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daydreamgoddess14 · 2 months ago

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The Ties that Bind - Chapter 7 - The End

Time to say goodbye to this story. I've had the most fun writing it, I've loved Seren 🥰. I really, truly hope you've liked it too - hugest thank yous to everyone who's read it 😘. Always feel free to comment or message me or drop me an ask - literally I need no excuse whatsoever to go feral over Jack Lowden!

I am terrified about how emotionally traumatic Episode 5 is going to be so I distracted myself by finishing this off.

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3 | CH 4 | CH 5 | CH 6

Masterlist

Tagging: @cillmequick & @thomasshelbyswife

Chapter 7

“Hi.” Seren said quietly, a small smile on her lips. River nodded, his mouth pinched in a tight line. He turned and went straight back into the kitchen. David gave her a push of encouragement towards the door and she followed him. His hands held the edge of the countertop with a white knuckle grip, she could see his back was tense and feared the worst. Confused, she spoke quickly. “You… you don’t want me here.” She concluded. “And I stupidly assumed you knew about this, I’m sorry.” She shook her head and held up her hands. “I’ll go and he can explain to you, we can figure out a rota or something.”

“He gets forgiven and I don't?” He asked quietly. She stopped in her tracks.

“I haven't seen or spoken to you? Let's not forget who left me in the middle of the night and no word since?”

“You didn't want me there.”

“Yeah, at first. I'm pretty sure that changed when-” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “when I let you into my bed! Or did you get what you wanted and that's that?” She hissed. His face fell.

“Seren, you know that's not it. I left because I didn't want you to think that you had to forgive me. I wanted you to want to.” Seren took a deep breath and rubbed her temples.

“Look this is… I don't know how we've gone wrong here, I'm pretty sure we're agreeing but,” she shrugged, “this has all got fucked up somewhere.”

“Why would you think I don't want you here?”

“I dunno, this is your world, this MI5 bullshit and now I'm here and involved… what if that's what messes everything up?” She asked.

“No, no, it's not.” He assured her. She could see the hurt in his eyes. She stepped towards him and covered his hand with her own, matching finger to finger.

“No more cast?”

“All healed. Well, I need to be careful but, y'know.”

“You're back to throwing fake punches, then?”

“Ahh, no. I gave up on that.” She traced his fingers with her own.

“Oh?”

“I do spin class now instead.”

“The one on the bike?” She nodded in reply as he turned his hand around so they were palm to palm, and interlocked their fingers. He pulled a face. “Sounds grim.”

“I needed the distraction.” She mused. “I know you were doing your job.”

“Yeah.”

“And that job comes with a level of secrecy.”

“Yeah.” She squeezed his hand lightly and let go.

“Ok.”

“Ok?” He looked confused.

“Ok. I get it.”

“... And?” She smiled at the hopeful look in his eyes, rolling her own in exasperation.

“Do I need to spell it out?” He shrugged, a smile pulling at his mouth. “You're forgiven.” She told him solemnly. He smiled widely until she held up a hand and it faltered. “But-”

“But?”

“But I have let the entire secret service into my life - they have looked into everything I've ever done. They found out about when I got three speeding tickets in the space of a week fifteen years ago. They know every job I've ever had - including the Anne Summers Saturday job I had when I was seventeen. They know I broke my ankle when I was twenty one, they know how much Netflix I watch. They know more about my life than I can even remember, River. That's… a lot.”

“It is a lot, Seren dear, and I'm eternally grateful to you.” David ambled through, not paying any attention to their proximity. “It's rather a big commitment to make to two men who've mostly pissed you off. What was it you told me before?” He wondered, “Ah yes, we sounded desperate.”

“You did.” She remembered with a smile. “You still do - I should fill up this fridge. Poor bugger, you've been living on microwave meals.”

“He brought that on himself.” River pointed out, purposely nudging her.

“How ever did the Cartwright men survive?” She wondered.

“We didn't. That's why you're here.” David declared.

“Hmmm, yes, and I expect you both to grovel for as long as I say so,” she called after him as he went back to the sitting room. She felt River behind her, his warm breath by her ear.

“On my knees. Every day. If that's what it takes.” He murmured, placing a large palm on her stomach and pulling her body flush with his. She trembled against him as he leaned in to bite her earlobe, unable to stifle the low moan. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth.

“Seren? Put the kettle on, would you?” David called. River gently pulled her hand from her mouth.

“Better answer him. He might come looking for you.”

“You knob,” she scowled. “It's on David, I'll come and get the pot in a minute.”

“Righto,” he said cheerfully, she vaguely heard the rustle of the newspaper over the pounding of her heart. The hand River had on her stomach had slipped under her t-shirt and drew loose patterns on her skin. The front of her thighs pressed against the table and she had visions of being bent over it, lifting her hips to meet his while her fingers gripped the varnished wood and he pounded into her. The thought had her keening against him as his hand moved up to cup her breast over her bra.

“Something you need?” He asked, his voice low in her ear. She didn't trust herself to speak, instead she arched her back and pushed herself back against his hard cock. He growled against her neck, “I could just bend you over this table?” She whimpered in agreement. “But not now.” Seren twisted in his arms and moved her legs to let him rest between them. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue slid against hers.

“River-” She whispered as he bit along her jawline.

“Not here. I want to hear you next time.” He looked at her intently, his eyes bright blue and dancing with mischief. Seren whined in frustration. “I want to see how many times I can get you to make that sound,” he kissed her again. “I want to hear you every time you say my name, and,” he kissed the tip of her nose, “I want to not wake up to an empty bed this time.”

“You and me both,” she breathed.

“Are we OK?”

“I mean, aside from this still probably completely inappropriate -”

“At least I'm not the one paying you anymore.”

“Fair point, yes, we're OK.” He leaned in to kiss her again, “but-” Seren held up a finger to his lips which he promptly drew into his mouth, making her whimper. “We really should figure out what this is, because I don't want to make my working here awkward or confusing for David.” He released her finger and nodded.

“You're the boss.” He said with a smirk.

“Not you anymore, is it?” She teased, “no more calling you ‘sir’.”

“Makes sense, I'm the one supposed to be grovelling.”

“On your knees wasn't it?” She asked curiously, looping her arms around his neck.

“You got it.”

“My place later?”

“Fuck yes.”

“Seren?” David called from the living room. Her head dropped to River's shoulder.

“Later.” He promised.

“On my way,” she called back to David, pushing River back so she could stand up away from the table. She went to collect the teapot and check what he needed while River put the kettle on.

Seren left the Cartwright’s late afternoon, saying goodbye to both of them. Only a couple of hours later, River knocked on her door. She let him in and had barely closed the door behind her before River had her backed up against it.

“All day,” he muttered against her collarbone, “been thinking about this all fucking day.”

“Oh god, River-” She panted as he grasped the soft flesh of her thighs. “Wait, wait, wait, I’ve just come from the gym, I’m disgusting.” She pointed out. He leaned back to look at her, hair piled into a bun on the top of her head wearing a crop top and lycra leggings.

“Don’t care,” he muttered, licking a path down her neck.

“Fuck me,” she gasped as he bit her bare shoulder.

“Yep, that’s what I -” he broke off, listening, “what’s that noise?”

“The shower. I told you, I’ve just got back from the gym.” He took her hand and led her to the bathroom where steam billowed out from the still running shower. He reached out to unzip the front of her crop top and threw it in the vague direction of her washing basket, he pulled off his own t-shirt and added it to the pile. “What are you up to?” She wondered aloud, taking off the rest of her gym kit and stepping into the hot shower. He stepped in behind her and poured vanilla scented body wash into his hands until it frothed. He stood closely behind her so she could lean against him, and rubbed the soapy water from her hands, up to her shoulders and across the other side. He held her against him as he gently washed her stomach, over her breasts and the rest of her body. She sighed contentedly.

“This ok?” He asked, his hands running over and between her thighs. She nodded and reached up to pull the hair tie from her bun. River guided them further under the water stream, his height over her giving him a direct line of sight down her body. Seren took the shampoo from the shelf and he took it from her, gently washing her hair. He took his time, she relaxed against him, his eyes were drawn to the path the droplets of water took over her skin, like memories of where his mouth had been.

“Why’re you doing this?” She questioned as his fingers kneaded through her hair. She moaned at the slight pull, he kissed her neck, acknowledging that he’d heard her response.

“You look after everyone.” He explained simply. He replaced the shampoo and picked up the conditioner, repeating the same process until Seren was dizzy with her need for him.

They lay nose to nose in Seren’s bed, close to sleep.

“We should be careful, David put himself out there by demanding Taverner employed me. I don’t want to break his trust.”

“I know. This doesn’t have to be complicated, maybe we should just enjoy the distraction. Keep it simple.” He rolled onto his back and pulled her with him. He felt her nod in agreement.

“Yeah. Keep it simple.”

“I want you to be able to walk away from this one day. You don’t want MI5 in your life forever.” He reasoned, half asleep. Seren stayed quiet. His breathing evened out and the hand that brushed up and down her bare back fell still.

“What if I do?” She whispered to the darkness.

Seren was on her way to David's when the phone rang through the car.

“Ms Harrison?” Her stomach dropped to her feet, it didn't sound like Taverner fortunately, so her mind immediately went to the next worst case scenario - Mags in the care home.

“Yes, that's me?”

“I'm calling from Medway hospital, we have David Cartwright here - you're listed as one of his emergency contacts?”

“David? Oh, god. Yes, yes I'm his home help, I'm on my way there now, what's happened?” She came to a set of lights and did a u-turn.

“You're not live in?”

“No, we didn't think he needed that just yet.”

“It's not too serious, he's had a fall and managed to get to his panic button. The ambulance brought him in about half an hour ago.”

“Ok, have you called his other emergency contact?”

“Not yet -”

“I will. I'll do it. I'll be there in five minutes.” Seren hung up and flicked her eyes to her dash display to select River's name.

“I was just thinking about you,” he answered before she could get a word in.

“He's had a fall. I'm on my way to the hospital,” she interrupted quickly.

“Shit, ok, I'm on my way.”

“They said it wasn't serious but-” her voice cracked.

“It’s going to be fine, I'll be there as soon as I can.”

“I'll call you when I know more.” He hung up first, she could hear muttered swearing as the handset moved from his ear so he could end the call. After hastily abandoning her car in the first space she saw, she raced to the reception desk. “David Cartwright, please? Came in an ambulance, I was just speaking with someone?” The computer keyboard clicked as the receptionist tapped her manicured fingers on the keys.

“Ahh yes, he's on the Acute Medical unit, Lister Ward, follow signs for Red 3. You're going behind me, turn left and up the stairs.”

“Thanks!” Seren ran toward the stairs to the next reception desk where she repeated who she was. A nurse led her down the brightly lit corridor to a small ward of 4 beds. In the far corner by the window was David. She rushed for the bed, managing to stop and slow down as she reached the end of the bed. “David,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She went to his bedside and took his hand carefully, taking note of the cannula in the back. She followed the tubes up to an IV bag. His hand felt small and weightless in hers, the skin paper thin and cool to touch.

“You've cold hands, dear girl.” He said hoarsely. She closed her eyes in relief at the sound of his voice.

“Cold hands, warm heart.” She told him, reaching her other hand out to brush his hair from his eyes. “What have you been up to? Silly man.”

“Thought I'd get the kettle on for us, came a cropper on the stairs.” She tsked him lightly with click of her tongue.

“Shit, I need to tell River you're OK, he's bombing down the motorway,” she picked up her phone and found his number. “He's OK, awake and talking to me. I just need to find a nurse for an update. Lister ward, Red zone 3.” She told him quietly. River arrived as the nurse did. They all listened patiently as she explained that aside from some bruises from the fall, he was perfectly fine but they did want to keep him in for a few days as a precaution. Once the nurse had left, River was able to reach to embrace David. He could only watch Seren but he could see she was itching to be closer to him.

“You allowed a coffee old man?”

“I bloody better be, I shall discharge myself if not.” He declared.

“Seren?”

“Yeah, I'll pop to the bathroom and help you bring them back. Won't be long, no causing trouble,” she warned David. In the safety of the corridor, away from the doorway to the ward, River pulled Seren into his arms.

“You ok?”

“Silly bugger scared the shit out of me, I think I got flashed I got here so fast.” She grumbled, taking a deep inhale of the soap from her bathroom mixed with his own scent. He kissed the top of her head and then lifted her chin to kiss her properly, more intimately than she'd expected in public. The nurse who'd spoken to them blushed as she manned the reception desk.

“C'mon, let's get his coffee, I only got you out here so I could kiss you.” He reluctantly let her go and went to push coins into the machine.

“You don't have to stick around here all day, you know?” David told her, “someone else is babysitting, go and enjoy yourself.” Seren looked torn.

“I mean it. And you, shouldn't you be back in London? I certainly don't need both of you here.” He turned his attention to River.

“I could go and visit Maggie,” Seren wondered aloud.

“Go,” David smiled. “Do go, dear girl. I'm fine, really.” River watched the guilt gnawing at her, that she hadn't been there early enough in the morning to have prevented the fall. Despite what the nurse had said, the worry was still etched in her face.

“You should go, I'll stay here.”

“No you won't, I already told you, back to work.” River grimaced. “Go on, off you go.”

“Ok, if you insist?” Seren stood up and helped him get more comfortable in the bed, smoothing out the blanket, pouring more water for him and getting the newspaper from her bag along with a pen. “I'll be back later this evening, call me if you want me to bring anything else?” River watched, awed by their bond, the shorthand in their conversation and Seren's clear love for his grandfather. She kissed his forehead and gave him a winning smile, disguising the worry. “Be good for the nurses.”

“I'll walk out with you, if you're sure grandad?”

