#oh joy brain you just had a rubber duck moment

[etherealvoidechoes]

It’s still gonna be a long while before any major and minor fic updates, new fics, and art posts.

So busy with work and just exhausted mentally and physically. Trying to do anything would be beyond subpar quality and I want to do better.

Pray y’all are doing fine and days are going well! ❤️

[dreamlover31]

Love Will Find a Way: Chapter 24

It had been a few weeks since the awkward encounter at the farmer’s market, life continued as normal for Alexa and Rafael, he fought for people who had been victimized by every form of scum you can imagine while she provided a safe haven for them. Recently, some additional security was hired on at Alexa’s insistence, even though it would be strictly on a volunteer basis since the shelter was on a limited budget, in the beginning, she grew concerned that the men would decline the offer, but to her amazement; they reassured her that doing their civic duty was far more rewarding than anything else.

As she was going over the safety procedures, a hand crept up her shoulder, when she turned around, the look on her face was one of surprise and profound excitement at the sight of Rafael holding a bouquet of white lilies. Alexa’s smile beamed at the romantic gesture, after he handed her the flowers, she sniffed at the fresh smelling aroma that emitted from the petals.

“Oh Rafi, their beautiful…thank you,” she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Your welcome mi amor, are you ready to go?”

“Oh yeah, just give a minute”

Alexa excused herself and headed over to Gladys’ office, but was stunned to find that she wasn’t there, at that moment, she caught another one of the staff members walking down the hall; her hand stretched out at and tapped the co-worker’s shoulder.

“Hey, have you seen Gladys?”

“She said she had to leave early, I think she said it was a family emergency or something”

“Oh…well can you do me a favor? Can you finish going over the safety procedures with the new security guards we hired?”

“Sure, no problem”

“Thanks”

She gave the young woman the clipboard with the safety protocols and guidelines attached then made her way back to the area where Rafael and the guards were standing, she apologized for having to leave but assured them that her fellow co-worker would finish prepping them and if there were any questions, to leave them with the young woman.

All three of them shook hands and said their goodbyes as Rafael and Alexa exited the building, the SUV was parked across the street, as soon as they entered the vehicle, their seatbelts were securely fastened while Rafael started the engine. He checked his blind spots for any oncoming traffic, once it was cleared, the car was put into gear and departed from the spot.

“So where are you taking me to lunch?”

“Actually, I have a little something planned at home”

“Oh, that’s even better…it’ll be more intimate, you know…just the two of us,” her hand slid across the dashboard and linked with Rafael’s.

“Uh, yeah…sure”

Alexa’s face expressed puzzlement at his odd choice of words, but decided to shrug it off, the front of the brownstone was immediately in their line of sight, once the car was parked; Rafael was the first to get out and then walked over to the passenger side where he escorted her from the vehicle and up the steps, during which, she reiterated to him that she was more than capable of moving on her own.

When the door opened, she slipped off her purse and hung it on the coat rack, but after she took a few steps into the dining room, her body shifted to a position where it was as if she had stared into the eyes of Medusa.

“Surprise!”

Alexa was completely awestruck at what she was seeing, the room was covered in pink streamers and balloons, there were stacks of gifts along the table and a three-tiered cake covered in pink frosting with a signage that read ‘It’s a girl’ to match the banner that stretched along the wall behind the crowd of people that stood before her, tears pricked from her eyes as she placed a hand over her mouth.

It was then that Rafael came up behind her and put his arm around her, streaks of liquid flowed down her cheeks as her hand went from her mouth to her chest in an expression of the deep gratitude and love she felt for everyone in the room; Fin, Amanda, Sonny, Jesse, and even Chief Dodds were in attendance along with Gladys. Olivia came up to her with a small tiara, Alexa let out a small laugh as she put the bejeweled piece of headwear on her head, the women embraced themselves in a hug.

“Thank you all so much”

“Of course, we are all so happy for you and Rafael, we wanted to share in that joy”

“All right everyone, let’s get this party under way,” they all laughed in unison at Sonny’s playful announcement.

Rafael pulled up a chair behind Alexa, she carefully seated herself while at the same time, the guests huddled up next to one another; Amanda took it upon herself to pass out the first gift, she gently ripped the wrapping paper decorated in baby rattles and rubber ducks to find a small white box, upon lifting the top portion of it, Alexa gasped in awe at the collection of tiny shirts and pants color coated for a girl, but the one piece of clothing that attracted her attention was a cute little pink onesie that had a picture of baby Minnie Mouse in the front.

“Oh Amanda, this is so cute”

“Thanks, hope you don’t mind Jesse’s hand me downs”

“No, not at all”

The next gift that was given to her was from Olivia, after she unwrapped the small package, the same look of astonishment beguiled her as she gazed upon the item, it was a miniaturized version of a carousel with white horses whose manes were of pink and purple hues. After further inspection, Alexa saw the small knob at the bottom of it, with a few turns, the horses encircled the carousel as the song beautiful dreamer played.

“Wow, Olivia…this is so sweet, thank you”

“Your welcome,” once again, the two women embraced in another hug.

An hour passed, Alexa went through most of the gifts, many of them varied from clothes and toys to baby monitors and a breast pumping machine; courtesy of Gladys. The atmosphere of the party was filled with an overall sense of joy and happiness, Alexa’s heart swelled at the outpouring of emotion, the likes of which she hadn’t felt since that Thanksgiving night when those same people showed up at their door with plentiful portions of food and their warm and kind affections.

Suddenly, the festivities were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing, Sonny got up from his seat and said that he would answer it, during his absence, everyone had a small plate in their hands with plastic forks digging into the pink frosted cake that had been cut up and passed around. Alexa was finishing up a small portion of her cake when she looked up to see Sonny standing in the doorway with a young blonde woman, everyone else met her stare as he introduced the woman as his cousin Sara.

All of them exchanged hellos and waves, then Sonny lead her to an open chair next to him.

“Hey, I thought that new guy you’re seeing was going to stop by”

“He is, he’ll be here any min…her train of thought was interrupted by the doorbell ringing again.

“I’ll get it”

Another gift was nestled on Alexa’s lap as Sonny answered the door, she was midway into unwrapping it when she saw Sonny’s cousin leap up from her chair and darted across the room and dove into the arms of some mystery man, she concluded that the man in question was possibly her boyfriend. Slowly, she released him from her grasp and faced everyone.

“Everyone, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend”

Alexa’s heart stopped as her eyes looked upon the man that stood in the doorway, oh god…this can’t be happening, please anybody but him. A feeling of dread overcame her when she came to the realization that Sara’s boyfriend was none other than her ex Sean, he quickly waved to everyone as the couple made their way across the room, and sat down a few feet away from Rafael and Alexa, when they met eyes, Sean tried to keep the look of shock from forming on his face.

Sara relayed to everyone that they’ve been together for a few months and went on to describe how he’s the most loving and supportive boyfriend she’s ever known, meanwhile, Alexa grew increasingly uncomfortable being in Sean’s presence, she shifted in her seat, to which it caught Rafael’s eye.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I just need a glass of water”

“Alright, I’ll get it for you”

“No, it’s ok…I’ll get it,” Alexa lifted from her seat using the armrests for support, then she squeezed pass Fin and Sonny as she entered the kitchen. She grabbed a glass from the top cupboard and held it under the faucet of the sink, the water filled up halfway when a blur came across her peripheral vision, a startled reaction overtook Alexa.

“Jesus”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you”

“Is there something I can help you with,” the tone of her voice was apparent to him that it was one of sarcasm.

“I just wanted to make sure you were ok…you almost looked like you were about to keel over when I came into the room”

“I’m sorry…it’s just…I didn’t expect to see you again”

“Yeah…me neither…look Lex, about what happened at the market…”

“Sean, please”

“No, I need to say this… when I saw you, there were so many things that I wanted to say, but my brain just couldn’t form the words…anyway, I’m sorry for the way things went down between us. What I did to you was unforgivable and before I left…I wanted to tell you how sorry I was, but I knew that you didn’t want to hear it”

Alexa faced away Sean and remained silent as he continued to voice his apologies and affirmations that he was a changed man, that his relationship with Sara was a solid one and that he could see a future with her, for what seemed like 10 minutes passed by before Alexa looked up at Sean.

“Well…I’m glad that you’re happy, and I hope things work out between you two, just remember that her cousin’s a cop”

Alexa and Sean giggled, their gaze didn’t falter, it was then that Sean smiled softly.

“Wow, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you smile since I’ve got here”

Alexa lowered her head to conceal the flush of pink that spread across her face.

“Hey look, I know that this is a long shot, but if you ever want to get together and grab a cup of coffee…his voice trailed off as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

“I was just hoping that maybe…I don’t know…we could start fresh”

Alexa thought for a moment, oh wow…this is awkward, I mean I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to…but then again, Sean and I have been over for a long time…so I guess it wouldn’t hurt just to have his number, not like I’m ever going to call him anyway.

“Ok…I guess that would be fine”

Alexa stepped over to one of the drawers under the counter and pulled out a small piece of scrap paper and a pen, Sean gave her the number as she scribbled it, then she folded it up and stuffed it inside her jean pocket.

“We should probably be heading back, people might start to worry”

She nodded, the two made their way back into the dining room where they returned to their seats, Rafael turned to Alexa and said:

“There you are, I was worried about you…everything alright?”

“Yes, I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to upset you”

“No, it’s ok,” he stroked her hair and then gently kissed her forehead.

As time went on, the guests enjoyed a few more helpings of the delicious, pink frosted cake while Alexa unwrapped the rest of the gifts, after partaking in some humorous games one played at a baby shower, one by one; people started to leave the party.

Olivia was ultimately the last to leave, she engaged in another hug with Alexa and reciprocated one to Rafael, when the door closed, she re-entered the dining room where she saw Rafael pick up the discarded plates and shredded up wrapping paper then threw them in a big, black garbage bag that was set on the other side of the room. After the last scrap of debris was discarded, he tied up the bag and dumped it into the garbage can out front, when he went back inside, he spotted Alexa laid out on the couch in the living room; he sat down next to her as she propped her feet on his lap.

His thumbs created circular patterns along the balls of her feet, Alexa tilted her head back with her eyes closed, soft moans escaped her lips as he resumed his ministrations.

“Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah, thank you”

“Come on, let’s go to bed”

“I don’t feel like moving, can we stay down here tonight?”

“Ok, let me just grab a blanket”

Rafael stood up and headed towards the linen closet in the hallway, he picked out one of the quilted blankets his mother bought for them as a housewarming gift, upon his return; Alexa moved from her position to make room for Rafael. He maneuvered himself next to her as he draped the blanket over them, she took his hand into hers and placed them on top of her growing belly, in that instant, a small kick poked from within. Their faces lit up at the sudden movement by the tiny human being growing inside her, Rafael kissed Alexa’s cheek as he spoke:

“Do you think she knows how much she’s loved?”

“I think she just answered that”

“Hmm, I am so blessed”

“I know…” Alexa moved her head towards Rafael’s to where their noses almost touched, her soft lips enveloped his in a chaste but affectionate kiss.

“Good night Rafi”

“Good night mi amor”

His eyes peered down to Alexa’s belly:

“Good night sweet girl”

Tagging: @madpanda75 @laceybellerain @southern-magnolia @tropes-and-tales @madamsnape921 @itsjustmyfantasyroom @karens-imagined-world @beccabarba @thatesqcrush

[realfuurikuuri]

Chapters: 12/? Fandom: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Mao Mao/Tanya Keys, Mao mao/badgerclops

MissingArm!AU: When escaping the cave, it wasn't his tail that got crushed. In exchange for his innocence, he gained a sordid past. The Pure Heart Valley seemed like a good place to escape. To start a new life with a new family to forge a new identity. However, when the past rears its ugly head Mao Mao's forced to step up or be put down.

AN:  We're back after a brief interlude, but here is the next chapter. The biggest deliberation writing this one was the ending. I was wondering if I should make it a new chapter, instead, I decided to include it in this one. Enjoy. The song of the day is RUn the Jewels #4. RTJ is a rap duo that released the new album for free on their website. Give it a download. Not that it has anything to do with the chapter I just love it. As always credits to @Spookylovesboba and enjoy the chapter.

