#now that ive reached over dramatic ill tell you how long this took

[skidkiid]

My Radiantsona! More pictures and some info about him below:

His name is Alec Fisherman, he's 19 and in his freshman year of college. He took a leap year off so he could focus on getting a job, and figuring out what he wanted to major in (computer science). He was on his way to the library when a meteor crash landed in the street right next to the parking lot he kept his car. He decided to touch it because, why not? And became Radiant Purple :)! So far he's using his powers for good but you never know.

His bangs are star shaped btw :D!!

[her-story6]

“5 times Cathy calls Lina ‘mum’ and 1 time Lina calls Cathy her daughter”

aka, my most recent procrastination project. I promise I’ll get to the other fics, y’all, I swear. Thank you for being so patient.

Note- I don’t usually hc Cathy as calling Lina ‘mum’ but it was fun to explore for one fic.

.

     I

No one could ever figure out how Cathy was always the last one to get sick when a bug went through the house. It was just how it was, every time.

Funnily enough, every time, she would do the same old routine. The others don’t think she noticed the pattern, but it was blatantly obvious to them, and it would be annoying if it wasn’t so endearing.

First, she would try and deny it, but once they made it to the theater, she couldn’t hide it for very long before she was frog marched back home and into bed. From there someone, usually Catalina, would stay by her side for a few days until she had either become less stubborn or more lucid. Either way, she would eventually give in and agree to rest. Finally, she would come back around and pretend like nothing ever happened. 

Honestly, this cycle happened in some form or another for all the Queens, so no one said anything. They all had their own reactions to illness that more or less stemmed from past trauma, and none of them desired to relive anything like that.

The most recent illness was no different.

To no one's surprise, Cathy had been driven home by Catalina between the afternoon and evening performances, and the elder were currently in the process of trying to get her goddaughter into bed without physical injury.

“Look, Cathy, love, just let me help you,” Lina tried again as Cathy just barely caught herself on the kitchen counter instead of tumbling to the floor.

“I got it, Ari,” the sixth Queen huffed, face scrunching in concentration. She was probably trying to sound determined and intimidating, but Catalina would have laughed if she wasn't so exasperated 

“Mija, you barely made it inside without cracking your skull on the ice. I'm begging you, just let me hold your arm when you go up the steps.”

Cathy, who had been taking a short break on a stool, glanced slowly between the aforementioned steps and her godmother, clearly thinking carefully (or as carefully as she could in her half-lucid state) before sighing.

“Fine. But just to get you off my back.” 

“Fair enough, querida.” Catalina smirked before sliding forward and linking arms with the smaller woman. Cathy struggled to stand for a moment, before allowing Lina to lead her to the steps.

The first Queen would have been very worried about her goddaughter’s sudden lack of basic motor skills, except it was already a miracle she had managed to survive one show without passing out. This specific illness had caused even Anna, the most composed of all of them, to slide magnificently down the theater staircase before telling Jane all sorts of embarrassing secrets..

They had all been so tired and so out of it that they had practically blacked out for three days, and with the hazy mind came awkward conversations and hours laying in bed.

By the time they reached the top of two flights of stairs, Catalina was supporting basically all of Cathy’s weight. She regarded this as a good thing, though, as it meant that the girl would put up little fight in going to bed.

“Lina, don't we have a show?” Cathy broke the silence that had formed when they reached her door, rolling her head to look at her godmother.

“Not right now, Cath. It's time for bed.” Catalina noted the shift in tone and adapted accordingly, lowering her tone and slowing her speech.

“It's bedtime?” 

“Exactly, querida,” Catalina chuckled. “Do you want to change clothes?” 

Cathy let out a long, almost dramatic groan as she glanced between the dresser and the bed, before shaking her head.

“No. I wanna sleep.”

“Alright, then. Come on.” 

The older woman led Cathy to the bed and helped her get situated under the covers. While she burrowed deeply so was barely distinguishable under the blankets, Catalina turned to close the curtains and set down the water bottle she had slipped under her arm on the way up here.

After said tasks were done, she sat down on the edge of the bed and reached over to brush a lock of hair out of her goddaughter’s eyes. 

“Sweet dreams, mi hija. I'll be right downstairs if you need me.”

“Mhmmm” Cathy hummed in acknowledgment, pushing slightly into the touch as she shifted in bed. Catalina smiled softly at her for a moment, before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“I love you, mi hermosa hija,” she whispered softly as she rose from the bed and walked towards the door. Just as she was about to slip through it, though, a quiet mutter from Cathy stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Love you too, mum.”

     II

Catalina didn't mention that night to anyone.

She didn't mention how her heart skipped a beat, and then she couldn’t stop smiling all night.

She didn’t tell the other Queens of the slip-up, because she could imagine their amused and slightly concerned expressions now. 

She most certainly didn’t say anything to Cathy, because honestly- she didn’t want to know whether she meant it or not, or if she would be ashamed or proud, or if she truly felt that way.

As such, the first Queen tried her best to continue life as normal. Pushing the incident to the back of her mind, she was almost able to act completely normal around her goddaughter again. 

Until, of course, she said something that was arguably even more heart-stopping.

“Querida, I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s very reasonable,” Catalina tried to reason as the two faced off in the kitchen. The other four were lounging in the living room and trying very hard to not be seen listening in.

“Come on, Catty, just think about it, I mean-”

“No, Cathy. That’s just not realistic. I’m sorry, love.”

“But, madrina-” the sixth Queen whined, leaning dramatically over the counter. Catalina, who had been digging around in the fridge for ingredients (as Cathy had interrupted her while she was fixing dinner), turned around much faster than she meant to and stared at her goddaughter open-mouthed.

“What did you just say?”

“I- oh, I’m so sorry,” Cathy began to stutter as she sat back and looked down, “I didn’t mean, I mean, I did, but if you’re not alright with it, then I’ll never say it again, of course, I’m sorry, I-” 

“No!” Catalina exclaimed, then immediately composed herself. “No, it’s fine. It’s great actually.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes, of course. It’s only fair, if I call you hija then why can’t you call me madrina?” Catalina smiled, reaching across the counter to squeeze Cathy’s arm gently. The younger woman gave her a hesitant smile, then nodded.

“Alright, good.”

“Good,” Catalina echoed. She watched her goddaughter for a few more moments, pretending not to feel Jane’s amused gaze on them, then took a step back. “The answer’s still no, though, mija.”

“Ughhhhhhh,” Cathy groaned dramatically, lowering her forehead onto the counter. “Fiinneeee”

Catalina could do nothing but chuckle.

          III

It had been a few weeks and Catalina was just about used to hearing the word ‘madrina’ from her goddaughter’s mouth and every time, she couldn’t help but beam. The proud look on Cathy’s face when she noticed was almost enough to give her a heart attack.

What really did give her a heart attack, though, was when she received a call from the hospital, telling her that Cathy had been in an accident.

This certainly wasn’t the first time one of them had ended up in an ambulance. 

Anne, of course, had taken multiple trips, but there was also the time Jane sprained her wrist and when Anna had taken a wrong step on her morning jog and ended up in an ankle cast for the next two months. 

As such, after the doctors assured her that Cathy was all fine and they just needed someone to pick her up because the car was not drivable, the panic wore off and she was more relieved than worried. 

When she arrived at the hospital, the nurses led her outside a sitting room where she could see Cathy sitting, holding her purse close to her chest and bouncing her leg restlessly. The nurse peaked her head into the room, gesturing for Lina to stay put, and said- 

“Catherine, your mother’s here to pick you up. You have all the forms settled, so you’re free to go.”

Before Catalina could say anything, the nurse disappeared around a corner as Cathy slipped through the door.  

“Heyyyy,” Cathy started, shifting her purse so it was over her shoulder and looking up at her godmother. “Sorry about that, they didn’t seem to like my idea of just getting a taxi home.”

Catalina was relieved to see that Cathy was more embarrassed than nervous, so she decided to ignore the elephant in the room as the two started walking to the exit.

“No problem, mija. I’m just glad you’re alright.”

“Yeah, me too,” she chuckled. “It wasn’t my fault, by the way. The other guy took full responsibility and his insurance will pay for everything.” 

“That’s good.” Catalina nodded, holding the door open as they went outside. Cathy shivered slightly against the nipping wind, but said nothing else on the walk to the car. 

Once they were back on the road, though, Catalina grew tired of the awkward silence.

“So,” she started, and out of her peripherals she could see Cathy shift, “mother, huh?” Catalina tried to keep her tone light and amused, and was grateful when her goddaughter let out a soft chuckle. 

“Yeah, sorry about that. It was all so rushed and I didn’t want to make it more complicated than it had to be by explaining our relationship. They wouldn’t even let me call you.” 

“No worries, I was just wondering. Our relationship is pretty hard to explain.”

“You can say that again,” Cathy agreed, and the two laughed as the conversation easily shifted to a more lighthearted topic.

           IV

“Oh, come on Catherine! Do you really have to be so uptight all the time?”

The room suddenly became silent at Cathy’s outburst, all heads, which had previously been focused on a heated argument between Anne and Catalina, turning to the sixth Queen. Cathy took this as permission to continue.

“I’m sorry, but you really need to lighten up some times! Anne just wants to go out with Kat and I for a night, what’s the big deal?”

Catalina was taken aback, unaware that her goddaughter was even involved in the issue, but didn’t back down.

“The big deal is that it’s not safe. I’m not letting you stay out all night in the middle of winter, especially with the roads like they are. We are already down one vehicle, we can’t lose the other one too.” The first Queen tried to keep her voice even, but the look of anger in Cathy’s eyes caused her to waver on the last few words. 

“Why do you even get a say? We’re all adults in this situation and it’s really none of your business,” Cathy countered. Anne had taken a step back and was now more of a spectator than a participant. Arguments between Cathy and Lina were rare, and when it happened, they all knew not to get involved.

“First of all because it’s my name on the car registration,” Lina started, quickly losing patience. “Secondly because I don’t want any of you getting hurt when I can stop it.” 

“You wouldn’t stop Anna or Jane from going!” Cathy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. “It’s just because you don’t trust us.”

“That is not true at all and you know it, Catherine Parr.” Catalina’s voice had lowered dangerously, and Anna and Kitty took an actual step back.

“Do I?! How would you know how I think?”

“You need to calm down. It’s been a long week and we all need a break,” Catalina once again tried to reason calmly, having caught herself before she could make the conversation spiral further. 

“Come on, mom! You can’t control us forever.” 

“I don’t know what’s going on with you right now, but I think you should-,” Catalina stopped dead when her brain registered what Cathy had said. “Wait, what?!”

“I-” Cathy’s voice suddenly returned to its normal pitch as she came to the same realization. The room was frozen for a solid minute, all eyes back on Cathy, as her eyes grew wide and her face contorted in confusion. “Whatever.” She finally scoffed, then immediately disappeared up the steps.

Catalina watched after her, mouth wide open and blinking comically. Only the sudden cackling laughter from Jane brought her out of a stupor.

“Oh my god!” Jane said through laughter. “That was beautiful.”

“Jane-” Anna warned, but there was a clear amused smirk on her face as well. 

 “You all heard that too, right?” Catalina turned to them, still reeling. 

“Oh, yeah!” Jane beamed widely, reaching forward to pat her friend’s arm. “Good luck with that, love.” 

 “Oh, thanks,” Catalina said sarcastically, rolling her eyes even as she tried to process the last few minutes. 

 “So.....” Anne interjected after a few moments of silence, the word clearly a question. 

“No, Anne,” Jane answered her question before it could be asked. “It was a stupid idea in the first place and I think Cathy’s out for the night anyway.” Catalina sent the third Queen a grateful look for taking the question.

“Ughhhh, fine,” Anne huffed dramatically. “It’s probably for the better anyway. Now Kit and I can finish our movie marathon.”

It was quite a statement on Catalina’s mental state when she said nothing to try and discourage the cousins from pulling (another) all-nighter, and the two took the momentary lapse to disappear up the steps. This hesitation was also noticed by Jane and Anna, who glanced at each other in concern. 

“You alright, Lina?” 

“I-” she started, then paused and leaned back against the fridge with a sigh, “This is going to be a really awkward conversation, isn’t it?”

Jane chuckled softly, nodding. “Yeah, probably. Kitty called me ‘mum’ once and she didn’t look me in the eye again for a week.” 

“That’s just the thing, though. This isn’t the first time.”

“It isn’t?” Anna joined in the conversation now, sliding onto a stool across from the other two women.

“I mean, we all know she calls me ‘madrina’, which is different, but still. But she was really sick one night and right before she fell asleep, she, uh... she said ‘love you too mum’” 

“Awwwww” Jane cooed, smiling cheekily. 

 “Not helpful, Jane,” Catalina bit back, without any real force behind it.

“Sorry, sorry, I know. But seriously, do you have a problem with it?”

“No! I mean, I don’t want to make it a normal thing, obviously, but it’s nice to know that she thinks of me like that.”

“Then what’s the issue?” Anna asked, leaning her chin her hand and tilting her head.

“I just don’t want her to feel weird about it. We’ve had.... conversations. About her mother and my Mary and not replacing them and the like, and I just.... I don’t know, it just feels weird.”

“That makes sense. I suggest you let it rest for now. Wait for her to come to you, maybe.”  

“You’re right, Jane, I know,” Catalina shook her head, sighing once more. “There’s nothing I can do for now. Thank you, ladies.”

“No problem, Ari.” Anna smiled, and Jane nodded in agreement. “Go get some sleep.”

“That’s exactly the plan. Maybe I’ll stop by Anne’s room on the way and apologize. Good night, Queens.” Catalina nodded politely at them, then slipped up the stairs. 

“Good night,” they echoed, sending each other one last amused look before carrying on with their nightly routine. 

          V

It had been two days, and Catalina was trying her best to be patient, but Cathy had yet to initiate any conversation with her, let alone one about the topic that was very clearly weighing heavily on both of their minds.

It was painfully clear that they were avoiding each other, and based on Jane’s annoyed sighs and Anna’s pointed glances, the others had noticed as well.

Eventually, though, to everyone’s surprise, it was Cathy who broke the silence.

“Lina, can you help me fix dinner?”

Alright, so it wasn’t what she was hoping to hear, but at least it was something. Catalina, of course, accepted immediately and the two soon found themselves alone in the kitchen, once again surrounded by an uncomfortable silence.

It wasn’t until the meal was in the oven that the first Queen decided enough was enough.

“Cathy, I think we need to-” Catalina started, setting down the bowl she had been washing.

“I really don’t want to talk about it, Ari. Can’t we just pretend it never happened? Please?” 

The sincerity in her goddaughter's voice almost caused Catalina to give in, but she shook her head and stood her ground.

“You know we can’t, querida. Let’s just get it over with, huh?”

Cathy looked ready to object, but after a quick internal battle, she sighed and nodded, turning the faucet off and jumping up on the counter. Catalina watched her carefully, then followed suit, setting down her washcloth and leaning against the fridge.

“First of all,” Cathy started, shifting so her feet were tucked under her. Lina held back a comment about dirty shoes on the counter as her goddaughter composed her thoughts. “I just wanted to apologize for the argument in the first place. It was stupid and I didn’t mean anything that I said.”

Catalina nodded slowly, mulling over her words, before asking simply- “Anything?”  

Cathy hesitated, knowing exactly what she was referring to. “I-,” she paused, swallowing hard. “I honestly don’t know. I was worried at first that you would be uncomfortable, that I had crossed a boundary, and of course I don’t plan on... on calling you that on a regular basis or anything, but....... I dunno.”

Catalina nodded once more, then allowed herself to hesitate, set on thinking out her thoughts before saying them.

“I completely understand. As we’re being honest, I also have to say that I could not tell you all my feelings about it. I think- I think that if it became a habit, I might not be very comfortable with that, but I would never be upset about a slip-up. And every so often, if it comes out... less on accident, I don’t think I would protest too hard.”

“No, yeah, I get it.” Cathy nodded, visibly relaxing as the tension seeped away. “What had me so confused was the difference between ‘madrina’ and ‘mom’. Two completely different connotations, but I have no way of putting the specifics in words.”

“Yeah! Yeah, that was exactly what I was thinking.” Catalina nodded, a smile forming on her face. “It’s actually really nice, to know that you see me like that, because I completely reciprocate that feeling. It’s very clearly not a traditional relationship, but we don’t have to explain it to anyone else if we don’t want to.”

“The word ‘traditional’ doesn’t apply to anything in this house, it seems,” Cathy joked, and then smirked slightly. “You know, that wasn’t the first time I had made that mistake.”

“Oh, I know,” said Catalina simply. Cathy seemed surprised for only a moment before she just shook her head and chuckled softly. 

“So we’re good?”

“Of course, mija.” Catalina nodded, reaching to squeeze her goddaughter’s leg. “I’m sorry I didn’t bring this up earlier. I was just nervous you would say something I didn’t want to hear.”

“Oh, me too. But I’m glad we got it all sorted.”

The two stared at each other for a few more moments, just smiling and allowing themselves to appreciate the moment. 

‘The moment’, however, was cut off with a shrill beep from the stove, which caused Catalina to jump and bump her side on the fridge handle. 

“Ow!” 

“Oh, careful, madrina.” Cathy smiled cheekily, “Don’t want to break those fragile old bones of yours.”

“I’ll have you know, mija,” Catalina retorted, as they both set to work on taking out the pans and setting them out on the counter, “These bones are barely a year old. I think I’ll be fine.”

“If anything, that’s more concerning! These bones materialized out of thin air!”

“Oh, please querida, don’t give me an existential crisis right now, I can’t handle it.”

“Your old lady brain struggling to keep up?” Cathy asked, barely containing a laugh.

“Why, you-!”

And when the others came down to the duo ignoring the still beeping oven as they bickered, they didn’t say anything, too relieved to see that they were speaking again. 

          +I

The Queens didn’t go out to bars together very much anymore, after numerous bad experiences their first few months, but every so often, when a large celebration was in order, they made an exception for Anne and allowed the second Queen to bring them around to her favorite establishments.  

By this point in the night, there had already been multiple counts of harassment amongst the six of them, and no one was really reacting anymore. Even Lina, who was above only Cathy in the ‘most likely to get catcalled’ list, had been forced to get a little snippy when a man wouldn’t leave her alone.

Cathy, of course, was blissfully unaware of most of this.

The others had tried to explain to her multiple times why she wasn’t harassed nearly as much as the others. 

(‘It’s because you look like a twelve year old’ Anne had suggested, and then Anna had shaken her head and said ‘No, it’s just because you look like you would kill anyone who touched you. That’s a compliment, by the way’.)

That wasn’t to say she was completely unharmed, for she had of course had her fair share of bad experiences. They were just rarer.

This, apparently, was just one of those nights, though, because as Catalina made her way back from the bathroom at their most recent (and final, accordion to Jane) bar, she just barely caught her goddaughter’s curly hair peeking out from behind a large muscular man leaning over her on the other side of the room. 

Immediately, the first Queen changed her route and pushed through the throng, trying to gauge the situation before interrupting. As she grew closer, she began to catch snippets of their conversation.

“Come on, beautiful,” the man sneered, leaning cockily against the wall and effectively cutting off Cathy’s escape route.

“I already said no, I’m sorry,” Cathy responded, much calmer than Lina had worried. “Look, I just want to go back to my friends, please.”

Something in the man’s expression changed, and Catalina had no desire to see what happened next (it could have been fine, but she wasn’t going to take that chance) so she sped up and covered the last remaining ground in seconds, before sliding seamlessly between her goddaughter and the man.

“Kindly leave my daughter alone, sir,” Catalina tried to be as civil as possible, crossing her arms and drawing herself up to her full height.

“Your daughter?” the man questioned, scoffing slightly. He leaned around Lina to peer at Cathy. “You come to bars with your mom?”

“Actually I come to bars with my daughter, but that’s really none of your business. Please just leave her alone.”

He looked ready to argue, but with one raised eyebrow from Lina, he decided it wasn’t worth it and turned on his heel, walking away while muttering something under his breath.

“Thank you, but I really didn’t need your help. It was more amusing than anything.” Cathy rolled her eyes, stepping out and following her godmother through the crowd back to their table. 

“I know, I just thought it was better to be safe than sorry.” 

“Fair enough.” Cathy nodded, then hesitated. “‘Your daughter’, huh?” 

Catalina let out a barking laugh, then cocked her head in thought, pulling Cathy to a stop. Cathy tilted her head in curiosity, glancing back at her godmother. Finally, Catalina simply nodded and said, now completely serious-  

“You heard me.”

[litteidiot]

Ohhhh angst promt! What if mc finds out she has hypoglycemia in a dramatic why I found out when I nearly passed out on the highway. Could this be mc x gavin hes my favorite

Hiiii! Sorry if it took long I was busy with school work and this topic needed some time to look up. But here I am trying my best to cover this topic! Feel free to correct me if something is worng!

Hypoglycemia: is a condition in which your blood sugar (glucose) level is lower than normal. Glucose is your body's main energy source.

Syntoms: ( I’m only displaying a few )

fatigue

pale skin

anxiety

loss of consciousness

nightmares

clumsiness

trouble talking

Hypoglycemia needs to be treated immediately when the blood sugar gets low. Treatment involves quickly getting your blood sugar back to normal either with high-sugar foods or drinks or with medications. SORRY FOR THE MANY NOTIFS IF YOU HAVE IM CORRECTING TYPOS!!!

MC finding out she has Hypoglycemia

———————————————

Type: Headcanon

Pairing: MCxGavin

Before reading: I did my research about the illness but I’m not a doctor I don’t know what information to trust. I collected the informations I saw on almost every site I searched on so, please instead of biting my head off, please correct me.

Attention: Characterd are not mine credit to the Mr. Love Team!