“I am indeed, leave me in peace with my crossword.” River gave his hand a squeeze and gestured for Seren to go ahead of him. She turned at the door to wave at David.

“So… going to work?” She asked once they were in the corridor.

“No way, I'm going wherever you're going.”

“Oh you are, are you? To visit Maggie then?”

“Lead the way. We can drop your car off at the house and I'll drive?”

“Something wrong with my car?”

“Apart from the music choices?” She arched an eyebrow,

“Tread carefully, Cartwright.”

“3 speeding tickets in one week, you got flashed this morning, it sounds like the wheels are about to drop off… anything else? Is your engine light on this week?” She scowled.

“Not this week, no. I did do a probably illegal u-turn this morning though.”

“Probably illegal?” He teased, slinging an arm around her as they left the hospital.

“Seren, darling!” Mags called across the sunroom of the care home the second she came into view. Seren let the older woman pull her into a bear hug deceptively strong for someone in their eighties.

“Hello Mags. God, I've missed you.” Seren squeezed tighter until Maggie clocked River standing further back.

“Oh! You've brought your handsome man with you!”

“My friend, Mags. River is my friend.”

“Well friendship suits you dearie, you certainly never looked this happy when you were my friend.” Maggie said slyly.

“What's all this ‘was’ your friend, I am your friend you daft old bat.”

“Cheeky, I can have you kicked out. Leave the man behind though.”

“No chance. How've you been?”

“Sit, sit, both of you. Are the girls getting some tea? I'm not too bad,” she flapped. “Service could be better,” she grumbled, looking around for a member of staff.

“I'm fine, really good. You look well?” River sat down next to Seren but held back as the women talked, only being drawn when Maggie insisted. Seren's relationship with Maggie was similar to the one she had with David, she loved them and cared for them as if they were her own grandparents. He found himself lost in a near future where David wasn't around any longer. Found himself wondering and then what? It hadn't occurred to him that one day, his only relationship with someone outside of work would no longer be there. He would essentially be alone. He missed what Seren said as she stood up and brushed his shoulder as she left the room, but Maggie soon dragged him back into the conversation.

“You're very quiet darling. I'm sure he'll be just fine.” River frowned. “Your grandfather? Seren said you've both come from the hospital this morning?”

“Sorry, yes. Yeah I'm sure he'll be OK.”

“But you're not?” She mused. “Out with it, before she gets back?”

“He's all I've got. It just occurred to me that he's all I've got apart from a few colleagues I'm not sure I'd call friends.” His brow furrowed again.

“You've got her,” she nodded over at Seren who was laughing with one of the staff members. Her smile was radiant. He shook his head.

“We decided to keep it simple, nothing serious.” Maggie's chuckle turned into a cough.

“If you say so, love.” Seren came back over and Maggie fell silent.

“Apparently they're about to take you through for afternoon tea, so we'll head out.”

“Wonderful to see you. Bring cake next time, theirs is shite.”

“Love you, Mags. Be good.” Seren gave her a hug and once she was released, Maggie ordered River over.

“Don't be a fool, young man,” she muttered quietly. “Lovely to see you both, off you pop now.” As they left the room with Maggie watching, Seren slipped her hand into his and squeezed.

“Everything alright?” She asked, her voice laced with concern. He nodded.

“Yeah, yeah fine.” She didn't look entirely convinced, but let it go. “I, uhh, I'm going to head back to London if you don't mind?” Seren shook her head slowly.

“Sure, ok. I'll get my car and go back to the hospital for an hour.” They drove back to David's in near silence with Seren trying to understand what had happened over the previous couple of hours to have caused River to retreat into himself so much. “I'll call you later?” She asked, confused and a little hurt.

“Yeah, let me know if he needs anything. Otherwise I'll be back in a couple of days when he's ready to be discharged.” Seren nodded, her smile tight. She got straight into her car and decided to head straight to the hospital, not wanting to be alone.

River made it one junction up the motorway back to London before turning around and going to Seren's house. She arrived home to find him sitting on the doorstep. She stopped suddenly, almost falling over him.

“Oh shit!” She yelped, “you scared me half to death. What are you doing here, I thought you were going home?” He got to his feet and moved aside so she could unlock the door. She pushed it open and let him through first. “River? I thought you were going home?”

“I did. I am.” He said softly. Seren frowned a little, unsure of his meaning.

“Ok,” she said gently, “ok. Let's get some food, you must be freezing.” He followed her to the kitchen where he sat at the table while she pottered around cooking. “David's doing fine, I think they'll probably let him out tomorrow. There's no reason to keep him in and they need the bed space.” She chatted to him, filling the silence. “I know you must be worried, but he's honestly alright. I'm sure the nurses are sick of him already. He was struggling to remember who I was, but I think it's the unfamiliar surroundings. I spent two hours with him telling me about his wonderful grandson, and then as I was getting ready to leave, he recognised me.” He moved to stand behind her, his chin on her shoulder and arms looped around her waist. She turned a little to offer him a spoonful of the rich tomato sauce she'd made. He nodded his approval and kissed her lightly, feeling her relax in his arms. His silence had made her tense, he realised. “You know you can talk to me about anything?” She hesitated, not wanting to overstep.

“Yeah.” She didn't push any further but handed him a plate of pasta. “I always thought he was invincible.” He admitted sadly. She held her breath, waiting for him to go on. “Having you here, he was doing so much better. I thought he'd be here forever.”

“He's still here,” she reminded him, taking his hand.

“And when he's not? Then what?” She shook her head.

“I don't know,” she confessed. She pushed the food around her plate, her appetite gone. “He talks about you constantly,” she started. “All the bloody time, even when he's lost in the past. He loves you so much, River.”

“I can count on one hand the number of times he’s said it.” He mumbled, trying to recall the last time he heard it from anyone. His grandmother, Rose, before she'd died most likely. When he looked up from the table to see Seren watching him, he expected to see pity in her eyes, but there was none.

“Earlier,” she took a deep breath, “when I said I thought you were going home? You said you are.” She paused, halfway between wanting and not wanting an answer to the question hanging in the air. “What did you mean?”

“I love you.” He said softly, realising that he hadn't said the words since his grandmother had died, let alone heard them. “I've spent all day wondering what will happen when he's gone, when I'm alone, where home is. But I shouldn't have, because I'm not alone.” She shook her head, the movement spilling tears down her cheeks.

“No, you're not.” She moved from her seat at the table and onto his lap, holding his face in her hands. “You're not alone, I love you.” She kissed him, her hands leaving his face to run through his hair. “God, you're such a fucking moron.” He laughed into her neck.

“When I saw how much you care for him, and for Maggie… She told me. She said I'd got you too. I know I said we should just be able to walk away, no hard feelings, but I don't want that.”

“You've always had me, I'm not going anywhere.” She sighed, heavy with relief and finally relaxing into him. “We do need to work out what to tell him though?” He kissed her shoulder.

“Mmm. Give me tonight, that's tomorrow's problem.”

“Watch your step,” Seren warned, holding David's elbow as he lifted himself out of River’s car. River came round from the driver’s side to take his other arm but was swiftly batted away. Seren bit her lip to disguise the smile.

“Watch my bloody step,” he grumbled. “You watch out, I can still tell Taverner I’ve had enough of you too.”

“Ahh but then she’ll send back Pete who can’t play chess.” River told him.

“Is he the one who drank IPA? Disgusting stuff. I couldn’t even get him to fetch me a decent bottle of scotch. Over my dead body will he be back.” David complained.

“I’m sure he wasn’t that bad.” Seren reasoned as River went ahead of them to unlock the door.

“He was.” They stepped over the threshold together, “and he couldn’t make coffee and walnut cake.” David beamed at the sight of the cake in the centre of the table.

“God, what a crime. Looks like you did the right thing getting me back.” Seren guided him to the sitting room. “Are you feeling ok?”

“I’m not breakable, dear. I’m fine. They let me out didn’t they?”

“Yeah cos they were sick of you.” River muttered under his breath so only Seren could hear, disguising her laugh with a cough.

“I heard that young man. Seren, would you cut that cake please?”

“No problem, tea?”

“Excellent.” He settled back in his armchair, making himself comfortable. In the kitchen, Seren set a tray with cake plates and mugs. She drifted towards River as he came in.

“S’good to have him back here.” She smiled. He took her hand and pulled her away from the tray and into his arms.

“Yeah it is. Means I shouldn’t be kissing you in the kitchen anymore though,” he grumbled. She leaned up on tiptoes and grazed her lips against his.

“As if that stopped you before.” She challenged.

“Put her down River, goodness me I may as well look after myself if you’re going to distract her constantly.” David chided from the doorway. Seren sprung from River’s arms, blushing furiously.

“Shit, David, I’m so sorry. I-”

“No need to be sorry, dear. Did you really think I didn’t know? I may be losing my mind but I’m certain my eyesight is perfectly fine. I did tell you, he was bound to have his head turned by a pretty girl. I’m just glad it’s you.” Seren’s mouth formed a perfect O shape. “Just getting a pen for the crossword, I’ll leave you both to it.” He wandered back to the sitting room. “Wouldn’t say no to that cake, though?” He shouted.

FIN

#slow horses #river cartwright #jack lowden #river cartwright/reader #river cartwright fanfic #river cartwright smut #rivercartwright/ofc #river cartwright x oc #slowhorsesfanfiction #slow horses fanfiction #slow horses smut

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sl-newsie · 11 months ago

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Hat Thief (Jack Kelly x Medda's Daughter)

Hi!! Idk if you’re taking requests (if you aren’t ignore this, but if you are) could you please write a 92sies Jack Kelly x reader? Perhaps the reader is a year younger than him, she’s quite playful and steals his hat, practically forcing him to chase her. Very very fluffy and sweet! Tyy!!!♥️ Gotcha!

Friendship is a wonderful thing. When two people’s relationship grows so deep, sometimes it feels as if they’re one and the same person. I met Jack Kelly 5 years ago, when mother and I first traveled to New York. My mother, Medda Larkson, became very busy with her theater and didn’t always have time to entertain me. Jack cured that. The minute he first snuck in backstage we’ve been thick as thieves ever since. He’s got his dream of leaving for Santa Fe, and I have my own dream of becoming an actress like my mother. But for now we’ve let our childhoods prosper with a strong friendship connected by fun memories.

“Hey there, Annie!”

Speak of the devil.

“Heya, Jackie.” I turn away from the costume I’m sewing and face the cowboy himself. He’s been growing more lately, especially since he can afford food better since the strike. “How’s the headline today?”

He leans back against the wall and twirls his cowboy hat in his hand. “Was ok, I guess. It was about the new horse at the track. Race luved it! How’s your day been?”

I shrug and gesture to my project. “Been woiking on this for the past two hours. Mom said I can take a break in ten minutes if you wanna do someth’n.”

Jack gets a devilish glint in his eye. After setting his hat down on the vanity, he slinks over to grab my hand and starts pulling me towards the back door.

“Whaddaya say we skip the wait and you can go on a break now? I hear there’s a few boids at the pond. People’re saying they’s flying south for winter, call’n ‘em swans.”

“Jack, I don’t wanna get anodda tell’n off from- Wait. Swans?” My jaw drops. “I’ve only read about them in books!”

“I thought that’d spark your interest!” Jack grins. “So let’s go!”

He drags me behind him while I try to pull the other way. “No, I can’t! I promised I’d have this dress done by supper.”

“Aw, c’mon.” Jack pouts and sticks his lip out. “Don’t leave me alone.”

I scoff and boop his nose with my finger. “You’ll survive for ten minutes.”

I sit back down and return to sewing the dress, while Jack keeps pacing the room.

“I could ask Medda to let you go early,” he suggests.

I stifle a laugh. “Won’t work. Mom’ll have you scrub’n the stage for say’n that. Just because you’re a year older does not mean you are smarter, Mister Kelly!”

The cowboy makes a mock look of surprise and dramatically clutches his heart. “I thought we were on a foist-name basis! I’m scarred!”

Then an idea flickers on in my head. Carefully, I inch closer to the vanity. “Well, we might not be able to go somewhere else to have fun-” I grip Jack’s hat behind me and hold it up to dangle it in the air. “But who says we can’t have fun here?”

Jack’s eyes widen when he sees the hat. “Now now, Annie. Give it back.”

I think for a second. “Nah. I think I’ll keep it!” And with that, I dash out the door and into the backstage corridor.

“Annabelle Larkson, give that back right now!” I hear Jack shout behind me.

“Come and get it, Jackie boy!”

I snake through the curtains and begin climbing the stairs to the catwalk. I’ve explored every inch-a this place since I was a kid, so I know every hidey-hole there is. There’s a tucked away cupboard near the back that’s poifect for right now. Once I’ve crammed myself in, I wait to see if Jack will continue with the chase. He’s not one to disappoint, because he comes panting up the stairs in a few seconds.

“Alright, Annabelle. You got me! Come on out now.”

Why is this so fun? I struggle to silence my heavy breathing when I see him getting closer through the crack in the door. My heart’s beating faster and faster! But is it because of the thrill of the chase or something else? Jack walks past, and I swear he can hear my racing heart through the thin wooden door separating us. He passes, and seems to have missed me entirely-

“Gotcha!”

The cupboard door swings open and two strong arms grip my dress to pull me out. My reaction is a goilash squeal that rings throughout the empty theater as I struggle to break free.

“Oh no, you ain’t get’n away that easily!” Jack grumbles as he backs me into a wall and starts tickling me.

“No- No! Not fair! No tickling!” I titter.

After a while I stop fighting and Jack ends his tickle revenge, trying to keep a serious face but it keeps slipping into a smile.

“You give in?”

I roll my eyes and turn to face him while he’s still gripping my arms. “You know I ain’t do’n that, Jack.”

His brow furrows and he nods, seeming to think something over. “Alright, let’s make a deal.”

“I’m listening.”

