everyone’s attention, please,” he asked as he stood up from his seat, directing his attention to a very awkward looking Sweet Pea. “Sweet Pea, I love you. I know we haven’t been together very long, but I know we’re here to stay,” Johnny began, causing Sweet Pea and her mother’s eyes to almost bulge out of their heads. This cannot be happening. Sweet Pea whipped her head over to her mother, who was staring down at her plate, pushing the pot roast around. Helpful.

“Johnny, what are you doing?” She asked him. She had a feeling of what he was going to do, but she didn’t want to believe that’s what actually was happening.

Johnny sighed. “Let me finish, Sweet Pea,” he demanded. For someone who’s confessing their love, he’s awfully rude. “As I was saying, I wanna spend the rest of my life with you,” he said, moving from his seat the kneel in front of her. Sweet Pea couldn’t contain the gasp escaping from her mouth, as well as her mother. This was not happening right now. “Please, please, please marry me, Sweet Pea.”

She looked into his eyes for the first time that evening. This wasn’t the future she saw for herself. She didn’t see her elf as being a little housewife for a man who didn’t even appreciate her; she saw herself with someone who wants better for her and someone who was okay with the fact that Sweet Pea didn’t want the stereotypical family. Sweet Pea saw herself with someone much like Ashton. “I-I… Johnny, I need to talk to you,” she looked over at her parents, “alone.”

Sweet Pea’s parents excused themselves to the backyard, while Sweet Pea stayed seated in her chair. Johnny stood up and began pacing, which made Sweet Pea even more nervous. “What are we talking about?” Johnny asked, stopping so he was standing in front of her once again.

“Johnny,” Sweet Pea started nervously, “I don’t know how to tell you this.”

Johnny furrowed his eyebrows together, “tell me what?” His tone sounded a little harsher than Sweet Pea would like, not that she was surprised.

Sweet Pea closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. It’s now or never. Opening her eyes, she muttered, “I can’t marry you, Johnny.” As soon as the words fell past her lips, Johnny’s eyes went wide and his once blank stare was hardened.

“Oh yeah?” Johnny started, venom lacing his words. “And why is that?”

“I don’t- I don’t love you…” Sweet Pea whispered.

At that sentence, Johnny scoffed. “You don’t love me?” he shouted. “Who do you love? Hmm? I wanna know the truth.”

“Johnny, I-I--”

“No I know who, you love that fuckin’ Greaseball, don’t you?” he sneered. “That piece of shit can’t provide for you. I don’t know why you think that being with him is going to be easy, Sweet Pea,” Johnny laughed, “if you’d marry me, you wouldn’t have to work a day in your life. That Greaser can’t offer you that. You’ll be working more than he does.”

Sweet Pea stood up from her seat, blood boiling that he could ever talk about someone so amazing in such a demeaning tone. “You know what, Johnny? Yeah, I do love that ‘fuckin’ Greaseball’, who’s name is Ashton, by the way. That man has shown me more love in the four and a half years I was with them than an entire lifetime with you,” she spat. Johnny looked a little taken aback at the newfound attitude Sweet Pea has acquired. “Before you judge someone, why don’t you actually get to know them? Ashton has more kindness in his pinkie than you have in your entire body, his smile can light up a room, and fuck, you can lose yourself in that man’s eyes for hours.” She didn’t know why she was telling Johnny all of this, perhaps she was more so talking to herself at this point than to him. “I love that ill-tempered man with the sweetest heart,” she ended, looking back at Johnny’s hardened face, feeling absolutely disgusted with herself for putting up with him for as long as she did. Shaking her head, she began to walk down the hallway where her bedroom door was. Looking back one last time, she smirked, “you can leave now, Johnny.” And like that, she single handedly realized two things: Johnny was a piece of shit and that she was sure that Ashton Irwin was the love of her life.

             -------

“You sure you don’t wanna go out with us, mate?” Calum asked Ashton. The boys had all been trying to convince Ashton to go to the bar with them again, but Ashton couldn’t bring himself to go.

Ashton flashed a small smile at his friends, “why don’t you guys just go? I’ll be fine here.” Not wanting to waste any more time, Calum just nodded and bid his best friend goodbye. Ashton sighed to himself, happy that he was finally alone.

Ever since the night that Sweet Pea took care of him, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. She was already always consuming his thoughts, now it was taken to the next level. He found that night at Sweet Pea’s house to be very therapeutic, knowing that it was probably time for her to know the truth.

For the next hour and a half or so, Ashton stared at the small black and white television set Calum had set up in the living room. The movie Casablanca was playing and Ashton couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness. Sweet Pea absolutely loves this movie with her entire being, always watching it when it came on the television and of course forcing Ashton to watch it with her. Towards the end of the movie, there was a knock on the door, startling Ashton out of the relaxation he was previously feeling.

Standing up from the couch, Ashton went to the door and looked out the peephole. It can’t be. As if acting on autopilot, he swung the door open to reveal Sweet Pea. He looked her up and down, taking note of the upset look on her face. “Sweet Pea, love, why are you here?” Ashton asked her.

She looked up into his hazel eyes, and knew that it was time. “I need to talk to you, Ash,” she said to him, “it’s important.”

Upon hearing those words, Ashton’s heart rate picked up and he stood to the side, ushering Sweet Pea into Calum’s apartment. She looked around for a second, her eyes landing on the television set. “You’re watching Casablanca,” she smiled softly.

“Your favorite movie,” Ashton said to her. Sweet Pea turned her head away from the television and to Ashton once again in complete awe. He remembered.

As Ashton took a seat on the couch, Sweet Pea went over and sat down next to him. She didn’t exactly know how to tell him, but it shouldn’t be that hard, right? She had gotten over the obstacle of telling Johnny, but now she was faced with her biggest obstacle of all: telling Ashton her feelings. “So,” she awkwardly began, “Johnny proposed to me.”

Ashton’s eyes widened for a moment. She was goin’ to marry that piece of shit? “Oh-oh yeah? How’d that g--”

“I told him no, Ashton,” she interrupted him. Just then, she felt her breathing go slow. Ashton, on the other hand, swallowed one of the many lumps in his throat. “I told him no,” she repeated again, softer this time.

“You did?” Ashton asked. “Why?”

“Because he’s not the one I love,” she said, looking down at her lap. Sweet Pea looked up, looking gazes with Ashton, the confused expression very clearly painted on his face.

“He’s not the one you love…” Ashton pondered out loud, more to himself than to her.

Without thinking, Sweet Pea whispered, “I love you.” Had it not incredibly quiet in the apartment, the only noise coming from the television that was basically muted, Ashton could’ve missed the three words he’s been waiting to hear for the past three years. “You-you what? Really?” he asked.

Sweet Pea smiled, finally happy that she got what’s been eating her alive for the past week out into the open. “Of course I do, Ash,” she said, reaching her hand out to grasp his, “it’s you. It’s always been you.”

Ashton looked at her in complete and utter shock. He couldn’t believe that she actually said it to him. Sure, he knew she probably still had a little bit of love for her, but she was really good at hiding it. He closed his eyes, basking in the moment for a second. It was what Sweet Pea said next that made everything feel real.

“Ashton,” she said, catching him out of his own thoughts. “Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time.” She was quoting the movie, and the line couldn’t be more fitting for the moment.

Ashton collided his lips with Sweet Pea’s in what seemed like the most desperate, romantic, lustful, and overdue kiss either one of them had ever experienced. It was rushed, but slow. Sloppy, yet beautiful. Neither of them had even realized that in all this time, this was what they needed.

They kissed each other as if their lives depended on it, and before too long, they were shedding one another of their clothing. Ashton’s head was spinning, as this was the happiest he’s felt in the last three years. Heaven. This must be what Heaven feels like.

When Sweet Pea rid herself of her top, Ashton’s pink lips attached to her chest, sucking and marking her as his, leaving a fiery trail in his wake. Sweet Pea let a moan escape her lips, which was music to Ashton’s ears. He could feel himself getting more and more excited as the minutes were passing by, the excitement building in his stomach.

