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13thalcoragent · 2 years ago

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A Weiss Wedding

Winter zipped up the back of Weiss' gown while she studied herself in a full-length mirror.

"Well, that makes it official," Weiss said. "I'm getting married."

"The wedding dress is a big tip-off," Willow pointed out, adjusting the train. "You actually look like a lady now."

"Mom!"

Winter chuckled. "She's right, you know. And I'm willing to bet that everyone in the church would think the same, I could bring them in to prove it."

"No! No dolts in the changing room," Weiss said. She looked at herself in the mirror one more time. The ivory dress seemed to glow in the light. If she didn't know better, she would suspect it had Dust sewn in it. "I hope everyone got dressed up. We may be Huntsmen, but it would still be a tad embarrassing if we couldn't at least clean ourselves up."

"Don't worry, everyone looks presentable," Winter said. "Except for Chief Wukong, he still dressed in his battle attire"

Weiss sighed. "Great. All I need is that idiot monkey swinging around the Church of St. Oum."

Nothing is going to ruin this, Weiss," Blake assured from the doorway. Looking at Blake, now a mature and strong woman, as close to Weiss as her own sister, no one would ever know she was the Leader of the New Faunus Brotherhood. Apparently, being the Chief Representative for the Faunus and the Head of Security for the SDC were working as well as ever. "I hope the 'no dolts in the dressing room' rule doesn't apply to me."

"Get in here and help me," Weiss said

"Are all the guests here?" Winter asked as she took a brush and started combing her sister's hair

"Sienna is here," Blake said as she eyed the bouquet of white roses. She's wearing a fur coat. At least I think it's a coat. I could have sworn I heard it growl at me."

"Wow," Willow said. "Jaunthan made it. Ghira's here with Kali, too. Ren and Nora are there with the kids, Neo and her boyfriend, Cinder-you know, the regular bunch-oh, Qrow."

"Qrow! He came? We haven't seen him in ages," Blake said.

"I saw him. He cleans up quite nicely," Willow said.

"He's hot," Winter said.

Everyone looked at her in disbelief.

"What?" she cried defensively. "He is!"

Weiss nodded. "Anyone else?"

No one said anything. Weiss thought she saw a look pass between her mother and sister. "There was no way to find her."

"Who?" Weiss lied.

"You know who we're talking about. We tried," Blake explained. "She's just hard to track down. We tried every connection the SDC and the Brotherhood had."

"Well, I don't want her here anyway," Weiss said. "She'd just make it all about her and ruin it for me. She'd probably do something childish too. It's for the best."

"Weiss, you're not thinking about her, are you?"

Weiss hadn't seen "her" in almost five years. Of course, she was thinking of "her." However, she knew for certain that she shouldn't bring "her" up now.

"No!"

"Good, because you're marrying Neptune today. You need to be sure." Winter lectured.

"Oh, you're giving me relationship advice? How many hearts have you step on this year?"

"I denied them because they were not right for me," Winter said. "Most of them were too-"

"Weak? Winter, there's nothing wrong with weak. When Jacques was still in power, we were all weak before him but now look at where we are."

Winter chuckled. "Well, that was the price we paid for the choices that we had made."

There was a knock at the door and then it opened. Ironwood entered, smiling.

"Director?" Weiss asked.

"You look so beautiful," he commented

"He's been begging to see you all day." Willow said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "I kind of like this side of him."

From the open door, the sounds of a pipe organ floated into the room.

"It's Showtime," Winter said, handing Weiss a bouquet of white roses.

Weiss checked herself one more time in the mirror. She actually did look like a beautiful woman-not the most beautiful, but beautiful nonetheless. She took a deep breath and smiled. Today was the start of a new adventure. Neptune was exactly the tall, handsome, breath of fresh air that she wanted, and together they would build a nice, smooth, happy life.

"Weiss?" Ironwood said. "It's time."

"I wish Jacques were here," Weiss said.

Ironwood took her hand and together they walked to the back of the church. "I'm sure wherever he is, he's sending you his blessings and wishing you the best."

Weiss cracked a smile at the thought. She shook off her nervousness and took a deep breath. Neptune has become a fine man. He's kind and loving and handsome and a breath of fresh air. A wondrous breath of fresh air. He's the kind of man that she want beside her during the hardships of the SDC. She need him. He'll kept her sane.

And then she walked into the church and through a sea of smiles. There were many faces she hadn't seen in years, and new faces she suspected masked more familiar faces. One man sat quietly muttering to himself-ah, Oscar. Flynt and Katt, Emerald and Mercury sitting next to Cinder and her service wolf-even Taiyang had made it out from Patch, and there, in all his stubby glory, was Klein. As she passed, he smiled and said, "Nicholas would be so proud."

And on the other side of the church, there were more economical people-Atlas People-who had no clue that they were at a wedding with warriors. And at the altar was Neptune, his blue eyes gleaming. He had shaved his goatee for the day. It was funny to see him without it. She barely recognized him.

The minister smiled down at her. "Who gives this woman to be married?"

"I do," Ironwood said, and placed Weiss' hand into Neptune's. It felt warm and comforting. Ironwood nodded approvingly and joined Winter, Willow, and Whitley in the front pew. Her brother, who was no long a child nor a prick, standing nearly six feet tall, grinned and winked at her.

"Marriage is a journey," the minister said. "A walk down a long, twisting road. Some days the path is clear and bright, and others, murky and mysterious. There are many bends in the road and more than a few crossroads. Today, the two of you take a road together, hand in hand, promising to tall here and Oum himself that you will not let go of each other. Before we start, it is customary to ask the congregation to witness this unison. I ask those gathered here, do you promise to support this marriage, in good times and bad, to help this couple down their road whenever possible?"

Weiss turned to look at the audience just as they all said, "We do."

The minister smiled. "Very good. It is also customary to ask those gathered if anyone can give cause or reason that this unison should not take place. If anyone objects, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Weiss cringed and looked out to the crowd once more. But no one rose. No one spoke. No one acted childish. She was not there. She was not going to ruin her wedding. So why was she...disappointed?

"Very well," the minister said. "I believe the bride and groom have written some vows they would like to share with one-"

He was suddenly cut short by a bright light above the crowd. Everyone craned his or her neck to see what the commotion was, but Weiss didn't have to look-she knew.

When Neptune's side of the church gasped and screamed and rose from their seats, she sighed. When Taiyang and Qrow began to grin, and when Winter started to chuckle, Weiss did not have to look up.

"It's-it's an angel," the minister said, falling back in shock.

"Hardly," Weiss muttered.

And then "the angel" floated down before her, with wings of silver glowing behind her. She was a woman. No longer a child. And she was gorgeous.

"Hello, Weiss." she said with a wink of her silver eyes that infuriated Weiss, but not enough to stop her from grinning.

#rwby #weiss schnee #winter schnee #willow schnee #blake belladonna #neptune vasilias #ruby rose #the sisters grimm #incorrect quotes

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razorblade180 · 4 years ago

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Interdimensional Moms: part 1

Intro <-

Yang:So how we doin this? Drawing straws or... well we actually don’t have straws here so-

Weiss:It’s obvious that you wanna go first.

Blake:Extremely obvious.

Ruby:All over your face.

Yang:Hey now, don’t call me out like that! We all have so much to sort out here. I don’t even know where to begin. Differences could start and stop anywhere for all we really know.

Blake:From what it seems, Beacon itself would have one or two minor changes, but the real changes start after the fall. At least, for you three that is.

Weiss:You saying you’re different?

Blake:Unless you three started going on dates with Jaune at Beacon, then yes, I’m different.

RWY:(They’ve been together that long!?)

Yang:Okay, starting from Beacon...nothing really stands out too much. Jaune and I were just friends. *cringes* Back then, a certain faunus caught my eye.

Blake:Ah...right. I guess that tracks in practically every universe.

RW:Oh yeah it does. You two are joined at the hip.

Yang:Haha, really? Glad to hear it. My Blake and I are best buds! Remnant has never seen such a dynamic duo! Can’t say it didn’t take a lot of time effort after a rough patch. We actually dated in my world.

Blake:Same.

Yang:What!? How long?

Blake:I don’t know, it was pretty on again off again.

Yang:Well for me it was after Haven. Both of us had gotten pretty serious. All the growing we’ve done together and apart had brought us closer. However, Adam unintentionally put a wedge between us. His attempt to change and the problems that came with it were-

Yang stopped midway and saw the confused faces of her otherworldly teammates. They were shocked, confused even. Especially Blake, who looked the most shocked of all.

Yang:Umm did I say something odd?

Blake:Adam, he...isn’t dead?

Yang:Oh, well I guess that’s the start of the major changes then. Blake and I fought Adam at Argus. Stabbed him through the chest and watched him fall down rocks into a river.

Ruby:That lines you with my world. Dude died that day. Like any normal person should.

Yang:Well Adam is anything but fucking normal. Man has the craziest luck. A young women, the winter maiden in fact, she saved his life. She’s not exactly normal either. The maiden, Jacquelyn, ended up sticking by him to see if she could change his ways. This naturally meant we’d run into them again. And that’s how things fell apart.

Blake:What do you mean?

Yang:You were fully committed to seeing if Adam could actually change. I wasn’t, so we constantly butted heads in any situation involving him. Then we would fight about things that had nothing to do with at all. Eventually, we broke it off. We remained on decent terms but I was pretty heartbroken about the disconnect. Enter our lovable blonde idiot. Jaune did everything in his power to cheer me up.

Weiss:Sounds like him. Always such a bleeding heart. That boy just can’t help himself. Let me guess, his kindness and concern made you feel all warm and fuzzy?

Yang:Hehe, guilty. It was more of his willingness to laugh at my puns. Jaune’s always been interesting to talk to. He tries to act cool and calm even though he’s terrible at it, then comes clean right after. Before I knew it I was telling him things I hadn’t talked about with people before. I could tell he looked at me like most guys do, but also genuinely wanted to listen to me. Talk about playing unfair; he got defenseless. Suddenly I was smiling again. Anytime with him was time well spent. Then one day, I kissed him.

Ruby:Happily ever after?

Yang:Not even close! Hahaha!

Weiss:Why do you sound proud?

Yang:It’s funny looking back at it to a certain degree. Gods, I was such a brat. More than a few fights are on me. Between Blake, Raven, and other experiences, my insecurities flared up in ugly ways over nothing. It even got us to break up too. I was officially done with dating. My Ruby was out in an uncomfortable position.

Ruby:I bet! I’d never want you two fighting. Especially in my world. Picking between the person I love and my sister!? I don’t know what will happen.

Yang:I kinda do. *sets up* You’d start dating Jaune because you’ve looked at him since Beacon. The two of you would confide in each other and share a special kind of love, but it would be bittersweet. All because your sister still pines for him and never met to make him leave, and Jaune never says it, but he hates how things fell apart. He’s faithful to you and would never do you wrong, a guy to truly cherish. So... you let him go. Watch him walk back to your sister like you asked, because my happiness was worth that much to you.

Ruby:....

Yang: In my world at least. Honestly it’s still the most amazing thing I’ve seen you do. We must’ve cried over that conversation for hours. I felt so guilty and you only smiled, hugging me tight. Jaune and I had a few more stumbles. Nothing serious though. Eventually we moved in together when the world was saved. You and Oscar got together officially which made me happy. Even made our weddings a competition of who’d make dad bawl his eyes out the most. You won by the way; Raven came back into our family and into dad’s arms. Last but not least I had a baby. Yujin Xiao Long, my fucking pride and joy from above.

Weiss:Wow, that’s a lot.

Blake:What am I doing? Did I marry Sun?

Yang:Yep. You and blondes Blake, I tell ya.

Weiss:Hold the phone! Who am I with!?

Yang:Pretty sure you’re technically single. Buuuut, Neo and your have gotten pretty friendly from what I managed to interrogate out of you.

Weiss:That’s, highly unexpected. For a number of reasons.

Yang:Better believe it. Besides Cinder, a few crazies, and Salem, a few people made something of themselves. Dying sucks after all.

Ruby:You have a dead Cinder?

WBY: You don’t?

Ruby:*crosses arms* Hmph, I’ll wait my turn. Yang, you said you’re the only mother from our team. If Blake and I have been married for quite some time then what, we don’t want kids?

The joyful sunshine from Yang slipped into grayer skies. Her smile faded and it increasingly got harder to look at this Ruby without thinking of her own.

Yang:Are you sure that’s something you wanna know? I’ll tell you, but I didn’t want to bring down the mood with the problems where I from.

Blake:Problems? How big of a problem.

Yang:The biggest we’ve faced. It’s...a lot.

Ruby:Well we’ve listened this far. *takes hand* Lay it on us.

Yang:Pfft, oh boy. So...umm...another secret war came up. One that caused us to leave our friends and family for over a decade.

Weiss:A decade!?

Blake:What gets worse after Salem!? Who tries anything after a grimm queen!?

Yang:So a majority of Remnant was still unaware of her, but a fight like that can only be kept under wraps so tightly. Plenty of people still learned fractions of the truth. A few of those people weren’t exactly nice guys. They idolized her efforts and became her followers that wanted to keep her will alive, starting with taking revenge on the people who defeated her. We were so unaware. So caught up in normalcy. They ambushed us, and I mean everyone. We...we didn’t come out unscathed. Ren was crippled badly. Weiss, you almost your brother. Jaune’s family got hit but thankfully lived. The real casualties were aimed to hurt Ruby.

Ruby:Oh, of course. S-So, either you’re about to say I had no time to start a family, or...

Yang:...

Yang:When I tell you the look you made when you learned what happened to Oscar, to Qrow... that’s the moment it felt like my little sister left forever. Till this day you don’t smile like you used to. Very recently, now that it’s finally over, you’ve started looking better, but those ten years were hell. We choose to go out and fight again, avoiding contact with family. I haven’t had a real opportunity to be in my daughters life.

Ruby:How old is she?

Yang:Sixteen soon. Left her when she was four so you know. *tearing up* I missed everything. Just about anyways. Ironically it was Raven and Adam that helped her through the years with Jaune and Dad. Eventually we came back and ooohh boy was Yujin not thrilled in the slightest. Hehehe. Her right hook is really strong. I only had about a week with her before things got complicated again. *wipes eyes* But it’s okay. We left on good term. Something I definitely don’t feel like I deserve.

Blake:I can’t believe a thing like that would be possible.

Yang:Cults are a huge problem in Remnant now. You’re definitely aware of that. You actually oversee a little group from the shadows to deal with them in secret. An idea you got from experience. Adam works for you and everything. Hate to admit, but he’s become the guy you wanted him to be. Even has a family. I’m grateful to him. He personally kept my girl safe.

Blake:To think I’d hear you say that. Now I know this isn’t my world.

Yang:Don’t get me wrong, I still will hit him if given the chance. My life hasn’t been charmed and sacrifices too great were happening way too many times but it finally has gotten to a point where everyone feels like we’re taking steps towards a better future.

Weiss:Moving forward?

Yang:Yes, I was trying to avoid the phrase but yes Weiss, we’re moving forward. Still... *looks at Ruby*....

Ruby:W-What?

Yang:It’s unreal seeing you like this. My Ruby has become so strong and endured but hasn’t really picked herself up completely. All her tragedy stemmed from the loss of Oscar and Qrow; her last talk with Oscar was fight about kids too. That’s the entire reason she went off alone in the first place. Looking at you I can’t help but question my own choices. If...I just let her stay with Jaune, then maybe-

Ruby:Nope.

Yang:Huh?

Ruby:Look, if I know anything about your world, then it’s gonna be me and I can tell you without a doubt your Ruby doesn’t blame or would consider her own happiness without you. She loved you enough to take the chance to find love again. You really think there’s anything you could’ve done differently at that point. That girl is as stubborn as they come! *smiles* So buck up cowgirl. You deserve it.

A sense of warmth came over Yang as she heard those words. This other Ruby smiled at her with the same love as her own; completely caring about Yang’s feeling before her own. Yang felt so...unburdened. She couldn’t help but cry a little, laughing softly as she did. Who would’ve thought love could transcend worlds? It was so vindicating, therapeutic even.

Yang:Ruby, you’re something else entirely, you know that?

Ruby:It’s my curse. All I ever wanted was normal knees but the world said “no, special eyes!”

Yang:Well I guess I should thank the world then?

Weiss:You said your Ruby is getting better? That’s good. Still, it must be pretty weird looking at Jaune. Can’t imagine how lonely it must feel losing a love twice.

Blake:It never numbs.

Yang:Geez you two, lighten up. We can’t all be depressed. Ruby also didn’t lose Jaune. Actually....there may or may not have been an interesting...arrangement for a brief period of time.

Ruby:Ehhh what?

Yang:Hehehe well, hahaha, ummmm a decade is a very long time without feeling any kind of pleasure in a bleak situation. And you know me, I have to share things with you all my life.

Ruby:OH MY GOD!!!

Blake:*grinning* Yooooo! You loaned out Jaune!?

Weiss:That’s....accurate; in a lot of ways.

Ruby:That’s so scandalous! How could you!?

Yang:I didn’t force it! I gave the option, you said no, then you changed your mind because things got real stressful. Like come on, a decade of death and loneliness.

Ruby:Sigh...yeah. I can see it. Still, it’s so filthy. He’s a married man. What, so I’d just look at you and say “Yang I’m gonna sleep with Jaune, don’t come in the room.”

Yang:....

Ruby:What?

Yang:....Nothing.

Ruby:Bullshit! What is it!?

Yang:*scratches head* Well, I was lonely too, and a week is only so long-

Weiss:Oh so it was a group thing!!?

Ruby:WHAT!?

Yang:Only sometimes!

Ruby:SOMETIMES!?

Blake:HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! THAT IS AMAZING!

Ruby:Why are you laughing!?

Blake:Because that’s just so extreme, and not, all at the same time. I could totally see that happening.

Weiss:Same. Dang, Jaune slept with sisters. That’s dangerously close to being like your dad.

Ruby:That’s different!

Blake:Is it though?

Yang:Eh, I don’t see the problem. We’re all grown and make choices. Plus I’m the one who guided you through awkward teenage changes. It not like we didn’t share a room for years.

Ruby:That doesn’t make it okay.

Yang:Eh debatable.

Ruby:*red* It isn’t though! How could I do something so bold!? So taboo!?

Weiss:It isn’t like you’re the one who did it. Just a version of you.

Ruby:Not better!

Yang:Awwww it’s okay Ruby. Let’s hug it out. Hehehe *opens arms*

Ruby:Don’t touch me!

Weiss and Blake laugh until their sides hurt as Ruby tries escaping the bear hug that terrorized her. Yang’s world found interesting for sure. Weiss finally decides to help Ruby out.

Weiss:Got a picture of Yujin?

Yang’s eyes lit up and pulled out her scroll. Her team huddled around her and collectively cooed like that parents they are at the sight of a blonde young girl with gorgeous blue eyes with a black combat school graduation cap and gown and a certificate proudly raised up high. If it wasn’t for those eyes and shoulders length hair, they might’ve mistaken her for Yang.

Yang:She’s going to Beacon early because she’s fucking awesome like her mom.

Ruby:I think you mean her aunt?

Yang:I know what I said.

Weiss:I bet she’s just as hardheaded.

Blake:What do you think your kid is up to right now?

Yang: Well...*smiles*

xxxx

The girl in question sat at a work bench with oil on her face and her hands busy tinkering with gauntlets. She looked over at blueprints in a journal. If they were right, then she was definitely doing something wrong. How her mother made something so complex was crazy!

Yujin:Come on Yujin. You can fix a car, making gauntlets into a sword that don’t break should be easy!

Footsteps came up from behind her and a plate stacked with sandwiches. She looked up and smiled at her dad that gave her a wink, then kissed her forehead.

Jaune:Haveing fun, you grease monkey.

Yujin:Jokes on you, I like monkeys. Just a few more attempts and I’ll have the coolest weapon in Remnant. That entrance exam is as good as aced.