He releases my arms and points to his hat I’m holding. “You give back my hat, but can keep my heart.”

His what? I frown. “Your heart? What’re you-? Oh!”

Jack leans in and presses a soft kiss to my forehead, causing me to strain against the wall in surprise. My hands press against the brick, unsure what to do. I’m speechless.

"You stole my heart too, Annie." When he pulls away and sees my shocked face, Jack starts panicking. “Did I mess up? Are you mad?”

I slowly come to my senses and shake my head. “No, no! You- you read me just fine, Jack. I’s just surprised it took you this long.”

He mirrors my surprise and playfully swats my shoulder. “You luv me too? You mean all this time I could’ve been kiss’n you? I thought you just thought of us as friends!”

I smirk. “So what’s stopping you now?”

He grins and leans in closer. “Not a thing, Annie.”

Friendship is a wonderful thing. When two people’s relationship grows so deep, sometimes it feels as if they’re one and the same person. And that’s exactly how it feels when Jack closes the gap to mesh our lips togedda. A million emotions race through me, and all in all I could never think of any odda guy I’d want to kiss me. It feels right.

“Just curious,” Jack mumbles through the kiss. “Your mom ain’t gonna kill me for this, right?”

“Hm. No. Then she’d have to hear me complain the rest-a my life. By the way, this is yours.” I flop the cowboy hat on Jack’s head.

He chuckles. “I dunno. I think it looks bedda on you.” Jack brushes his nose against mine and wraps an arm around my waist.

“Aw, I’m flattered. But what kinda cowboy would you be without your hat, hm?”

@amoreenaflower

Hope this is the fluff you were looking for! ;)

#newsies #newsies 1992 #newsies musical #newsies broadway #jack kelly #jack kelly newsies #newsies fanfiction #newsies x reader #racetrack newsies #racetrack higgins #medda larkson #92sies #christian bale

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star-dust-stuf · 1 year ago

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Jack Torrance x period!reader

title: how can I face you

warnings: mentions of blood, pain, a little angst

a/n: ok, I watched the shining for the first time and I have a new obsession with a psychopath. I can barely find fluff for this character so I made this cause I’m me, what did you expect? sorry for typos.

When we drove to the hotel it was going to take almost two hours to get there and we were only one hour in and I knew it would happen! I was so stupid. All month I was trying to get my period early so I didn’t have to deal with it, I tried about everything like eating things to induce my period but it just kicked in now! Now?!

I twitched in my seat, putting my legs up, crossing them, anything to help the pain, I could care less if I got blood everywhere. Jack didn’t really find it bothering considering he thought I had restless legs. But hiding the pain was just as hard than to hold still, or making any real hints I was in pain. I leaned forward at times, I tried eating something to distract me but all it did was make me nauseous.

“Jack?” I asked, my voice a little shaky.

“Can I roll down the window?” I only asked because I didn’t want the cold to bother him.

He looked over at me then back to the road. “Yes, you ok?”

“Nauseous that all.” I let the wind clear my sinuses.

“Car sick? Have you drank any water?” He asked, his hand reaching for a water bottle behind his seat but his eyes still on the road.

I shook my head, “it’s not that.”

He grabbed the water bottle and gave it to me, “then what’s the matter?” He sounded concerned.

When i tried to tell him he put his hand on my knee, it made me frozen in my seat. I gave up, i cant hold out for another hour! “I think I got my period.” I whispered the last part for I was absolutely embarrassed and angry at myself.

“Ohhh.” I heard him say, his voice softer. “Did you get it this morning?”

My eyes widened, “no, I sort of started it- in the car.”

He looked at me, “you started it now? Why didn’t you say!” He wasn’t shouting at me, he wasn’t angry but I felt so much tension.

“I’m sorry- I.”

“Don’t be sorry babe, things happen sometimes.” He had his eyes on the road.

It was a moment of silence, till he spoke again. “Think you can hold out for a half an hour? We don’t have stops but I’m sure-.” He cut off, reaching his hand back behind his seat again.

He grabbed my purse, “did you pack anything?” He meant if I packed sanitary items.

“Yeah-.”

He multitasked, one hand on the wheel and the other slipping his coat off, then switching. He gave me his coat, “put it over your legs and do what you need to do.”

His eyes back on the road I was stuttering for a minute but did it, not waisting time. I did what i needed to do, it was less embarrassing since he gave me his coat to cover up and he knew that, he knew I was a little embarrassed by it and he understood but he never made me feel like I should be.

It took a minute considering I couldn’t stand up but when I was done I handed his coat back in which he placed in his own lap. “Better, at least a little?”

I nodded, “thank you, Jack.”

He smiled sweetly. “When we get to the hotel I’ll tell them to get us to our room so you can change.”

It was just me holding out my pain now, but I didn’t have to hide it. He helped me though, he never asked me to hold still he just let me do what I needed to do, if I need my chair leaned back, I needed to roll down my window, anything.

“Almost there,” he told me. He was going a little faster on the road, he was ridden to see me in pain. I was patient, never asked him to hurry, he was trying his best.

#jack torrance x reader #x fem!reader #x period reader #Jack Torrance x period reader #fanfiction #short reads #fluff #cute #x reader #the shining #the shining x reader

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bondagebimbo · 1 month ago

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Stop vague panhandling for money, pleading the starvation card and how you're practically wasting away. You seem to have the time and energy to go on Twitch and also to go out and get fucked HARD, never mind being horny on main and posting pussy pictures on your sideblog. The flea sob story wasn't a great success so now you're trying the sympathy card. For a sex worker you're not really a very successful one in terms of earning a profitable living when you're forced to ebeg every other week because you're broke as shit. You're a stunning girl with a great body and unique style so it's probably because the sex industry is over saturated. You should look for something that earns better instead of coming on here begging like a homeless person

bruh I got all the stuff to treat my flea infestation so like, do I need to take pictures of all the fucking products I bought to prove that wasn’t a scam since you’re so hell-bent on this libel bullshit and trying to defame me when you don’t know shit

because if I have to, I will 💀 it’ll just make you look even more fucking stupid in the process

and I wasn’t even begging for anything ??? I was just saying don’t expect much out of me because I’ve had to deal with a lot of shit and, on top of all that, I not only have a FUCKING EATING DISORDER, but I am also on several meds that suppress my fucking appetite even more so I don’t eat for days or over a week at a fucking time until it blindsides me that I haven’t had anything in my body both food/drink wise until I can’t fucking move without nearly collapsing ???

but ok go off and act like you know me as if I didn’t just pay my rent early for the next month, finished buying all the flea products I needed, bought more general cat supplies so I don’t run out anytime soon, bought much needed necessities for MYSELF that I’ve needed since I’ve been constantly neglecting myself, paid all my bills, and also bought — y’know, what? no. I’m not doing this. I don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone else unless they’re helping me and want proof of what the money is being spent on.

everyone on here knows I’m on a SW hiatus because of the status of my life at the moment and how I’m in a transitional period and you just want to be a cunt for no reason. but clearly YOU haven’t been on my prior blogs to know exactly just what kind of fucking shit I’ve had to deal with for over the last year and then ESPECIALLY over this summer which is why I just occasionally post PPV shit for the time being. but yeah, keep acting like you know me when you just proved you know jack fucking SHIT.

I’m done defending myself to some fuckhead ass cunt anon that only hops into my inbox when they think that have a chance at tearing me down and yet, despite many attempts, has failed. every. single. time.

you’ve both bored me and made me feel sorry for your pitiful, hateful, jaded ass. that’s impressive. being bored and indifferent towards someone’s mere existence while also pitying them because of how outwardly hateful they are. that’s a new one. I can understand why you have to hide behind the pathetic anonymity option on here, because if everyone knew who you actually were, you’d be run off this platform in the blink of an eye.

so, disrespectfully and in the most nasty and vindictive way I can say this, I hope you rot alone for the rest of your miserable fucking life because with your behavior and how you treat people on here behind anon, I can’t imagine ANYONE wanting to saddle themselves with your bitch ass for the rest of their life if they’re seeking ANY form of happiness whatsoever.

anyways, I’ll see y’all on twitch in a bit (just a chat and get stoned stream, I don’t feel like gaming tonight) just to piss this cunt off even more because I was able to order food since a couple kind souls surprise cashapped me a bit so I can get something for tonight and be able to get things for at least the next couple days to last til I get my next OF payouts lol. (thank y’all to those of you again, btw, you know who you are and I really appreciate you 🥺🥺🥺)

so, you, my dear fuckwit anon, can suck my fucking dick since you’re a little annoying ass pussy fucking bitch that won’t come out from behind those shades to say any of this shit with your chest. how embarrassing.

#ask

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landwriter · 2 years ago

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WIP Game 📝

Tagged by @im-not-corrupted and @that-banhus. Thank you pals!

rules: list your WIPs and describe them

Because I do not hate myself and also am on mobile I will only list the WIPs I am actively working on! Have only been able to write for the first time this month like, this past weekend, but here’s the three I went to immediately:

Lighthouses - the seventies san francisco humans AU! 20K from a Spotify wrapped prompt and still not done! the timeless tale of an oblivious homosexual moving to The Big City and falling in love with his new (off limits) best friend that he’s in a writing course with. ft. near misses, attempted feelings confessions via Literary Reference, falling in love over landline, the chest hair agenda, furtive jacking off, cigarettes, and a surprise virginity kink. Guest starring all the historical queer ephemera I can squeeze into it! which is. a lot

Oaths - my ongoing longfic (ok it’s longfic for ME, just bog-standard novella length for fandom at large) about bandit Hob and cursed elphin twink Dream, aka Gloam’s Excuse To Go On About Landscape, set in 1539 in Selkirkshire. Now with trochaic tetrameter! THANKS, Banhus (but really.) A historic AU based on the ballad Tam Lin with a historically & regionally accurate amount of belief in the existence of fairies and the supernatural. May seem like a love story or adventure. Is actually just 50k+ on the concept of going home. Currently working on trying to make people cry buckets at the last chapter

Shaper of Forms - haven’t talked about this one yet anywhere (incredibly) but @softest-punk caused it back in January and if I ever finish this and publish it you can forward your complaints directly to them. Part paean to queer sex and part uncomfortably personal dissertation on the enormous joy and persistent devastation of being human and existing in an imperfect body. Bones and blood and grieving and envying flowers and all that. Horribly earnest.

I hope this whets y’all’s appetite because knowing something I’m working on is at all anticipated is such an enormous motivation!!!

tagging @moorishflower @delta-pavonis @teejaystumbles @hardly-an-escape and anyone who wants to share!!

#wip tag game #the sandman #dreamling #dream of the endless #hob gadling #fun fact all of these wips contain poetry #i’ve got a problem lol

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mikaela-granger · 11 days ago

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The Long Wait (Season 4) Chapter 17

You Don’t Know Jack

Fandom: Grimm

Pairing: Sean Renard/OFC

The Long Wait Masterlist

A/N: Half the group works on the suppressant for Juliette, while the other half work on catching a serial killer copying Jack the Ripper.

It was getting late, and Lorelei knew she should be heading home but she was a bit cautious about leaving Rosalee alone with Adalind. Pregnant or not, Adalind was still a hexenbiest with a bone to pick with the people responsible for kidnapping her daughter. Thankfully, Olivia had seemed content to sit in her stroller and watch them work. The older she got, the less she liked being stuck in one place for long. However, the spice shop wasn’t a good place to let her roam around free. There wasn’t much conversation going on, they were working in relative silence. Olivia having drifted off to sleep on her own, for which Lorelei was grateful. The past week or so, it had been difficult to get the almost nine-month-old to have any sort of sleep.

“You don’t trust me.” Adalind said, Lorelei looked up to see her looking at Rosalee who was working opposite her.

“Why should I?” Rosalee retorted.

“Because I’m just trying to protect myself and my baby from being killed by Juliette.” Adalind replied. “You’ve seen what she is now.”

“I have.”

Adalind looked between Rosalee and Lorelei. “You think I planned all of this?”

“I don’t.” Rosalee told her before changing the subject. “Now, how is the suppressant supposed to work?”

“I don’t know how it works; I just know that it should.”

Lorelei looked at her, so there was no guarantee that this potion would work. Rosalee seemed to be thinking the same thing. “I wish it was a little more sure, than should.” She said angrily.

“It’s not like I do this kind of stuff every day.” Adalind fired back. “You know I was a perfectly happy lawyer, just minding my own business before Nick’s aunt came to town.”

“I really doubt his aunt is responsible for everything you’ve done.” Rosalee scoffed.

“That’s not what I’m saying.” Adalind said before sighing and looking down. “What’s the point? You all hate me anyway.” Lorelei didn’t say anything. It’s not that she hated Adalind, even after what she did to her brother. She just, thought she was a horrible person. Who she was going to have play nice with if she wanted to relationship with her nephew. “You know, I did side with the Resistance and came here with Nick’s mom and Diana. And I trusted you, Rosalee. Remember, when I was staying at your house. I thought that you were trying to help me.” Out of the corner of her eye, Lorelei saw guilt on Rosalee’s face.

“I don’t feel good about what we did.” Rosalee admitted. “But it was necessary to protect your child.”

“I guess where all the villains in somebody’s story.” Lorelei commented as she finished grinding up what she had to.

Adalind looked at her, a small smile on her face. “I find it hard to believe that you are the villain in anybody’s story Lorelei. You are the best person I know, and coming from me, that is saying a lot.”

Rosalee smiled as well. “I agree with you on that. Now, what’s left?” Rosalee asked, adding the ingredient she was grinding in the mixing bowl.

“Just my mother.”

“Ok.” Rosalee said, as Lorelei walked over to place the ingredient she was grinding into the bowl. “When do we get her?”

“We dig her up tomorrow.”