When Ashton flipped the two of them, so she was now beneath him, he finally pulled down both his trousers and his boxers in one swift movement. Ashton sighed at the simple relief he found from just freeing himself from the confines of his pants. He then pulled Sweet Pea’s pants and underwear down and sat up, smiling at her. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” he said to her, making the heat rise to her cheeks as she pulled Ashton by his face down to hers to catch him in a messy kiss. As their lips moved in sync, Ashton trailed his hand down her body, stopping at her heat. When he slipped his fingers through her folds, Sweet Pea let out a squeaky moan, fueling Ashton to go further. “You’re so wet for me, doll,” he rasped lowly, “just for me.”

“Just for you,” she quietly moaned. Her moans grew louder and louder and Ashton began to pump his finger in and out of her, preparing her enough to handle his length. When Ashton decided to finally stop building the anticipation, he reached over to the coffee table and pulled the condom from his wallet. Sweet Pea chuckled, “I hope that condom isn’t three years old.” Ashton chuckled back at her awkward comment, sliding the condom on and lining himself up at her entrance.

He looked down at Sweet Pea, clutching her hips and finally pushing himself into her, earning a loud moan from her, to which Ashton replied with a low growl. As Ashton began to thrust, he felt all of his problems fade away. Here he was, with the woman he loves, who loves him back, sharing one of their most romantic moments. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

They were a mess of tongue, sweat, and the sound of skin slapping skin mixed with her soft moans became the soundtrack to the moment. Sweet Pea was nearing her orgasm, Ashton chasing his own, with his thrusts becoming less rhythmic and sloppier.

As Sweet Pea reached her high, squealing a moan, Ashton wasn’t far behind her. Letting a few curse words fall past his lips, he reached his own high with a sigh of relief. When he pulled out of her, Sweet Pea let out a quiet gasp from the sudden empty feeling. Ashton pulled off his condom, throwing it into the trash bin across the living room, taking time to pull on his boxers. He once again took his place on the couch and handed Sweet Pea her panties and his t-shirt, in case the boys came back earlier than he hoped.

And as Ashton and Sweet Pea were laying on the couch, post-sex, neither one of them had ever been more in love than in this moment. He placed a sweet kiss to her forehead, which was lightly covered in sweat, to which Sweet Pea cuddled deeper into his side. “I love you,” he whispered to her, “so fuckin’ much.”

Sweet Pea smiled up at him, “I love you more.”

taglist: @cosmocalum @roselukes @hotmessmichael @fucking5sos @calumculture @ohhmuke @ghostofch @kinglycalum @notoriouslyhood @slimthicccal @calntynes @astroashtonio @glitterprincelu @catchinqcalum @irwinkitten @talkfastfletcher @monsteramongmikey @hereforlukescruff

feedback is appreciated!

[gwoongi]

𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝗉𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗃𝖾𝖼𝗍 ✰ dad hoseok

𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝗉𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗃𝖾𝖼𝗍 jung hoseok / reader genre: parent au, fluff, tiny smol angst words: 2384

“Yeah! So, go and tell the mean kids at school that Pokemon is cool and you can like it no matter who you are! Pokemon has no gender!” Well, Yeojin still didn’t like her Pokemon bedroom but she did still like Pokemon, and Hoseok pretended not to look when she rushed towards Jeongguk on Thursday evening and hugged his waist, telling him how awesome he was because he introduced her to the best show on planet earth, the show with no gender!

a/n: a short side fic for The Honey Project!! bringing back everyones favourite daddy of biology!!!! also happee easter !!! (happy easter everyone! who is it? ITS UR UNCLE....) ((this is sort of inspired by real events!! so before u say its weird...it happened ok.....it happened....kids r weirdos....and they complain about everything))

warnings: baby angst, hoseok being the best dad ever, jung yeojin is a brat

Hoseok thought he was a pretty good Dad.

Everything he had learned about parenthood was either from Seokjin, who had spent at least seventy hours in total on Google looking at websites about how to be the best Uncle- although Dad also applied- to a child that anybody could ever be, and also from his own experience with his Dad. Where his own Dad lacked in family talks and midnight cuddles, Hoseok filled in with Yeojin, a growing bundle of fluffy, curly hair that reached her chin and big doe eyes that Jeongguk claimed were genetically from him, even though that was literally impossible.

His own family, and the unreliable websites Seokjin bookmarked on his University computer, failed to mention how mentally tiring it is to raise a child. At first, neither himself or you had come to realise how hard it would be when the baby you birthed started using words, becoming more vocal about their thoughts and feelings and how it was apparently so annoying for either of you to hug them, or kiss them. You’d heard of teenage angst but not raging-three-year-old-angst. That was new, and certainly something that WikiHow had forgotten to mention.

But Hoseok loved his daughter, even when she threw temper tantrums about being fed carrots or when she screamed at four in the morning because her blanket had slipped through the gaps in her crib. It was definitely a parent thing that nobody understood unless they had mini-me’s of their own. There was nothing in the world that could stop Hoseok from loving Yeojin the way he did. He often sat there, in her bedroom on the floor by her crib with her hands wrapped around his fingers or actually inside the crib, slotted in a curled position with her head of hair on his torso; Hoseok liked to admire the bits and pieces that looked like you, the first love of his life; from the way Yeojin had your longer eyelashes and face shape, with a smile that shone the way yours had on your wedding day, or moments after Yeojin’s birth. Sure, she had features of Hoseok’s but none of those were even comparable to the gorgeous way that Hoseok now had a daughter who looked everything like the woman he fell in love with.

Yeojin, like all children and humans, got older- she grew out of teddy coats bought by Yoongi and out of the crib Hoseok remembered everybody assembling, and gradually the colours of her bedroom turned into phases of her interests. Aged three and she wanted Barbie everything, and both Hoseok and yourself were hesitant to drown the walls in sickly pink and off-whites. Because, you were that age once, and pink is a colour you grow bored of very easily. Aged four and it was her newfound obsession with Pokemon, no thanks to Jeongguk and Jimin stealing her every Friday for Uncle-Bonding-Time, and of course, there had been no complaints when purchasing oversized plushies of Pikachu or cute little outfits of random Pokemon.

Yeojin complained though, when she turned five a year later and decided that Pokemon wasn’t for girls, because some kid at school had laughed at her Pokemon lunchbox and told her she was acting like a boy.

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with being a boy,” Hoseok had told her, petting her hair in her bedroom and wiping away the sniffles. You came in shortly after with the sacred jar of cookies that Yeojin always tried to reach for in the kitchen, and she reluctantly took a handful. “And, a lot of girls like Pokemon. It’s definitely not just for boys!”

“Yeah! And, what about Misty and Serena, huh? They’re girls,” you offered for input. “I remember watching Pokemon too. Pokemon’s cool.”

Hoseok nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! So, go and tell the mean kids at school that Pokemon is cool and you can like it no matter who you are! Pokemon has no gender!”

Well, Yeojin still didn’t like her Pokemon bedroom but she did still like Pokemon, and Hoseok pretended not to look when she rushed towards Jeongguk on Thursday evening and hugged his waist, telling him how awesome he was because he introduced her to the best show on planet earth, the show with no gender! Perhaps Jeongguk had teared up upon hearing those words, but Hoseok wouldn’t say anything.

“I think I like Harry Potter now,” Yeojin said, five and a half, sitting between Haseul’s legs as her Aunt’s hands threaded through her hair, parting and creating plaits.

“Oh, yeah?” Haseul said, smiling. “Harry Potter’s super cool.”

“Do you like Harry Potter?”

“Yeah. I think he’s a nice guy.”

“Mom likes Harry Potter,” Yeojin continued, playing with a slightly tattered Pikachu toy. “She told me so. And Dad does too, but I don’t think he’s as serious as Mom is. Mom had the robes! They don’t fit me, though.”

Haseul finished her plaits and wrapped her arms around Yeojin. “Well, maybe because Mom and Dad like Harry Potter, if you ask nicely we might be able to go visit Hogwarts this Summer. At Universal.”

Yeojin’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”

Haseul nodded with a grin. “Mhm. I’ll ask Mom for you.”

