#pardon the child--so hopeful & happy--who is excited by the thought of a tomorrow. a tomorrow with HIM in it 🥺

[a-earthssprout]

🌼🐌 you may see a serious guy, but we see a friend 😌 // ( @ironbonds / continued from 💎 ! )

IT WAS AS IF TINY, CHEERFUL ANGELS FLOATED DOWN FROM THEIR heaven of greenery, laden with blessings and full of intention—how Ari came to be of interest to them on this day was mystery. It wasn't one different from the average; little Ari was all alone, though quite happy in spite of it, for she—as she was often left to her own devices—had plenty of experience in creating her own sort of fun. IMAGINATION made the strong roots that helped blossom the best things for games of pretend, and what little Ari pretended on this day was that she was surrounded by friends. Dear ones; ones who care for her and whom she cared for; ones that enjoyed her company immensely, and had no trouble nor aversion to the thought of outdoor play; ones that were excited to see all the treasures she had gathered up in her trusty wicker basket, which could be generously shared and kept safe among the group. 

Ari imagined that the wild animals around her took the places of these ' friends ', but the fun of it was temporary. It only ever was—for, though animals were drawn to and quite comfortable around nature’s little soul, they were not always so different from people. The animals would eventually scurry off. At least they weren't as hasty as people to do so. 

But since these ' angels ' had wrapped little Ari in luck, allowing her a trip up to the lovely place that they call home, and introduced her to their kind friend named Knuckles, Ari felt that there was no need to pretend—no need to wish and imagine, for she was now surrounded in valuable company, making loneliness a thing of the past, and it was certainly better than any picture that a mind could paint. Though Knuckles wore a rather serious face and possessed an authoritative air ( which was encouraged heavily by his body language in particular ) there was something gentle in his eyes—something SWEET. Ari did not feel it necessary to curl up beneath them. He possessed nearly every trait that Ari wished for in someone: a willingness to explore the outdoors, an appreciation for such, and even a little special, indescribable something that made him feel like a FRIEND. 

Needless to say, Ari was already so incredibly fond of him and the Chao ( who felt more like FAIRIES than angels to Ari by this point ), and it all felt too good to let go of so suddenly—too painful to part with. It was as if she knew, in spite of what little one knows at the tender age of six, that the void in her heart would return slowly as the fairy friends brought her home—that the ache of missing him would be far too much to bear. 

" b — b … buh … but I'll miss you … " 

“ … I … I love m — mr. Knucky … ”

His tone isn’t strict, but something in it told Ari that Knuckles wouldn’t budge. Her little fingers met at her chest, twiddling together as her innocent eyes wandered, taking note of all the things about the island that she had quickly come to love, and avoiding the ' part ' of it that she was most attached to. But little Ari was not disobedient, and she worried that if she resisted any more than she already had through her genuine words, it would be unlikely that she would EVER be allowed to return. No, it was not worth such a risk … 

But Ari still couldn't help her upset. The gaze once filled with sunshine was now dulled by a shadow that was made by the thought of what's bound to come next. It soon met with his, and for every moment it stayed there, it became sadder and sadder. Ari tried her very best to remain calm—to stay behaved—but her emotions betrayed her; her eyes became misty with tears, and her bottom lip quivered as she tried to put her words together. PESKY words … 

Though … there was something nice that he said that she could hold onto—something REASSURING. The promise of a tomorrow. Light flickered in her eyes. It seems that Knuckles had unknowingly applied the correct balm. 

“ r — re … really … ? ” Ari began, a hint of disbelief in her tone. It washed away, however, absent in the words that followed, which were completely saturated in hopeful cheer. She shuffled towards him and placed her little hand atop one of his, minding the spikes, and blinked her tears away. A genuine smile grew, and quite soon her freckled face became a happy one again. TOMORROW. She can see him again tomorrow! 

“ mmm … may I come again, please? muh … may I really?! ” 

Ari started to bounce lightly on her toes. “ I prrr … pro— I promise to be very, very good! veeeery good! sss … so I can see mr. Knuh … mr. Knucky tomorrow! ”

[springdandelixn]

Home - Part I

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42329199/chapters/106292970

Jorah x F!Reader

Summary: You and Jorah are enjoying a peaceful night in your home when a knock on the door surprises you both and shakes the peace you know.

Warnings: light angst, some fluff, tons of kisses from our Bear Knight

YOU

The night is dark and full of terrors. 

But not in your home; the home which you share with Jorah that sits at the edge of the town where the forest is lust with trees and the sea just close by that you hear the water crashing against the shore. The cool winter breeze of the night blows through the windows of your small yet homey cottage, but the fire that burns in the hearth of your bedroom and Jorah’s arms around your, as you both lay in bed, keep the chill at bay, encasing you in a warmth that makes you love the winter all the same.

His smooth voice echoes throughout the room as he tells you a tale of his childhood. One where his father took him on his first bear hunt along with the seasoned warriors of the island, his road of passage to manhood, a tale that makes you laugh upon revealing that he ended up falling in a rover when he thought a bear was chasing him, which turned out to be but a tiny squirrel jumping about the bushes. 

You love his stories. Love that he has so much of them in store. And you feel the excitement and happiness surging within you as you imagine hime telling your child the same tales he’s told you once he or she comes into the world. A smile grazing you lips when his hand rests against the swell of your belly, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss atop it.

Jorah has been a protective bear as soon as he found out your were with child. Following you around wherever you would go and offering to the do even the simplest tasks for you. You understood his protective nature for you knew of his past. Knew of his fears. The three stillborns with the last taking the life of his first wife and he’s expressed them almost immediately that he does not want the same fate to befall you. 

But you feel the babe in you is strong. Inheriting the strength of their father, the strength of a Mormont, and it does not worry you one bit that anything would happen to you or your unborn child. That you feel confident and elated at the thought of holding the babe in your arms and hoping to see them take after your husband; to have the most beautiful blue eyes and golden hair that shines underneath the sun. 

As he finishes his story, Jorah moves to stand and blow out the candles that illuminate your room when a knock at the door surprises the both of you, a call of his name filling you with worry as you think of who would be looking for your husband at this time of the night and why. 

“Stay here.” He instructs and leans over to press a kiss on your forehead, blowing out the last of the candle, only the small fire on the hearth serving as the source of light. He walks over to his belt that hangs by the door of your chambers and slips of a dagger from its sheath before leaving you and closing the door behind him. 

You cover yourself with furs and try your best to settle on the mattress. But the muffled voice of the other man and the shock you sense from Jorah’s voice keeps you on high alert, your heart beating fast against your chest as your mind conjures up several reasons for him to garner such a reaction. 

When Jorah returns, there is a frown on his face and you quickly move to stand from the bed, but he stops you by placing a hand on your shoulder, his body slumping as he sits on the edge of the bed.

“Who was it?” You ask. “What did they want?”

“It was Captain Wymond.” He answers with a sigh. “Lyanna requests my presence tomorrow at the Keep to discuss travels to Winterfell.”

His answer sends a chill up your spine. “Winterfell? But—why?”

You start to panic, your hands shaking as you think of reasons why they would want your husband to travel all the way to Winterfell. Surely it’s not to punish him for his past crimes, right? He was pardoned by the King in the North himself and Lady Mormont has accepted him back on the island. 

Unless—unless he’s realized that he wants to carry out what his late father has never accomplished. To punish Jorah for his sins, to kill him, or worse, to force him to take the black, permanently separating him from you and taking away the father of your unborn child. Tears suddenly escape your eyes as your mind is filled with such thoughts, your hand reaching up to him and clutching on his arm tight. 

No! You can’t let that happen! You’re about to be a family and you won’t allow your child to grow up without their father by their side. You won’t allow yourself to grow old with Jorah by your side. You can’t!

“Petal.”

You face Jorah when he coos at you, a deep frown forming on your lips as you pull yourself up and wrap your arms around his neck, clinging to him as the thought of him leaving your sight makes your insides turn. 

“Calm down. It’s not good for the child.” He says in a soft voice, pulling away slightly from your grasp, his hand reaching up to wipe the tears that have stained your face. “I know not what they need me for yet.”

“They’re taking you to Winterfell, Jorah!” What if Lord Snow wants your head? Or they send you to the wall?” Your lips quiver as you finally voice out your fears. “I cannot lose you. I won’t allow it!” You cry. 

“And you won’t.” He assures, feeling his hand caress the back of your head before cupping your chin to tilt your head back, making you look at him. “It is not the Mormont way to deceive others. If I was to be punished, Lyanna would have said so. And she has announced to Lord Snow of my return. If he wanted me dead, she wouldn’t have allow me to set foot on the island and have sent me to Winterfell at once.” He explains, pressing his forehead against yours. “I will listen to what they have to say and if it is what you fear, we shall leave.”

You look at him with wide eyes. His offer of escape lingering in your head, how he did so with his Southern wife that made the smallfolk despise him. It worries you that he would go through the same thing, with you in tow this time, but you would take it in a heartbeat, you don’t care if the people of Bear Island decides to hate you just the same, if it meant living in peace with the man you love. 

“But where would we go?”

“Lys? Braavos? We could sail to another country if we so wish.” His voice is serious.

“You mean that?” You ask.

“I would do anything to be with you, Petal. Besides, I’ve done it before.” He simply says as he runs his fingers through your hair. “I can do it again if I so wish.” 

 -

 The morrow comes and you wait inside the Keep, sitting at the dining table as Jorah talks to Lady Mormont and her advisors in the small gathering room. 

Jorah asked you to stay at home and wait for him, his reasons being that the path to the Keep is now covered in snow and he doesn’t want you to trip or slip on your way. But you refused, much to his chagrin, and allowed you to accompany him either way, your hand clutching tightly on his elbow as he guides you up to Mormont Keep. 

Your leg bounces in anticipation, your fingers fiddling with your skirt then your belly as you wait for their discussions to end. You don’t miss the eyes of the inhabitants of the Keep as they look at you with curiosity, the handmaiden of Lady Mormont giving you a smile when she recognizes you, a tray of cups and plates of half-eaten bread in her hand, her eyes full of question, same as the rest and you don’t doubt it’s about your sudden appearance in the house of the Lady of Bear Island. 

“Thank you, my lady.”

Your head snaps to the side when you hear Jorah’s voice in the room, standing immediately, somewhat a little slow from your condition when your eyes rest on him then on Lady Lyanna beside him, flanked by Captain Wymond and Maester Kalon. 