Direct Link to chapter 13: XXXXX

Mao Mao sat on the couch. He had a book in his hands, but his eyes glazed over the words. Occasionally, he stole glances at the door, realized his mistake, and went back to the book he wasn’t reading. He considered looking up from the book, maybe time would go faster if he watched cartoons with Adorabat. He quickly realized that watching What’s New Lucky Ducky would only make him more impatient. Maybe he should try seeing what Badgerclops was up to? Granted, if it was anything technical, which it always was, he wouldn’t be able to help.

Ding-Dong!

Mao Mao looked to the monster alarm before remembering that Badgerclops installed a doorbell. He leaped to his feet and swung open the door, swiftly swiping the package from Mail-Mole’s hands. He set it down on the table and unsheathed a single claw.

“Hey, Mao Mao.”

He swung around to find Adorbat standing behind him.

“What’s in the package,” she asked, flying up to his shoulder.

“Oh. Its-,” Mao Mao hesitated, he was about to say nothing off of pure reflex, but he looked down at the package. He wasn’t at home anymore, he wasn’t bound by family either. There was no reason to hide it.

“It’s a… how to say this… a Rubber Ducky toy.”

“A toy! I wanna see! I wanna see!”

Mao Mao quickly snatched the contents from the box, holding it high in the air out of Adorabat’s reach.

“This isn’t just a toy. It was expensive. Be careful with it, okay?”  

“Fine,” she groaned.

Inside the package was another package. A box that was one of those hard, plastic clamshell things with a small egg-shaped thing sealed inside. He brought it down to Adorabat’s eye level as she began to read it over.

“Virtual Pet? Hey, I have one of these.”

“No, no, no. You may have one of the gatchis, maybe a rerelease, but this is different. Check this out,” Mao Mao pointed to a small worn sticker on the back. “See 1988. A sealed, first-generation, blue egg Ducky-Gatchi.”

“Wow. 1988… that’s almost as old as you,” she said.

“Yeah- wait, how old do you think I am?”

His question never got answered as their attention was pulled away by Badgerclops. “Hey, Mao, someone used one of your pointy things as a screwdriver and broke it,” he called out as he came up the stairs.

“You did what!”

Mao Mao inhaled sharply. He’d learned his lesson after yesterday’s stroke, besides he didn’t have health insurance.

“Watcha’ got there?”  Badgerclops leaned in for a closer look.”You buy Adorabat a new toy?”

“No, I didn’t buy it for Adorabat,” Mao Mao said in a small voice,” I bought it for myself.”

“Aren’t you a little too old to be playing with toys?”

“What? Are you crazy? I’m not playing with this! I spent $1000 on this!”

Oops.

Badgerclops slowly turned to Mao Mao. “Does this have anything to do with your Lucky Ducky obsession?”

“What? I don’t have a- haha, is it getting hot in here? I’m going to step out to get some air.”

Mao Mao was almost out the door when Badgerclops’ robotic arm grabbed him by the cape and pulled him back to the table.  “Why did you spend $1000 on a Ducky-Gatchi?”

“It’s not just a Ducky-Gatchi. It's from the first run of the product. The Ducky-Gatchis were released in eight colors with eight shapes. There’s supposed to be roughly a 6435 chance of any specific combination, but a manufacturer’s error made blue eggs even rarer than that. This blue egg gatchi is still sealed in the plastic, and it's been taken care of really well. The clamshell packaging hasn’t even started to yellow.”

Badgerclops frowned and crossed his arms. He held it for a few seconds before relenting with a heavy sigh. “Fine,” he groaned,” just don’t spend so much money on this stuff.”

“Hot dog! I knew you’d come around,” Mao Mao slapped Badgerclops on the back before going back to the Ducky-Gatchi,” still have to find a place to display this, though.”

“Hey Adorabat. Don't you--,” Mao Mao looked around to find Adorabat nowhere in sight.

“Where’d she go?”

“I don’t know She was here a moment ago,” Badgerclops.

“Hey, Mao Mao,” her voice called from the other room,” I told you I had one.”

* * *

Badgerclops watched Mao Mao head off into the bedroom. He picked up the Ducky-Gatchi he left on the table. This thing was definitely not worth $1000. He would have been madder if Mao Mao hadn’t looked so happy. The smile was different from the normal ones; it didn’t have any boastful pride, reckless ambition, or ego-saving denial. Badgerclops had traveled with Mao Mao for years yet this is the first time he’s seen a smile of indulgent joy. It was a good look on him and Badgerclops knew he ought to do what he can to make it more common. Although, Mao Mao could stand to learn some moderation.

He held the Duck-Gatchi up and did his best to see why he’d spend $1000 on it. Value is a subjective thing, so what value did this have to Mao Mao? It likely had something to do with his childhood (every odd thing about him did) so how did this relate back? Badgerclops first thought was Mao Mao’s father. He wasn’t like how Mao Mao described him. Badgerclops mind began to wander back to the night when Mao Mao had a stroke. And the night he met the root of Mao Mao’s problems.

* * *

Again, Badgerclops was spending the night in Camille’s tower. Again, he sat off to the side to watch Honey and Camille work. Again, he found himself powerless. The only thing different this time was that he did his best to ignore the infuriating metallic tap! tap! tap! from Mao Mao’s dad who crossed his arms and wouldn't stop tapping his finger. Badgerclops stole a glance  at him.

He could sort of see the resemblance between Mao Mao and his father. Shin had a more angled face and grayer fur, not to mention those golden eyes. First time he’s heard of a cat having eyes like that. There was little resemblance between him and his grandson. Granted, there wasn’t that much resemblance between Jǐngtì and his own father. The black and brown patterned fur, tufted arms, white stomach, and blue eyes were certainly from Jǐngtì’s mother. He only shared the round face and pointy ears with his father’s side. Shin was impressively tall. Neither Jǐngtì nor Mao Mao had that. Shin’s made Mao Mao look downright pathetic compared to him. Then again he would look pathetic compared to anyone when he was lying on a table.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

It’s a good thing that Adorabat wasn’t here, although he wasn’t sure if they’d make the play. Should he take her home after the play, or stop by with her in tow. Should he leave Mao Mao to attend the play alone and leave Mao Mao here, or should he wait here? It’d hurt to not have either of them show up for the play, but she would understand, right? Maybe he could

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Maybe he could talk to the teacher and pull Adorabat out of the play. This is an emergency.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Could he not be so fucking annoying?  Badgerclops sighed, trying to resume the line of thought, but found it fleeting. He was racking his brain until he was just trying to block Shin out, yet he kept tap! tap! tapping! away.

Eventually, it was too much. Badgerclops turned to Shin,” could you possibly be quiet for one second,” he snapped.

Shin seemed almost confused for a second, then he seemed indignant. “Excuse me for being worried about my son,” he shot back.

“For the first time,” Badgerclops mumbled.

“What was that, boy? I can’t hear you from down there.”

“I said that its a funny time to suddenly start caring about him!”

Shin stumbled back like he’d been hit in the chest. “That’s… that’s preposterous. Where would you even get that idea?” His words were shaky, lacking that artificial confident inflection that his son copied.

“I don’t know, maybe I’ve actually paid attention to anything he says for more than five minutes?”

"You're talking like you my son better than I do."

Before they could get any louder, they were interrupted by a loud “ahem” that turned their heads. Honey was pointing at the door with that placid look on her face; The mute’s message was heard loud in clear. Shin held the door open for Badgerclops as they took it into the hall outside. They didn’t start arguing again. The rising tension gave way to a sickening sense of shame. They both retreated to their own corners, to their own minds.

“What do you know about us,” Shin mumbled under his breath.

“Enough,” Badgerclops answered back.

Shin looked up, confused before he realized he was thinking out loud. He didn’t say anything back, instead, he dismissed Badgerclops with a grumble.

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“You saw him back there? Why’d you attack your son?”

“What are you talking about? I never attacked him. He attacked me!”

“How do you explain the broken bones, the bleeding, the bruising, the three-inch hole in his side?”

Shin didn’t snap back. His face went pale and it looked like he was about to vomit. “I.. have done no such thing.”

“Then who did? You were the only person at the house after that.”

“I don’t know. That’s not what happened?”

“Then what did happen?”

Shin reared up like he was going to say something back before his shoulders slumped as his gaze went to the floor. “I.. my wife said that I should visit, so I did. When I did show up Mao Mao was bleeding all over the place. I didn’t know what happened. He.. had some glass in his side. I got it out and then… I don’t know.”

“What happened?”

“We… got into an argument. A bad one. He chased me around the house, told me I was a grandfather, and then told me he didn’t want to see me again.”

“Is that it?”

“Yes! That’s what happened! I learned that my own son hates me more than anything in the world. There! Are you happy?”

Badgerclops examine Shin. His flicked back ears, averted gaze, thee closed hands, and receding posture.  It didn’t seem like he was lying. Which begs the question, what happened next? The timeline he had down states that he met Jǐngtì , which is where the glass came from. After that, he met Shin, who removed the glass, so how did he get the 3-inch hole in his side? Who else could have possibly visited?

“I think I should be going.”

“I don't think I’m the first thing my son wants to see when he wakes up,” Shin justified. It was aimed at Badgerclops but he could tell Shin was talking to himself.

Badgerclops was felt the urge to stop him. Not because he thought Shin was wrong, but because Shin was the only lead he had. He looked to Shin’s hands. They found the missing finger, so Shin was certainly there, but those claw marks didn’t fit those. They didn’t fit Mao Mao or Jǐngtì’s, so those claw marks belonged to someone else?

He had to rule out Shin, so Badgerclops let him go, watching him trudge down the hall.

Ironic, he thought becoming working in the Pure Heart valley would be tedious work, but here he is doing it of his own violation. Maybe Mao Mao would remember something when he woke up. He had to find out who. Who did this?

Badgerclops set the question aside, returning to the present. He’s dwelled on that question for hours already, and he’d dwell on it some more but right now he set the box back on the table. He titled his head to the other room to get a better look. Mao Mao and Adorabat have been in there a while. Long enough for him to dwell at least.

* * *

“Mao Mao,” he heard Badgerclops call out.

“Yeah,” he answered back, not taking his eyes off the screen.

He had a well-worn ducky-gatchi in his hands. The plastic had begun to chip, there was a scratch on the screen, and the sound chip or speakers must’ve broken cause it made no sound. Adorabat quietly watched Mao Mao over his shoulder. Mao Mao could hear Badgerclops’ heavy footsteps as he approached.

“What’re you doing,” he asked.

Mao Mao shook the ducky-gatchi in his hands. “She actually had one. Though it's out of package and heavily used so it’d be $300 at most.”

“I’d hate to interrupt you having fun, but we gotta make lunch.”

Mao Mao was going to disagree. It should be noon maybe a little after, but the pit in his stomach said otherwise. He might've played this longer than he thought. He passed it to Adorabat to follow Badgerclops to the Kitchen.

“What are we making,” he asked.

“Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”

Mao Mao paused. “What’s up,” he asked.

“Relax,” Badgerclops said,” you’re not in trouble or anything. I just want to make sure everything’s okay.”

“Why would anything not be okay,” he deflected.

"I just want to know why you bought the ducky-gatchi."

"Oh, that was just... something I've always wanted, but never actually got."

"Does it have to with your dad?"

"Yeah," he sighed," papa -er, Shin- never really approved of my... Lucky Ducky thing, so now I'm not involved with him anymore I thought-"

Badgerclops placed a hand on his shoulder," don't worry I'm not mad at you. Just try to be more careful with money."

Ring! Ring! Ring! The monster alarm blared on the wall.

“Yeah, thanks” Mao Mao,” Adorabat c’mon we got work to do.”

* * *

Mao Mao rode into the Valley Plaza only to be stricken with a bit of disappointment when he saw what it was. “You know you shoulda installed a second alarm during renovations.”

“Do we really need one though?”

“Well, one of us could be halfway done making lunch instead of dealing with this mess.”

Mao Mao pointed his thumb at the huddled, shouting mass of limbs that were the Sky Pirates' regular arguments. It got to the point they were actually kicking up a cloud of dust like this was a cartoon. Although… someone was missing.