That’s why Yeojin swore to a secret song of Haseul being her favourite Aunt, because even though Auntie Seunghee took her to see movies and look at animals and let her use her Nintendo Switch when she went to visit, Auntie Seunghee had never offered Harry Potter.

Yeojin picked herself up off Haseul’s bed with a frown, straining to listen out into the house for Haseul’s feet when she heard the front door open, and Moms voice float through. Yeojin contained a giggle when you called up to her with a, “Honey, I’m home!” and she replied with a, “Hi, Mommy!” and nothing more. Yeojin would go downstairs when she heard Mom say she could go to Harry Potter World, because Auntie Haseul had promised it already.

“Why would you tell her that?” Yeojin heard your voice say, over the sound of the kettle boiling. Yeojin paused on the landing, listening with a sinking feeling in her stomach. “Haseul…”

“Look, I just...threw it out there,” Haseul defended, “as a suggestion. If she’s into Harry Potter...and you’ve wanted to go there for like, years….kill two birds with one stone!”

“Yeah, and are you gonna help fund this trip?”

“Of course,” Haseul replied. “Me, and Flat Eighteen! You know they’ll love to come. And, we haven’t been on holiday since first year of Uni! Portugal, super fun, but simply not enough.”

“It’s nice, what you’re trying to do for her and us, but,” you started, before sighing and at that moment, the kettle sprang to a pause, “I just don’t know if we can go there right now.”

Haseul stopped, too. “Is money bad?”

“No, not at all. We’re so financially secure it’s actually scary,” you assured. “There are...other reasons. Preventing us from going, I mean. You know why.”

Yeojin didn’t stop to listen. She had heard enough.

“She’s been sad all day?”

Hoseok came home at four thirty, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it up whilst tossing his bag into the cupboard under the stairs. You stood in the doorway leading out into the kitchen with your arms folded, rubbing up and down with a frown on your lips.

“Yeah, I don’t know why,” you frowned, happily accepting Hoseok’s warm hug as he stepped towards you. You extended your arms out and wrapped them around his neck, squishing your cheek against him as his lips kissed at your hair, and then his head tilted down to kiss the space between your earlobe and jaw. “She seemed happy when I got to Haseul’s. Then, she was all...grumpy.”

“It’s not your fault, before you even say it,” Hoseok muttered, twirling you slightly. He pulled away slightly after a few minutes, smiling the best he could before quickly bringing your lips to his in a kiss. “I love you. I’ll talk to her, okay?”

You nodded, pressing your lips together as Hoseok turned to head towards and up the stairs, in the direction of Yeojin’s bedroom. Her door was closed shut, the colour of the sky-light spreading underneath the door and Hoseok quietly stepped forward and knocked, the noise loud enough yet still quiet. From behind the wood, Yeojin had moved off her bed and he could faintly hear her feet moving across the carpet.

“Yeojin, baby, it’s Dad. Can you let me in for a second?” Hoseok called gently, his hand on the door-handle, ready. “Please?”

Yeojin grumbled something, stubbornly, and pulled open the door, leaving Hoseok’s hand stinging with surprise. His brows raised with the expectancy of an apology but nothing came, only the sight of Yeojin retreating back towards her bed where she lay down and pulled the covers up over her head.

“Go away,” Yeojin groaned.

Hoseok let himself in. “Yeojin, your room is filthy.”

“Don’t shout at me!-”

“I haven’t shouted,” Hoseok replied quickly. God, he didn’t remember being this difficult aged four, especially when the sun was shining outside. Although he didn’t remember much about being four, really. He moved to sit on the bottom of her bed, playfully grabbing at her ankle under the sheets. Yeojin squirmed with a noise of surprise. “Hey, look at me when I’m talking to you!”

“No.”

“I’ll tickle you.”

There was a beat of silence, and Hoseok half wondered whether or not Yeojin would climb out of her protective shield of blankets, but she did, sitting up with crazed curls and looking at her Dad with watery eyes. At once, Hoseok felt his body crushing with anxiety, and without even thinking about it, he opened his arms invitingly for a hug and she crawled towards him, her bottom lip trembling, then her chin on his shoulder and hands stuffed in his jumper.

“What’s the matter, sweetie?”

Yeojin sniffled into Hoseok’s shoulder. “Mom said no to Harry Potter World.”

Hoseok paused, looking at his daughter- “Harry Potter World?”

Yeojin nodded. “Yeah. Haseul said we could go in Summer, but Mom said no.”

“She said that?” Hoseok asked, not really believing it. “Did she say that to you?”

“Well, I heard her say it in the kitchen at Haseul’s house,” Yeojin explained. “Haseul asked and Mom said something about being scared and so that means no. I’m nearly six- I know!”

Hoseok’s eyebrows raised as he stared at Yeojin, trying not to laugh. Of course, as a parent, he knew the reasons why other parents said no. He thinks that if Yeojin had asked him, too, he would have said the same thing. Money was definitely not an issue for Universal studios this summer, but considering Yeojin’s birthday was close coming, alongside the giant fact that they had already planned a Summer vacation to Japan with Uncle Yoongi and Jimin, who was still on the quest for Professor Min’s heart, and the surprise of a sibling, hopefully, if everything went well, Hoseok knew that Universal Studios was possibly a long lost distant dream. Unless Uncle Yoongi and Jimin caved in and said, “Sure!” to an unexpected day trip to Japan’s own Universal.

“Hey, if Mom didn’t say that to you, then you don’t know what she said,” Hoseok frowned, reaching for her to look at him. “Not knowing for sure causes trouble.”

Yeojin scrunched up her face. “Mom hates me having fun.”

“Hey!” Hoseok scolded. He never raised his voice at Yeojin, not ever and not even now, but the hardness of his tone made Yeojin shrink with her head dipped towards her chest with shame. “Your Mom loves you more than anything in the world, and you should know that! Mom wouldn’t do anything to make you upset.”

Between Hoseok’s armpit, Yeojin huffed. “I know…”

“And,” Hoseok continued, hugging her tight, “I’m sure Mom will love to take you to Harry Potter World. Mom loves Harry Potter! It’s a bit too soon to go this year, though.”

Even when Yeojin huffed indignantly, she knew her Dad was right. Hoseok had hugged her tighter and pressed little kisses to her cheeks and temples, telling her how much he loved before before she climbed out of his arms, downstairs and into the kitchen where she clung to your leg, saying nothing. She didn’t really have to say anything, and it was Hoseok’s turn to lean in the doorway at the sight of you crouched with your arms around her, the sun looking golden on your skin and hair, golden dust in her eyes.

Like all kids, Yeojin got over it extremely quickly.

Hoseok discovered that all Yeojin really needed to keep her happy and occupied was a sibling, and then you finally- after months of trying- crawled on top of him with a giant smile that could blind at five fifteen in the morning, the words, “We’re having a baby again,” whispered into his mouth. The temptation to scream and tell Yeojin right away was shoved away until Yeojin came back from Uncle Seokjin and Namjoon’s house a little while later, once everything was certain, with both man on her arm, walking into the kitchen decorated with one sparkly balloon and a little envelope on the counter.

“Is it my birthday already?” Yeojin asked confusedly. She turned to Namjoon, “You said it was next month.”

“It is, honey,” you said, leaning on the counter with Hoseok next to you, his fingers knotted around your own. “This is an early surprise, okay?”

She nodded, taking the envelope from you when you pushed it towards her.

Like deja-vu, Seokjin and Namjoon shared teary laughs and hugs when Yeojin tore open the envelope and saw the writing screaming that she was going to be an older sister. Suddenly, she had forgotten all about the grudge against Harry Potter World and was transfixed on the words and then her Mommy’s belly.

“Really?” she squealed excitedly. “Really?!”

“Yes!” you told her with a smile. “You’re gonna be a big sister!”

“You kept this one quiet,” Seokjin scolded, smacking Hoseok’s shoulder half-heartedly.

Hoseok shrugged sheepishly. “Yeah, well. At least we planned this one.”

“What does that mean?” Yeojin asked.

“Nothing, honey.”