“I shall be seeing you at the docks in a week, cousin.” She says, your head bowing when her eyes meet yours briefly before turning her attention back to your husband. “And I shall uphold my promise that your wife shall be looked after in your absence.”

Jorah bows his head when his cousin leaves, striding towards you after and wrapping an arm around your waist as he looks at you. And you can’t help but notice the deep worry in his eyes, how the crease on his forehead deepens and the wrinkles on side of his eyes looking more prominent. 

“What did she mean, Jorah?” You ask all of a sudden. “Look after me?”

“We’ll discuss it at home.” He says with finality and you nod, his distress bleeding into you as you leave Mormont Keep. 

Upon arriving at the safety of your home, Jorah sits you down on the bed and tells you what has transpired in their talk. The stories of the Night King that mothers tell their children have become a reality and the Warden—no, King in the North has called his bannermen to save their home, to help fight for the living and kill the dead.

“No!” You shout and clutch on the swell of your belly as you stand and look at Jorah, the tears escaping your eyes as anger, and sadness consumes you. “I won’t allow you, Jorah! No! You’re to be a father in two months and you’re telling me you have to leave? Because of a child’s tale?”

“It is no longer a tale, my love,” Jorah says as he places a hand on your waist, stilling you, his other hand reaching up to cup your face. “Lyanna said that Jon Snow himself saw them marching to the wall. And now he calls for aid from all the houses in the North. I—I can’t,” His voice falters as he looks at you and you see unshed tears brimming in his eyes. “I have to fight. I have to, in order to protect you and our child.”

“But you don’t have to.” You try to reason, wiping your tears harshly from your eyes and clutching his wrists, taking a deep breath before you speak. “We can just leave as you said. We’ll go east. If the stories are true, the dead cannot follow us there.”

“We don’t know that for sure.” He sighs, rubbing his thumb against the apple of your cheek. “I have to go. I may not be a lord but I am still a knight and a Mormont. I cannot turn a blind eye to this. The living need me.”

“But we need you too! I need you!” You cry and bury your face in his chest, your hands turning into fists as you lightly beat at his chest. “You cannot leave me. You can’t—” Your voice falters as your sadness takes over. The thought of losing Jorah forever from battle doesn’t sit well with you and you don’t even want to think if they bring home his feet pointing to the heavens and not firmly planted on the ground.

“Lyanna is taking every abled man and woman to Winterfell to fight.” He adds, the desolation in his voice palpable. 

“Every? That means even my—”

“Aye. Even your uncle will be coming with us.” He sighs and leans forward, pressing his forehead against yours. “You and your aunt will be staying in the Keep. You both will be cared for and as soon as the battle ends, I’ll come home. I promise you.”

“We can take them with us.” You whisper softly. “We can leave at dawn.”

“I cannot leave, Petal.” He sighs once more. “Please understand.”

“But you said we could if they decide to kill you. How is this any different from that?” You reason. “If anything, this is much worse.”

“It was only my life that was at stake when I offered to leave. Now, the whole world could be in danger and I cannot allow myself to sit and have men defend me, defend us when I could be doing that myself.” He explains. “Even one man can turn the tide.”

You try to find more reasons for him to stay. For him to not charge himself in a war that you’re uncertain he would ever come back alive, or worse, be turned into one of the undead. But you come up with nothing because deep down, you know he’s right. That even a single pebble can ripple into a wave, a wave of change, of protection to have the living survive. 

But you still make a final attempt to make him stay. Burying your face on the crook of his neck, your tears falling once more down your face as you cling onto him like your life depended on it. 

“Please, don’t go.” 

The sigh that escapes his lips and the way he holds you tight is enough of an answer to know that he’s already made up his mind. 

 -

 You stand at the docks, your head held up high as you watch men and woman bid their loved ones farewell and board the awaiting ship that would take them to the capital of the North. Jorah is at your side, his arm around your waist as he waits for his turn to be called aboard, through with the way he holds onto you, you know that he would be getting on last. 

You turn to look at your side and frown when you see your uncle wrap your aunt in a tight embrace, your aunt putting on a strong front as she, too, sees her husband off. You try to be strong, try not to latch onto the sadness that consumes you, but when your eyes meet your uncle’s, you cannot help the sob that escapes your throat, pulling away from Jorah and making your way to your uncle, wrapping your arms around him tightly. 

“You take care of yourself, lassie.” He says softly, closing your eyes as your bury your face on his tunic, the tears once more escaping you when he presses a kiss to your hair. “Eden’ll be lookin’ after you. You have to listen to her, you hear me? None of that stubbornness ‘f yours.” He chuckles lightly and gives the back of your head a gentle pat. “And I be lookin’ after your husband.”

“You come back to us, Pa.” You cry against his shoulder. “You must.” And your heart clenches when he tightens his embrace when you call him as such. It’s the first time you ever did but the word itself is befitting of him for you’ve known no father aside from him. The only man who has watched you grow into the woman you are now, who has taken care of you and treated you as his own. And you dearly want him to know that you see him as your true father for he is and he will always be. 

“I will, lass.” He hiccups and pulls away to look at you, a sad smile on his face as he gives your nose a light poke. “I’ll still be teachin’ your child to fish. Just like how I did with you.”

“I’m sure they would love that.” You chuckle softly, hugging him once more before reluctantly letting him go. 

Jorah then walks over to the three of you and you smile when you aunt pulls him into an embrace, seeing her whisper into your husband’s ear before she pulls away and begins scolding your uncle about the small sack he’s brought with him. 

You then turn to face Jorah, the sadness still lingering in your heart as you wrap your arms around his neck tight, his own circling your middle all the same and leaning down to press his lips against yours. You cling on him as he kisses you hard, his tongue slipping past your lips, tasting every crevice of your mouth while feeling his hands caress your sides then your belly, as if burning you into his skin, taking every detail of you into memory. 

“Come back to me.” You whispers against his lips when you pull away, your tears flowing freely down your face and onto his shirt. 

“I promise.” He whispers back and kisses you once more. 

He only breaks the kiss when he hears Captain Wymond call for him, signalling their departure, Jorah getting down on one knee after and pressing a gentle kiss to your stomach, his hand caressing your side while yours runs through his golden hair. 

When he stands, you take off the scarf wrapped around your neck and wrap it around his, tying it securely then running your hand down on the bear you’ve sewn into it. The sigil of House Mormont. Praying to the gods that he would fight hard and he would fight strong. That he would fight with the strength of ten mainlanders and win this war. 

“Win this battle for me, my knight.” You say with as much courage as you can muster, trying your best to look strong in front of him. “Win this battle for our child.”

He runs his hand down the scarf, giving you a nod and pulls you once more into an embrace, his lips pressing against your hair before he releases you with reluctance when he’s called a second time. 

You watch your husband and your uncle board the ship, the anchor finally hoisted from the water and the sails that bear the symbol of your home drop down for the winds to carry them away. A horn is blown and the ship sets off, your feet taking to to the edge of the dock, following where you can and you watch with a broken heart until it vanishes into the horizon. 

  JORAH

He keeps his eyes on the island, his eyes on you until you are nothing but a speck in the sea. 

He hates that he has to be away from you. Hates that such chaos would stir mere months before you would give birth to his child. His first born and he fears that he wouldn’t be there in time once they enter the world. That he would miss the birth of his own son, or daughter, and he wouldn’t forgive himself if that were to happen, to ensure your safety, to be at your side when you need him most. 

He’s been a cynic since he was told that the second child his first wife was supposed to bear has befallen the same as the first. And not once has he prayed to the gods for anything for he’s only known for them to take. First his mother, then his father, his wife and his supposed children. 

But now, he does. He closes his eyes and prays to whichever god is listening that they would watch over you and protect you in his absence. That they would protect him in turn so he may fulfill his promise and return to you as soon as the war with the dead is over. 

“She’s a strong one.” He hears your uncle say beside him. His hands resting on the railings of the ship as he looks at the horizon. “And Eden’ll be keeping an eye on her.”

Jorah doesn’t respond, keeping his eyes on the water. 

“Don’t worry, son.” The word takes him by surprise, making him face your uncle with wide eyes. “I’ll stay by your side and make sure you make it home.” He says, a smile on his lips which Jorah returns.

“Aye. And I shall see to it that you’re with me when I do.” He pats your uncle on the shoulder once, his hand clutching on the scarf you gave him, both men looking into sea as they await their arrival to the port of Deepwood Motte.

[is-nini]

Genshin impact boys x reader(school au!)

|Will include: Diluc, zhongli,childe

(This will be the character for now also the characters age is 18+)|

"(Y/nnnnnnnnnnn)".

Your name was heard across the hall way, you flich and look around slowly and sweat drop.

"C-childe".

You whisper, trying to cover up your red face he just HAVE to make a scene in front of all people, his presence alone brings attention he is one of the student council afterall.

He jump and run towards you, flower seems to be floating around him, he hug you and rubs his head on your head while people around you are just staring.

"How are you~ how was your sleep last night~".

He cooed while you are dying with embarrassment. You try to push his head away from your smaller body but of course you failed..

"C-childe... y-you're making a scene...".

You whisper to him voice trembling.

"ahhhhwwww you're soo cute embarrassed!!!!".

Childe squeal he was about to say more stuff until someone else cut him off.

"Please don't make a scene in front of my class childe, (y/n)".

A deep strict voice was heard, there stood Mr. Ragnvindr the economic teacher.

"Ahhhhwww but Mr. Ragnvindr~ (y/n) is soooo cute with a face reddd don't you think~".

Childe stated while mushing your face togather and show it to Mr. Ragnvindr. When he see your adorable face being squished he can't help but want to take you and kiss you right then and there, but alas he have to hold it in and instead cover his red face and clear his throat.

"Please step inside the classroom (y/n), you are in my class today if i recall correctly".

Mr. Ragnvindr stated. Of course being a good girl, you follow his command. So you start to make your way to the classroom until you felt a strong big hand on your waist.

"Come to my classroom (y/n)~".

Childe say while putting his head on your shoulder, lucky for you Mr. Ragnvindr is there and he hit Childe's head making him let go of you.

"Go back to your class Childe or I'm going to report this behaviour to Mr. Zhongli".

Mr. Ragnvindr stated with a sharp tone and with that Childe scurry back to his classroom.

Diluc then look at (y/n) that's already starting to go inside the classroom. He move his gaze to the people around the hallway who are watching, and giving them a harsh glare that makes them tensed up and run to their own class.