He patted Badgerclops’ shoulder. “Hey, have you seen-”

“2nd store window. Three houses left.”

Mao Mao followed the instructions to find his son, lounging on windowsill, looking down on everything dispassionately. Almost everything. When he caught his eye he turned away. To think today started so well.

“That’s enough!”

Mao Mao turned to Orangusnake right in time to keep himself from being cleaved in two. He caught the strike with Geraldine locking blades for a second as the fight began, but something was different this time. Orangusnake’s blows were quicker, heavier. Each hit shook his sword like a bell. What was wrong? What was different?

Mao Mao blocked a strike that sent him crashing through police barriers. When did he set these up? He didn’t have time to think about it. Orangusnake was silhouetted in the sun with a war-ax brandished. Mao Mao stepped back to get out the way but stumbled. His foot was caught in something. A hole? What was a- oh no.

Clang!

Mao Mao had blocked the strike perfectly yet it sent tremors down his body and forced a web of cracks to snake across the ground. The police barriers were there for a reason. A reason he needed to address before someone got caught in it. The ground shook and shuddered as it began to give way, plunging Mao Mao and Orangusnake into the dark depths of the sinkhole.

[tcrmommabear]

Temporal Shift (TCR B-Day Bash)

Hey demons, it’s me, ya girl, coming back from the depths of depression and anxiety to throw this at you for TCR Week. In all seriousness, I’m finally in a really good place. It’s not all sunshine and roses, but for once in my life, I can actually think. I can actually love and enjoy things again.

But with that sappiness over with, I’m back, and better than ever, with some angst that’ll really kill ya ;)

For those familiar with Wolf 359, yes, I am giving you the AU you never knew you wanted, let alone was possible. To those not familiar with W359, it’s a space audio-log style podcast that @catsafarithewriter and I have been in love with lately. It’s funny, it’s dark, it’s exciting, it’s brilliant. If you don’t mind the spoilers, take a read down below! If you’re interested in it now, maybe skip this prompt until you get up to episode 47, past Special Episode “Change of Mind”.

For those who don’t care, enjoy down below :)

(Bonus: Here’s the song that Persephone listens to)

The station port creaked open, swinging in to reveal the deep expanse laid out before them. She stepped forward, trusting the heavy boots to hold her steady. There was no hesitation, the feeling of weight settled at her feet, the smell of stale, cycled air familiar.

Comforting.

She glanced back at her companion, watching as they took fearful steps forward, hesitating to lift and step. She laughed, stepping back to offer a hand. The other accepted, grip tight even between the stiff rubber gloves of their suits.

“So-o-o-o-o,” she began, breathless, never letting go of her hand, “how often do you do this?”

She shrugged, glancing back and meeting sapphire eyes. She flushed, nervous laughter tumbling out. “Oh, three or four times a week. Mostly when everyone is asleep.”

“I see,” the other hummed, grip tightening on her hand as they stopped walking.

“Louise,” she watched her jump, a smirk spreading, “is this your first space walk?”

She didn’t need much beyond the immediate silence, the way the taller tried to duck her head and hide.

“You were supposed to do ten hours our first week here!”

“I know, I know-!”

“Shock, scandal, utter betrayal!”

“Please don’t tell-!”

She waved a hand, cutting off Louise’s plea, “Your secret’s safe with me. So, let’s go.”

Louise paused, cocking her head. “Go where? What?”

She grinned, raising her hand to point at the stars. “Let’s go free float for a bit, c’mon.”

She smiled sheepishly, taking a step away from her. “You go ahead, Persephone. I’ll get there just… Not tonight.”

They shared a smile, though looked away when they felt each had stared a moment too long.

“Suit yourself,” she said, deactivating her boots. The sensation took her slowly, creeping upwards. She felt a tug, and realized her and Louise had never let go of each other. She twisted to face her, floating just barely above her. Louise reach her other hand out, which she easily took, their helmets gently knocking against each other.

Even as she was floating in space, she could have never felt so light, so free. She gave a giddy giggle, memorizing the pattern of her freckles, the way one eye looked greener than the other.

“Go on,” Louise breathed, “float with the rest of the stars.”

She could only nod, letting go, turning to face the vast expanse. Wolf 359 glowing, bright, shimmering. There was a crackle of music, her cassette playing through the comms. The only song that felt like home.

“So-o-o… What did we learn, Persephone?” he purred, creeping into the corner of her vision. She stood on her ship, never breaking eyes with the twirling ball of fire.

“You just… Had to ruin the moment, didn’t you, Duke?”

His suit was too finely pressed, the whites sharp enough to kill. He was difficult to look at, his voice really the only clue to who he was. He hummed, “Sorry. Just the way it goes, sometimes.”

She nodded, fists clenching. Let her chest expand, meeting eyes with her star. Fiery, bright, blinding.

“You know you can’t stay here…”

“I know,” she answered, firmly, “I just… Needed to remind myself of something. To see… To see her again.”

“But, humor me here, why this moment? Why here?”

“Maybe because… She was the real star. Because I knew, for sure, here. How much I would do for her.”

He was silent this time, watching as her star, out of focus and blurred, suddenly came into focus, stark and clear. Warping into a deep blue.

“It’s almost time,” he sing-songed, voice grating, tearing her further away from her moment, her precious memory.

“Was any of this real,” she suddenly asked, “Was this… Really mine? Or was this the story I was told so I’d think I-?”

“A question with an answer only you can determine for yourself, Persephone. Ready?”

She sighed, glaring, blurred as her world melted.

“I’m going to mess you-!”

“Clear!” giggled out.

Electricity surged through her, igniting her senses. The entirety of her body washed over her with the shock, washing away as quickly as it came. Another bolt, twice as strong, froze her in a snapshot, memories siphoning into her brain.

Moments of the life she lived.

Young, lips tight, fire in her eyes.

Nose bleeding, fist cocked, army written all over her.

Heart broken, family, friends, all lost, station echoing behind her.

Grim determination, false confidence, curling fear overtaken with frost from cryo.

Ice bathed in flames.

Electricity surged, surged, surged, overloaded her until she was hacking half her lungs out. Her world came to her in puzzle pieces and tsunami waves, understanding far from her mind. Voices called, pressure on her skull that she didn’t know how to process.

“I’d say we’re about… Half way there. After that kids? Training wheels come off.”

***

He locked Machida and Muta separately, hands still shaking as he entered the locking code. He took the long way through the station, working through the damaged and hollow halls until he came back to the medbay.

Persephone slept on the bed, chest rising and falling like it had never stopped. Like a bullet didn’t paint the back wall of the comms room with her grey matter. The shaking returned with fervor, but he sucked in an unsteady breath, digging his nails into the flesh of his palm. Let his chest expand.

No time for fear. No time for fear, for revulsion, for outright grief. He packed the feelings away, stored them in a little box out of sight, and set about to look for Haru. He scoured what remained of the ship, bunks, bathrooms, the mess, only to find her in the first place he thought she’d be, and the last place he wanted to find her.

Even with one less full body bag on the floor, the feeling of death weighed the room down heavy, obscuring the beauty of the stars with the cruelty on man. She didn’t look at him, staring out the observation deck window to the blue star haunting their station. He took a seat beside her, studying her face, following the tear tracks, examining the flecks of blood Persephone coughed onto her.

“Haru…” he began, but what do you say? What do you tell someone, when they’ve witnessed the craziest, most miraculous, most insane thing possible and called it their friend? Nothing. You say their name and sit like a fool with nothing to say. God, they needed to send out a better manual.

She turned to look at him, took in his own mess of an appearance, of a life, and turned away. Tried, measured, and found wanting.

“You can say it, you know…” she mumbled, never breaking eyes with the star.

“Say what?”

She laughed, rubbing her eyes as more tears began to build. “That… That all of this is my fault.”

He froze, heart cracking between his ribs. She watched as she started to cry anew, her hands pressing against her face. He packed everything away, his own sadness, his own guilt, his fiery rage at the world that’d make her feel like that. She was the only one that mattered.

“Haru, none of this is your fault!”

“I was the one who found the signal! The one who didn’t want to kill Toto, the one who got stranded and needed a dumb rescue, bringing the others here! It’s my fault she got shot!”

She wouldn’t- couldn’t- stop shaking, warmth and hope draining out her eyes and down to the floor.

“Stop that, stop that right now,” Yuki commanded, her sweet voice furious, echoing in the makeshift morgue. Haru jumped, looking around for the camera Yuki used to see.

“Yuki?” she called out.

“I won’t have my best friend thinking she’s the sole cause of this hell. It was all of us. It was none of us. It was a chain reaction of horrible decisions and the cruelty of monsters disguised as people. None of us could have prevented, or even predicted this. Not even me. It’s wasn’t you, Haru.”

“She’s right,” he jumped in, taking her hands between his, pulling her attention, “None of this is your fault. Persephone… Persephone made her choice. Machida, Muta, Hiromi… Toto… They all made their choices. You are not responsible for the actions of monsters.”

Haru hiccuped, gasping for breath to find an argument between their truths, but he wouldn’t have it.

“Haru, you are the bravest, the smartest, the kindest person I had the joy to meet. A regular, golden-orange sun will shine on us, one day.”

She nodded, and kept nodding, until he pulled her tight against his chest. He reached a hand, pressed it against the wall, hoping to do something to include Yuki in their human matters.

“I’ll get us all home safe,” he promised, “I’ll make Goddard pay for everything.”

She shook her head, pulling away. He saw the fury burning beneath her skin, jaw set in determination, “No, not before I burn them all to the ground.”

He nodded, rubbing his other hand down her back. She leaned back against him, warm and hurt and vulnerable.

“I’ll take care of you, Haru. And you, Yuki,” he said, confused when Haru pulled away again. Her hands found his cheeks, holding him in place, forcing him to look at her.

“Commander Baron, you can’t carry all of this yourself,” Yuki said, worry laced in her words. He sputtered, tried to reel back, prove he was fine, assure them that he could, but Haru stopped him.

“Baron,” she pleaded, soft, gentle, “let yourself grieve. Let it all process- Besides, I know about you and Toto.”

He jerked, glaring at Yuki’s camera accusingly. Her voice came out nervous, but not regretful.

“My duty is to protect my crew. And, according to my code that I had to bend for a loophole, that means spilling secrets to my best friend to keep her heart from breaking.”

“I pressed her for it, Baron,” she told him, tilting her head with a rueful smile. He didn’t like that look, that train of thought that’d keep him from… A wonderful chance, one day.

“Once, in the beginning, Haru. There was something, a wonderful and… Strange something. But that ended a long time ago. Died, when he hurt you and Yuki.”

She gave a shuddering sigh, shoulders sagging. She pulled him down, arms tight around her neck, his face buried in the crook of her neck.

“It’s okay, Baron,” she soothed, nervous laughter freezing in his throat. His breath hitched, lost in brown hair, the smell of metal and… That damn seaweed shampoo Toto made. The tears fell, Haru whispering kindly in his ear.

“Just let go.”

[imagining-supernatural]

Triple-A: Eye of the Storm

Part 2 of Triple-A

Summary: When you and Sam started dating, you never though that the shared history of both dating the same man at different times would become something you would have to actively deal with. After all, Gabriel died before either of you ever met. But 2018 seems to be a year full of surprises…

Word Count: 2344

A/N: I’ve had a super busy few weeks, and the next semester (my very last semester EVER and then I have my Master’s!) starts tomorrow, so I have no idea when I’m going to be able to write. I hope I’ll be able to get something out every week or two, but don’t expect too much

Tracking down your ex-boyfriend who happened to be an archangel everyone thought was dead and also had a romantic history with your current boyfriend and still refused to help save the world… Just a normal weekend in your life, right?

Well, that’s what you were trying to convince yourself of anyway.

You and Sam were fine. Things shifted in your relationship a little, but you were still solid. It didn’t make your trip to find Gabriel any easier, though.

What was usually a normal run to a nearby fast-food joint on a hunt turned into one of the most nerve-wracking events of your life. Every step you took outside of the hotel room sent your brain on the fritz. You could run into him anywhere. And without Sam by your side, you had no idea how you would react. Would you punch him? Freeze? Start crying?

He’d faked his death and let you believe it! What kind of a monster did that?