————————————————

This is the fourth night in 2 weeks

You bolt up from your sleep, sweating and struggling to breathe. You had another nightmare

But Gavin is always by your side calimg you down. He won’t tell you, but lately he’s been staying wide awake beside you to make sure nothing disturbs your sleep

It goes on like this for a while. Sometimes you wake up from a nightmare or scream out his name while sleeping. But there are time you sleep through the night peacefully, with that Gavin also allowing himself a little sleep

Until one day

You came home early from work. You excused yourself to go home because you are so tired, you can’t even make simple decision

You come home into the empty apartment and just now see how messy it is. Gavin usually leaves earlier than you so his clothes as all over the couch becauae he was such in a hurry

Gavin. A feeling of uneasiness creeps into your mind. Is Gavin okay? What is he doing? Or he is on an unexpected mission and he won’t come home for a few days?

These thoughts circles in your head, your hand automatically catching the ginkgo leaves on your bracelet and you start to overthinking until the moment you can barely breathe and freak out

Your shaky hands reach inside your purse and after minutes of fumbling inside it you get your phone and dial the number

He picks up after two rings. “Hey, is everything alright?” The first question he asks. On the other end all he hears is your ragged breathing what turns into broken sobs

“Gavin, Gavin come home.” That’s what you choke out, well that’s what you try. Your mind is so cluded it feels like you forgot to talk and your words come off almost like gibberish

It won’t take him 10 minutes to go home from the police station

Dang he never rode Sparky this fast

Literally breaking down the door, he finds you cooped up on the tile floor, your face is pale as you slip in and out of consciousness

This sight scares him to death. He never been this scared before in his entire life

As he quickly takes you in his arms he tries his best to keep you awake

“MC! MC, do you hear me? Don’t fall asleep stay with me okay? It’s gonna be alright.” He picks you up and rushes to the hospital with you

Giving zero shit he flew to the hospital with you

Feeling comfort and knowing you will be safe in his arms you drift off

Later waking up in the hospital tied up with machines and an IV you both find out you have Hypoglycemia

You soon learn it means your blood sugar is unstable and needs medications to keep it on the healthy level

Overprotective Birdcop

He would call you every time to check how are you feeling, did you take a blood sugar test, have you eaten anything

Carries glucagon with him all the time, in case your forget it at home and someting happens

He makes sure Minor takes a good care of you and gives you sugary food or drinks if your blood sugar drops

Will never let anything happen to you ever again

For more research study go to Science section

[kpurereactions]

Love Shot

CHAPTER 3

Pairing: Exo x Reader

Rating: Drama, Angst, Smut, Fluff

WARNINGS: Language, Eventual Violence, Lots of Smut Later on

Chapter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

It was hard to find something ball worthy. Balls really weren't in my resume in things im able to do, so I had no idea how to go about shopping for one. It seemed stupid, and it was stressing me out so much even Mino realized it. He tried to help, he really did but after the third store I could tell there was no use in having him there, so I had to just let him leave.

Once I found it, I knew it was right. All of the stress of finding the perfect dress really took a toll on me, and as I stared at the fleshy pink tulle gown I couldn't help but to wonder why it was I had become so obsessed with finding something that fit me perfectly. It was because of Baekhyun. And possibly Junmyeon too. That part scared me. Why I wanted to impress these two men made no sense to me. The feeling of my heart fluttering when Baekhyun was laughing, or when Junmyeon was smiling took over and I had to put the dress down.

The excitement of the ball took over everything that day. I knew I would be the only self readied person there, so I decided to take my time. Make sure there was no room for error. I couldn't help but stop and look at myself on my way out, the soft fairy lights in my now dim room catching the gold that scattered the soft pink material made me feel like a goddess.

I smiled to myself, running my hand over my stomach once before collecting enough of the skirt to make it easier to walk down the stairs. A large black car waited for me outside my apartment and to my surprise no one else was in it. A short balding man bowed deeply to me as he opened the door, his hands moving quickly to gather the rest of my dress into the car so it didnt catch in the door.

The drive was spent trying to calm my nerves. The closer I got the more sweaty my hands became and I couldnt do anything else but wipe them on the seats as we finally turned down the long drive way. Cars stacked closely behind each other as guests arrived one by one. The wait to exit didnt help my nerves as the closer I got the more beautiful women I saw exiting with their dates. It was intimidating.

I was surprised to see Beakhyun, Jongmyeon and five other men standing outside of their house when It was finally my turn to get out. I froze seeing Junmyeon walking closer to the car, eventually opening my door for me.

“You look… Beautiful, Y/n.” He said, taking my hand. I could tell he ment it by the look in his eyes. He seemed truly shocked, but given it was really the first time hes ever seen me not covered in paint I didnt let it get to my head.

He held onto my hand even after the car door had closed, leading me slowly to the other men who stood there, all looking at me. I let my eyes scan all of them. They were all handsome, all in different ways. My gaze ended with Jongin, the look in his eyes more genuine than they had been the past few times he had met me. I found this strange, but I didn't have time to think about why it was since Junmyeon took no time in introducing me to the boys.

I smiled as I shook each one of their hands, each boy just as polite as the one after until my hand once again fell into Jongin’s. In a swift motion he flipped my hand over and kissed it softly, the cocky, almost dangerous look flashing through his eyes quickly. Junmyeon cleared his throat.

“Okay, that's enough. Sehun here has a gift for you.” He said thankfully. You pulled your hand away from Jongin a little too roughly and turned your attention to the man Junmyeon referred to as the youngest of the seven.

Instead of saying anything Sehun approached you slowly, reaching into his coat to pull out a delicate gold mask embroidered with diamonds. My eyes went wide, it was the most beautiful thing ive ever seen. Before I could protest the jester Sehun had rounded me, placing the mask over my face and tying it softly. As soon as I felt his hands dropped I turned to see a soft smile on his stone face.

“Ready to have some fun?” Baekhyun said, making me turn around again.

Junmyeon’s hand was once again reaching for mine, and even though I knew a bit better this time, I didnt stop him from taking it and leading me back up to the porch. We walked through the house, Junmyeon leading me in front of all the other boys who flanked us closely. The house, which seamed to glow a brilliant gold rather than the white it did before, had people from all corners of the world scattered about. It was obvious, though, that the party was outside. Two men in tailcoats opened a set of wide, tall double doors for us to an extensive garden. There were lights hanging through all the trees, all leading to the same center where a large fountain was running, and just to the left was a set up floor where people were dancing.

“Y/n, Would you like a drink?” Junmyeon asked, his hand moving from mine to the bare skin of my back. He smiled warmly as I nodded, excusing himself before I could offer to go with him.

“Ill introduce myself again, My name is Jongdae.” My attention moved to him, and once again I smiled. “Baekhyun told me you were commissioned for your art. Thank you for taking the time.” He added, sweetly.

“It’s my pleasure. I really do love your home so im excited to be able to contribute.” I said.

Junmyeon returned to hand me a glass of wine, pointing out he remembered how I had been drinking white wine at our first meeting. The four of us had been talking intently while others wet off to do what they pleased. Jongdae and Baekhyun together had me laughing nonstop, the stories they started to tell of their pre pubescent years making it hard to even get a sip of my drink in. Junmyeon, on the other hand had finished him in attempted to hide the fact he was getting slightly embarrassed at the stories being told.

“How about he go dance. What do you say?” He said turning to me and pushing his empty glass into Baekhyun’s empty chest.

I smiled at the other boys as my hand for the third time was taken. I couldn't lose the smile that had grown as Junmyeon led me to the middle of the dancefloor. He pulled me in close before starting to lead our dance.

“Why are you still laughing?” He said in a fake hurt voice.

“It's just funny to see that millionaires are people too.” I teased, laughing as he spun me away before spinning me back in tightly.

“I have a feeling about you.” He said once I was back into his arms and we were back to swaying at an appropriate pace.

“And whats that feeling?” You asked, not quite sure you you were flirting or not.

“That were going to be come very fond of you. And you of us.” He said.

Before I could ask what he meant by that we were being summoned back by Baekhyun and Jongdae where they stood by the bar. Junmyeon once again took my hand, which now just felt natural. Baekhun handed you a new glass of wine before doing the same to Junmyeon. You stood there laughing, but this time the glasses of wine where going down a little faster than they had been before.

Junmyeon introduced you to people when he could, but thankfully were very self aware of just how much you were drinking. Eventually more of the guys started to make their way over to the four of us, Chanyeol being the first, and the flirtiest. I didn't mind though. I honestly was too drunk to care. The one conversation quickly turned into two conversations as Chanyeol and I started to get distracted, laughing and whispering lightly as you pointed at the people dancing.

Before I could get a grasp on things Chanyeol was pulling me towards the dance floor causing me to shove my glass back at Jongdae as I was pulled away quickly. We laughed the entire way we half jogged back to the dance floor, and once we got there our dance moves were so dramatic and goofy it was hard to keep a straight face we were maintaining. Chanyeol was so fun, and I think he knew he was since I couldn't control my laughter.

A tap on Chanyeol’s shoulder was the only thing that would have separated the two of us, and before I could really protest Jongin’s body was knowing being pressed to mine. I made Chanyeol laugh one more time by extending my arm out as if to say I would miss him before turning back and wrapping my arms around Jongin’s neck.

Dancing with Jongin was so different than dancing with Chanyeol. I had sobered up enough for my body to remember all of the concerns about him, but I was still drunk enough to not care. Or so I thought. The way he looked at me made my skin hot. He was taller than me even in my heels, so the way he looked down at me caused my heart to flutter. I decided to be bold. I could feel something might happen, so I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be making a mistake by someone who scared me.

I had so much to say, but the communication between my brain and my mouth seemed to be shut down as none of these things I wanted to say came out. Instead I was stuck there, unable to get myself out of his grasp and completely in a trance by his gaze. I couldn’t stop myself from letting my eyes wonder his face. His eyes were dark. Lustful as the warm feeling of his hand against my cold skin held me tighter. Nothing was being said, but our bodies were talking to one another. He noticed my eyes flicking from his to his lips causing his tongue to gently poke through before his teeth caught his lip.

I was convinced he could feel my heart as it was about to jump out of my chest from beating so hard. As we swayed his grip tightened, but not in a way that made me feel suffocated. I couldn't push the feeling of comfort out of my mind. As he held me tighter his head dipped so his lips hovered right by my ear. Goosebumps covered my skin as an eruption of static seemed to run down my neck.

“Lets sneak away.”

That was all he needed to say. I felt like I should protest. My sober mind was begging me too, but my legs followed all too willingly as his hand grasped mine and pulled me through the crowd. I was all but running by his side as we snuck into the darkness to find a side door that no one was hovering around. His hand held mine lightly as he led the way up the stairs, slowing down only enough to allow me to collect my skirt so I didn't trip on it.

The hallway we ended up in was dimly lit, but I didn't have a chance to take a good look around as I was desperately being pushed against a wall, my hands now both being held above my head. I accepted Jongin’s kiss willingly, his lips crashing against mine before his body held me in place against the wall. He didn't fight me when I pulled my wrists out of his hand as if he knew I was going to wrap them tightly around his neck. His kiss was rough, but smooth as his lips fought with mine. I couldn't help my hands from tangling themselves in his hair, at that moment, all I could think about was touching him and him touching me.

I squealed gently followed by a giggle that made him smirk as he stepped back and pulled me with him, his eyes growing dark as he backed me up and into what I assumed was his bedroom. As if my hands had a mind of their own I tugged at his coat until it fell off his shoulders, my hands not stopping until the buttons of his shirt were completely undone. I took a minute to admire is body, letting my fingers trail back up to his chest. He was very obedient, I noticed. My hands found their way under the material that still touched his shoulders and before I could push that down he was doing it for me, quickly connecting our lips again. I felt his hands making their way up my back, searching for the zipper to my dress. He found it with ease, giving it a soft tug and letting his hand take its time as it traced down my spine.

Easily my dress pooled at my feet, his hand now finding their way around my waist again to pull me in tightly. Once again he walked me backwards, out lips still moving at top speed as we both fought for breath. He laid me down gently, his hand not letting go of my body until I was secure on the bed and he was between my legs. I was surprised to feel the kissing slow, but not surprised when his lips left mine to kiss down my neck.

I watched him as his head lowered slowly on my body, his lips kissing every inch he made. The feeling of his teeth pulling at my panties caused my arm to cover my mouth. I didn’t realize just how turned on I had become. His eyes met mine as his hands finally made their way down from where they held my waist. They were dark, and full of lust. I couldnt help but to grow shy as he pulled my panties down. Sex was something ive had, but not often so the thought of being naked in front of someone was still new to me.

It was like he could sense that as he stood back over my body, his forearm flexing by the side of my head.

“Any time you say stop I will.” He said sternly, watching me closely as I nodded to show him I understood.

He paused for a second, watching me, but I quickly closed the gap by wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him back down to me. I didn't want him to stop, no matter how shy I got.

His hands once agains trailed down my side, his touch so light it tickled my body. My chest rose and fell heavily as I tried to catch my breath again, watching him as his head once again dipped down my body, his hands now moving back up and under me to unclasp my bra. I let my eyes close, wanted to feel him touching me and nothing else as he moved to position himself.  

He didn't hold back for one second, his tongue moving vigorously against my clit as two of his fingers slowly stretched me out. I couldn't help the heavy breaths and moans that escaped my lips as my hand gripped the bedsheet in desperate attempt to allow him to finish me off. It didn't take him long, though. The muscles in my stomach clenched as my body contorted quickly. His free hand moved to wrap around my thigh, holding me open as my thighs began to quiver furiously. I let out a loud breath, my head tilting backwards as my entire body seemed to release with pleasure.

My heart raced and my fingers ached as I released the bedsheet, my eyes slowly opening to see him grinning still between my legs. He let out a low chuckle after he kissed the inside of my thigh and my body shook once more due to how tender I had become. He slowly crawled back up and once again placed his lips right beside my ear.

I didn't even let him say what he probably wanted to say. I needed him more than I had before. I didn't care how tender I was, I needed him to finish what he had started. My fingers quickly fumbled with his belt as he attempted to kick off his shoes. I didn't care about anything in that moment, not even enough to finish undoing his pants. My arms wrapped back around his neck pulling him back in closely and kissing him harder than I had been before. Again his hands wrapped around my waist but this time to sit me up.

I could feel him undressing himself once I had followed his mouth into a kneeling position. I was fully ready to return the favor orally, but he had something else in mind once his pants hit the ground. Not once did I open my eyes as he sat next to me and pulled me onto his lap. I let a small smile through once I could feel just how hard he had become. I let my hips roll over him as if he didn't already know how wet he had made me, as if to tease him. I smiled again, this time wider, when his hand caught me from rocking again and lifted me up. I let him position me over his tip and then slowly push me down till he was all the way in me.

It was his turn to smile at the groan I seemed to get out through our kiss. He started to guide my hips back and forth, controlling my movements for me as we both began to pant. I realized in that moment how much I enjoyed letting him control me, so when his arm wrapped around my back and he stood, instructing my legs to wrap around him with his other hand so he could turn us and place me back on my back I couldn't stop myself from gripping at him tighter.

He didn't waste one second to start pumping quickly, his body pulling back from mine as he pushed my legs back towards my chest. I wanted to watch him work. To see the veins pop in his chest and arms as he watched himself pleasure me but the motions of his hips were too much for me to keep my eyes open. I let a loud moan as he maneuvered my knees so they were over his shoulders. He was able to get deeper because of this, not hitting a part of me I never knew existed. He noticed how much I liked that, and knowing he could do it better he quickly flipped me over so I now laid on my stomach. His hands pressed into my back, pushing me into the mattress even more as he pounded downward, hitting my G Spot with every motion.

He seemed to read my body better than I could, as I could feel him chuckle as my body started to tighten in preparation for my second orgasm.

“Hang on baby, i'm right behind you.” He whispered, bending over so his lips brushed against the back of my neck as he spoke.

I couldn't contain my moanings as the second orgasm erupted through my body. My hands clenching desperately to the bed sheets as his own moanings became more consistent. Every pump seemed to send another smaller orgasm through my body until he was quickly pulling out and the feeling of cum covered my back. His own body rested on mine, a mixture of sweat and cum making my skin flush with excitement as he peppered kisses over my shoulders.

Propping myself up onto my elbows I turned my head to accept one last kiss to my temple before he got up, instructing me to stay there while he disappeared into the bathroom. I let my head fall once again, exhaustion finally taking over my body. The feeling of a damp, warm towel cleaning off my skin caused my eyes to droop, and by the time Jongin was back to pull me under the covers I was already half asleep and there was no point in fighting his arms wrapping around me tightly.

Chapter 4

[mxvladdy]

Dinner for Two

Hello again! Hope y’all are doing just groovy. 

Here’s another fic! It can also be found here ! 

I got some WIPs in the works so it’s back to the coal mines for me. 

Chapters: 1-2-3 

The world spun again, more forceful than before. Reaching out blindly you grasp for the closest thing to you. This time it was your friend Genji. Cool metal wrapping around your forearm helping you steady yourself as you breathe through the wave of nausea.

“Doctor! Are you alright?” His scarred brows raising in worry looking for a place to let you rest. He leads you slowly to a nearby bench and away from your workstation.

You wave off his concern resting your fevered brow on your knees taking steady gulps of air in hopes to alleviate the sick feeling. “I'm fine. I'm fine. It's just exhaustion, haven't been able to sleep well of late.”

“Hmmm.” He sat nodding knowing the feeling all to well. “Missing your bear?” Genji joked releasing his hold on you to give you some space, his tone still laced with worry.

You chuckle dryly emerging from your ball to lean back, resting on the metal wall behind you. You did miss Jesse. It would have been a down right lie to say otherwise. His warm body encased around you, shaggy chestnut hair fanning out on his pillow. The whiskey smoke smell of him, an oddly comforting scent.

He was halfway through a six month mission with Soldier, Winston, and Angie to America looking into a Talon lead. As an infiltration mission, it requires time to build trust and connections. Meaning it was a pain in the ass for everyone.

I've been missing ya somethin’ fierce doll. Can't stop thinking about ya. Bed’s too cold nowadays. I wish ta god you could have come along. But can't be puttin’ all our medics in the field. His low timbre reverberating through the tinny speaker of your phone. Everytime he called it was a double edge sword, you were overjoyed that he was alive and safe. Yet it made the miles apart feel even longer.

You look up at Genji's patient expression. “I do.” You admit accepting the ninja's help getting up, the sickness passing as quickly as it had come. Genji nodded sagely heading back to your station where you had been working on an upgrade for his respiratory system. Your work was on par with Angie's, making the head medic feel comfortable dividing her workload with you.

“Perhaps you should take a break for the rest of the day? I'm not going anywhere and the upgrade isn't critical yet. Why not join Reinhardt and myself for lunch?” Genji nudged, placing his hand between you and your work. You agreed hoping a break would make you feel better.

It did not. Instead you retired to your quiet room curling around Jesse's pillow and drifted into a dreamless sleep stomach tossing and turning . This was your day to day life for the next three weeks. But it was only getting worse. Nausea, bloating, headaches, and fatigue plagued you as sleep evaded you. You hid;  brushing off concern with the same line.

“ It's just stress .” You sigh dismissing Ana's hand on your shoulder but graciously accepting the hot mug of tea. Enjoying her company in the common room after getting fed up with sitting in the spare medical lab all day.“I don't know how Angie does this.” You sigh dramatically.

“I sometimes wonder about the both of you. If I didn't know better I'd say you and Ziegler are secret masochists.” Ana chuckled. You flush, skin darkening as Ana levels you with a knowing smirk. “Ahh~Thought that was more you and Jesse's shtick.”

“What's more my shtick?” A deep southern drawl purrs behind you. A deep purr you thought you still had another two months before you could hear it in person. You didn't get a chance to turn before two strong burly arms wrapped around you. He smelled of sweat and gun oil. The staleness of the airship hung over him telling you more than anything that he just arrived.

Ana rolled her eye at your sequel when he lifted you into his chest spinning you around to capture you in a soul stealing kiss. “I was under the impression I still had another six weeks of peace.” Ana joked, raising to pat his back as he lowered you to the floor. His attention not wavering from you.

“You know me Ma’am, can't be kept away from ya.” Jesse winked his smile damn near blinding. “But the mission went off without a hitch, got all the data we need to put a hurtin’ on the next Talon operation.”

“Good,” Ana nodded curtly, looking at her com. “Ah… Soldier wants us all at the debriefing in five. Best be heading over.”

You both watch her leave arms still wrapped around each other. Jesse breaks first brushing his lips down your throat pulling a giggle from you as his beard hairs tickle you. Your good mood doesn't last long though as your nose seems to really pick up on his scent. The pleasant sweat and gun metal smell from earlier now astringent and overpowering. You gag choking back the bile in your empty stomach.

“Damn,” Jesse pulls back watching you cup your hand over your nose and mouth. “I smell that bad doll?”

“No. Sorry I've just been under alot of stress of late. My body is protesting.” You cough forcing yourself back into his arms.

He coos sympathetically rubbing your back. “M’ sorry sunshine, let me make it up to you tonight huh? Hot bath- a few drinks. Hell I'll even sneak out an’ get us some food from town, your choice. Maybe a movie if I can keep my eyes open long enough. Just gotta get through this damn debrief,” He looks at his com cover your shoulder checking for messages. “which we are ‘bout to be late for so let's get gettin’.”

You arrived only a few seconds late. Reinhardt holding the door for you and Jesse beaming brightly at you both. You took your seat next to Angie and Ana while Jesse sat by Genji and Lucio. Nodding politely at the two women you settle in listening to the monotone drone of Winston's debriefing scrolling through the file in front of you. He took an hour before Soldier started.

“Is it hot in here?” You whisper leaning over to Ana when 76 had his back to them. Ana frowned, shaking her head noting a slight sheen of sweat gracing your dark skin.

“Not really. Do you need to step out? This many bodies in a room could heat it up.”