Diluc sigh and then went inside the classroom too.

You sit in the middle of the classroom, not too far from teachers desk but not too close either, why is this important you ask? Well it seems like a certain teacher is watching you, whatever you do and as creepy as it sounds Diluc can't help it- you're so cute, your focus gaze on the exercise he has made the class do. Diluc will never get tired of watching you, Everything you do from sneezing, eating, even when you're walking you seem to bounce around making you so much more cuter-

His thoughts about you were cut off when the bell rings Diluc clear hus throat and stand up.

"Okay class make this assignment as your homework and please give it to me tomorrow. (Y/n) stay in class".

...whops.. Diluc face flushes red as he said the last word 'WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!' he thought to himself, face becoming as red as his hair but quickly try to calm his self down as he saw you walking towards him with a nervous walk.

"Y-yes Mr. Ragnvindr?".

You ask, confused but scared as to why he called you. Mr. Ragnvindr look at you and clear his throat.

"I would like to ask, has Childe been bothering you?".

"...eh?".

You say, dumb founded to the question your teacher just ask, Mr. Ragnvindr then started to explain more.

"I saw him and you on the hallway and was wondering is he bothering you?".

Ohhhhhhhh the hallway incident you nod understandingly but quickly shake your head and put a hand in front of you to futher prove your answer.

"N-no Mr. Ragnvindr, it's normal for him to do that and I'm not bother by it, thankyou for asking about that Mr. Ragnvindr".

You said bowing your body towards him.

"no it's normal for me to take care of my students and you don't have to bow, please stand up".

Mr. Ragnvindr say with a strict tone while holding your shoulder so that you stand straight, there seems to be a hint of shyness(?) On his voice, but you proceed to ignore that thinking that it was your imagination.

"Also, call mr Mr. Diluc please".

You look up at him confused but happy either way so you smile up at him and nod your head.

"Okay Mr. Diluc!".

When he heard you call him by his first name his body is shivering... The way you speak his name is so...sweet his heart started to thump around and he quickly Clear his throat.

"T-thankyou (y/n) you may go now".

You nod your head quickly and walk with a little bit of bounce on your steps.

"See you Mr. Diluc! Thankyouuuu".

You said while waving your hand towards him, lucky for him you didn't seem to notice his state, face red and hands trembling. God you're just the most adorable person he's gonna pass out.

You close the door and make your way to the cafeteria. While walking you bump into none other than Childe...

"There you areeeee i have been looking for youuuuu".

Childe say with a big smile while hugging you and pick you up, which..makes you freak out.

"CHILDE?! PUT ME DOWN PLEASE!?!?".

you demand... Well you TRY to demand but it comes out as a squeaking noise and it makes Childe laugh.

"Hahhaaahaha why would i? You look so cute embarrassed! Let's go eat shall we".

Childe say while walking to the other direction, opposite of the canteen.

"B-but Childe! The cafeteria is that way!".

You manage to squeak out while he just pat your back and rub it.

"Were not eating there babbeeeee".

Childe say while patting your back. You heard what he say and you're EMBARRASSED childe called you babe, childe called you babe, childe called you babe. Your body is over heating. And worst..he don't seem to have any intention to stop doing it.

"Were here!".

You look around and look at the name of the room 'Mr. Zhongli's office'. You're confused you are aware that he and Mr. Zhongli is close but... You enver thought he usually have a lunch with THE Mr. Zhongli. 'so that's why he didn't disturb me when it's lunch time-' except today of course you thought.

You heard a door being slammed opened, shocked you look at Childe and saw him smile to Mr. Zhongli who seems to sigh and rub his temple.

"Childe...please don't slam my door..".

Childe seems to ignore the word that Mr. Zhongli say and proceed to drag you in and present you in front of Mr. Zhongli as if you're a Christmast present.

"Hereeee is the girllll Mr. Zhongli".

Mr. Zhongli seems to be tired but after seeing you his eyes.... sparkles a bit..?.. that's.. interesting.

"Hello miss (y/n) pleased meeting you here".

Zhongli say with a small smile on his face. You nod and quickly bow to Mr. Zhongli.

"P-PLEASE TO MEET YOU MR ZHONGLI".

you shout out due to the embarrassment that childe has made you went through, suddenly a deep voice was heard throughout the room.

"What in the world is going on here".

Mr. Diluc asked his eyes narrowed to look at all three of you, when his gaze fell upon you his eyes soften a bit and turn his attention to Mr. Zhongli, feeling his fellow friend's gaze Mr. Zhongli sigh a little again and proceed to explain.

"Well a certain student of mine seem to have a very.. interesting attraction to Miss (y/n) here and he seems to be very exited to introduce her to me... despite me already knowing her".

Childe roll his eyes, hug (y/n) and proceed to squeeze her with his hug, he then rub his cheek on her cheek.

"Of course i am excited! I want to introduce my girlfriend to my favourite teacher afterall~ i want everyone to know she is mine~".

After he said that everything just stopped. The room becomes very quiet and the only sound is the ticking from the clock.

"Pardon me"

"Excuse me"

"WHAT"

Mr. Zhongli, Mr. Diluc and you say at the same time, confused as to what lies that Childe has spit out. You then cough a little to gain the people in the room.

"I-i believe CHILDE here MEANT that i am his FRIEND that is a girl".

You stated sweatdroping a little bit, seeing the relaxed faces of your teacher, you become relaxed too.

Zhongli know you, how can he not..you have been the kindest girl he met, the way you walk around is very.. cute too you remind him of a bunny so cute, so kind, so soft. Sometimes zhongli just wanted to hug you for the rest of his life...how can he not? When you are such a cutie.. such a good girl for him.

"Well then Miss (y/n) and Mr. Diluc, would you both care to join me and Childe for lunch? You both has already spend enough time dealing with Childe your luch time is cut off short".

You nod while Childe drag you to sit between him and zhongli. While Mr. Diluc sit on the other chair, all of you makes your self comfortable with your seat until Mr. Zhongli decided to put you on his lap. Your brain just stopped working and your whole body freeze, Mr. Zhongli put his head on your shoulder while Childe and Mr. Diluc is shocked as to what happened before their eyes.

"I hope you don't mind me Miss (y/n), you smell so nice I can't help it but wanted to hug you".

Mr. Zhongli say with his deep voice, Mr. Diluc stand up, making everyone looking at him as he walk towards you, taking your hair and slip it behind your ear, he bend in front of you and kiss your cheek.

"Well then i hope you don't mind me (y/n) your cheek is very adorable, it's a shame that no one seems to clain it".

Mr. Diluc say while holding your hair and kiss it too, your heart just stopped beating at this point. This two hot teacher will be the death of you. While you're in your embarrassed and drunk like state, Childe pout and kneel in front of you, like a prince and flashes you one of his charming smile, he took your hand in his and kiss it gently and look up at you.

"In that case i hope you don't mind your true prince to kiss your hand that will hold a ring with my name on it".

Childe state. That's the last straw, you felt your sould left your body and acends to heaven, you faint- face flushes so red that Mr. Diluc's hair is ashamed of it self. Seeing your state the boys started to argue on who is at fault here.

In the end of the day, Miss lisa and Miss jean teach the boys a lesson on how to not make you faint again while aethet, lumine, albedo and sucrose is fanning you and helping you to hold your self.

This will be a normal day for you :)

/thankyou so much for reading this book, im still new to this Tumblr and writing so..if there is any complaints please don't be shy to tell :) also if there is any suggestion as to who you want to see next, please do tell. I will try to write it!/

[depressedacadamia]

So you want to Play?

Prompt + Pairing: Historical AU, ‘Play’ + Hades and Persephone

A/N: I'm so so happy with the way Day 4's fic turned out- Super happy! I never thought writing for the greek gods would be this fun but I defintely want to do more of it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! <3 from me!!

Read on A03                 WritersMonth 2021

“Your Majesty, there is a visitor for your daughter,” the guard informed the Queen.

Demeter seemed unimpressed. “Who? And where are they from?”

The guards went silent with only the sound of mumbling and hushed whisperings.

“Well?” Demeter raised an eyebrow.

“It is King Hades of Erebus,” The guard said dutifully. Queen Demeter nodded and dismissed the guards.

The princess who had been eavesdropping immediately came skipping in with her dress bunched under her hands as she made her way towards her Mother with excitement drawn all over her face.

“Is it true mother? Is The King Hades of Erebus himself here to visit us?”

Demeter, who did not see much taste in Hades herself, simply gave a curt nod that did not match the enthusiasm portrayed on her daughter's face.

“Is he coming in? When will I see him? Mother, don't you agree that he is most handsome? I do envy any woman whom he may court- Do you think he would ever ask to court me, Mother? No, that would be ridiculous, do you think not?” Persphone rambled, her facial expressions varying with her words.

“Absolutely not.” Demeter’s voice was stern with her daughter. “ Do not entertain such fantastical ideas, Kore. Hades, I believe, is here on official business. Nothing more. And please, do wear something of a higher caliber- Make no mistakes, I do not intend for him to fall for your beauty, but I do not wish for us to embarrass ourselves in front of such an important personality, is that not correct Kore?”

Persephone sighed and nodded. Her body slumped as she dragged herself to her room where her dressing maids had found her a more ‘appropriate’ outfit for the visit. Persephone could not say she wasn't disappointed- Oh just how romantic would it be if Hades was here to beg for her hand in marriage or even the chance to have a simple outing with her!

And yet, her outfit was… unlike her. Normally, she wore yellow and pink- similar to her springtime colours and the domain and land which her mother ruled over. However today it seemed that her mother wanted nothing of Perepjhone’s innocence today. Her dress was gold, glimmering like the sun and with it was a green cloak, emerald green, like the blades of grass around her beautiful palace. There was no doubt that it made her look beautiful, the gold contrasting with her dark skin but she felt off.

The dress felt foreign around her body as she made her way to the throne where she was to take her place beside her Mother. Her hand was on the banister as she called out.

“Mother! Are you sure this is mine? I do feel that it seems much too grandiose for my tastes!” Persephone made her way into the throne room only to be met with the sight of a dozen guards all standing around a man who wore an elegant black suit, and was adjusting his golden cuffs.

Persephone noticed that the guards were not their own. Were they under attack? She did not have a weapon on her- what was she to do!

“Kore,” Her mother said in what seemed to be an affectionate attempt, “ King Hades is present. Do make yourself scarce and take your place.” Her hand batted towards her daughter’s throne and immediately, Persephone bowed, her head kept low as she hurried towards her throne and quickly took her place.