Before Rosalee or Lorelei could say anything, the front door opened. The guys entered looking sombre, carrying a bunch of books and what looked like weapons. “What’s all that?” Rosalee asked, as the three women joined them in the front room.

“Stuff from the trailer.” Monroe said.

“The stuff that wasn’t destroyed.” Hank added.

“Yeah, we’re lucky there’s anything left.” Wu told them.

“What? What happened?” Lorelei asked.

Nick looked at her. “Juliette.”

“She torched it.” Wu added.

No. Not the trailer. That was centuries of history and knowledge, passed down through their family. Lorelei had been looking forward to the day she would show the items in the trailer to her daughters. And now, it was gone.

“Oh my god.” Rosalee said, looking shocked.

“We’re moving everything that survived into the basement.” Monroe advised them, bringing another load in.

Adalind’s eyes were wide. “She did that to the trailer, what’s she gonna do to me?”

Hank looked at her. “You mean, besides kill you?”

Adalind sighed as Rosalee looked around at the group. “Does anybody know where Juliette is?”

Nick walked back into the shop. “No.” He said, putting the books he was carrying down before looking at Adalind. “And we need to get you someplace safe. You can’t stay here tonight.” He addressed the rest of the group. “And I can’t take her to my house, that’s the first place Juliette will look.”

“She’d probably check mine and Sean’s next. Plus, I am not sure Sean would want Adalind at our place.” Lorelei said, giving Adalind an apologetic look.

“Well, my place would be the second.” Hank said.

“There’s no way she’s staying at our place.” Monroe added, glancing at Rosalee. He shrugged. “Sorry, I mean, same problem.”

They looked at Wu. “Ah, after eating one of Adalind’s cookies and devouring half my carpet, I’m not all that keen but whatever you guys need.” Wu said.

Rosalee glanced around at them. “Where’s the last place Juliette would look?”

A thought came to Lorelei’s mind. “Bud and Phoebe’s. Phoebe and the kids are away for the next week or so.” Lorelei suggested.

Nick nodded. “That might be our best bet.” He admitted.

Adalind looked a little sceptical, as Nick pulled out his phone and stepped away to call Bud.

Less than 30 minutes later, Nick, Adalind, Hank, Lorelei, and Olivia arrived at Bud and Phoebe’s house. They made their way towards the front door and Nick knocked.

“I got the blinds down, curtains drawn, backdoor double locked.” Bud said, as they entered before closing the door behind them.

Nick looked at Bud. “Bud, this is Adalind Schade.” Nick said, introducing Adalind and Bud, as Hank went to go check the house.

Bud stepped forward and shook Adalind’s hand. “Adalind, very nice to meet you. Any friend of Nick’s is a friend of mine.”

“Now listen. This is very important.” Nick said, turning to Bud. “Nobody can know that she is here.”

“Gotcha.” Bud said, nodding seriously.

“Not even your wife.” Hank said, returning to the living room.

“Of course not.” Bud agreed.

“When does she get back?” Hank asked him.

“A week from Thursday.” Bud replied. “She and the kids are visiting her sister Louise in Ann Arbor, so, we’re good.” It was then that Bud seemed to notice that Adalind was heavily pregnant. And Bud, being Bud, pointed that out. “And you’re, very pregnant. W-which is ok, ‘cause, you know, I’ve been there done that.” He thought about what he had just said. “Not that I’ve been pregnant but –well…that was a stupid thing to say.” He turned to Nick. “So, what do you need me to do here?”

“Just keep her inside.” Nick answered. “Don’t answer the phone or the door.”

“Copy that.” Bud said, as Adalind nodded understandingly. “Is, uh, her husband, or you know, significant other in trouble too? ‘Cause, I have enough room. The fridge is stocked.” He looked back at Adalind. “Does he like pie?”

Adalind looked at Nick. “Do you like pie?” She asked him pointedly.

Bud looked confused. “Nick?” Bud laughed, patting Nick on the chest. “Oh, he loves pies. We’re always bringing pies to him and Ju –.” Bud trailed off as he looked between Nick and Adalind. “H-hold on a second. I think you misunderstood me.”

“She knows what you meant.” Nick told him.

Bud looked between the expectant parents again. “But h-h-how—what do you mean?”

“Juliette’s gone Bud.”

Bud looked sad, along with confused. “Whoa. I can’t believe that.”

“It’s complicated.” Nick told him sadly.

Bud glanced back at Adalind. “Oh.” He said. “I can see that.”

“Right now, you just need to make sure that she’s safe.”

Bud nodded. “Yeah. Sure. Right. Whatever you need.” Bud told him.

“And if Juliette tries to contact you, don’t tell her anything.”

“She wants Adalind dead.” Hank added.

Bud looked at Hank in surprise, before his head swivelled to Nick and Adalind again. “Well, yeah. Ok. Ok. I mean, you know, these things happen.”

Nick patted Bud on the shoulder. “Thanks Bud.” Before he and Hank headed towards the door and left.

Lorelei also patted Bud on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Bud. I’ll fill you in. Are you right if Liv and I stay here tonight as well?”

“Yeah, of course. Uh, do you have the porta cot?”

Lorelei nodded. “If you don’t mind keeping an eye on Olivia, I will go and get it from the car.”

Lorelei returned to the house with the porta cot and the bags she kept in the car of spare clothes for herself and Olivia. Bud directed her to one of the kids’ rooms, letting her know that they could stay in there. Once the porta cot was set up, Lorelei placed a sleeping Olivia in it. It seems all the stimulation from the afternoon had tired her out and she went to sleep with no problems.

Lorelei returned to the kitchen, where Bud was heating up some food for the three of them. Adalind was awkwardly sitting at the kitchen table as Bud tried to make conversation. “How does Sean feel about you and Liv staying here tonight?” Adalind asked as Lorelei joined her at the table.

“Ah, he wasn’t too keen on it, but he understood why I felt the need too.” Was Lorelei’s reply. Part of her reason was because she didn’t trust Adalind, the other was because she knew that Adalind trusted her and would feel more comfortable not being alone with a strange man. “I didn’t tell him where we were staying, just that I was with you.”

Adalind nodded understandingly, as Bud started dishing up the food. There wasn’t much conversation. They ate their food before heading off to bed.

“Ma ma ma. Mama.”

Lorelei sat up, feeling disorientated. It took her a moment to remember where she was. Right. Bud and Phoebe’s. Helping to protect Adalind and her unborn nephew. She glanced over at the porta cot, seeing Olivia’s tiny head peering out over the top. Lorelei smiled lovingly at her as she got up. “Good morning sweetheart.” Lorelei cooed approaching her daughter, who seemed to have figured out how to stand overnight. At least, stand while holding onto something.

“Mama.” Lorelei gasped in surprise. Although Olivia was pretty vocal, Lorelei had read it would be a while before she started talking. But did she really hear her say Mama? Lorelei picked her up, putting Olivia on her hip.

“That’s right. I’m Mama. Daddy is going to be jealous that your first word is Mama.” Lorelei cooed, returning to the bed so that she could give Olivia her morning feed. Eventually, she was going to have to complete wean Olivia off the breast, but for now, she would continue. She relished the privilege of being able to bond with her baby this way.

When Olivia was finished, Lorelei headed out to the kitchen with her. She found Bud in the kitchen, getting ready for work. Adalind was still asleep. After discussing what was happening today, Bud handed over the spare key and told Lorelei to make themselves at home before he left for work. Checking the time, Lorelei decided to have a quick shower. She placed Olivia in the porta cot with some toys, hoping they would keep her content long enough. Lorelei was just getting out of the shower when she heard Olivia start to cry. Unfortunately, at the same time, Lorelei felt a wave of nausea hit her and she made it to the toilet just in time. Once she was done, she heard a knock on the door. “Lorelei, are you alright?” Came Adalind’s voice from the other side.

Wiping her mouth, Lorelei replied. “Uh, yeah. Sorry if Livy woke you.”

“It’s fine. I was awake anyway. I can keep an eye on her, if you want, while you finishing getting dressed.”

“That’d be great. Thanks.”

“No worries.”

Grabbing one of the spare toothbrushes, Lorelei quickly brushed her teeth before drying herself off and slipping into the spare clothes she had. When she returned to the bedroom, she found Adalind entertaining Olivia on the bed. “Thanks for that. Showers all yours if you want it.”

Once they had eaten breakfast, it was time to set off for the cemetery. The car ride was a little awkward. Lorelei was pissed at the woman for what she had done, not only to her brother, but Hank and Juliette as well. Not to mention the cascading effect it had on their group. However, she could empathise with her as a mother. Lorelei couldn’t imagine what it would like to have your child stolen away from you. And she knew that she would do whatever it took to get her children back. But she did find herself wondering if there wasn’t another way to strip Nick of his powers without the assault.

Following Adalind’s directions, Lorelei parked as close to the gravesite as possible. Looking out, Lorelei could see that Monroe and Rosalee, and Sean were already there. Beside her, Adalind sighed. “Let’s get this over with.” She said, unbuckling her seat belt.

Lorelei followed suit, as Sean approached her, greeting her with a quick kiss before he moved to get Olivia out of her car seat. The odd group headed towards where Adalind’s mother was buried. They stood in silence as Catherine Schade’s casket was removed from its final resting place. To be cut up and used in a potion. It was pretty morbid. But clearly, Adalind’s sense of self-preservation outweighed any notion she had of leaving the dead at peace. Still, Lorelei couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Adalind. Clearly, Sean did as well, as he asked Adalind if she needed a minute to…who knows…make peace with her mother. Rosalee looked past Monroe and Lorelei towards Sean. “You knew her?” She asked him.

“I did.” Sean replied.

Lorelei leant closer to Monroe and Rosalee. “He slept with both of them.” Lorelei whispered.

Monroe and Rosalee looked at Sean in surprise. “Dude. Really?” Monroe said.

Meanwhile, Sean was giving Lorelei a similarly surprised look. “How do you know?” Lorelei nodded toward Adalind and Sean rolled his eyes.

Lorelei turned her attention back to Adalind, who had started speaking to her mother’s casket. Lorelei wasn’t sure about the others, but she could hear every word of Adalind’s one-sided conversation.

“Hi Mom. It’s me. I know we never had a chance to say goodbye…after you kicked me out. So…goodbye. And there are probably a few things you should know. I had a baby…with Sean. Can’t imagine what you’d think of that…I named her Diana. But that didn’t work out so well…because she was stolen, by the Grimm and his friends including Sean. And the Grimm’s mother who, by the way, killed you which, I guess, you do know. Anyway, uh, now…I’m gonna have another baby. You’ll never guess who the father of that one is. It’s Nick. The Grimm…So the only reason you’re not rolling over in your grave is…because you’re here. You weren’t the greatest mother. And I’m sure I wasn’t the greatest daughter…But I loved you. And now, I need you. You are gonna help me stop Juliette from killing me and my baby. And then I’m gonna get Diana back…and then I’m gonna raise both my children the right way…So, thanks Mom, for being dead when I needed you the most.”

Adalind let out a breath and turned to face them. “Let’s get her out of here.”

Lorelei drove Adalind over to the spice shop, where they would be joining Monroe and Rosalee to extract the final ingredients for the potion to help Juliette. As the four of them gathered around Catherine Schade’s decaying body, Lorelei found herself wondering if this was poor parenting. Allowing her daughter to be in the room as they cut up Adalind’s mother. Olivia had been feed and was strapped in her stroller, starting to drift off to sleep.

Adalind stood over her mother’s body, scalpel in hand. “I can’t do it.” Adalind said, looking up at them. She shook her head. “I know I need to…but…” She shook her head again, looking a little sick.

“Monroe?” Rosalee asked, looking at him.

Monroe looked at her in surprise. “Me? I’m vegan”

Rosalee rolled her eyes. “I’ll do it.” She said, moving to take Adalind’s place.

“Thank you.” Adalind said, handing Rosalee the scalpel.

Lorelei was grateful she hadn’t been asked. There was no way she could have. Lorelei’s nausea had returned, and she was standing back, afraid she may throw up on the corpse. Adalind came to stand beside her. The three of them watched as Rosalee started cutting into the chest cavity. Monroe gagged at the sound, causing Lorelei to gag as well. She turned away, focusing on the wall behind Adalind.

“How much of her do we need?” Rosalee asked Adalind.

“Tongue, liver, gallbladder, and four ribs.” Adalind replied, looking as sickened as Lorelei, and no doubt, Monroe, felt.

“Right.” Rosalee said. Lorelei made of the mistake of looking at her as she started pushing her hand into the chest cavity.

Fuck, I’m gonna be sick. Lorelei thought to herself as she contemplated whether she would make it to the nearby bathroom. It seemed so far away. There was a bin by the door.

“Here’s the liver…and the gallbladder.” Rosalee said as Monroe let out a small whimper. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rosalee hand them to Monroe.

Lorelei glanced at Adalind, who wasn’t looking too good. “Maybe you should sit down.” Lorelei told her. “You don’t need to –.”

Adalind held up her hand. “I’m fine.” She said, closing her eyes briefly, no doubt fighting off nausea.

“Now for the tongue.” Rosalee said as Monroe let out a breath, preparing himself to help Rosalee with that process. Lorelei heard a sickening sound, probably Monroe opening the mouth.

Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look. Lorelei told herself, as she focused her attention on Adalind. Probably not the best idea, she looked as sick as Lorelei felt.

“Ah, so, how long does Mom have to cook?” Monroe asked Adalind.

“Uh…not really sure, but I’ll think we’ll know when its done.” Adalind told him.

“Cool.” Monroe replied.

Lorelei really should have taken Sean’s advice and gone home. But after months of being disconnected from wesen related stuff, she was finally well enough to be involved again. At least in some capacity. Lorelei winced slightly as another sickening sound came from where Rosalee was working on the body. A moment later, Lorelei heard a plop as what she assumed was the tongue went into the cauldron.