You shake your head thinking maybe you were just overreacting. Instead you pour yourself a glass of water sipping slowly, losing focus. Ugh, that pesky nausea was back making the room swim. You could feel it at the corners of your vision. Had you eaten today? It wasn't abnormal for you to miss a meal or two. You ate ridiculously late last night, a sudden craving as you watched Hana play video games. So skipping breakfast shouldn't have been that bad an issue. Besides Lena had needed assistance with a nasty sprained ankle.

“You are looking a little under the weather my friend!” You jump glass shaking in your hand. Reinhardt sounded so distant, like though water. How odd…

You try to speak but your tongue seems to be cemented to your mouth. The room's axis tilts dangerously as you try to steady yourself. The swimming wasn't just at the corner of your eyes anymore. A blonde blob took up your vision. The blob speaking softly trying to take you with it.

A bad choice. Your knees buckled the moment you rose, the swimming in your vision turning violent. The water in your ears turned to crashing waves disorienting you as your vision went black.

You woke in darkness a faint light to your side illuminating flat white tiles above you. Your vision was steady but blurry as you took in your surroundings. It was the medical wing. You could tell that much by the stiff mattress and scratchy sheets covering you. A pressure in your arm gives you pause. Shifting in the sheets you touch at it recognizing the tug and pull of an IV drip.

“Ah! You're awake!” Angie chipper voice emerging from thin air to your side. “Gave us a fright back there.”

“What happened?” You asked, rubbing your eyes in exhaustion trying to focus on her uncharacteristically tight smile. She hums bringing up your charts.

“Low blood sugar. Very low blood sugar. Bordering on coma inducing, you banged your head rather hard when you passed out; but it's fine. Everyone is fine.” She friendly tone turning professional and curt, her hands busy adjusting your IV and raising the lights in the room slightly. “Are you too hot? Too cold? What was the last thing you ate? You should have come and told me sooner.”

Angie helps you sit up adjusting the bed and pillows to your comfort. “Angela I'm fine. I have been just so caught up in work, you know I get stress sick sometimes. I'll be more careful.”

Your friend stopped midway into checking your vitals. “Are you- I had thought as much. It's unlike you to be so reckless.” She finishes jotting down a quick note before handing you your medical records.

The words hit you like a ton of bricks. You scroll through blindly feeling ill for a whole new reason. How could you have been so stupid to have not picked up on all the subtle changes. You backtrack the past months counting the days. Your period, while erratic and hard to chart was never this late.

“How…” Your voice cracks lowering the tablet to your knees. Angie waits putting a supportive hand on your leg watching you process. “I'm a fucking doctor, and I miss that I'm pregnant!” Your laugh was empty, on the verge of hysterics. Shaking in a mix of awe and panic you place a hand  against your midriff. How could you miss this?

Fat is soft and malleable when you gain it. It grows in multiple areas at once, not collecting in one area growing steadily for so long. Dread fills you. You had been foolish thinking you were eating too much, so you cut back, taking up walking with Mei and hikes with Lucio. You had been starving yourself. Your child.

“Don't,” Angie cut into your downward spiral of guilt. “I'm not the most well versed in this but I did as thorough a check as I could and everything looks fine. You're underweight for the start of your second trimester but other than that you're fine,” She squeezes you leg reassuringly. “ they are fine .”

Falling back on the bed you bury your face in your hands groaning out. “Angie how did I fuck up this bad.”

She chuckled against her better judgement, but knowing you the worst had passed for now. “I can take some of the blame. I did dump a lot on you before I left. I knew I could trust you to stay focused on our work. I guess I underestimated how focus you would get. We are much in the same on that front. Stress does strange things to the body, as we both know. I, if I was in your shoes, would probably write it off as stress too.”

You gripe folding your arms defensively over your belly remembering Ana's comments from early. Jesse. “What do I tell Jesse? Did you say anything to him?” You snap rounding on your friend.

“I have kept everyone out including him till I could assess what was wrong, as per protocol. No matter what that man says otherwise.” Angie frowned looking towards the door. “You haven't been under for more then three hours. But I doubt he has left his vigil at the door. Do you want me to get him?”

You shake your head vigorously wrapping yourself over your stomach defensively. You had never discussed children. Anything really outside of dating. How would he react? What would this mean for you in the newly reformed Overwatch? “I need some time. I have to think this over.”

Angie rose nodding in agreement. “Let me know whatever you decide. I'll be there anyway I can.” She helps you lower the bed and turns off the lights again before leaving. You hear her exit and immediately start talking with someone on the other side of the door.

It was two days before you allowed visitors deciding to spend those days cramming as much knowledge and food into you all while talking things through with Angela. You had decided to tell Jesse and go from there, notifying Winston you could do nothing but wait to see what this meant for you for work and living on base. Angie was adamant she would pressure him to let you stay on as a medic on base until you were ready to take leave. As for housing well; maybe you could find a nice flat off base if it was an issue. You didn't think your shared room with Jesse was large enough for three. If there would be three.

As if beckoned by your thoughts Jesse was there knocking softly on your door not a few minutes after Angie sent out a notice that you would be allowing guests. He flashed you a crooked smile raising a plastic bag with a little smiley face on it. “I promised ya a hot bath and food...bath might be later but I thought maybe you would like some non-Angie approved food.” He fidgeted holding back his want to dash to you, his fears threatening to overflow. Watching you just drop at that meeting almost took him down with you. You looked ill when he greeted you but he didn't think it was that bad. Angie said it was low blood sugar from lack of food and sleep. But he knew better, there was something else on top.

He waited watching you shift the massive amount of blankets around you, burying yourself further in their warmth before smiling shyly. Boots thumping loudly on the floor he approached his grin freer this time pulling up a chair and your floating tray. “Oh. Did ya already eat doll? I can come back later if you want. Ang’ been saying your still feelin’ a little green ‘round the gills.” He frowned, noticing the scraps of foods on your discarded plate. It looked like the remains of something he would eat. Fattening and full of greasy meat, a few half eaten fries were left.

“I could always eat more. That's why I'm in here.” You laugh reaching for the bag while Jesse placed his hat and wrap on a nearby coat rack. You groan loudly pulling out a take out box of sweet and sour chicken, sticky rice and dumplings. Jesse watched shocked as you dove in stuffing a dumpling whole into your mouth only noticing his stares after you crudely stuffed another in your mouth “Wha?”

“Nothin’ sugar. Glad you're eating. Though I didn't think you would take my box. I got you a healthier one… you and Angie always watch what ya eat.” He smiles fishing out the other box. “But I guess we can switch every once and awhile.” He winks toying with you not expecting the look of horror on your face, a stock of broccoli halfway to your lips. “It ain't a big deal! ‘sides you are always on my case about eating better. Eat up! Can't have my sunshine starving. ” He jokes taking a bite out of the baked fish in front of him.

“Ya.” You chuckle nervously lowering your fork. Turning your face from his. You spoke so softly he barely heard it. Your words slipping out like a ghost.

Since I'm eating for two…

It caught him like a sucker punch, the world moving at half it’s normal pace. Surely you didn't mean… “I- I don't think I'm getting the joke doll.” Jesse muttered mind reeling for an explanation for your comment, other than the obvious one. Because that one didn't make sense. Right?

You turn back fist gripping your blankets, knuckling white and hands shaking. “Every symptom has a cause. I fainted and I thought I was suffering from just exhaustion and fatigue. Turns out they were just symptoms too.” Brushing aside the quilts you touch your stomach gently refusing to look at him.

“Are… how long?” Jesse asked voice no louder then your ghost like whispers.

“Angie said four months give or take a few weeks.”

Jesse leaned back quietly. “How long have you known?” Why didn't you trust him to tell this? Had he done something to make you think otherwise? You never brought up children but never talked negatively of it either. His heartbeat ecstatically thoughts flashing a mile a minute.

“When I woke up. I didn't realize until then,” You finally turn trying to fight back the tears of panic threatening to break free. “I swear. I would never have been so foolish if I had known. I would have told you.”

Jesse rose whipping a stray tear from your cheek and wrapping you in a tight hug, shoulders trembling from unshed tears himself. “I know, I trust ya. Jesus baby meeting you was the blessing I never deserved.” He kissed you then, peppering little kisses all over your cheeks, your nose and lips never settling for one place for long.

“You want this? Jesse I won't force this on you.”  You ask, starting to realize your fears may be unfounded.

“Whatca’ mean ‘if I want this���? I love ya, every bit I can get! I mean I would have done this a bit different. A cute little house with a cute little dog.” He paused licking his lips debating for a moment before continuing. “The nicest damn ring I can afford… But what's life without a few curves?” He smiles warmly a soft flush gracing his cheeks.

You couldn't help but laugh in shock. The words warming you completely making your heart flutter. It was a sweetness that made you feel good, feel safe when he pulls you in tighter murmuring hopes and promises into your ear. You smile snuggling in close, kissing his cheek and rubbing his broad shoulders wondering why you worried in the first place. This could work. You knew he would try and you wouldn't back down either. You loved him too much to not at least try.

[rubyofhouserocks]

sundays, starlight, and other small magics (4/?)

Fic Summary: At age two, Aelwyn learned how to say the incantation required to cast the Light cantrip. At two and a half, she learned how to say her little sister’s name. At seventeen, she’s still learning how to say she’s sorry.

part i is here || ao3 link here

part iv

It’s about a month into her stay at the manor, now, and Aelwyn makes a habit of disappearing into the background. She’s trying her damnedest to become just another spectre haunting the winding halls of the house, to be another ghost lingering imperceptibly near the dominion of the living. If she treads lightly enough, she hopes, then maybe she won’t kick up the light film of dust that’s starting to settle on her history.

Tracker doesn’t even look at her twice anymore, eyes settling on Aelwyn only long enough to register her presence and then sliding away, back to Kristen or Jawbone or someone else who actually deserves her attention. It helps Aelwyn breathe a little more easily, but she’s miles away from any kind of sense of belonging; she’s pretty sure her presence is an acceptable inconvenience at best. She knows that her feeling of displacement is only exacerbated by her inability (unwillingness) to connect with her housemates, her conversations with them largely limited to pleasant banalities. Rectifying that problem seems a herculean task, however, when Aelwyn knows how off-putting most people find her genuine personality. It’s safer, she thinks, if she sticks to discussing the weather over the dinner table.

Still, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t efforts to include her.

“We’re about to watch a movie,” Jawbone says, standing in her doorway. Aelwyn already knew this information—it’s Sunday, and movie night is a Sunday tradition in Mordred Manor. Everyone usually piles onto the couch at first, but slowly they devolve into a giggling, squirming pile of entangled limbs on the floor that somewhat resembles a gibbering mouther. Rarely does the movie actually get watched. Aelwyn never comes to movie night, but Jawbone always takes care to invite her, looking so sincere that Aelwyn feels a pang in her chest. “We’d really like it if you’d join us.”

She’s about to respond, her mouth open to tell him I’m okay, or I’m a little busy reading, but maybe next time, or please just stop trying, when Jawbone cuts her off.

“It would mean a lot to Adaine,” and, well, Aelwyn is barely treading water through her guilt as it is. She just swallows and nods mutely, silently following Jawbone down the winding hallways to the living room like a woman walking toward her own execution. It’s going to be miserable��she knows it is—but she owes it to Adaine to try to be the sister Adaine asked her to be.

When she actually reaches the living room, however, it’s so much worse than Aelwyn imagined. Her heart rockets up to her throat, panic tightening her chest in a way more characteristic of Adaine than herself, because she is looking at a minefield of volatile seating possibilities.

Adaine is already sandwiched between Riz and Ragh on the couch, because all of the Bad Kids and their assorted sidekicks are here. All of the Bad Kids who Aelwyn either tried to kill personally, or otherwise almost killed through her actions.

Fuck.

She’s weighing the merits of sitting next to Fabian (who doesn’t hate her, but. Well.) against the more appealing option of just bolting out of the room when Adaine nudges Fig, who is already sitting on the floor in front of her, with her foot. Fig scoots over, and there is suddenly space on the nest of blankets directly in front of Adaine’s spot on the couch.

“Sit here,” Adaine says, eyes hard and determined like she fully expects Aelwyn to say no. Like she hasn’t—not to be dramatic—just saved Aelwyn’s life by making the decision for her.

“Sure,” Aelwyn says, and folds her legs delicately under herself on the duvet. She rests her back against the couch and tries to take deep breaths without anyone else noticing, mouth barely open as she tries to gulp in air to calm herself down.

Jawbone, meanwhile, beams at the full house and curls up in the cozy armchair he’s sharing with Sandra Lynn (despite it being far too small for two people). He pulls up Fantasy Netflix and selects something, probably a movie that the group chose earlier that Aelwyn lost her opportunity to vote on. She resigns herself to two hours of being unable to pay attention to the movie. Really, she doubts she will be able to pay attention to anything other than her own body. She feels too big for the space she’s in, feels gangly and awkward when her elbow brushes against Fig’s, or when Adaine’s bouncing right leg brushes against her shoulder.

She’s wondering how long she has to wait until a bathroom break would be a believable excuse to escape for a minute, or how many times she can get up for a drink or a snack without arousing suspicion. Oh God, what if this is the kind of movie where she’s expected to make fun of it, and she’ll have nothing to say, and—

and Aelwyn feels hands in her hair. She jumps out of her skin at the contact, trying to pull away until she hears Adaine say, “calm down, dude, I’m just gonna braid it.”

The hands continue moving in her hair and Aelwyn forces herself to sit still, even though she’s sure Adaine can feel the way tension is knotting up her shoulders. It’s a nice gesture, after all. A sisterly gesture. Aelwyn owes it to Adaine to be patient and accept this for what it is, however ill at ease she may be.

Soon enough, though, Aelwyn feels herself relax at the sensation of blunt nails running over her scalp. It’s tender in a way she isn’t used to, and that alone makes her uncomfortable, but it’s also…nice, in a strange way. No one has ever done this for her before, and there’s something in the repetitive motion that feels like being cared for. Once Adaine reaches the ends of Aelwyn’s hair (which took a while, Aelwyn guesses, but it didn’t seem like it), she takes the hair tie that’s holding her own ponytail up and uses it to secure her work.

“Can you pause it?” Adaine asks to the group at large as she smooths her hands down the sides of Aelwyn’s head. “I have to use the bathroom.”

“Of course!” Jawbone says, grinning the way he always does, “I could use a snack break myself.”

When she comes back, Adaine says, “let’s switch places, and you can do my hair.”

Adaine moves to sit on the floor, and Aelwyn’s hands shake a little as she realizes that she’s only ever braided her own hair, that she isn’t quite sure how to replicate the motions on another person’s scalp. But she isn’t going to deny Adaine this moment, so she nestles herself on the couch between Riz and Ragh. She carefully angles her body so as to minimize any contact with them and tries her best to do to Adaine what she does to her own hair.

“Ouch!” Adaine yelps immediately, leaning forward out of Aelwyn’s reach. “Pull a little harder, why don’t you?”

“Sorry,” Aelwyn says, but she has to smother a snort at Adaine’s indignation. She must not do a great job, because Adaine slaps her leg lightly.

“Whatever, just make me beautiful without the sadism, please.” Aelwyn can’t see Adaine roll her eyes, but she knows it must be happening as Adaine relaxes back against the couch.

“Aye, aye, captain.”

It doesn’t go great, but she does, technically, braid Adaine’s hair. She’s much more careful with the force she uses, trying her best to be gentle with her sister’s head. It leads to a loose, messy final product, which isn’t particularly stylish and probably is not the look that Adaine was hoping for. In any case, though, she doesn’t complain about Aelwyn’s too-harsh hands a second time, and the room is dark enough that Aelwyn’s handiwork isn’t really visible to anyone but Aelwyn.

“All right, thank you,” Adaine says as Aelwyn takes a hair tie from her wrist to hold the braid. Then, she looks sternly up at Aelwyn. “Now gimme my spot back.”

“You think I’m going back to the hardwood? As if,” Aelwyn scoffs as she relaxes into the cushions. Something in her chest unwinds when she realizes that it came out the way it was supposed to, light and teasing and silly. She realizes, too, that at some point she stopped being so aware of her limbs in relation to the boys on either side of her, her knee now casually resting against Ragh’s thigh.

“Fine,” Adaine shrugs. “If that’s how you want to play it,” and she proceeds to lie down on top of Riz, Aelwyn, and Ragh. Riz squawks and almost fumbles the bowl of popcorn he’s holding; Ragh just laughs and starts petting Adaine’s head. Aelwyn goes silent with shock, initially, but at Ragh’s cue, she starts laughing too.

It’s not particularly comfortable, but Aelwyn finds herself enjoying the second half of the film. After the credits roll and the yawning teenagers stumble off to find places to sleep, she finds herself thinking, maybe I could do this again.

[tsarisfanfiction]

Tremor VI

Fandom: Thunderbirds Rating: Teen/Mature Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Angst Characters: Kayo Kyrano, Gordon Tracy, John Tracy

Part 6 of my contribution to Hear from @gumnut-logic‘s SensorySunday challenge. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

This was supposed to be one of the shorter sections.  Kayo had other plans.

Gordon was taking too long. Kayo frowned, casting a look around Thunderbird Four’s interior.  It was all ready for a patient – or at least, as ready as it could be.  She hadn’t got a good look at Scott’s condition, but the glimpses she had caught told her that Thunderbird Four was not well enough equipped to do much more than stabilise him.  There would be no recovery until they were at least in Thunderbird Two, with Virgil taking control, if not until they reached a hospital.

They wouldn’t get anywhere until Gordon and Scott were on board.  What was taking so long?

She crept back to the airlock, looking out of the window.  No sign of them.  Her uncle’s ship loomed threateningly and she scowled at it.  How dare he take one of her brothers and torment him?  The idea that she could be at all related to the man made her sick, and she shoved it out of her mind to panic over later in the sanctuary of her own room.

Not here.

She dragged herself back to the present, refusing to let herself spiral.  A glance out of the window showed that there was still no sign of Gordon and Scott, and Kayo couldn’t wait any longer.  She pushed out of the airlock, cutting through the water and slamming up against the bigger ship’s airlock in time to hear a muffled gunshot.

Heart in her mouth, she wrenched it open and tumbled through, prepared for combat.

The first thing she saw was Scott, sprawled limply with his eyes closed.  The second was Gordon, cradling his brother close with one arm even though his torso was twisted around to face something behind him.

The third was the gun, held at the end of a steady arm.  The fourth was the slumped body of her un- the Hood, bleeding sluggishly onto his own ill-gotten plush rugs.

“We need to move,” she said, stepping forward slowly.  Gordon lowered the gun, stowing it back inside his baldric.  “Is he..?”

“He doesn’t deserve the easy way out,” Gordon said, his voice level, neutral, even.  If not for the hard look in his eyes, she’d think he was entirely unaffected by the fact he’d just shot a man.  “I hit his collarbone.  He won’t be a problem now; we’ll leave him to WASP.”

Kayo had long since forsaken any notion of family loyalty to the criminal, but that didn’t stop a small voice in the back of her mind reminding her that he was her uncle, that they’d been close, once upon a time.  She tore her eyes away, squatting down by Scott and retrieving a discarded rebreather. Gordon took it out of her hands before she could affix it.

“He panicked,” Gordon said. “Wouldn’t let me put it on.  We’ll have to find another way.”  Kayo frowned and inspected Scott more closely.

“He’s passed out,” she realised.  “Look.” She didn’t touch him, but Gordon had no such qualms, cradling his cheek and patting it lightly.  Scott didn’t respond, and Gordon sighed, looking less military and more first responder.

“Okay, we’ll risk it,” he said.  “Let’s hope he doesn’t wake in a panic.”  Privately, Kayo thought he was unlikely to wake at all, but she kept those thoughts to herself as Gordon fixed the rebreather to Scott and stood, once again cradling his brother in his arms.  “See you in Four.”

He passed through the airlock and was gone.  Kayo looked around again, ignoring something tugging at her heart as she caught sight of the crumpled, bleeding figure of the man she was related to.  She should do something, stop the bleeding maybe.  Save him.

Scott would.  Scott refused to let anyone suffer if he could do something about it, no matter who they were.  That was what made him such a good commander for International Rescue – a strong successor to Mr Tracy, who Kayo recalled as having similar ideas.

Kayo was not Scott.  Kayo’s job was to keep her family safe – her real family, not a twisted mess of a man who happened to share her blood.  Scott needed help, and it was help she delayed every second she lingered.  With one last shaky breath, she turned her back on a man she refused to refer to as anything other than ‘the Hood’ and plunged into the ocean, towards Thunderbird Four.

Gordon had Scott on the stretcher with a medical scanner resting on his chest when she stumbled through the airlock.  There was no question what took her so long – Gordon trusted her too much for that.  He directed her to get a pair of towels from a locker, and she obeyed instantly.

“Get him dry,” he ordered, busying himself with an IV and drip.  Kayo nodded, stepping up next to him and for the first time allowing herself to see her big brother’s state.  It was so much worse up close, a body wracked with tremors that could be cold or something else.  She pushed it from her mind again, another thing to break down about later. Clinical, detached, she dabbed him dry, barely noticing when Gordon left for the cockpit.

Thunderbird Four moved, detaching from the Hood’s ship and rotating to head back the way they’d come – to Thunderbird Two and Virgil, no doubt waiting beyond anxiously to pick them up and see Scott for himself.  Kayo found her balance against the movement quickly and carried on with her ministrations, not letting herself pay too much attention to the state of the body beneath her hands.

Not yet.

She’d just got him dry when their altitude shifted dramatically, Gordon taking them back up to the surface, and she threw a foil blanket over him.  It wasn’t much, but it was something, and when she looked at Scott again, allowing herself to see, she could almost fancy he looked more comfortable. Almost.  He was still pale and trembling, cheeks hollowed and eyes sunken, and she pushed his hair back as they docked inside the module.