(“Can we call them Harry? Like Harry Potter?” Yeojin asked, her lips against your stomach.

You immediately stared at Hoseok and then back at Yeojin.

“Absolutely not.”)

[bigskydreaming]

Young Justice Season Three spoilers

YJ Producers: We have a Muslim superhero this season, look how great she is and how progressive we are!

Actual YJ episodes: Okay so Muslim superhero might be a bit of a stretch since well, if you wanna get technical, she’s actually a sentient piece of alien technology whose soul went into the body of a dead Muslim girl when her original alien tech got smushed. But even though she continually insists that she is not Gabrielle Daou, the Muslim girl whose body this was originally, and that’s the entire reason she chose a new name for herself, she is a completely different person aka a non Muslim, not even human person - she still wears a hijab! Totally counts!

YJ Producers: We always wanted to portray LGBTQ+ superheroes, we’ve actually had one the whole time and you just didn’t know it because mean old Cartoon Network wouldn’t let us show it, now that we’re on our own we can and will be showing LGBTQ+ characters this season!

Actual YJ episodes thirteen episodes into the season: Error 404 Content Not Found

YJ Producers: We’re finally gonna include Cyborg! Victor Stone is in the house, we love and appreciate that character so much, we really wanted to wait until we could do his story justice!

Actual YJ episodes: So see, after getting gruesomely almost-deaded after a huge blowout fight in which we showed Vic has a lot of rage cuz Black Teenage Boys Are Just Like That, that was all aimed at his dad for not showing any interest in his life and for never showing his son he cared until now cuz Black Dads Are Just Like That, well okay, yeah that sucks, but what happened NEXT is really cool - so his dad saved his life, right? Even if it was by using alien tech that every single person he came in contact with kept telling him wasn’t like normal tech, it was sentient and thus yes COULD be bad, which was further demonstrated through the fact that said life-saving tech kept like...hijacking Vic’s own body and turning him into a rage-monster that we could totally show being a Stereotype of Black Teenage Boy Aggression as he remorselessly hunted a terrified Violet but it wasn’t his fault, he was totally powerless to control his own actions cuz of the Evil Alien Tech in his body and like wait, whats bad about that, I forget the question??? Oh right! But stop WORRYING, its all good, see, as long as he stayed around Violet and never went too far from her ever, the woman of color had magic rage-pacifying skills that existed solely to calm down the Stereotypical Angry Black Teen when he couldn’t control himself because Reasons. LOL WHY ARE YOU UPSET, WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT, THIS IS A GOOD VICTOR STORY, ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED???

YJ Producers: We love and value our characters of color and would never hurt them, we’ve actually taken steps to make sure of that!

Actual YJ Episodes: Violet and Vic are both practically unkillable, see? As proof, watch us violently murder Violet in every single episode in new and creatively gruesome ways, with bonus Vic near-death experiences that allow us to show him just utterly wrecked in ways we’ve never shown a single white character, even in this season when we’re all about showing off how much creative freedom we have now without CENSORSHIP! 

YJ Producers: This season is also going to focus on the stress and mental health issues that go along with life as a superhero, and who better to demonstrate this by suffering from superhero-related PTSD than Jefferson Pierce? The guy whose divorce already showed the stress and relationship issues that go along with life as a superhero (since all our white heroes in relationships are still going strong)!

Actual YJ Episodes: Oh, nothing say about this one huh, PUNK? That’s right, we actually did exactly what we said we’d do, see? Just look at how much time we spend talking about how traumatized Jefferson is and how miserable he is after killing a kid, and that’s nothing we’ve ever done (or would ever do - SHH THEY DONT NEED TO KNOW THAT) to a white hero! PLUS, like, he’s definitely getting better though, thanks to the support of the much younger character he’s surrounded by, instead of y’know, turning to his established friends and colleagues his own age for support! AND AND AND don’t forget about his growing relationship with the white doctor lady who is definitely NOT super creepy and NOT likely to betray him and break his heart and/or force him to make painful decisions when choosing between her and the kids he’s vowed to protect at some climactic point later in the season that all of that is super clearly not building towards!

YJ Producers: And don’t forget about Jaime Reyes and Virgil Hawkins and Mal Duncan and Raquel and Karen! They’re all still here too!

Actual YJ Episodes: We’ve definitely forgotten that Jaime Reyes and Virgil Hawkins and Mal Duncan and Raquel and Karen are all still here too.

YJ Producers: Major life events have happened to these heroes offscreen in the time we’ve been away from them, stuff that’s really shaped who they are and who they’ve become by now. All this stuff really matters, its how we’re different from other shows, we don’t pretend these characters stop existing the second they’re off your screens! Looks, Barbara Gordon is in a wheelchair! She’s Oracle now!

Actual YJ Episodes: Why would we bother to explain when or how this happened with even a single line of dialogue when The Killing Joke exists and is available on our streaming service? You sound dumb.

YJ Producers: Kaldur is our proof of how important our characters are to our over-all universe, look how far he’s come! He’s not Aqualad anymore, he’s AquaMAN, he’s one of the co-chairs of the Justice League, right up there with Wonder Woman who he definitely doesn’t need to turn to for approval or oversight of his actual decisions!

Actual YJ Episodes: We’re pretty sure we covered all this in the two minutes of screen time Kaldur’s had all season!

YJ Producers: Look, bottom line, this season, being away from Cartoon Network really allowed us to stretch our wings and flex creatively, we’re doing a lot of stuff with this story that just wouldn’t have been possible before, when we were on a network like CN and had overseers restricting our every move! This season gets a lot darker, a lot more mature, a lot more everything cuz freedom of speech baby! That’s what its all about!

Actual YJ Episodes: In support of our thesis, watch us up the graphically violent content of every single episode and kill lots of people instead of just cartoonishly knocking them out and carting them away to jail! That’s it, that’s everything we wanted to do that CN wouldn’t let us, that now we have total freedom to prove in a myriad of ways! What do you mean, what about *looks at smudged writing on hand* LGB - look we can’t be expected to read what that says when we have graphic violence to depict, fuck yeah!

YJ Producers: Besides, in happier news, its not all doom and gloom this season! Connor and M’Gann got engaged! Now that we’ve completely moved past all the stuff M’Gann did in S2 and don’t consider it worth mentioning, Superboy and Miss Martian are back together, and SB is totally gonna marry the woman who betrayed him in the one highly specific way that goes back to the very source of every trust issue he has and reason he has so many walls pushing people away!

Actual YJ Episodes: Yeah this is definitely happening. Suck my dick, Connor fans and fans who relate to and identify with SB and his story and think its maybe just not the healthiest to wave a wand and go “Happily ever after!” With, y’know, the guy whose greatest canon fear and paranoia is the sanctity of his mind being violated and being unable to trust that his own thoughts are really his and not just being spoon fed to him in a pod at Project Cadmus or by his telepathic girlfriend when she doesn’t like his opinion or his criticism of her actions and just doesn’t want to fight about it anymore. Look, she said she was sorry, get over it. What more do you want? For Connor to move on and have a healthy romantic relationship with someone who he doesn’t ever have to wonder if his trust in her and second chance is real and valid and not just her making him say and do what she wanted, like the way she definitely has before? For him and M’Gann to rebuild their trust over time, gradually, as friends, with the understanding they can be close again but romantic intimacy between them specifically probably isn’t in the best interests of the guy who will always have to wonder now if his thoughts are really his, no matter whether or not that’s true? Yeah, no, that sounds like a lot of work tbh, and really, we just like Miss Martian and Superboy together, they’re just cute, you know? Sides, we killed Wally and we don’t actually wanna talk about why Barbara’s paralyzed now and like, focus on her as a character, so what other longterm pairings do we really have? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THESE ARE ALL OUR OWN CHOICES AND IF WE WANT BETTER FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR CHARACTER DYNAMICS WE SHOULD MAKE BETTER CHOICES? UGH GET OFF MY BALLS, MAN.

YJ Producers: We’ve got Terra this season, and we’re doing some really cool, brand new things there.