So the entire half hour you spent outside the hotel room definitely had you looking over your shoulder and around every corner.

But you made it back to the hotel without any arch-angel sightings. Throwing the door open, you burst inside. “I’ve got everything and they even had pie for you D—”

Gabriel.

He was sitting on the couch.

In the hotel room.

In the flesh.

Not dead.

“Y/N. Looking lovely as ever.”

“Gabriel. You’re looking… not dead.”

“You always knew how to make a guy feel special,” he said, tossing a wink your way. As he tried to push himself up, he winced in pain.

Without thinking, you dropped the bags of food on the table and made your way across the room, crouching in front of him, next to where Sam was on the chair. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he tried to wave you off.

But you were having none of that. A glance at Sam was all it took for him to explain everything that happened while you were gone.

“Look, I ‘preciate your concern. But, seeing as how you don’t have any of my grace, and I’m getting the strangest feeling that there’s I’m not entirely welcome here anymore, I must bid you a fond ad—Oooo.” Any attempt he had to leave shriveled up when he couldn’t even stand up. “Yeah, nope. Maybe after, uh, a little siesta.”

And you watched as he flopped back onto the couch and nearly immediately fell asleep.

With wide eyes, you looked from the snoring angel to Sam. “He was really going to just leave again? Just like that?”

Dean awkwardly cleared his throat and jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the kitchenette. “I’m gonna, uh, go eat. Leave you two to, uh, whatever.”

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother before sliding off the chair to sit on the floor next to you. Without words, he pulled you into his arms, resting his chin on top of your head. “Hurts, doesn’t it?”

And it just hit you how Sam already had to watch Gabriel disappear. Back in the bunker after the fight, he watched Gabriel literally vanish before his eyes. You wrapped your arms around him, hoping to pass along whatever comfort you possibly could.

Words weren’t your strong-suit even at the best of times. But times like this? Well, sometimes there was only one thing to say and that thing was: “Fuck.”

“You can say that again,” Sam whispered.

“Fuck,” you repeated, voice muffled by Sam’s chest. Slowly, you eased your face away and reached up to lay your hand along his cheek. “What the fuck has he done to us, Sam? It’s been almost a decade and he just shows up and we’re… I don’t even know.”

“We’re not going to let him leave until we talk to him,” Sam decided then and there. “We both need closure. And we’re going to get it whether he likes it or not.”

Just the idea of a conversation with the ex you thought was dead made your anxiety roll in in waves. But you pushed it aside for the time being and pecked Sam on the nose with a playful grin. “I like it when you get all bossy.”

“Mmm.” The sound came from the couch and you both looked over in time to see Gabriel groan and roll over until he was looking at the two of you. “So do I. Can’t say I expected the two of you to get down and dirty. I kinda like it though.”

“Aaand that’s my cue to leave,” Dean broke in from across the room, the paper bag crinkling as he picked it up. “Shoot me a text when things aren’t so… awkward.”

“Thought you needed a siesta,” you mumbled, pulling away from Sam just enough to face Gabriel, but still stay under the warmth of Sam’s arm.

“With you two yammering away right next to me? I’d have to be dead to sleep through that.”

“Apparently we can’t tell the difference between you being dead and alive, though. You can’t blame us, Gabriel.”

“Gabriel? What happened to Gabe, sweetcheeks?”

Nearly a decade of mourning and loss bubbled up and flipped the coin from love to anger. “Gabe died back in that hotel, didn’t you get the message? Sam and I sure did.”

He groaned over-dramatically and sat up. All of your cells urged you to help him sit up, cringing at his pain. But you withheld. After all of the pain he’d put you through the last decade, he could suffer a little bit now. “You know that—”

“Don’t give us bullshit excuses. We don’t know anything about you, apparently. I would’ve thought you would have at least given me a—a—a sign or something. A badly written poem in the mail. A few rubber ducks showing up in my truck or under my pillow. Something.”

“And now that you’re back, you just keep leaving,” Sam said softly, squeezing your shoulder.

Those brown eyes you fell in love with so long ago jumped between you and Sam and a rare blanket of sobriety fell over them. “Didn’t think you’d want me around to ruin whatever you two have going on here. Seems like you’re doing just fine without good ol’ Gabe.”

“Nothing you could do or say could ruin what Y/N and I have.” Sam’s voice left absolutely no room for misunderstanding.

With soft eyes, you looked up at Sam. “Yeah. We’re solid. But that doesn’t mean we’re not hurt. We both loved you. At different times, sure. Before either of us met, yeah. But we both loved you. And you left us both. That’s not something that just being together can fix.”

“That’s something only you can fix,” Sam finished for you.

The angel, for the first time since you’d met him, seemed at a loss for words. That just meant that you had to spur him into action. Trick him into speaking. Play a trick on the trickster, as it was.

“Unless,” you started hesitantly, “You never loved either of us. In which case, Sam and I can deal with that and you can lea—”

“Sugar-lips, that’s crazy. Why would you even think that I never loved you?”

“Never thought that. Just needed you to start talking. So, Gabriel. Start talking.” And once again, he clammed up. He never was good at the emotional shit. So you sat forward, slipping into your interrogation mindset. “Fine. First question: If Asmodeus hadn’t ever taken you prisoner, would you have ever come back? Or would I die thinking you were dead?”

“I kept tabs on both of you,” he finally said. “Before Asmodeus. Wanted to make sure both of you nuggets of joy were safe and happy.”

“Anyone else?” Sam asked, earning a questioning look from Gabe. “Is there anyone else you kept tabs on? Anyone else who deserves to know that you’re alive?”

“Oh. No. You two… Well, you both know how special you both are.”

This was too much right now. Seeing Gabe so unapologetic about his faked death but hearing him say how special you were… it was tearing you in two. Some time and space might help. So you squeezed Sam’s hand before sliding out from under his arm and stood up. “Not special enough for you to stick around though, I guess.”

Sam stood as well and you gave him a tight smile. “I’m gonna get some air. Call if you need me.”

“Call if you need me,” he replied.

“I will.”

You’d just turned around when Gabe called your name, grunting as he stood up. “Y/N, wait—”

The second his hand reached out for yours and brushed your skin, you couldn’t hold back. Just one more kiss. That was all this was. Sam would understand.

Unable to stop yourself, you turned and pressed your lips to Gabe’s. His words stopped cold in his throat. In the few seconds it took for him to react, you were already pulling back. He chased your lips until you pushed at his chest. Even then, it took a moment for him to open his eyes. When he finally did, you chose your words carefully.

“I don’t know if you’ll still be here when I get back. If you’re not, I’ll deal with it. If you stay… Just know that I don’t expect anything from you anymore. But I do expect more from myself this time around.”

“Y/N, I—”

“Gabriel,” Sam cut in in a low voice. The angel heard the warning note and backed off. Sam slipped his hand into yours and tugged your attention to him. He jerked his head toward the door. “C’mon, I’ll walk you out.”

Without another glance at Gabriel, you let Sam lead you out into the hallway. “Sam, I’m sorry I kissed hi—”

“Don’t apologize, Y/N. I’ve been wanting to either kiss him or punch him since he showed up tonight.”

What did you ever do to land such a wonderful, understanding boyfriend like Sam? “Well, if either one happens while I’m gone, let me know. I’d love a good story tonight.”

He raised an eyebrow, letting a tone of amusement crawl into the conversation. “The story of how I kissed someone else while you were gone?”

“The story of if the kiss helps you figure shit out or not. It didn’t help me. I’m just—”

“Confused?”

You nodded. “But just about Gabe. Not you. Never about you.”

Adoration filled your heart at the half-grin that fell onto Sam’s face and he pulled you closer. “Mmm, I’m not sure I believe you. I think I’d better kiss you to see if that helps me figure shit out.”

“Happy to help.”

*****

It was amazing what alcohol could do to a person. Just a few hours ago, you’d been confused and angry and happy all at once, but a few hours in a bar with Dean and suddenly you were feeling great. Whatever happened back at the hotel room, you could handle.

Because you were drunk.

And you could handle anything when you were drunk.

“I think we overdid it,” Dean whispered as he unlocked the hotel room door.

“Nope! This was just what I needed. And tomorrow, I can babysit Triple-A and you can take Sammy out to get drunk. After spending a few hours with Gabe, I’m sure he needs it.”

Before opening the door, Dean leaned against it and looked at you with a half-smile on his face. “I think I was the one babysitting someone tonight.”

“That last shot was your fault, mister.”

For every two shots you took, Dean only took one, so he was much less drunk than you were. In fact, you might say he was barely tipsy. Damn him and his alcoholism raising his tolerance.

He just shook his head with a chuckle. “Whatever. Sam’s probably asleep so…”

“Shhhh,” you said, holding a finger to your lips, preparing to reenter the room without waking anyone. Dean opened the door and ushered you in.

In the low light streaming in from the window, you noticed a lump on the couch. To Dean, you whispered, “Looks like triple-A stuck around.”

“Triple-A?” Sam’s voice came from the other side of the room. The room spun a little as you looked over to see him sitting on the bed with the light from his laptop illuminating his face.

“Asshole Arch-Angel,” Dean answered, steering you over to Sam with his arm around your waist. “She’s a little too drunk to keep saying that, so… Triple-A.”

“It’s Dean’s fault I’m drunk,” you slurred, falling onto the bed next to Sam and immediately pressing your face against a pillow while pressing yourself against him as much as possible.

He just grinned and patted the top of your head. “I’m sure it is. Hey, Dean? How much?”

“I…” there was silence while Dean presumably thought back over the night. “Six? Six shots?”

“And a fucking hurricane.”

“Right,” Dean said brightly, remembering the first drink you had. “Because your life was in such disarray it was like you were in a hurricane.”

“But Sam’s the eye of the storm,” you mumbled, body starting to shut down now that you were on a bed.

“I forgot how cheesy and poetic she gets when she’s drunk,” Dean said, shuffling around the room. Your eyes were shut which meant that the world was slowly fading out and your brain only caught and processed snippets of the rest of the conversation.

“—He’ll stick around for—”

“Are you sure that’s the best—”

“—called us a bunch of morons, so…”

“Don’t know how you two—”

“—love each other so it makes it simple.”

“Sam?” You mumbled just before you lost consciousness.

“Mm-hmm?”

“Love you.” It took all of your energy to shift enough to press a kiss to his jean-clad thigh. “So ducking much.”

“So ducking much, huh?”

“Damn autocorrect,” you replied, giggling at your joke.

“For fuck’s sake,” Dean muttered, seconds before you were dragged into dream-land.

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[moonbeammuses-a]

@gentlegently cont. from an ask

                                              A bar. It’s a bar. A human bar, for perfectly ordinary humans in need of a bit of uneventful watering or, more likely,beering; a place that could not be any MORE mundane or any LESSadventurous, utterly unbeaten in its normality. Dirk could kiss it. Because here’s the thing: all day, from the first cacophonous bleep of his alarm clock to the last blister-footed step that brought him into this part of town, he’s been completely DYING dying for a drink.

        Annoyingly enough, being the universe’s favourite plaything does not always result in instant wish-fulfilment. Quite the opposite: over the years, the detective has often found that the simpler his urges, the more viciously complicated the world’s efforts to keep him on his toes. Honestly, he would be hard-pressed to imagine anything less spectacular than the much-needed discovery of a quiet place to have a bit of a sit-down and a container, any kind of container, from which to sip a drinkable liquid, any kind of drinkable liquid. When he startled awake this morning, a whole eighteen hours younger and more naive, he was still fool enough to hope for a park bench and a hot cup of cocoa. Around midday ( his hair a mess and his shirt stained with ghostly ectoplasm, the sight of which is destined to evoke exceedingly wrong connotations ), he would have gladly contented himself with any old folding chair and a bottle of stale apple juice. But by now? Good grief, he’sdesperate. Not that it’s much of a surprise, after a whole day of having been bulleted across town in the most feverish zigzagging pattern by whatever forces of nature still seem to be suffering from intense onslaughts of galactic boredom. Nothing else could explain their pesky tendency to deem him such an excellent bouncy ball. Before chance, fate, or simply his malnourished instincts made him happen across the bar, he was just about ready to curl up on a mould-covered spot of pavement behind a leaky rubbish skip and slurp mouthfuls of rainbow-oiled puddle water. And now this! He’s positive he has never seen a more inviting establishment in his entire life: the door is just a door, just a normal human-sized door without sanity-threatening riddles or insane mechanisms designed to catapult unsuspecting visitors into a far-away dimension populated by, oh, blood-thirsty paperclips, if he knows his luck. The walls are just walls, the windows are exactly that, warm and glowy with a hospitality that sends several full-body shivers of hope racing all the way from Dirk’s singed hair to his exhausted toes.