“Virgil will be here any moment,” she told him.  He didn’t respond, but she didn’t expect him to.  Gordon returned from the cockpit, fussing with the blanket and looking at the medical scanner with a frown.  Red and amber alerts flashed up all over his body, telling them nothing they didn’t already know; it was bad.

Heavy footsteps ran towards them, and Kayo stepped back to let Virgil take her place.

“I’ll pilot,” she said, knowing where Virgil was needed.  She didn’t wait for a response, all but fleeing the submarine.

Thunderbird Two’s cockpit was empty, Alan kept at home with Grandma despite his complaints to the contrary, but the yoke was shifting by itself.  Autopilot wasn’t engaged, so it had to be John or EOS.

“Where are we going?” she asked the empty space, slumping into the co-pilot’s chair.

“Usual hospital.” John looked tired – Grandma had forced them all to get some sleep over the past five days, but up in orbit John had been outside of her reach.  “I forwarded the medical scan results to the island and Grandma made the call.”

Kayo didn’t argue, even though that meant her job wasn’t over yet.  Off the island meant security was needed, and even if the Hood was subdued, that didn’t mean he’d been working alone.  She said as such and John sighed.

“I know,” he agreed, pushing his hair back from his face.  It was a far cry from its usual perfectly-coiffed state.  “Colonel Casey’s providing security detail; a team she’s hand-picked personally.  She says it’s the least she can do.”  The GDF’s failure to be of any use at all had to be a sore point on the woman; Kayo could understand that.  No doubt they were also fuming at the fact that the Hood had fallen into WASP hands rather than their own.

Kayo didn’t care where he was as long as it was nowhere near her true family.

“WASP reported in,” John continued.  “The ship’s been captured and the Hood is under heavy guard.  They swear he won’t get away.”

“He won’t,” Kayo agreed, her mind flashing back to a crumpled, bleeding body and steely amber eyes. The look John gave her said he didn’t want to know.

“How’s Scott?” he asked instead.  “I’ve got the medical scan, but… how is he?”

Kayo put her head in her hands.

“Unconscious now,” she said. “It would have been better if he’d been unconscious the whole time.  It’s bad, John.  Gordon couldn’t get a rebreather on him until he passed out.”

“Do we know what the Hood wanted?”  She looked up at the hologram.  “Some sort of information?”

“That would be my guess,” she admitted.  “Most likely on International Rescue.”

“He wasn’t after information.”  She jumped and turned around to see Gordon standing by the door.  His eyes were furious, and with a start she realised he had his gun in his hands.  “Not unless he’s stupid.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.  The cartridge slid into place with a snap and he eyed it for a moment before putting the weapon back in his baldric.

“Scott couldn’t talk if he wanted to right now,” Gordon said, striding forwards.  Kayo vacated the co-pilot seat, but he didn’t sit down.  “That’s just sloppy if you want information. Either he already got what he wanted – but Scott’s trained to resist for longer than five days so I doubt that – or information was never the aim.”

“Then… what was he after?” John sounded genuinely confused, but Kayo could see what Gordon was getting at and it made her blood churn.

“Not information,” she said, her voice painfully short and curt even to her own ears.  “Revenge.”  Why? The Hood had always been dogging International Rescue, but why?  What reason did the Hood have to hate them so much?

Beside her, Gordon was ramrod straight, his hands balled into fists.

“He wanted Scott to die.”

“What?” John paled, clearly visible even across the hologram.  Gordon sat down in the co-pilot’s chair, and Kayo reluctantly perched in Virgil’s.

“He didn’t succeed,” Gordon said firmly.  “And he won’t.  Give me control, John.  I’ll get us there. You get your ass home.”

John didn’t argue, signing off a moment after Gordon took over manual control.

They flew on in silence, Gordon concentrating on getting them to New Zealand – definitely not the closest, but security was the priority, and there was only one hospital on the planet Kayo would trust with her biggest brother right now – and Kayo trying and failing to compartmentalise everything.

Her uncle had tried to kill Scott.  The Hood had tried to kill her brother.

Gordon had shot her uncle. Her brother had shot the Hood.

“They don’t need to know the full story,” Gordon said suddenly, jerking her back into the present and away from the mire of her thoughts.  “Even if it’s the Hood, they wouldn’t agree he deserved to be shot.”

“It’ll be on record,” Kayo reminded him.  “WASP know it wasn’t them.”  Deserved to be shot?  Kayo wished she could believe that so whole-heartedly, but whenever she thought about it, she remembered the uncle that used to be kind, once upon a time.

Why hadn’t that lasted? Why had he turned so cruel?

He’s never hurt you, her mind reminded her.  Even now.

“They won’t check the records.”  Gordon was confident.  “John doesn’t want to know and the others don’t care what happened as long as Scott’s okay.”

“But he’s not.”

“He will be. He’s Scott.”

Gordon was a tough young man, spine of steel – not just metaphorically – and cold as ice when required. Despite that, he was still Scott’s little brother, still clung to the need for his big brother to be okay.

Kayo understood.  She couldn’t imagine Scott not recovering, either.

The hospital was the same as ever, doctors she knew the name of – and every inch of their background – there to carry her brother away.  The GDF personnel were equally known to her; Colonel Casey had been thorough with her selection.  The final reassurance was the pink Rolls Royce, and Kayo exchanged a distant nod with the lady inside before returning to Thunderbird Two.

Gordon was waiting for her in the cockpit.  Virgil would be staying at the hospital; Kayo was unsurprised.  It would take a miracle to tear him away from his older brother now. Not when he blamed himself so whole-heartedly for the situation.

She’d be back later, in Thunderbird Shadow.  But first she needed to wind down, destress until she was capable of being the best security she could.

For that, she needed her bedroom, and peace and quiet.  Gordon disappeared who-knew-where – Thunderbird Four, most likely, to stow away his gun before Alan saw it.  Kayo made a beeline for her sanctuary, shut the door, and threw herself face down on her bed.

There, she let everything she’d suppressed bubble up.  The confliction over blood family versus her true family, the guilt and shame for there even being a confliction when her uncle – the Hood – was willing to commit such atrocities.  The state Scott had been in, battered and broken, all done at the hands of a ruthless murderer who had already broken her family – her real family – once.

Her bed dipped, someone sitting by her head.  They didn’t speak, but they didn’t need to.  Only one person would ever dare intrude without knocking.

“I hate him, Grandma,” she sobbed.  “I hate him.  So, so much.”  She couldn’t get the memory of the Hood, slumped and bleeding, out of her mind. She shouldn’t care.  She shouldn’t.

A gentle hand ran down her hair, comforting.

“I know, dear.”

They’d done this dance before, after Mr Tracy’s death, her father’s disappearance.  Every time her uncle tore apart her true family.

She hated him, but there was still a part of her that loved him, even now.

Part VII

[emybain]

Love Conquers Hate

I have come to the conclusion that I can only write fluff. also, yes ive been wanting to write the parade from nova’s pov since reading the epilogue (despite how much I love magpie). no shame. 

SUPERNOVA SPOILERS 

SUPERNOVA SPOILERS

SUPERNOVA SPOILERS

    The sunlight warmed Nova’s face as she laid back on the star float, legs hovering over the edge. She had been sitting, waiting for Adrian as he left to find them something to eat or drink. Oscar had accompanied him, and they had been gone for twenty minutes so far. As each minute grew longer, her patience grew shorter, so Nova resulted to a few minutes of sunbathing. Beside her, Ruby was chatting with Danna and Narcissa, who were going to be on the float as well. Ahead of them, probably two or three floats, Nova could hear a marching band warming up as well as the whooshing and whipping sounds of the color guard's flags. 

    They had been called to the parade set up three hours ago so that everyone could be accounted for and put in order. Before, Nova had been curious as to why they needed three hours to set up for an hour and a half parade, but after witnessing the amount of stress the organizers and performers went through beforehand, she now had a deeper respect for parades. 

    Now they were waiting for the parade to begin, awkwardly standing around on a random residential street. Someone had mentioned a while ago that they still had thirty minutes, and that was when Adrian and Oscar left for food. 

    An elbow nudged Nova’s side gently. She opened one eye, raising her eyebrow at Ruby, who pulled her up. “There’s someone here to see you,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. She gestured in front of them. 

    Nova ran a hand through her hair, blinking at the young mom and the little girl behind her legs who was no more than five or six. She shared a knowing look with Ruby before hopping down from the float and kneeling to peek around the mom’s legs at the girl. 

    “Hey there.” Nova smiled sweetly. “What’s your name?” 

    “Go on, Camden.” Her mother stepped to the side and pushed her daughter forward encouragingly when she didn’t immediately answer. “It’s okay.”

    Camden peeked up at Nova, and for that brief moment, Nova saw the awe in her eyes. Then she tore her gaze away, cheeks red. “My name’s Camden,” she said in a tiny voice. “I...I was wondering...can I have your autograph?”

    Nova opened her mouth, gasping dramatically. She clasped her hands together. “Of course!” She rummaged for a marker in her pockets, knowing she put one in there specifically for today. Already, multiple people, not just children, had come up to her and her friends asking for autographs. “Where do you want it?”

    Camden’s shy exterior began to drop just a little as she handed over a superhero cape. Nova asked her what her superpower was as she wrote out a short message. She learned that Camden had perfect balance, which pushed her into doing gymnastics. 

    Nova handed back the cape, freshly signed. Camden grinned down at it with sparkling eyes. Then she looked back up at Nova. 

    “Miss Artino,” she began, “how do you be brave? See, I want to be just like you when I grow up, but I’m always afraid.”

    Nova tilted her head to the side, not all that surprised at the child’s honest question, as most children were honest, but surprised at the subject. She thought about it for a moment. Behind her, the three other girls stopped talking, and she could feel their gazes on the back of her head. “Well, Camden, bravery and fear go hand in hand. It’s impossible to be brave if you aren’t at least a little scared.”

    Camden’s eyes widened, and she leaned forward. “Really? Does that mean you get scared?”

    Nova nodded solemnly. “All the time, but I’m still brave.” She paused. “Some of the bravest people in the world are scared of many things, did you know that?”

    She shook her head quickly, and Nova pressed on. “It’s true. Because those people are afraid to lose what they love, so they choose to be brave to protect those things. Do you understand that?” 

    Camden swayed from side to side, contemplating, before smiling a toothy grin and nodding. “Thank you, Miss Artino. I think I get it now.” 

    Nova matched her smile and stretched her arms out, offering a hug that the child accepted. The mother thanked Nova, and then they were gone, back to the small neighborhood crowd watching the parade from their homes. 

    Meeting kids like Camden was nothing new for Nova these days; they always stopped her on the streets asking for photos or autographs or screaming how much they loved her. At first, Nova was weirded out and not sure how to even approach children. While it still made her uncomfortable to think that people idolized her for the very same reasons Nova used to despise the Renegades, she had become a pro at talking to children, and found a tiny bit of joy in brightening their day. 

    “Water?” Nova turned to find a water bottle pushed in her face, the owner of the voice belonging to her boyfriend. She smiled up at him and accepted the water. Oscar showed up beside him and they passed out water to everyone. 

    “You were gone that long and water was all you could find?” She hopped back up on the black parade float, designed to be like a night sky with a thousand shining stars. It was Adrian’s idea, as well as his creation. 

    “Tell me about it,” Oscar groaned. Ruby scooched over and he sat beside her, arm snaking around her waist. The movement was almost natural, and Nova couldn’t help but think back to a year ago when Oscar could barely hold it together if Ruby so much as brushed hands with him. “Not a food truck in sight. They must all be in the big ticket areas.”

    “We’ll get nachos after the parade,” Ruby assured him, patting his thigh. “Any word on how much longer until we start? Mom said Jade and Sterling are growing restless.”

    “At least they have food,” Oscar grumbled. 

    Adrian took a seat beside Nova, and they laced their fingers together immediately. “It’ll probably be another five or so minutes.”

    Narcissa rested her head on Danna’s shoulder, who pressed a kiss to her hair. “I should have brought a book. It’s been three hours!” She sighed dramatically. “This parade is great and all, don’t get me wrong, but it should not be this long.” 

    Nova agreed, although she kept her mouth shut. It was ironic, really, when she thought of where she was a year ago. Who she was a year ago. She had been so filled with hatred and loneliness, craving a revenge that was aimed at the wrong people. So much time and energy and so many resources poured into one goal that ate away at Nova’s humanity for ten years, preventing her from seeing the truth. And now, she recognized that revenge was an illness; it weakens someone and plagues them of any real happiness, convincing them that it is the cure when in fact it is the parasite. Now, she knew that, and was grateful that she was rescued from it’s cage before it was too late. Now, she was here, with the people she loved doing the last thing on the planet she would have ever thought she would do. A year ago, she was at the parade, yes, but with a completely different motive. 

    One of the parade organizers, a middle aged man whose name Nova didn’t bother to remember, came by and told them to get to their positions. Nova took a quick sip of her water and accepted the hand that Adrian offered. Together, they got on the topmost point of the large star in the center of the float. Ruby and Oscar went to a point to their right, and Danna and Narcissa to their left. After a moment, the float lurched forward and began its slow trek down the street. The neighborhood watchers began clapping and cheering, the children jumping up and down and waving at the group of six people on the star. 

    Nova waved back, putting on what she referred to as her “camera smile”, the one she reserved for the media and for events like this. 

    The parade route was supposed to take them along the most known streets of Gatlon and end at Headquarters, something that would take between an hour and an hour and a half to complete. Like every year, it would be televised around the world, and similar celebrations would take place. However, what made this year different was that everyone was now a prodigy. Because of this, it seemed almost silly to solely celebrate the Renegades and their success. No, the Renegades had learned from examples like Nova and the Anarchists and the Rejects that one’s abilities didn’t determine how heroic they were. So, on the Day of Triumph, the Renegades parade was now meant to celebrate all prodigies of all shapes and sizes and abilities. Nova felt as though it was a small victory in the direction of a future she desired, a future where everyone could be equal. It brought tears to her eyes when she was told that the villain floats were being tossed, as well as the Council’s float. In their places would be floats honoring the gifts of prodigies and honoring the warriors lost in the fight for freedom and equality. It moved her to see a float for Honey, despite what the woman had done to Nova prior to her death. It made her grin to see a float for Callum Treadwell, a prodigy who quite possibly had the greatest gift of all, yet was never on a task force like other Renegades. Nova could only fathom what he would think if he were here today. 

    “Are you okay?”

    Nova glanced beside her at Adrian, who was still smiling and waving at the cheering crowds. But she noticed the concern in his eyes. 

    “Yeah.” She wiped at her eyes, which had gotten a little misty, and reached for his hand. He clutched her tightly, a promise. “Just a little overwhelmed is all.” 

    The float turned a corner, and the roaring of the crowd somehow went up two dynamics. They were on what many of the organizers referred to as “TV Street”, where most of the excitement took place for the celebration, as well as where every news station would be covering the parade. It was the street with the best seats for the parade, and the most media. It was also the street where…

    Nova nudged Adrian lightly, making him look down at her curiously. “This is where we met.” She nodded to a familiar spot in front of a vendor selling merchandise. “Right there.” 

    Adrian’s smile grew genuine, and he pulled her closer. “I love you, Nova Artino.”

    “And I you, Adrian Everhart. Every day, I will love you.” Sweet rot, she was letting Danna and Ruby suck her into their shared love of rom-coms and romance movies. She didn’t much care, though. Her heart was full, the fullest it had ever been. 

    When she tilted her head up to kiss Adrian, the crowd went wild. Nova tuned them out, her attention fully on the boy standing beside her. She savored this moment, the way he tasted of the donuts Oscar brought earlier that morning, the feeling of a hand in her hair and another clutching her hip. Too soon did he pull back, but Nova knew from the secretive glint in his eyes that there would be many, many more kisses later in the day when they were alone and away from the eyes of the media. She couldn’t wait. 

    But for now, she let herself be wrapped up in his arms as they both waved to the many cameras pointed at them and smiled at the crowd. A sign held by a kid caught Nova’s eye; when the child saw Nova watching him, he grinned and raised the sign higher, shouting something Nova couldn’t hear. But the sign was enough explanation: Love Conquers Hate.

    She couldn’t agree more. 

[havenoffandoms]

Running With The Wolves - Part IV

Part I; Part II; Part III

Jaskier could not remember a time in his life when his muscles had ached that much.

Lambert and Eskel were riding on either side of Jaskier, while Ciri and the silver wolf known as Geralt lead the way, keeping a fair distance ahead of the riders and their closely guarded prisoner. A pity, for Ciri seemed the friendliest of the lot and unlike Eskel and Lambert, she did not treat him like a criminal. Jaskier managed to distract himself from the muscular cramps in his legs and lower back by examining his captors’ features more closely in the dim light of the torches. Eskel and Lambert looked similar which had Jaskier wondering whether they were related. Where Eskel wore his dark brown hair at shoulder length and gathered at the nape of his neck in a low ponytail, Lambert kept his short and well-trimmed. Both sported impressive scars on the right sides of their faces. Eskel’s face was marred with several sinuous scars running parallel to each other from his right brow all the way down his chin, while Lambert bore a single scar beginning just under his hairline and disappearing in his full beard somewhere halfway up his cheek. However, it was the identical pair of amber-coloured eyes that captivated Jaskier’s attention the most. He was beginning to wonder if perhaps all witchers were related by blood, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Ciri looked nothing like them, and Jaskier was still not sure what the silver wolf looked like in his human form either.

“How long until we finally reach your home?” Jaskier asked, trying to sound as pleasant as possible considering the aggravating circumstances. Neither Eskel nor Lambert answered him, which on top of being infuriating felt incredibly rude considering Jaskier had done nothing to deserve being treated with such disrespect. If anything, he had acted like the perfect gentleman from the start. There was truly no need for the witchers’ sour attitude.

“Could I at least ride on one of your horses? I am tired from all this travelling I did before you found me, and I’m afraid all this walking and exploring has left me really light-headed. I could collapse at any time now.”

“Shut up,” Lambert snapped at him, “before I give you a reason to complain.”

“Lambert, ease off,” Eskel admonished without taking his eyes off the path ahead. Jaskier felt like sticking his tongue out at Lambert, but he did not want to risk attracting the ill-tempered witcher’s wrath. Eskel was a lot more level-headed than Lambert, which filled Jaskier with hope for his fate. Perhaps Eskel would be able to convince this Vesemir character to let Jaskier leave with his life intact. Jaskier let the possibility comfort him as he soldiered on despite the sudden dizziness that took a hold of him.

“Could I maybe trouble you for some water?” he requested weakly. Lambert was about to cut in with a snarky comment when Eskel pulled a water pouch out of his satchel attached to the horse’s saddle, which he wordlessly handed to Jaskier. The bard gratefully accepted the offering and drank greedily, ignoring Lambert glaring at him from his raised position. Jaskier felt slightly guilty for emptying the pouch of its contents.

“Thank you,” he said as he handed the empty pouch back to Eskel, who never verbally acknowledged Jaskier’s gratitude but his eyes held that spark of recognition. This was going to be a long trip back to Kaer Morhen if every member of this small group was unwilling to converse. To say that Jaskier was out of his element was an understatement. He entertained crowds with his singing and his storytelling for a living. He was a bard, a free spirit, a poet, a composer… being urged to keep his mouth shut for longer than ten minutes was harder than Jaskier could have ever imagined. Thankfully, the silence was broken by Ciri’s voice calling Eskel and Lambert’s names urgently as she ran towards them. Jaskier noticed both witchers tense as they brought their mounts to an abrupt halt.

“What is it, Ciri?”

“Geralt, he just took off. I think he’s shifting back into his human form,” Ciri informed them. Although she tried to hide how alarmed she felt, Jaskier could discern the slight tremor in her voice.

“He’ll be alright, little one. Don’t worry,” Lambert reassured her in a soft tone that Jaskier did not know the witcher was capable of. Clearly Ciri was deserving of his affections.

“We need to wait for him,” said Ciri in a tone that left no room for any arguments, “He would not have left our sides if any of us had been in the same situation.”

Jaskier found himself smiling at the girl’s fierce sense of loyalty. He wondered if Ciri was related to Geralt in some way, perhaps a daughter or niece? Even a sister, potentially? Jaskier had so many unanswered questions that he dared not voice out loud. Although Eskel seemed more civilised, Jaskier was not ready to face Lambert’s snarky attitude. Jaskier was tired, hungry and sore. A cranky Jaskier was an unpleasant Jaskier, which would not serve him at all if he were to make a good impression on the witchers and this Vesemir he yet had to meet. He would do anything to convince them to spare his life; a bad attitude would not go down well during negotiations.  

“Ciri, we have to make haste before the first snow,” Eskel reasoned with her, “Geralt can take care of himself, trust me on this.”

“Please, Eskel, we can’t leave him here. We need to stick together, that’s what Vesemir always tells us!”

Jaskier observed Lambert’s and Eskel’s reactions closely. Both averted Ciri’s eyes while the young girl stared at them sternly, her arms crossed before her chest. All that was missing from the picture was Ciri tapping her foot impatiently on the ground to complete the impression of a scolding mother. Her words had clearly made an impression on both witchers. Their reaction reinforced Jaskier’s theory that Vesemir was presumably the patriarchal figure of the group.

“Alright. We’ll wait for Geralt to come back. Shouldn’t take him long,” Eskel decreed as he dismounted his horse and relieved the beast of its bridles and metal mouthpiece. Lambert swiftly followed with a resigned sigh. Meanwhile Ciri could not looked more pleased with herself if she tried. She flashed Jaskier a friendly smile as she made her way to him. Surprisingly, neither Lambert nor Eskel objected.