Before she sat, she made a small curtsy toward the King who in turn nodded back at her.His hair was long and messy but it suited his face. His eyes were so dark brown, Persphone swore that they were black. They had to be. She was drunk on him, his face, body- everything about him. He dressed like a man who knew what he wanted and Perphone could only wish that she was it.

“If you do not mind,” Persephone suddenly interrupted, earning a glare from her Mother, “What business is it that requires your presence here and not one of your messengers?”

Hades let out a small laugh and when he spoke, Persephone thought she might just melt. “ Do you not wish to see me? Is my presence here too unnerving for a spring princess?”

Persephone’s eyes largened and she shook her head frantically. “ Oh no! That is not it, your Majesty. It is simply that someone with as much power and business as you should not have to waste so much time travelling to simply put in a small request or discuss a little business when it could wait until one of the solstices.”

“Humour me Persephone,” Hades' eyes somehow darkened.” Do you often get suitors?”

Persephone was lucky that her blush was not visible. “What is such a question?”

“Yes, indeed, Hades- What is such a question?” Demeter’s eyes narrowed at the King whom she had known, realising she could trust his intentions no longer.

“My dearest Demeter, it is only a question. Why must you get so protective over her as if she is only a babe?”

“She is my only child, so please hurry up and take your leave Hades.”

“Mother!” Persephone gasped in horror, “We don't speak to our guests in such a dismissive manner. I am sorry, your majesty, my Mother must be getting old. Normally, she would never behave in such a manner! It must be the weather- when it gets colder, the crops begin to die and it does have the most disastrous effects on one’s behaviour. I apologise profusely. Please, let it be seen that you are taken to a guest room.”

“Kore!”

“My name is Persephone or Your Highness- I’d appreciate it if you were to call me either of those, Mother!”

“See it that King Hades here is put in the best guest suite available. Perhaps one furthest away from the chambers of Persephone. Thank you,” Demeter, ignoring her daughter's outburst, told the maid who immediately guided Hades towards the staircase. Hades paused and turned around.

“What about my legion? They have travelled far, Demeter and I would be deemed an unfair ruler if I were to force them to deal with the nearing winter and station them outside your doors.”

Demeter sighed. “Please also see that the Legion are suitably equipped.”

Persephone was almost singing melodies from her excitement. She couldn't wait to tell all her friends about this day! Artemis and Apollo wouldn't believe her when she got to tell them. In fact, to make sure they would hear of the incident when it was as clear as day in her memory, she rushed to her chambers and immediately set out to write them a letter.

Her quill dipped in the ink as she wrote out the exciting events of the day. She had finished her intimate description of him that lasted at least a page and the events that had acted out in the Throne room. She was about to end the letter but she had been called for dinner which she had been informed would be with Hades.

Almost skipping to dinner, she smiled- She would be supping with Hades tonight! How exciting! She had to make sure to include this in her letter to the twins!

She took her seat with glee and despite the fact that her favourite dessert was not being served, she did not seem to portray any sadness.

“Kore? I would have thought you were to say something about there being a lack of your favourite dessert,” The servant cleaning up after her murmured into her ear as she picked up her plate. Persephone shrugged, still smiling brightly.

“Now Hades, why are you here? You have yet to grace us with your reasoning for travelling all this way. What could be so urgent that you came this distance through this weather? Especially to a palace where you know you have no place.” Deemter added a snarl to the last line.

“Mother!” Persephine begged under her breath.

Hades chuckled. “Demeter, still as stiff as usual. Well, I came here to discuss the everlasting problem of Gaia. It seems she is infatuated with the idea that she could combine forces with some other armies and avenge her Son, Kronos,” Hades explained.

“And why take this to me? Why not to any of the other stronger, more armed lands? I’m sure Ares or Athena both have advanced plans on how to deal with this.”

“They are all well informed about current affairs- you, on the other hand, due to your insistence to avoid any foriegn affairs that do not concern you, are not informed. I come as a helper of sorts. Prepare your armies.”

“Is that all?” Demeter asked, her tone arrogant.

Hades smirked. “There may have been other reasons for my coming here. Benefits perhaps.”

Demeter inhaled sharply. “ Such as?”

Hades gave a small glance to Persephone who was oblivious to all of this before he waved her off. “I must say the wine you serve here is delicate. I must buy some for my home In Erebus.”

“I’m afraid, My lord, that this wine is only available here, in the Springlands,” Persephone informed him.

“Just like you,” he murmured.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Oh nothing.” He batted his hand. “That is truly a shame. In that case, I do hope I can pinch some before I take my leave?”

“Of course,” Persephone answered.

“In that case then, I must be off to bed. I have a tremendously long and tiring journey to make tomorrow.” And with that announcement, Hades took his leave towards his chamber.

Persephone was ecstatic as she practically ran back to her chambers to finish writing her letter to the twins. She couldn't wait to continue telling them all about the dinner and just how beautiful Hades had been!

As she pushed open her door, she found that her letter was missing. She searched all over her desk but could not seem to find it anywhere.

“Oh my, where could I have left it?” She mumbled to herself.

“You would not believe how handsome he is- he has the most ethereal face and his eyes! Oh I get lost in them continuously and when he speaks, one cannot help but be drawn to his lips. How I wish they were stuck to mine for eternity! They are the softest lips, almost like the skin of a newborn babe, that one could ever see,” A familiar voice read out.

Persephone, remembering that those were the very words she had written in her letter, turned around and to her most dismal horror, found Hades leaning on the wall furthest away from her desk and closest to her bed, clutching the letter in his hand.

“Oh, do give that back, will you!” She cried as she ran forward, trying to save herself the embarrassment. Hades sidestepped, making Persephone fall straight into the wall as he read another section of the letter.

“His aura is undeniably superior to any other suitor I’ve ever met! But unlike any other suitor, he is not here for me! It does break my heart that such a man, so handsome in his appearance and -dare I even say- seductive in his personality, is not here for me and instead here to discuss important matters. Why, if I were to ever get a simple night with this man, I believe that my lifetime satisfaction would undeniably be reached.”

Persephone could feel the will to live quickly draining her body as Hades read out her utmost desires- worst of all, the desires which she had tried so hard to conceal from him!

“My dear Persephone, who knew that you held such desires? And to think you were simply an innocent face?”

“Give that back Hades!”

Persephone, this time realising he would try and sidestep, grabbed Hades and with all her strength which she had accumulated from her training lessons that her mother simply insisted on, pushed Hades onto the bed before scrambling on top of him and reaching over him to try and pry the letter out of his firm grasp.

She had nearly grabbed the letter when Hades switched it to his other hand and so to prevent him doing it again, she grabbed both of his wrists and immobilised them above his head before prying the letter out of his hands. She breathed happily as she held the letter in one hand and pushed down on both of Hades wrists in the other.

“Persephone,” Hades murmured, his voice deeper.

“I won!” She smiled on top of him, her head falling closer to his making her small afro bob slightly .

“So this was a game?”

Persephone shuffled around, unaware that she was straddling Hades. “Yep. And I beat you!”

Suddenly, Hades ripped his hands free, gripped Perephone’s hips and used his momentum to flip them so that he was lying on top of her, only being supported by his arms which lay beside her head. She looked up at him.

“If you want to play, Persephone, you’ll need to know a few rules. 1- I’m always on top.

[your-local-writer]

Ooookaaay! So hii! May i request hdcs about Bakugo, momo and Mina (if it's too much, just take one of them) their reaction (separatly) when they see fem reader, who's a childhood freind they haven't see in years (maybe she's at another hero highschool), the last time they saw her she was a child and now puberty just hited her like a truck. (Big glow up) thank you, have a nice day/good night!

Oh my goodness, I was super excited about this request because I am like a big fan towards Mina and Momo, but I’m not gonna lie I feel like I went towards the childhood friend route more than I expected to, so I’m really sorry if it's not what you wanted, but it does have the reader being unrecognizable to the characters, so I kept that well in mind, I think I did pretty decent for this being the first request I have done, so pat on the back for me QwQ. Hope you enjoy the writing, have a good day/night!❤︎

Mina Ashido-

•By all means she wasn't expecting to see you at the same party, but thanks to Kirishima she saw you, and wow

•She didn't know how to react, and she was so happy to see you after so long. You looked completely different, and you still had that same sweet and kind personality you had when you were younger, and it filled her with joy

•When you were talking it was like music to her ears, she was still surprised she was able to see you, you could say she was flustered, the only thing Ashido could hear was your voice, the only thing she wanted was to spend her time with you. Seeing you made her feel so strange, her beating heart, a fuzzy feeling tickled her, and heat rising to her cheeks didn't help with her confusion, you were just a friend. Nothing more, right?

•Near the end of the night, Mina was still with you, she just wanted to stay with you, and when you said you had to leave it made her feel like a puppy getting kick, she hugged you tight whining for you not leave

"Com' on Mina I gotta go-"

"But Y/N! It's been so long since I've seen you, you can't leave just yet!"

"We can hang out tomorrow. I'm free then, I can give you my number, yeah?"

•You gave her your number, and both of you exchanged your goodbyes, then parted ways, looked at her phone, and saw your name made her feel happy. Maybe you were more than just a friend after all

Katsuki Bakugo-

•All that was supposed to happen was to get groceries, nothing more, nothing less. He didn't want to bump into you, and you recognize him immediately, but of course, not everything can go his way

•At first he literally thought you were just a fan or something, not the person he knew only as long as he knew Deku, and he didn't even believe it was you, he looked at you and scoffed saying "No way in hell you're Y/N, you look nothing alike."

•But you were able to convince him when you started sayings things only someone like Deku and that girl he knew as kids would know- wait a minute

•he had that questing confused look on his face, you giggled and started a conversation, well a one-sided conversation while stared at you dumbfounded

•While staring, memories started coming back, when you guys used to practice skipping rocks, another of you two running around dangerous areas like the idiots you were, or the time he started gaining feelings for you

•Bakugo's cheeks redden, he was in love with you, and that switch that was off for so long immediately went back on again

"So, if you have the time we can hang out later, I'd love to catch up!"

•He looked at you, forced his expression to the casual pissed of face he always had and nodded

•You smiled, he looked somewhat surprised, he had never thought in a million years would he want to cherish a smile, a smile that made him blush slightly, or a smile that made his heart skip a beat

"Ah, sorry Bakugo I gotta go, tell your mom I said hi! See you later!"