                                                                              When he finally stumbles into the room, it’s with an exhale of relief loud enough to shake the entire building. And — and perhaps it’s mainly the pure delight of being welcome, the unbridled joy of, just for once, NOT finding himself on the short and definitely far-too panicky end of a life-or-death chase — perhaps it’s just all of that, but when he spots the barkeeper behind the meticulously polished counter, it appears to him that he’s never seen a more handsome face, never entrusted himself into the care of two hands more expertly kiss-worthy than those.

               Unmistakably re-energised, the detective hurries toward the counter and seats himself, regrettably leaving little smudges of doubtful origin on whatever surface he touches, but glossing it all over with a radiant smile. His belief in the world and humanity at large has been rekindled, all is well again! “ Good evening, my good-looking, drinks-pouring barkeeper man, ” he enthuses vocally, thoroughly basking in the wonderful experience of acquainting his behind with something as outlandishly comfortable as a seat. “ If you’d be kind enough bless me with a cup of tea and perhaps a biscuit or two, I swear I will love and cherish you FOREVER! ” Remarkably, it doesn’t feel like an exaggeration. Nothing but floaty dandelion fluff remains in the tingly hollow that was, up until a second ago, Dirk’s brain. The enamoured grin is quick to drip from his lips, however, when he shoves his hands into all and any pockets he encounters in his clothing and finds not coins, not banknotes, but an empty packet of crisps, a rubber duck, a cracked-open geode, six identical pink glitter gel pens, a miniature flowerpot, a palmful of what he can only assume were once fruit loops, the lower half of a toothbrush and a huge rumpled-up ball of leaflets advertising a never-heard-before brand of turtle food.

                               “ Oh — Oh, God. Do you — p-please tell me you accept payment in the form of case-solving! I’m a detective, you see, a fairly good one, if fairly is understood to mean almost and good, uhm, adequate-in-all-regards-except-likelihoods-of-success. I … I have connections to the CIA!I could give you a get-out-of-prison-for-free gift voucher, o-or … oh! I could find that one object you’ve lowkey been looking for all those weeks!, the one you don’t really NEED, but would quite like to see back in your possession because its disappearance feels like a vague gnawing at the back of your mind, complete with cerebral little chomp-chomp noises! Those are destined to drive you insane in NO TIME at all. Your mental health should be WORTH a mug of hot plant water or two! ” He’s going off a hunch here, frankly, but — everyone has an object like that, and he really, really, really needs that cuppa!

Well, that certainly was an entrance. Jimmy had only just finished clearing away several glasses and their subsequent condensation marks from the group that had occupied that particular barstool, and the three on either side of it. He was setting out new coasters when the undeniably odd man  plopped down before him, cheerful demeanor clashing horribly with the state of his clothes and hair. Whatever this man had been through, his attitude seemed undeterred, and really, something about that eagerness was utterly charming. Jimmy found himself smiling at this new customer even before he’d really heard the request, too caught up in the bright yellow of his.. slightly damaged jacket, and the almost manic gleam in those blue eyes. 

The eager request for tea was met with a chuckle, once it actually processed. “I just might hold you to that,” he joked. 

“You’ve got good timing, I only just finished boiling some water,” Jimmy continued, turning to the kettle behind him. Indeed, the machine had clicked off at nearly the same moment this new man came in through the door. Jimmy spooned out a portion of tea leaves, a rather lovely fall-themed blend, spicy chai with a hint of ginger, sure to help fight against the chill that clung to the wind today. When he was readying to pour the water, he heard the unmistakable sounds of his new patron frantically pocket-checking. Ah. Seemed his day had left him with more concerns than mussed hair and a dirtied coat. 

Jimmy had barely opened his mouth to offer the cup of tea on the house when the man began to offer his services as a detective, of all things, and Jimmy turned to face him curiously, kettle still in hand and all-but-forgotten as he listened to the explanation. It was all a bit strange, really, but something about the fervent energy in the way h spoke left Jimmy smiling all over again. It was adorable, truth be told. He could see how the flurry of words might bother some, but it was, honestly, quite endearing. Still.. the emphasis on something lost nagged at his mind. Well, maybe he was being a bit silly. After all, this was a stranger. 

“Not to worry,” he said calmly. “I’ll let you have this one on the house. You seem to have had quite a day, and I imagine a nice cup of tea will do its own small part in making your day a bit better. But in exchange, you’ll have to tell me more about your detective work, okay?” he asked, and turned his attention to filling the teapot so that the leaves could steep. “Not many people ask for tea in a bar, you know,” he commented. “I usually just make it for myself.” With that comment established, he turned and dug around in a cabinet beneath where the kettle sat, pulling a half-emptied package of Tesco’s malted milk biscuits. Tucking that beneath one arm, he also retrieved an unopened pack of Chocolate-coated Digestives, ad he set both before the stranger, soon followed by a cup and saucer, and, of course, the teapot. 

“That’ll need a good two minutes to steep,” Jimmy noted, nodding at the teapot. “Goes great with honey, if you like.” A scan around the bar revealed it was nearly empty, aside from a couple of regulars in the booths, nursing their drinks and looking quite content for the moment. So Jimmy pulled his own stool up, sitting across from his colorful customer, and setting his own teacup on the bartop. “So, you’re a detective?” he asked. “Do you work with the police?” A pause, then.. “You mentioned finding objects. ...Do you maybe help find people who’ve gone missing?” 

[im-an-anxious-wreck]

Memories Aren't Important… Right?

Chapter Thirteen • Roman

Word count: 1671

MAI...R? chapter collection

First | Previous | Next

-

It hadn't happened at once.

It hadn't been some big realisation. In fact, it'd been quite the opposite — a slow gentle affair.

There was no point to pin down, no 'aha!' moment, no lightbulb above Roman's head. Just the quiet knowledge that Roman's bickering with Virgil shifted into pleasant banter. A small but genuine smile taking place of what once was just annoyed expressions. A soft peace settling over them instead of the awkward tension.

Gold knew he cared for Virgil, but it did take gold a moment to fully comprehend that he liked Virgil romantically.

Roman knew how attractive Virgil was, gold had for a long time, even when they weren't on speaking terms because of Roman and Remus'… fight. But he hadn't truly known Virgil then, especially because this Virgil was different. Losing several years of one's memories would do that to a person.

Although Virgil wasn't a completely new person —that was evident by the way he interacted with Janus and Remus, despite not remembering most of the time they'd had together—, he was still a bit different. Part of it could be because Virgil had been so closed off before and quite bitter when they had talked, but there had been moments when Roman had seen part of the person underneath.

Moments like Virgil making coffee and drinking it while playing chess with Janus, playing video games or drawing at the coffee table with Remus. Even baking with Patton occasionally, even though they didn't talk much anymore.

Roman found that out when one night after a few drinks, Patton had, rather teary-eyed, told Roman how he and Virgil had been childhood friends, but they'd stopped talking after Patton moved away.

...Roman knew gold wasn't in love with Virgil, he wasn't quite close enough to Virgil, hadn't gotten to know him quite enough yet, but gold could see it happening. Could far too easily imagine pulling Virgil close and looking into his purple eyes and realising, although already partly knowing, that gold loved Virgil.

It was thrilling and yet terrifying, which was both the eye of the storm and the actual storm of itself.

Roman wanted to fall in love with Virgil, but was scared. Scared of rejection and turning their newly budding friendship sour. Gold didn't want to ruin this.

He wanted, needed to take his time and do this right, that is, if gold even wanted to tell Virgil at all. And he did… well, it was just, what if he did it too soon? What if he did too little, too late? What if— okay, gold was getting ahead of himself.

There were just too many jumbled thoughts in his head. Gold needed to work through them outloud, preferably actually talking to another person.

He didn't even have to really think about it to know that gold would talk to Remus about it. Chaos' brain worked similarly, and they were always up for rubber ducking for the other person. Well, 'always' excluding the four years that Remus couldn't remember of course.

Roman left gold's room and walked down to Remus' room, about to knock but stopping to consider it.

Sure, it felt weird not to knock, but they never had to knock in Remus' working memory. They'd put a scrunchy of their favourite colour on the doorknob if they didn't want company.

So after another moment of hesitation, Roman opened the door, relief, fondness and a bit of sadness curling in gold's chest when Remus looked up from where she was sitting on chaos' bed, expression instantly lighting up with joy.

"Hey, Ro-bro!"

"Hey." Roman shut the door behind himself, briefly glancing at Remus to make sure that she didn't mind.

"Ooh, are you here to take a dump?"

"What, no! Ew!"

Remus giggled, obviously having gotten the response chaos wanted. "A brain dump."

"Oh, you—" Roman shook gold's head, if only to hide his smile.

"Yeah, as funny as it'd be, I didn't think you were just gonna take a shit on the floor." Remus' expression neutralized as she continued, "So what's up? I've been seeing it nagging at you from just under the surface for a bit now."

"I forgot how perceptive you are."

"Hey!" Remus said, pretending to be offended. "Forgetting stuff is my thing." Remus scooted over and patted the space beside him. "Now come sit and tell me your tale of woe."

Roman did as Remus suggested and began with a sigh, "Well, I realised that… I like Virgil."

"...And that's… news to you?" Remus' face was carefully neutral and Roman was quite sure that she would be laughing if the topic wasn't so serious.

Roman pursed his lips, but continued, "Well, yes and no. I kinda already knew, but I also didn't. It wasn't some big revelation, I just… thought 'oh, I like him romantically, don't I?' and well, I don't know, that was that."

"Wow." Remus smirked. "Sappy, but sweet. I'll allow it this one time."

"Well, thank you, most gracious Duke Remus," Roman joked, bowing with one hand on gold's chest. "You know how I waited for your permission with bated breath."

Remus snorted and leaned back, putting chaos' weight on her hands. "So, what are you gonna do 'bout your sappy as fuck love for Virgilius? Or is that why you've come to me, the love expert?"

"Well… I think I want to tell him… but I don't know. I just— what if he doesn't feel the same way? What if this just messes up our friendship? We only just started seeing eye-to-eye, and had like, fairly recently stopped fighting."

"Okay, first of all, we don't do 'what if's. Those are anxiety inducers and not really accurate. Second of all, I've seen you and Virgil interact. Y'all got chemistry!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Did you feel this way before you and Patton started dating?"

"Oh, for sure! I was super nervous, even though we'd already been on a few dates by the time I asked him to be my boyfriend. I really don't think you have anything to worry about though, Ro-bro!'

Roman pursed his lips. "I really think I do, but go on."

"Okay, worst case scenario, he doesn't like you back, but, like you said, y'all have been getting a lot closer, so I just really don't think that he'd suddenly hate you. Yeah, it might be a bit awkward for a little while, but y'all could get over that."

"I don't think that's the worst case scenario, but maybe…"

"Okay, your thoughts are being mean. I get that. Fuck knows, I do… Alright, like okay, actual worst scenario, the apocalypse happens and we all die a painful death."

Roman couldn't help it, he laughed, which seemed to be Remus' intention as he smiled, looking quite pleased with herself.

"Okay, now that's a worst case scenario."

"Good, glad you're pleased with it," Remus said. "So, now that we have the worst taken care of, let's talk about best case. He likes you back, and y'all will get together, get married, have twenty kids and five spiders, or whatever. I don't know. Point is, happily ever after."

Roman snorted indignantly. "What about me makes you think I'd want twenty kids!?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just really funny to see your expression. But anyway, you know how this goes, now what's the most likely to happen scenario?"

Roman took a deep breath. "He'll hate me forever?"

Remus sighed, faking annoyance. "No. Most likely y'all will still be friends, or y'all will become lovers."

"I… maybe."