Actual YJ Episodes: Slade’s Apprentice arc from Teen Titans the show and The Judas Contract in the comics, but really aren’t they the same thing? If you think about it, is it even possible to do that in a new way? Look, its not like we could do anything MORE original than that, like what, did you want us to have Tara genuinely be the good and loving sister she was when she reunited with her brother and expressed how traumatized she was by the things she did when she was supposedly being mind-controlled, actually invested in saving other trafficked meta-kids from being used and hurt the way she had been? Like, the way it seemed she was being written before we revealed it was a fake-out and she was actually working for Slade exactly like those other times we swore we were gonna be more original than that? Ugh why are you so unrealistic, dude, you have such weird expectations.

Me: Like dear YJ, you’ve still got me watching, because like a) I’m weak and I need this, b) nostalgia, c) Dick, Artemis, Connor, Jefferson and the chance of Jason and also Violet, Brion and Vic are all still enjoyable as characters even though your treatment of them and your narrative choices are all extremely suspect and also craptastic and also I really wanna punch you for a lot of this.

But goddamn, this was NOT your best work, and after years of waiting only to get this? Like.....so not crash, dudes. Not even a little bit.

[ladyloveandjustice]

Mom and I listened to Chernow’s biography of Hamilton before seeing the play and I want to write down some of my favorite hot facts that were basically “WHAT A SOAP OPERA  ALL THESE GUYS ARE SO FUCKING PETTY” dont try to nitpick for accuracy on these they’re heavily paraphrased take them with a grain of salt i’m just writing this so i can remember the basics

-I think actually maybe the most hilarious and admittedly brave thing Hamilton did was very early on, a bunch of revolutionary guys came to lynch his prof from Kings College for being a loyalist. Even though they weren’t on the same side, Hamilton was there for his prof, so he actually BLOCKED THIS ANGRY MOB at the staircase and LECTURED them to give his prof time to escape. He was like “blablabla U GUYS R HURTING THE CAUSE >:(” and somehow they didn’t all kill him and he successfully delayed them. Amazing.

-Hamiltons mom was AN EXTREME BADASS, basically her mother sold her off to marry this mean guy and she HATED HIM and he hated her for not being submissive enough and she was like “screw you” and just..left. So he threw her in prison for adultery! like literally prison! and it was prison that wasn’t even used for anything else she was the only one in the prison. He thought this would finally make her submissive but instead she basically skipped town the second she was let out and NEVER CAME BACK. So she was still married to this dude the whole time, which is why she couldn’t marry Hamilton’s dad. 

(also after Hamilton’s dad left she ran a shop to support her family, which was unusual for a young woman to do back then, but she was independent like whoa)

unfortunately she also had a son with her first husband that she left behind with when she ran away(in her defense, I imagine she didn’t have the means to support him at the time and also would have gotten caught if she went back for him), so her first husband turned her son against her, reminding him all the time that she abandoned him and saying she was evil...so when she died the son basically came in and claimed all of the property she’d left and rendered his orphaned half-brothers homeless.NOT VERY NICE AT ALL.

-James Monroe and two other dudes were actually the ones who confronted Hamilton about possible speculation and he invited them to his house and gave this WHOLE HOUR LONG presentation on his affair, with a bazillion papers and letters as proof. Like about fifteen minutes in, everyone realized they were wrong and were like “okay we’re very sorry for poking our nose into your private matters we believe you we’ll leave you alone” but Hamilton was like “NO I’M NOT DONE YOU HAVEN’T HEARD IT ALL YET” and went through the entire thing in ridic self-flagellating detail while his audience just cringed. Afterwards one of the guys was like “that was one of the most humiliating things i’ve ever witnessed”

-Anyway James Monroe definitely probably leaked the Reynolds documents Hamilton showed him even though he swore not to show them to anyone. YES A FUTURE PRESIDENT WHO COULD NOT BE TRUSTED WE’RE ALL SURPRISED.Hamilton was SO mad about this he wrote to him basically saying “YOU BETTER APOLOGIZE OR MEET ME OUTSIDE” because that was his response to everything.  Burr was actually chosen as the mediator for this because he was friendly to both of them at the time and he basically tried to calm them both down and prevent a duel. Monroe had initially said he believed that Hamilton wasn’t embezzling or speculating or whatever, but then he was like “UH I CHANGED MY MIND I’VE DECIDED NOW YOU ARE” which made Hamilton SO mad. Burr actually chastised Monroe about this, basically like “c’mon, we both know Hamilton would never betray his office, I know it, you know it, It’s Hamilton.” Anyway Burr saved Hamilton from dueling James Monroe.

But do you know who ELSE would have probably been fine dueling James Monroe? ELIZA. She was, rightfully, very pissed at him for exposing something that hurt her so much. Monroe did his time as president, and once it was over, he decided he wanted to patch things up with her (Hamilton was long dead by this time ofc, and Eliza was elderly). So he came to her house and Eliza was Not Happy when a servant reported his arrival. Hamilton’s kids remembered “her voice got low like it always does when she’s angry”. She went to see him in their living room and he was all “So, Eliza, a lot has happened and there was fault on both sides”-

and she was basically like “EXCUSE ME??? IS THAT AN APOLOGY? BECAUSE IT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE AN APOLOGY. IF YOU’RE HERE TO ACTUALLY APOLOGIZE I’LL LISTEN TO IT. BUT IF YOU’RE GONNA GIVE ME SOME WEAK “BLAME ON BOTH SIDES” BULLSHIT I’M NOT HERE FOR IT. I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING BUT YOU SAYING SORRY THAT YOU BETRAYED MY LATE HUSBAND AND RUINED OUR LIVES. IF YOU CAN’T SAY THAT, THEN GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE”.

Monroe was flabbergasted, and apparently it was too much for him to give an actual apology, so he just left. So let the record show Eliza schooled an ex-president and kicked him out of her house.

-everything relating to Phillip and Hamilton’s duels was super sad. When he was waiting to hear about the results of Phillip’s duel with the doctor (or someone) Hamilton was so overcome with anxiety he actually fainted. He had to be propped up by two people during the funeral because he was so unsteady. Not only did he fall into his first bout of lethargic depression and actually didn’t write anything for a good while (a big deal for him) he didn’t even answer sympathy notes until four months later (also a big deal for him).

-According the doctor, in his own duel, Hamilton knew it was a mortal wound as soon as he was shot. He collapsed, but came to on the boat and the first thing he said was “GUYS BE CAREFUL OF HANDLING THAT PISTOL IT’S STILL LOADED IT COULD GO OFF I DIDN’T ACTUALLY SHOOT IT BUT PLEASE REMEMBER TO TELL EVERYONE I WAS GOING TO THROW AWAY MY SHOT” He did actually shoot it of course, but he fact he didn’t seem to know this makes it seem more likely he just accidentally squeezed the trigger when he was shot.

- the other thing he kept babbling about was how they should get Eliza but break it to her gradually. in stages. Ease her into it. Which it’s nice you’re considerate of her feelings NOW, wish you’d been considerate enough NOT TO DO THE DUEL.

-anyway the description of his death in the bio was very sad and he said he didn’t hold anything against Burr and was at peace though so i guess that’s nice.

-in contrast Burr was such an ASSHOLE about Hamilton’s death omg

-Before I go into WHAT A GIANT ASS JERK HE IS I will give Burr one credit: he believed strongly women were equal to men, and made sure Theodosia was educated in everything, and even had her taught to shoot from horseback. Like he really wanted to make sure his daughter knew how to kill stuff from a horse. i respect that.

-what I don’t respect is that Hamilton actually has EXTREMELY GOOD REASON to feel he couldn’t be trusted in office- there was this whole drama where after New York had a yellow fever epidemic, Burr started pushing this Manhattan water company that would provide clean water to the public, which would be a huge help with yellow fever. He got Hamilton on board with it. But his real plan was actually to sneak in some last minute provisions to the water company bill that basically turned it from a water company to a bank that could complete with Federalist banks. Not only compete with them, but have less restrictions to them. So he basically tricked Hamilton into pushing through a bill that was designed to undermine his own beloved banks. Hamilton was PRETTY PISSED, and I can’t blame him for that. Not to mention, the water company obviously never happened, and other water companies weren’t set up because everyone thought it would be covered- so when yellow fever came back to new york? No clean water, lots of deaths, some of which could have probably been prevented if Burr hadn’t been a greedy asshole.