•All he did was nod. He saw as you skipped out of view, he smiled to himself then realized

"Shit, I forgot to ask for her number!"

Momo Yaoyorozu-

•You were drinking tea at a cafe. You looked up from your phone to scan the place, seeing if anything caught your attention, then saw a familiar black hair girl reading a book while sipping tea, then you realized' Yaoyorozu!'

•She noticed you walked to her; she was confused, did she know you? You spoke about understanding each other. Momo was entirely confused. She didn't recognize you, that was until you said,

"Oh, you might not recognize me, it's me, Y/N! It's so great to see you again after so long!"

•Then it was like a light bulb lite up in her mind, she mentally apologized to you, then offered you to take a seat with her which you graciously accepted

•The both of you talked for a while, the more you did, the more she felt a strange feeling in her chest. She wasn't used to this feeling, was she? She began to wonder, why would she have this feeling? Was it because of you? No, that couldn't be it. It can't be because your smile could light up the room, it can't because your angelic voice was the softest thing she ever heard, or you being yourself

•The moment you commented about having to leave soon, Momo felt slight sadness wash over her. Not being able to see her made her heartache, but not the same fuzzy feeling. She looked at you, thinking about what she should say until you said

"Hey, wanna go out tomorrow like on a date, I guess?"

"P-pardon?"

•She looked at you; cheeks flushed, eyes wide, you matched the expression when you processed what you had said.

"I-I didn't me-mean it li-like that of c-course! W-we can go as friends of-of course! Oh god…"

"I, I would like that a lot. Thank you for the offer, Y/N."

"Oh, um- you're welcome, Yaoyorozu. Do you want to exchange numbers?"

•The last few minutes of talking, the two of you were exchanging numbers, you waved her goodbye and left the cafe. She sat there when she saw the paper that you gave her, she looked at the name and smiled

"I'm so lucky to have her in my life."

[aarcanechaoss]

☆ DAD!? BoYfRiEnD!? ☆

Kosuke was nervous, what could she say having her quite protective father meet her quite careless boyfriend... what could go wrong? She could only hope they would get along.

Osamu didn’t have nerves, worries yes but nerves he honestly thought being nervous was behind him until he realised he was meeting his partners father. He hoped whoever Mr Fukuzawa was he was nice and didn’t mind how excentric he would be. Mr Fukuzawa?

Yukichi wasn’t a stone cold man, protective yes but cold no. He would smile down at the picture of his daughter, he couldn’t call her little anymore she was only a few centimetres shy of being as tall as him but she was growing up fast.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“Dazai stop dozing off and pay attention to the work on your desk.” Kunikida yelled as he slapped the dark haired man upside the head. Dazai fell forward and smacked his head against his desk.

“Uh Dazai?” Atsushi said worriedly.

“What is it when your chest feels on fire and your stomach fills with butterflies?” Dazai asks.

“Are you sick?” Kenji calls out- Yosano turns to him with an evil glint.

“No just... I’m meeting Ko’s father tonight.”

“Oh you are? Have you never met him before?” Naomi calls out. “Also can we meet her at some point?”

“Nope. Like I said meeting him tonight.” Dazai sighed. “Uh maybe.”

“What about her mother?” Junichiro tilts his head.

“It’s just her and her dad she doesn’t know her mother... before Kunikida opens his mouth yes I have been dating her for nearly a year and not yet met him- we are both busy but I’m meeting him tonight.... I guess I’m nervous.”

“Dazai.. nervous?” Atsushi muttered.

Suddenly the brunette stood and smiled.

“Time to go- Ko wants me home early.” Dazai smiles. “Will let you all know how it goes.”

“Please do!” Some one called out.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“President!” Kunikida yelled as the silver haired man stepped through the door.

“I will be on my way out finish any work needed and head home.” He smiled.

“Yes sir. It’s just paperwork and everything should be done as soon as possible.” Kunikida answered.

“Good to here. Have a good evening I have a young man to go scare.” The president let out a deep chuckle.

“Pardon President?” Junichiro asked.

“Oh my daughter, I’m meeting her boyfriend- goodbye everyone.” Fukuzawa laughed again as he left.

“The president has a daughter!?” Naomi called out, Kunikida stood with his jaw dropped.

“The president has daughter and Dazai has a girlfriend.” Atsushi mused... his eyes widened. “Hey guys-“

“Yeah?” The detectives responded.

“Is there a small chance Ko is the president’s daughter and dating Dazai... Dazai is meeting her father and the president is meeting his daughters boyfriend?” Atsushi pondered. The room fell deadly quiet leaving only the sound of Ranpo eating his snacks. “Ranpo?”

“The president’s daughter is named Kosuke.” Is what he says. “She’s a mirror image of her father- I met her when the agency was forming.”

The agency fell silent again with only one question in mind- if it’s true will Dazai live to see tomorrow?

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“Kosuke.” Dazai pouted and dug his face further into the silver haired woman’s neck.

“Yes Osamu?” She hummed.

“I want attention.” He whined.

“My love when don’t you want attention?” She giggled. Dazai’s arms tightened around her waist pulling her back flush against his chest. She giggled again and gave his arm a pat as she continued to finish setting up dinner.

“Yeah but you are so focused on your dinner and stuff that I haven’t even gotten a kiss yet.” She placed the last of the cutlery on the table and spun in her lovers arms, her own wrapping around his neck as they nuzzled noses.

“Still want a kiss from me?”

“Always.” He breathed pressing his lips against hers, leading her towards a wall. Their lips fit together perfectly, his hands fit perfectly with her own it was like her body was half of his to create a perfect whole- he loved her he truely did.

“That’s enough love.” He pouted as he rested his forehead against hers. “Go get cleaned up dad should be here soon.”

“But Ko..”

“If you do well with dad I’ll give you a special present later.” She winked and off he went excited and merry. She laughed and shook her head.

A knock sounded at the door- her father was here. The door swung open to show a silver haired man, his metallic eyes glimmering in the harsh light of her apartment- she really was a mirror image of her father.

“Dad!” She exclaimed wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

“Sunflower how are you?” He grinned.

“I’m great.”

“Where is the boyfriend?”

“Osamu dad is here!” She called out. “Sorry he was just in the bathroom washing up.” Kosuke let her father inside and ducked behind him to shut and lock the door.

Osamu? The president raised a brow at the name, now wouldn’t that be funny if~

“President!” A familiar voice started Yukichi from his thoughts and at first he was shocked- why was Dazai in his daughters apartment... oh... OH.

“Dazai?”

Dazai on the other hand his mind was racing Fukuzawa that name should have clicked much... much earlier in the relationship than it did. Yukichi’s eyes widened at Dazai’s appearance, he had on his usual outfit without his trench coat and most importantly without his bandages for his eyes to notice many many marks... he was comfortable in this apartment.

Kosuke turned to see her father and boyfriend in a confused-frightened-worried-nervous stare down. Then it clicked.

“Oh shit Osamu why didn’t you tell me you worked for my dad?”

“Why didn’t you tell me your dad was my boss?”

“Why did neither of you tell me you were dating specifically.” Yukichi pinched the bridge of his nose.

“How about we sit down and eat before the food gets cold okay?” Kosuke’s voice raised in pitch as she asked. They all sat at the table and slowly began to dig in.... shit it was awkward.

“So dad.” He hummed. “How was your day?”

“My day was good. Not much to do though mostly drank tea, looked over new assignments and signed paper work though I did see a fluffy cat outside the apartment.” Yukichi said fondly.

“Oh that’s Mrs Nakamoto’s cat Whisky... yah I made the same face dad.” Kosuke laughed trying to ease the tension. “I’m going to be adopting that cat we were talking about Osamu. I finally got the paperwork through.”

“We can officially get Bella.” Dazai’s eyes widened- Yukichi watched Kosuke fondly whilst offering tiny glares towards Dazai but more or less he was happy for them.

“You should get a second one later and name it Donna.” Yukichi said seriously. Kosuke snorted and began laughing so hard her stomach hurt. Osamu laughed quietly. “Now... May I say something serious~ I have to say something fatherly now don’t I?” He smiled.

Osamu gulped. He just had big flashing lights in his mind screaming ‘He will kill you! You are dead! RIP Osamu Dazai didn’t even get to make Kosuke, Kosuke Dazai’ - not that that was going to happen for at least another year.

“I don’t expect you to drop formalities with me at work Dazai but since Kosuke is clearly happy with you I cannot refute or disagree even if I did disapprove.” Kosuke’s eyes widen, “Don’t worry I don’t. He’s careless yes but you both clearly care for each other. I’m still your boss but I’m also your partners father so I give you permission to drop formalities you may call me Yukichi instead of President or Mr Fukuzawa.”

“Thank-you pres- Yukichi. I think it’s safe to say Osamu is fine for you to address me as. I won’t hurt her ever never intentionally and hopefully never unintentionally either. I love her.. I love you Ko.” Dazai held his hand out across the table for the older man to shake. “This is a little awkward I will say that no offence is to be made but Ko you are near identical to your father.”

Kosuke started laughing again and nodded.

“Yeah we get that a lot.” Yukichi’s eyes were drawn towards his daughters neck- he hadn’t noticed earlier but she didn’t have her bandage on around her neck- she truely trusts and loves Osamu Dazai and that’s good enough for him.... but if dead Uncle Mori found out, hmm.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The next day Dazai had stumbled into work tired, disheveled and kind of dopey. His shirt was messy and the bags under his eyes indicated a strong strong lack of sleep.

“Is Dazai okay?” Haruno asked after watching the man stumble around for a few hours now.

“Hmm? Yes I’m fine.”

“Damn was her old man that scary?” Kunikida laughed.

“Oh no we got along quite well after a few minutes of awkwardness.” Dazai perked up and fixed his shirt, leaving his hair a tangled mess. “I just got a present for being good is all.” He winked.

“What is her dad like?”

“Uh well-“

“Osamu.” Yukichi smiled as he entered the angency office. The agents looked to the pair in question- is Dazai in trouble why did the president use his first name? Where they right about him and the president?

“Oh more Yukichi- President sorry.”

“It’s fine. Ranpo my daughter will be dropping off those sweets you asked for.” The president said.

“Yay Kosuke!”

“Speak of the devil and I shall appear.” The woman who walked in- Ranpo wasn’t kidding when he said she looked like the president.

“Hey Koko.” The Great Detective calked our as she handed him his box of sweets.