“Now for the ribs.” Rosalee commented, turning to grab a mallet and some kind of stake. She handed them to Monroe.

Concentrating on Monroe’s face, Lorelei could see him preparing himself. “Here goes.” He said. Just as he was about to get started there was a knock from the door. Adalind tensed up and he looked at her. “Don’t worry. I’ll check and see who it is before I let them in.” He assured Adalind.

Monroe handed the stake and mallet back to Rosalee before walking off. Rosalee looked at Adalind. “You ok?”

Adalind nodded. “Yeah.” She sighed. “It’s just not that easy being pregnant, cutting up your mom, and waiting for someone to kill you.”

“Honey, it’s Nick and Hank.” Monroe called from the front room. “We’ll, be in the basement.”

Lorelei looked at Rosalee, who rolled her eyes. Lorelei sighed before extending her hand. “Give me the mallet. I’ll do it.”

Lorelei managed to get the four ribs before dashing to the bin and blowing her cookies. “You ok?” Rosalee asked her, looking a little amused.

Lorelei nodded. “Yeah. Probably a good thing I went into public health instead of medicine.” Lorelei commented as she grabbed a bottle of water from the diaper bag. She used some to try and wash the taste of vomit from her mouth.

“Probably.” Rosalee agreed as she started setting up an ancient looking grinder.

“I have some gum in my purse, if you want something to get the taste out of your mouth.” Adalind offered, moving to where her purse was sitting.

“Yes please.”

The afternoon turned to evening. After feeding Olivia, Lorelei stepped out to grab some food for the group, using the opportunity to give Olivia a change of scenery. Lorelei delivered the food to the men in the basement, while the women took a break from their work to eat. Once they were feed, they started the process of grinding Catherine Schade’s ribs. Lorelei was worried Olivia would be scared by the noise, but she didn’t seem to have a problem with it, having drifted off to sleep again. Feeling the fatigue starting to catch up with her, Lorelei had sat down on the sofa towards the back of the side room. She tried to convince Adalind to sit down as well, but the blonde insisted she was fine.

“That’s the last rib.” Adalind commented.

Rosalee hummed in agreement. “Ok.” Rosalee said, as she collected the ground up remains of the ribs and added them to the cauldron.

“Perfect.” Adalind said faintly, as the guys returned from the basement.

“Find anything?” Lorelei asked them.

“Yeah.” Hank said. “And, it’s a little unnerving.”

“Nick thinks the killer who did the killing, wasn’t actually the killer who did the killing because the killing was done by a killer who’d been dead a long time.” Monroe said.

Lorelei stared at him. “Say what now?”

“Seriously?” Rosalee asked.

“According to the books, Jack the Ripper might have been around a hell of a lot longer than anybody thought.” Nick told them.

“So, like a spirit?” Lorelei asked.

Nick shrugged. “Maybe. Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve dealt with one.”

At that moment, a bluey greeny cloud of smoke wafted up from the cauldron that Rosalee was stirring. She leant back to avoid it, as it emitted a horrible smell. Lorelei felt another wave of nausea hit her.

“That really does not smell very good.” Rosalee commented. “I think it…has got to be almost ready, don’t you? Oh Nick, she’s gonna faint”

Lorelei looked up in time to see Adalind starting to sway. Nick shot forward to grab her. “Whoa! Adalind!” Nick started to lead her over to the bed near the front window.

“I need to finish reducing the potion.” Adalind argued.

“No.” Nick told her, helping her lay on the bed. “You need to stay right here.”

“Adalind, I’ve got this.” Rosalee told her.

Lorelei slowly stood up. “You need to rest Adalind. You’ve been on your feet all day. We don’t need you going into premature labour.” She said as she came to stand beside Rosalee.

Adalind seemed to give in, laying back and allowing Nick to pull the blanket up over her. “Thanks.”

As Nick went to get Adalind a glass of water, Monroe and Lorelei watched on as Rosalee continued to work on reducing the potion. Lorelei was grateful that the horrible smell was starting to die off. There were only so many times she could go to the bathroom to cover up vomiting before people would become suspicious.

“I think it’s boiled down by now.” Rosalee commented. Monroe and Lorelei agreed with her. The three of them backed away slightly when a skull appeared within potion.

“Woah.” Monroe uttered quietly, looking up at Rosalee.

“Do you think that means it’s done?” Lorelei asked.

Adalind looked over at them. “Did you see the skull?”

Rosalee nodded. “Yes.”

“Then all we need to do is strain it.” Adalind instructed as Nick came over and peered in the cauldron as his phone rang.

“Wu. I’m putting you on speaker.” Nick said, before doing so and holding the phone out so they could all hear him.

“Nick, we got another body, same M.O.” Wu advised Nick.

Nick looked concerned. “Where?”

“Under the Broadway Bridge, across from Union Station. We’re sealing off the area. It’s the roommate. The one we talked to.”

Nick looked at Hank. “We’re on our way.” He told Wu before hanging up. “You good here?” He asked the rest of them.

“Loosely speaking.” Rosalee replied, an odd look on her face. Monroe stepped closer to her.

“What?”

“Nick has got to be going crazy right now.” Rosalee whispered. “Maybe we should contact Trubel.”

“That’s probably not a bad idea.” Lorelei said quietly.

“You got a way to contact her?”

Lorelei nodded. “I do.” She said, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “I’ll do it now.”

Monroe and Rosalee were finishing up with straining the potion through the hat as Adalind and Lorelei watched. “That’s all of it.” Monroe told them.

“It looks like water.” Lorelei commented.

“Won’t taste like it.” Adalind said, holding the jar up as she examined the potion. She smelt it tentatively as the bell from the front door jingled.

Nick and Hank walked in. “How’d it go?”

“It’s done.” Adalind replied.

The two men looked at the jar Adalind was holding. “That’s it?” Hank asked.

“Yeah. It’s pure now.”

“Now all we have to do is get Juliette to take it.” Rosalee said.

“Oh, that’ll be a snap, ‘cause, you know, the last time she took something we gave her, boy, that worked out like gangbusters.” Monroe said sarcastically, looking around at the group.

Nick nodded. “And if she thinks Adalind had anything to do with it, she’ll never take it.” He pointed out.

“Unless she knows it works.” Adalind said.

“How are we gonna know that?” Hank asked her. “It only works on a hexenbiest.”

“That’s why I’m gonna take it first.” Adalind said. “If it works on me, it’ll work on her.”

“You can’t.”

“Yeah. I don’t have a choice. If she stays a hexenbiest, I’m dead.”

“If it works and Juliette doesn’t take it, you’re a sitting duck without your powers.” Lorelei pointed out to her. Lorelei looked around at the others. “Look, we’re all assuming that Juliette still doesn’t want to be a hexenbiest. But it sounds like she is enjoying the power being a hexenbiest gives her.”

“That’s just the hexenbiest talking. I’m sure once Juliette sees there is a way to return to normal, she’ll want to take the potion.” Rosalee said.

“I appreciate your concern Lorelei, but I have to do this.” Adalind said. “I don’t know exactly what is about to happen, but it might be a good idea if you moved Olivia out into the main area of the shop.”

Lorelei sighed, but didn’t argue any further. Instead, she went over to her daughter’s stroller and moved it into the main shop. Once she had done that, Adalind started drinking from the glass.

Lorelei could see the others were wincing, with looks of mild disgust on their faces. After all, Adalind was essentially drinking her dead mother’s body. After drinking half the glass, Adalind put it down, her face screwed up at the taste.

“How do you feel?” Nick asked her.

“Like I just drank my mother.”

“How long before we know if this stuff is, you know, doing anything?” Monroe asked.

“Ah, not too long.” Adalind replied, not looking too good. “I think I want to sit down.”

Adalind walked back over to the bed. “Why? What’s going on?” Nick asked, helping her onto the bed.

“It’s happening fast. You better hold me down.” Adalind instructed.

“What?” Nick asked, sounding confused.

“All of you, just hold me down.”

Lorelei stood back as Nick, Hank, Rosalee and Monroe each took a limb, pressing them down to the bed. “Oh god, here it comes.” Adalind cried out, as she woged. “Don’t let go.” She started shaking with increasing intensity. A scream erupted from her as a grey like mist started covering her body. No, it was more like it was rising up out of her body.

The grey mist started to take somewhat of a spiritual form, resembling Adalind’s woge. It was almost as if it was fighting to remain in Adalind’s body. The shaking continued, starting to affect the area around it. Bottles and jars were shaking on the shelves.

“Monroe, the jar.” Rosalee shouted, pointing at the jar that was starting to shift to the edge of the table.

“Oh my god.” Monroe said, diving across the floor, catching the jar just before it hit the floor.

The skylight in the side room started cracking. “Monroe, look out.” Lorelei shouted as the glass started to break apart, showering down.

Eventually Adalind and the room stopped shaking, Adalind’s face returning to its unwoged state. Lorelei tentatively stepped forward, as Hank indicated he had a pulse and Rosalee stated she was warm. A moment later, Adalind started to stir, her eyes flicking open as she looked around at everyone.

“What happened?”

There were sighs of relief. “Well, things got a little intense.” Nick told her.

“Mmm. Yeah, they did.” Adalind agreed. “Did I hear somebody scream?”

“Yeah, that would be you.” Monroe told her.

“Oh. That’s why it sounded so close.”

Adalind went to sit up, but everyone jumped in, speaking over the top of each other, trying to dissuade her from getting up. “I need to sit up.” Adalind told them. Once she was in an upright position, she sighed. “Well, I guess we should see if it worked.”

“I think you should just lie down.” Nick said, sounding concerned.

Adalind looked at him. “No, Nick. I need to know if this made a difference.” Adalind said, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. After sighing, she looked around at the group hovering around her. “You all better stand back. Just in case.”

Once everyone had cleared the immediate area around Adalind, she tried to woge. Lorelei saw the skin on her face shift a little. She tried again, with no change. After gently touching her face, she turned her attention to a nearby potion bottle, trying to move it telekinetically. It did shift a little, but not much. It clearly took Adalind a lot of effort to move it even a little. Adalind tried one more time, however this time, it didn’t even move. She looked both relieved but also saddened.

“Well…I guess I’m good.” She said, not sounding good. After all the trouble Adalind went through to get her hexenbiest back, it was gone again. Or suppressed, at least.

Adalind looked up at Nick. “Now all you need is Juliette.”

Lorelei made the decision to return home for the evening. She was absolutely exhausted, and she knew Sean would not be too happy if she were to continue pushing herself. Adalind had seemed a little disappointed that Lorelei would not be returning to Bud’s with her but was understanding. Lorelei provided Adalind with her phone number and told her she could call her if need be.

Sean was not yet home when Lorelei and Olivia arrived back. After getting Olivia settled, Lorelei changed into her pyjamas and slipped into bed, falling asleep almost instantly. She was awoken when Sean joined her in bed. “How are you feeling? Did you eat enough?” Sean asked, pulling her closer to him.

“I’m just tired. It’s been a long couple of days.” Lorelei admitted. “And yes, I ate enough. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“Good.” He said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Did they finish the suppressant?”

Lorelei nodded. “They did. Now we just need Juliette. That’ll be the hardest part. She’s not answering any calls. Personally, I don’t see her having any interest in taking the suppressant. From what I’ve heard, she likes what she is now.”

“I hope for everyone’s sake, she does take it.” Sean commented. He kissed her one last time, before reaching over to the light off.

The next day, Lorelei certainly felt the effects of pushing herself over the previous days. She was exhausted. Once Olivia was changed, dressed and fed, Lorelei set her up in the playpen in the living room and spent most of the day on the couch. Between taking care of her daughter and morning sickness, Lorelei just slept, trying to stay hydrated and eating when she could. Around lunch, she did get a call from Adalind, who was still at Bud’s, waiting to find out whether Juliette would take the suppressant potion.

“I’m sorry I can’t come over. I’m just not feeling well today.” Lorelei told her.

“It’s fine. You gotta take care of yourself. Have you heard from Nick or the others?”

Lorelei sighed. “No. Last I heard, Juliette still isn’t taking anyone’s calls. All we can do is wait.”

“Yeah.” Adalind sighed. She paused. “Can I ask you something?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Are you pregnant again?”

Lorelei was silent for a moment. How could she have figured that out? “What makes you think that?”

“All those trips to the bathroom over the past couple of days. I doubt you had to pee that much.”

“I could have a UTI.”

“But you don’t.” Adalind said, sounding confident.

Lorelei sighed again. “You are correct. I am pregnant. But please don’t tell anyone. We are keeping things quiet until after 12 weeks. You know, just in case…something happens.”

“I understand. Don’t worry, no one will hear about it from me.” Adalind assured her. “Congratulations though.”

“Thanks.”

Eventually, it was the evening and a socially acceptable time for Lorelei to head to bed. Thankfully, Olivia went down without a fuss. Lorelei changed back into her pyjamas and settled in bed. As she was drifting off to sleep, she couldn’t help but get a bad feeling. She wasn’t sure about what. It was just a bad feeling.