“Sometimes you need to be firm with those two,” Ciri told him, clearly not worried about keeping her voice down, “but they have their hearts in the right place.” Jaskier heard Eskel and Lambert mumble under their breaths, but they did not correct Ciri. Jaskier directed a tense smile at the young woman. She saw right through him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

“I… I’m just tired from all my adventures. I had enough excitement for a lifetime,” Jaskier joked, suddenly feeling nauseous. Out of nowhere, his throat felt dry and scratchy, his hands were moist. His heartrate picked up dramatically, making Jaskier feel lightheaded all over again. Jaskier’s legs suddenly gave out, causing the bard to tumble to the ground. He could vaguely make out Ciri’s voice calling out his name, but she sounded distant and hazy. The world started spinning around Jaskier. Something – or perhaps someone – grabbed his shoulder and shook him resolutely, which only worsened Jaskier’s nausea. He tried to find the strength to tell his captors that he was fine, that he just needed to lay down for a while, but his voice died in his throat as Jaskier’s body suddenly contorted in agony. The feeling came as unexpectedly as the nausea and dizziness, a shooting pain which started in his lower back and travelled through his nervous system like lightening. Jaskier’s blood felt like it was boiling in his veins and he feared that he would never again get enough air in his lungs. Panic merely added to his breathlessness as the intense pain pulled an ear-piercing howl from Jaskier. He had never felt such intense agony in his life. In his delirium, Jaskier brought a hand up to his chest and felt the heat emanating from the area through his thin shirt damp with his own sweat. It was like someone was marking him with a branding iron. The new sensation only heightened his panic.

Several more piercing screams filled the air as Jaskier thrashed against whoever was restraining him. Suddenly, Jaskier’s movement stilled as the pain subsided as quickly as it appeared. He lay motionless on the ground for a while, listening to Ciri’s voice gently coax him back to reality. He was leaning against someone else – either Lambert or Eskel, not that it mattered who it was. Jaskier was grateful for the support. The world was still spinning around him. Jaskier felt weaker than he did before, the aftermath of the experience leaving a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.

“What’s that on his chest?” Ciri asked after a prolonged silence.

“I… I don’t know,” Eskel admitted. Jaskier could hear the uncertainty in his voice. “It looks like…”

“What happened to him?” a third unfamiliar voice spoke unexpectantly, causing Jaskier to flinch in surprise at the sudden interruption. Jaskier forced his vision to focus on the newcomer, but his head hurt from straining his eyes so soon after his episode. A pained groan pushed past his lips as he pinched his eyes close in a desperate attempt to keep the migraine at bay. Jaskier tried to rise to a seated position, but his efforts were stalled by a large hand on his chest pressing him down.

“He suddenly collapsed and started screaming in pain. And there’s also this… mark on his chest. Not sure if it was there before.”

A mark? Jaskier could not recall ever having any marks anywhere on his body apart from the odd freckle or mole here and there. His hand instinctively reached up to rest on his chest. The area was not scalding hot any longer, but it did feel tender to the touch. Jaskier was not sure what could have occasioned such a sensation. A deafening silence filled the forest around them, disturbed only by the distant snorting of the horses. Eventually Jaskier managed to adjust his eyes to the dim light of the torches without feeling excruciating pain. He did not recognise the man crouching next to him, although he guessed from the colloquial tone that he belonged to the group of witchers. The familiar yellow eyes also indicated a potential affiliation.

“Who are you?” Jaskier asked, mustering courage he did not know he possessed to address the newcomer who, for all he knew, shared Lambert’s opinion and wanted any human trespassing to die a horrible death. Unsurprisingly, the stranger did not dignify Jaskier with an answer.

“He’s too weak to walk. He’ll have to ride on one of the horses,” the stranger said, the deep timbre of his voice reverberating deep in Jaskier’s stomach. The ‘mark’ on his chest suddenly came alive again as a pleasant warmth spread through his chest and all the way to his fingertips.  

“Jaskier, are you alright?” Ciri asked, her voice soft and kind. Jaskier was too dumbstruck to respond as his mind was too busy trying to make sense of what had just happened to him to string anything close to a coherent sentence.

“He’s in shock,” commented Eskel.

“He was fine when I left. When did it start?” the stranger enquired, causing Jaskier to pause. Could this be…?

“Shortly after you left, actually,” Lambert provided in a pensive tone, “one minute he was fine, and the next he was on the floor howling so loudly I was worried he would attract predators to our camp. Ciri insisted we wait for you.”

“That was not necessary. I can handle myself.”

“Try telling her that,” Eskel retorted, although Jaskier could hear the softness in his tone, “She used Vesemir’s words against us, Geralt. What were we supposed to do? The pup can play us like fiddles.”

So this was the mysterious Geralt in human form. Far from what Jaskier had initially envisioned. Broad-shouldered, grey-white hair reaching past his shoulders and loosely tied together at the back of the head, a shadow of a beard adorning the chiselled jawline and an angry red scar on the left side of his face. Facial scars seemed to be a witcher’s hallmark, Jaskier mused as he admired the man crouching over him. Geralt was heavily clad in thick leather armour which made him appear even larger and more intimidating. Were it not for the deep frown and palpable tension in the air, Jaskier was inclined to see Geralt as a handsome man. Had the circumstances of their meeting been any different, say if their paths had crossed in a tavern for instance, Jaskier would have definitely tried to sweet-talk his way into Geralt’s bed.

“You’re the wolf who pinned me down,” Jaskier mumbled almost as an afterthought. His brain still had not fully caught up with the situation. “You scared the living daylights out of me, you know?” Geralt ignored Jaskier’s comment in favour of placing a large hand on the bard’s forehead to check his body temperature.

“He’s feverish. Elevated heartbeat.”

“Maybe what triggered the aches in the first place,” Lambert suggested, but Geralt quickly dismissed the thought with a shake of the head.

“I could hear his screams from miles away. That kind of pain is not triggered by fever,” said Geralt. The witcher retracted his hand and rose to his feet, his eyes never leaving Jaskier. The bard suddenly felt self-conscious under the scrutiny and averted the intense yellow eyes carefully studying him.

“Maybe Vesemir will know,” Eskel offered.

“Maybe, but that’s not the reason we’re taking him to Kaer Morhen.”

Geralt’s tone indicated that the discussion was over. Jaskier felt a sharp pain in his chest comparable to having his chest hair plucked (which, of course, Jaskier had done many times before – some lovers appreciated smooth skin more than others) as Geralt moved away from him. He thought nothing of it as Eskel helped him rise to his feet and motioned for Jaskier to follow him to his chestnut mare.

“Easy there, Eimyr,” Eskel coaxed the horse gently as he adjusted her bridles and mouthpiece. Jaskier was unable to stifle his giggle in time, which earned him a questioning look from Eskel.

“Sorry, I… did you know that ‘Eimyr’ means hedgehog in Elder Speech?” Jaskier questioned Eskel as another involuntary giggle left him. “I’m sorry, I… I’m not mocking you, I just think it’s – well, sweet for a lack of better word,” he admitted, hoping that Eskel had not taken offence to his reaction. To Jaskier’s surprise, a small smile appeared on the witcher’s lips.

“The first thing I saw after buying her was a dead hedgehog on the side of the road. That’s where the name came from,” Eskel explained as he helped Jaskier into the saddle.

“Oh, well that’s… charming.”

“I like to think it’s original,” Eskel hopped into the saddle behind Jaskier and grabbed the reins tightly in his hand. Eimyr sighed at the added weight, but otherwise did not complain as her rider spurted her on by gently nudging her flanks with the heel of his boots. Jaskier’s back was pressed against Eskel’s firm chest, and although the close proximity to the witcher would have made anyone uncomfortable, Jaskier felt oddly safe. The bard’s gaze wandered to Geralt once more, but the grey haired witcher had his back turned on him as he listened to Ciri’s account of the events.  

“That’s one way to put it,” said Lambert as he tightened the strap of his horse’s saddle, “Eskel, the poet. You called your previous horse evall because you couldn’t think of a better name other than ‘horse’.”

“At least I don’t call all my horses Roach… is that right, Geralt?”

“Less talking, we need to reach the keep fast. The air is heavy with snow. I want to reach Kaer Morhen before the human freezes to death,” was all Geralt said in response to Lambert’s taunt.

“My name is Jaskier!” said human corrected through clenched teeth. Geralt’s eyes met Jaskier’s but this time, the bard held the witcher’s stare and refused to look away. When crouched over him, Geralt appeared far more imposing than he did now. Jaskier allowed his raised position and Eskel’s proximity to embolden him into defying Geralt’s stern glare. The bard had plenty of practice at appearing more confident than he truly felt. His father had taught him from a young age that fear was man’s greatest weakness. Admittedly, Jaskier was at a disadvantage and in no position to fight the witchers even if he knew how to, but that was certainly no reason to treat him like a criminal when Jaskier had done nothing to deserve such a treatment. If anything, they should all be grateful that Jaskier happened upon Ciri and Geralt when he did or they would presently be mourning the death of one of their own.

“My apologies. I want to reach Kaer Morhen before Jaskier freezes to death,” Geralt eventually rectified.

The way his name rolled off Geralt’s tongue made Jaskier feel unexpectedly weak in the knees.

OoO

“Are you good at what you do, bard?” Eskel asked him out of the blue.

“Beg your pardon?”

“Any good songs you can sing until we reach the keep?” Eskel reformulated his question patiently.

“Oh yes, please sing us a song, master Jaskier,” Ciri begged before Jaskier could respond to Eskel’s enquiry. The young girl looked so enthusiastic, her cerulean blues eyes sparkling with barely contained excitement as she flashed Jaskier a wide smile. How could he say no to that face?

“I haven’t composed anything new for a while, but I suppose you lot will not have heard any of my previous work. I’m afraid it won’t sound the same without a lute,” Jaskier lamented, wondering if someone had already sold his precious instrument for a hefty sum. He would probably never see his lute again. It had been the last gift his mother had given him before she passed away from the plague, just after Jaskier had left the family home for Oxenfurt. He felt a pang in his chest as thoughts of his late mother flooded his mind.

“We’re not a fussy audience,” Ciri reassured him.

“If you must sing, at least spare us the love ballads,” Lambert piped up, earning himself a reprimanding look from Ciri.

“Why? Maybe I wanted to hear a love ballad!”

“Love ballads are nothing but frivolous fairy tales. There’s no such thing as true love or soulmates. What’s the point singing about things that don’t exist?”

Jaskier could not tell if this was Lambert winding Ciri up, or if the witcher genuinely felt that way. The bard hoped it was not the latter. Love was the only magic he had ever believed in until very recently. Love was a powerful and versatile thing. The romantic love between two people, a mother’s love for her children, a child’s love for their family pet, brotherly love, platonic love… all these variants were all valid and heart-moving in their own ways. Jaskier had always looked for the beauty in love, but he was well-aware that love could be painful, cruel and ugly. His parents had been trapped in a loveless marriage, and it was only his mother’s love for him that convinced her to stay, in spite of her husband’s hits and the insults he spat at her every day. Jaskier had of course been at the receiving end of a broken heart on several occasions, but he had never lost hope that one day he would find the right person. He was not sure whether he believed in soulmates or not, but the notion was romantic and Jaskier loved to incorporate this trope in his ballads.

However, Jaskier had also learned to always adapt to the crowd’s desires.

“Well, I want to listen to a love ballad,” Ciri argued back in a petulant tone.

“I’d rather throw myself off this cliff,” Lambert countered in similar fashion.

“Shut up, the both of you,” Geralt snapped, silencing both Ciri and Lambert. Jaskier watched the scene with amusement. He guessed, judging by their personalities, that Geralt and Eskel were the older members of the group. “We’re almost there, so you two spare me the bickering.”

“Surely you can come up with a new song for us now, bard,” Eskel swiftly changed the subject in an attempt to ease the tension.

“You mean right this instant?”

“It is your profession. I assume as a travelling bard you are no stranger to improvisation.”

Jaskier wished he were as talented at improvising as Eskel made him out to be. The truth was that Jaskier felt lost without his lute, paper and quill. He would spend most of his time on the road coming up with rhymes, jotting them down and plucking at the strings of his lute. Singing without being accompanied by the sound of his beloved instrument did not only feel wrong, but it was also completely out of Jaskier’s comfort zone. Unknown terrains, but nothing Jaskier could not overcome. All he needed was a suitable muse. He found that writing verses for someone had always come easiest to him. His eyes met Ciri’s expectant gaze as she cast a look over her shoulder. Sweet friendly Ciri who stuck out like a sore thumb among these hardened witchers.

“Alright then, here goes… you think you’re safe, without a care, but here in these lands you’d be wise to beware. The pike with the spike that lurks in your drawers, or the flying drake that will fill you with horror. Need old Nan the Hag to stir up a potion so that your lady may get an abortion.”

“For the love of… we have innocent ears here!” Lambert cried out loud, earning himself a glare from Ciri.

“Is that truly the best you can do?” Eskel enquired, his tone barely concealing his disappointment. Jaskier did his best not to flinch.

“I have lacked inspiration recently,” Jaskier defended himself, forcing a smile on his lips, “but no doubt when you let me go I will sing of the chivalry of witchers who spare the lives of innocent humans who dare wander too closely to their keep. I could perhaps be your barker, maybe even improve your image. People won’t see you as heartless brutes, but as virtuous knights when I’m done telling your heroic tale!”

“Spare us, bard,” Lambert groaned, “you would probably do more bad than good with your poor skills.”

“What about you, Geralt?” Jaskier found himself asking, “what have you got to say about my singing? Come on, what’s your review, three words or less.”

Geralt did not reply straight away, and Jaskier considered it a win that the witcher had yet to tell him to fuck off.

“They don’t exist,” Geralt finally provided after long minutes of silence. Jaskier frowned in confusion.

“What don’t exist?”

“The creatures in your song.”

Well, that was unexpected to say the least. Jaskier had anticipated everything from insults to dismissal, but this comment had not featured on the list of possible responses the bard had expected Geralt to provide. It only perplexed Jaskier further.

“Alright, other than the content, how was my singing?” Jaskier prodded further.

“It’s like ordering a pie and finding it has no filling.”

Jaskier scoffed indignantly at those words, momentarily at loss for what to say. He had never ever been so plainly insulted by anyone. Somehow, the fact that Geralt had been the one to utter these words made the pill ever so hard to swallow. Jaskier had expected that kind of remark from Lambert. The bard could not explain why it bothered him so much that Geralt seemed to abhor his singing with such passion.

“You need a nap.”

Perhaps Jaskier was still hallucinating, but he thought he heard Geralt chuckle under his breath. Dick. Jaskier was silent for the remaining of the journey. He found himself dosing off until Eskel’s mare broke into a sudden gallop as they finally came closer to their destination. Kaer Morhen, the witchers’ keep. Jaskier never thought he would ever live to see the day where he of all people got to lay eyes on the fabled fortress. He merely wished the circumstances for his visit were different. Jaskier dared a look over his shoulder, noticing the pink and purple hues that tinted the sky.

The sun was rising over Kaer Morhen, bringing with it a new day and new hopes. Jaskier’s heart dropped in his chest. He truly hoped this would not be the last sunrise he ever saw.

TBC.

Taglist: @wintekit-1221​ @littleredhotsridinghood​. If you wish to be added to the taglist, leave a PM, comment or drop me an ask and I’ll add you. 

[aliceslantern]

Heartlines, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic, chapter 25-- Deconstruction/Reconstruction

Twelve years ago, Xemnas betrayed the royal court of Radiant Garden to his father, Xehanort. Prince Ienzo flees to another city and begins university in the aftermath, hoping the anonymity will protect him from eager eyes with ill intent. The darkness spilling across the country, as well as an individual from his past, cut short Ienzo's new beginning and bring new conflicts to light. Strained between the desires of his magic and his heart, Ienzo's choice will change him forever.

Modern Fantasy AU, Soulmates, Zemyx. Updates Fridays until it's done.

Chapter summary:  With Radiant Garden under control of the resistance, it's time to rebuild. Ienzo tries to repair the damage done to his family.

Read it on FF.net/on AO3

---

White sheets. Cool air. Color and light. He felt so heavy, and it took him a moment of grappling into consciousness to realize it was because he could barely move his legs.

“Ienzo? Love?”

Ienzo turned his head as much as he was able. He seemed to have motion in his upper body, but even that was difficult, like tugging on puppet strings. “Ev-even?” He swallowed.

“Would you like some water? I’ll get some. Don’t move.”

As if he could help it. Blurrily, he saw Even retreat to a corner of this room--the castle infirmary?--and pour water from a pitcher. He knew he should be grateful to still be sighted at all, after using so much magic. He squinted. Even handed him the cup; he could barely close his hand around it, but he managed it at last. Despite IV fluids, he was so thirsty .

“Are you in any pain? I can get you some medication if--”

“No. I’m not. But I can’t… it’s hard to move.”

“...I know.” Even smoothed some of the hair from Ienzo’s face. His own face was pale, pinched, a large bruise along his throat yellowing. “From the magic use. Breaking down a limiter of that strength… then triggering what you did… frankly, it’s a miracle you’re still alive.”

“Will I be like this… always?”

“I’m optimistic you’ll recover yet, but… there may be some lingering effects.”

“What’s happened? How long have I been out? Where’s Amalia? Where’s--?”

“One thing at a time, child. It’s imperative you remain calm.”

Ienzo tried to center himself, tried to take deep breaths. Even took his hand and rubbed it, gently.

“Amalia is safe and well. I suspect Ansem is enjoying having time with her. Once he received some blood replacement, Demyx was fine too. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled you’re awake. It was all rather… dramatic, how it went down. You’ve been unconscious close to three weeks.”

“Aeleus? ...Isa? What of… everything else? Xehanort’s forces? The son who called himself Ansem? He wasn’t in the throne room that day--”

Even’s eyes went blank, and he turned towards the window. “I’m afraid when I… felt your burst of magic--it was felt everywhere, Ienzo, I don’t think you understand--I assumed the worst and I--I did something reckless. He was our jailer, in my old labs, something he no doubt had great pleasure in. For the first time in my life… I acted on impulse.” He looked at his free hand, which was trembling. “I knew you were in trouble, and I--”

Ienzo had never heard Even sound so shaky. He choked down guilt. “You killed him.”

“...He was the gatekeeper.” He’d turned faintly green.

“Was that the first time you took a life?”

“It does not matter. It needed to happen either way.” He swallowed. “I made my way there, with ease. You killed every Heartless in the vicinity. Those that were human were knocked unconscious, or fled.”

“I… I did?”

“...Quite. The initial scouting indicates that… you may have slain every one in the city.”

“It was not conscious,” he admitted. “All I saw was that Demyx was bleeding out and the soulbinding reacted to all that--”

“--and the rush of emotions triggered magic. Of course it did.”

Ienzo lay back a little. “So without the three of them… and no Heartless…”

“The capital city’s under the control of the resistance.” But there was no happiness in his expression.

“Shouldn’t we be… glad? This is among the best case scenarios--”

“The sudden death of Xehanort and two of his sons has caused something like a power vacuum. The people don’t know how to react. There’s still darkness and various devotees of it spread throughout the country. Some states have turned over towards us, but others are… hesitant. Waiting to see might happen. And there are those who are outright fighting. Aeleus and Isa are among the front line, trying to see what can be done to restore order without worsening things. Meanwhile your father is trying to pursue international aid… and research better ways to defeat the darkness.”

“And of you?”

A pause. “I’ve been taking care of you.”

“I’m sure you’ll be relieved to go back to research, then.”

Even reached forward to smooth Ienzo’s hair. “To be truthful, it has been nice, to have this space to think. To consider.”

Ienzo understood. “...It’s alright if you’re upset, Even.”

“It is so silly , that I feel such guilt for killing one who’s killed thousands with his actions--but my feelings are not important.”

“I’m sure that’s not the case.” Ienzo struggled to sit up; Even adjusted the pillows under him. “So much for fighting back.”

“I think you’ve done enough. You must recover for what comes next.”

“Amalia. I need to see her.”

He hesitated.

“Please, Even.”

“...Quite.” He seemed to go a little deeper into himself. “Perhaps there will be one day when I’m not constantly in fear of your life.”

“I sincerely hope so.”

Ienzo watched him leave the room. He’d never seen Even so scattered before, so almost… unsure . Had something else happened he was not telling Ienzo, about the man calling himself Ansem? That bruise…

He hadn’t been conscious long, but he was already exhausted. He could still feel his legs, but moving was the problem. Perhaps he could get a wheelchair, and get around that way? He couldn’t seriously sit around and do nothing while all this fighting happened--

The door opened. In came Demyx, carrying their daughter. She’d gotten even bigger since Ienzo last saw her--another month he’d missed--and she was chewing on a teething ring. “Hey,” he said, softly. Like Even, his eyes were closed off.

“How do you feel?” Ienzo asked.

“Me? Oh, I’m fine. Ugly scar, but oh well, right? How are… you?” Amalia was staring at him, not with fear like before, but perhaps curiosity. Ienzo tried to reach out to her with his magic, but it was like swatting wet laundry; it didn’t come instantly to his call. So instead he reached out one trembling hand. She smiled and handed him the slimy teething ring. “Oh, sweetie, I’m sure daddy doesn’t want that.”

“Could I…” He wasn’t sure he was physically strong enough to hold her.

“Ah… sure.” Demyx pulled the chair closer to the bed and plopped her onto the mattress. “I’ve been… bringing her in here for a while every day. While daddy takes his long nap, right?”

She made a sound like “boo.”

“She talks.” Tears rose to his eyes.

“Well. Vocalizes.”

She clapped her hands together.

“And she can hold herself up.”

“She crawls, too. Ah--like that.” She had dragged herself almost across Ienzo’s lap. “I have a feeling she’ll be running before long.”

Amalia looked up at him and made a noise that could only be expressed as “?”

“Daddy,” Demyx said to her helpfully. “You remember now, yeah.”

“Baba.”

“Daddy. Good.” He smoothed the curls off her forehead.

Ienzo felt a rush of affection which was almost painful. “Look at you, big girl.” He wasn’t sure what else to say. She tugged at the sleeve of his robe. “Can you help me?” he asked Demyx.