Jaune:Not if you don’t have a landing strategy. Tomorrow we’re going on a trip.

Yujin:Does it happen to be near a cliff?

Jaune:Who can say? Rule one of being a huntsman, be prepared for everything.

He ruffled her hair and left, laughing evilly. Yujin could tell he’s been waiting for this day. She pulled out her scroll and searched through a collection of videos labeled “mom” and found a super early one. She hit play and watched her mother give a peace sign to the camera as trees increasingly got closer from below.

Yang:Beacon rules!!!! Wooohooo!

The camera flipped and focused on a familiar blonde flailing through the air like a doll in the distance.

Yang:Oof, hate to be that guy! Wait, that’s vomit boy! Hahah, hope he survives. He owes me shoes. Poor dude. I guess he needs more training in flirting and landing. Wait, eugh I think he barfed again! Hahaha!

Jaune:Stop watching that one!!!!

Yujin:Hahaha but it’s the best one. The ending is priceless.

Jaune: *walks back down*

Yang:Well if he survives this I guess I can off him at least I can offer him mints and company. Fake it to ya make Jaune. Between me and Ruby, at least you’ll look like a player. Heh, nah, I don’t think I can support a bunny onesie.

Yujin and Jaune:*grinning* And then she did! *high-fives* Arc charm, baby!

#rwby #rwby au #jaune arc #ruby rose #weiss schnee #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #rwby dragonslayer #yujin xiao long #rwby lasting embers

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victoriareyloficlists · 4 years ago

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12 April 2021 Additions to Reylo Fluff

These fics have been added to the Fluff lists located in the following lists:

Fluff Part 1 Titles A-G

Fluff Part 2 Titles H-M

Fluff Part 3 Titles N-S

Fluff Part 4 Titlez T-Z

Zombie Run by OptimisticBeth (AO3 2018 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: During a charity run, Rey is relentlessly pursued by a zombie.) The Road Taken by gogoburritos (AO3 2020 Rated M Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey pulls a prank on her housemate Ben. She doesn't expect it to turn out so well.) Loose Change by spicytofuuuu (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: "I ate your pizza. It was a desperate move. I'm sorry. Not proud of myself. Here is $4." An Oh-My-God-They-Were-Roommates, They-Have-One-Single-Shared-Brain-Cell fic.) just say you love me by darthswift13 (AO3 2021 Rated M Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: In which Rey gets drunk on Saturday nights and confesses her true feelings for her roommate Ben, only to forget on Sunday mornings. Will Rey ever be able to confess her feelings when sober?) r/Relationships by elle_reads (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben's new roommate moves in just before a shelter-in-place order is issued. It's just the two of them—and Reddit, of course.) The Sublet by javajunkie (AO3 2020 Rated M Complete, 5 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey and Rose sublet their spare room to Ben Solo.) Knock Me Down by commandercrouton (AO3 2019 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben gets a concussion thanks to Rey.) Love in the Language of Sweaters by SaintHeretical (AO3 2019 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Corporate executive Ben Solo mocks holiday sweaters until he sees the delivery girl wear them.) You Need a Tutor by castles_and_crowns (AO3 2018 Rated T Complete, 28 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey is an engineering student who finds herself struggling with calculus. Desperate, she goes to the math tutoring center on campus for help. Meanwhile, Ben Solo is a grad student who's required to work a certain amount of hours in the math tutoring center. When Ben reluctantly offers to help Rey with her work, a relationship forms between them that neither are expecting.) Five Times That Ben Saved Rey's Valentine's Day & How She Forever Saved His by AnneAnna (AO3 2021 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben makes a confession in his wedding speech: He knew he was going to marry Rey when he and Rey were 4 years old and she gave him a Valentine she made and colored herself. And 21 years later, he still has that Valentine.) Newspaper Hearts by Celia_and (AO3 2021 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: “She made her Valentine’s cards. She tore hearts out of newspaper and glued them onto used envelopes and painstakingly wrote each child’s name. She probably spent days making them. And you know what she wrote on mine?” He doesn’t need to read it to know what it says, so he looks down at her instead, and the hand on her heart and the tears in her eyes. “Ben: You are OK. Rey.”) When the party ends by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2021 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey gets wasted at a frat party. Ben finds her, puts her in his room, where she's safe. Rey wakes in the morning after Ben comes out of the shower and nakedness ensues.) Fleeced by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: AU where Rey is a mechanic and Ben is her grumpy client. Ben is car shopping and asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend so the dealer won't screw him over.) My Sandwich by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Someone took Ben's turkey sandwich at work, he is infuriated and eager for revenge, until he finds out it was Rey then those feelings no longer exist.) Sleepyhead by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben, a mere himbo, tucks a stray hair behind Rey's ear in class. He knows he deserves the hot coffee in her hand to be thrown in his face and yet he gets a date. ) When You Know It by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben finds out his roommate Rey has never had someone to celebrate valentine's with, so he sends her 25 roses, one for every year she's been alone, in attempt to make her feel better.) Port in the storm by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey pretends to be afraid of thunderstorms so she has an excuse to sleep next to Ben. Ben figures it out when he races home early after seeing thunder, fearing Rey will be crying alone curled up in a ball, only to find her totally chill and eating ice cream.) Neighborly by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey and her son move into a new apartment and meets her new neighbor Ben and his cute dog.) Tinder and Cinder by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey joins tinder after a long long dry spell due to her flatmate Kylo's derision, they argue about why and in a fit of jealousy Kylo screams out 'use me instead.') Traditions gotta start somewhere by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2020 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Christmas Tree vignettes of Rey and Ben over the course of their relationship.) All of my wishes came true with you by Blueyedgurl (AO3 2021 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Fantasy AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey works on a wishfarm for Plutt. One day after she's out of wishes, she catches the star of a man who wishes for an end to his loneliness. She pockets it and after a particularly rough day she grants it with herself.) Knot It by MotherofScavengers (AO3 2021 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: When Omega Rey’s heat starts early, the Alpha friend who agreed to assist her is nowhere to be found. When she unexpectedly meets Ben, the delicious smelling Alpha offers his help...and his knot.) It's You by SpaceWaffleHouse (AO3 2021 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben and Rey have been costars for years when the time comes for them to film their first kissing scene. Neither of them ever expected their soul marks to appear in the process.) Through the Years by castles_and_crowns (AO3 2018 Rated T Complete, 10 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben Solo and Rey Jakkson meet on the playground as children under unusual circumstances and quickly become best friends. This fic follows them through the years, showing glimpses of their friendship as it slowly progresses into something more.) I Hate You by orphan_account (AO3 2018 Rated M Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben has been in love with Rey for two years and so when she storms into his office he finally decides he can't keep it in any longer.) In Small Packages by DyadamDriver (AO3 2018 Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: It was then that Ben realised three things. 1. He had never had a cat in his life. 2. He had no idea what these little things ate. 3. He had a crippling crush on his neighbour.) ignorance of etiquette by blessedreylo (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Regency AU, Quick Synopsis: Lady Rey Kenobi lives a life of pristine comfort and luxury on her family's estate in Chesire with her parents Lord Obi-Wan Kenobi and Lady Satine Kenobi. When they receive word that an old family friend, Lord Benjamin Solo, is coming to visit, Lady Rey is reminded of how he tormented her as a child. She decides that she will prove herself not the same girl she once was in more ways than one.) heaven in hiding by blessedreylo (AO3 2021 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: They say it's impossible for a guy and girl to be "just friends", but Rey and Ben had managed to discredit that throughout their decade long friendship. What they both have is special, that people would often arrive at the conclusion the two were made for each other. He's her safe haven, her rock. She gives him a sense of clarity and direction. Ben and Rey know each other more than anyone ever possibly could. Therefore on Valentine's Day, their friends decided to secretly set them up together on a blind dinner date.) a quiet storm by blessedreylo (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey gets off to Kylo Ren, a popular audio erotica account online. She hasn’t been on a date in so long until her friend Rose sets her up on a blind date with her boyfriend's coworker, Ben. They seem to be hitting it off and finding that they have a lot in common, but she can’t help but think that he sounds so...familiar.) key to the kingdom by blessedreylo (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 12 Chapters, Princess Diaries AU, Quick Synopsis: Most girls get a drunk weekend in Vegas for their 21st birthday, but Princess Rey Kenobi gets the chance to rule the country of Alderaan. But the only way she can become Queen is if she marries a man in 30 days, or the throne goes to the selfish (and annoyingly attractive) usurper Lord Benjamin Solo. Will Rey be able to ascend to the throne or will it all just become a royal pain in the ass?) fueled by fire by blessedreylo (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben annoys the hell out of Rey when he tries to write passive aggressive notes about where she leaves her stuff. Rey pisses Ben off by being loud and picking a fight whenever she wants. Being neighbors for the last five months has been interesting to say the least. Their little rivalry comes to a crescendo when their hate for each other turns into another kind of passion.) 1 April Fool by Maloreiy (AO3 2021 Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: "Honk! Act like you know me! My name is Ben!" Rey sees the sign on the car when she pulls up to the grocery store, and decides to play along. The giant, surly man, apparently named Ben, is not amused.) when I look to you by blessedreylo (AO3 2020 Rated M Complete, 7 Chapters, Harry Potter AU, Quick Synopsis: Best friends since Year Three, Gryffindor's Ben Solo and Rey Niima navigate their final year at Hogwarts. When exposed feelings and unrequited romance get in the way of their friendship, they wonder whether they'll survive the school year.) Dreaming of Hope by adamsackleriskyloren83 (AO3 2019 Rated M Complete, 2 Chapters, Canon AU, Quick Synopsis: Kylo Ren goes to bed one night only to awaken as Rebel Pilot Ben Solo. Discovering that not only is Rey his wife, but he is also the father of a toddler(s) son/daughter.) Talk Nerdy To Me by andabatae (AO3 2019 Rated E Complete, 7 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Grad student Rey is addicted to watching nature documentaries narrated by the mysterious Kylo Ren. In fact, listening to him recite animal facts is her favorite masturbation inspiration. One day, the poetry class she TAs for has a guest lecturer: Ben Solo, a large, cranky man with gorgeous hair, adorable glasses... and a very compelling voice.) Everything You Are by kereia (AO3 2019 Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Canon AU, Quick Synopsis: But the thing she loved most of all, the thing that she was downright addicted to, was the way Ben reacted whenever she touched him.) Eggplant Emoji by trasharama (AO3 2020 Rated E Complete, 5 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: A desperate Rey seeks refuge in Poe and Ben's spare bedroom. Ben didn't know she was a girl when he agreed to the roommate trial period--and now she won't stop sexting him? Climb aboard the Smutty McSmuttSmutt train!)

#reylo #reylo fanfic #rey #ben solo #kylo ren

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trojc-rewrite · 4 years ago

Text

The Rise of Jimmy Casket Rewrite, Chapter 2

Warning - Blood

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After the agreement at Dunkin, the group left later that night. Toast drove, Colon in the passenger seat, while Spooker played music from the back. Mostly indie with the occasional rap song. But as the day got darker, the three grew more and more tired.

Toast checked the clock on the dash, 12:01 AM. His entire body was stiff and his eyes felt heavy. He looked around, seeing the tall pine forest loom around them for miles. He didn’t feel like pulling over and resting for the night would be a good idea.

“There might be bears, or raccoons.” Spooker said.

Colon gave him a confused look, “But you like raccoons.” He pointed out.

Spooker retorted. “NOT IN THE CAR!”.

Toast gave them both a tired look and they both shifted away. “I think I saw a motel sign a few miles ago, it might be up ahead.��

They drove for a few more miles until they spotted it. It was a run down place not too far away from town. It was old and browned, but you could tell it used to be an off-white color. A sign that once was a light up sign was now broken with one fizzling bulb. Broken stairs climbed the sides of the building, several steps rotting and mold covered. But, it would have to do for now.

Toast booked a room and the three shuffled into the small place. The inside looked about just as bad as the outside. With a pull out cot in the living room, a love seat, and a small kitchen with a stove that looked like it hadn't been used in years. Everything had a weird acrid smell to it, like it was damp. “The wonders of mold!” Colon had joked.

Toast decided to take the love seat with stiff, hardened cushions and let Colon and Spooker take the cot, which looked like a new king size mattress compared to the love seat, which made crunching sounds when you shifted on it.

Toast sighed, and stared at the ceiling while Colon and Spooker chatted. His anxious brain whispered to itself, making him upset, “Is this really worth it? Do Spooker and Colon think I'm the world's biggest idiot? I wouldn’t blame them if they did, I’m making them go on a goose chase for one of my stupid hunches.”

He turned over on the rough love seat and stared at his phone screen, no calls from Ghost. Not even a text. Toast blinked tiredly; why did his eyes sting? Ghost did say he wasn’t sure if he was going to come back, and he obviously didn’t want to be around him or the rest of the P.I.E gang.

“I failed him.” Toast thought sadly. He put down his phone, blinking away his tears. Why was he crying? Toast shifted his gaze to his golden wedding ring that stayed on his necklace. He delicately picked it up, reading the inside of it. “Till death do us part.” Toast could almost taste the irony.

He took a deep breath. He had had enough of having pitiful thoughts today. He took off his necklace and set it down beside his phone. Before closing his eyes, Toast watched as Spooker showed Colon a funny video on his phone. The two laughed and smiled, genuinely happy. Toast couldn’t help but smile at that. At least not everything about this “vacation “ was horrible. It made Toast happy when they were happy.

He closed his eyes, inviting the dark to consume him.

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Toast was in a white void, it smelled like freshly fallen snow. It was refreshing to his senses, not having to look at ugly greens and muddy browns like the inside of the motel.

He looked around, “Hello?”, he called out. A soft breeze flew over him, ruffling his hair. He then heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Johnny?” A soft voice returned. Toast’s heart leaped in his chest, the voice both seemed to calm him and send him into a frenzy. What a weird effect.

He ran towards the voice, his shoes made a tapping sound on the floor, like high heels on marble. “Mary?!” He cried out.

His late wife’s figure became more visible as he approached, she materialized from the white. Her curly brown hair bounced off her shoulders as it did when she was living. Her soft hazel eyes gazed warmly at him. The breeze made the rim of her long red dress wave in the wind. Toast crashed into her, breathing in her familiar, yet forgotten scent.

“Johnny, it’s been a while.” She murmured to him, smoothing his hair. Toast fought the tears that welled in his eyes, but it was no use. He let out an ugly sob, which shook his entire body. Mary gave him a sympathetic smile, her own eyes filled with tears.

“You’ve come a long way since we last hugged.” She said, still combing her hand through his hair. “I miss you, my love. But I’ve come to warn you, and I’m afraid that I cannot stay for much longer.”

Toast looked up at her, her hazel eyes filled with a fierce love. He then heard yet another familiar voice through the misty white.

“Johnny!” Toast turned to see the outline of his friend. Ghost. Toast's eyes widened and he reached out for him.

“He’s not really here, I’m afraid. Just the powers of this realm making him appear here.” Mary said, taking his hand in hers.

“But that’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Johnny.” She turned him towards her again. She took both of his hands and looked at him.

“Is, is he okay?” Toast asked, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. She nodded.

“If you mean is he alive, yes. But there’s more to worry about than if he’s alive.”

She turned serious, her hazel eyes boring into him with desperation.

“Protect your friends, Johnny. You are all in great danger.” She said. Mary’s figure became more distorted and transparent, but Toast didn’t want to let go of her.

“No, Mary. Please don’t leave me alone!” He cried out, still holding onto the fuzzy static of her hands. Mary’s hazy face smiled.

“Oh my love, I’m always with you.” She whispered. And then, with a gust of wind, she was gone. Leaving Johnny alone.

A sob choked Toast, getting stuck in his throat. He bent down onto his knees and sobbed, his black hairs falling in front of his eyes. He stayed there for a while, sobbing out.

And then a smokey scent filled the air, washing over him like a toxic blanket. He looked up from his hands.

A winged figure stood yards away from him, long black hair waving in the wind. Four wings sprouted from it’s back, feathers dancing. It’s face was also guarded with tinier wings, moth's wings creating eyes. It stared at him. Toast felt vaguely threatened by it.

He got up shakily, walking towards it cautiously. As he approached, ringing filled his ears. And then his dream exploded into fire and black, shattering like glass.

Toast lurked upwards, panic filling his chest. The smell of smoke filled his lungs and he looked around. Colon and Spookers' horrified faces filled his vision, Colon's hands were around his shoulders shaking him.

“Toast we have to go! Come one get up!” He yelled. The room felt hot, making them all sweat.

“What’s going on? What happened!” Toast asked, getting up. He grabbed his wedding ring and phone and put them away on himself.

“The building’s on fire! C’mon we have to go!” Colon yelled, fear filling his voice.

A large pillar fell into the room, slamming on the floor. Flames engulfed it, reaching the cot and setting it ablaze. Orange and red danced in Toast’s vision.

The floor cracked under everything's weight. “I saw a fire exit down the hall when we got to this room! That’s our exit, let’s go!” Toast felt his anxieties in his brain but forced them down. Now was not the time to be having second thoughts.

The blistering flames grew and ignited around them, smoke filling the room. Spooker coughed, shaking his head.

The floor made a loud crack sound, and the large pillar sunk through the wood. A hole grew in the floor, the wood blackened at the edges.

Toast leaped over the hole, dodging the flames that licked and jumped at his legs. Sweat and smoke filled around him. He could barely see, feeling light headed. He reached out for Spookers hand.

“Come on Spooker!” Toast yelled. Flames roared like lions around them, screaming and wailing in Toast's ears. Colon nodded to Spooker, hesitantly, the young red head reached for his hand and jumped. Toast grabbed his hand and pulled him over. Spooker tumbled awkwardly onto the planks and reached the door. Toast ushered him out into the hallway, then turned to Colon.

The hole in the floor was wider, hot air and tiny flames growing from it. It gaped at him, taunting him. One mistake and his friend would be dead, falling into a pit of embers and coals. Toast shook his head, he wouldn’t let that happen.

The smoke was strangling him, making him cough and search for any clean air. He reached out his hand. Colon narrowed his eyes and got ready to jump.

Then, with the speed of a snake, a flaming piece of wood swung from the ceiling at Colon. His friend tried to swerve away from it but it floundered his jump. He landed on the crumbling wood, hanging over the pit opening below them. Panic surged through Toast and he bent down.

Toast hauled him up, the cloth of his friends shirt was rough and hot. Another piece of wood struck out angrily from the wall as it crumbled. “Colon, look out!” Toast cried, and pushed his friend out of the way.

The flaming wood dug straight into his leg, going into it like a knife through meat. Toast cried as the splintered wood buried into his flesh, awkwardly hanging out of his skin.

Colon looked at him horrified, but Toast limped out. Cinders spat at them, like the flames were cursing them. The two ran to the fire escape while Spooker waited by the door, looking anxious. The youngest swung open the door, and the three ran down the crumbling stairs. They ran to the street, and Toast’s leg couldn't handle the weight of himself anymore.

He fell down the cracked cement, scraping his knees on the jutting rocks. Pain surged through him again. “If they don’t use our taxes for fixing these damn streets then what do they use them for?” He cursed angrily about the road's condition. Spooker and Colon lifted him up and dragged him across the road, lying him down on the soft wet grass.

The three breathed heavily, watching as other civilians ran out in different directions. Toast's leg burned, begging for the wood to be removed from his flesh. The oldest coughed, wheezing for the night air.

He sat upwards, studying the injury. It was buried half way into his skin, blood seeping through his clothes. The wood was blackened and damaged, splinters hanging off of the sides where it had split from the wall. It hadn’t hit any bone or anything, but he knew he needed stitches.

He tried to block out the fire and calm down. His adrenaline rushed through his veins, screaming for his body to move. But he took a few deep breaths, the fire was starting to dissipate anyways, flickering still but weaker. “We’re okay. Colon and Spooker are okay. And Ghost probably is too. Everyone is okay.” He thought.