Next Part

Taglist: @zoexme, @nu1freakshow, @star-yawnznn, @bella250

Banner by @cafekitsune

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nikadd · 27 days ago

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rewatching 15x18 for the first time in a year to distract myself from what’s going on so here are my thoughts under the cut

god i hate that they made billie into a villain

jp is such a bad actor i keep forgetting abt it

BUT ALSO they really shafted sam. i need to finish my sam essay

WHY BLOW UP JACK IN THE EMPTY WHY THE EMPTY IN THE TITLE CARD WHY ANYTHING WHATSOEVER

ok so charlie lost her love interest then sam lost his love interest then dean lost h- [i am Shot]

“but billie? she left her blade” dean nodding in cas’s direction “her i can kill.” insane. insane. insane. i’m gonna make a separate post abt it later

ugh they could have really done something w sam being both a leader of the hunters and a witch but no they gotta half ass everything

jack’s power vacuum thing was so underdeveloped…..

death!dean…. death!cas….. need to finish my dean & death essay too

“my heart”……. oh we’re in the endgame now

it’s you, dean!!!!! it’s always been you!!!!!!

the moment cas realizes that he can use the deal. god. i remember sliding off my chair in my college dorm and watching the rest of the episode through my fucking hands

ppl being like “dean wasn’t reacting” DEAN WAS LETTING HIM SPEAK!!!!

i’m sorry but jensen’s “why does it sound like a goodbye” KILLS me like why is it so soft

my bf after watching the confession: you’re telling me there are destiel deniers???

#it's valeriia talking

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peapodsinspace · 6 months ago

Note

oooookkk so uhhhhhj

List of f/os that I can name off the top of my head

These are characters that I have ocs that are shipped with them AND/OR personally find attractive btw

Also this will only include TWO of the slasher f/os I have, but do know that I don't find the murder icky parts of those f/os attractive, murder bad its the other stuff about them I like, and I like making more villainous ocs

This also is only including ONE puppet f/o because my puppet f/os in general are kinda embarrassing (especially two of them fucking christ)

Jjba (with ocs):

N'doul

Gappy

Oingo

Axel Ro (still on the fence about him tho so don't judge me)

Akira Otoishi

Jjba (without ocs):

Gwess

Rykiel (no oc yet)

Thunder Mcqueen

Other (with ocs):

George (mfn)

Finnegan Rider Wake (mh g1)

Jackson Jekyll/Holt Hyde (still on the fence about oc)

Mr. Where (mh g1)

Kinger (tadc)

Caine (tadc)

Howdy Pillar (Welcome Home)

Billy Lenz (Black Christmas 1974) [pleasepleasepleasePLEASE don't judge me super hard for this]

Gabriel May (Malignant 2021) [I honestly don't know what to say about this one just don't kill me for it ALSO HE HAS THE SAME VOICE ACTOR AS DUB BUCCIARATI]

Other (no oc):

Jack Skelington (tnbc)

Hoodude Voodoo (mh g1) [don't judge me ok he's adorable]

Ryuk (Death Note) [DON'T JUDGE ME OK-]

Discord (mlp fim)

Idk why I felt like sharing lmao

Axel ro is so real tho!!!!

I will say usually when you’re like “DONT JUDGE THO” it’s always a character I don’t know

So I am not judging you ;]

Also discord……….. yeah

I guess I don’t really have any f/os i ship myself with but as far as oc x canon I have like. Mostly one

Mainly:

-Tonio!!!

And then I also have:

-polnareff

-pocoloco

For the last two, pol was originally for a gag, but it’s mostly just that I haven’t done much on their dynamic yet. And I have an oc I made to ship with pocoloco, but I’m still a little on the fence? I dunno heheh

#vinny post 🩷#asks #f/os

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doctorstethoscope · 2 years ago

Text

Sink or Swim || November

lets all ignore the fact that the last chapter of this is supposed to come out next week and it's not done yet ok

masterlist

contains: food consumption, grumpiness, a tiny bit of innuendo

wordcount: 1.9k

“Babe?” you call out to Aaron, who is upstairs trying to wrangle Jack out of his Spider-Man pajamas and into a polo for Thanksgiving dinner at Rossi’s. “Do you know where Alexis’ shoes are?”

“If I had seen them, I would have put them in her closet where they belong,” he calls back, a little tense. You take a deep breath and remind yourself that it’s always stressful for both of you getting the kids out of the house on time, let alone when there’s a special occasion involved.

The shoes, as it turns out, are in a bucket of Lexie’s blocks– no doubt her or her brother’s doing. You buckle her into the teeny-tiny mary janes that compliment her baby overall dress and turtleneck, and by the time you’re done, Jack and his father are bounding down the stairs, ready to go themselves.

“Look at that, and everyone is in one piece,” you smile. “Let’s hit the road, then.”

Once everyone’s settled in the car, you flick the radio to the holiday music station and take a deep breath. The hard part was over, and now you could enjoy a calm, reflective day with your family.

“I’m hungry,” Jack whines from the backseat.

“You’ll eat when we get there,” Aaron chides.

“But I’m hungry now,” he groans.

“I know, bubbers, I’m hungry too,” you console him. “What food is your favorite?” You ask, trying to distract him.

“The cranberry sauce with the ridges,” he tells you excitedly.

“Naturally, the pure sugar from the can,” you remark with a little roll of your eyes.

“How come Lexie gets to eat whenever she wants?” Jack asks.

“Because she’s a baby, Jack,” Aaron snarks back.

“She doesn’t understand that food is coming the same way that you do, and she needs a lot more food than you do, bud,” you supplement his father’s explanation with a more gentle tone.

You make it to Rossi’s without further complaints, and Jack’s all but forgotten his hunger once he sees Henry.

“Aaron, can you come help me hang up the kids coats?” You say, passing Lexie off to Penelope and giving Aaron a quick glance that says “follow me to the closet and don’t ask questions.”

He, gratefully, reads you as well as he always has and follows you to Rossi’s coatroom.

“Baby, are you alright? You aren’t acting like yourself today,” you whisper to Aaron as he shuts the door behind him.

He sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I’ve been a bit of an asshole, you mean.”

“You’ve been… a little grumpy,” you say, stepping closer to him and winding your arms around his neck. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing that excuses my behavior,” he answers. “The end of the year is always difficult administratively… Strauss and the rest of the brass have been breathing down my neck about the budget and our annual numbers. But I need to leave that stuff at my desk, it’s not fair to you or the kids.”

“Neither one of us is perfect. Yesterday I just about played Connect Four by myself because I told Jack we couldn’t play unless he ate a vegetable,” you confess, and he chuckles.

“I’ll do better. I know I’ve been staying at the office late, and you’ve had to take on more than your fair share with them,” he apologizes.

“I’m not watching the clock, hon. Work needs more from you right now, down the line I’m sure something will come up for me and you’ll take it in stride. I’m more concerned about you– are you eating when you come home at night? Or taking breaks during the day? The team can help before you’ve run yourself ragged, you know.”

“I need reminders,” he admits. “Maybe a pretty lunch date would help,” he smirks, leaning in to kiss you, which you happily return.

“I think I can make that happen,” you assure him. “Come on, let’s get back out there before someone gives Jack pie and ice cream before dinner.”

Rossi has dinner catered, and the meal is lovely. Aaron puts Jack’s plate together and settles him at the kid’s table, and you set up Lexie’s high chair next to you, cutting up some turkey and carrots for her to gnaw at. It keeps her entertained while the adults eat, and JJ is more than happy to give her a bottle after dinner.

“How have you and Hotch been?” Emily asks as the women of the BAU gather in the living room while the men break for whisky in the study.

“We’ve been good,” you say. “Work has been busy for him. But things are good– I feel like Lexie’s developing more and more of a personality every day, which keeps us on our toes. She’s into throwing food onto the floor and taking off her socks and shoes right now. She’d run around barefoot in the snow if we’d let her,” you tell the girls, and they all laugh.

“When’s the last time you and the boss got out of the house? No kids, no case.” Penelope asks.

“Oh, gosh…” you say, running through the calendar in your mind. “Is it awful if I say August? We had dinner and went dancing. It was lovely,” you smile.

“It’s not awful…” JJ says with a hesitant cringe.

“But it’s not good, either,” Emily interrupts.

“We’ve got our hands pretty full,” you remind your friends. “Even if we were able to plan more dates, we’d probably get interrupted for a case.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t try!” Penelope interjects. “Let us take the kids this weekend.”

“Pen, that’s sweet, really, but I couldn’t ask—”

“You didn’t ask. We’re offering,” Emily cuts you off.

“It will be good for both of you,” JJ intercedes. “Regular date nights saved Will when we were in this stage. And if I recall correctly, you were one of the biggest insistors that we take the help offered to us,” she teases you. “It’s practically my job to return the favor now.”

You fret a little bit, biting at your thumbnail. “It would be good for Aaron. He needs a break,” you agree.

“And so do you,” Emily insists.

“Well, let me talk to him about it. But can I give you a tentative yes?” You ask.

“Of course!” Garcia insists. “Hotch will say yes.”

“What am I saying yes to?” Aaron asks as he emerges from the study with the rest of the guys.

“Date night,” you explain, and he breaks out into a smile.

“That one’s always a yes,” he confirms, ducking his chin to plant a kiss to your cheek.

*******

“So, Penelope gave us rules for this evening,” you mention to Aaron as you both settle into a booth at Lafayette in DC– you don’t know how he managed to get reservations on such short notice, but you’re grateful. He likes to spoil you– and you can’t help but be pleased by it.

“Oh boy,” Aaron groans playfully, the shadow of a grin playing on his features.

“No talking about the kids, and no talking about work,” you explain to him.

“Seems simple enough,” he says.

“Yeah,” you agree. “It’s a good rule.”

The two of you peruse the menu in a comfortable, practiced silence– with the chaos of your lives, neither one of you feels the need to fill every moment with conversation or noise. When the waiter comes, you order a bottle of wine to share and your respective meals, and without the distraction of the menus, the two of you are left to stare at each other.

“Every time I go to say something, I realize I’m going to break one of the rules,” you confess after a few minutes of silence.

“Oh, thank god. It’s not just me,” Aaron lets out a relieved sigh.

“Are we bad? This feels so bad,” you lament.

“No, honey, no,” he insists, reaching across the table and taking your hand in his, which comforts you just as it always does. “Our lives are just different. Raising two kids takes up a lot of energy, and so do our jobs. It’s not a moral failing that those are the first things we’d want to talk about.”

“Not just the first thing– we couldn’t think of anything else to talk about,” you point out.

“When someone tells you not to think about something, it becomes pretty hard to think about anything else, angel,” he reminds you. “This is a good thing, that we’re talking about it. It’s important to me that we aren’t just co-parents. I love you, hon. I love you and I love our kids, and I love you separately from our kids and our kids separately from you. We can do both.”

“Ask me a question,” you insist.

“What?” He questions.

“Ask me a question that’s not about work or the kids,” you clarify.

“What did you have for breakfast today?”

“Aaron,” you whine.

“What?” He chuckles.

“Take this seriously, please.”

“I am taking it seriously. Have you ever known me not to take things seriously?” he teases you.

“You know what I had for breakfast. You made my breakfast.”

“Well, what did you think of it?’ He asks.

“It was good,” you tell him. “I like when you cook for me,” you elaborate. “You put more butter on my toast than I ever would, but it tastes better that way. I like my bacon chewy, though. Not crispy,” you confess. “You look sexy in the kitchen. Don’t ask me to explain that.”

He smiles and lets out a warm, gracious laugh. “See? We’re getting somewhere,” he reassures you, running his thumb over the back of your hand.

“What do I do that makes you feel cared for?” You ask him in turn, reflecting on how his hand over yours and the breakfasts he prepares make you feel.

“I’m sure everything isn’t an acceptable answer here,” he attempts, and you narrow your eyes at him in response. He draws in a breath, thinking on the question for a moment before you respond. “Sometimes you look at me from across the room, and it’s like you tell me exactly what I need to hear just by the look in your eyes. Or, I don’t know, I look at you and things just feel clearer. But you’re always there, and you always know just what I need. When the kids are driving us up the wall and you just smile and remind me that bedtime is coming, or when we’re working on a tough case and you assure me that I don’t have to shoulder it all… When things are hard, you’re the person I look for. When they’re good, you’re the person I want to celebrate with. And every time I look for you, you’re always looking for me too. That means a lot to me.”

You draw in a breath, willing back the tears that were welling up in your eyes, and reach across the table to place your hand over his face. “There’s nobody else I’d rather be looking at,” you smile.

taglist: @spacecowboyhotch @honeybrowne @angelfxllcm @rousethemouse @infinite-tides @gspenc @anlin2058 @zetasaturno99 @realdirectionx @witheldclouds @sbeno22 @el-vs94 @hausofwhores

#aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner x reader fic #aaron hotchner x you #aaron hotchner x y/n #hotch x you #hotch x reader fic #hotch x reader #hotch x y/n

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galactic-pirates · 2 years ago

Text

Ok Picard finale.

Spoilers below.

My expectations were very low. I had made a list of cynical predictions. I was scared as deep down I was worried it would be even worse. I really thought they might kill off Raffi and I just did not want to see that.

So actually in a lot of ways going into the finale expecting it to be terrible, I wound up almost pleasantly surprised. It was still not good but it was much better than my worst fears, so I ended the episode as a bit of a puddle of relief. It could have been so much worse.

I loved that Raffi just pulled together a new invention of being able to shoot transport beams at people. She’s so smart I love her! I love that she got actual screentime shooting at people (I was expecting her to be sidelined the whole finale tbh), and she even appeared in shot with Seven a few times!

I am amazed that they managed to not shoehorn more Shaw in. I had pretty much convinced myself that Seven’s plot this episode would be all about him, so actually getting to see Seven doing her job, retaking the bridge etc. inspiring the other unassimilated who had been left behind, fighting the impossible fight for StarFleet… yeah that sure was something. I loved that the crew still called her Commander as it was new but Raffi - Raffi!! - was the first to call her Captain as Seven had that role. That’s what Seven was and I think it was important to acknowledge that. It was also so nice that they showed a very brief glimpse of the horror of assimilation and the “what did I do???” from Sydney and Seven hugged her because if anyone was going to understand.