“Sure.” He eased her into his lap. Amalia pressed her cheek against his chest. “See? Crisis averted.”

“I’m guessing the curls came from you.”

“The only time my hair was long enough to tell was when I was underwater, so.” He shrugged. Amalia gave him a toothless smile. “Look at you, happy girl.”

Ienzo noticed the difference in his voice when he spoke to the two of them. “Are you comfortable? Here?”

“Oh, yeah. Ansem set us up nice in your old room. If you don’t mind.”

“Why would I mind?”

Another shrug. “Oof, drool patrol.” He grabbed a tissue and dabbed at it. “She’s teething something wicked.”

“Maybe the next time you come you could bring me a book, so I could read to her.”

“She’d probably like that.”

Ienzo wrapped his arms loosely around her, and she let him. Feeling the warmth and weight of her--the subtle twitch of her limbs-- and hearing her little babbling eased this awful ache he’d had for so long. “I missed you,” he said to her. He kissed her head. “I missed you so much. I just… hope we can be a family now.”

“That would be nice,” he said softly. “Wouldn’t it?” The last part he repeated in a goofy voice, and Amalia laughed. “You think you’ll be okay?”

“Even’s optimistic. And I trust him.”

“He’s been up here almost constantly.”

“But the castle is… safe, for you two?”

“Oh, yeah. Magic users crawling out of the woodwork to help. I've still got some fight in me."

“I hope that soon I can be back on my feet, and start being a bigger part of her life.”

“One thing at a time.” Ienzo wondered if he was imagining the flatness in his eyes. “Isn’t that right, Li-li?”

---

It took Ienzo weeks to start feeling something resembling “normal.” For several nights the pain of his healing nerves kept him awake, but at least once it was through with he could limp around a little. He could play with Amalia a little more actively. Physical therapy made him somewhat stronger, and while he had to use a cane to walk more than a few steps, Even believed it would be gone before long.

Members of his family and the resistance ducked in and out. Ansem brought him books, briefed him on the situation as it developed. “Almost feels as though my skills to rule have grown rusty,” he admitted. “It is difficult to tell… which members of parliament left are lying, when they say they did not hold any allegiance towards Xehanort. I’m tempted to dissolve the whole thing and hold elections, but we simply can’t do so at the moment. Making sure our people are fed and safe and cared for is more important than politics at the moment. Thankfully the bordering nations have been kind enough to send along resources and medics.”

“I wish I could help,” Ienzo said. “Being here, waylaid and helpless --”

Ansem just patted his hand. “You jumpstarted a revolution, Ienzo,” he said.

“So I’m told, but I wonder if you all are exaggerating to salve my ego.”

The pat became more of a squeeze. “Control of Radiant Garden was crucial,” he said. “And you achieved that.”

“Only because Xehanort mortally wounded Demyx, and I reacted instinctively--were it not for that my whole plan would’ve collapsed--”

“Ienzo. Why are you being hard on yourself?”

He felt tears in his eyes. “These past six months… I’ve been sitting here in luxury playing silly mind games while my daughter grew up without me, while the rest of you suffered. ”

“You did the best you could with what you had--and you did pretty damn well. This guilt is pointless, Ienzo.”

“I… I know.”

“We are together now. We will rebuild. And I hope things will be better than they were before.”

He sniffled. “Is it over? Can it just be over?”

Ansem drew him into an embrace.

---

Spring began in earnest. Ienzo realized one morning as he woke in the infirmary that the lingering smell of darkness that had hung over Radiant Garden was gone, and a fresh rain brought in the sea air. He no longer needed the cane, but he tired easily, and his legs still ached tremendously. Once he was well enough, he insisted that he be more involved in the reconstruction, insofar as he could.

There was the reality of Xehanort’s youngest son’s experiments. Ienzo had purged the Heartless, but the poor people who had not been transformed were instead traumatized and in some cases catatonic. While there were doctors and psychologists willing to help them, it was hard to tell if they could be helped. Ansem organized national days of mourning for those who had been lost, and released the lists of names so families could have closure. The youngest son had kept meticulous records.

He asked community leaders to come forward with ideas as to help their nation move on. Darkness still existed; but now that people had hope, they were more willing to fight. That, and with the darkness easing, they were getting early signs that the planet could still heal. Ienzo swore he could feel its pulse, its life reaching up to his magic. He wished he did not feel so powerless.

“We don’t want things to go back to the way they were,” Ansem said in a broadcast. “Clearly, “normal” meant “suffering” for some. Darkness… only made that pain more obvious. If we wish to maintain the light, we must heal one another.”

Finally, Ienzo was well enough to go back to his rooms, and begin repairing his family… because it was going to take a lot of work. Amalia was more familiar with him, more comfortable, but still she always looked towards Demyx when she needed something.

And there was the matter of… Demyx.

At first Ienzo thought the distance between them was all paranoia on his part, but it became clear in the way Demyx spoke to him, especially when it came to their daughter. “You dressed her in that? She hates that one, it’s itchy against her scales.” “Sure. You can do that. I guess.” “Look, I know you’re trying, but strawberries give her gas .” “You let her nap too long. Now she’s not going to sleep through the night.” That, and the flatness in his eyes. It wasn’t openly unfriendly, but it lacked the warmth that they’d had before.

More straining than this, in some ways, was sharing a bed. Ienzo had honestly been looking forward to reconnecting on a physical level--he hoped it would help him sleep the deep way he had when they lived together--but that first night Demyx just rolled onto his side and fell asleep. He let it go a few nights, wondering if it were just a pain of readjustment, if he were just used to sleeping alone. Finally, he just got fed up and crawled over to spoon him, jerking him out of his sleep. “What are you--?”

“Trying to touch you?”

“Well could you please not?”

For a moment there was just silence.

Demyx exhaled heavily and ran his hand through his hair. “Look, I… I’m sorry for snapping. But I… I’m not comfortable .”

Ienzo swallowed and felt a lump in his throat. “Would you prefer I slept elsewhere?”

“No, it’s… it’s fine.”

Ienzo eased back to his side of the bed. He knew he would not be able to sleep. As it was, he was struggling not to cry.

The next day they behaved as normally as they could in front of their daughter, but when Ansem came and asked if he could spend some time with her, Ienzo agreed before Demyx could get a word in edgewise. “We need to talk,” Ienzo said.

Demyx wrinkled his nose. “Do we have to?”

“Yes. We do.” Ienzo was surprised to feel his temper flare, but he kept it in check. “Look, we’re… we’re parents, and we’re soulmates . A lot has happened, and you have a right to feel the way you do. But that can’t begin to heal if we keep ignoring it.”

He seemed to not know what to say.

“How do you feel, Demyx?” Ienzo asked.

He rubbed at his arm. “I feel like… I feel…” He swallowed. “Something’s just wrong ? With me?”

“You’re processing.”

“Not that. I don’t know. For a long time I just missed you so much it hurt, and I didn’t know how I was going to do any of it, be her dad, or…” He trailed off, a flush darkening his face. “And then I saw you again, and you were alive, and I was so happy and so relieved and I don’t know what happened since then. Something’s wrong.”

A suspicion slid into place, and Ienzo’s voice shook when he asked, “wrong how ?”

Tears flooded his eyes. “I don’t feel anything. When I look at you. You’re the father of my child. But it’s just… I feel like… I was meant to be her dad, but… I don’t know if I’m meant to be with you?” His voice quivered and broke. “I want to. I want to be in love with you again. But I…”

“I think I understand,” Ienzo said woodenly.

Demyx hesitated. He stared at Ienzo for a moment, and then he took a few steps forward and kissed him, hard.

And it was different.

Physically, it felt the same, the way they moved together. But it was just a nice kiss, without the heavy reassurance that yes , this is part of you, everything is safe, everything is okay.

In his mind’s eye, Ienzo saw Xehanort gouging him below the heart. “Oh,” he said softly.

“What’s wrong with me, Ienzo? Am I just depressed?”

“No,” he said. Numbly, he pulled away.

“...What?”

And then he started laughing.

“ What ?”

Once he began, he couldn’t stop, until tears were running down his face, and he couldn’t breathe, and somewhere the gasps of laughter became sobs, and he was curled in a ball on the floor. He felt Demyx’s hand on his back, warm but the touch was so wrong .

“Ienzo. What is it?”

He looked up. “Xehanort broke the soulbound.”

[bigsnzstanacct]

Kn/ives Out - R/ansom Fic

Inspired by these posts, although I went a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle overboard with it, as is my wont. This may or may not be the first of a five-or-six part series, a sort of “Five Times Ransom Pissed Off Everybody By Sneezing, and One Time He Didn’t.” Or it might just be the one little story. You know the drill, over-the-top sneezing ahoy lmao.

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

    “Do we have to talk politics?” Joni asked, her fingers tensed, her eyes rolling as she walked rather briskly to the drink cart. “It’s not that I’m not willing it’s just it’s so contentious and I’m a little concerned about that kind of energy—”

“No, no, no Joni,”—Richard cutting in now, his words stretching longer in the way all of him seemed to extend and elongate when he was drunk, as though he forgot Linda and Harlan were watching and expecting—”No, Joni, you don’t get to throw stones and then hide your hand, if you say something about our President, I’m gonna say something back.”

“Now, now, Richard,”—The aforementioned Harlan—”I think we can all agree the President—”

“Our President, Harlan, our President, I’m not saying I like him but I’m saying he’s our—”

“N-now… now come on Richard”—Walt, briefly, before being steamrolled by—

“Richard, I think I’d like a change of subject now—” Linda, ordinarily authoritative enough to end the line of inquiry altogether, but apparently not tonight.

“Well I wouldn’t, Linda. I wouldn’t like a change of subject, and for that matter...” (Richard, elongated as though he forgot Linda and Harlan…)

“How boring,” Ransom said in an aside. Marta happened to be walking by, picking up Richard’s emptied drink, and Joni’s recently downed one. It wasn’t actually her job to provide maid service for these people but they seemed to expect it and Harlan encouraged it and they really were so generous.

So it was to Marta that Ransom delivered his aside, though it wasn’t really to her—it might as well have been to the drink cart, or the grandfather clock, or the nonexistent camera over his shoulder. Ransom was the sort of man who walked around as though there could always be a camera over his shoulder. In fairness, Ransom was also the sort of man cameras commonly followed around. He’d very nearly committed to at least two reality tv shows, mostly to annoy his family. He’d gotten his current sports car upon backing out of a reality tv show. It was too bad he was too old to start a YouTube channel. He was still waiting to see what he could get out of revealing Jacob’s channel to the family, whether it would be better to threaten Jacob with its reveal to his parents, his parents with its reveal to to the family, or perhaps the family as a whole with a leak to… whatever random book-related website might find that gossip interesting. Maybe just Reddit.

Marta was just about to respond, to perhaps engage Ransom in conversation. She had it on good authority--Harlan’s--that she could be good company to a Thrombey or a Drysdale. Everyone seemed rather wary of Ransom, but aside from his aversion to the dogs, Marta had no reason to think ill of him, and so tried to assume the best of him. And---she could admit somewhat blushingly---he certainly wasn’t unattractive. She could see how, in her younger, sillier days how she might nurse a bit of crush on him, the wealthy prince charming and the maid---although she was not a maid, no matter how they treated her, she was a well-trained professional, dammit---

But before she could speak, Ransom’s face suddenly underwent some sort squishing, snorting motion. His long nose scrunched up short as he took in a sharp sniff, nearly a snort. His eyes closed for a moment, and a smile played on his lips. “This’ll be fuhh-hun,” he said in half a whisper, airy breathing infusing and interrupting his murmur.

Marta tilted her head to the side, curious what Ransom could be referring to, until she saw his nose, which was twitching: once, then twice. A heavy sniff, then another, then two in a row, then a long one, for all the world like fanning a flame (a flame, as she would come to realize, to light a fuse, to burn down to an explosion...)

It was around this moment that Ransom abruptly stood, and she could not help but notice how broad his shoulders were, as his eyes fluttered, and his chest began to swell. His nose was starting to pinken around the nostrils, the flaring and scrunching continuing, his arms falling slack. The creak of his chair as he stood brought everyone’s attention towards him, and as they noticed the bizarre ritual Ransom was performing or enduring.

“Oh, god, Ransom, not this again…” (Linda, eyes rolling)

“Ransom, Ransom buddy, Ransom please...” (Richard, hands waving)

“Is he going to do that screaming thing again, I’m leaving the room---” (Joni, hands raising towards her ears)

“Leaving the room won’t do her much good.” (Harlan, with a bit of a snicker in his voice)

Ransom was starting to vocalize now, little “hehhhH… hEHHHhh…” sounds that sounded as though they were either being dragged out of him or as though he was dragging them out himself, perhaps both. His head was tilting back, that chest looking larger than ever as it stretched and air flowed in and his long nose scrunched and his mouth hung open in a tall O and his back arched and hands went over ears and then one last voiceless gasp in… “huuuUUHH!”

“HHHHEEYYY-SSHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” 

Ransom sprang forward, giving vent to what was plainly a titanic sneeze to begin with, let alone his leaning into it, relishing it, and then on top of that, as the sneeze went on it seemed to turn into a pure, guttural yell, his voice roughening in an obviously voluntary way. It sounded as though the sort of scream one might hear on a hardcore metal record was riding the rails of an involuntary, massive rush of air, and Marta couldn’t help but frown as a visible spray was ejected from Ransom’s face along with the helter skelter noise, but she could hardly notice the spray since, standing closest to the blast, her ears were assaulted worst with Ransom’s screaming sneeze or sneeze-flavored scream, whatever it was, and she dearly wished she’d followed the family’s example and plugged her ears.

The sneeze tapered off at last, and Ransom--who’d doubled over with the blast--bounced back up, face reddened from exertion, practically beaming. Or at least he would have been beaming, were his nose not already scrunching…

“Whew! Big wuhh-hunn…” He was presumably celebrating his sneeze, congratulating himself on a “big one” although the urge had not yet left him entirely, and it seemed another sneeze was one its way. Joni was just walking back into the room as he went into his sniffing routine again.

“Jesus! Ransom you’re gonna give your grandfather a heart attack…” she huffed, before seeing him building towards another sneeze, spinning on her heel and promptly marching out of the room again.

(Harlan, for his part, was chuckling.)

“S-suhh… sorry guys, think I gotta sn-sneeze again…” he warned, breath catching as he actively tilted his head back, presumably seeking some sort of light to look into. His eyes were tearing slightly as he fanned one hand in the general direction of his nose, perhaps… attempting to spark another sneeze by fanning dust at himself? He smiled as he could the whole way, clearly enjoying this performance.

“What the hell, kiddo, didn’t we tell you about your whole yelling routine…” Richard grumbled, making a move to walk towards Ransom but clearly thinking better of it as Ransom’s breath caught yet again.

“Ransom!” His mother interjected. 

“You’re not a kid, you get allergy shots, I don’t know why you put on this whole production…” (Richard again)

“Ransom stop that this instant, you know the neighbors called the police last time they thought someone was in here being murdered.” (Linda)

“Shh, shh, shh, you’ll make it go away… ooh, I can feel it…” (Ransom, giggling)

The rest of them were rolling their eyes, plugging their ears, shuffling away from the scene---Marta heard a door slam, clearly Joni wasn’t risking being within the house for Ransom’s next explosion.

Meanwhile Ransom seemed to have clinched the sneeze, no longer trying to coax it out but surrendering to it, preparing for it, getting ready to ride the wave and rattle the rafters… he held up his hand, and put his fingers down one by one, his giggling nearly putting him off his sneeze again as he counted down to the sneeze: five fingers, four, three, two... and just as he had one finger left up, he gave another of those great airy voiceless pulls with his flared nostrils and slack mouth and…

“EEEYYYYYYYYAAAA-SSSHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

This one was less a heavy metal growl and more a pure scream, perhaps inspired by his mother’s mention of murder, as it bent higher pitched towards the end, and Marta couldn’t help but think she wouldn’t have imagined such a large man could reach such a high pitch.

Once again Ransom pitched forward, staying bent over, hands over his face this time as he pushed out the sneeze, dragging it out beyond all necessity, but clearly enjoying it. He popped up again, “whew! Think I got the itch out that time!” He said, beaming like a child pleased to have gotten away with something naughty, before he screwed his face up again, “W-well, I think I got it…”

“Ransom, stop it, I know you’re just putting it on this time, I can tell.” Linda said, although this time she was chuckling a bit. Harlan was outright laughing, although he rolled his eyes as he said “you’ve outdone yourself.”

Marta had prepared adequately for this one, fingers plugging her ears, but she was still rather distracted by the whole affair. She’d never seen anyone sneeze quite so dramatically. Still, he seemed to have some measure of control over the whole affair; standing behind him, she couldn’t help but notice the sheen of his hands, practically glistening with the moisture from the sneeze, before he wiped them roughly on his pants. Clearly this sneeze had been much… juicier, she thought with an alarmed frown. Ransom must have anticipated that, ergo the hands tented around his nose as he’d howled out that last sneeze. 

“You done yelling at us, buddy?” Richard asked, clearly irritated. His son had managed to take up even more space than he did, after all. Practically took up all the space in the house; certainly there wasn’t a room in the house (or on the grounds altogether, practically) that Ransom’s sneezes couldn’t be heard. 

“Yeah Dad, sorry.” Ransom said, his childish grin replaced with a more adolescent smirk, his eyes cutting over towards the couch where his father sat. “Just had a tickle in my nose.” His voice grew brighter, though no less mocking, as he looked over at Marta, who once again could have been a drink cart, a grandfather clock, a camera for all it mattered. He tilted his head at her, and adopted what might have been a boyish pout (if his face weren’t so smug) to say:

 “Allergies, you know. I can’t help it.”

[youngmistressofchopchop]

I did it. Now I dont write, I draw so this is not gonna be so good. Its been through many revisions and I realized I spelt "Yuseke" as "Yueske the entire time so forgive me ill fix that next chapter. My Kuwabara x oc story:

It was finally cold again. Miyoko was overjoyed, she had never liked summer. Sure there was no school and she had more time with friends, but she couldn't stand the heat. She detested those sweaty nights, or how the bugs always bothered her, actually she didnt care for any part of summer.

Miyoko had dropped so many hints over the years and yet somehow, Kuwabara still had no clue. His air-headed-ness was cute, but it made things difficult for the shy girl Miyoko was. She just couldn't work up the nerve to say something, and when she did, something would always interrupt her. However, today she planned to change that! Miyoko got dressed up as cozy as she could, ready for what her and her friends had planned and with a gleam of excitement in her eyes, she headed out the door. 

 That was apart from going to see her crush, Kazuma Kuwabara's baseball games, he would play every summer. When they were younger, he played in an official team wearing his "Mötor Head" jersey and smoking every opposing team he played against. Miyoko never missed a single game! Every home run, every strike, and every fight that broke out because of a bad call, she was there. When they got older, she would be there to watch him play against his friends, still wearing that jersey. She was always supportive of him, she was madly in love with him, and had been for awhile.

"Urameshi!! Where do you think you're going?? I was talking to you!" Kuwabara's feet hit the sidewalk with force as he sprinted after Yueske, who had walked only a few feet, forcing Kuwabara to stop abruptly frantically trying to steady himself without falling. After regaining balance, Kuwabara grabed a fists full of his friend's jacket to pull him close aggressively. 

"D-Dont tell anyone! Or I'll break your mouth, so you cant tell anyone nothin' ever again!!" Kuwabara's face was as red as the setting sun. Unfazed, Yuseke stared at Kuwabara blankly for a short second before sighing and shrugging the big flustered fool off of him. 

"Listen man, I wont say anything. But this is getting really annoying. Ive told you before that you should just go through with it. Whats your problem with admitting to her anyways?" Yuseke looked to the helpless man and immediately regretted asking. Kuwabara looked off dramatically twords the orange and red sky. His shoulders slouched, slumping over, and fiddling with his hands. 

"I....Shes really pretty, ya know? And...Im well...ya know?" His voice trailed off, as if wanting reassurance he was being foolish. When there was no reply, Kuwabara peeked up with a quivering bottom lip. 

Yueske stood with his hands in his pocket saying nothing, only wearing a furrowed brow and tight lips. Suddenly, he burst into laughter. Causing Kuwabara to stand up straight and look at him even more embarrassed, and ready to punch him.

"I never thought I'd hear the great Kuwabara, warrior of love, admit to being ugly!!" Mocked Yueske. He bent over shaking his head and slapping his leg, resting his other elbow on his knee and laughing loudly. He straightened and wiped a fake tear from his eye. Kuwabara gasped in shock. 

"What?? Ugly??" Again Kuwabara grabbed at his friend, this time missing and falling. He quickly got up and held up a threatening fists. 

"Im not ugly!! Im just not a romantic type!!" He rubbed his fists on his chest. 

"I am a warrior of love, so I know how to treat a lady and how to talks to girls, I just....." He paused, his mouth moving like hes trying to remember how talking works. "She's different!!" He finaly blurted out. "She reads them girly romance books that Kurama likes!!" With a frustrated grunt, Kuwabara rubbed his neck nervously and spoke in a much more serious tone.

"Ive known her a real long time, and I cant tell her yet cuz I'm kinda worried she only thinks of me like how Shizuru thinks of me." Yueske picked up on the seriousness of the situation and scoffed trying to lighten things up again. 

"Well you are ugly, but I think she likes you anyway. Besides man, why asks me? You think I read them werid books?" Yueske pat Kuwabara awkwardly on the shoulder. 

"No way. I asked cuz you have a girlfriend!!" Kuwabara turned to look at Yueske who was moving his arm away. 

"So? Doesnt mean I know what im doing, just asks Keiko." The boys laugh, seeming to have calmed down a great deal. Before much more could be said, four familiar and approaching voices could be heard chatting playfully. 

"Oh dear, you didnt actually take me seriously did you, Miyoko?" Botan said in a teasing tone. 