-Burr showed some signs of regret immediately after the duel, moving towards Hamilton and wanting to talk to him, but he pretty much treated it pretty callously after that. Actually, he want to have breakfast afterwards, and his cousin came to visit and they chatted and HE ACTED COMPLETELY NORMAL AND NEVER MENTIONED HE’D LITERALLY JUST KILLED THE FORMER SECRETARY OF TREASURY. When Burr’s cousin went into town afterwards someone told him what had happened and cuz was like “nah you gotta be wrong i was just with him and he didn’t mention anything like that at all! He seemed completely normal!” then he saw a newspaper and was like “WHAT THE FUCK.”

-he also happily went around sleeping with tons of ladies after the duel and even wrote to Theodosia saying “I actually recommend doing a duel and courtship at same time it keeps ya invigorated” AND WOW WHAT A SUPER APPROPRIATE THING TO WRITE TO YOUR DAUGHTER. Maybe Theodosia was glad to die at sea after reading that. Anyway, the only sign of regret Burr really showed was “the world was wide enough” quote (which might have been a dark joke, but I think there was a grain of truth in it regardless, like Lin Manuel says, who knows).

-Burr was in incredible debt- (so was Hamilton when he died- Eliza’s inheritance from her dad wasn’t enough to cover it but fortunately all of Hamilton’s friends came together and secretly gave Eliza money to cover it which is nice. Jefferson was in SO much debt when he died his entire estate and 200 slaves were all sold to cover it. yeah he didn’t free anyone besides the slaves who were his children in his will, an asshole to the end.) so he left the country to escape creditors in addition to the murder charges and used a pseudonym. 

-Burr also had this weird fucking plan to become emperor of mexico or seize spanish florida or some shit and was plotting it, and he was actually tried for treason because of this! Thomas Jefferson REALLY REALLY wanted Burr to get punished and put all the pressure he could on the Supreme Court to find him guilty and it was test of our constitutional powers- would the supreme court bow down to the president? turns out no, since Burr got off.

-However, he wasn’t unscathed- a SHIT-TON of people close to him died around the time Theodosia died and he was devastated and basically a recluse afterwards (life doesn’t discriminate...) He married a second wife, but she then realized he was fucking terrible with money and was going to drive her into poverty with his shitty land deals (also she was nearly 20 years younger- I wonder if she was counting on him dying and leaving her something and then realized he was going to die and leave her with DEBT instead). So she got- DRUMROLL- ALEXANDER HAMILTON’S SON, ALEX JR, TO DIVORCE THEM. such a asshole move honestly, i gotta respect it, you go girl. Burr might not have been able to tell what was going on though since he was having strokes and stuff. She managed to divorce him JUST IN TIME, on the day of his death.

-honestly i’m most interested in the petty drama of history and how all these people were just behaving like they’re five and fucking up constantly and listening to this biography proved that to me. people are so ridiculous.

[pandabearlikes]

Temporary Affairs II

 Table of Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Disclaimer: There may be a part in this chapter not suitable for younger viewers.  If you do not wish to read it kindly skip the section highlighted with the "※               ※                 ※" borders.  It’s more for comedic purposes than ahem, but let’s play safe ;).

  Chapter 13.  Happiness 

  A month flashed by in the blink of an eye.  Yoona turned from a pink wrinkly creature to a chubby happy little baby.  You soon realized that you had been scaring yourself with the whole “unfit to be a mother role” talk because you were practically an expert; it was so much easier than you had imagined because you were enjoying every moment of it.  Plus, Yoona was such a good girl.  She rarely threw tantrums without a reason.  In addition to all of that, your mother-in-law had bonded with the little princess.  There wasn’t a moment where they weren’t together. 

  “Aigoo!  Yoon-ie is such a beautiful girl, isn’t she?” your mother-in-law bounced the little bundle up and down on her lap. 

  You passed her a bib to wipe off the drool that escaped from the corner of Yoona’s lips.

  “She has such big round eyes just like her mother’s,” she complimented.

  A flush of pink covered your cheeks.  Yoona extended out her tiny arms as if asking to be held.  Your mother-in-law happily complied, bringing her into her chest. 

  “She’s spoiled rotten!” you exclaimed, giggling when the baby’s lips curled up into a sneaky smile. 

  The jingling of keys sounded from the front door.  You turned around to see Jongin and Sehun enter, chatting gleefully with one another.  In Sehun’s arms was Youngwoo in a mini suit and tie. 

  “Aww, my little Youngwoo-yah!” you jumped from your seat to greet the little prince. 

  Sehun gladly passed the baby boy into your arms.  You nuzzled into Youngwoo’s tummy and he giggled at your touch.  Holding him, you stalked back to the sofa to reunite with your mother-in-law and Yoona. 

  The little boy looked at Yoona intrigued to see another baby in the same room. 

  “Young-ie, this is Yoona!” you introduced in a baby’s voice, “Do you think she’s pretty?” 

  Youngwoo babbled happily in affirmation while Yoona scared innocently back at him. 

  “Oy, Jagiya, are you trying to play matchmaker?” Jongin asked. 

  “And what if I am?” you inquired, wiggling your brows. 

  “You’re really going to betroth our precious little princess off already?” he half-whined.

  “And what if I am?” you repeated.

  Jongin looked at Sehun for backup but Sehun simply replied, “I don’t mind”. 

  Your husband threw his head back defeated. 

  -----

  On a Sunday afternoon, a few weeks later, Jongin, you, and Yoona took time off to visit your parent’s place because they had been nagging to see the baby.  Eagerly, you pounced into the back seat, kicking your legs gleefully for you hadn’t been back to your old house in over a year.  Shaking his head in amusement, your husband carefully opened the back door and buckled Yoona into the baby carrier.  She flailed around, whimpering and crying at the unfamiliar atmosphere. 

  “Aigoo, my little princess.  It’s okay, Omma is here,” you immediately bent over to kiss her and rubbed her little tummy in a soothing manner. 

  After another round of kisses, coos, and peek-a-boos, the baby’s mood picked up.  Jongin and you sighed in relief. 

  “So are my queen and my princess ready to set off?” your husband asked in the driver seat while adjusting the rearview mirror. 

  “Yes Sir!” you saluted and he drove off. 

  On the way there, you and Yoona invented a new game called “Bye Bye Pacifier”.  Yes, you could have thought of a more creative title but it was really on the spot.  At the red light, Jongin turned around to peep at you two’s silliness and laughed.  Basically, Yoona would spit out her pacifier; you would go “oopsie” in a baby voice, pick it up then stick it back into her mouth.  She’d make this adorable noise between a giggle and babble and playfully spit it back out, thrashing her tiny arms around to motion for you to pick it back up for her.  By the time you were at your destination, you guys were at round twenty-five of “Bye Bye Pacifier”. 

  “Jagiya, we’re here,” Jongin announced after realizing that you were so focused in your playtime with your daughter, you didn’t even notice.

  “Oh,” you responded then turned to the baby, “Yoon-ie, you wanna see grandma and grandpa?” 

  She sucked on her pacifier, making a “toot toot” noise.  Awww.  I’m gonna meltttt.  Jongin got out of the car and opened the door for you.  You unstrapped Yoona and gently lifted her up onto your chest. 

  “Omma!  Appa!  I’m home!” you greeted as soon as the maid opened the door to the place you spent your childhood at.  You almost cried tears of joy. 

  “Aigoo!!!  My precious baby!” you mother rushed toward you.

  You extended one arm out, anticipating a hug but your mother U-turned and took Yoona out from your arms. 

  -____________-.  You pouted.  Beside you, your husband stifled back a mocking laughter and instead patted your shoulder. 

  Crossing your arm, you followed your mother into the living room area. 

  “Now that Omma has Yoona, she forgot about ________,” you pretended to be upset, but really you were so overjoyed that Yoona was so loved in the family. 