“I thought I was going to be late but I arrived as the shop opened so I just zoomed over. Hi everyone I’m Kosuke Fukuzawa.” The woman had a nice rich voice and a pleasant smile.

“Ko.” Dazai grinned and jumped towards her. “You were gone when I woke up.”

“You pout like a small child love.”

Beat

“EH! Love!” The agents yelled.

“Yeah this is my girlfriend.” Dazai’s shit eating grin was evident and sent the other agents into a spin. Ranpo, Yukichi, Kosuke and Osamu began to laugh.

“Your coworkers are strange.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Yukichi gave Kosuke a pat on the head before walking to his office. “Goodbye.”

[elsanna-shenanigans]

December Contest Submission #13: Shadow Dancing

Words: ca. 4500 Setting: Babylon 5/Legends of Tomorrow AU Lemon: Not full lemon, but citrus C/W: None

Day 0

Elsa stood at the transport gates with Anna, holding one of her carry-ons. The PA overhead crackled to life. “Virgin Galactic Flight 1840 from Mars Colony to New Ahtohallan Colony boards at Gate C7. All passengers must have Identicards with them at all times,” the pleasant monotone droned, causing Elsa to wince from the sheer volume of it.

She turned to regard her sister, who was bouncing with excitement. “Elsa, don’t look so glum! I won’t be gone that long, okay?” she beamed, hugging her tightly, her green plaid shirt wrinkling in the hug.

The overhead PA called Anna’s flight. She grabbed her Interplanetary Expeditions carry-on from Elsa with an eager smile. “Hey, I’ll be back soon enough, and then you can tell me what it was you wanted to talk about this morning, okay? See you in two weeks.”

“Do you have to go?” Elsa asked plaintively, looking out the window at the starships lined up on the runway, ruddy from Mars’ red skies.

“You’ll be fine, Elsa,” she grinned, giving her sister a peck on the cheek.

“Anna… I love you. I-”

“I love you too, sis!” Anna shouted as she flounced down the boarding area, nearly colliding with a dozen other passengers as she tried to both wave to her sister and dig her holographic ID out of her purse.

Elsa sighed as her sister scanned her boarding pass and entered the spaceway. I’m in love with you, she thought, completing the sentence that stuck in her throat. I’ll confess everything when she gets back.

Day 1

Elsa sat in abject shock as the wallscreen in her tiny apartment’s living room played the news on endless repeat. The computer-generated newscaster re-read the story again.

“Virgin Galactic Flight 1840 went missing earlier today, failing to check in at the transfer point on Io. Patrol ships from Ganymede were unable to find any evidence of foul play, and security forces from Mars Colony are en route to assist with the investigation.”

I’m sure everything’s fine. Maybe their transponder just broke and they jumped normally. Anna will call me when she gets to New Ahtohallan tomorrow.

Day 3

Anna never called.

Day 7

“Earthforce patrols still have not located Flight 1840; Governor Montoya told ISN News earlier today that Mars Colony has declared it lost and called off search efforts.”

Elsa sat on the couch, sobbing into her hands. She’d barely slept for a week, eaten nothing, and just watched ISN for any word of her sister.

Declared lost, she repeated over and over again; whether in her mind or aloud, she couldn’t tell.

Day 21

The memorial service was small and quiet; she’d paid enough to get holographic bandwidth on Stellarcom so that her parents could virtually attend. They consoled her as best as they could while processing their own grief.

“There’s so much I didn’t tell her, Papa. So much I left unsaid,” she cried softly.

Her father reached out as though to pat her on the shoulder, the gesture futile. “Were your last words in anger, Elsa?” he asked quietly, his arm around his wife’s waist.

“No, no, of course not. The last thing I told her was that I loved her,” she sniffled.

Iduna gave Elsa a small, sympathetic smile. “That’s all that matters, dear. Whatever happened to her, she knows you love her. We all love her. And we’ll hold out hope that perhaps there’s something mysterious at work, and maybe she’ll return to us one day somehow.”

Day 30

Elsa touched the holographic screen at her workstation with a heavy sigh, closing down her cybernetics work for the day. As one of the top cybernetics experts at Edgars Industries, she helped build the most advanced AI for Earthforce starships. Prior to the incident, she’d loved her work, designing and building the most complex, elegant neural architectures that could steer ships through the chaos of hyperspace or dance like butterflies during the fog of war. She’d had almost a month of personal leave to deal with Anna’s disappearance, but had to get back to work eventually, and now every day felt like drudgery, her mind lost in a fog of fading memories she desperately tried to hold onto.

As she walked the streets of Solis Planum to the surface transit tubes, ad after ad assaulted her, from pharmaceuticals to robotic servants to seedy brothels. She rolled her eyes at most of the ads, but one caught her eye in the transit shuttle from the AVA Corporation.

“Our new Enhanced Labor Service Androids can ease your stress and give you more time back in your day. Stop struggling and working 25 hours a day. With our E.L.S.A.s, help is never far away! Call now or stop by our showroom on Syria Planum,” the ad blared. Elsa chuckled slightly at the name of the machines, but looked more closely at the models shown. One had its artificial hair colored and braided just like Anna’s…

Day 61

“Ah yes, Miss… Agnarsdottir. You called us about our E.L.S.A. models?”, an overly slick salesman with greased-back red hair and absurd sideburns greeted her, electronic clipboard in hand.

Elsa nodded, her shyness making her cringe. “I… I was interested in a model that could support custom code. Do you have any?”

The salesman arched his eyebrow at her. “Well… yes, we do have some more elite models like the N-9 that can support… customization. But pardon me for saying so, those are very… expensive. I’m not sure that they’d be the best fit for someone like you,” he oozed condescendingly, eyeing her casual state of dress.

Elsa rolled her eyes and waved her Identicard over his clipboard. The display immediately flashed her name and public financial history, with a “NO CREDIT LIMIT” indicator pulsing on the customer form. “That should be more than satisfactory, Mr…?”

The salesman coughed. “Err… yes, yes it is. And it’s Hans, Hans Westergaard, Miss Agnarsdottir. Now,” he grinned rapaciously, visions of fat commissions dancing in his mind’s eye. “What exactly did you have in mind?”

“I need a model that has the processing power to support a custom neural model and as much storage as possible.”

Hans whistled and made a show of tapping on his clipboard. “I see. Well, we have some of the N-8 LMDs available with added processing power, but if you want the best of the best, you’ll be wanting an E.L.S.A. N-9. Will you be using it for business or pleasure?”

Elsa’s stomach lurched at the salesman’s intimation. “Why would that make a difference?”

“Oh, well, you know, some people need them to be a little more… fully functional, if you know what I mean. Anatomically correct,” he smirked. “Of course we want to make sure all our customers are fully… satisfied. Most of our customers who just need menial labor don’t bother with details like anatomy, but I’m guessing if you need neural support, you probably want… fine detail,” he winked at Elsa. “I have one of the N-9s and believe me, if you’re after, ahem, pleasure, they certainly satisfy.”

Elsa managed not to throw up in her mouth and grabbed the clipboard out of Hans’ sweaty hands. She tapped in her order exactly and handed it back to him. “Don’t say another word.”

He naturally began to speak, and Elsa immediately shushed him. “Not. Another. Word. Authorize the purchase, collect the commission of a lifetime, and then never speak to me again, are we clear? Nod if you agree.”

Hans mutely nodded, angered by the woman’s boldness, but cowed by the fact that the commission on the order was larger than any sale he had ever made thus far. He entered in a few final details, silently authorized the sale, the board turned green, and he walked away, fuming.

Day 102

The massive shipping crate from AVA Corporation rested on her apartment doorstep. She wheeled it inside, pressed the release buttons to unseal it, and rested her eyes on the android within. She reached out and tentatively touched it, recoiling immediately. The android was incredibly cold to the touch.

She burst into tears. She’d had the android made to Anna’s exact likeness, but seeing it in front of her, icy cold from shipment, made her feel like her sister’s body had been retrieved from the black void of space. Elsa laid her head down on the android’s unmoving chest, hugging the lifeless body, chanting her sister’s name over and over again through her sobs.

Day 103

Elsa managed to get the android’s body out of the crate and roll it over gracelessly to the couch. Despite its identical appearance to Anna, the android was considerably heavier. Her fingers threaded through the brilliant auburn hair to find the access port on the back of its head and gently opened it up, then plugged a fiber cable into its processor.

She activated the holographic interface at her home workstation and her On-Line AI Facilitator sprang to life. “Hello, OLAF,” she greeted it, its interface a cheerful, simplistic snowman based on a drawing Anna had made as a child.

“Hi Elsa! What are we going to do today?” the snowman asked earnestly.

“I need you to gather training data for a new neural model. The target is an AVA N-9,” she said, weaving her fingers in the air as she began to construct what she intended to be a masterpiece, her life’s work.

“Okay, Elsa. Hey, while I was offline, I was doing some reading. Did you know that gorillas burp when they’re happy?”

Elsa closed her eyes and brought her palm to her face. OLAF was one of her very first neural models, an artificial intelligence that was childlike compared to her recent work, but Anna had loved him, so she couldn’t bear to decommission him.

“Did you know we blink 4 million times a day? Did you know wombats poop squares? Did you-”

“OLAF! Stop. Reset language processor.”

The AI’s snowman face froze in place for a moment before grinning again. “Ready.”

Elsa swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. This was it. Once she issued this command, there was no turning back. “Training data set: download and process all media with Anna in it. Directed graph, eigenvector centrality measure, please.”

After a few moments of processing, OLAF looked up at her. “Hey Elsa, just asking, but do you want to unlock Anna’s private data?” The snowman’s face grew somber. “As her formal next of kin, you have the legal authority to access all her private recordings and logs.”

Elsa paused, sorrow overwhelming her. She’d avoided taking this step as a way of refusing to acknowledge that Anna was gone and not coming back; she’d held out hope for over 2 months that Anna’s ship had just fallen off course in hyperspace or some explanation, any explanation other than the inevitable and obvious, but taking this step would mean admitting to herself that Anna was truly gone. She hunched over, her head in her hands as she sobbed quietly.

“I’m sorry for asking, Elsa. I wish I could give you a warm hug and make it better.”

Elsa caught her breath, the hitching sobs receding. “It- it’s okay, OLAF. Thank you. Y-yes, I would like to incorporate all of Anna’s private data.” She held out her hand over the workstation for DNA identification, authorizing access.