"I did!! I'm gullible, you cant just tell me anything about spirit world.I will believe it!! Everytime!" The two girls laughed. 

"I've noticed," Interjected Kurama. "You have managed to retained alot of attributes from your childhood haven't you? I find that interesting." Kurama continud, wrapping an arm around Botan. 

"Alot of people say that...is that a bad thing? I'm not immature am I?" Miyoko felt nervous now. Maybe that was the why Kuwabara never seemed to return her feelings, perhaps she wasn't mature enough for a relationship.

Keiko quickly spouted, "No no! I don't think he meant it like that, I think it's cute!" Keiko put a reassuring arm around Miyoko and smiled a friendly smile. 

"Ofcourse! Its an admirable trait." Kurama said as Botan giggled. 

Botan wagged her finger and pointed it at Miyoko with a knowing smile "Im on to you! You shouldn't feel so insecure!" Botan pulled her arm back and used it to hug Kurama's arm. "Don't be so hard on yourself, I know you're simply nervous, so you're being extra critical of yourself, but you'll do fine!" Botan hummed encouragingly. "And, we all look fantastic!" Botan added as they all rounded the corner.

Keiko stopped dead in her tracks, and started tapping her foot. "Well, most of us are...Yueske! I thought I told you to dress up!!" Keiko pouted, walking over to her boyfriend's side. 

Yueske was the most casually dressed out of all of them. Just wearing his usual faded blue jeans, black converse shoes, plain yellow shirt and favorite green and yellow windbreaker jacket. He looked even more underdressed standing next to Keiko. She was wearing a lovely pale pink turtleneck, a plum purple suspender skirt reaching to her knees, long white socks, and loafers to match her skirt. Despite their contrasting attire, they somehow matched perfectly. 

Yueske wrapped his arm around Keiko's shoulder and smirked."Kuwabara isnt dressed up." He looked over to Kuwabara and nodded his way while jutting his thumb twords his friend. 

"What!! I am too!! This is the nicest thing I got!! Other than like...a tux or something!!" Kuwabara wore a blue Letterman jacket, a red sweater with dark blue jeans, and brown dress boots laced in black, he was indeed dressed up quite nicely. Miyoko blushed at the sight of his clothing, he cleaned up nicely as always. She couldn't help but smile at him, it was always a slight surprise to see him out of his school uniform. Kuwabara had a simular reaction to Miyoko's choice of clothing. She dawned a wine red A-line dress, knitted black leggins, and shin high beige lace up boots. She wasn't one to dress up like this, but she wanted to tonight, it was a special night after all. 

Trying to redirect the situation and prevent Yueske and Kuwabara from fighting, Botan chimed in. "Well, I never have to worry about Kurama when it comesto presentation! Unless ofcourse, he's overdressed and making me look a fool!" Kurama and Botan giggled to eachother looking the most put together, like they were the parents of the group. Tonight, everyone was going their part to help Miyoko's odds, evident by Botan, who was wearing something much different from her usual choice of clothing.

She modelled a white turtle neck dress, form fitting reaching just above her knees with a small slit on the right side, with sleeves that reached slightly past her palms, she wore her wedding ring, hoop earings, beige velvet tights, and blue slip on flats to top off the look. To match her, Kurama dressed just as nice. Wearing a white button up tucked neatly into his dark brown pants, red suspenders with red suede shoes laced in black, and a matching wool trench coat to top complete it all. Now everyone felt underdressed. 

"So what are we doing anyway?" Yueske asked scratching his cheek. Keiko shook her head "Are you serious? You've been waiting around this long, and you dont even know why??" Yueske simpled shrugged "I guess?" 

Botan sighed looking tired, Yueske was a handful for everyone. "Dont you remember, Yueske? I told you this morning! We're all having dinner!" 

Botan motioned to the brick building everyone was standing next to. "You've been standing right next to the restaurant! Where I told you we would be meeting up, seriously! You didn't connect the dots?" Botan tilted her head with a hopeless look. Yueske gritted his teeth and roughly pulled Keiko by her hip to his, talking through his teeth. "Whatever!!" He sighed and let go of Keiko fixed his hair flustered, he brought his fists down onto his palm talking loudly. "So now that we're all here, can we go?? Im starving and you guys took all damn evening to get here!"

Keiko lightly kicked his shoe pouting up at him. "Hush!! Its not our fault you dont listen, besides you didnt even try to dress nice! So I dont feel sorry for you." Yuseke quickly stepped aside and raised his voice a bit "Hey! Didnt ya hear me?? I didn't know what was going on!!" Keiko roughly poked her boyfriend's chest, "Again, not our problem! Listen and you wouldn't have to worry!!" 

Kurama was the first to put a stop to the bickering. He took a wide step twords the brick building and grabbed the glass doors handle, he opened the door and motioned for everyone fallow him inside.

So theres that. I'll write more soon. I hope its as fun to read as it was fun to write.

[like-rain-or-confetti]

New Life (Demetri Volturi x Female!Reader)

You had just returned from your visit to Italy, feeling a little sick on the remaining hours of the journey home. You shook it off as travel sickness, sleeping off the few remaining hours. It helped a lot but you still felt terrible. You were on the phone with Esme by the time you got home. You said you planned to go straight to bed, not feeling well and we're prepared to sleep it off in the next day or two at the most. 

Just before you rolled over to sleep, you texted Demetri that you had gotten home but were going to sleep for a while since you felt sick. That night, you woke up feeling much better again and willing to eat. Whilst you waited for your pasta to boil, you texted back Alice, Demetri and Heidi, informing them you were still feeling pretty ill but felt much better. Your first night home went pretty well beyond that. You ate dinner, watching a couple of movies until going back to bed at eleven pm. 

You woke up to a sharp pain making you sit up immediately. Groaning as another stab hit you. You put a hand to your stomach, unsure if you were going to be sick or not. You immediately rushed to the toilet but nothing happened and after some time you felt better, heading back to bed. You glanced at your phone beside you seeing the time and a text. It was 2:33 am and the text was from Demetri. You smiled slightly. 'Goodnight, my love.' It was comforting in this moment. No one ever spoke about how hard it was being sick and living alone with no one to comfort you. You rolled over, scolding yourself for the immaturity. You had travel sickness before, you've even caught bugs after family trips abroad. Quit being a baby. 

You woke up the next morning feeling bad again, perhaps it wasn't the best idea to have had pasta? Your stomach must have been unprepared for food, making you worse than better. You slept through a lot the day, by this time certain this would be the worst of jt and you'd feel fine by the next morning. You stayed in bed, dosing in and out. 

The next morning, you cracked your eyes open. You hadn't woken naturally, the pain came back and was back with a vengeance. You groaned louder than before, clutching your stomach. You felt like you were going to faint, be sick and were being ripped in half all at the same time. This didn't feel right at all. Maybe it was your appendix? It could have been which means it was very bad you had left it until now. 

You rolled out of the bed, this time squealing in pain. You began to cry, very scared and in agony. You shakily grabbed your phone, hand and knees on the floor. You sobbed as you searched for Carlisle's name. You rolled onto your back as it rang and then Carlisle picked up. "Hello?" "Carlisle...can you come get me pl-" Another cry interrupted you as the pain intensified. "Are you alright? Are you at home?" You couldn't answer letting out a cry of pain instead. "I'm driving to your house right now. Are you home?" "Y-yes." You finally managed to respond through a sob. The phone slipped from your grasp as you groaned again, reaching for the phone you saw that the call had ended. It would take Carlisle fifteen minutes for him to arrive driving time, if traffic was light that is. You needed someone and someone now. You quickly got Demetri's number, moving to a stand. "Hello, my love." You could practically hear Demetri smile on the other side of the phone. "Demetri!" You sobbed. "Darling, what's wrong?" "It hurts to bad!" You cried sliding down the wall by your stairs. "What hurts? Breathe, love. What's wrong?" "My stomach hurts so bad!" "Have you called Carlisle?" The room began to spin. "I... I...called." "(Y/N)? (Y/N)?" You slid down the wall, unconscious, phone falling from your hand and unable to hear Demetri call out in a panic. "(Y/N)!?" 

Through blurred vision, you saw who looked to be Carlisle hovering over you. He was talking but you couldn't distinguish what he was saying. You were pale, a layer of sweat covering you. Your eyes shut once more. 

 You woke up to an IV in your arm, but weren’t in a hospital. You were pretty sure you were in Carlisle’s house. This was confirmed when he entered, immediately acknowledging you were awake. “How are you feeling?” “Better…the sickness is gone and there isn’t any pain.” “That’s good to hear. You were dehydrated, as well as your blood pressure and sugar being very low too. Your lucky to have been found when you did.” “So, am i okay?” “You are.” Carlisle nodded, assuring you. “What was wrong with me?” Carlisle hesitated. “Demetri is on his way, he’s asked that I tell you when he arrives.” “I was on the phone…” You vaguely remembered the moment. Carlisle nodded again. “Yes, he was very worried. He should be here soon. You’ve been asleep for a little over a day now.” “Does he know what’s happened to me?” “Yes, just relax for now until he gets here. He simply requested as he wanted to be there for you. You had him very worried.” Carlisle patted your hand. You nodded, feeling comforted that it was Demetri’s request, and not because you’d be given a life threatening diagnosis. 

After a couple of hours, Demetri hurried into the room to your bedside. “My love, you’re awake! Are you feeling better?” Demetri’s hands moved to cradle your face and one of your hands moved to cup his hand that was on your jaw. “So much better.” You smiled slightly at him. Your eyes drifted to the twins. “Hey, you two. It’s good to see you.” The two nodded at you and Carlisle entered, closing the door. “Would you like us to leave?” Jane asked and you shook your head. “No, it’s fine. Surely it can’t be that bad. I don’t mind you two being here.” You assured the twins. “Besides, it was just a bug or something right Carlisle? Travel sickness and me making stupid decisions and not looking after myself.” You grinned but it faltered when Carlisle gave you a soft smile, but it wasn’t in agreement. 

Demetri let go of you putting his hand on the top of the propped bed. “Did he tell you?” You asked Demetri who nodded. “What is it?” “This wasn’t travel sickness, or any other illness.” Carlisle began. You let him continue. “When I found you, I knew immediately what it was.” “If you’re about to say a disease, this is a really dramatic way to go about it.” You said nervously. “Its not.” Carlisle shook his head. “To be specific, I heard two heart beats.” “Excuse me?” There was silence. “What do you mean two heart beats?” “(Y/N)-” Carlisle was about to explain, perhaps you weren’t on the same page but you interrupted him, telling him otherwise. “I am not pregnant!” You were met with silence again. “You heard wrong Carlisle! I’m not pregnant!” “I’ve done the tests and they all came back the same, you are very much pregnant.” “How!? How long!?” “I wouldn’t know. You show signs of being around two months along.” “That’s impossible, my first time was six days ago.” That realisation hit you like a train, it had been with Demetri, of course, which must have meant it grew faster being half vampire. You immediately broke into tears. “We’ll give you two a minute.” Carlisle said, leaving and the twins followed. 

You were terrified. You hadn’t thought of having kids, you weren’t sure you wanted children. You weren’t ready to have a baby. Demetri pulled up a seat beside the bed. He hadn’t said a word, and was much more contained than you were. Seemingly in thought, his eyes a dark red. “I’m sorry.” You sobbed. “Why?” He turned to ask you. “For how I’ve reacted…for how I feel.” “Never be sorry for that. I want you to let out every tiny emotion you have. I don’t want you holding any of this in, you hear me? Not a single thing. Talk to me, I’m here with you.” Demetri’s attention completely on you. “I’m terrified. I never thought about- I don’t know if I want to…but I feel terrible. I know you wanted kids your whole life. If I took that from you-” “Don’t think about me. I love you. I’ll support you no matter what. I don’t want you to force yourself into doing something for me. Tell me more, do you think you’d want to…?” Demetri trailed off and you shook your head. “I couldn’t. I couldn’t do that.” Demetri slowly nodded. “That’s okay.” He pulled your hand into his own, cradling it in both of his. “What do you need? What do you need right now? I’m here. What do you need?” You began to cry again and in unison, you both pulled one another into a hug. Demetri quietly promised you that everything would be okay. “It could kill me.” You sobbed. “I feel like I have to face death and I’m terrified. I don’t know anything about children, and I’m not ready to die.” “I’ll look after you, my love. Don’t worry, I won’t let you die. I’ll drag your soul back to me and down heavens stairs if I have to.” “You’d have to change me.” “I’ll take care of you.” “The pain…” Demetri hushed you, rocking you side to side slightly, in his arms. You wished you could say you felt much better about everything once the news settled but you didn’t. 

You moved to Volterra with Demetri for this new start. Instead, you had more fear, fear that you couldn’t be able to love the child if you survived it all. What if you weren’t maternal? It wasn’t as though you had much opportunities to find out. Things changed when you began to show, more specifically, when the baby started to move. You inhaled sharply, feeling a slight flutter. “Oh, that was strange.” “What?” Alec asked looking up from his book. “The baby is moving.” You smiled slightly when you stomach moved as though to confirm it. Alec stood up and was immediately at your side. “I don’t see anything.” “Hang on, just wait.” Suddenly it moved and Alec couldn’t hide his shock. “That’s amazing.” He said in awe. “Wait until you get a load of this though.” You smiled, taking Alec’s hand and putting it to the side of your swollen stomach. “Tap your finger.” You said softly and he did so. He jumped slightly when his hand got a swift kick. “I need to tell Jane. Demetri hasn’t said anything about this.” “Demetri doesn’t know…until now.” On time, Demetri barged in. “How could you tell Alec and not tell me about my own child!?” “Oh there you go, you’re so dramatic!” You rolled your eyes. Alec moved back so that Demetri could do it. You’ve never seen Demetri’s face light up in such a way. 

One night, Demetri asked you again. “How are you feeling about everything? You seem to be much happier.” You cracked a smile. “Yeah, well, not only is this kid growing in me but also growing on me. We’re having a bonding moment right now.” “Oh?” You nodded. “We’re playing.” You smiled as you poked your stomach, getting pokes in response in the same areas. Demetri smiled at the sight. “I’m proud of you, (Y/N).” You looked up from your cross legged position with a smile. 

You didn’t remember anything of the birth, you only woke up as a vampire and everything seemed to happen so quickly. Your throat was burning, as though lava was making its was up and down your throat. You didn’t get to say goodbye, Santiago and Afton taking you out of Italy and to the Cullen’s so that you could learn control. When your mind had cleared.a bit from the blood lust, it had been weeks since you were in Italy. You began to think of Demetri and your baby. You were informed you had a son. The image motivated you to get control, after all, it was the means to returning back home. 

Demetri took his son to bed, he was the double of Demetri. He was only a few years old yet looked to be about nine years old. However he was very intelligent and insisted he heard about his mother. Demetri noticed his son would grow anxious if not hearing about you. However tonight he was asked a different question from his son. As Demetri sat by his bedside, his son spoke. “When will mother come home?” “Soon. I hear your mother’s doing very well and asks about you.” Your son seemed pleased with this. “Really?” Demetri nodded. “Yes, asks more about you than about me.” “I thought mother wouldn’t know who I am.” Demetri tutted with a playful smirk. “Your mother loves you very much.” He stood up. “Now, get some sleep so your mother doesn’t hear that you went to bed past your bedtime and get me in trouble.” Your son grinned, settling into the covers. Demetri flicked the lights off, telling his son he loved him, hearing a quiet response repeating his own words before Demetri closed the door. 

It had been six years and the time finally came to return home. You were given permission to return to Volterra. It took you a couple of days but the last thing you expected to see was a few waiting for you at reception. You immediately grinned seeing Demetri, the twins and Afton but halted at the new yet familiar face. The boy looked to be fifteen, he was tall, just a head smaller than Demetri. The same blonde hair and red eyes. You couldn’t believe it. You hadn’t seen him before, yet you knew it was your son. Demetri stepped around him to meet you, giving you a kiss and holding you close, telling you he had missed you. Then he turned back to the boy, gesturing for him to come. “Come and meet your mother.” You were in awe of the boy, this is what you had part in creating? How could it be possible? He was breathtakingly perfect. The boys eyes were wider than usual, very vulnerable to your impression of him and clearly nervous. 

He moved forward silently, unable to take his eyes off of you. He had dreamed of this moment since birth. He couldn’t meet you and now it was finally happening. There was a face to the name now and he’d spent the rest of his time etching your face into his memory. “My son…” You said to yourself in disbelief, reaching out to take his shoulder. He let you, wanting more and more by the second. You seemingly felt the same as you immediately pulled him into a hug. Your son immediately hugged you back, his eyes closing and keeping a tight hold on you as though you could disappear at any moment.  “You’re perfect.” He heard you mumble quietly. He only squeezed you tighter, unable to trust his voice. You apologized to him softly for not being around but promised you’d never leave him again. You noted he was stronger than a human, but had a heartbeat and was warmer than a vampire. Demetri’s genetics had appeared to overpower yours. “Let’s go inside.” Demetri said and your son turned but you didn’t let him go. You kept your arms loops around him, walking with him, eyes not tearing from one another. He too, not willing to break away. 

That night, he went to bed but couldn’t sleep, not without seeing you one last time in case this was all a dream he was about to wake up to. Sure enough you came by, knocking on the open door. “Hey. You just about to head to sleep?” He nodded. “I don’t suppose you’re too old for a goodnight from me?” He chuckled. “Maybe, but I won’t say no.” He reached his hand out and grinned. You grinned in response moving forward. To his surprise you took his hand but climbed up on the bed, stepping over him and lying down behind him. You wrapped your arm over him and kissed his cheek. “Get used to this because I have six years of cuddles to catch up on and you’re never too old to have a cuddle with your mother!” The last part was more of a demand making him chuckle. You son turned under your arm to face you and you lightly ran your fingers in his hair, unable to believe just how much love you had for him. 

Your mind was brought back to your pregnancy and how you felt about for some time. Seeing your son now, it made everything worth it. You were glad to have went through with the pregnancy and over come the fears it brought. You were thankful because you knew there were families out there who didn’t get it as good. You wouldn’t change a thing about your decisions. Your son proving to have been worth it in the end.

[robinskalechip]

home - chapter three

robin buckley x reader

a/n: i’ve been getting some really good feedback from the first two chapters, thank you guys so much!

warnings: smoking, language

not my gif!

chapter three - a family reunion

steve and robin had just finished closing up the video store and took the short three minute car ride to larry johnson’s town favorite diner. robin and steve were laughing amongst themselves and bantering along until they heard a voice.

“do suppose linda will remember me?”

the two turned to see sofia, cigarette in mouth, only a couple of yards away, walking towards them. steve smiled at her and began to speak but her attention was on robin who was still looking at her with the most gentle of smiles.

“i hope she remembers you, she always gave us discounts when you tagged along. ive had to pay full price for almost three years because of you” he walked past, ignoring the two girls he was with. steve harrington had one thing on his mind and one thing only. a royale with cheese. hehe pulp fiction reference the girls broke their eye contact to then walk behind him, sofia taking the cigarette out of her mouth to throw it to the ground and put it out whilst holding the door open for robin and quickly following her to be met with upmost nostalgia.

an older woman, probably in her early 50s, began to yell from behind the counter.

“IS THAT WHO I THINK IT IS? I MUST HAVE SKIPPED AHEAD AND GONE STRAIGHT TO CRAZY!”

sofia moved past the two, lightly touching robin’s arm, causing a chill to radiate throughout her body. sofia was smiling as she walked to the woman and embraced her in a long hug. the woman released her but not before she could cup her face in her hands to see her face more clearly, despite the pain that was radiating through sofia’s body due to having to bend her spine in order to oblige. but she didn’t mind. this woman was her family.

“AH CUORE MIO italian for my heart WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN”

sofia smiled as she replied, “nella città che non dorme mai in the city that never sleeps ”

“i’m so sorry about your mother, have you seen her yet?”

the woman’s back was facing robin, as they had turned when hugging, and she had a full view of sofia’s face. she saw her smile fall, taking her heart along with it as sofia responsed to the salt and pepper haired woman with a sense of dread.