  “________ah, you’re not jealous of your own daughter, right?” your mother asked, not taking her attention off the cute baby in her lap.      

  “What if I am?  Even Oppa neglects me for Yoona,” you jokingly complained. 

  Next to you, your husband immediately retorted, “I do not!” 

  You turned to him and threw him to a goofy grin to make sure he knew you weren’t being serious.

  “Well, even if he did.  I wouldn’t blame him, Yoona is the most adorable little baby ever.  Huh?  Isn’t Halmoni right, Yoonie?” the older woman said, nuzzling her nose against your daughter’s tummy.  She squirmed around spitting out her pacifier.

  “Oopsie,” you automatically replied, squatting down to pick it up, disinfect it, and stick it back into Yoona’s mouth. 

  “Abonim, do you want to hold Yoona?” you heard your husband ask your father who had been silently watching. 

  “Yeah, Appa, do you want to play with her?” you asked, picking up the baby to give to your father but he grunted and shook his head. 

  So you hang your head in disappointment and held Yoona up to your face to kiss her chubby cheeks in case she was also hurt by the rejection.  But really, it was your way of comforting another in hopes of distracting yourself from the blow.  Upset, you turned around and sat back down beside your mother.  Just as you do, your husband stood up, walked over, took Yoona from your arms, and placed her onto your father’s lap.  The middle-aged man, looked up at his son-in-law stunned but then softened when Yoona cooed and bounced up and down joyfully in his hold.  A rare smile crept on his face and tears brimmed in your eyes.  Jongin sat down next to you with an arm around your shoulder. 

  You leaned your head into his chest and whispered, “Thank you”.  Squeezing your hand, he shook his head to defer the credit so you rewarded him a gentle peck on the cheek. 

  “_______ah, I have something to give Yoona, come upstairs with me,” your mother spoke. 

  “Oh no, Omma.  She’s already super spoiled,” you informed but your mother was stubborn.  So you nodded and followed her up, curious as to what the present was. 

  Midway down the second floor hall, you started to feel a bit homesick.  After all, this place was where you spent the first twenty-two years of your life.  It was where you took your first step, rode your first bicycle, cried when you failed your chemistry exam…etc.  Unknowingly, you stopped in front of your princess room and peeped in.  Everything was still the same –  the pastel pink walls, lace curtains, and princess chair.  You giggled recalling the time Jongin barged in to check on you after you had forgotten to give him a call after you got home.  We will meet again someday, thank you for being my escape for these twenty-two years.  I have found my home with Oppa and Yoona now.  With a contented sigh, you closed the door.

  As your mother dug through her drawers searching for the mysterious gift for your daughter, you waited outside to not pressure her.  That’s when your eye discovered that your father’s office door wasn’t locked.  Growing up, it was like some forbidden area that no one – not even your mother was allowed in.  Curiosity killed the cat.  Tiptoeing, you took a peep through the slit.  That’s when you saw it.  Instantly, a tear rolled down your face.  You opened the door and without your consent, your legs guided you forward to the image that captivated your attention earlier.  In the center of the room was a painting, oh so nobly framed in this gorgeous glass and crystal border.  But it wasn’t just any painting – it was “The Puppet”, your first ever work of art that got officially displayed at an art gallery.  Your husband had informed you that immediately following its exhibition, an anonymous buyer had purchased it for a large sum of money.  Never in a million years would you have guessed it was your one and only father.

  Your lips quivered and your face was immediately swamped in tears.  Lifting your hand, your fingers grazed along the painting.  Under it was a label that read, “My Precious Daughter, ________’s Masterpiece”. 

  “Appa…” your voice cracked and your shoulders shook. 

  Your attention turned to the other walls of his office, that were lined with other drawings and pictures, a few of them dating to when you were just the tender age of three.  It was a sloppy crayon drawing you did for a preschool assignment called, “My Family”.  Walking over to another wall, you sobbed seeing a ripped up painting that was taped carefully back together and framed in a delicate diamond border.  It was the watercolor landscape you drew and submitted to an Art Academy secretly, behind your father’s back, when you were applying for colleges.  When he found out, he had angrily torn it up and threatened to disown you if you dared diverge from the path of business he had intended you to walk.  But why was it here?  You wiped your tears to squint at the letters underneath.  “A Father’s Heartbreaking Decision,” it read.  You burst into tears. 

  “Waaaa waaa waaaa,” a baby’s cry caught your attention. 

  Gasping, you turned around to see Jongin with Yoona in his arms.  Next to him was your father.  Upon realizing you noticed him, he instantaneously turned to leave. 

  “Abonim!” Jongin called.

  “Appa!” you called too, racing out of the room to chase him. 

  He stopped in his tracks with his back facing you. 

  “Appa…” you called out again, slowly walking toward him. 

  From his shaking shoulders, you could tell he was crying.  So to give him face, you stopped a foot away from him and didn’t force him to turn around. 

  “…I really…really didn’t know you kept all my artwork…” you began tearfully.

  Swallowing, he cleared his throat and said with a cracked voice, “I didn’t want you to find out”.

  “But why?  I don’t understand Appa…I thought you said my art was worthless…” you sobbed. 

  “Appa…Appa was selfish,” he admitted, “To insure that my company would survive generation after generation…I sacrificed my one and only daughter’s happiness…not only her marriage but also her passion and talent”. 

  By then, you were already bawling a river.  Beside you, Jongin squeezed you shoulder.  You looked up at him with watery eyes.  He gave you a reassuring nod and a gentle push for you to walk forward.  So you did.  With quivering lips, you placed your hand on your father’s arm.  His body stiffened.  Slowly, you wrapped your arms around him. 

  “Thank you, Appa,” you sobbed. 

  For the first time he turned to you and you finally saw the extent of his break down.  His eyes were bloodshot red and her facial features sagged. 

  “No…you shouldn’t—“ he spoke.

  “No, I should.  Growing up, I was under the illusion that you thought my art was not good enough.  But now I know.  Thank you.  And because of you, I have found my eternal happiness with Jongin-oppa and Yoona,” you responded, tightening you hug around him. 

  He was silent for the next few minutes but gradually, he brought his hand up and patted your shoulder.  It wasn’t a lot but it was enough to show you that he cared and his actions against you growing up were all out of love.  With one last squeeze, you removed yourself from him.  Turning around, you realized that not only was Jongin and your daughter witnessing the father-daughter interaction, your mother had seen it all play out as well.  She wiped the tears that brimmed in her eyes and walked up to your with a velvet box in her hand. 

  “Here it is.  Your father picked it out,” she informed.

  “No, I didn’t,” you father immediately countered, fidgeting nervously. 

  “Yes, he did,” your mother corrected. 

  You sighed in anticipation and took the box from her hands.  Inside was a pair of golden anklets with bells.  You squinted your eyes and picked up the one that looked visibly worn out.  Inside was a deep engraving of your name. 

  “_______ah, do you remember that?  It was yours when you were a baby. Your father kept it to this day.  After you gave birth, he searched everywhere for a blacksmith who would make a replica for your daughter”, your mother informed.

  Holding back tears, you held the other anklet up to your eyes to see “Kim Yoona” engraved into the inside.  You held it up to your chest, sobbing. 

  Jongin walked over with Yoona and asked, “Abonim, do you want to help Yoon-ie put it on?”

  Biting your lip, you looked from your daughter to your father.  A whimper managed to escape when the older man blinked back tears, stepped forward, and took the anklet from your hands.  His body trembled but with determination, he gently slipped it onto the baby’s foot. 

  “Waa, so pretty, right Yoon-ie?” Jongin said, bouncing her up and down.  She squirmed around causing the bells to jingle. 

  Your father sighed and turned to leave but you called after him.  Holding out the box that contained your anklet, you asked, “Appa, do you want to keep it?” 

  He looked up to stop the tears from falling.  A wide grin spread across his face and he placed his hands over yours that held the box, “I’d love to”. 

  You threw your arms around him again.              