He bit his lip and took the fractured wood in his fingers, and began wiggling it out of the wound. His arms felt weak, and he grit his teeth. For what felt like a gruesome forever, he finally got it out.

Spooker and Colon watched as he took the piece of jagged wood and threw it into the street. It thudded on the broken cement, his blood splattering under it. Now, Toast needed a way to stop the bleeding.

“Guys, do me a favor and rip off one of my sleeves, please.” He said through gritted teeth. Spooker leaned over and ripped off the white sleeve on his button up. Then, handed it to his boss. Toast tried his best to smile at him, but the pain in his leg was too great. His eyes were welled with tears, and there wasn’t a doubt in Toast’s mind that he was crying.

He tied the white cloth around his leg, trying to slow blood flow. The red fluid stained his sleeve. It wasn’t great by any means, but it was better than nothing.

They stayed there for what seemed like forever, watching fire trucks put out the fire. No paramedics were in sight however, which wasn’t good. Toast would just need to power through until the morning.

The three stayed silent, staring at the rising smoke in the sky.

“Watch us survive all this and then we can’t even find Ghost.” Colon joked. Toast weakly laughed, feeling tired.

Spooker and Colon turned to him. “Thanks for not letting us die back there.” Colon said. Toast nodded, the pain in his leg starting to ebb away.

“No problem, that’s what good friends do.” Toast said. His eyes felt heavy, begging him for sleep. Toast gave into it, sighing.

Colon and Spooker watched him silently as he closed his eyes, their concern hanging in the air.

“Ghost, please be out there.” Toast silently thought, before falling asleep.

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Whips and nae naes!!! Longest chapter!!!

Hope yall enjoyed! Next chapter will be out soon!

#p.i.e #paranormal investigators extraordinaire #venturiantale #johnny ghost #johnny toast #fred spooker #colon ghostie #mary toast #jimmy casket

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dopescotlandwarrior · 4 years ago

Text

Sinners & Saints - Chapter One

Special thanks to @statell for all your help.

Find on AO3

Chapter One

Galerie Charpentier is home to Sotheby’s Auction house in the center of the Parisian art world and host to almost eighty auctions per year. Art buyers worldwide watch for pieces to add to their collection and millions of dollars change hands as the gavel comes down on the final bids. A rare Rembrandt was up for sale today. One of three self-portraits done by the artist and the only one still in a private collection. The estimated price at auction is twenty-eight to thirty-five million dollars for the eight by twelve-inch painting. It will elevate any collection to new boasting heights and there is a lot of interest.

Jamie Fraser walked the halls of the auction house and checked in on his team trying to stay clear of buyers flocking into the building. He could care less about the art bought and sold today. He was here to catch a master art thief, his nemesis, who bested him at every turn. Jamie was number one in the world for profiling and catching the most accomplished thieves until he signed on to find Casper, the most prolific art thief in Europe. He was dubbed Casper because he came in and went out like a ghost, leaving nothing behind.

Jamie’s jaw clenched thinking of the many times he was closing in on his prey only to have him vanish with the prized art. This time was different, he could feel it. He was tipped off by a black-market snitch that told him the Rembrandt would be in play soon and that painting was being sold today. Casper had to be here, and Jamie would leave him crippled when he took him down. Payback for leading a merry chase for the past two years.

Jamie walked quickly toward the back entrance to verify the doors were locked. He was surprised to pass a large group of people in one of the auditoriums and glanced at the signboard, Doctor Claire Beauchamp, professor of fine arts, University of Chicago. By the size of the audience, she was quite popular. Jamie caught a glimpse of the striking professor in a body-hugging dress that she wore like a fashion model. Black rimmed glasses were perched on her nose above red lipstick and a pile of hair on top of her head that looked exquisitely messy. She pushed a coil of hair off her face and looked up at a huge screen, flipping slides with a remote control. One word came to Jamie’s mind; fascinating. His earpiece crackled and he spun around to head back to the front of the building.

Claire Beauchamp clicked for the next slide, clicked again, and again to no avail. She apologized to the audience and ripped her headset off to find some assistance. Five minutes later she was back to wrap up the lecture with the slides moving perfectly.

Jamie walked by the auditorium three more times as the professor worked her way through the questions, signed copies of her new book, and accepted the thanks of the Parisian art world. Jamie watched her, knowing the auction was underway and the clock was ticking on Casper’s entrance.

“Doctor Beauchamp, there’s a rumor you’re joining the team to catch Casper. Any truth to that?”

“Well, no. He has stolen pieces that I have a particular fondness for, and I would love to help catch him, but I have not been asked. It’s just a rumor.”

Claire shrugged her shoulders and smiled at the last of the people leaving. She stuffed her materials into her briefcase and took a deep cleansing breath. She had one more meeting and a plane to catch back to Chicago. She would give anything for a day to herself in Paris to wander around the Louvre and spend as much time as she wanted with the Masters. Maybe next time, she thought.

Claire emerged from the auditorium and made her way to the back entrance where she was allowed to park. She stopped abruptly and opened her case, smiling when she saw her headset tucked safely inside. She pulled the case up to secure the retaining strap and lowered her arm as the explosion blew her sideways, off her feet, and into a wall that was coming down. She could hear herself screaming until something heavy hit her on the head. Her screaming stopped.

Claire was vaguely aware she was laying in rubble from an explosion. The rubble was warm and had hands that held her upper arms, and a voice that kept asking if she was alright. She tried to lift her head and bumped it on something above her.

“What the bloody hell?”

Her hands were splayed on someone’s chest and she felt around deciding it was a male with a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger! Claire looked to her right and left seeing the tiny space they were pinned into and her heart pounded in her chest, feeling the claustrophobic fear that made elevators impossible.

“Jesus Christ, I have to get out of here, right now! Help me get out of here Mister, please!”

She felt the beefy arms wrap around her and hold her down making the panic even worse. Her wiggling made it hard to hear the man saying her name, getting more stern by the second. He finally held her tightly to him and warned her not to move.

“Doctor Beauchamp, Doctor Beauchamp, Claire! Stop moving! Something is holding the tonnage of walls, ceiling, and live wires above us. If you knock it loose it will kill us. Do you understand?”

Claire gripped his arms and panted from her attempt to escape. She listened to his voice calming her down and telling her to breathe with him. He was very encouraging and kept telling her they would be all right. He talked her down from a panic attack but kept his hands on her to be sure.

“May I call you Claire?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Alright, thank you. I need your help lass. Look around for something strong, like metal, a strong metal box, or something like that not connected to anything, free moving and about a foot tall. Do you see anything like that?”

“Why, for what?” Claire finally lifted her head a few inches and looked up at the man’s head, but it wasn’t there. A very large piece of the wall was suspended right above his throat and his head was on the other side of it.

“Oh my God, oh my God! Sweet Jesus, what are we going to do?” Her panic was rising again, and the arms came around her while the disembodied voice told her to breathe and keep her wits about her. It took several minutes but she finally gained control again and looked around for something strong with the limited space she had to lift her head.

“There are cinder blocks in the rubble, two of them are not touching anything. Will those work Mister?”

“Sorry lass, my name is Jamie, and those might hold this wall up long enough for me to scoot free of it. Can you move one, can you reach it?”

Claire could move the block slowly by stretching her arm until it hurt. Little by little she scooted the cinder block closer to the wall, muttering about a decapitated Arnold and she didn’t want to be alone. Jamie patiently calmed her reminding her to breathe deeply. He helped her push the block under the section of wall and patted her shoulder, thanking her for being so brave. Claire felt the man’s body scooting slowly, taking her with him an inch at a time until he was free of the would-be guillotine.

Jamie laid very still, trying to calm his racing heart. He could see what Claire could not and knew they were buried by at least twenty or thirty feet of debris. It would take hours for rescuers to find them if they ever did. Shafts of light were coming through, but those would disappear when the sun went down leaving them in complete darkness. Jamie felt a murderous rage boiling in his stomach.

“You fucking bastard,” was whispered through clenched teeth. “I will hunt you right into hell before I give up.”

“Who’s a bastard, who will you hunt, who’s going to hell?”

Claire was patting his arm trying to comfort the rage she felt in his tensed muscles. It scared her because she didn’t know this man. Jamie’s arms encircled her lightly for a few seconds.

“He’s called Casper and he’s a dead man walking because I’m gonna finish him when I find him.”

“Casper? The art thief did this?”

Claire got very quiet for a few minutes before asking, “who are you?”

“Jamie Fraser. I head up the task force trying to catch that piece of shit. Just so you know, we are getting out of here, one way or another, because I won’t let him win.”

He felt Claire shaking and heard her sniffling. He held her, feeling bad because he scared her. He lifted his head to look at her.

“I’m sorry lass, I didn’t mean to scare you. Look at me, Claire.”

Jamie wasn’t expecting the large whisky colored eyes and long black lashes wet from her tears. Her face stole his words for a moment, so he just looked at her. He wanted to touch her porcelain skin and feel the coils of curls that had fallen around her face and shoulders.

“I’m sorry Sassenach, rest now. It won’t be long.”

“Sassenach means crazy bitch, doesn’t it?”

Jamie laughed and Claire bounced on his stomach until she smiled too. “No. It means outsider. You’re a Brit, living in America, trapped in Paris, with a Scott,” he said laughing. He laid his head back down, “tell me about yourself, are you married? Any kids?”

“There is an offer on the table, but I haven’t decided yet. I like him fine but he’s a politician and I’m …not.”

“Tell me more. Why hesitate?”

Claire talked about the senator from Illinois who said he loved her and promised a life of excitement and purpose. Jamie listened to the story of two mismatched people and hoped she would choose herself over a man with plans to change everything about her. She couldn’t see that yet but to him, it was very clear.

“What about you when you’re not chasing a master criminal around the world?”

“I cannot say, it’s been too long. I asked a beautiful girl to marry me once and she said yes but she died in an automobile wreck before the wedding. I haven’t dated since then, about two years now.”

“I’m sorry for your loss Jamie, and if it hurts you, I’m sorry to bring it up.”

“I have never been to Chicago, what is it like?”

The conversation was interesting as they took turns asking questions about the other. Jamie was waiting for some sign, pounding, or yelling, that would indicate workers were close. He heard nothing so far and the light was fading in their rubble pocket. He prayed the night would not be terrifying to the woman on top of him.

“Can you sleep, Claire? I think you should try, it will make the time pass faster. Close your eyes and think about something you do at home for fun, breathe deep, that’s a good lass.”

Jamie could hear Claire’s breathing deepen into her slumber and he closed his eyes hoping to join her. He had a feeling it would be a long night.

Senator Randall was startled by a tap on his shoulder and a note passed to him by his aide. It said Doctor Beauchamp had not gotten off her plane from Paris and was not answering her phone. Frank nodded to the aide and gathered his papers into a case leaving the meeting as quietly as possible. He was calling Claire when the door closed behind him. No answer. Claire was reliable, punctual, predictable, and always called when her plans changed. He felt a nervous twitch in his stomach as his phone vibrated continuously with messages delayed while his phone was turned off. He read through the text messages quickly and was jogging to find his driver and get back to his office.

Claire’s secretary and friend had bombed his phone about an explosion at Sotheby’s, part of the building collapsed, and Claire had not boarded her plane. Frank was feeling a surge of anxiety that was quite unfamiliar and unwanted. He kept his life sterile and empty of drama so he could pursue what made him happy, successful, and energized. He barked at the driver to find a way out of the traffic and back to his office. He couldn’t wait. The laptop lid flipped open and Frank searched for news of the Sotheby bombing. It was all over the internet and the pictures of the damage almost stopped his heart. He started dialing for his aides, giving orders to find her, book a flight to Paris tonight, and get him an emergency number for who was in charge at the auction house. He walked briskly to his office followed by jogging aides handing him notes with flight times, and phone numbers.

“Hello”

“Thank God! Jesus yer hard to find Frank. Ye know whats happened at Sotheby’s. Claire didn’t check-in at the airport, she didn’t return her rental or check out of the hotel. I’m sorry Frank, she is unaccounted for and …”

Frank clicked off of the call when Geillis was mid-sentence. He couldn’t deal with her at the moment, and punched in the numbers to Sotheby’s but couldn’t get through. He assigned two aids to keep calling the emergency number until one of them got a person on the phone.

The sixty-inch television in his office was streaming news of the explosion and the missing Rembrandt painting that was discovered. The explosion was reported as a possible diversion so the thief could get away. One of the aides held her phone out.

“Senator Bradley, sir. He says you won’t answer your own phone and he needs to speak with you.”

“Hello, yes, no I can’t meet tonight, I’m flying to Paris, my girl…” Pausing to listen, “sorry Gary, I can’t, it’s an emergency. No, I won’t be voting tomorrow, I have an emergency, I have to …”

Senator Bradley could be heard from across the room making the aides press into the farthest point in the office to complete their tasks. Frank drew his arm back to throw the phone into the wall and someone shrieked and grabbed her phone away from him. It might cost her job, but this was her brand-new iPhone and no cranky senator was going to smash it to pieces. She headed for the door and disappeared.

“It’s the manager at Sotheby’s, sir. Please don’t break my phone.”

Frank dropped into his chair and reported the news of his missing fiancé, Doctor Claire Beauchamp from the University of Chicago. The manager wanted the name of her rental car company, hotel, and time of day she was last heard from. Frank gave him Geillis’s cell phone number adding she would be the point of contact. Tomorrow would be a ball-breaker and he needed someone attached to their phone in case any news came in.

Hours later, Frank laid in bed in the dark and thought about Claire. So many hours after the explosion and no word from her. He didn’t want to believe it but found little hope she was alive. He closed his eyes.

Claire was shifting her weight trying to get comfortable on the lumpiest mattress ever made. When she moved to her side Jamie’s eyes slammed opened and he groaned loudly from her hip crushing his balls. He lifted her hip and moved her over three inches letting his hands rest on her hip and leg. The dress she wore was knit and very soft. It had pulled up above her knee so Jamie pulled it back down.

He didn’t know Claire, and would never see her again once they were free, but he did not like hearing about her fiancé and that made him feel weird. He closed his eyes again.

“Jesus Christ! What is that?”

Jamie was yanked to the surface of consciousness by a loud and panicked voice coming from a wiggling woman trying to move up his body. His arms came around her and he shushed her, asking what was wrong.

“Something crawled up my leg and it had sharp claws, small sharp claws. I need to sit on your chest.”

Jamie grunted and held her still while he talked her down from another panic. He had worried about rats in the building being attracted to their smell. He told Claire to breathe with him while he stroked her hair in the pitch darkness. She had wiggled up toward his head and now her cheek was pressed against his, her mouth only inches from his. He could feel her relaxing and truly hoped for no more surprises tonight. He fell asleep with his arms around Claire.

Jamie opened his eyes when the noise of pounding pulled him back to consciousness. He felt Claire pressed against him, their faces touching, and the morning erection that threatened what little dignity he had left. He willed it away, quite unsuccessfully. The banging started again and he smiled to himself, it won’t be long before they are back on their feet, he thought. The pounding gave way to ripping metal and the distinct sound of a backhoe.

Claire moaned and moved to her stomach, rolling her face so her mouth was smashed against Jamie’s. He didn’t want to breathe for fear she would wake up and take her lips away. The noise from moving heavy debris got louder and the light from the new day flooded their pocket. Claire opened her eyes and screamed, pushing away from Jamie and hitting her head hard.

“What the bloody hell!”

“I’ll have you know madam that you accosted me just now, taking advantage of my inability to move and get away. This assault comes after you nearly strangled me getting away from a mouse.”

Claire rubbed her head and looked at the most beautiful face she had ever seen on a man. He could be a movie star with looks like that, she thought. Jamie was trying to look indignant but started to chuckle when her mouth turned into a smile. She looked adorable with a mass of curls pouring over her face as she felt for a bump on her head.

“Do you need me to rub it for you?”

The laugh that followed was genuine, feminine, and he loved hearing it.

“I’ll let you know if I want you to rub it.”

She laid her head on his chest and listened to the cavalry above them. “Sounds like they are making progress Jamie. I think you will soon be free of me.”

“Let’s hope it’s before I die of dehydration. I have never felt thirst like this in my life.”

With nothing to do but wait for the rescuers, they dozed and tried not to move too much. Through the early morning, the efforts above them intensified. The crew boss called a halt to the noise so they could get a radar fix on the heartbeats again. The radar technician moved his finger in a circle above their location and the infrared tech nodded his agreement. The noise continued.

“Jamie?”

“Yes, Sassenach.”

“What is the first thing you want to do when we’re rescued?”

“Drink like an elephant.”

“How is that?”

“Someone hands them a hose and they use their trunk to place it in their mouth. An hour or so later, the elephant pulls it out.”

“I’m quite sure you made that up but it’s still funny.”

“It’s God’s truth, I swear. Next, I will jump into the hotel pool until my body temperature comes back to normal. You laying on me is like a giant quilt heating me through for the last twenty hours or so. What about you Sassenach?”

“I’m down for the elephant thing, and a bubble bath, while I pray there are no flights to Chicago today. I want to lose myself in the Louvre.”

“Your list is impressive but surely a phone call to the senator will be done first, even before you put the hose in your mouth?”

Claire was giggling at Jamie’s charm, “of course, the senator, and then the hose.”

“Your dress is so soft, I woke up petting it like a rabbit in the middle of the night.” Jamie ran his hands down her back for effect and then instantly dropped them to his sides while Claire laughed. He just wanted to make her laugh until they took her away from him forever.

“Don’t move Sassenach!”

“Why? Is something crawling on me?”

Jamie grunted when her knee made contact with his balls as she twisted to look for a bug, or worse.

“No, it’s a phone call is all.”

Jamie reached up and pulled a phone to his ear. He spoke to the rescue worker and described how they were trapped. The phone was then pulled upward through the remaining debris until it was out of sight.

“Wow, how do they know exactly where we are?”

Jamie watched her childlike wonder and smiled at her until the dangling section of wall that had been directly above his throat dropped onto the cinder block making a deafening noise. Claire screamed and held onto Jamie tightly. She buried her face in his chest and cried until he could calm her down again. Claire felt his hand stroking her hair, and his arm around her waist. It was so foreign to be held this way and she didn’t want it to stop but could not force more tears, so he let her go. Jamie smiled encouragingly at her and pointed to the crushed cinder block.

“You see, you saved my life. That means you’re responsible for me forever.”

“Wait. If I saved you, that means you owe me a life, I think.”

“Anybody’s life?”

“I’m not quite sure about that. Maybe it’s like a debt that is paid by saving my life.”

Jamie took a chance and twisted his body and hers until they were lying side by side looking at the other.

“I don’t imagine a professor of fine arts and future first lady of the United States finds her life in peril much. But if you did, I will be the first one there Claire.”

She looked so innocent and beautiful looking at him. He seized her mouth and gorged himself on the beautiful professor. She turned her head for better access to his lips and he felt the exhilaration of her interest, however brief it would be. Aside from inhalation, the kiss continued until a large section that had them pinned was ripped away.

Claire sat up smiling at the men that surrounded them about ten feet up. She waved and stretched her back. A harness was lowered, held still by the men until she was safely in it. She pulled her briefcase strap over her head and was lifted through the debris to safety. Jamie watched her legs until she was pulled from his view.

Jamie looked up at the men, “any of the art stolen yesterday?”

“One small painting is all,” said with a heavy accent.

His stomach suddenly felt like a rock grinder. He asked the man, “quelle peinture?” The man shrugged his shoulders and looked around at the other workers until someone yelled “Rembrandt”. The sling was lowered again and Jamie was tempted to wrap it around his neck, but then Casper would win. He buckled himself into the harness.

Claire was loaded into an ambulance and whisked off to the nearest hospital. She gripped her briefcase and tried to calm her sense of shock at being thrust back into normality and away from Jamie. The EMT bent the straw top of a bottle of water and placed it in her mouth. She pulled the cool water into her mouth and thought about the elephants.