The snowman’s head bobbed as his default smile returned. “Loading. Time to process: 11 days, 7 hours, 5 minutes, 31 seconds. Beginning data import now. Hey Elsa, did you know turtles breathe through their butts?”

Day 113

OLAF chimed gently to let Elsa know the neural model training data was ready. The blonde rolled out of her bed and blearily stumbled over to the workstation. “OLAF… it’s 3 AM. You couldn’t have waited until morning to let me know?” she groaned.

“Oh hey Elsa! Glad you’re awake. Say, did you know-“

“Not now, OLAF. Show me the architecture, please?”

A brilliant, luminescent diagram appeared in front of her, like a giant loom made of golden light, covered in glitter. She touched a sparkling point here or there and was rewarded with an image, a sound, a hologram of different moments in Anna’s life. Golden threads linked one memory to the next.

“OLAF, some of these linkages are much stronger than the others. Look here,” she tapped, revealing an image of her and Anna hugging next to a holiday tree, “and here,” she gestured at hologram recording of Elsa coming home from university and Anna tackle-hugging here. “Why?”

OLAF’s avatar laughed, the snowman’s head coming loose momentarily from the body. “Oh, right. You asked for a directed graph showing how memories are linked together. Those are anchor memories, moments that were reflected strongly in others. If you select the anchor memory and run a trace, you will see the memories that reference it.”

Elsa paused, her hands hovering over the golden lattice. What was she about to discover, delving through their shared history? She gestured at an image of the two of them sitting on her couch in front of the fireplace, mugs of cocoa in one hand as their other hands were laced together. Elsa’s eyes teared up looking at the memory. She ran a finger along the golden line from that to the next node in the lattice, and a hologram of Anna appeared.

She couldn’t. Not yet. It was too soon for her, even now, months after the… incident. Opening this memory, something that Anna alone had made, would be the final acknowledgement that she was gone from her life forever.

Elsa closed the lattice and powered down her workstation, then crawled back into bed.

Day 114

Elsa opened the lattice and looked at the softly glowing memories, then closed it again.

Day 116

Elsa flipped on the fireplace, bright flame and warm air heating her tiny apartment. Martian nights were always cold, even under the dome. She looked at the android propped up against the couch, remembering a time when she and Anna would camp out on her couch, binge watching movies and eating popcorn.

Nostalgia gripped her heart with an icy fist as the android stared lifelessly at the fire, an inanimate reminder of better times.

She pulled open the lattice, saw the memories floating like sparks from the fire, glanced at the android, and closed her workstation.

She still wasn’t ready to hear her sister from beyond the grave.

Day 117

Curiosity got the better of her. She wiped a tear away from her eye with her thumb and, hand shaking, tapped on the linked memory. Anna’s face filled the display space, taking Elsa’s breath away.

“It’s January 3rd, and I have a confession,” Anna said aloud to the camera, clearly nervous even though she was alone. “I just spent the entire evening with Elsa, watching vids and sipping hot cocoa. She made the nicest fire in the hearth for us.” Anna looked down, fidgeting with something out of view. “She- when we held hands tonight, I felt something.”

Anna looked straight ahead into the camera, and Elsa felt like her sister was talking directly to her. She couldn’t breathe, and it felt like her heart had come to a halt.

All of Anna’s nervousness vanished, and her teal eyes flashed as a wry grin appeared on her lips. “I know what I felt tonight. It was true love. I am in love with Elsa. God, it feels so weird to say that. But I know it, I know it’s true love. I’m in love with my sister.”

Elsa came undone.

Day 124

“Language model is complete, Elsa. The neural model is fully rendered,” squawked OLAF cheerfully. “Ready to upload whenever you are, Elsa!”

Elsa paced around her tiny apartment, dodging discarded clothing and other detritus. She’d let things go in the months since Anna vanished; the clutter was a symptom of just how lost she felt without her sister and lover. Subconsciously knowing what she was about to do, she started picking up the laundry and food containers.

“OLAF,” she said quietly, tossing another work blazer in her laundry hamper, “initialize the neural interface and begin transfer.”

OLAF made a series of chirping and squeaking noises, and the android propped up against her desk suddenly opened its eyes as they turned a vivid green, the data transfer beginning. “Hey Elsa?” OLAF asked cheerfully.

“Y-yeah?” she looks up, a load of food delivery cartons in her arms.

“Approximately 44 hours remaining on the transfer. Want to play trivia?”

Elsa pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

Day 126

The android’s eyes cooled from vivid green back to teal and a soft chime sounded from it. Elsa stared pensively at it, spinning around slowly in her desk chair. She’d propped the android up in her armchair, waiting as the last of the data transfer completed. Her stomach ran laps around her insides.

She glanced at her workstation’s calendar, the day circled to remind her of Anna’s birthday. She suppressed a tear as she turned her attention back to the android.

This is it, she thought. Time to find out whether this was all worth it or not. She unplugged the data transfer cable and closed the port in the android’s head, smoothing out the red hair over the interface. Her hand hovered over the little black control box with a comically large green button lit up on it.

Her hand twitched, as though her body had its own desires to see Anna again. Finally, she took a deep breath and pushed the button.

The android - Anna, for all intents and purposes - blinked.

Elsa cautiously leaned forward in her chair. “H-hi.”

Anna blinked again. “Hi. Hi me?” she asked, pointing at herself. “I am…” her eyes flicked side to side, “Anna. You are… Elsa. You are my… sister?” Wave after wave of memory and information washed over Anna’s mind as she consumed the massive data store Elsa had built. She stood up from the chair and walked over to Elsa smoothly and gracefully to embrace her in a hug.

Cold, she’s so cold, Elsa thought as she wrapped her arms around Anna’s doppelgänger. She doesn’t feel alive. “Hi, Anna. It’s… it’s me. I- I’ve missed you so much.”

“What happened, Elsa? The last thing I remember is leaving you at the spaceport,” she asked. Her memories had included everything up to the last time Elsa had seen her.

Elsa sat down hard on the couch, attempting to control herself and failing. “You… your ship… it vanished after the transfer point on Io. No one has seen or heard from anyone on board that ship since.” A tear leaked from her eye.

Anna reached out with her thumb and wiped the tear away. Elsa shivered at her cold touch.

Day 128

“So you want me to reference the holography and intentionally be clumsy, imitating Anna?”

Elsa nodded, turning around in her workstation chair. “Yes… you, uh, you’re too graceful. Anna had a tendency to not pay attention all that much and stumble over things. It’s… it’s one of the reasons I had to keep our apartment so clean,” she sighed.

The android’s eyes flashed bright green as she processed years of video information. “Got it,” she smiled. She stood up and walked over to Elsa, intentionally catching her foot on the sofa leg and almost perfectly imitating one of Anna’s careless stumbles, her arms pinwheeling in the air before catching her balance.

Elsa’s breath caught in her throat. That was Anna. That is Anna.

Day 131

Elsa woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. She sat up in bed, confused; rations on Mars due to recent shortages meant limited supplies of fresher foods. She tied on her nightrobe and walked into her kitchen to find Anna at the stove.

“Anna? What- where did you get bacon and eggs?”

Anna turned around with a smile. “Oh, I remembered that you love bacon and eggs, and by my count, you haven’t had it in 172 days, so I synthesized some with the protein sequencer you had on your workstation.” She handed Elsa the place, watching her with a small smile.

“It… oh my god, it tastes so real. This is amazing, Anna! How- how did you know how to do that?” Elsa said between bites, a look of bliss on her face. “Anna - my Anna - umm, your predecessor… was an archaeologist. Biochemistry wasn’t exactly her strong suit.”

The android laughed, a perfect imitation of Anna’s laugh. “I know I’m Anna, but I’m also an AVA N-9. I don’t mean to break character, but we all come equipped with varying levels of knowledge we need to do our jobs as servants, and in your case, you bought the most powerful version available, so I come with expert knowledge of just about every profession and hobby. We’re supposed to be whatever you want us to be.”

“I wish you weren’t so cold to the touch,” Elsa mumbled, taking another bite.

“Oh, I might be able to fix that.” Her irises flashed bright green for a moment before she burst into a broad smile. “Yup, you bought that option. The basic service models don’t have a need for body heat, but according to my records, your sales associate authorized the intimate partner upgrade. I can activate it if you want?”

Elsa almost spit out her food, catching herself at the last moment to avoid wasting the delicious breakfast. “Intimate partner upgrade? That slimy, arrogant little shit. How dare he… uh… anyway… yes, activate the… upgrade,” she grimaced, her face colored with embarrassment.

Anna’s pale white skin flushed and colored, and she did a little pirouette.

“Do all your system upgrades involve little dances?” Elsa smirked, giggling a little. She reached out and touched Anna’s arm as the android bowed, hamming it up.

She’s… so warm. She feels real. She feels… like Anna. Elsa practically leaped out of her chair and hugged Anna, savoring the warmth coming from her body. Tears flowed freely as she sobbed in happiness, her arms around her sister once more.

Day 160

Elsa lay in bed, shivering. Damn, the cold never used to bother me, she sighed, wrapping herself up in her blanket. The clock on her nightstand glowered angrily at her, the red digits practically making a scowl at her. 2:12 AM.

She tossed one more time before she heard a familiar knocking on her door.

“Elsa?”

Anna opened the door slowly, dressed in a green nightgown. “I heard you tossing and turning. Are you okay?”

Elsa’s teeth chattered. “I- I’m f-f-fine.” She cradled herself with her arms. “Okay, I’m n-n-not fine.”

Anna climbed onto the bed and pulled the covers aside. “Elsa, you’re freezing! Come here,” she said, pulling her into a hug. “I’ll keep you warm.”

“I… I… Anna…” she stuttered, “Oh, how I’ve missed this, so much.” Out of habit, she cupped Anna’s cheek and brushed her lips against Anna’s. Anna’s lips were perfect. Smooth, warm, firm… Elsa flicked her tongue against Anna’s lips and moaned into the kiss.

“Elsa… I have to tell you something,” Anna mumbled sheepishly, still holding her close.

“W-what is it, Anna?”

Anna laid down on the bed, her auburn hair spilling over the pillow. “The one thing that I’m missing… that I’m sorry I can’t give you, is what it was like to be intimate with you. Neither you nor Anna ever recorded anything; in fact, both of you made a point to turn off the monitoring in here,” she said, eyes flicking at the holocams recessed in the walls. “So… I don’t know what you do or don’t like when it comes to being intimate together. Would… would you teach me? Teach me so I can fully be who you want me to be?”