Having Shaw appear at the end via hologram complimenting Seven as apparently something he said weeks ago… I side eye that so hard. So what he was a constant AH to her in person but in private he is redeemed because he actually said something nice? I could have done without that. Why Tuvok couldn’t have said something poignant like “the very qualities that you think disqualify you are the exact ones that give you strength, the ones that saved your crew.“ and convinced Seven that way but alas /sigh I guess Shaw had to have his moment.

I am surprised that Shaw is still dead. I was sure given Matalas’ comments and how rabid the fans are that they’d revive him somehow. I really didn’t want them to because if any spin-off happens with Seven and Raffi and they put Shaw in it, then it will become the Shaw show. I am not at all happy about Jack looking like he might be part of it for the same reason :(

I do love that it is finally, FINALLY, Captain Seven because everytime I heard Hansen I flinched. I have such an aversion to it I won’t reblog gifsets that have it written on. Just no. So finally.

Anyway in fact nobody died. When Deanna was looking at Riker as he left, it felt like she knew he wasn’t coming back. So I got worried for a minute there about Riker. I was pretty convinced Picard was going to die (I predicted his sacrifice) but nope he lived as well.

I think my only real cynical prediction that came true was the approximate “we are on our own” when Data said “we are the cavalry” and that Picard reached Jack through the dad bond. But it was blowing up the beacon that saved the day, so that was more about saving Jack.

I am amazed at how big the Enterprise is and that it just flew through the Borg Cube like that. Real Falcon and Death Star vibes. I laughed so hard when Deanna was like “I am sensing enjoyment” and Data was just smiling like pew pew I fly the ship haha.

I also laughed really hard when Geordi said he hadn’t done the weapons systems and Beverley was like “no problem” and just blew shit up and then the three of them all turned to look at her, like WTF? And she’s like “a lot happened in 20 years”.

I’m sorry my thoughts are all out of order and I am just writing them down as they come to me. Kestra! Oh for all the love of… I can’t believe they still never mentioned her!! Like seriously have Riker and Deanna forgotten they have a daughter??? All this love for biological families and no mention of that. Or you know Soji for Data? There was barely a hint of Geordi to his daughters either, I was expecting more there.

I also didn’t really appreciate or find funny that Deanna was only pretending to listen to Data and searching for vacations. She is seeing him professionally. Now she either needs to be strict about ending the session on time, and/or not booking them so often if it’s too much for her, or if she is going to let it happen she needs to be present. As someone who has had therapy I find it very uncomfortable and feel really sorry for Data. Yes he should be more aware of the time and not keep talking, but Deanna could wind the session to a close earlier. Honestly you’d think this wasn’t her job. It is making her look bad. Deanna deserves better.

I’m glad that Deanna got to do semi-something in that she sensed Riker and that’s what saved them. I still wish that Deanna had more agency beyond being a love interest. But I can be soppy on occasion and the thought of their love being powerful enough to be felt so she could find them, that is kinda sweet. Like a love conquers thing. Not very realistic but sweet.

Jack as special ships counsel is a big WTF? I am guessing that’s a bit like ‘officer without portfolio’ so they can plug him in wherever needed as a Jack of all trades - ha pun not intended. But ugh I did actually predict his joining StarFleet and getting fast tracked. I’m glad it wasn’t quite as bad as I was cynical but I am still not thrilled. I don’t like him as a character and if they were kinda setting up a potential spin-off then he is part of the crew and just ugh, would rather not.

As for Q’s appearance at the end… dear Trek writers I am begging you please create something new. What is the point in ever concluding a story arc if you are just going to bring them back and do it all over again? Allow for new characters, new stories. Let it rest.

Worf leaking Raffi’s service record to her family was nice. The Worf and Raffi friendship this season has been one of the few bright spots. However I am… I had always thought that the narrative was they knew Raffi had saved the day, that she was right about Mars etc. and her family didn’t dispute that she was a hero, just that she was never around for them. The old “you put the world first and us second, and that’s great for the world. Someone has to sacrifice but why you? Why us?” and that kind of pain knows no logic. Feelings can be complicated. Being told “oh she’s a hero so you have to accept being second all the time” is not easy. There’s guilt for feeling selfish but wanting it to be different. Anger, resentment and that’s just for the job. Remember Raffi also had addiction problems, probably triggered as a coping mechanism because of the job but that addiction will also have hurt her family. And to wipe that away with “oh they never actually knew it was worth anything and now they love you” like it’s nice that Raffi can have her family back. Raffi is a good person. She made mistakes and she cares a lot. But it’s too easy and too trite and it feels hollow. Like they decided to slap a happy ending on it which just doesn’t fit.

Also not going to lie as much as I do love the Worf and Raffi friendship. They knew each other for a matter of weeks. Seven and Raffi have known each other much longer, been romantically involved for an unknown length of time within those years. If it was so easy to fix Raffi’s family. I can’t believe Seven wouldn’t have leaked the file years ago. It feels like if that was going to be a moment, then it should have gone to Seven and not Worf.

Speaking of Seven and Raffi’s relationship. Not a hint, not a nod, not any kind of anything? Like the epilogue skipped a year and they are Captain and Number One on the Enterprise-G (side note what happened to the Enterprise-F that was seen last episode with all the fireworks?). So yeah they are working together. The shots were practically beat for beat how the season 2 finale went down. They are ending up as Captain and Commander how they were headed then but it’s now 2-3 years later and they are broken up? Or not? Like what is up with that?

As predicted the changelings barely got a sentence wrapping up their involvement. Just a “Beverley worked out how to find them with the transporters as they were de-borgified”. Side note does that mean the changelings were also assimilated? How would that even work?

Still no mention of the Jurati borg? Or Elnor? Or LARIS?? I mean poor Laris. What a waste. Continuity I don’t know you.

Ok I am sure I am forgetting things. But one last comment on the lighting. It was extra bad this episode. Like really couldn’t see a damn thing on occasion. No exaggeration, literal nope. If they do a spin-off please for the love of Trek make them light the damn thing. I can not take anymore of this no lighting. It’s ridiculous.

Oh! The end scene with the poker. That’s the kind of fan service I don’t really mind. There was some warm fuzzies there.

This was probably the best episode of the season, which given how terrible the season was doesn’t really say much. I have overwhelming relief that Raffi didn’t die and I am also very thankful that the season is over. Each episode I was like “so how bad is is going to get?” And yes there is always fanfic but something being canon can be miserable even if it’s firmly ignored.

For all that I would like a Seven spin-off I don’t trust them in the slightest to do it any justice. I would rather they didn’t make it. Than make it and absolutely butcher their characters, queer-bait the relationship, stress me all out and just generally make me super unhappy about something that should have been joy.

#star trek: picard #picard spoilers #sam rambles (a lot)

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bruh-changbin · 2 years ago

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new nails + life updates + blog updates 😸

heyyyy guys sorry I have been kind of dead on here as of late 😭 I haven’t posted a nail pic on foreverrrre and @drunkjaked asked me to share so here’s the new set I got done a little bit ago

ignore my jack skellington-esque fingers lol they’re simple but v nice for the winter and cold weather yasss my nail tech kept saying she loved the colour hehe

anyways on w some more important stuff!!! finally finished the semester (which was kicking my ass ngl) 😵‍💫 I had a ton of really big really important papers due like back to back for the past few weeks which is why I’ve barely been on here lol…. and since uni has been draining me of all of my life when I finally got home I was feeling so drab so I caved and allowed myself to a couple new super cool tattoos that had been on my mind for a v long time… reinvention yas 😻 but now that I’m done the semester and my semi annual aesthetic change I can chill and read and write and fantasize about changbin and jay for a whole month (ish)!!!!!!!

with that being said I have some fic updates hurhur 😸 ok so I was planning on doing a super fluffy smutty university boyfriend channie fic that’s like winter/holiday related but I think I’m gonna switch that to hyunjin bc I haven’t written for him in forever AND I have smth really big planned for channie (and another aussie idol…) for the new year lawl 😻 and am also planning on trying to grind out a short jongseong blurb sometime soon bc he’s literally my enha bias and I haven’t written anything for him yet??????? like what

ok that’s it I’ll shut up now there’s a possibility I’ll post a teaser for winter uni boyfriend hyunjin but I might just drop the whole fic on you and then fuck off ok bye love you

#tbh I’ve never been a huge fan of the winter #but there’s smth different in the air this year like…#as soon as I got out of my uni town I felt so free even though I still had like 5 assignments to write @ home lawl…#anyways!!!#sorry for being dead I’ll try to get back into my active era #and new fics coming your way v soon #sky.sms #stray kids fanfiction #hwang hyunjin fanfic

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cerealmonster15 · 1 year ago

Note

HELLO. YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS !! IT IS GAME TIME !!!

This quiz is very simple :) you shouldn't have any problems with it :) it's just their names after all !!!! Tell me which character each name is 😊

Admittedly though, taking this chance to study up on them myself bc even though I play on the JP server, I only recognize a couple of these 😭

カリム・アルアジーム

ルーク・ハント

ジャック・ハウル

ジャミル・バイパー

フロイド・リーチ

リリア・ヴァンルージュ

ジェイド・リーチ

ラギー・ブッチ

リドル・ローズハート

トレイ・クローバー

アズール・アーシェングロット

エース・トラッポラ

シルバー

マレウス・ドラコニア

オルト・シュラウド

エペル・フェルミエ

デュース・スペード

ケイト・ダイヤモンド

イデア・シュラウド

セベク・ジグボルト

レオナ・キングスカラー

ヴィル・シェーンハイト

excuse me. Oh my god.

see if you had asked me these back in like, late 2020/early 2021 i maybe wouldve done slightly better than im about to do bc the only way i could ever find twst fanart back then was by constantly copy pasting their names into pixiv bc there wasnt much of an english fanbase at the time... virtually none on tumblr... but i havent done it much recently- i did a few days ago [from when u initially sent this LOL] but it's nothing compared to when i did it like, DAILY jklfdsjklfds

at least. at least silver is a freebie LOL

umm. Ok this one both first and last name end in ム but I don’t know what ム is 🤔 I think this is gonna be Kalim or ruggie. The ム is probably either -im or -ie bc they’re the only ones left that have names that have that pattern… going with KALIM bc I have another guess later for ruggie

uhh. god i remember the dashes in some of these names specifically tripping me up when i was learning how ship names worked LOL. Mmmm I think it’s either gonna be rook or vil bc the name is short and snappy and written similar to Ace (I think. Maybe I got fucked on the Ace guess bddbcbfbf) but the last name seems shorter which makes me wanna think it’s rook? The last names both end in the T/-to sound…. ト you are Everywhere…. OH but I think it’s ROOK HUNT bc the next one I said is Jack howl and both of the last names for those two start with ハ so maybe that’s a hhhhhh sound??? Rook bb is that you???

Backwards process of elimination from 7 and 4, I think this one is JACK HOWL

i think this one might be azul or jamil but idr which LOL. i mean it looks too long to be either of them BUT im almost positive that triple line thing was in there when i looked up azujami LOL and i dont see it anywhere else so umm. idk jamil maybe??? unless i recognize that one for a different name and remember wrong sfjdsklfjd. Ok yes I think it’s Jamil bc of my same reasoning for #7

leech. Floyd?

Liiiilia? Going off ア at the end of probably idia matching here. Lilia please do not bamboozle me AGAIN

leech. Jade? I was back and forth for a while but since three characters start with the Ja- sound and there are three names with that same character at the start… I think this is Jade.

Ummm. R-ruggie. Maybe. Going on yet another limb bc it ends in チ and the only other names that end in that are leech, so maybe bucci’s ch sound matches??

A bit of a stretch guess but I’m gonna say riddle? For the same ド reasoning i say in 17; riddle has that -do sound near the end of his name but I feel like there’s an extra sound thing after it. Specifically when trey screams his name in book 1 but I can’t really remember LOL. But the last name also has ト… -to… rosehearts… rosehear-to….

trey or cater. i think trey.

Doing another stretch guess and saying azul, bc he’s the only one with same letter for both his initials and this one has a same character at the start of both. I am hesitant bc az and ash I would think might be different? But I can’t think of anyone else that would have a similar start 🤔 and the length of names looks possible. And by that logic, ト at the end might be the -to sound, which does line up with the to- for like trey’s name. Idk how it’s actually spelled but when I mumble it to myself that’s what it sounds like hdjfjfngng

Ace I think, with the ト in tr- appola to match tr-ey and ashengrot-to… which I mean in English maybe doesn’t match but I think I’m Japanese spelling/pronunciation they are??? Also this one looked familiar from my pixiv days and I couldn’t place it, but I think the A for a-deuce is what I’m remembering LOL

SILVER

Malleus? The ア at the end of maybe draconia matches the -ia for maybe idia and lilia

idia or ortho. I think ortho once again bc of the ト -to sound??

PROCESS OF ELIMINATION YOU WERE THE LAST ONE LEFT. EPEL???

Deuce? Bc names like Jade, Floyd, Diamond, and shroud all have the ド at the end, and spade should have one too I think 🤔 beloved juice spade please don’t fail me now 🙏

cater or trey. i think cater.

idia or ortho. Going with idia bc I decided the other is ortho probably….. ooh and his and lilia’s names mmmmmaybe would end the same? Possibly???

Ok this one and 22 last names both end in ト, that -to sound, and all I have left are Leona vil Epel and sebek, so this one has to be either Schoenheit or Zigvolt… I’m going to completely guess and say this one is SEBEK. bc of the two this name looks less familiar to me and I k ow I used to look up several vil ships on pixiv LOL. also the last name looks shorter. So I think sebek

Ok down to Epel or Leona. I’m going with Leona tho bc it’s Slightly Longer than #16 AND bc silver and Probably Viper both end in the same dash and I think phonetically they sound more like -ar??

Reasoning for 20, I’m saying vil 🤔

LAYS FACE DOWN ON THE GROUND. DO UR WORST WHATS MY GRADE ☠️

#asks #felix-The-lemon-king #OH BOY PUZZLES!!!!