Claire was released by nine in the morning and now sat on her hotel bed with the phone in her hand.

“Sweet heavens, I am glad to talk to ye Claire, I haven’t slept a wink!”

“You are such a good friend Geillis. I tried to call Frank but his phone is off. Is he on his way to Paris?”

“No, he tried to leave last night but there’s an important vote today, it couldn’t be missed. What do ye need me to do? I already checked flights and they are booked today and tomorrow, even first class. I booked ye on United, leaving Paris at ten in the morning on Friday. All your appointments are canceled because ye were missin from a building that was bombed and I dinna ken if you were dead or alive.”

Geillis sobbed through the last part of the sentence and continued to cry until Claire calmed her down.

“I have quite the war story from the experience. I spent almost twenty-four hours laying on top of a giant Scot with a gorgeous face and bulging muscles.”

Claire giggled at Geillis’s reaction, knowing her friend would find that part of the tragedy delicious. After the call, Claire pulled her filthy clothes off and dropped them in the wastebasket. Flipping the security bar on the door meant she would be undisturbed while she scrubbed the dirt away. Sinking into the hot fragrant bubbles, she exhaled and thought about the rest of her day. She would meet with her client later and conclude their business and then tomorrow was all for her. The silver-lining as it were.

The exquisite bed in Claire’s room was so expansive one might miss the 8x12 inch Rembrandt in the center. Soon it would be handed over to the client in exchange for a deed to an Italian property valued at three million dollars. All in a day’s work.

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cindersassasin · 4 years ago

Note

Well since you asked here!! A headcanon for the prompt “this is the part you hug me and kiss me on the forehead and tell me it will be alright.🥺” hope that’s what you wanted?! Anyways thanks byeeeee💛

Thank you, anon !!

Going to attempt to write something random, sorry if it’s crappy !! im a total beginner whoops (also decided to change it a bit, hope you don’t mind!) (Also, don’t think I’ve mentioned this: English is not my first language, and while I have studied it for years and speak it on a daily basis due to school, I sometimes confuse grammar or some of my wording don’t make sense due to my poor translation, hopefully you don’t mind lol)

Also this would technically be my first fic I post here (still working on my other Kaider one but im positive ill finish editing that one soon) So while we wait, here, have some Iko x Cinder brotp

Word Count: 704

taglist: @arushahisatroll @cerenoya @addies-invisible-life @salt-warrior @winterrhayle @elysian-starbucks-frappe @starry-tea-party @cindersnightmare @strawberry-seraph (let me know to be added or removen !)

Physical Contact

Iko stood in-front of the bathroom’s mirror to take in her new look. The glowy tan skin, the braids with the several hues of blues, and the golden eyes with the subtle shades of brown and green made her, for the first time, feel beautiful. She was more than satisfied with the new body Thorne had gotten for her. She finally felt closer to accomplishing the dream she would never fully achieve: to be human. But she didn’t let that thought bother her. At least now she looked human, and that was enough to make her happy.

But most of all, she was finally able to interact with the people around her. She wasn’t this invisible being that was just there whenever she was called upon. She could finally move around and see people, which then again, went back to feeling more human.

Iko realized how much time she had been wasting staring back at her reflection and left the Rampion’s bathroom. Tomorrow they would be arriving to New Beijing to attempt to tamper the wedding. Iko was filled with elation to fulfill her role in the plan. For once, she would be contributing in the action and not just staying idle and waiting for their return, unable to do anything incase they failed. She prayed to the stars that it would work. The thought of Kai getting married to that witch made her wires fry.

Iko was heading towards the galley before her attention was caught on something in the cargo bay. She didn’t have to walk more than two steps before realizing that the figure was indeed Cinder laying down in the centre of the room. Iko let out a laugh - or a sound that was meant to be a laugh - and walked towards her best friend.

“What in the world are you doing?”

“Huh?” Cinder turned her head toward her and sighed. “Oh. It’s you. Thank god”

Iko was confused with the confession, but didn’t complain as she sat next to her. “Glad to hear my presence is wanted.”

Cinder let out a weak laugh as she sat up and scooted closer to Iko. She crossed her legs and Iko tried to hide her immediate giddiness when she realized their knees were touching.

physical contact. something humans do.

“I just needed to talk to someone, if that’s okay.” She hesitated, before beginning to fiddle with the hem of her work gloves. “I was just down at the podship dock before I realized how nervous I was about this whole thing and just came to lay down here.”

“Nervous about tomorrow?”

“Terrified. So many things can go wrong. As dumb or far-fetched as it sounds, the future is in my hands. It is up to us to defeat Levana. If we succeed, it will be up to us to end the war as well. I am just scared that I won’t be able to do any of it, and that I will let people down.”

Iko couldn’t feel anything but sympathy towards Cinder. She sometimes thought about how unfair it all was. Cinder was practically dragged into this whole mess and as determined as she is to end it, she is terrified that every small move she makes will end in Levana dominating the planet. Gross.

“Is this the part where I hug you and kiss you on the forehead and tell you it will be alright?”

Cinder met her gaze and gave her a wry look, followed with a soft giggle. “Are you using this as an excuse to touch me because you finally have a body?”

She shrugged. “Maaaybe. Maybe not. But can I?”

A small smile touched Cinder’s lips as she opened her arms wide and moved towards her. “Come here.”

She did not hesitate to return the hug and gave her a small peck on the forehead. She felt Cinder flinch slightly at the touch but therefore did not react. “Trust me. It will be alright,” Iko muttered into her ear. Cinder only nodded and hugged her tighter.

With this, Iko finally understood what had infatuated her so much about humans. It was the feeling of love and safety that was brought on by physical contact.

-----

SORRYTHISISBADBUTIHOPEYOUENJOYICAN’TBELIEVEIMPOSTINGMYFIRSTMINIFICORWHATEVERANYWAYENJOYORNOTORGIVEMESOMECONSTRUCTIVECRITICISMKTHANKSSORRYITSBAD

#tlc #IKO AND CINDER BEING CUTE #sorry this is bad #MY FIRST FIC OR WHATEVER OH SNAP #the Kaider one is coming soon just you wait 🙈🙈#if you want to give me any tips that would be appreciated #enjoy my bad writing #i tried #tlc brotps

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thereal-linh-cinder · 4 years ago

Text

Cinder’s Notes on Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets

We’re back with CoS!

Again, massive spoilers for the entire HP series (obviously)

Woo the hell plans where theyre going to stand when dinner guests arrive? you seem so unbelievably inhuman, which, i suppose the Dursleys are, but still...

DUDLEY’S COMPLIMENT FOR MRS. MASON

Because Harry is an unreliable narrator, is it possible that the Dursleys treat him slightly better than is described? Unlikely, but something to consider

Harry is so humble?

He’s also hilarious “[Voldemort] hasnt got a brother, has he?”

bars on the window are a bit extreme

the twins ooze chaotic energy

are the owls that wizards use magical? they always seem to understand humans VERY well...or is it just magic that gives magic folk a better connection w animals? Or is that just how owls are? Or do I just not understand how carrier birds work?

rather convinient that only the bottom stair creaks and not like. the 13th from the top or something

“Draco made Dudley sound sweet” i mean. childish bullying at school vs physical abuse for years but ok go off jkr

the twins are 14 and driving a car. in Britain. where you have to be 18. chaos

Mrs. Weasley reminds me way too much of my own mother

Percy wears sweater vests confirmed (are we surprised)

Please take a moment to imagine Percy’s reaction to Hermione becoming Minister

Lockhart + Rita Skeeter (idk what this means but its in my notes)

“got the impression that Snape could read minds” 👀

Lockhart is just gonna go through the whole rainbow huh

Lockhart really compared Harry almost DYING to him winning that stupid smile award. Bruh.

Lockhart has 7 books

I feel bad for Nick :(

There’s so much about the Vanishing Cabinets in this book!

that moment with the salamander and the firework is a gem

Do Ron and Hermione at least hear hissing in the walls?

so Lockhart is basically running the Hogwarts theatre department huh

why was Ron’s first thought toenails

Scarhead? Thats the BEST insult you can come up with, Malfoy?

Yeah, let the 12y/o deal with the rogue bludger on his own, y’hear? (can you tell I’m a lot older now)

Honestly, Madame Pomfrey? Kinda a savage

If Voldemort was 70 when he died in ‘98, and he went to school with Lucius, how old is Lucius?

Technically, if all purebloods are related, Harry IS a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. Not the heir obvs, but you know

honestly when you think about it, Fawkes’s death is hilarious. Like Harry’s just chillin and sees a cool bird and then it spontaneously combusts

Did Crabbe and Goyle ever get their shoes back?

Ron has REALLY good intuition

Why do they still have Riddle’s trophy on display? Like yeah not many people know that he’s Voldemort but that just feels like the equivalent of like...keeping up a trophy for the kid that turned out to be a sch**l sh**ter

Ok but the younger Weasleys have this knack for bullying Voldy. Twins pelted him with snowballs, Ginny flushed his diary down a toilet, Ron barfed slugs all over his special award....

well Harry if its a DIARY where you conventionally write personal stuff about your day or your crush, why are we surprised that it doesnt even have stuff like “dentist” and “aunt mary’s birthday” or “half past 3″ written in it

RON’S INTUITION BRUH “[the diary] coud be dangerous” “maybe [Tom Riddle] murdered Myrtle] yall know that theory abt him being a seer? yeah

I adore these characters so much bc theyre so real?? Lke we truly watch them grow up. Something about the way 11y/o Ginny covers her face and runs away vs how she acts in the later books just. I adore it.

So this is where I broke my own heart and froze for a solid 15 minutes. I was beginning to write “I hope the twins sang ‘His Eyes Are As Green As A Fresh Pickled Toad’ at their wedding” before I realized that only one twin got to attend Harry & Ginny’s wedding. I trailed off at the S in twins and you can see how shaky my hand got in the writing (i wrote all of this out in a journal)

Riddle’s personality is so well preserved. (and then I remembered that he made his first horcrux that year and THATS why bc this is 16/17 y/o voldy’s soul)

In Riddle’s memory, he stops by the potions room after speaking to Dumbledore on the staircase. Slughorn is teaching that year. Harry says he is stuck outside that room for “what felt like an hour.” Is this where Tom asks about horcruxes? Technically at this point, Myrtle has already been murdered and its been a while but I’m p sure he asks about horcruxes after class one day. But idk. It really seems plausible, and It’s possible that he altered the memory to show Harry...

this is my least favorite book so i just wrote “this is the most boring book. I’m skimming.”

ah forcing 12 y/o to choose a career path

Quidditch mathces are EARLY (im used to sports matches in the evenings but i guess soccer matches are early and such so it makes sense) (my american is showing)

Is sitting at any table allowed? I never understood that and it used to bug me in the movies. Is it only required to sit at your House table during important feasts? Is that how a lot of inter-house relationships come to be?

Fudge’s wardrobe was ROBBED in the movie. They really made him look like an established businessman when when we first meet the man, he’s wearing a pinstriped suit, scarlet tie, POINTED PURPLE SHOES and honestly woud it have been so hard to at least give him the lime green bowler hat? Such a staple of his personality

i feel like we tend to forget that hagrid has been to Azkaban

Ron saw Draco being racist and had to be physically held back by his friends. Mans was ready to THROW HANDS. 10/10 absolute icon

The prejudice against werewolves is very prominent.They clearly dont know a lot about them/arent taught (constantly expecting to find them roaming the forbidden forest EVERY NIGHT)

literally WHAT would they do without Hermione

still shocked that Hermione Jean Granger would willingly rip a page out of a book, especially a library book. But maybe thats just the fact that I’m the daughter of a librarian.

is the basilisk page from Fantastic Beasts? They really called it “a page from an old book” its literally in ur first year curriculum but ok boys

Why did Ron toss Lockhart’s wand out the window? He couldve used it instead of his spellotaped one. Granted, it wouldnt have been very good later on if he had, but. You know?

if this Tom is just an imprint of Voldy’s soul at 16/17, how does he even know who Harry is

he already has voldy’s laugh

OH Ginny told him about Harry that makes sense

Voldemort is SO dramatic. Imagine your buddy Tom one day says “hello dearest closest friends, I’ve decided I hate my name so I tried to make an acronym. Please only refer to me as Voldemort from now on. Also I could spell Lord with my name, so I am claiming my new status as a Lord.”

Also he’s holding Harry’s wand. Why is he sending this ginormous, super sow snake after this tiny scrawny 12y/o? Just kill him yourself. Even when Harry gets poisoned Tom’s like “take ur time bro imma watch u die i have nothing better to do” and only when neither of those first tow extra af options DO NOT WORK does he think “oh well guess i gotta use this WAND now ugh” like was he just not corporeal enough to actually use the wand yet or???? Buddy. If you really wanted Harry dead I feel like you could do better.

the fang SPLINTERED in Harry’s arm????????????????? uhm

Harry gets covered in ink a lot in the series

Dumbledore is such a simp for Voldemort honestly

I forget that Harry & Ron get trophies for special services too bro

did Arthur create the Muggle Protection Act???

...why DOES Lucius have Voldy’s old school things?

Harry and Ron got a total of 400 points for this. But only 10 FOR TAKING OUT A TROLL AT AGE 11

Lucius is LITERALLY on the PTA hes a school governor

#harry potter #harry potter and the chamber of secrets #chamber of secrets #harry potter commentary #hp #harry potter analysis #harry potter series #book analysis #harry james potter #malfoy #ron weasley #dobby

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faunusrights · 5 years ago

Text

OFFAL HUNT REMASTERED LIVEBLOG // CHAPTER 21

IN THIS EPISODE OF MURPHY IS SO VERY SLEEPY BUT THE UPDATE SCHEDULE TAKES NO PRISONERS (FOR THE MOMENT):

“So it’s true,” she wheezed between grit fangs—“that bitch really does have you on a leash.”

KINKY,

me: okay lemme refresh on what happened last chapter-- me: /remembers me: oh yeah! yeah that SUCKED,

lets us continue on the journey of deep and immense sadness with glynda ‘clown shoes’ goodwitch!!!!!!!! here we go here we go

It took a while to pry back the jaws of her soul and wrench herself out of them.

ooh i rly like the context change here. before glynda was kinda falling back into her soul as a way of just Getting On With Shit or protecting herself, but now it’s framed in a fun new way of please can i get out of here now. good job glynda. look at u GROUNDING YRSELF like a CHAMP who should have been in a TKO LIKE FIVE ROUNDS AGO--

What did that mean? Had she asked Cinder about Ochre? Glynda struggled to recall, but the memories swirled like clouded ink in her skull.

i still love the continuation of glynda’s Mysterious Messages To Herself. she leads such a thrilling life of ‘did i write that’ and ‘did i do that’ and ‘what does any of this mean’

Hating herself, Glynda found she couldn’t remember.

and also a less thrilling life of the squeaky clown shoes variety. glynda PLEASE

She had to know: was anything Cinder had given her real?

the YOU and the US,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the DESTINY. dw babe im sure cinder Has Never Told A Lie, Even Once In Her Life, On Account Of Being A Very Open And Honest Person,

Had she been abandoned? Cinder had been unhappy when she left. Angry, maybe. Angry enough to take her leave for good? Or had she always planned to?

i love watching glynda slowly become kind of,,,,,,,,,,,, more aware of herself in relation to other people? sometimes she still Moves or Does w/o rly thinking it thru, but we’ve got quite a change from, like, early chapters of glynda where she was barrelling along with VERY little disregard for both actions AND consequences,,, but look at her now!!!!!!! using her whole ass BRAIN. im proud of her.

When she tried to dismiss this first fear, another one was waiting underneath: had something happened to Cinder?

In her attempts to keep Glynda’s soul from smothering them both, Cinder had been quite willing to converse over the phone with her—even if her texts were short and snippy, she usually at least responded, to avoid backlash. Did she not care anymore? Or—

Or was she unable to?

/leans in, like, uncomfortably close to the microphone

glynda darling i do Not mean 2 worry u but yr (future) gf is currently grieving, pissed beyond belief, and also

/checks notes

failing her way into becoming strawberry jam

But, surprisingly, there was another half to Glynda now: one that worried, despite facts, that Cinder was in danger. That Cinder might need her.

GO AND GET THE GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The light caught in every golden thread of her crown emblem, embroidered with diligent precision. But something else caught her eye: the midnight black surrounding it had a sheen to it. Subtle red ducked through the fabric, glittering like burnished stars in a distant night sky: fire Dust.

The flash of a memory: Cinder’s face when Glynda had complained that her last cape had been burned.

This cape would not burn.

okay so no lie i cant read this bit without my eyes starting to water abt just how GOOD this section is and i have cried TOO MANY TIMES over this fic ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T H A N K Y O U F O R T H E F O O D !

CINDER MADE IT FIREPROOF. SHE DIDNT HAVE TO. SHE DIDNT NEED TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT THE SYMBOLISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IS U N R E A L. I AM CRYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

GO GET THE GIRL YOU MORON

Glynda didn’t know what to do.

Glynda dialed Winter.

and i am INSTANTLY launched back into the comedy that is glynda goodwitch’s life at large THANKS FOR THE WHIPLASH

“No, I mean… I was awful to you the last time we spoke. I know I was. I keep thinking about it. I’m so sorry, I just… Don’t have anyone else to go to right now. I don’t know who else I’d call.” It was horrible to admit. Loneliness had never shamed her before because her soul had held it at bay. Now it made her sick. “I’m safe. If you don’t want to talk to me…”

LOOK AT THIS CHARACTER GROWTH,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, GLYNDA!!!!!!!! YR DOIN SO WELL BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE COME LOOK AT HER THINKING WITH HER M I N D.

“I lashed out at you, Professor Goodwitch. That wasn’t right of me. I should have known that you weren’t truly to blame for what you said. I know Cinder. She’s manipulative. She twists the world and makes you think she’s a different person than who she really is. I blamed you in the moment, but Cinder Fall is truly the person at fault for making you believe that I would try to hurt you. I shouldn’t have raised my voice or said the things I did.”

/rubs face

like winter needs to be in this fic and og was bereft not having her actually take up 30% of the space as she DESERVES, but god i forgot that shes a whole Thing and winter please just. shush. for a moment. for a second. ilusm. but please shut up.

Glynda was pacing, her Scroll levitating near her.

side note but casual uses of glyndas semblance is one of my fav things i love seeing it. glynda ‘look mom no hands’ goodwitch out here,

Glynda closed her eyes. The tactile recollection of cats arching, bristling, and spitting. Backed into corners. “Maybe she was panicking. I don’t know.”

i dont rly have much to say here other than continuing to enjoy Cinder As Cat, the ongoing metaphor. glyndas just gonna pick her up the scruff of the neck eventually and we will ALL b thankful.

ughghghgb im not gonna copy paste this whole convo w/ winter because this is a liveblog not a shitty projection of the fic on the side wall of a bowling alley, BUT GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD glynda is so WORRIED,,,,,,,,,,, past glynda is befuddled. bemused. why does future glynda Feel so much. but future glynda is FEELING and i love her. das yr gf yr worried abt. DAS HER,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and also yr other gf winter too but like that’s a long-con sort of egg to hatch,

While it had been some time now since Glynda had been in a proper fight, she expected no trouble. This wasn’t Cinder—ergo: this wasn’t a real threat to her. Still, she would bide her time and hold her silence, if only for the chance of getting a hint of what was going on.

This wasn’t Cinder—ergo: this wasn’t a real threat to her.

LADS,,,, LADIES,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BEANS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, IS IT GAY,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, TO SEE YR RIVAL AS YR ONLY REAL THREAT,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The group crossed the room as one unit, guns aloft and eyes peeled, determined to not be ambushed.