"Definitely!" Remus changed the subject. "Anyway, now that we've solved that… I need a Pop-Tart."

"I— what?"

"I need… a… Pop-Tart," Remus clearly enunciated, smartass that she was.

"Yeah, I got that." Roman shook gold's head. "Alright, wanna go get one while we talk?"

"You know it!"

They went downstairs, Roman keeping an eye out for really anyone, but particularly Virgil. It would ruin everything if he overheard them talking about how Roman liked Virgil.

And while Roman was pretty sure gold did want to tell Virgil, it would only be a disaster if he was under prepared.

Roman shuttered, but after double checking that the common area was indeed empty, gold said, "So, as I said earlier, I think I wanna tell him…" Roman huffed. "But what if he doesn't like me back? Like, I think we've just been bantering lately but maybe he thinks we're still just actually fighting?"

"I'm… not sure why you made that a question but okay. Also, that was another 'what if', Romaine Lettuce," Remus light-heartedly scolded, pulling the Pop-Tarts out of the cabinet with her powers. "But anyway, I've seen you two banter, and he's teasing you just as much as you are him. I can tell y'all are on the same piranha here."

That surprised a laugh out of Roman. Even after all this time, Remus was still able to surprise gold. "I don't think that's the saying."

"Really?" Remus sarcastically asked before ripping a package of Pop-Tarts open with chaos' teeth. "But in all seriousness, as hard as being serious is," Remus giggled at his own joke before continuing, "It's gonna be fine, Ro-sectusorus. You got this."

"Thanks, Reebie-jeebies."

"Okay, okay. That's enough mushy talk." Remus put a Pop-Tart in the toaster and turned around, leaning back against the cabinet, eyes very briefly glancing behind Roman. "So," Remus drawled, capturing Roman's attention again, a smug, cat-like expression on chaos' face. "You tryna get in his pants?"

"What? No! I said I like him romantically, Re! Like, yeah maybe… maybe eventually, if he'd wanna. But I just—"

Remus raised an eyebrow and took her Pop-Tart out of the toaster, biting a rather large bite out of it. "Ooh, this just got interesting."

"What?" Roman turned his head to the doorway to see what Remus was staring at, only to see Virgil looking at gold with wide eyes. Roman gave Virgil a half wave. "Um… hello," Roman said awkwardly, anxiety already pooling in his gut.

Well, shit.

-

Next

[searchingwardrobes]

Someone to Watch Over Me: Chapter Three

So, this story was originally a two-shot, but multiple people wanted more. Especially @kmomof4 and you all know how hard it is to say no to Krystal! The thing is, when I started working on part three, the possibilities for this fic just overtook me. Every character's storyline is vastly different if Emma already believes, Killian is already a hero, and the two of them are already married and confirmed true love. This chapter focuses on Snowing's reaction to Emma's life, but future chapters will give (I hope) cool canon divergent plots to Regina, Rumple, Neal, etc. So I'm really excited about where this could go!

If you want to catch up on chapters one and two they are here on Ao3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13182915/chapters/30153435

Chapter Three: After the Clock Strikes

The late winter sun shines brightly on the snow drifts along the streets of Storybrooke, Maine. Mary Margaret Blanchard squints in the glare, pushing her hands deeper into the pockets of her pea coat. Just like the sun is merely a tease of the spring that is still so far off, life has once again teased Mary Margaret. Cruelly so this time. Making her think that some kind of joy was possible in her mundane existence when, in reality, it will always remain out of reach.

David Nolan flings one last duffel bag into the back of his pickup truck which is already filled with boxes and suitcases. He turns to Mary Margaret, a pained expression on his face.

“This is for the best,” he tells her in a strained voice.

“For everyone but me,” she replies with false brightness, lifting both shoulders in a resigned gesture.

David frowns. He takes a tentative step towards her, but when Mary Margaret backs away from him, he stops, his arms hanging awkwardly at his side. “Well,” he tells her, “I guess this is goodbye.”

“I guess so.” She turns abruptly, unable to tell him good luck. Because it would be a lie. She doesn’t want him happy with Katherine. She wants him happy with her.

She hears the pick-up rumble down the road, and she chokes back a sob as she hurries down the sidewalk. Huddling deeper into her coat, she tries to ignore the excited voice calling out behind her.

“Mrs. Blanchard! Mrs. Blanchard!”

Henry Mills is a persistent boy who won’t take his teacher’s hint as she tries to shrink further into her coat. He darts in front of her, turning around to walk backwards in her path. Mary Margaret groans when she sees the large leather volume open in his hands.

“Henry, I’m not really in the mood for fairy tales right now.”

Henry’s countenance holds a look of near panic, his eyes wide and darting. “But this is serious! Please tell me that wasn’t David’s truck driving off right now!”

Mary Margaret stops suddenly, her hands coming out of her pockets, balled into tight fists. “Henry Mills, I mean it!”

“But today is the day! It’s her birthday; Emma’s 28th birthday!”

Mary Margaret’s mouth opens, an angry outburst on the tip of her tongue. She’s going to tell Henry that this is all his fault. For putting fairy tales in her head. For convincing her to read to the John Doe - David – in the hospital. For making her wonder what life would be like surrounded by family and friends who loved her. She doesn’t care that it will crush the heart of a student who has come to mean the world to her. She just can’t take his delusions and his irrational optimism. Not today.

Thankfully, though, the words never come. Before she can say a word, a rainbow tinted ray of light washes over her, over Henry, over all of Storybrooke. She gasps as memories flip like a rapid slide show in her brain. And the best memories of all, the ones that fill her heart near to bursting are of –

“Snow!”

Mary Margaret’s breath comes out in a sob as she whirls towards the voice. She finds him, two blocks away, standing beside his truck, which is parked illegally, half on and half off the sidewalk. Marks left by burning rubber are left in the vehicle’s wake.

“Charming!” she cries out, her voice cracking.

They run towards one another, colliding in the middle of Main Street, lost in kisses that taste of both their tears.

“You found me,” she tells him when he pulls away.

“Did you ever doubt I would?” he replies, wiping her tears away with his thumbs as he cups her face.

“Grandma! Grandpa!”

They both weep amidst tears of laughter as Henry collides with them. They don’t know how it’s possible, but somehow they know that Henry is right. He’s theirs; his birth mother is Emma – their Emma. Mary Margaret jerks away from the small group hug, her eyes widening as they meet David’s.

“If the curse broke –“

“then she found us too,” David finishes for her.

“But how –“

“Uh, guys,” Henry speaks up, “what’s that?”

Mary Margaret’s eyes widen in wonder at what she sees. David instinctively steps closer, wrapping his arm around her. For there, on the horizon in Storybrooke harbor, is something they haven’t seen since leaving the Enchanted Forest.

It’s a pirate ship.

********************************************************

By the time the ship reaches the docks, a small crowd of disoriented people are crowded at David and Mary Margaret’s backs. They are jostling, calling out questions to their former rulers.

“Why are we still here?”

“Where’s the Evil Queen?”

“What’s that ship on the horizon?”

Honestly, Mary Margaret is just as disoriented as everyone else. David yells for them all to calm down, but he honestly wishes for his sword right now to face whatever pirates may be heading their way. Of course, the memory of wielding one is still a little fuzzy in David Nolan’s formerly cursed brain.

So when the ship’s gangplank lowers, all Mary Margaret and David can really do is stand, brave and proud, before the townspeople. Something stirs in David’s breast when a lone figure – a woman dressed in clothing of the Enchanted Forest with golden blonde hair tumbling down her back – descends from the ship. Mary Margaret seems to feel the same as she grips his arm tightly. The woman’s eyes seem to find his in the crowd first, and as she comes closer, something about their green color seems familiar. Then she smiles and Mary Margaret gasps and steps towards the woman with outstretched, shaking hands.

“Emma?” she asks tentatively.

Can it be? David almost doesn’t dare to hope . . .

“Mom?” the woman asks, voice wavering.

Then the two woman are in a hug, Mary Margaret sobbing, the other woman – their daughter! – hugging her back a bit hesitantly, tears springing to her eyes. The crowd behind them disperses, quietly whispering as they allow the royal family this private moment. David can barely put one foot in front of the other, but he does. He draws both women close, cupping the back of his daughter’s head just as he did the day he placed her in the wardrobe. Somehow, he knows it’s his Emma without a shadow of doubt. He can’t say if it’s her eyes or her chin – both so like Snow’s – or if it’s her smile, but he knows.

“You found us,” Mary Margaret sobs as she pulls back, cupping the woman’s face.

A woman. His baby girl is a woman. And at that realization, his heart breaks a little. The reality of all they have missed washing over him and overwhelming him with grief. And then Mary Margaret gives a gasp and rests her hand on Emma’s abdomen.

“Oh, Emma,” she sighs.

David’s feelings are a confusing jumble. Part of him, irrationally, is anger. But he already knew Emma had a son – Henry – years ago. So why does seeing this baby bump under her shirt and vest make his veins thrum with anger?

“Yeah,” Emma says with a little nervous laugh, tucking her hair behind her ears, “a lot’s happened, I guess you could say.”

Then Emma’s eyes widen and her face pales as she sees the boy standing just behind Snow. Now Emma’s hands tremble as she lifts them hesitantly.

“Henry?”

“Mom?” Henry looks shocked and overwhelmed as Emma cups his head and bends to kiss the top of it.

“Henry, not a day has gone by these past ten years that I haven’t thought of you.”

“Really?” Henry says, and Mary Margaret picks up on the notes of skepticism in his voice. Especially when his eyes drift to Emma’s rounded stomach.

Emma nods, her eyes filling with tears. “I was just a kid myself, and . . . it’s a long story, but I wanted you to have your best chance. If I’d known that Regina would adopt you –“

“Wait,” Mary Margaret interrupts, shaking her head, “how do you know about Regina? And sweetheart, we sent you here, to the land without magic. How did you end up back in the Enchanted Forest?”

“And on a pirate ship?” David adds.

The smile that lights Emma’s face at that question is a familiar one to Mary Margaret. It’s the same look she gets on her face when she thinks of Charming.

“Well,” Emma says, biting her lip, “that’s a long story. But first, I want you to meet two very special people. He wanted to give us a minute alone, but . . . “

“He?” David asks, glancing with concern at Mary Margaret. She shoves in response, but she has a feeling she knows who he is. Or who he is to their daughter, anyway.

“Killian!” Emma calls up the gangplank. “Killian! Martha!”

Then a dark haired man, dressed head to toe in pirate garb, is descending the gangplank, a little girl balanced on his hip. Emma hurries to meet them, pulling them eagerly towards her parents and her son. When they get closer, David’s eyes widen when he sees a hook at the end of the man’s left arm.

“Captain Hook,” he bites out when the man gets closer. The pirate has the decency to duck his head in shame.

“You mean Captain Killian Jones,” Emma corrects, “my husband.”

“Your what!” David thunders.

Mary Margaret glares at him and quickly steps between the two men. “And this is?” she asks in a sweet voice, reaching up to tickle the little girl in the pirate’s arms. The child buries her face in her father’s neck.

“This,” the captain says fondly, “is our daughter Martha.”

“Hi, Martha,” Mary Margaret says gently, “I’m your grandma.”

The little girl turns hesitantly to look at Mary Margaret, and David sees his wife’s eyes peering out at them. Actually, the little girl looks a lot like Snow, except for the freckles across the bridge of her nose.

“She’s not normally so shy,” the pirate says with an awkward chuckle.

“Y-you had another kid,” Henry blurts out, “and you’re pregnant.”

The boy looks pale and unsure of the situation, and Mary Margaret quickly pipes up, “Maybe we should all go get some lunch and get to know each other!”

“That sounds amazing,” Emma enthuses, rubbing her pregnant belly, “it’s been way too long since I’ve had some onion rings.”

“Well,” Mary Margaret says brightly, “Granny makes the best! Let’s go!”

*********************************************************

The little family reunion gathered in the booth at Granny’s is, honestly, an awkward one. This wasn’t how David imagined it. Okay, so he hadn’t really known what this moment would be like, but he certainly hadn’t expected his daughter to already be a mother of three. Almost.

And he certainly hadn’t expected her to be gazing in adoration at Captain Hook.

Her husband?