  -----

  One day as you were taking your sweet time soaking in a bubble bath, Jongin barged in to relieve his bladder.  You gasped, covering your body shyly.  Really…why were you that shy…Your heart raced in an insane speed, roaming over his body. 

  “Sorry, Jagiya, I really need to go.  I’ll be quick,” he apologized.

  After using the toilet, he turned around to leave but you slid open the glass shower door and popped your head out.

  “Oppa…do you want to stay?” you asked bashfully.

  His hand hovered over the doorknob, seemingly debating whether to stay or to leave. 

  “Oppa…” you called out seductively. 

  In seconds, you watched him strip down, tossing his clothes randomly all throughout the restroom as if creating a trail all the way from the door to the bathtub you were in. 

  ※               ※                 ※

    You huffed and puffed.  Sweet drops trickled down your forehead, down to the crook of your neck, stopping on the valley between your breasts.  Jongin teasingly licked it off with his tongue.  You groaned and he smirked. 

  “Stop teasing me…” you whined. 

  “Okay, Babe.  Ready for another round then?” he said lustfully. 

  Your eyes rolled back in pleasure as his bare skin touched yours.  A shiver ran down your spine like electric currents.  You clawed his back when he slipped inside of you. 

  “Oppaa…” you called out, bending your back forward to get closer against his body. 

  Flexing his neck, he flirtatiously grazed his lips against yours. 

  “You’re teasing meeeee,” you whined, grasping a fistful of his hair to keep him steady so you could kiss him back. 

  A moan escaped your lips when his tongue crept into your mouth. 

  And then suddenly, a loud wail sounded through the baby walkie-talkie monitor.  You blinked, confused and hazed at first from your lovemaking to recognize what was happening.  But when you did remember, you tapped on Jongin’s shoulder to get his attention. 

  “Yoona,” you managed to say in between a kiss. 

  “Should I go get it?” Jongin asked, still hovering over you, his hips still thrusting up and down. 

  “No, I can,” you replied, though you’d honestly much rather continue what you were doing. 

  Just as you were leaning over to grab your top, Yoona’s cries ceased.  Puzzled, both Jongin and you froze in place. 

  “I got it.  You two can continue doing…uh…whatever you were doing,” your mother-in-law’s voice shouted from outside the room. 

  “Oh my God,” you mouthed to Jongin but all he did was chuckle in delight. 

  “Guess we can go a few more rounds tonight then, Babe,” he leaned in to suck on your lower lips.  You’re such a teaseee you sex god. 

  But you always fell for his trap – always.     

  ※               ※                 ※

      On a Sunny afternoon, two months later, Jongin and you were sitting on the bed flipping through tourist magazines.  You knew you wanted to go somewhere romantic for your make up Honey Moon.

  “How about San Franciso?” Jongin suggested but you shook your head.

  “Nah, that place is so foggy!” you commented.

  Smirking, he draped an arm around your waist and seductively whispered, “You know what we can do in all that fog?”  Omg.  Oh no you didn’t, bad boy. 

  You felt the temperature rise up from your toes to the top of your head.  Taking the magazine into both your hands, you fanned it to lower your body temperature.  But Jongin, held onto your wrist to stop you. 

  “You know, I can easily help you with that instead,” he slurred.

  You bent your head back when he nibbled your ear.  Kim Jongin, you life ruiner!!!  And somehow within seconds, he was already on top of you, licking your lips to tempt you to fall into his trap again.  And you willingly fell.  But a sudden knot in the pit of your stomach caused you to push him away.  Covering your mouth, you dashed into the bathroom and threw up into the toilet.  Oh crap.  Kim Jongin, you did not…

   Your husband quickly sprinted into the restroom to check on you. 

  “Are you okay?” he asked worriedly, his tone so much more serious than the one he used in bed. 

  Clutching your stomach, you continued to vomit into the toilet bowl.  Grimacing beside you, Jongin patted your back, hoping it’d make you feel better.  When you were done, you immediately flipped through the calendar looking for familiar red stars that you stuck on each month as record.  But you hadn’t marked anything this month.  With your mouth agape, you turned around to look at your hubby. 

  “What?” he asked confused at your expression. 

  “Kim Jongin…you did not…” you gritted your teeth. 

  “I did not what?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. 

  Shaking your head, you dug in the cabinets for a pregnancy test.  You never thought you’d be putting those to use so quickly.  Jongin’s eyes widened.

  “Jagiya…you’re not…” he began and you sent him a death glare. 

              So for the next ten minutes, the two of you waited quietly in the bathroom.  At first you were so angry and miserable that there was a possibility of #2 coming so fast after you had just gotten through the first pregnancy.  Well, and the fact that your husband had promised you a Honey Moon to make up for the one you guys missed because you got pregnant and had to cancel the first one.  But as the clock ticked, your frown gradually flipped upside down.  There were so many people in this world dying to have children but couldn’t and if God trusted you enough to gift you another little angel, then you’d be more than happy. 

  You looked up to glance at Jongin and realized he’d been silently observing you.  His face was filled with remorse and guilt. 

  Laughing, you asked, “What’s with the sad face?”

  “I’m not going to forgive myself if I got you pregnant so fast again,” he grunted. 

  With a contented sigh, you got up from the toilet seat and walked over to sit on the edge of the bathtub, next to Jongin. 

  “You know…Oppa…maybe it’s not such a bad idea.  At this rate, I’ll be done giving birth to our six children by the age of thirty!” you chirped, hugging his arm. 

  “But I promised you I’d take you on your vacation,” he sighed. 

  “Yeah, Kim Jongin you better not forget that.  I better get to go on a world tour after #2,” you joked. 

  Your husband’s spirits lifted seeing that you weren’t upset anymore.  The timer buzzed on your phone to notify you that the results were out.  Jongin and you exchanged looks of anticipation.  Closing your eyes, you said a little prayer. 

  Two lines.  A wide grin spread across your face. 

  “Yay, our Baby Rockstar is on board!” you exclaimed happily. 

  Next to you, Jongin sighed again and leaned in to kiss you on your cheek.

  “I’m sorry, Jagiya,” he apologized. 

  Frowning, you turned around and gave him a stern look, “I’m not angry at all…but if you continue to have that depressed look on your face then I will be.  I will come to the conclusion that you don’t want me or the baby”.

  “No!  No, that’s not what I meant at all,” he said defensively. 

  Smiling, you took both of his hands into yours and said, “Then let’s go celebrate!!”

  Jongin chuckled, thankful for your optimism.  You dragged him downstairs to share the good news with your mother-in-law, who you knew would be thrilled to learn that she was about to have another grandchild to play with. 

  Midway, your husband stopped you.  With a sigh, he gazed into your eyes.  You looked back into his.  Effortlessly, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear and subsequentially leaned in to give you a tender, loving kiss.  You kissed him back with just as much love. 

  “Jagiya, I really love you,” he confessed, “Like really, really”.

  “And I really, really, really love you too,” you replied, tiptoeing to give him another kiss. 

  When you two separated, he nuzzled his nose against yours. 

  “…But…I’m ready to add another ring to my collection,” you joked, pointing at the two that sat on your ring finger.  Hehe. 

  “Your wish is my command,” he slurred before closing the distance between your lips again. 

  You giggled into the kiss, feeling oh so, so blessed to have gone through the whirlwind of events to lead up to this point time where if someone asked you to describe in one word, you would simply reply with, “Happiness”.          

              a/n: ~CRIES A RIVER~ THANK YOU ALL MY LITTLE UNICORNS AND BUNNIES <3 >3< It has been an amazing journey with you guys through Temporary Affairs!!! o(╥﹏╥)o

  Jongin & his super sperms though haha.  & Youngna/ Yoonwoo ship sailing already when they’re only babies gahhhh legit love at first sight!!!  (▰˘◡˘▰)

  NOW WHO’S READY FOR BEAUTIFUL DISTRACTION?!  WHERE ARE MY TAO BIASES?!?!  RAISE YOUR HANDS!!  SHOOT ME A MESSAGE!!!! 

  Also, a reminder to please, please vote for EXO in MAMA Awards.  Click here for post I talk about it: VOTE VOTE VOTE.   

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