Glynda intended to ambush them regardless.

i dont like 2 say when an au gets a character so right that all other interpretations aren’t valid, but.......................... offal hunt gets glynda so right that all other interpretations aren’t valid, and thats that, on that,

One left. Glynda didn’t hesitate. She had been built to fight Grimm; far stronger, far quicker, far more bestial foes than these. She was herself a blade, sharpened far too fine for these intruders.

sounds hot

“Are they...alive?”

Glynda didn’t pause to check.

“Professor? Are they alive?”

glynda: fuck them kids

“How will you get to her?” Winter asked.

“I always find her in the end,” Glynda answered.

hrm,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, i wonder if that’s foreshadowing something

Her soul was churning inside her, longing for solace, for Cinder. She could picture the way like a burning trail in her mind’s eye; that bright-yellow tether between herself and Cinder, that pathway between their souls that she had tread so many times before. It always led her to Cinder.

HRM,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I WONDER,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Good luck, Glynda.”

“Thank you,” she said again, pausing under the streetlights. “But I won’t need luck. I’ll find her.”

FELLAS,

what a good chapter!!!!!!!!!!! also i cried. BUT I HAD A REAL GOOD TIME. I CAN IMAGINE THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE LESS OF A GOOD TIME, BUT FOR NOW, I WILL ENJOY THE MENTAL IMAGE OF GLYNDA’S BICEPS AND HER FUTURE WEDDING ALSO,

#rwby #offal hunt #liveblog

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alloftimeandspacetosee · 3 years ago

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A Hard Conversation

and here’s “Jayden’s too good for this world, Exhibit B”

Also a whole load more panic on Jay’s part, which is fair (and hinted at, back in the kalos birthday piece!)

but y’know. We good.

sort of. I had to make it work for the plot, and like... ok, I like the characters I get out of it but like? I would have been happy just on one gen? or like? Immortal JAU is my favourite for this reason?

(basically because again, there’s context missing, at Joanna and Alex’s wedding, Jayden asks Jay to marry him and Dialga and Palkia sort of... nudge her into it)

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

I lean back against the flag pole behind me, looking up towards the dark blue green that snaps there. It was plain, and came with the ship. I feel like I should maybe get one that’s more for me and mine, but… I don’t know what would best show that.

Sesser whistles in my ear and rubs herself along my neck. I lift a finger up to her and she hops onto it, and then onto my knee when I place it there.

“What’m I going to do, Sess?” I rest my chin on my arm and stare at her. “This is too big.”

She bobs her head and looks up, and I hear the beating of wings moments before himself steps onto the railing surrounding the ‘krow’s nest.

“I thought this would be where you were.”

I glance up to give him a fraction of a smile.

He drops down from the railing and waves Sayri away.

I shift to make room for him, and Sesser takes off to join Cinder and Tinder as they wheel past with Hokai and Zero.

He sits down against the railing and watches the flag as well.

I close my eyes and concentrate on my breathing. I had to tell him. It wasn’t fair, otherwise.

At least he wasn’t watching me. That would’ve… not helped.

“I didn’t tell you everything,” I say in a low voice.

He shifts and says nothing, and I snatch a glance to see him still watching the flag.

“That night, on the ridge. I… didn’t tell you everything.” I close my eyes again. I had to tell him. It wasn’t fair, otherwise. “I’m asexual,” I blurt out, as a start. Not quite the biggest reveal, but still… hard enough.

“I’m glad you can trust me with that,” Jayden murmurs. “And I hope you know it doesn’t change anything for me.”

Oh. Oh skies.

I press a hand over my mouth, still with my eyes closed.

He pats my foot.

“And… and aromantic,” I say, in a much smaller voice, and tug my knees closer to my chest.

His hand rests on my foot and doesn’t move. “Then – that night, at Joanna and Alex’s wedding?”

I refuse to fucking cry. I faced down gods, I beat back demons in the shape of my own friends I will not cry. “I – I think the legendaries… I think they influenced...” I can’t even complete the sentence. What kind of horrific – how could I do this to him? How could I just… let this go on so long, let him be kidded into this.

His hand has moved. I can’t look up, because I know if I do I will cry.

“So… you regret saying yes?” He doesn’t sound hurt. He just sounds… calm. And that could mean anything. I have never known another person to be so good at keep their emotions under wraps.

“I don’t know if I did. If that was me. But–” I reach out, blindly, looking for something to hold. “I love travelling with you. And I – I love our friendship, and the way – you’ve helped me, so much. But I… I can’t think of you like that, but…”

“But the legendaries,” Jayden sighs, and takes my hand.

His hand is warm and dry, and I clutch at it reflexively.

“I’m so sorry.”

“What,” he pauses to clear his throat, “What do the legendaries gain by us getting married?”

“New guardians. The next generation. Because Nyx–”

“Because Nyx is marked for Giratina, they want children of their own.” Hate colours his voice and I flinch back.

He keeps a hold of my hand, though, and he shifts around to sit at my side. It’s everything I can do not to press into his warmth, because this isn’t fair. I shouldn’t have done this to him.

“Oh, Jay,” he sighs, and his free hand rubs my shoulder. The one furthest from him, which means he has his arm around me.

This time, I do lean into him, if only because he tugs me closer.

“What happens if you… don’t?”

“They pick someone else. Other people, who won’t have any – any qualms.”

“This isn’t your fault.”

“It is, though, it is!” I struggle free of him and scramble to my feet, turning round. “If I hadn’t – it’s my fault Joanna got marked by him in the first place, and I didn’t see this coming – I study folklore for a living, I should have known!” I step back up against the railing, grasping at it. “I should never have let it get this far.”

“Jay–”

“Maybe I can talk with them again, strike a different deal. We shouldn’t – I can’t drag you into this, it isn’t fair–”

“Jay.” He stands up. “You didn’t drag me into anything. I chose to follow you, and I didn’t run away, did I?” He smiles, taking my hands. “I asked you to marry me.”

“And the legendaries–”

“The legendaries can steam. I’m here to stay. We’ll work it out.”

I close my eyes again as he lifts his hands to my face. “What did I do to deserve you?” I whisper. “You’re getting nothing out of this and–”

“I’m getting what I want,” he whispers. “A life with you at my side.” He tilts my head forward so he can kiss my forehead.

I laugh and press my face into his shoulder. “You cheesy motherfucker.” And now the tears come, hot and silent, and I wrap my arms around Jayden and continue to bury my face in his shoulder as I try to contain the sobs.

“Ewwwww.” Soise, laughing. “Get a room, you two!”

“Take a hike, Soise!” I call back, laughing as I lift my head free to meet his eyes. “Thank you. More than I can say.”

He smiles. “I know.”

“Saps!” Soise calls. “Look at the great Nightgale, being a pile of – fuck!” She breaks off as Lairisse swerves to avoid the fire I spin out to ward them off.

“Yeah, you’d better run!” I call after them, smiling. Still crying, slightly. But smiling.

#pokemon #the ship #oc #the birds #Jay Nightgale #1st gen #writing #mainverse

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rejectedembers · 7 years ago

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Cinder or Tinder: Cress + Winter

Guess who’s sick? It’s this bitch!

So, I’m already anticipating that this review is going to be a huge fucken mess. This one’s gonna be a two-fer since I read these books one after another, but I’m also going to talk a little bit about the series as a whole because I don’t feel like making a separate Firebrant. Considering it’s been a month and a half of dealing with mental shit since I finished this series, I’ve probably already forgotten about a few things from these last two books (and I didn’t make any notes because I’m a really organized and responsible book reviewer). So, let’s get this shit-show on the road!

Warning: Seriously, do I even need to mention that there will be spoilers? It’s the end of the gods damned series, of course there are spoilers.

Cress is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. The book begins with Cinder and the team on their way to rescue Cress, the mysterious hacker helping them out, from her satellite. But things go horribly wrong when Head Thaumaturge Sybil Mira appears. Scarlet is captured, Cress and Thorne must traverse the desert seeking civilization, and the rest of the team plus newcomer Jacin find their way to the town Dr. Erland is hiding in. When Cress and Thorne finally reach the group, they come up with a plan to halt the royal wedding by kidnapping Emperor Kai.

I feel like this is the book in the series that I have the least opinions of. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad; it was acceptable. I recognize that the chapters involving Cress and Thorne traversing the desert were important to build up their characters as well as their (eventual) relationship, but they were a bit too long and boring with not really all that much happening. It didn’t help that not all that much was happening with Cinder and Wolf either, and I still don’t care about Scarlet, so yeah. Juxtaposed against this, it felt like the ending happened far too quickly, and Cinder’s successful battle against Sybil didn’t seem totally believable considering everything up until this point has let us know that Cinder is not very good with her Lunar gift. It was an anti-climatic end to a villain that should have been taken into the final book.

Cress gets the cinder rating.

Winter is technically the fifth book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer, and a lot happens in this one. The crew comes up with a plan to start a rebellion on Luna, overthrow Levana, and instate Cinder as the new queen. While the palace is preparing for the wedding and coronation, Levana orders Jacin to kill the beautiful and popular Princess Winter who suffers from Lunar sickness, making her mentally unstable. The story after this is a sequence of events of the crew trying to build their rebellion while struggling against Levana’s attempts to stop them. In the end, Cinder’s ramshackle army storms the palace, her confrontation with Levana ends with Cinder having no choice but to kill the queen, and peace is established between Luna and Earth with Cinder as the new Queen of Luna. Happy endings abound as the main characters all get romantically paired off.

Not gonna lie, this book gave me some Feels™, but the more I think about it, the more it doesn’t make sense. A group of, like, nine people start a rebellion from nothing, absolutely nothing. They don’t meet up with pre-existing rebel groups on Luna, they have no access to any established forms of communication and information collection, they barely know anything about Luna’s history or its geography or its culture, and they don’t even consider the option of reinforcements from Earth (like Special Ops from literally any Earth government since they all want to see Levana deposed). It’s not just “oh, let’s make the politics simple so that teens can understand how revolutions work”, it’s downright lazy in assuming that an entire (successful) rebellion can come out of a fugitive teenaged girl claiming to be the rightful heir. The lower class population of Luna might want to see political and social change, but it’s not very believable that so many people would be willing to lay down their lives just because one person “inspired them”.

Also, this book just further shows how unbelievably dumb and emotional Levana is. Throughout all four books that I’ve read, Levana seems to make almost every decision out of some emotional capacity regardless of the (obvious) consequences. This strongly contrasts with the reveal that Luna is the way it is largely because of Levana; that she took a monarchy and turned it into a totalitarian society, and managed to maintain it this entire time. But it’s just so unbelievable that someone like Levana, who makes such poor decisions, could have done all that. She really wasn’t an enjoyable villain.

In Winter, we also get Thaumaturge Aimery as a “villain” instead of Sybil. He’s made to be very easily unlikable just by being a weasel and a coward, but he’s not interesting like Sybil was. He wasn’t built-up enough in the previous books for the audience to get attached to him, he’s less powerful and so less threatening than a previous villain (Sybil), and his final “boss” appearance feels very contrived just to add struggle for the main characters.

So, let’s talk a bit more about the ending and the main characters. I still love (most) of these characters; Jacin is a bit bland, Winter is endearing but annoying, and Scarlet is still...Scarlet. Honestly, I LOVE the happily ever after nature of the ending. I love that all these ships that were being built up actually get to happen, that the author recognized what the audience wanted, that Meyer didn’t bother to try and pull a twist ending for a story that really didn’t need it or kill off a major character only for shock value. I think a lot of authors lose sight of their vision but especially their audience’s wants when they pull that shit, and I’m glad that didn’t happen here.

That being said, I still think there was a lot of needless suffering by the main characters by the end, especially at the end. Winter goes temporarily insane after saving herself and her friends seemingly just because and not from the guilt of killing. Wolf is turned into a full wolf mutant, but it doesn’t have any real effect on anything or anyone but himself (and only until Scarlet reassures him). Thorne is mind-controlled to stab Cress, but it doesn’t leave any impact because it happens in the final confrontation and then everything is wrapped up with happy endings just afterwards, so it’s just one last panic for Thorne for no reason. I don’t think it helps that the main characters generally fare pretty well throughout the series until the end where most of them get messed up somehow. Just feels unnecessary.

Winter, and the whole series, gets the cinder rating. It wasn’t perfect and sometimes there were some pretty noticeable flaws, but it was fun and still made me feel emotions, so overall good shit. And in case anyone was wondering, Thorne is the best character and I’m not going to apologize for that.

It is unlikely that I will read Fairest, Stars Above, Wires and Nerves, and anything else released in this universe. This is because I feel done with this series, and I’d rather move on to new things. It was a fun trip while it lasted, but I’m ready to get off now.

#lunar chronicles #cress #winter #Marissa Meyer #book reviews #booklr #rejectedembers

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vegalume · 7 years ago

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Secret Santa (gwss gift fic)

For @noirangetrois I hope you like it.

Title: Secret Santa

By: Vega-Lume

Pairing: Duo and Heero

A/U, OOC

Theme: Holiday get-together

Beta: ShenLong (Deb)

Archived: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13108110

@gwsecretsantaexchange @thisweekingundamwing @thisweekingundamevents

Secret Santa

By Vel

Dorothy was smiling, that alone should have tipped him off but he had been in such good spirits that he dismissed it. That was until he saw the festive envelope on his desk.

“Oh no,” Duo groaned as he turned the small red item over to inspect it. It was sealed but he already knew what he was going to find, after all he had gotten the same person as his secret Santa for the past two years.

It was rigged. It had to be.

Taking a deep breath he slid a finger under the flap to break the seal and pulled the simple white card from inside nearly wincing as he flipped it over.

‘Yuy’, printed in Director Une’s tidy script.

Tossing it on his desk he dropped into his chair with a sigh. Yuy was absolutely the worst person to have buy a gift for because no one knew anything about him, at least no one Duo knew and could ask for advice, except maybe Une but she swore to never give advice during the Secret Santa gift giving stating that if she were to tell one what to get then the gift would be from her, not them.

Yuy never really talked to anyone else and often stayed in his office all day only interacting with Une and her assistant Dorothy. Plus by the undecorated state of his office he seemed to have no real interest in anything.

“Catalonia looks rather amused,” his partner said from their open doorway. “You got Yuy again, didn’t you?”

The stink eye Duo gave his friend was conformation enough and Wufei chuckled.

“Why don’t you just buy him a gift card and be done with it?” he asked, taking a seat at his own desk. His secret Santa envelope was tucked between two manuals, most likely hidden there so Duo wouldn’t switch them.

“A gift card to where exactly?” Duo retorted. “He doesn’t like anything, hell he doesn’t even eat out.”

Wufei took a moment to contemplate the question and much to Duo’s dismay the man came up with nothing.

“See, I told you.” His head dropped to his desk with a thump. He was quiet for a moment then mumbled, “Who’d you get?”

Sliding the envelope from its hiding place Wufei opened it. “Catalonia.”

“Ouch,” Duo said in sympathy.

“Indeed.”

~*~

For two days the tiny white card mocked him from its place on the corner of his desk. He had been tempted to throw it away and pretend he had never gotten it, but that wasn’t fair to Heero. Just because a cinder block was easier to buy for it didn’t mean he should go without a gift.

He was a nice enough guy as bosses went but he was ‘management’ and Duo didn’t spend much time on the executive level of the building where Yuy and Une’s offices were located.

Picking the card up, he turned it over and over again as he thought about the other man. To be honest he didn’t really try to get to know him and aside from knowing that he had transferred to their office about five years earlier, he figured there wasn’t much else he needed to know.

Dropping the card again Duo propped elbow on the desk, resting his chin in his hand he stared at the innocent piece of cardstock.

“Willing it to burst into flames?” Wufei inquired as he shuffled through a pile of files.

“Is Yuy married?” Duo asked and Wufei stopped his shuffling.

“I don’t think so,” he replied. “He doesn’t wear a wedding ring. Why do you ask?”

“Why do you think?” Duo replied. “I just realized that the man has been my boss going on five years and I know virtually nothing about him. I mean, I know Director Une’s first name is Anne, she is a 36 year old widow with a nine year old daughter and her husband died six years ago in a car accident. She has two tiny dogs, drives a piece of shit car and is addicted to British comedy and Junior Mints.”

Wufei chuckled.

“And Dorothy, she swears like a sailor, always has her mind in the gutter and we all know she’s in a relationship with the younger sister of Milliardo in accounting, and she’d bite your balls off if you dared to say anything about it.”

“Now that is absolutely true,” Wufei agreed.

“Yuy though, the man is a mystery.”

“You could try to get to know him,” his friend pointed out and Duo frowned.

“When though?” he asked. “He stays in his office all day; he doesn’t even eat lunch in the Lounge like the rest of us.”

“Well,” Wufei began. “He seems relatively harmless, why don’t you just go up there and talk to him?”

“And have Dorothy pounce on me? No thank you.” Duo started drumming his fingers on the table.

“Tomorrow,” Wufei stated. “You can go up there when Une and Catalonia are having lunch in The Lounge, that way she won’t bother you.”

“Well, it’s worth a shot,” Duo relented.

~*~*

Duo spent most of the next morning thinking of a plausible reason to go up and talk to Yuy. It wasn’t until Wufei absently mumbled something about still needing to get Dorothy’s gift that Duo was inspired.

Yuy’s office door was open and Duo could see the man seated at his desk typing away on the computer keyboard. Taking a deep breath he tapped on the door frame and waited.

“Mister Maxwell,” Yuy greeted as he looked up from the documents stacked neatly on his desk. “Is there something I can help you with?”

Duo glanced around the almost sterile white office for a second before stepping inside.

“Actually, yes. If you have a moment?”

The other man turned his full attention on him so Duo continued, though the idea seemed a little stupid now.

“I know that the Secret Santa assignments are supposed to be secret but my partner Chang Wufei got Director Une’s assistant this year and he’s nearly pulling out his hair trying to figure out what to get her. You work with her nearly all day and I was wondering if you had any ideas or suggestions I could pass along?” Realizing he was rambling he shut up.

Yuy genuinely looked amused. Turing at the waist he pulled open one of the lower drawers in his desk and pulled out what turned out to be a catalog.

“Try this,” he said holding it out. “Most anything in here will amuse her. Just don’t get her the circled item on page ten. I already bought that for my Secret Santa.”

“Who’d you get,” Duo couldn’t help but ask as he took the book from Yuy’s outstretched hand.

“Une,” he replied.

Duo laughed. “Well thanks for this,” he said to the other man as he started for the door. Yuy simply nodded in reply and turned back to his typing. Duo couldn’t help but think that he saw a frown on Yuy’s face when he realized he was leaving.

How odd.

After riding the elevator back down to his floor, he tossed the catalog on his desk and waited for Wufei to get back from lunch.

“How did it go?” the dark haired man asked as he hung up his jacket.

“He said Dorothy would like pretty much anything in the book,” Duo replied and Wufei walked over to take a look.

“Archie McPhee?”

“Just don’t order the circled thing on page ten, Yuy already bought that for someone else.”

Out of curiosity Wufei flipped over to page ten and snickered.

“Did he say who he bought it for?” Wufei asked and Duo nodded.

“Yeah, it’s for Une.”

He laughed louder, “Look.” He held the book out.

Circled on the page was a desk name plate, but rather than having a name on it, it said ‘Fucker in charge of you Fucking Fuckers’*

“She’ll love it,” Duo grinned. Closing the book he went to hand it back when something caught his eye. Turing the book right side up, he read the address label in surprise.

“Yuy lives in my building,” he blurted.

“What?”

“Look,” he pointed to the address. “This says he lives in the north block, on the other side from my apartment.”

“How could you not know that?”

Duo frowned, “It’s a huge building and his apartment is on the north side, mine is on the south. Each side of the building has their own designated parking area and mailboxes, so there really isn’t a reason for us to run into each other there.”

Duo read the name on the label again, Heero Yuy. Now he knew what the H. painted on his door meant.

“Here, let me look through the book. I’ll pick out something then you can take it back tomorrow as another excuse to go up and talk to him.”

Duo’s scoff died when he realized that that was exactly what he was going to do as a new plan formed in his mind.