“So, Hook, last I heard, you were terrorizing the realms as a blood-thirsty villain.”

“David!” Mary Margaret admonishes.

Hook gives him a pained expression. “I won’t deny those accusations.”

“But,” Emma quickly jumps in, “you’re not that man anymore.” David clenches his fists beneath the table as Emma brushes a kiss to the pirate’s cheek and squeezes his hook affectionately. His hook!

“Daddy’s a hero,” little Martha pipes up. She doesn’t seem to expect anyone to disagree with this statement as she proceeds to shove a French fry in her mouth.

“Hook – I mean, Killian,” Mary Margaret jumps in, “how did um . . . you two meet?”

Hook laughs gently as he gazes into Emma’s eyes. The two of them share a weighted look, and then Emma leans her head on his shoulder.

“We met when we were kids,” Emma says, voice almost giddy. She tilts her head up to look at her husband with unabashed affection. “He was so adorable back then. Gave me my first kiss.”

“Uh, just on the cheek,” Killian quickly clarifies when he catches David’s glare.

Mary Margaret exchanges a confused look with her husband. “How was that possible?”

Their daughter then proceeds to tell them an incredible tale about an enchanted wardrobe that involved, apparently, realm-jumping and time travel. David’s heart is a riotous mess as he thinks of how it should have been him watching over Emma and protecting her. How it should have been him to teach her how to sword fight and use her magic. Not this . . . pirate, this former villain.

“What about my dad?” Henry pipes up in a small voice.

The table falls silent as Emma looks at the ten year old with a sad expression. She presses her lips together and the silence stretches out awkwardly.

“I mean . . . it’s not him . . . is it?” Henry asks, gesturing to Hook.

“No lad,” the man answers, “though I would be honored if I were.”

“How do you know?” Henry snaps. “You don’t know me!”

“Henry –“ Emma starts, voice gentle.

“And you!” Henry shouts, jumping out of the booth. “You forgot about me and had another kid! You never loved me!”

He runs out of the diner after that, leaving his book of fairy tales lying there on the table. Emma leaps from her seat to go after him.

“Emma!” Killian calls after his wife. He picks up the book and hands it to her, “This might help.”

Emma nods as she takes it, then she reaches into the pocket of her breeches and pulls out a small vial. “A protection spell. Rumplestiltskin is around here somewhere, and I don’t want you taking any chances.”

The pirate nods, his expression serious. Then Emma dashes out the door. If the silence was awkward before, it’s positively charged now. Little Martha, oblivious to the tension between the adults, whines as she crawls into her father’s lap.

“This little one is sleepy,” Killian explains, “I should get her back to the ship.”

“Nonsense!” Mary Margaret tells him. “Get a room here at Granny’s.”

“Honey,” David chuckles, “I’m sure they’re used to sleeping on his . . . boat.”

“It’s winter,” Mary Margaret snaps, narrowing her eyes at her husband, “and that’s our granddaughter.”

David sighs as he looks at the adorable three year old. Her eyes droop her and her head lolls against her father’s chest. “Of course.”

Mary Margaret calls for Granny and insists that she help Killian get a room. The old woman glowers at the pirate, clearly recognizing him, but Mary Margaret is persistent. Granny finally caves when Mary Margaret calls the man her son-in-law, and David massages his brow wearily at the way Granny’s eyebrows fly to her hairline. The man follows Granny, cradling the little girl expertly in his arms despite his hook. Once he’s out of earshot, Mary Margaret smacks David in the chest.

“How could you be so incredibly rude!” she scolds. “The first day we get our daughter back, and you’re acting like a toddler.”

David’s jaw drops. “You can’t tell me you’re happy about this! Our daughter married a pirate. Last time we were in the Enchanted Forest, he was a villain. Sometimes in cahoots with Regina, from what I heard.”

Mary Margaret puts her hand gently on his arm. “But did you see the way our daughter looked at him?”

David stubbornly crosses his arms over his chest. “No. Not really.”

“It’s the way I look at you, honey. And he looked at her the same way.”

David grumbles and Mary Margaret rolls her eyes.

“And need I remind you, David, that the curse just broke?”

David shakes his head in confusion, “Of course I know that!”

Mary Margaret gives him a withering look. “And what breaks curses?”

David groans as realization washes over him. “Oh no, you can’t mean –“

Mary Margaret nods. “True love’s kiss can break any curse.” She gestures back down the hall where Captain Killian Jones – Captain Hook – has just disappeared. “That, sweetheart, is our daughter’s true love.”

[thetransformansion]

Clowntopia - Now Hiring Pt1

Clowntopia: Now Hiring

A tale by Hugo Prosperio

Inspired by Novadehedghog

Part One: You’re Hired!

The store had been there for less than a day, Logan was sure of it. He had walked down this street so many times he couldn’t have kept track, and that store, wedged between two buildings, looking like something out of a storybook, had not been there before. It was intriguing, mysterious, and just plain interesting. Logan was a handsome young man, around 19 years old, tall and lean with a head of black hair. All his life he had been obsessed with clowns after being taken to the circus at a young age. He even had a theory that perhaps some clowns were more realistic than they appeared. The carnival colors of the shop intrigued him, so Logan decided to investigate.

On the door was a cheerful open sign with a clown’s face painted in the letter O. Next to the sign was a plastic Now Hiring sign, with the bright neon orange lettering one might expect from such a sign. He turned the handle to the door, and something said to go in, perhaps even inquire about a job. The door opened with a squeak and as he entered the store, a horn went off, it sounded like a rubber duck’s quack almost.

“Damn thing is on the fritz again!” came a voice from the back room. Through an kitschy beaded curtain, a man dressed as a clown emerged. He was wearing a typical clown jumpsuit, ruffles on the wrists and ankles, red in color with white stripes. His hair was a big afro style cut, tight blue curls puffed up into a big ball. On his nose was a round ball, red as a fire engine. “Oh hello there! Welcome! Sorry, I was just doing some spring cleaning in the back.”

“Um. Hello. Why are you dressed like a clown?” Logan asked. It seemed odd that he would stumble upon a store run by a man dressed as a clown, considering his interests.

“Well, I am a clown. So I dress the part.” he said with a bow. “Chuckles is the name. What might yours be?” he asked.

“I’m Logan. Nice to meet you!” he said, extending a hand, before retracting it. “Perhaps a handshake isn’t a good idea. You might have a hand buzzer.” Logan laughed.

“You seem to know a lot about us clowns.” Chuckles said, revealing that he had indeed slid on a joy buzzer just for the occasion. “You like clowns, don’t you?”

“I’ve been fond of them since I was a child, yes.” Logan admitted. “I admire their job.”

“How so?” asked the clown as he fiddled with some items from a nearby shelf.

“They make people laugh, make people smile. I think that’s admirable.”

“You’d make a great clown, I think.” Chuckles said as he looked Logan over. “Would you be interested in giving it a shot?”

“What do you mean?” Logan asked.

“Well, I am looking for some extra help around the shop here, and you seem like you’d be a good fit.”

“So I’d have to put on clown makeup every day to work here?” Logan said as he pondered the offer.

“Something like that.” Chuckles replied as he walked over to a shelf of costumes. “We can pick your uniform right now if you want.

“You aren’t going to have me fill out an application or anything?” Logan said, amused.

“No such formalities are needed. We just need to get you in costume and that will do the trick.” the clown said with a big grin. “Aha! This is just the perfect one!” he said pulling out what looked like a pair of oversized overall pants and a colorful t-shirt. They looked like whatever material they were made of was pretty stretchy, Logan noted.

“Why don’t you try it on and we’ll get you started. Unless you don’t want to give it a try.” Chuckles said.

He handed off the costume to Logan, who thought for a moment and then took it and went to the one dressing room off to the side of the shop. He entered and removed his clothes. He put on the shirt, which had baggy sleeves that he hadn’t noticed at first. It hung pretty loose on him, but he shrugged and continued. Next came the pants. He fitted the straps of the overalls over his shoulders and looked down at the costume, which was loose all over.

He then noticed a small cord sticking out of part of the costume with a tag that said “For Better Fit, Pull Me”

“How odd.” he said as he took it in his hand and gave it a yank. Nothing seemed to happen at first, but then he heard a hissing noise. Looking down he gasped when he saw his body was growing larger.

“What the heck?” he asked as he felt so strange all over. The growing was more of an inflation. Like a…

“Balloon!” he said. “I’m blowing up like a balloon. Oh my god!”

At first it was just his stomach rounding out, but then his whole body got in on the act, his butt blowing backwards, thighs blimping up, and as every part of him grew, they joined together, causing his body to take on a very smooth, round shape. The costume fit much better now, and was stretching along with his body now, His arms and legs stuck out comically as part of them began to be absorbed by the growth.

The hissing began to dissipate and the growth stopped, leaving him almost completely round except for his arms legs and head, which had kind of pulled into a bit of a divot in his body. The inflation had also made him taller to accomodate the new bloated size. He noticed this when he whacked his head on the door of the dressing room as he made way out.

“It turned me into a balloon man!” he said exasperated as he saw Chuckles watching as he came out.

“That’s what that costume does. It’s magical! I think it suits you.”

“I...should be very angry right now, but I kind of...like it.”

“Then you should like the rest of the changes too.” he said, watching as his nose began to round out and inflate into a ball. At first it was typical clown nose size, like Chuckles, but then it grew even larger, stopping at tennis ball size. He could barely see past it. It turned red and shiny, like a rubber ball, but reaching up and touching it (which proved to be an effort with his rounded body) proved it was actually part of his face.

“I’m becoming a clown? Like, a REAL Clown?” he said.

“But of course. Clowns aren’t just men in greasepaint. Sure those exist, but us real clowns came first and inspired them. Being a real clown is much more fulfilling than anything they feel.

“COOL!” Logan said as he felt his skin tingling. It was turning a shade of white, spreading from his new nose outwards to every inch of his large body. He felt an odd pressure in his head, which then released when his ears grew to be three times their original size, flopping about as his head tingled. Most of his hair simply vanished, sucking in, leaving only a ring around his head. It turned various shades, which made it a rainbow of colors. His face began to gain different shades of color. Blue half circles above his eyes, red lips that curled into a permanent grin, and multicolored circles on his chin that looked like beachballs.

He then felt a tingle of pressure in his feet. He couldn’t see them, but felt them began to expand and stretch outwards, growing longer and wider, toes getting thicker. Clowns didn’t just wear big shoes to look silly, he realized, but because they needed them. He couldn’t wait to wear his big pair of shoes.

“How about a new name for you my friend. Any thoughts?”

“Well, I am very balloon like, so I feel like that should be a part of it.” Logan said, raising a hand, which now sported a thick cartoony glove. He stroked his his head, trying to think.

“I’d pick soon. Logan does not suit this new form or the mind you’ll soon have.”

“Mind?” Logan asked.

“Your body just experienced a massive magical transformation. The mind can’t hold on much longer after that. You may remember a few things, but a new clown will be born very soon. In fact, I think once you pick your name, it will start.” the clown said, sounding very educated in the ways of clown transformation.

“Aha!” he said as a lightbulb appeared above his head then turned on. “I got it. I’ll be ‘Looner the Clown!” he said.

As soon as the words left his mouth, synapses in his mind began to fire and trigger a rapid transformation in his brain. Memories of being a clown began to form, memories of wanting to be the biggest inflatable clown in Clowntopia, memories of his various exploits. Memories of being Looner, rather than a boring human named Logan.

“Well, Looner. How do you feel about the job offer?”

“Well, shucks, I am so happy you decided to offer it to me! I mean, I’ve always wanted to work for this fine establishment!” he said in a slightly squeaky voice.

“Well, I think you’ll be a star employee, Looner. Would you mind starting right now? I have a lunch date with my beloved Jen-Jen and it would be nice to have someone covering the store while I’m gone.” he asked.

“Sir, your store will be in safe gloved hands, I promise you!” Looner said with a salute.

“I have no doubt. Have fun. That’s the easiest part of this job.” Chuckles said with a smile as he headed through the curtain to the back and vanished into a portal to the world of Clowntopia.