“no not yet. marco is there every time i drive by the hospital. i’m trying to though i promise”

“sei troppo buono per questo mondo, figlia mia you are too good for this world my daughter, but you also need to eat, sit sit i’ll bring out your favorite”

sofia smiled as she realigned her spine, walking behind steve as he hopped into the booth next to robin. robin was a bit disappointed steve sat next to her instead of the other side but at least she had to best view in the house.

sofia fell into the other side of the booth putting one knee to her chest and the other stretched over the seat what a lesbian as the older woman returned with a strawberry milkshake in hand and a smile.

she placed the cold beverage onto the table to then ask robin and steve what they would like to drink. steve snapped out of his staring contest with the milkshake to answer, “ill have one of those.” he paused for emphasis, “exactly one of those” he then winked at her.

robin chuckled and said “can i get the same but in vanilla”

sofia smiled at the woman as she moved the shake away from steve’s reaching capability, “thanks linda”

linda kept her eye on steve as he frowned at sofia’s action, “royale with cheese and extra ketchup?” steve shook his head eagerly. “and for you my dear?” robin liked linda. she saw her around town often but never came into the diner as much to be considered a regular like steve. “i’ll take one of your smoked turkeys with everything but the onions please” she didn’t even have to ask sofia, even if she brought out the wrong thing, she’d still eat it no matter what

“coming right up”

sofia was still eyeing steve eyeing her shake, “OH MY GOD JUST TAKE A SIP” and said as she slide the cold beverage towards him to which he eagerly sipped from the side of the glass and threw his head back in the most dramatic yet unironic way possible

“oh my god i forgot how amazing their shakes were. i came here all the time during summer but i was so damn tired of ice cream, i didn’t even think about ordering one”

sofia smiled as she took back the milkshake, “yeah dustin filled me in on everything i missed” she was now fiddling with the straw and paused to look at steve for emphasis, “and i mean everything. i can’t believe he’s got a girlfriend”

steve laughed thinking about the events of the summer, “yeah none of us thought she was actually real, but im happy for him, i also need to pee, be back in a sec” he hoped out of the seat, nearly hitting robin

sophia placed the milkshake down and met robin’s eyes, “wanna try it? i know it looks like a plain strawberry shake but there’s actually a secret in there”. she jokingly looked around before motioning for robin to come closer as she whispered, “there’s also bits of peach”

she leaned back into her original position and raised her eyebrows briefly showing she meant business

robin smiled as she took the glass and took a sip, “mm never thought about that combination, i like it a lot actually, w-what?”

sofia was laughing as robin talked, “its okay its okay, i got it” she leaned towards robin once again, this time putting her thumb on robin’s upper lip, wiping off the cream that had escaped. the two looked at each other’s eyes during the moment, until sofia’s eyes fell to her lips, robin’s doing the same before she abruptly returned back to her seat, followed by steve hopping back to his place and linda following only a few seconds later. if they had been in that position just a few seconds longer..

linda placed the three plates on the table as sofia reached into her jacket pocket, taking out her wallet until she was stopped by the woman, “la famiglia non paga the family doesn’t pay”

she began to walk away as sofia gave her a warm smile and robin began to speak, “i’m confused. you said hadn’t seen your mother yet, but linda calls you her daughter”

sofia smiled, “she’s my godmother and my mother’s best friend. she’s practically my mother though. i’ve known her my entire life”

steve was already stuffing his face with the burger, mouth already jam packed, “i like sofia’s mom better than my own mom right now”

robin felt warm, but not in the physical, heated kind of way. she felt melting as sofia’s words, “that’s sweet”

“she and my mother grew up together when they were being raised in italy. ma says she wouldn’t have survived mentally if it weren’t for her”

sofia didn’t look up as she spoke but she could feel robin’s eyes on her. and she didn’t mind it.

the three ate while steve caught sofia up on all of his latest strike outs and the crazy nights she missed out on and the whole nancy thing that repulsed both robin and sofia, despite nancy being another one of her old childhood friends. sofia asked robin about her life and her interests and the two asking sofia about her life in new york.

once the three of them had finished, they all got up to leave, sofia yelling at linda on her way out, “CI VEDIAMO PRESTO MAMMA ill see you soon mom” to which linda gave her a big smile and waved to then quickly return to the table she was taking care of

as the three exited the diner, sofia asked “do you need a ride?”

robin felt a bit taken back and wanted to say yes more than anything. she would definitely not mind being in a car with sofia, even if it was for just a few short minutes to her house

“you dont have to really, my bike is in steve’s trunk and im only like five minutes away”

sofia chuckled as she walked to steve’s car and opened the trunk, retrieving robin’s bike and carrying it to her car, “get in freckles, you’re on my way. see ya harrington.”

robin turned to steve who winked at her and turned to leave, “have fun”

robin turned back to see the messy haired girl closing her trunk and getting into her car. once robin got into the vehicle, sophia turned the radio on and asked for the address.

how soon is now by the smiths was playing and robin was reminded of the way she felt earlier that morning, when she first saw sofia at school can you tell i like the smiths

the two were silent as robin looked out of the window, but it was the most comfortable silence she had ever been in. she felt at peace. despite her and sofia both resting their arms of the glove compartment, their hands only about a centimeter apart. she was felt calm; safe.

robin’s thoughts were interrupted when she felt the car stop and she turned to sofia, “thanks for the ride” as she unbuckled. sofia stopped robin as she was about to get out of the car.

“can i ask you something”

robin saw the same look on her face as when she was talking to linda about her mom. robin nodded.

sofia breathed in before speaking, adjusting her body to face robin, “i know dustin told me you and him didn’t spend that much time together but..will..how was he?”

she looked anxious for the answer

“he was okay, steve told me about everything he had to go through so i imagine he isn’t the same boy you knew but there’s probably still parts of him in there. just like any of us when we go through some shit, its takes some, it leaves some”

sofia leaned back in her seat, now feeling the guilt build in her stomach

“i should have been here.”

robin was quick to reassure her, “you didn’t know it was going to happen. i don’t know why you left but i know it was something that none of us could have stopped. everything happens for a reason”

sofia chuckled, “what a clique; the beautiful teen philosopher who doodles on her converses and reads sad love stories with injustice undertones and wears an unsettling yet attractive amount of jewelry” her smile grew more and more as she spoke to then turn to robin who was slightly blushing and smiling back

“i won’t keep you captivate much longer but can i ask you one more question?”

robin nodded again, still looking into her eyes, smiling

“you and harrington?”

robin cut that shit off Q U I C K

“OH GOD NO NO NO he’s like my brother ew no i could never.” she realized how dramatic she sounded and laughed at sofia laughing at her. “i’m sorry. to answer your question, no. harrington and i, not a thing. he’s uhh not my type”

sofia felt better with that last statement leaving robin’s mouth. she scooted closer, but her arm on the arm rest and bringing her face close to her face, almost being able to feel her breathe.

robin was taken back mentally but didn’t move a muscle, she whispered “what are you doing”

robin jumped at the sound of the door opening a tease

“i’m just getting the door for you like the good mannered person i was raised to be”, we said with a smile and moved her face a centimeter closer. robin was almost certain she was going to kiss her until she whispered again “good night freckles”

robin got out of the car and walked to her door completely flustered but still managed to turn her head to give sofia a smile. she was, in fact, so flustered that completely forgot her bike in sofia’s car trunk, but she didn’t even care.

next chapter

[ilytuan]

Warmth 「yugyeom」

genre ›  fluff ︱ domestic boyfriend!au

pairing › reader ︱ yugyeom

word count ›  2,034

warning › none

synopsis › #NoOneElseButYugyeomDay

Yugyeom rubbed his tired eyes, trying to rid any traces of sleep from his face that was unwashed and long due for a shave. He blinked at your message, wondering if there was any hidden meaning behind it. Was today a special day?

He scratched his already dishevelled hair, messing it up further as he tried to think of any important dates or anniversaries with you. None. He brushed it off, maybe you just had innocent intentions and missed him? The more he thought about it, he realised he missed you too and he tried to remember when the last time he saw you was. A month ago? Or maybe even longer.

The message you sent him asking to go on a date had come from nowhere, and Yugyeom knew you were away on a trip with your friends from college at the moment, so he wondered where you found the time to be able to hang out with him. Even though you were dating, you almost never spent much time out on dates. There weren’t many chances for you two to hang out, so he wasn’t going to turn down the date by any means, but he was slightly sceptical of what you had planned. The fact that it was his birthday completely slipped his mind as he began to make himself presentable enough to go out.

A message tone broke his train of thought while he was brushing his teeth. He ignored it, figuring it was one of the members trying to bother him or ask him for a ride somewhere, but then another one came. And another. Until he finally grew frustrated and picked up his phone, ready to snap at whoever it was. He was just trying to brush his teeth peacefully.

It really was the members. What a coincidence, he thought as he rolled his eyes. Messages were flowing in rapidly and Yugyeom struggled to read them, since they were flying past his eyes right as he caught sight of them. They were spamming and screaming, exclamation marks and emojis being the only thing he caught sight of. None of it made sense to him, almost like they were talking gibberish, so he switched his phone off completely and continued brushing his teeth to get ready to see you. Today was for you and him only. Whatever the occasion.

Yugyeom drove his sleek, black car out to the nearby park where you were already waiting for him. The chilly air resulted in a large scarf being wrapped around you and winter coat over your outfit. You were wearing a skirt with thigh high socks though, obviously not cold enough to make you dress in anything else and when you had gotten a touch of the cold air on your way out, you wanted to run back in and change but Yugyeom had told you that he was already on his way, so you didn’t want to keep him waiting. The coat would have to do, you decided.

You were almost completely covered up, minus your shivering legs and your face which was barely visible behind all of the layers. Yugyeom would’ve completely missed you had it not been for the cute little wave you gave him. He would never miss your cute ministrations. It was how he met you in the first place, all those years ago in this exact park when he saw you feeding a squirrel and tending to a bird who’s wing had been damaged.

He quickly turned on the heater, warming up the car for you before you got in. Yugyeom was thick skinned and rarely got cold so he was only wearing a light jacket, but he knew you were easily affected by the cold weather hence your current get up. You blew warm air onto your hands, smoke puffing out around them, before you reached for the door handle. The tip of your nose and cheeks were tinted red, how cute, he thought.

When you were comfortably seated and with your seatbelt fastened, Yugyeom grasped one your cold hands and placed it on his lap, driving away from the park and off into the city while you gave him directions to the bakery. “Did you wait long?” He asked you when you were waiting for the traffic light to signal go.

You shook your head, removing the scarf from around your neck because it was getting warmer in the car thanks to Yugyeom’s blasting heater. If not for him, you’d be completely frozen by now. “I was in the neighbourhood.” He seemed to be puzzled by the fact, but it didn’t surprise you.

The trip away with college friends wasn’t a complete lie. You had planned to go, and you did. For the first day. But after you took a dip in the nearby lake for a dare, you had fallen ill and spent the day getting an IV drip at the hospital for early symptoms of hypothermia. Fun.

Then you spent the next day wrapped up in blankets, with hot tea around the fire, as recommended by the doctor, and tried to come up with a plan for Yugyeom’s birthday. It had been awhile since you spent time with him, so you wanted it to be special. You could have told him, but it was useless as he would only worry and fuss over you. He was busy enough.

You actually lived quite a distance away from Yugyeom too, which was part of the reason why dates were rare and probably why he was being sceptical about your meeting place, but he’d find out in no time with the day you had in store for him. It wasn’t a lie that you were in the neighbourhood, but it was a surprise, so you kept your mouth closed and gave him no hints.

“So, birthday boy. Anyone spoil you with gifts and love yet, or am I the first?” He gave you a quizzical look and you laughed at the sight of pure confusion that was painted on his face, his eyebrows furrowed together, trying to piece it all together.

His face stilled and paled as he remembered the messages from the members. He was going to get his ass bet as soon as they see him tomorrow. They were birthday wishes to him and more than likely offers to go out to eat together and also the reason why you were going out with him today. He slammed his head on the steering wheel when he rolled to a stop at a red light, groaning in pain afterwards and rubbing his forehead. The members were going to think he was being bratty and ignoring them. He was literally doomed.  

You giggled quietly to yourself, knowing the antics of his members very well. Jinyoung and Jaebum especially since they frequently volunteered at the veterinary where you worked. It was near the park but quite the commute to your house as you lived in a suburban area.

The way they treated and took care of all the animals were quite the contrast to how they treated Yugyeom, but you could still feel a sense of love behind their actions. And it was unbelievably funny whenever they made fun of him. He was teased relentlessly when he first brought you to meet them, and they never let him live down the fact that he split the entire dish of spaghetti because you laughed at his mismatched socks. That was funny.

“Y/n! How stupid am I? I forgot my own birthday! Of all days!” He groaned again, repeating the same stupid mistake from earlier and slamming his forehead down on the steering wheel. He whined in pain and you rubbed the red spot soothingly, still giggling at him.

When you arrived at the destination, Yugyeom scrambled to turn his phone on and check all their 320 messages. He was dead meat.

‘Yah, you punk. You’re ignoring us?’ was sent from Jackson, along with multiple other angry face emojis of him exclaiming he won’t ever buy meat for him again. Always the dramatic one.

‘We practically raised you, and you dare ignore us on your birthday? We ought to slap some sense into you, brat.’ Obviously came from Jinyoung. Yugyeom quickly shot them a sheepish smile emoji and switched off his phone, not wanting to read the influx of texts that would surely come in the next few seconds, no doubt telling him off again.

He pulled you out of the car, momentarily forgetting about the cold weather and making you scramble to put the scarf back on. It was absolutely freezing today. The skirt was such a bad idea and making Yugyeom wait a few extra minutes wouldn’t have been a big deal when he would be in his warm car the whole time anyway. You were literally making yourself sick all over again. Guess both of you were quite the fools today. What a pair.

You swung his hand in yours, trying to take his mind off it all and just have a good day. His hand kept yours warm too. It always baffled you how he never got cold.

Popping into the bakery, you quickly picked up the cake you had ordered and grabbed Yugyeom’s hand again, making your way to the train station. Out of nowhere, rain started to pour and Yugyeom’s grasp on your hand tightened, beginning to run with you in tow to a place with shelter. The heels and skirt you wore slowed both of you down drastically, and by the time you reached shelter, you were almost completely soaked from head to toe and you felt even colder than before. How is that even possible?

Shaking like a leaf, Yugyeom removed his jacket and draped it over your shoulders, “stay here, I’ll go get an umbrella from the car.” You refused to be left alone though, so you both stayed under the flimsy plastic roof instead, waiting for the rain to pass. But just to your luck, gusts of wind were added instead of it stopping and Yugyeom sighed exasperatedly. He was only wearing a shirt. His birthday was not going well so far.

“I know you have a lot planned, but how nice does cuddling and movie sound?” He turned to look at you, concern in his eyes at your shivering state. He probably would have dragged you home even if you refused at this rate. His offer did sound tempting though; a warm bath and cuddles was just what you needed right now. “You have a bath, right?” When he gave you confirmation, you took a deep breath and grabbed his hand, running in the direction you had just come from. So much for a perfect day out together.

Snuggling up to Yugyeom’s side, you sighed in relief when your shivering finally subsided. The bath had soothed your nerves and pushed the hypothermia away, thankfully. You figured the Gods didn’t hate you so much as to completely ruin your day. Yugyeom wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into his lap and letting you cuddle into his warm chest.

Your date may have been ruined, but you would much rather be warm and happy in Yugyeom’s arms, than cold and grumpy in nature’s wrath. And at least you still had a cake to munch on together. It wasn’t too bad and both of you were content with being like this. As long as you were together, what you were doing didn’t matter much. But you did feel sorry for not doing something more special for his birthday. Yugyeom didn’t let you dwell on it for long though, blowing out the candles on the cake and making a wish.

It wasn’t much but being with you made Yugyeom happier than anything else could. He had you in his arms, warmth and happiness surrounding the two of you as the movie played in the background and tasting the sweet cake on his tongue. Yugyeom decided simplicity was best and curled up into the bed, taking you with him. This was all he truly needed to feel happy and he couldn’t wait to spend another year with you like this.

[viscer-aa]

Scrapped HSFBL Prologue 🍑🦷

[heres the prologue I scrapped and had to rewrite the backstory. Ive figured out what i want for the new one so have no fear ill be rewriting this soon]

Prologue

The inn was warm and merry. The fire crackled brightly in its place, lapping the pot of stew, whose aroma hung in the air with the ale and sweat from the dancers. The bard played a jaunty tune on his flute as a woman with a tambourine spun and tapped her feet to the tune, the little bells on her fur coat jingling. A man approached her, swaying as he stepped, taking her free hand in an attempt to dance with her, only for her to scoff and push the drunken man back into his seat by the fire. His comrades roared with laughter, spilling their drinks on the wood floor. The barkeep would’ve scolded them for this, if she too wasn’t laughing.

“Blimey Gunter, what did ye think was gonna ‘appen?” A bearded man to his right hiccuped, slapping his companion on the back. Gunter shoved back causing the man to drop his drink, ale soaking into his blood-splattered boots. The bearded man froze, then gasped dramatically. “You bastard!” He cried accusingly, a grin spreading over his features despite himself. He lunged at his friend, pulling him into a headlock and digging his knuckles into his scalp. Gunter coughed and grabbed at the arm, but was weak from laughter. His companion howled, “Are ye tired from th’ wench earlier? Ye’r hardly strugglin’!”

Gunter scoffed, “Ah please, as if you’re any trouble after such a docile vamp like that!” and dropped his own mug in favor of wrapping his arms tight around his friend’s middle and slamming him onto the ground. The barkeep hollered over the din.

“Oi! boys! Knock it off!”

“Ease up, Hilda!” The dancer smiled, still tapping on her tambourine. "You shouldn't be too hard on them, they're heroes after all!"

"No hero of mine goes around vanquishing floors!" Hilda bit back, stern demeanor ruined by a bubble of laughter. The other patrons watching the spectacle laughed and laughed. After watching Gunter deliver a swift elbow to the other’s stomach, a fellow hunter decided that that was enough and pulled the two off of each other and back onto their chairs. “Thank you Magni!” Magni smiled warmly at the barkeep with a nod of his red head.

A fourth hunter seated on Magni’s left punched his arm. “If you get any sweeter on that girl I think I’ll vomit!” Laughter flared up again as Magni’s face went as red as his hair. Hilda chuckled and smiled warmly.

“Well I’m sweet on him too, seeing as he’s the only one with any manners among you.” Magni turned even redder than his hair at that. A fifth voice spoke up from the front of their circle facing the fire, which cast long shadows over his face. His beetle-black eyes dimly reflected the glow of his pipe.

“Watch yourself, boy,” He spoke in a voice cracked and worn with age. “Quick love like this only makes one stupid. I would think you’d be smarter considering what just happened with Kieran.” Any residual bits of laughter were sucked up as the old hunter took a drag from his pipe. Magni’s face went back to its usual pale, though he felt nearly green with sick at the implication of the words. The smell of the fire was suddenly heavy.

“... Poor Kieran.” He muttered, barely over the crackling of the fire. The fourth hunter reached over and patted his shoulder.

“It had to be done, you know that.”

Magni’s face scrunched up in distress, then released in a sad huff. “I know, I know,” he sighed and wrung his hands. “It just that I’d never seen Kieran happier.”

The older man held no such sentiment. “That monster bewitched him. He’ll be right in no time now that she’s gone,” He said, punctuating the statement with another puff of his pipe.

Gunter, ever the optimist, let out a hearty laugh and patted Magni on the shoulder. “Hear that?” He shouted. “He’ll be right as rain in no time!” He leaned in close and whispered, or at least tried the best a drunk man could to whisper. “Here, I know just what you need to lift your spirits. Hilda! Another round!” He turned and yelled across the tavern.

“I think you’ve had more than enough ale-” Magni began.

“Nonsense! There’s no such thing as ‘enough ale’!”

And with that, the jovial atmosphere was restored as Hilda loaded up the rusted metal tray with tankards. “If you spill another mug, Gunter, I’m going to make you sleep outside with the horses.” Passing them out to the five hunters, she leaned in close and whispered to Magni. “When you decide to turn in, perhaps you’d like to come join me? Take your mind off of things?” To which Magni was immediately bright red. “Just a thought,” Hilda winked, and walked back over to the bar.

The hunter on Magni’s left nearly fell out of his chair from laughing so hard as the bard began a love song on his flute. The old man huffed and muttered through his pipe.

“I see you’re pointedly ignoring my advice.”

The hunter, now actually on the floor, wheezed out between giggles. “You said it yourself old man; Kieran was just under a spell from that witch! Magni will be just fine, unless Hilda’s secretly a vampire or something.”

The bearded man spoke up. “I would hope not. I warded this place myself.”

“Hilda!” The man on the floor called out, “We don’t have to worry about you bewitching anyone, do we?”

“Igni, all you have to worry about is what I’ll do to Gunter if he spills any more of my ale.”

“Well said!” Igni raised up his mug and took a hearty swig, effectively spilling the entire thing on his face, inciting a harsh yell from the barkeep. Gunter prodded him to get back up as the bearded man leaned forward towards the old man.

“Say, Ragnvaldr,” he began. “How long will it be ‘til this spell on th’ boy wears off?”

Ragnvaldr sprinkled more tobacco into his pipe. “It should’ve worn off after we killed the vampire.”

Magni shifted in his seat uncomfortably, scratching at his beard in thought. “...Where is Kieran, anyway? It’s been so long.”

“Aye, it has,” The bearded man agreed. “Th’ hell has he been up to?”

After a few flicks of a lighter and a long drag, Ragnvaldr sighed out, “He’s working as a sawyer. Last I’d heard he was headed to Stoclyn on business, but he should be getting back about now.” Igni finally sat up, intrigued, after effectively ignoring Gunter’s attempts to get him up.

“Shouldn’t we be looking for him, then?”

“Calm down, son,” Ragnvaldr chided as he nudged Igni all the way up with his boot. “I left a note at his home telling him where we are. If everything went well, he should be on his way now.” Igni settled back into his seat with a contented sigh, flashing a smile at Magni, who was positively beaming.

With the tension in the air properly dispelled, the night continued on filled with joyous music, gripping stories, and delighted cheers. Gunter had finally gotten his dance with the tambourine woman (albeit mostly out of her pitying him,) as the others regaled in the evening pleasantries. Ragnvaldr sat still in his chair with his pipe, yet looked on his companions with a sort of fatherly fondness in his dark eyes. The hours had melted away by the time the door to the inn swung open with a thundering crash and the whipping of the winter wind. A woman swaddled in a cloak next to the door muttered a complaint about the cold. All eyes turned towards to see. Magni and Igni leapt out of their seats eagerly to catch sight of the newcomer.

In the doorway stood a dark figure, short and stocky, dark hair and coat peppered white with snow. The firelight didn’t reach his sunken eyes.

“Kieran?” Igni called out. The figure didn’t answer, and instead stood there, expression unreadable.

Ragnvaldr slowly stood and turned towards the man. He smiled warmly at him, black eyes brimming with tears. “Welcome back, son,” He spoke softly.

“Danika,” Kieran whispered; an empty sound as if he hadn’t even heard Ragnvaldr.

The elder hunter tensed up momentarily, then sighed and moved to wrap his arms around the boy in a comforting embrace.

[and then we were gonna have a very dramatic “you killed my wife!!!” deal and the hunters try to argue that Danika never loved Kieran and only bewitched him and Kieran was gonna deliver some badass line like “i’ve never been more sober in my life” and kill everyone in the inn with a hatchet, end prologue]