~*~

“Hey Boss man,” Duo greeted. “I brought your catalog back.”

Yuy turned quickly and Duo couldn’t help but smile at the surprised look on the other man’s face. He doubted that anyone had ever addressed him so informally before, except maybe Une or Dorothy.

However he regained his composure quickly and offered a smile in return.

“That wasn’t necessary,” he replied. Setting down his chopsticks, he started tucking his lunch container back into the insulated bag that had been sitting beside it. “I’m on their mailing list.”

“That reminds me,” Duo said as he crossed the office to set the book on the desk. “I noticed that we live in the same building. I was wondering if you’d like to carpool sometime, on Mondays and Fridays maybe. Morning traffic would be a lot more bearable with company.”

The man was quiet for a moment before replying, “Okay, ” then asked, “Where is your apartment?”

“South block number b428,” Duo readily replied. “On days when you drive I can meet you in the north lot and when I drive you can come to the south lot. Does that work for you?”

“Perfectly. How about I drive on Friday and you drive on Monday to start?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Duo approved then started for the door again, wanting to get off of the executive floor before Dorothy and Une got back from lunch. “So I’ll meet you in the north lot, 7 am tomorrow.”

Heero nodded, a small smile on his lips and Duo waved over his shoulder as he strode out into the hall.

That went far more smoothly than Duo had anticipated. There was bound to be something in Heero’s car to give Duo an idea as to what to get him, there just had to be.

~*~

The next morning Duo was a bit disappointed. Heero’s small, white four-door car, with pale grey upholstery was as barren as his office and had a distinct and almost headache inducing ‘new car’ smell. Boring.

They rode to the office in silence. Walked through the parking garage in silence and rode the elevator in silence. With a small nod to the other man, Duo stepped out onto his floor and watched the doors close to carry the other man up two more floors.

With a deep sigh he walked to the office he shared with Wufei and started working.

Several hours later his phone chirped and he looked down at the screen to read his message. Wufei was back from his meeting and was having lunch in The Lounge.

He shut down his computer and grabbed his jacket. The elevator was stuffed full of folks heading down to lunch so he made his way to the stairwell taking the steps as quickly as he could, making it down the six flights to the ground floor so quickly that he beat the elevator.

Though the line was long the wonderful ladies that ran the restaurant worked swiftly to ensure that everyone got fed before their lunch hours were up, especially since many of the people worked in the surrounding buildings.

Spotting Wufei seated near a window, he weaved his way through the crowd, dropping his change in the ‘Holiday Chest’, a special bonus for one lucky part-timer or unpaid intern who would be chosen at random by computer during the party in two weeks.

Gently pushing his way between the wall and a woman, he sat beside his friend. “Well, that was a bust,” Duo said glumly as he set his tray on the table.

Wufei raised an eyebrow in question; he had been out of the office for a meeting and hadn’t seen Duo all morning.

“We carpooled this morning and Heero’s car is just at sterile as his office is,” Duo elaborated. Someone bumped him and the veggies plopped out of the bottom of his sandwich to land on his tray with a splat. He frowned but picked them up with his fingers and ate them anyway.

“Mr. Yuy eats in his office, right? Why don’t you get him a lunch bag or a Bento box for his gift?” Wufei commented around his mouthful.

“He has one,” Duo replied. “I saw it yesterday when I took the catalog back.”

“A lunch bag, or a Bento box?”

“Both,” Duo responded. “And chopsticks with a storage case and a thermal bottle.” He sighed. His left elbow propped on the table his chin resting in his upturned palm while his right hand fingers drummed the table in agitation.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you,” Wufei said as he stood, tray in hand. “But you only have two weeks left until the party.”

Duo groaned, his head dropping to the table.

Wufei just chuckled and patted his shoulder before walking away.

With a sigh Duo sat up and finished his sandwich. When he joined Wufei in the office, about twenty minutes later he had a new game plan.

Now since Heero had that catalog mailed to his home there was a good chance he liked the stuff the store carried as well and Duo had two weeks, with luck he could order something and have it delivered in time, all he had to do was decide what to get.

Easier said than done.

As he searched the store’s web site he found hundreds of hilarious things that would make good gifts, some of which, if he wanted to be honest, he would have liked to have gotten for himself. The website had a sister store that carried clothing items and something tugged at his memory but before he could put his finger on it another page loaded he spotted something he hadn’t noticed before.

They had a local store.

“Yes!”

Wufei’s head shot up from where he was hunched over a file and Duo grinned.

“Sorry, inspiration struck,” Duo apologized.

“It’s about time,” his friend grumbled seemingly disinterested as he turned back to his work.

The work day couldn’t end fast enough for Duo and he was nearly bouncing in seat waiting for the time to clock out.

~*~*~

“You seem like you’re in a good mood,” Heero commented as he pressed the button on his key fob, unlocking the car doors.

“I had a breakthrough on a project I’ve been working on,” Duo replied keeping a discrete eye on Heero as the man climbed into the car, at seeing the flash of color at the other mans ankle Duo fought the grin he felt tugging at his lips. Turing his attention to his seat belt he buckled up.

Heero slid his key in the ignition and Duo noticed something else, on the back of the fob was the mascot for his old high school.

“The Cougars,” Duo asked with a nod towards the steering column. “You went to Brooks?”

He nodded, “96 to 99.”

“Me too,” Duo replied and Heero said, “I know, I was on the yearbook committee. You were in a lot of clubs.”

“Small world,” Duo commented and sat deeper in his seat as the car pulled out of the parking space, “Same high school, same apartment building, and same workplace.”

“Same Middle School too,” Heero added as he navigated their way through the large underground parking area and out onto the street. “We had science with Mrs. Summers in 7th grade.”

“You’re shitting me,” Duo blurted and Heero chuckled.

“I shit you not,” he smiled. “I sat in the front near the window.”

“Wait a minute,” Duo struggled, “You had glasses and braces right? That shithead Donavan picked on you.”

Heero frowned at the mention of the school bully but nodded anyway.

“I do remember you and not for the glasses,” he added quickly. “You won a state chess thing or something like that; you were in the school paper. There was a huge trophy in the case near the main office.”

“Actually, I came in second in the final competition,” Heero replied. “The trophy was because I came in first within our city.”

“Still a great accomplishment,” Duo said sincerely and Heero smiled.

The tall apartment complex loomed before them, Heero scanned his pass and the security gates opened allowing the car to enter the North block parking area.

Heero stopped the car near the pedestrian walkway near the elevators so Duo wouldn’t have to walk as far to get to his apartment.

“I’ll pick you up by the South block elevator, Monday at 7,” Duo said.

“See you then,” Heero replied and pulled away after the passenger door closed.

Duo waited until the car was out of sight before skirting around the support wall then dashing across the garage to south end where his car was waiting.

The store he was looking for was in the mall and it wasn’t as crowded as he feared, allowing him to browse the aisles in relative peace. Before he had panicked at the thought of not finding a gift at all, now he couldn't decide which one of the items in his armload he was going to settle on.

A store employee looked up from the box she was unpacking and tucked a thick hank of golden blonde hair behind her ear as Duo dithered over two of the items in his ever growing pile.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” she asked and he turned to face her.

“Not really, I’m just trying to decide which of these to get for my Secret Santa.”

“Why don’t you just get them both?” she suggested. “Those are on sale, buy one get the other half off.”

Duo grinned, “Thanks!” he called out to her and gathered the items and went to pay for them. The girl just shrugged and went back to the shelving.

Back in his apartment later that night Duo stared at the shopping bag, wondering now how he was going to present the gift. He didn’t want to just dump everything in a box, especially since Heero had opted to get his gift at the party and not through the inter-office mail like most.

With a sigh he went to the kitchen to start his dinner.

Meal cooked, consumed, and cleaned up and he still didn’t know what he was going to do with the gift now that he had it.

Upending the bag on the kitchen counter he sifted through it, setting aside the one thing he had bought for himself before looking over each item again. With a frustrated growl he started stuffing everything back in the bag when his pile of mail caught his attention.

He snickered as an idea formed.

~*~*~*~*

Heero was adorably groggy Monday morning as he climbed into Duo’s warm car, he settled into the seat with his eyes closed, nursing a large mug coffee. It was painfully obvious the boss man wasn’t a morning person, and like Friday the ride to was quiet with nothing said past a soft ‘good morning’.

Duo sat in his office, his eyes going to the clock as it inched towards the lunch hour.

“Hello Duo,” Quatre called as he slipped the handful of mail into the box that hung on the office door.

“Oh, hey Kat, Duo greeted in reply. “Say, have you delivered the mail to the bosses yet?”

“Nope,” he replied. “I start at the bottom floor and work my way up. Why do you ask?”

Duo opened his desk and pulled out a small padded envelope. “Could you pop this in Yuy’s mailbox for me? I planned on doing it but I don’t want Dorothy pouncing on me.”

Quatre laughed and took the envelope, slipping into Yuy’s mail pile. “I’ll make sure he gets it.”

“Thanks Kat.”

As the blond disappeared from view, Duo’s eyes went back to the clock.

~*~*~*~

“Hello Quatre,” Dorothy purred. She was seated at her desk directly across the room from the elevator, Une’s office to her left, Yuy’s to the right. Though she was primarily Une’s secretary she did help Yuy from time to time so her desk was placed where she could be easily accessible to both the director and assistant director.

“Miss Catalonia,” he greeted pleasantly, rolling his cart silently across the carpet. He pulled a bundle from the basket and placed it on her desk before selecting another, stuffing it into the mailbox on Yuy’s closed door, then repeating the process with Une’s mail. With a nod towards the other blond he turned his cart and headed back to the elevator.

Several minutes later an office door opened and Heero collected his mail. Leaving the door open he returned to his desk and sifted through it. On the bottom of the pile he found a manila envelope with just his name printed on the front. There was no indication as to whom it was from; it wasn’t even sealed, just held closed with the flap tucked inside. His brow puckered as he pulled the flap up and peered inside.

A smile spread across his face as he pulled the soft item out and looked it over. It was a pair of socks. They were two toned grey, but it was the words woven into them that amused him. ‘Worst Gift Ever’ was printed on the ankles where it could be clearly seen while being worn. There was also a little cartoon sock with a frown seated on some steps under the words. Tucking them back into the envelope he slipped it in his briefcase and went back to work.

The next day there was another envelope and another pair of socks. This pair boldly stated, ‘I’m not Bossy, I’m the Boss.’

On Wednesday the pair had, ‘I love my job… Ha, ha! Just kidding!’

By Thursday he was waiting for Quatre so he could collect his mail in person and had to bite his tongue to not laugh at the ‘Ringmaster of the Shit Show’ socks he received that day.

“Good morning,” Duo called as Heero pulled up Friday morning, he couldn’t help a discreet glance at Heero’s ankle, but the pants covered the socks entirely so he wasn’t able to see if he was wearing any of the socks he had given him.

Climbing into the car he settled into the seat and enjoyed the quiet ride to work.

“Hey boss man,” Duo smiled from the door. It was lunch and the ladies were down in The Lounge enjoying the special deserts Mrs. Grimble made on Fridays. Nearly everyone had bought a raffle ticket to win the ‘One year of free Friday desert’ Mrs. Grimble donated to their Christmas party every year.

“Hello Duo,” Heero smiled.

Duo couldn’t help but notice the envelope still sitting on Heero’s desk, today’s pair had said ‘Adult in Training’. “I brought you a slice of Mrs. Gimble’s cheesecake,” he said holding up the small insulated carton. “On Monday I remember you saying you loved it but hated the crowds down in The Lounge.”

“You didn’t have to,” he said but Duo could see he really wanted it so he just deposited it on the desk and set the plastic fork beside it. “Thank you.”

“No problem, I'll see you after work.”

That evening Duo’s observations paid off and he spotted a flash of grey and orange as Heero stepped into the car. ‘Ringmaster of The Shit Show’ it was and Duo was insanely pleased that Heero was wearing the gifts.

They chatted through the ride, mostly about the horror that was high school.

“Do you have any plans this weekend?” he surprised himself by asking just as Heero stopped by the elevator in the apartment garage and Heero looked over at him.

“Not really, just housekeeping and shopping. Why?”

“No reason, I just didn’t have any plans and wondered if you wanted to hang out or something.”

Heero didn’t hesitate, “Sure, you can come over tomorrow around five if you want, and we could watch a movie.”

Duo grinned and climbed from the car, “I’ll bring some snacks.”

Heero waved through the window after the door was closed and drove off.

Duo didn’t know why he was nervous as he walked down the long hallway that was identical to the one that led to his apartment, but it felt kind of weird visiting Heero in his home, though they had known of each other for over a decade they had only known each other for a week.

Shifting the bag to one arm he knocked on the door. A moment later it opened and the slightly shorter man stepped back so Duo could enter. Heero was dressed casually in a pair of worn, faded jeans, a t-shirt and the ‘I love my Job’ socks.

Heero offered to take the shopping bag to the kitchen as Duo looked around the room in interest. The layout was basically the same as his own, just mirrored. The built in shelving units were stuffed with books and the furniture looked comfortable and inviting.

Heero joined him on the sofa near the fireplace several minutes later, setting out the snacks so they were in easy reach.

They decided to stream a movie on the vid and sat back to enjoy it.

After the movie they ordered Chinese food and watched another movie while they ate. As it neared eleven they called it a night and Heero walked him to the door.

“See you Monday morning,” he said in lieu of goodbye and Duo just smiled, tossing a little wave over his shoulder as he strolled away from the door.

~*~*~*

Walking into the office on Monday was a treat; it was like the entire holiday department of Wal-Mart had exploded all over the building over the weekend. There were lights on the cubicles, ornaments on the light fixtures, stickers of Santa and Christmas trees stuck to the elevator doors, garland and streamers draped over everything, including employees, or so it seemed as Quatre was festooned with glittery stuff as he made his rounds.

Heero didn’t expect any more socks so he was delighted when another envelope found its way to his mailbox everyday for another week.

On Monday he found ‘Cute by Psycho’, Tuesday it was ‘I Hate Everyone Too.’ Wednesday was, ‘Certified Pain in the Ass’ and on Thursday was ‘Happy Elfin’ Holidays’, that pair he wore to work the next day and Duo didn’t miss the vibrant red and green of them as Heero stepped out of the car when they arrived to work on Friday.

“I brought my own lunch today because the Lounge is closed in preparation for the party,” Duo said as they rode the elevator. “Want some company for lunch?”

“Always,” Heero replied.

“Okay,” Duo stepped out on his floor, “See you at noon.”

Heero nodded once as the door slid shut. Duo snickered at the jolly Santa that came into view as the door closed and turned to his office.

After setting out the last envelope for Quatre he turned on his computer, logged in and started the workday.

Heero looked up as Quatre slipped an envelope in the mailbox and walked away. Heero hadn’t expected to get one today as he had planned on going to the party. The last gift should have been sent down to The Lounge so the party guests could get them there. It was tradition to exchange them at the party. Some even opted to open them there so others could see what they got.

Pulling the package from the slot he carried over to his desk and opened the flap. This pair was gold and brown ‘ugly sweater’ pattern, they didn’t say anything at all, but featured a pair of fornicating reindeer that fortunately were situated low enough on the ankle not to be seen when wearing.

He laughed loudly and Dorothy’s confused mumble of “What the hell?” could be heard though his still open door. He ignored her and tucked the socks into his briefcase.

~*~*~

The Lounge wasn’t a crowded as he expected it to be, but it was the last shopping day before Christmas so most of the staff had probably taken off to get some last minute shopping done. Also most of the folks in the building had opted to get their Secret Santa gifts and bonuses through the inter-office mail earlier that day. There really was no reason to stick around for the party unless they were trying for one of the raffle prizes, you had to be present to claim the prize if you won.

Though lunch in Heero’s office had been nice Duo was a nervous wreck. The gift he had finally settled on didn’t seem like such a good idea now. He had forgotten that people liked to open and share what they got at the party and what he got wasn’t something he really wanted to share. He had been tempted to run out to the store and grab another pair of socks and save the other gift for later, but the holiday party started right after clock out and Heero had driven that day. There was no way he could get all the way to the store and back without missing a huge chunk of the party.

Taking a seat near the back of the room he watched as folks mingled, chatting and snacking while listening to the upbeat Christmas music. The actual exchange wouldn’t happen until after all the raffle prizes had been given out and the raffle was set to begin the moment Une arrived with the name of the winner of the special ‘Holiday Chest’.

“May I?” Heero called loudly to be heard over the music and indicated to the empty chair with his cup of punch.

“Please do,” Duo replied in an equal tone and Heero slid into the chair. He had removed his suit jacket and tie, and had rolled the sleeves of his button down shirt up to his elbows. Duo felt that warm sort of squish in his gut again and once again wished he had brought a ‘dummy’ gift for the party so he could give the real gift without so many eyes on them.

Dorothy had invited her girlfriend and the two women were up on the tiny stage singing a Karaoke version of ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ while Quatre laughed as he his boyfriend Trowa danced amongst the dozen others all moving together near the large artificial tree.

Zechs and his wife were seated at a table with Wufei, all huddled close so they could hear each other over the loud, surprisingly well performed song. As the music ended Une made her appearance so Dorothy turned it down so it was more of a comfortable background hum, then she and Relena found a table leaving the stage for Une.

“Happy holiday’s everyone,” Une said as she took up the microphone. “I would like to begin this year’s announcement with the ‘Holiday Chest.’ As you all know this special gift is only for the part time employees and the unpaid interns. At this time I would like to thank all of the salaried employees that donated the funds to make this special gift possible.” She paused briefly as the guests applauded. After things quieted down again she continued, pulling an envelope from her pocket that contained a single randomly, computer drawn name, she tore it open, “Mrs. Valentina Garcia.”

“Congratulations Teeny,” a woman called out as the petite mother of three who worked in executive housekeeping appeared, accepting the small chest from Une with a stunned looked on her face. The ‘Chest’ always contained the paper change from the patrons of the Lounge as well as other monetary gifts that people had been adding for the past two weeks. Though only the recipient knew how much was inside, it was rumored that past chests held upwards of $2,000.

The crowd applauded again as a security guard guided her to the door, then took the chest for safe keeping so she could enjoy the rest of the party. He would walk her to her car later if she so wanted.

After the roar died down again Une pulled out a sheet of paper, “Now for the raffle prizes. One month priority parking goes to Lewis Stevenson. $100 gift card to Suzy Wong, free hot drink every Monday for a year from Roasted Bean to Gloria Stuart, another $100 gift card Anna Lee Masterson…” After each name the crowd clapped and Une continued down the list, reading off nearly two dozen names, “And, for the most coveted of raffle prizes, one free desert every Friday for a year from Mrs. Grimble and The Lounge to Duo Maxwell.”

“Oh you lucky bastard,” Dorothy blurted. Rather than be insulted Duo laughed and replied, “Tell you what Dorothy, you can have the first piece of cheesecake, consider it my Christmas gift to you.” Relena nudged her girlfriend and the other woman smiled.

“Now for the gifts,” Une announced and with the help of a few of the employees the pile of gifts was distributed. Duo didn’t miss the flash of disappointment on Heero’s face when nothing was set before him but it faded quickly into a look of interest at the parcel that Duo received.

It was from Sylvia, one of the girls that worked on the second floor, he didn’t really know what she did but apparently she had good taste in movies. He looked though the stack of six films and said to Heero, “Want to have another movie night?”

Before Heero had a chance to reply Wufei let out an indignant squawk that was quickly followed by a loud peal of laughter from Dorothy. The pair turned to the other table and saw Wufei holding up a rather large wall calendar filled with scantily dressed firemen.

“That isn’t the real gift,” she managed through the laughter. “There’s a gift card in the back.”

Finding the gift card to Barns and Noble, he tucked it aside and watched as the woman opened her gift. Inside the small square box she found a plain, glossy black coffee mug. She turned it over in her hands and let out a bark of laughter. Tipping it up she showed the other the bottom of the mug where a hand with a raised middle finger was printed.