The store was now in the hands of Looner, and he was excited. The clown part of his mind was overtaking him, and knowledge of clown magic and all the items on sale in the shop began to flood his head. He giggled, thinking of the various ways he could introduce someone to the clown life.

“Gosh, I can’t wait for a customer” he said.

And he didn’t have to wait long, as the door to the store opened, and the horn quacked. The noise startled the guest, a young woman in her mid-twenties with long blond hair. She looked like a model, tall and beautiful.

“Oh hello.” She said as she noticed the oddly shaped fellow behind the counter. “I guess I wandered into the wrong store.”

“Oh nonsense, we can satisfy every customer that comes in here!” he giggled.

She looked at him and cocked her head to the side, like a confused dog. His shape was something that she couldn’t quite process. He was big and round, like an over inflated beachball. She kept staring for a few moments, and Looner noticed this.

“Like my body.” he said with a giggle “Sorry that came out wrong. You seem interested in my round shape.”

“I just don’t understand why anyone would dress like that. It’s kind of cute though.” she said, admitting to herself that he looked, at the very least, adorable.

“Well, my body being this round limits my options for clothing. But I think my outfits look stellar.” He said with a chuckle. “Say, perhaps you’d like to try one on?” he asked.

“Uh, I don’t think I have the body to pull something like that off” the girl said.

He smiled and pulled out what looked like a toy space ray gun and aimed it at her. “I can help with that.” he chuckled. Before she could say anything, he pulled the trigger and a beam of green light shot out of the gun and hit the girl square in the chest. She began to convulse and shake, her entire body glowing.

“What the h-h-heck” she said as rapidly her body began to inflate. Everything about her was getting rounder and larger, her chest flattening into her rounding body. Her clothing wrapped tightly around her as her limbs began to pull into the body, her arms stopping at the elbow and the legs stopping at the knee, leaving them sticking straight out as she rolled onto her back.

“Oh god! Stop! No!” she said. Her growth had stopped and she was now round and smooth except her head, arms and legs. Looner walked over. “See, now you have the body to pull of the silliest of outfits!” he said.

“This is not cool! Make me smaller!” she said with a demanding tone. Looner heard her request and smiled. “Smaller, you say. Well, if you insist.”

He procured a velvet sack, tied with a gold lace from the counter and opened it. From inside it, he pulled a glittery dust and sprinkled it on the round woman whose clothing was about to burst off her.

She felt something tingle, and at first was relieved when it seemed as if she was getting smaller, but she wasn’t deflating back to her normal shape. Rather, her entire turgid body was shrinking, getting smaller and smaller with each passing second. her formerly tight clothes slipped off her, leaving her naked as she shrank.

“What. This isn’t what I meant!” she shouted.

“You really should be more clear, dear.” he said. He was amused to see that while her body shrank, her hands and feet shrank at a slower rate, making them look cartoonish and clownish. A perfect fit, he thought. Soon she stopped her descent into a smaller world and was about the size of a basketball with oversized hands and feet and her head pulled into a divot in her body.

“This is insane!” she said as she raised her hands in protest, only to see Looner sprinkle more dust on her head, which began to suck into her body rapidly. Her face then merged with her round body, which disoriented her and left her mind swimming.

“What...wha happen?” she mumbled as her vision came back into view. She saw a big round ball in her eyesight, her new nose, she thought. That’s silly. She was a round clown with a big round red nose, the only thing that wasn’t flattened into her spherical form on her body.

“Well, Bouncy Ball, you look smashing and I have just the outfit for you!” Looner said as he put her into a pair of overalls very similar to his, only just her size and much more pink in tone. He left her feet barefoot, her wide toes giving her a good sense of balance in her new form.

“Gosh, Thanks, Sir! I needed some new clothes!” she said as he placed her on the ground and she waddled out towards the portal to the world of clowns.

As the door to the portal closed, the door to the shop opened. Looner giggled at the quacking horn. In walked a young man, perhaps in his mid-twenties, if Looner had to hazard a guess. He looked handsome and fit and looked amused by the store’s colorful nature.

“Oh, uh, Hello there.” he said as he looked at the clown. “Just figured I’d stop in. Didn’t notice this store had even opened here.”

“We tend to sneak up on people!” Looner said with a smile. “Welcome to the Joke Shop. How can I assist you.”

“This is a strange question, but I am kind of hungry. You don’t have any food here, do you?” the man asked the clown.

Looner nodded and pulled out a tray of what appeared to be thick squares of gooey fudge, only the squares were a vibrant pink color.

“Pink Fudge. a favorite recipe from my...um...hometown.” he said, trying not to talk much about Clowntopia before clowning his guest.

“Oh I dunno. I try to stay away from sweets. I worked hard to get into the shape I am in today.” he said

“Oh nonsense. One little treat can’t hurt you. I promise, it’ll make you feel so much better!”

The young man pondered it. He shrugged and took a piece of the pink fudge and began to eat it. The flavor was hard to describe as he took another bite. It was sweet and thick, like pure sugar, and yet it tasted amazing. He thought back to his childhood where he had been a pudgy kid who loved sweets. In high school he was teased a lot and worked hard to gain a better physique, but now, he regretted it almost. He still loved sweets deep down inside. He had finished the fudge and realized how much he enjoyed it and reached for another one.

Looner watched as the fudge began to do what it was meant to. The man’s weight began to change. going from firm abs and stomach to more of a softer look, quickly evolving into a paunch. His legs thickened, going from muscle toned to thick flesh, and his butt inflated, making his already tight pants start to strain. He was too engrossed in the fantastic flavor of the fudge to care though. His body had began to compress, getting shorter, adding to the thick look he was acquiring because of the fudge. When he stopped, he was about a foot shorter than he was when he entered.

“Enjoying it?” Looner asked with an innocent smile. The man nodded as his hair started turning a shade of pink close to that of the fudge. It poofed up into a curly afro that wobbled about on his head, and he chuckled to himself as he felt ticklish all over. Another peice of fudge was taken and chewed on as his skin turned a white color that went all over and his fingernails took on a light purple shade.

A strange sensation in his groin took his interest for a moment, but then it was gone and she no longer cared. The man who entered was now female where it most counted, and the rest of his body quickly began to follow suit. His pectorals, already soft from weight gain began to push outwards into breasts, growing quickly into around a C cup range. He giggled as he looked down to see his shirt riding up to form sort of a makeshift bra. His pants felt tighter and tighter as his butt continued to expand with thick fat from the fudge, and soon they split off, leaving him in tight boxers and a tight shirt. He had already kicked off his shoes and socks because his feet felt tight, and sure enough they too were getting larger, wider, with pink toenails.

“So there, Sweets, how do you feel?” Looner said. The now female clown looked up. The tip of her nose was red, and had inflated slightly. She smiled at the man in front of her her.

“Oh, I feel delightful. You said you could help me with my clothing. My old boring stuff doesn’t fit anymore!” she noted.

“I certainly can. I can even make your old clothing into your new clothing.” he said as she took a wand and waved it at the discarded scraps of human clothing, and they swirled up and around the new clown, reforming into a pretty pink dress with purple hearts all over it, the bottom of the dress big and swishy. Long knee high socks, striped with white and pink appeared over her big feet and legs.

“Lastly, here is a pair of mary janes just for you, my dear” he said as he took out some large bubble toed shoes to give her. She smiled and sat down to strap them on, then stood up. Gone was the tall handsome man, here was a chubby girl who took pride in her curves.

“Thanks, Looner!” she giggled as he showed her to the portal and sent her to her new home. As he walked back in Looner smirked. He enjoyed this job a lot, it was a thrill to change these boring humans into clowns. As he walked back into the store, he noticed that he was still barefoot. “I should put on some shoes” he said as he wiggled his toes and looked down. “Don’t want to catch a cold.” he joked to himself.

Just as he said this, a cold wind blew into the store as the door opened and a young woman. She was dressed pretty casually, like she just threw on whatever she could. Sweatpants, a loose t-shirt and a pair of flip flop sandals. She had headphones in and was listening to some popular tune that Looner kind of remembered from his human life, but the name of the song escaped him. She was looking around kind of enthralled at the place, amazed at all the offerings it had.

“Hello there!” Looner said as he stood in the middle of the store looking at the girl. She looked at him and burst out laughing. At first he wasn’t sure if that was nice, but he was a clown and laughter was their end goal, so he smiled, thankful for it.

“I appreciate your laughter, miss. What’s your name?” he asked.

“I’m Miranda” she said with a smile as she undid her earplugs. “I hope I didn’t come off as rude, you are hilarious looking.”

“Why thank you! I aim to be hilarious, so that’s quite the compliment” he said.

She smiled and nodded until her eyes noticed something. “Good Lord, look at your feet! They are huge!” she said.

He gave a grin and nodded. “Well, I am a clown. We tend to have those.”  he said as he wiggled his toes.

“I thought it was just a gag...not actual huge clodhoppers like that.” she said. “Where do you even get shoes that big? I doubt you can just hop on down to Target”

She bent over to examine the feet, to see if perhaps it was a prank, that maybe he was a costume piece or makeup. Looner smiled and reached into his overalls and pulled out a pouch. Inside was a glittery dust that he poured into his hand and sprinkled over the girl’s head as she was looking at his feet.

Almost instantly, her body began to change. She stood up, feeling very strange, and noticed her clothing was getting very baggy, except her flip flops, which felt tighter than usual as the thong strap pushed into her toes.

“Huh. what the.” she said as it was now clear she was shrinking. “I’m getting smaller?!” she said as her clothing started to slip on her body.

“Mostly. All except one part!” Looner said as he pointed to her feet, which were larger and getting bigger. The toe strap on her flip flops snapped and her feet surged forward into long wide floppy “clodhoppers” like Looner had. “The more you shrink, the bigger your feet get! It’s kind of ingenious!” he said.

The transformation that was occurring was making her feel woozy. She knew that she should be panicking, but instead was kind of just mesmerized by the whole process. She felt her panties and pants fall off and she stepped out of them dragging her expanding feet along the floor, now only clothed in her oversized shirt. “Why is this happening?” she asked.

“Well, you asked where I get shoes. I don’t just “hop” down to Target, I have to custom make them, and I find I like my shoes to have a little personality. How better to show you then by turning you into my new pair!” he said.

She paused for a moment, then laughed as loud as her now two foot tall body would allow. “I’m gonna be shoes?! That’s silly!” she said.

“Well, you will certainly make a silly pair” he said. She looked over to his massive feet and suddenly felt a warm affection for them. She managed to swing her huge feet and move closer to his, leaving her shirt behind in the process.

“I can’t believe this is happening, but I think I like it!” she giggled. “I do. I love it!’

She looked at his feet and began to wonder what it would like to be worn by him, to be placed on his feet and walked around in all day. The thought filled her with a strange excitement and this made her shrinking excellerate. Soon she was merely a few inches tall with feet as large as his. She began to think only of one thing. Feet. Big feet. Looner’s Feet in particular.

“Feet! Feet! Feet!” she giggled in a squeaky voice. “Put me on your feet!” she said as her tiny body shrunk so small, it vanished, and the two big feet separated, the only thing left of the girl. The feet began to hop about by themselves, getting closer to Looner, trying to get onto his feet.

Looner laughed and picked the feet up, tickling them in the process, which made them squirm, and he could swear he heard laughter. “I can’t wear you until we make you actually into a pair of shoes” he said  as he placed her on the checkout counter. He pulled out the pouch of dust and sprinkled some on the feet and watched as they morphed and changed from fleshy feet into fabric and rubber, stretching out into long wide clown shoes, purple in color with pink rubber trim, and a smiling face, the girl’s, on the side of each, as if it were her brand logo. She couldn’t speak anymore, as she was entirely a pair of shoes. Her laces appeared, and Looner smiled.

“Thanks, Lacey. My new favorite pair of shoes.” he said as he placed the pair of shoes on the ground

He put on some socks and slid the shoes onto his feet and laced them up, and felt that he had made the right choice. “Usually it takes me some getting used to a new pair of shoes, but you are already the most comfortable pair I’ve ever had.” he said.

She couldn’t respond, but she was happy. He felt this as warmth radiated around his feet, which sort of tickled. He strode around the store to break them in and felt proud of what he had accomplished. It had been a very interesting day already, and it wasn’t even half over!