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sl-newsie · 2 years ago

Text

Chapter One: Lodging House (Spot Colon x Female Newsie)

Ok so I’ve been sitting on some written Newsies material for a while and I figured the new 2023 year was a sign to let some of it out. It’s a 92sies Spot Colon fanfic, and I’ll leave it up to you whether or not it’s good. I’m proud of it, you don’t have to read it, but I do hope y’all enjoy it! :)

(BTW there’s LOTS of spelling errors due to me attempting to write a NY accent! I also added a few characters and songs, and I will take certain suggestions and requests!)

Ah, Manhattan. A place fer dreams ta thrive and die. I neva woudda thought that I’d have ta make a liv’n here, but we all can’t choose our lives. Be’n a resident of tha Manhattan newsies lodg’n house is plenty enough.

“Get up! Sell the papers!”

Ugh… morn’n already? My eyes squint as soon as my bed sheet is ripped off me.

“Morn’n sunshine!” A bright-eyed kid announces in my face.

I groan. “Hello Race. You’s lucky I’s ain’t fully awake yet, ‘cause if I was I’d throw you out tha window! You’s wake me up like this again, and I’ll see you’s banned from tha races fer good!”

“Aww, c’mon! Lighten up Beccy!”

I sit up and stare square in his eye. “Wanna bet?”

“Not this early in tha mourn’n!”

I groan again. Then I, very un-enthusiastically, roll out of my bunk and grab my clothes bag hidden undaneath (I know some would steal it just ta taunt a goil). I’m a night person myself, but I’s found it best ta start early. I also make sure my modda’s gold ring is still in there. Ah, life in The Newsboys Lodging House… with a few exceptions, o’course.

“Get up!” Kloppman yells at Skittery, who’s still asleep.

“I didn’t do it!” He jolts awake.

“What do ya mean, you didn’t do it? Get up! Carry the banner! Sell the papers! Sell the papers!”

Behind me I hear an argument already pann’n out:

“That's my cigar!” Race complains.

“You'll steal anudder,” Snipeshooter retorts.

“Hey, bummers- We got work to do!” Blink interrupts.

“Since when did you become me mudder?” Snipeshooter asks.

“Ah, stop yer bawl’n!” Crutchy says.

“Hey! Who ast you?” Everyone shouts back. I roll my eyes and try ta hide a smile. Mak’n my way ta tha washroom, I see it’s already bustl’n with boys.

“Mourn’n Boots, Mush, Blink, Skittery,” I mumble.

“Hey guys- it’s Becca! Give her some privacy!” Crutchy tries ta shove and make room fer me, but loses his balance. Luckily, I catch him before he can hit tha floor.

“Thanks,” he says in a small voice.

“No problem. Ya leg do’n ok?”

“Not tha best.”

“You’ll do fine,” I say encouragingly as I help him up. “Ladies can’t resist help’n a crip.”

“Alright, really guys- let Becca through! Give tha goil some room!” Mush yells. A path ta tha restrooms is unquestioningly formed.

“Thanks, Mush.”

“Anytime!”

“Now put a shirt on!” I holler as I walk away.

“You know ya like me!” Mush taunts.

“In yer dreams!”

I pull on my usual faded blue shirt, black suspenders, dark gray vest, black knickers, brown boots, and gray cap with my brown hair tucked undaneath.

Afta I’m done dress’n, I hear tha guys giv’n Crutchy suggestions.

“Try Bottle Alley or the harbor,” Mush suggests.

“Try Central Park, it's guaranteed,” Race inputs.

Jack flicks some shav’n cream at Mush and joins in: “Try any banker, bum, or barber.”

“They almost all knows how to read!” Skittery joins.

“I smell money!”

“You smell foul!”

“Met this goil last night!” Mush brags at me. I gag dramatically.

“Move your elbow,” Crutchy asks Boots.

“Pass the towel,” Racetrack demands, his face covered in soap.

“For a buck, I might!” Skittery jokes, dangl’n it outta Race’s reach. He stumbles and falls inta me, so I push him off.

Tha rest of us join in:

“Ain't it a fine life,

Carrying the banner through it all?

A mighty fine life-

Carrying the banner tough and tall!”

We all jump in line and file down tha stairs. I quickly grab a broom and sweep up tha dust, earn’n an approv’n smile from Kloppman.

“Every morning

We goes where we wishes!

We's as free as fishes!

Sure beats washin' dishes!

What a fine life,

Carrying the banner home-free all!”

I look ova and begin ta see tha rest of tha younga boys wake up.

“Hiya Becs!”

“Sleep well, Beccy?”

“Morn’n Joey, Dusty, Kenny, Skippy. Can’t complain- but I still can’t get a full night sleep. You’s sleep ok?”

“Yeah, but Skippy threw up. And he’s warm.”

I frown. “Must be a bug or someth’n. Leave him here ta rest fer taday. As fer tha rest of yous- don’t work too hard today, boys.”

I follow tha boys a few block ‘till they split up and continue ta follow tha olda fellas. It breaks my heart ta know that such young kids don’t have a family and have ta sell papes.

“It takes a smile as sweet as butter,” Jack states.

Crutchy adds: “The kind that ladies can't resist.”

Mush leans in, giv’n me a wide grin. I just punch him and roll my eyes.

“It takes an orphan, with a studda,” Race inputs.

“Who ain't afraid ta use his-” Jack starts.

“Fist!” Blink finishes.

We take off, run’n and jump’n through tha street, unaware of any odda passerbys. Next we have some fun and leap onta some barrels.

“Summer stinks and winter's waitin'.

Welcome to New York!

Boy, ain't nature fascinating

When you's gotta walk?”

We all run back inta tha street.

“Still, it's a fine life,

Carrying the banner with me chums!

A mighty fine life,

Blowing every nickel as it comes!”

Crutchy sings:

“I'm no snoozer,

Sittin' makes me antsy.

I likes livin' chancy.”

We add:

“Harlem to Delancey!

What a fine life,

Carrying the banner through the slums.”

We stop and notice tha church wagon com’n down tha street. We begin to walk ova and I see tha boys take off their hats. I’d do that same, but then my hair’d come out, and I’d get more attention than I’s need.

Some Nuns call out ta us:

“Blessed children.

Though you wander lost and depraved,

Jesus loves you.

You shall be saved.”

They hold out cups of coffee and rolls, and we’s all eagerly reach out.

“Just gimme half a cup,” Race begs.

Tha nuns always give me dirty looks ‘cause I dress like a guy, but I don’t care. However I do care when they’s neva give me any food.

“Something ta wake me up,” Blink asks.

“I gotta find an angle.” Mush hands me half a roll, which I take gratefully with a smile.

“I gotta sell more papes.” Crutchy holds up his hands.

“Papers is all I got

Wish I could catch a breeze

Sure hope the headline's hot

All I can catch is fleas.”

“God, help me if it's not

Somebody help me, please.”

We jump inta an alley and join in togetha:

“If I hate the headlines,

I'll make up the headline

And I'll say anything I hafta.

'Cause at two for a penny

If I take too many

Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta!”

“Look, they're putting up a headline!” A group sings. I look where they’s point’n and see: Trolley Strike Drags On For 3rd Week. I groan.

“What's it say? That won't pay!” Tha rest follow.

“They call that a headline?

I get better stories

From the copper on the beat!” We all jump ova tha fence and make our way tha tha distribution center.

“So where's your spot?”

“I was gonna start at twenty,

Now a dozen'll be plenty.”

“God it's hot!”

“Tell me, how'm I gonna make ends meet?”

We sing togetha:

“We need a good assassination!

We need an earthquake or a war!”

“How 'bout a crooked politician?” Snipeshooter calls.

We all shake our heads.

“Hey, stupid- That ain't news no more!

Uptown to Grand Central Station,

Down to City Hall.

We improves our circulation

Walking 'till we fall!”

I sing along, leap’n, dropp’n, and roll’n as I do.

“Still we'll be out there,”

“Look, they're putting up a headline

They call that a headline?

The idiot who wrote it

must be working for the Sun-”

“-carrying the banner man to man!”

-”Didja hear about the fire?

Heard it killed old man Maguire-”

“We'll be out there,

Soaking every sucker that we can!”

“-Heard the toll was even higher!

Why do I miss all the fun?”

“See the headline:

Newsies on a mission!”

Kill the competition!

Sell the next edition!”

“While we're out there-”

We break inta jump’n around tha square.

“-Carrying the banner through it all!”

“A mighty fine life,

Carrying the banner

tough and tall!’

“I was gonna start with twenty

But a dozen will be plenty

Would you tell me how'm I ever

Gonna make ends meet?”

“See the headline,

Newsies on a mission!

Kill the competition!

Sell the next edition!

We’ll be out there, carry’n the banner in the-!”

We all stop and look ova at Morris and Oscar Delancey, tha two guys you most neva wanna see.

“Dear me, what is that unpleasant aroma?” Race jokes, fann’n his face. “I fear tha sewer might have backed up over tha night.”

“Nah, that’s too good a smell. It must be- tha Delancy broddas!” Crutchy taunts.

“Hiya boys!”

Oscar sneers at us, then shoves Snipeshooter ta tha ground. “In the back, you lousy little shrimp!”

I grit my teeth and step up ta fight, but Jack pushes me behind him

Race shakes his head. “It ain’t good ta do that. Ain’t healthy.”

“It ain’t good ta call people shrimps, unless you’s refer’n ta tha family resemblance of yer brodda here,” Jack points ta Oscar.

“Hey, who here’s up for a bet that Cowboy can take ‘em?” Race asks around.

“I’ll take it!” I speak up.

“Well if it ain’t Kelly’s baby sista,” Oscar sneers at me.

I sneer back. “Well if it ain’t Weasel’s goon and his dumber-than-a-box-a-rocks brodda!”

He tries ta grab me, but Jack steps in between us.

“That’s an insult!” Morris says.

“Yeah, it is.” Jack leans in his face. “And so is this!” He swipes Morris’ hat and takes off run’n, mak’n tha Delancys chase afta him and earn’n a laugh from everybody.

While Jack goes ta taunt tha Delancies, I go inside tha distribution center and hear:

“ Go! Go! Come on! Get tha lead outta yer pants! Come on! Move it! Move it!”

I walk in and smile as I look up and see tha yell’s origin. “Hey, Flix! How’s it go’n?”

“Not now, Becs! I got these numbskulls ta work with! Don’t push it- you’ll have yer papes!”

Flix deals with print’n tha papes, and I likes to annoy him wheneva I can. When I see Jack again, he’s still run’n with Morris’ hat. Typical.

I also see a pair-a newcomers, who are a bit surprised and confused ‘bout Jack’s behavior.

“What’re you doing?” Tha olda one asks when Jack runs up ta him.

Jack looks ova his shoulda, then back at tha kid. “Runn’n!”

I smile wide and run ova ta join in tha crowd watch’n Jack take on Morris:

“Go get 'em, cowboy!”

“It's a fine life

Carrying the banner-”

“You got 'em now, boy!”

“It's a fine life

Carrying the banner-”

“Go get 'em, cowboy!”

“It's a fine life-

Carrying the banner!”

“You got 'em now, boy!”

“It's a fine life-

Carrying the banner

It's a-

Go!”

We all break out laugh’n and walk up ta tha distribution counter.

“Ya got ‘em, Cowboy!” Race punches Jack’s shoulda.

“You’re too kind!” Jack bows.

“You’re dead, Cowboy!” Morris remarks as he and Oscar retreat behind tha counter.

We all join up again in line.

“Oh Mista Weasel!” Jack taunts and rings the bell.

Tha window opens, and I hear: “I told ya before, the name’s ‘Whilesel’.”

Jack skims today's pape, while Weasel grows impatient.

“Well?”

“Back off! I’m inspect’n tha moirchandise!” Jack talks back.

I lean in. “Any good today?”

“As good as any old headline- noth’n new. But we’s gonna make it woik.”

When I pass Weasel my 50 cents for my papes (very stiffly, mind ya), he says:

“Ya know kid, you really shouldn’t be sell’n. People see a goil in guy’s clothes and they get uncomfortable. Maybe try the workhouse-”

“I paid ya my money, now give me my papes!” I pound tha counter. I’s neva gonna work in a sweatshop!

“Watch it, toots. You wouldn’t want another… reminder, would ya?”

Rats. It’s tha Delancies again. Their ‘reminder’ I got last time was a black eye that lasted a whole week!

“I’s leav’n! I’s leav’n!” I bark at ‘em. I start ta go, see’n as I’s got a while ta walk. My sell’n spot’s tha furthest away aside from Race’s.

Behind me I hear: “Didja miss me, Weasel?” I have ta smile. Jack loves ta get on his nerves!

“Good luck today, guys,” I call.

“See ya, Becs.”

Oh yeah, that’s me. Rebecca “Becs” Carlyle, tha only goil newsie resident of tha Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House. Harlem and Jersey gots a few goils, but theys ain’t so friendly. Tha only friends I’s got is tha ‘Hattan newsies, along with a few from Queens. Odda than that I’s never been outside of New York. Our leader and my big brodda, Jack, says he wants ta go ta someplace called ‘Santa Fe,’ but don’t got the money for it. That’s how dreams die: ya wake up with a slap in tha face called ‘reality’. Now we’s just give up on dreams and sell papes. It ain’t much, but it’s a liv’n, and a family-a sorts.

Alright, time to get to work.

Chapter 2 will be out soon, I promise! If you have requests, please let me know! :)

#newsies 1992 #newsies #spot conlon #Jack Kelly #david jacobs #Les Jacobs #racetrack higgins #mush meyers #kid blink #boots newsies #skittery newsies #crutchy newsies #spot colon x reader #newsies x reader

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