“Thank you for the thoughtful gift Chang,” she said as she returned the cup to its box.

Zechs opened his gift next and more laughter followed as he held up a generic bath and body set with ‘Macho Peach Mango’ scented products. Knowing a gag gift when he saw one he sifted through the paper in the box and found a hard cover novel he had been interested in.

“Who was your gift from,” his wife asked and he checked the tag again.

“Une,” he replied.

“Anne, what did you get?” Noin called and the other woman carried her gift over to show the others.

“Oh this is priceless,” Dorothy commented as she held the name plate up. Duo grinned, he remembered seeing it circled in the catalog. “Who gave it to you?”

“Heero,” she replied.

Duo turned to see Heero’s expression, his smile slipping from his face when he realized Heero wasn’t sitting across from him anymore.

Gathering up his movie disks he got up and squeezed through the crowd and out into the lobby.

“Hey Ben, have you seen Mr. Yuy?” Duo asked the security guard posted by the main entrance.

“He just took the elevator down,” the older man replied, “Number 6.”

“Thanks,” Duo replied, already making his way to the bank of elevators. He jabbed the down button and number 2 dinged. Stepping inside he pressed P2, his foot tapping impatiently as he was carried down to the second parking level. When the door opened he could hear the faint click of footsteps. Hurrying in that direction he spotted the other man as he neared his car.

“Heero?” Duo called his voice echoing loudly in the underground parking structure. The other man stopped and turned with an acknowledging nod.

“I’m sorry, I know I drove you but I've had enough of the party…”

“I was your Secret Santa.” Heero frowned at the quickly revealed statement but Duo forged on. “I did get you something but I didn’t want you opening it where everyone was watching.” He finished by holding out a small, unwrapped box.

Heero accepted it with a curious expression and removed the lid.

Duo’s heart raced as Heero stared at the contents for several excruciating minutes, then he looked up pinning Duo with his gaze and smiled.

Stepping closer, Duo lifted the mistletoe from the box and held it above Heero’s head.

Heero’s eyes darted up to look at the small plant Duo was dangling over him then turned so their eyes met.

Duo leaned in and their lips met.

Heero’s eyes were closed when Duo pulled back, his lips tingling from the kiss.

“How about we start our movie night tonight?” Duo asked, his movies disks still in his other hand.

Heero chuckled as his eyes blinked open; he nodded and pressed the fob to unlock the car. “I really love the socks,” he said as they climbed into the car and Duo laughed. He had figured that Duo had been the one giving him the socks even before he told him he was his Secret Santa.

“Me too,” he replied pulling his pant leg up to show Heero a pair that said, ‘Not Gonna Lie, I Just Make Shit Up.’

Climbing into the car he leaned across, “Merry Christmas,” Duo whispered before closing the gap between them again.

Owari

Notes:

Archie McPhee doesn’t make those name plates or the coffee mug but you can get them on Amazon for about $15 each.

Tiny cameo from my OCs Lindy, as the employee in the store, and her mother Valentina as the recipient of the Holiday Chest.

Sorry (not sorry) I love socks for Christmas.

The sister site is Blue Q (not actually a sister site) and all the socks can be found on their site except the last two pairs that Heero gets, the last pair was inspired by an Invader Zim fan art I saw where Dib is holding up an Ugly Christmas sweater with fornicating Reindeer on the front (Zim looked unimpressed) the other pair (Happy Elfin’ Holiday), I actually own but I don’t remember where I got them, most likely Wal-Mart.

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#gw secret santa #thisweekingundamwing #gundam wing fanfiction #1x2x1 #duo maxwell #heero yuy #duo x heero

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mugsywrites · 7 years ago

Note

Can we please get some bonus features or extras from FotR? I just need to be in a world where Glenn, Carl, Eric, and Abe are alive and well and Desus, Gleggie, Carzekiel, and Richonne are living fairytale endings. Can we talk about baby Herschel and Judith? Or Daryl and Jesus’s honeymoon?

Sure thing, nonny. Here’s a very, very, *very* rough bit of a fic that was going to be about Carol and Ezekiel’s wedding in the FotR ‘verse (still might finish this one)

Carol is fine right up until the week before the wedding, then she isn’t. She can’t pinpoint the catalyst, she just opens her eyes in the morning with the words run, run, run circling through her head. She lays in bed still and quiet, focusing on her breathing.

In bed beside her Ezekiel is sprawled on top of the covers snoring softly. He doesn’t have a stitch on and neither does she, they’re in the hottest part of the summer and the heat is inescapable. Bits of his dark skin gleam gold in the weak morning light.

Her throat tightens and she turns her face away and squeezes her eyes shut. Run, run, run, run.

It’s been almost a year since she made the decision to stand and fight for the people she loved, to accept the burdens that come with loving people in this world. At the time she thought it would be enough, that the voice telling her to run would go quiet and she wouldn’t have to hear it anymore. She isn’t so lucky; in a way it’s like how she quit smoking right before everything happened. The compulsion was still there, and it had taken active, conscious resistance to keep from just giving in. Put a cigarette in front of her and it got stronger.

Run, run, run.

She breathes in and out, the taste of panic on her tongue. Daryl’s voice comes to her then, rough with sorrow. Running don’t make it go away.

Maybe you can go…and not go. Ezekiel’s words come to her this time, giving her the answer. Go, and not go. She slides out of bed and gets dressed as quietly as possible then tiptoes out of their room.

She leaves a brief note for him, resting against her pillow so it’s the first thing he’ll see when he wakes up.

I’m sorry I didn’t wake you, but you needed the rest. I’m going out for a bit to think, I will be back before it gets dark.

Love,Carol

She doesn’t tell him where she’s going, she doesn’t need to. All she takes with her besides weapons is a canteen full of water.

Dianne is on guard when she reaches the gates. The other woman’s lips twitch and she tilts her head, “Your Majesty.”

“Don’t think I won’t stab you,” Carol says, plastering on her best Susie Homemaker smile.

Dianne shivers theatrically, “It gives me the damn creeps when you smile like that.” She gives Carol a closer look, “Something wrong, boss lady?”

Carol hesitates. Dianne and her…well, they aren’t quite friends, but they are close to it. Dianne doesn’t believe in bullshit (most of the time, when she calls Ezekiel “Your Majesty” there’s not a trace of irony to be found). Carol likes her, and it’s a little terrifying. She hasn’t had many real women friends since Lori’s death. She loved the Greene sisters but they were young. She avoided Michonne for a long time, one look into the other woman’s eyes and Carol just knew. Knew that Michonne was a mother, knew that like Carol she had outlived her child. It was like looking into a mirror, and neither woman cared to do that for long.

But she’s been at the Kingdom for nearly a year by Ezekiel’s side, knows and cares for his “knights”, watches over the children, and she might be becoming friends with Dianne. They’re not quite there yet, so Carol just shakes her head and says, “I’m alright. Tell Ezekiel not to worry about me if he comes asking.”

Dianne eyes her skeptically, “You look a bit frazzled, Your Highness. Maybe you should stay here. Plan wedding details.”

Carol snorts, “I’m not planning a single damn thing about this wedding,” she really isn’t, “All I know is I’m going to say ‘I do’ at one point. Preferably to Ezekiel.”

Dianne still seems hesitant, but she doesn’t delay Carol any longer. She opens the gates and tells Carol to watch out for herself.

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

Her house is much as she left it. More dust, more cobwebs. It’s too hot for a fire, so she makes do with the dim light. Sits down on the dusty couch where she spent weeks reading the former occupant’s romance novels, napping, and just existing.

No wars to fight, no weddings to plan, or to be planned for her. When she said yes to Ezekiel both of them had something quieter in mind, but when news travelled around the rest of the Kingdom “quiet” was no longer an option. She blames Jerry, he was probably the one to start talking. Wedding planning had bled into the plans for the festival and the decision to combine the two had been made, since folks were already planning on coming from the other communities. So Carol was getting married in front of a crowd of people, many she barely knew.

Carol sighs; she should have stopped this before it started. Kept it as casual as Ezekiel’s proposal had been. They’d been on their hands and knees digging in the garden, even the “King” and his “Queen” tended to the garden. He passed Carol a trowel and said, “We should get married.”

Carol laughed a little, “Really? Tired of living in sin?”

“Of course, my lady,” Ezekiel said, putting on his King voice, “Honor demands that I make thee honest.”

“Oh, of course. Big ceremony?”

“If it pleases my lady. Or if it pleases her the King can simply put a ring on it.”

“And what would please the King?”

“I adore all excuses for festive merriment. But it matters not, dear maiden,” his smile slipped away and he dropped his King voice. He was only Zeke when he said, “Carol. I’m…I’m serious. Will you marry me? We don’t need to make a production of it.”

She really looked at him then. Kind eyes, dark and warm and there were times she thought he saw everything inside her.

Her chest expanded, something warm rising up. For a few seconds she didn’t recognize the feeling, as it was one she’d only experienced a handful of times in her life, most of them within the past six months.

She was happy. Pure, uncomplicated happiness was the only emotion she felt. Most of the time at the Kingdom she was…content. At peace. A fire burnt down to cinders but still warm, still not ashes yet.

It terrified her.

“Can I think about it?” she said when she finally found her voice.

Ezekiel was a good actor, but not good enough to hide his hurt and disappointment. Despite that all he said was, “Of course. All the time you need.”

She still feels guilty for how relieved she was that not more than an hour later a runner from the Alexandria Safe Zone showed up at the gates. Her relief faded quickly when the runner delivered his news: Jesus was missing, they suspected it was some of the Rogue Saviors, a search party had been sent out.

Oh Daryl, she thought, heart in her throat. Her decision was made and she went to pack a bag immediately, Ezekiel watching.

“I don’t think you should go,” Ezekiel said after a long moment of silence.

“I have to,” she said, “He needs me.”

“We need you here.”

She hesitated; then, “If there’s something going on one of us needs to go out and deal with it before it comes here to the Kingdom.”

“And it’s not because of what I asked you earlier?”

She threw him a contemptuous glare, “Not everything’s about you, your majesty.” Carol is a good actress but she’s not good enough to hide that there was some truth to his accusation. So she tried hiding it in anger.

Ezekiel’s nostrils flared and she could see it had worked, at least a little. He was getting angry. Thing is, they rarely fought. They argued some, of course they did. They occasionally had differing ideas on how to run the Kingdom, she would get mad at him for hiding his feelings under his King persona, he would get angry that she just ran away from hers. They argued, then one would apologize, and they would both get over it.

It’s a novel experience. She and Ed fought at first, back when he used words instead of his fists to pummel her. She stopped arguing eventually, not that it saved her from a beating. Then Ed and Sophia died and it was just her, just Carol, taking care of the others and stepping up. She argued with Rick, Lori, even Daryl on occasion. That winter on the road she would lose her temper and snap at any of the group without second thought, and she learned not to cringe if they snapped back. Now she argues with Ezekiel because he can see through her bullshit and she through his, and neither one let the other get away with it.

[STUFF]

“You know he’s gay, right?” Carol finally snapped.

Ezekiel looked confused, “Who, Jesus? Yes, of course—“

She rolled her eyes; she loved him but he sometimes would miss what was right in front of him, “No, Daryl. Why do you think I said he’s going to need me?” She couldn’t believe she had to spell it out for him, “Daryl’s gay, and I’m pretty sure he’s in love with Jesus. If something happened to you Daryl would come to make sure I was ok.”

[STUFF]

Worry for Daryl was the main reason she went to the Hilltop, but not wanting to give Ezekiel an answer definitely influenced her decision. She told Ezekiel she would give him her answer when she got back.

She didn’t stay at the Hilltop for long; when she got there Maggie and Daryl were gone, and she only talked to Glenn for a few hours before there was a commotion—someone shouting for the doctor, saying the search team was back and Jesus was hurt. When she saw Daryl outside of the medical trailer covered in blood and looking like a lost child she knew she had made the right decision coming here.

She took him back to the trailer he shared with Jesus, marched him into the shower. He was in the shower for a long time, long enough for her to knock on the door with worry.

Once he got out and changed clothes he stood there looking lost. She put her arms around him and he went to pieces. No tears, just whimpering into her shoulder and shaking so hard it was all she could do to hold on to him.

They ended up on the floor outside the bathroom while Daryl collected himself, face resting agains her shoulder as she stroked his damp hair. After a long time he asked her why she was there, and when she told him seemed surprised that she had figured out what was going on between him and Jesus.

[STUFF]

She offered to help Alex with his nursing duties, and when she came in to check on Jesus found Daryl curled up in the bed with him, one hand pressed against his heart. She walked quietly over to them; Daryl was out, his face was completely relaxed and at peace. She swallowed hard and tiptoed out of the room.

Running don’t make it go away. That’s what Daryl had said to her, when she told him that Ezekiel had asked her to marry him.

The next day when she arrived at the Kingdom she threw her arms around Ezekiel and said, “Yes,” before she even said hello. He was actually confused for a minute before he realized what she meant. When he did his smile was enough to light the entire world and he actually honest-to-god dipped her back like they’re on the cover of a Harlequin novel and kissed her. She hated that it gives her butterflies, that it made her want to giggle like she must have done when she was a teenage girl who hadn’t yet learned just how the world really worked.

[STUFF]

She doesn’t regret saying yes and can’t imagine truly running away, not now or ever, but that’s not enough to stop this feeling of rising panic and fear. It’s funny in a bleak kind of way that she doesn’t remember being afraid the first time she got married. Can’t remember much of her first wedding at all, Her wedding to Ed hadn’t been much to remember. The guest list was small—his parents, some women she went to church with. Carol can’t even remember their names, a thought that makes her sad. At one time they had been her entire world, she had thought they were the best friends a woman could have. Was she happy? She must have been, even though she can’t remember Ed ever causing her happiness.

Carol has been a lot of women over the years—she’s been Carol the doting wife who was just so clumsy, always running into doors and falling down steps. Transparent lies she still was able to sell with conviction. Carol the mouse, meekly obeying Ed. Carol the mother, devoting herself to Sophia completely. Carol the leader, sitting on the prison council and confidently making decisions. Carol the fighter, Carol the killer. At the Kingdom she is Carol the Queen, even though she and Zeke aren’t married yet and both have tried to get people to stop referring to them by made up titles.

She spent a long time in that house outside of the Kingdom trying to figure out who exactly she was.

[

STUFF, SHE REMEMBERS HER FIRST CONVERSATION WITH EZEKIEL AT THE CREEPY HOUSE]

“My mom died when I was seven,” Ezekiel answers, eyes soft and voice far away. “It was a sudden thing, she had a heart condition we didn’t know about. My dad…he was a good guy, but he was just so lost without her. Lost in his own grief. I started doing what I could to cheer him up, pretending everything was fine and he didn’t need to worry about me,” he shrugs, “Then in high school, I was just so shy—What?” he says, eyes sparkling. Carol had let out a disbelieving snort at the “shy” part.

“That’s just a little hard to believe, is all,” she says, lips curving a slightly.

“Well I was,” Ezekiel insists, a matching smile playing at his lips, “I don’t think you woulda recognized me then, I was 5’4 and weighed about 90 pounds soaking wet. Acne, glasses, mouth full of metal, the works.”

She lifts her eyebrows and tries to imagine it, how he must have looked back then. He sees her look and continues, “Do you remember…what was the name of that show…it had that nerdy kid, Urkel? You remember that?” Carrie nods, and she’s grinning and trying hard not to laugh. Ezekiel continues, “I felt like I shoulda sued them, clearly my likeness was used as inspiration. Should have gotten royalties.

“I never really fit in, but theater kids were all nerds too. I started out doing the lighting, rigging the stage. Then junior year came and I shot up half a foot, started working out. Then they let me be onstage. Was never into enough to try and make a career out of it, but I kept up with it.”

[STUFF]“Was made lead zookeeper right before the turn,” Ezekiel says, sipping on his wine, “Still not a very lucrative job, mind you. But I didn’t care about that. I loved the work. It wasn’t…the work wasn’t easy, it was hard work, you know? A lot of physical labor. But easy to do,” Ezekiel laughs at himself, then lowers his voice until it’s at “King” levels, “Apologies, the wine hath left my wits addled, fair maiden. Or perhaps it is your company that intoxicates me so.”

She kicks him, “You’re full of shit,” she says, but she can’t stop the pleased smile from twitching at the corners of her mouth. He spots it and he grins, inordinately pleased with himself. She kicks him again.

“But no,” Ezekiel says thoughtfully, “Hard work, but I loved doing it. Loved the people. Loved the kids,” his eyes drifted off, “The way their faces lit up while they watched the animals. I used to do demonstrations, bring the animals out and introduce them. Big ones like Shiva, little ones like the otters…” He smiles, eyes far away.

“My daughter loved the elephants most,” comes out of Carol’s mouth without conscious thought, stunning her. She can’t remember the last time she was able to think about Sophia without pain, much less speak so casually about her.

“Did she,” Ezekiel says, voice gentle. He looks completely unsurprised at the revelation that she once had a child.

“Yeah, she did,” Carol whispers, and she starts to tell him about Sophia’s class field trip one year. Carol had originally told her that she couldn’t go, reduced cost or no they couldn’t afford it. But Ed had stepped in, said of course she could go, then stunned them further by suggesting that Carol sign up to be a chaperone and go with her. He wouldn’t go to his weekly poker game, it would be worth it to treat “his girls” to a day of fun.

Ed did things like that sometimes. Things like take them out for ice-cream and a movie out of the blue during the summer. Pick up some flowers for her on the way home from work. Take Carol out to a fancy dinner on a night Sophia was staying over at a friend’s house.

Carol preferred his fists to that. She knew how to deal with those. Ed’s out of the blue bouts of kindness left her feeling off kilter and half mad. When things went back to normal after he treated them sweet it was all the more frightening. It was like she spent her entire life curled up in a tight ball, hands over her head and protecting her vital parts. It was an exhausting way to live, and when Ed treated them even if she knew what would happen she let herself relax just a little. Lower her shields—not all the way, never all the way—but enough to give herself a rest. To expose one little part of herself she was able to keep protected most of the time. Then Ed would be on her.

She doesn’t tell Ezekiel that last part. She pushes Ed out of her mind completely. “There was a baby elephant playing around in the mud. Sophia…she loved it. Had this little disposable camera, when I had the film developed it was nothing but blurry pictures of that elephant.” She stares into the dark liquid of her wine glass, “I suppose it’s dead by now. Starved, or eaten, or…” She doesn’t finish, there’s not much point.

Ezekiel is quiet, waiting until he’s sure that she’s finished speaking before he says, “When I went to the zoo to get Shiva…most of the animals were dead. Eaten, as you say. The elephants got out, though,” Ezekiel pauses, “Which didn’t surprise me, they’re notorious cage breakers even with constant supervision. I like to think they’re still roaming around somewhere, trampling any of the dead that tries to come at ‘em.”

Carol almost accuses him of lying, of spinning a fiction for her of a small herd of elephants wandering through fields that used to be farm country. Leaning down to scratch themselves against a rusting tractor. Stroking each other with their trunks, like the mother elephant had done with her baby a lifetime ago during their trip to the zoo. She almost accuses him of lying, but she sees his expression and remembers what he told her in the garden, Never bullshit a bullshitter, and knows he’s telling the truth. About the elephants escaping, at least.

“You know they’re matriarchal?” Ezekiel continues. Carol shakes her head, and he continues, “One female leader, her daughters and granddaughters. They’re smart too, y’know how they say an elephant never forgets? They visit the bones of dead friends years after they’ve died.”

“I’ve killed people,” she whispered quietly.

“I know,” Ezekiel replied, “We’ve all had to.”

She shook her head and closed her eyes, “Not just the Saviors. Or people like them.” She swallowed and tried to find words. Slowly, haltingly, she told Ezekiel about Karen and David.

“And that’s not everything,” she said, not daring to look Ezekiel in the eye. “There were these two little girls at the prison. Their father was killed and asked me to take care of them. Lizzie and Mika.”

The words kept coming out of her. It was as though they had always been there, just waiting to be let out. She told him about Sophia. Told him how much Mika reminded her of Sophia, the sweetness to her. Mika’s dead body, Lizzie standing over Judith with a knife cheerfully telling them, I didn’t destroy the brain, she’ll come back. It’s ok.

“You killed her,” Ezekiel interrupted, “Lizzie.”

“She couldn’t be around people,” Carol said, voice small, “She thought the walkers…I thought of taking her somewhere, just the two of us. Watching over her. But…” she close her eyes, “I had to think of Judith, of Tyreese…” her voice chokes on his name. “So that’s some of the bad I’ve been

“No,” Ezekiel says, voice soft, “I’m just glad it’s not the sort of decision I’ve had to make yet,” he goes quiet again, then, “Have you been carrying that around all by yourself?”

She nods, “I never told anyone. Neither did Tyreese,” she swallows, “I almost told Daryl once, but he told me he didn’t need to know. I think he might have guessed some of it, though.”

[STUFF]

[DARYL COMES TO THE CREEPY HOUSE]

[STUFF, DARUS ARRIVE AT THE KINGDOM]“Give me a damned hug,” she says. One side of his mouth crooks and obeys her command. She holds him long and tight before pulling back to study him.

He looks different than when she saw him last, since everything happened with the rogue Saviors months ago, beyond the obvious that he’s not exhausted by worry and guilt. There’s a looseness to him she’s never seen before, the closest was how he was at the prison. When he stopped being a boy and became a man. When she stopped being a mouse and became something else.

“You look good,” she tells him.

[STUFF]

#Anonymous

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wordsablaze · 7 years ago

Text

Chapter Six: Ineptitude

All Because Of A Car Cinder’s life revolved around the garage, working as a mechanic, until that one male student came in looking for a Mercedes and changed her life… AU AH Kaider story. Enjoy!

"How do you feel about helping me fly a kite?"

Cinder blinks, wondering if she'd heard that correctly.

"How do I feel about what?"

Kai shifts nervously, his hands behind his back. "I, um, recently acquired a kite and I was, uh, wondering if you'd like to help me fly it?"

Cinder pauses, then shakes her head in amusement. Unfortunately, Kai seems to take this the wrong way and his face drops, his smile faltering as he awkwardly coughs, "Of course, you're busy. Sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Hey, hey," Cinder says urgently, trying to stop him from walking away, "I didn't say no."

Even though his expression stays doubtful, Kai's eyes light up and he stops edging backwards as if trying to escape the confusion by literally leaving the room. Cinder can't help but hope that his eyes always stay just as bright and he keeps –

She cuts her own thoughts off, shaking her head once again. When Kai bites his lip, Cinder internally curses, knowing that she isn't helping the situation. She almost trips over her own words as she says, "No, no, sorry again! I was just- well, I was thinking, but that doesn't really matter. Uh, I would love to fly your kite with you."

She half expects him to wince at her awkward attempt at an answer but he smiles widely, his dimples sending her mind into a frenzy of adorable overload – something she's never experienced because of a… a boy.

She realises that she's totally missed his question while thinking about his cheek indents so she just nods, hoping that he hadn't asked her to kill the queen or something.

Kai laughs, "You didn't hear a word of that, did you?"

Deciding not to shake her head because of all the trouble it causes earlier, she opts for words: "How could you tell?"

Kai winks. "I know how to recognise someone lost in their own thoughts. Besides, nobody in their right mind would agree to let me dye their hair glittery gold so…"

Somehow, his humour overpowers her embarrassment and she ends up laughing, almost slipping on the water under their feet, which she makes a mental note to clean up later.

"You never know, it might suit me." Cinder chuckles.

"I think your hair is beautiful as it is," Kai says, then his eyes widen as he bites his tongue.

Cinder opens her mouth and closes it a few times before the two of them are saved from their palpable awkwardness by someone walking into the workshop.

"Cinder, do you have the keys to the- oh hello, who are you?" the girl asks, raising her eyebrows.

Cinder glares at the girl, but not in an unkind way. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"The whole intimidation routine."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because what?"

"I already know him," Cinder sighs, exasperated already.

"Something you're not telling me?" the girl gasps dramatically.

"I was going to…"

"What, after the wedding?"

Cinder groans, rolling her eyes.

"So there is going to be a wedding?"

"Really?"

"This is what you get for not telling me about him." The girl folds her arms accusingly.

"I barely know him!" Cinder argues.

"You just said you already know him!"

"Technically!"

The girl narrows her eyes. "That's not a good explanation; I need details! All the details!"

"I can't give you any if I don't have them in the first place!"

"You must have his name at least!"

Abruptly, Cinder remembers that Kai is still in the room.

She swears under her breath and turns back to see him absently playing with a Rubik's cube, almost immersed in the turning coloured squares.

"Oops," the girl giggles.

"Kai?" Cinder asks.

His head snaps up and he pockets the cube, instantly smiling. "Yeah?"

"Sorry."

Kai cocks his head, as if asking what she's done that needs an apology.

"She means sorry for having a conversation about you over your head," the girl clarifies.

Kai waves a hand. "Not a problem."

"Really?" the girl asks before turning to Cinder, "I like this one."

Cinder groans again, wanting nothing more than to bang her head against the wall. Instead, she asks: "Where do you need the keys to?"

The girl ignores Cinder, instead walking to Kai and holding out her hand.

"I'm Iko."

Kai smiles and shakes her hand. "Nice to meet you, Iko."

Iko raises an inquisitive eyebrow and Kai gasps as her unsaid question dawns on him, "Oh, sorry! I'm Kai."

Iko laughs, then grins at him. "Now that I know your name, I can greet you properly."

Before anyone can blink, Iko throws her arms around Kai and hugs him as tightly as she possibly can. Kai freezes for a solid three seconds but then relaxes and returns the gesture, laughing. The two of them pull away and Iko flicks her blue locks over one shoulder as she turns to Cinder.

Cinder lets out a sigh of relief, half wanting to murder her best friend but half relieved that she approves of Kai as a person, and a friend.

"See? That's the correct response to a hug." Iko's voice is almost a whine as she pouts. "You never do that!"

"Iko…" Cinder's smiling as she rolls her eyes.

"Kai gets it," Iko whispers, crossing her arms again.

"Which keys?" Cinder asks, already walking over to the cabinet.

"Workshop… wait, which one is this?"

"Three," Kai supplies.

"Gotcha. So… Number six then," Iko declares, catching the keys as Cinder throws them over her shoulder.

"Catch you later!" Iko winks before sashaying out of the workshop, twirling the keys around her finger as she goes.

The two of them hear a small clink, a larger thud, the unmistakable sound of people crashing into each other, and an assortment of muffled exclamations, before Iko yells, "Everything's fine!"

"That seems unlikely," Kai mutters with a smile.

"It will be fine once she buys the pizza next dinner night to make up for it." She pauses. "Your kite?"

Kai nods. "How does Saturday sound?"

"Sounds great."

"Oh, and I also have to 'report' the car's repair progress," Kai admits, his air quotes suggesting that he didn't choose that task.

Cinder laughs. "Not much, I'm afraid, the main work starts after the weekend once we get the right replacement parts."

Kai nods. "Thanks."

The two of them wait before both going to ask something at the same time:

"Do you-"

"How do you-"

They both stop, internally groaning at themselves and sheepishly grinning. Kai gestures for Cinder to speak so she nods.

"Do you work today?" she blurts, instead of asking what she'd originally intended.

Kai blinks, slightly shocked. "At the café from the other day?"

"Where else?" Cinder asks, but realises that he might have another job or something.

"No, I only work there every other day," Kai answers.

"Right." Cinder frowns. "So, do you like coffee?"

Kai shrugs. "It's tolerable."

"So you're not a coffee person?"

"Not particularly..."

Before Cinder can ask yet another unnecessary question, Kai blurts his.

"Have you ever tried apple strudel?"

Cinder thinks for a moment. "No?"

Kai nods. "Do you want to?" he waves his hands before continuing, "I know a place not far from here that makes the best ones. Do you want to….?"

"Now?" Cinder asks, instead of replying to his question with a yes or no; apparently, she's more than capable of doing illogical and awkward things.

"If you'd like?"

"Yeah, of course." Cinder smiles. "I should, uh, grab a jacket."

"Good plan." Kai grins at her, and she decides that maybe their communicative ineptitude was worth the look of joy on his face and the sparkle in his eyes.

Once she grabs her jacket, the two of them walk back to the entrance, passing Iko – who rather conspicuously gapes at them – before Cinder hangs her keys up and Kai hold the door open for her with a grin.

As the two of them walk, Cinder starts to wonder what on earth apple strudel is.

like/reblog but don’t repost, thanks!

#cinder #kai #kinder #iko #the lunar chronicles #tlc #fanfiction #my writing #au #selene #multi-chaptered #romance #fluff #Marissa Meyer #fanfic

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redinkofshame · 8 years ago

Note

FOR U HAVE TO FIX WAT U DID: “Stop asking me to put out the inferno that you lit inside of me.”

Alright, so, some context on this for everyone: last night, as I’m in bed, @tel-abelas-mofo here messages me to ask if I’m going to bed soon. I ignore the fact that I’m already in bed, because I’m having a hard time sleeping anyway, though I do tell her she should be in bed. She says she wants someone to be irresponsible with, though.Well, I’m glad to oblige! I share the story I was just telling myself in my head as I tried to sleep, because I have so many AUs I know I can’t possibly write them all, so who cares about spoilers, right?

Edit: This is a 1950s AU.But, normally, I’m a happy ending girl. This fic? It’s an exception. A painful, painful exception. And it takes me until 3am to freaking tell it, bc mobile, so we’re both just crying in the middle of the gd night when we could have been sleeping and happy instead.. So this prompt is a fix-it fic for the fic that hurt us. The one that doesn’t exist outside my head and only two people know about. A fix-it fic for my own damn unwritten fic.Enjoy. @dadrunkwriting

He clung to her in thedoorway, desperate, pleading. His hands framed her face, an inch in front ofhis own. Her eyes were bright, shining with tears that feel freely in a facelined with exhaustion and grief; he knew he looked just the same. Her handsgripped his wrists, holding on but holding back. He swears he can feel herwedding band digging into him. The matching band is worn by another.

“Please,” he wasbegging her. “There must be something I can say, some promise I can make, tohave you choose me over him. I will do anything for you, ma vhenan, I swear it.”

But she shakes herhead, again and again. Her voice is thick, raspy, broken. “I chose him before Iever met you, my love. You were thechoice I should never have made.”

It is unfair. He neverhad a chance; if he had known her back then…

“Please, don’t do this, if only—” he begins, but she denies himagain.

“I can’t. I’m sorry.In another world—”

“Why not this one?” heinsists.

Her only answer was tokiss him. It is their final kiss, and it is an awful thing, sloppy and shakyand breathless and wet with tears.

“I’ll never forgetyou,” she promises.

He can’t let her go,he won’t, but she pulls his hands slowlyoff of her and darts out the door. He watches, numb, as she pulls her collar upagainst the chill for the walk home, as she sobs into a handkerchief, and soonshe is around the bend, out of sight, out of his life. He imagines he can stillhear the click of her heels over the sound of the rain, the sound of his worldbeing lost, of his heart being ripped away from him.

“Allergies, again, Mr. Solas?”

Wynne’s kind voice broke him out of his memories, and henodded to the librarian working under him.

“It hardly seems to matter what time of year it is,” he liedeasily. He sniffed as he pulled out his handkerchief, and it is only half forshow. He dabbed at his running eyes by rote, and old familiar habit by now.

Everything he does is by rote, it seems. The last severalyears he has lived only out of habit. He goes through the paces, vaguelypursuing ambitions he could recall having when he was a younger man. When hehad heart. Now, he couldn’t seem to bring himself to care where his life ledhim.

“Oh, is that the latest ‘In Another World’?” Wynne asked.

A proud smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, despitehimself. “Yes,” he answered, running a thumb over her name on the cover: JANEA. LAVELLAN

She’d done it, had finally pursued publication on her own.Soon after they’d parted, it seemed. She’d been prolific ever since, publishingtwo or more novels a year, and gaining a very large readership.

He couldn’t help but notice that she published under hermaiden name.

“Did you read the acknowledgments at the end?” Wynne asked.

His brows knit together. “No, I’ve only just finished thefinal chapter.” It was what set off his remembrance. “Why?”

Not that he needed reason to read the notes that Jane leftat the end of her novels—her About the Author section was sacrosanct, holdingshared glimpses of her life, stories of her twins entering high school or her family’sstruggles with their new dog. Teasing hints of what it would be like to stillknow her.

“I haven’t read it yet, I’m still several book behind in theseries” Wynne was explaining, “but I hear it’s quite scandalous in this one.”

Distracted, Solas made some automatic response, a nod, maybea smile. He disappeared into the back room of the library, his office, to readin private.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As many of you know, Ilike to express my gratitude for those who help me turn my silly ideas intopaper and ink. From my editor at Tethras Publishers, to the research librarianswho spend hours explaining why I’m wrong, to my readers who make it allworthwhile: Thank you. Your dedication makes this happen.

But there is onereader in particular whom I’ve neglected. At least, I dearly hope he is one ofmy readers.

Because, you see,every book I finished has been for him. He is my Muse; every love story I’ve writtenhas been with the hope that someday he might read the words, and he would knowhow I wished our story had ended.

The memory of himfuels me, as though adding logs to an endless bonfire. I write, hoping eachsentence will help to douse the flames, that I might get some rest andreprieve. I am tired, yet I write, breathing the emotions his memory still fansinto me into my characters in turn.

I think that,somewhere out there, he must wish for my happiness. His memory haunts me, tellsme to accept the bed that I have made, to move on.

To his ghost, I say:Stop asking me to put out the inferno that you lit inside me. This is no bed inwhich I lay, but a pyre, and it will surely consume me.

That ours was not ahappy end was my doing. I alone made the choice to break both our hearts.

But oh, my Muse, I waswrong. I allowed my head to make a choice that belonged to my heart.

I know not whetherthis plea will ever reach you, or only ashes. Are you out there? Have youforgiven me?

Most likely I willhear nothing in response to this call. Perhaps you will reply with a kindletter, and a photograph of your happy family. Would I be strong enough to behappy for you, I wonder?

I’ve looked for youand found only cinders, and I cannot bear it a moment more, because if there iseven the smallest flicker of a chance that I would not have to wait for anotherworld to see you again… I would tell younow what I should have told you so many years before:

Youare my choice.

~~~~~

Solas was beside himself, frantic, terrified of the painfulhope the burned in his chest until he choked. It couldn’t be real, not afterall this time. Is it possible she meant another, one who came after him?

His fears tormented him as he called the switchboard operator,the publisher, and every second on hold was a torture.

Finally his call connected, and he explained inelegantly thathe was calling about the note in Lavellan’s latest novel, that he needed tocontact her. The man, Varric, asked for his name to make sure it was actuallyhim and not a hoax. Solas gave it feely, but he was scared of the man’sresponse. What if that somehow wasn’t the name they were looking for?

“You’re Solas? No shit?” Solas winced as the man laughedloudly into the receiver. “You’ve made me a wealthy man, Solas! I have a lot ofbets to call in; I knew it was a long shot, but I just couldn’t bet against ourgirl Jane.

“Now, some day you’ll have to tell me how you got anadvanced copy of that book—it’s not set to hit the shelves for a few days yet—butfirst answer me this: What are you intentions with Jane?”

“I… Excuse me?”

Varric’s voice became serious, almost threatening. “Look,the woman has been through a lot. I told her that I’d help you contact her nomatter what, but—well, that was a lie. You see, I consider the woman to be afriend of mine, and she doesn’t need any more hardship. So if you’re alreadymarried, or planning to hurt her, or looking for a woman to mooch off of—”

“No! I assure you, I…”

“You what?”

What could he say? This was unexpected, sudden, he had noway of knowing what Jane truly wanted from him.

“I chose her long ago. I would give her only what she wouldhave of me.”

Varric chuckled. “Ican work with that. Are you ready? Grab a pen. I can’t give you her address–security reasons you understand–but I can tell you what her phone number is.”He told Solas the information to reach Jane’s phone, but then added, “Though,you won’t be able to reach her this time of day.”

“Oh, alright. Do you know what time—”

“Yep, this time of day she’s busy working. She has a dayjob, after all.”

“Right, I—”

“She’s a librarian. In fact, I think you know the place, don’tyou? I believe you used to work there. Together. At the library. And, since youcan’t call…”

A breath escaped Solas, a small, broken laugh. “Yes, I thinkI understand you, Mr. Tethras. It’s a long drive… Will you tell her?”

“Now, where’s the fun in that? It’s a much better story thisway. Good luck, Chuckles.”

“I thank you, Mr. Tethras.”

~~~~~

Solas had been right—it was a long drive. Plenty long enoughto think and re-think, to worry, to wonder. This was foolish, he should havecalled. This all seemed so surreal; he’d gone mad, surely, this couldn’t betrue. Oh, but to see her again was worth the risk…

It had been early morning when he left his own library in arush, but he managed to get to hers before closing, every mile closer to hertown, to familiar sights, weighing heavy and anxious in his gut. The parkinglot was empty. He got out of his car, and only then thought to worry about howhe must look.

Hopefully not haggard, after spending the day speeding downthe highway. Older than when she’d seen him last, of course. His suit was in some disrepair; he’d let many things go unheeded in his time alone.

None of that mattered. He entered Skyhold Library. Herlibrary, once his, once where they worked together.

His eyes were drawn to her shape immediately. She wastowards the back, picking up a stack of books.

She looked up, saw him standing, but he couldn’t tell if sheknew him. He slowly removed his hat, out of habit.

She set the books back down.

“Solas?” Her voice was timid, but the library was empty,silent, and he heard her perfectly. His feet suddenly remembered their purpose,rushing forward with large steps as she said, “Oh damn that Varric, he couldhave warned me. I…”

Her voice choked up as tears formed in her eyes, herbeautiful eyes, and she took a few tentative steps towards him, but he wasalready to her. He was uncertain where to stop, but she reached for him, restingher hand along his face as if to check that he was really there.

He tried to say her name, but no noise came from him. Hecovered her hand with his, gripping her tight, and she felt real, so real.Their faces only a tense breath apart, he ran his thumb over her knuckles, andcouldn’t help but notice that she wore no ring. They stared at each other, eachquestioning silently, as his other hand skimmed her wet cheek. He wondered, onlyvaguely, when he had dropped his hat.

To the Void with words.

His hand wrapped behind her neck as he kissed her, hisheart, his lost love. She melted into him instantly, wrapping her arm aroundhim as he tried not to devour her, but he couldn’t help but be intense, ragged,as she easily bent backwards over his arm.

When, breathless, he allowed them space to breath, tried toremember that he was a gentlemen, her hands still pulled him to her. “Oh, mymuse… You saw it, then. My letter. Do you forgive me? You would allow me tochange my mind?”

“Ma vhenan… My heart made its choice long ago. It has beenyou, always you, every day that we were together, every day that we’ve beenapart.” He smiled, shakily. “I have had no choice in the matter. It is not asubject for debate.”

She laughed, and he wipes away the tears that spilled fromher eyes. “I’m yours, Solas. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it much, much sooner.”

“That would have been preferable, I admit.”

She laughed, pushing against him playfully. He made up forthe jest by kissing her again, softly this time, treasuring the feel of her.

When her eyes flickered open again, she said, “We have a lotof catching up to do.”

#this is so long #this is all i've done today #i woke up still sad #and sat to write #but writing is hard #and this long damn thing represents my entire day #uuhh what to name this #solas #solavellan #jane a lavellan #apparently #she's named after jane austen #because i needed a name #another 50s au #prompted #dwc #tel-abelas-mofo

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