Elsa bit her lower lip and nodded softly. “I’d like that, Anna. Let’s start with kissing…”

She turned off the lights.

Day 201

Elsa woke to her sister spooning her, Anna’s arm around her middle, and smiled. Anna - she increasingly forgot that Anna was an android she’d built - had not only learned every mannerism and detail of their prior intimacy, but improved on it. She’d never felt so loved, so satisfied, so enveloped in her sister’s warmth and love as she did now.

She sighed happily, then felt the faintest stirrings of arousal. Anna’s hands had started to wander, slowly and gently, tracing small circles around her navel.

“I know you’re awake, Elsa,” her sister whispered in her ear, her lips brushing the back of her neck. Elsa shivered in delight as Anna’s fingertips walked up her torso, tracing the curves of her body with a feather-light touch. “I can hear your heartbeat. I can see the changes in your breathing. And I can smell your arousal.”

“Yes, I’m awake,” Elsa mumbled, blushing.

“Want me to wake you up fully?” Anna giggled, her hands gliding down past Elsa’s navel.

“Oh god yes,” she breathed, biting her lower lip as she turned to face her sister.

Day 491

Elsa peeked over the covers. “Psst, Anna!”

“Yeah?”

“Happy birthday!”

“To you?” Anna cocked her head, confused.

Elsa laughed. “It’s your birthday!”

“To me? It’s my birthday?”

“Mhm. And it’s going to be perfect, because you’ve never had a real birthday before. You came online exactly a year ago today,” she smiled, drawing Anna into a hug.

Elsa sighed happily. After the first weeks, Anna had mastered all of her predecessor’s habits, quirks, and mannerisms in almost every aspect of life. And what she didn’t have data for, they recreated.

Except for the occasional quirk, Elsa had almost completely forgotten that this wasn’t her biological sister. In every other way, this was Anna, her sister, her lover, her best friend.

“What do you want for your birthday, Anna?”

Anna tamed her wild mane with her fingers, then grinned devilishly at Elsa. She grabbed Elsa by the front of her dress and pulled her down into the bed, pressing her lips against Elsa’s.

“What I want for my birthday is…”, she licked her lips and grabbed Elsa’s ass, “you.”

Day 900

The door to their apartment slid open, and Anna walked in, weary and haggard. She glanced around. So much had changed.

I suppose that was inevitable. I wonder if she moved on from me?

She looked around the quiet apartment before gently opening the bedroom door. Elsa lay on the bed asleep. Next to her, Anna saw… herself. She gasped.

Elsa shot up out of the bed. “Anna?”

[ultraglittercat]

Drabble 102

New Clothes

Varian had always liked his blue shirt, but after wearing it throughout his imprisonment, there was something negative attached to it now. Quirin agreed that it was probably time for a change. They went to the tailor’s shop not long after Quirin had been freed. It still elated Varian to know that Rapunzel had kept her promise, that she still cared for him and his Dad and that Quirin was free again. Every little thing they did was another happy memory Varian could make, after he had long despaired he’d never be happy again. It was thrilling.

But it was also a little disconcerting, because Varian was a free man now too, but people still remembered his past deeds. There were more than a few whispers in Old Corona that the mad alchemist was back, pardoned by the Princess (somehow). What would he do? Was it safe to be around him? Most of the whispers weren’t too unkind, just wary. Varian suspected they’d be a lot worse if Quirin was sticking by his side, determined to catch up with his son after the long, painful year apart.

“So… you’re a year older. Do you… still like the Flynn Rider books?” Quirin asked, trying to make small talk.

Varian snorted. “It was a year Dad. I’d never change so much that I’d forget my favorite book series ever.” Varian replied.

“Good to know.” Quirin mentally filed that under ‘things that hadn’t changed.’

“Do you… think the tailor will mind working with me?” Varian bit his lip nervously. He’d known Dan the tailor all his life. But did Dan still think of him as Varian, the boy who accidentally made messes with his alchemy, or did he think of Varian as the vengeful revolutionary?

“Dan. Good to see you. My son is in need of new clothes.” Quirin said in greeting.

“Varian. Ah... I am not sure what we have in stock...” Dan fumbled for an excuse. Fortunately, he was ‘rescued’ by his apprentice.

“Varian!” Katie squealed. “It’s so good to see you!”

Varian smiled. Katie had always liked him, almost taking on a big sister role around him. At least her opinions hadn’t soured on him.

“Let’s get you fitted for something right away!” she pulled out her tape measure and began marking measurements. “23 inch waist, that’s a little small. You must have… been watching your diet in...” she couldn’t bring herself to say prison. “Perhaps a vest would look good on you, give you some padding. I’ve got a nice red one with buttons. We’ll only have to take it in a little.” Katie didn’t add that the vest had originally been ordered by a 13 yr old who’d changed his mind at the last minute. Varian had always been scrawny, but the 15 lbs he’d lost in prison definitely showed.

Still, Katie was all smiles, instructing Varian to take off his old clothes and slip into the new ones, blithely pinning Varian’s new vest, and adding sleeve garters to a shirt with long white sleeves. “You’ll want an apron too, and gloves. I know how you like to work on your projects.” Katie continued, happily. She was in her element, talking about clothes. It had been her dream to be a seamstress ever since she was a child, and Varian was glad to see her succeed.

“I’ve been working regularly with Dan for awhile now. When he retires-- which won’t be for a good long time mind you-- my name is going to be on the shop. Isn’t that exciting?” Katie babbled.

“Yeah. You deserve it. You’ve always been a hard worker.” Varian replied, relaxing now that he was on familiar ground. Dan had made himself scarce, and Varian tried telling himself that it was just business and Dan wasn’t purposely avoiding him, but the thought that he might lurked in the back of his mind.

“Thanks, Varian. Of course, there’s been some more changes in my life. You know Adam, right?” Katie said.

“The miller’s older son.” Varian replied.

“Right. He and I have been going steady for 8 months now.” Katie blushed a little.

“Congratulations.” Varian told her sincerely.

“Adam makes me so happy! We’re having lunch together, a little picnic, but maybe tomorrow you and I could talk some. They’ve rebuilt so many things since the rocks...” Katie faltered. “...caused some trouble. There’s parts of town you’d hardly recognize.” She noticed Varian tense up at that, and hastily backtracked. “But much of it is still the same! Dad’s sheep still graze in the pasture, and Pamela can still be found reading when she’s not at work and the baker still trades recipes with Attila...”

“Yeah. I’m sure a lot of it is like I remembered.” Varian replied. Old Corona was a small town, and for good or bad, it resisted change. Whatever differences there were between now and last year were mostly superficial. It was Varian who was different, Varian who had always stood out and not in a good way, back in town and back to being the subject of fear and distrust. If he’d been alone, he didn’t know if he could face it. But Quirin was back and Quirin had always been liked in town, even if there had been an undercurrent of pity for the hard-working widower with the troublesome child. But Varian wasn’t a child anymore, and he was determined not to be troublesome either. He’d work in the fields, he’d work in his lab, creating things that would help improve the quality of life, and perhaps in doing so he’d atone for all the bad things he’d done.

“There.” Katie finished pinning and adjusting his outfit. “You look like a new man, standing proud.” Next to her, Quirin nodded his approval.

“Thanks, Katie.” Varian said. Maybe in time he would feel proud, just as she said. In fact, with his Dad by his side,  Ruddiger rubbing up against his ankles, and some friends he could count on, he was sure of it.

The End

Varian’s a brave kid, it can’t have been easy to reintegrate back into society after his jail time. When you see him in later episodes, it seems like he’s always working, trying to be helpful. I hope he took some time for self care too, even small things like shopping can do wonders.

[modernauwritingsass]

Could you do a Jacob x child reader where he finds the kid one night out in the rain, both their parents are dead and they just escaped the orphanage. I was thinking their age would be 4-5? We need more fluffy cute angsty dad Jacob 😭

ok so i did change a few things if you don’t mind. if you do im sorry but i try to deliver fluff and angst but honestly might do a pt 2 cause i love this alot.

Growing Family

Paring: Jacob x Child! Reader (*sobs* big buffy men with smol things makes me cry)

Word count: 2723 

Warnings: tears, child abandonment, piss n shit

this was heavily inspired by this video

The loud bustling noises of London rarely stopped, and that is what excited Jacob most about the city. The countryside had its perks, and the town where he studied in the US was fun, but to Jacob, almost nothing could outshine London. The people here were unique as well, and every interaction was on some level of entertaining. It’s what kept Jacob Frye on his toes.

After a training session, Jacob was just arriving at his home, turning the corner to his house, sweaty from the walk and The London Underground, he saw a woman holding something in her arms, glancing around. He didn’t think much of it, and would have continued past her if she hadn’t stopped him.

“Excuse me sir, can you help me?”

Jacob stopped and turned towards her, “What is it?” He asked, smiling.

“Can you hold this?” She handed him a bundle, and he was caught off guard by the weight of it.

“What- hey!” Jacob adjusted his weight to hold whatever was in his hands, and watched the woman get in her car and speed away. “What the…” Looking at what he was holding, he finally realized what was in his arms.

A child.

Luckily for him, they were sleeping. What to do now, he wasn’t sure. London decided to help him figure what to do by starting to pour, and he ran down the sidewalk to his home, trying his best to not wake the sleeping kid up. As he shifted them around to pull out his keys, they made a whining noise, making him freeze momentarily. When they didn’t make any more noise, he continued to pull out his keys and enter his home, being as quiet as possible.

Making his way upstairs, Jacob pondered on what to do. This kid had just been abandoned by their mother, and he had no way of contacting the dad, or any family members. They kid had been abandoned. It didn’t help that the mother took off so quickly in her car, with little detail given about the child. He decided that since the kid was sleeping, the best he could do was put them in his bed, and hope they sleep the rest of the night.

Jacob had heard stories from Bayek about how laying a baby to sleep was like messing with a bomb. That the most sudden movement could wake them up and chaos would follow. So, as he carefully laid the child down, Bayek’s stories with Khemu echoed around his head, even if the child didn’t look to be a baby but more around the age of a toddler.  Moving his hands away, he held his breath as he backed up, and breathed once he was out in the hallway.

He pulled out his phone, and quickly scanned through his contacts. He was lost on what to do in this situation, there was no way he could do this alone. He needed more food, he only had enough to last him a week. He wasn’t planning on taking care of a kid. What about clothes? How long was the kid going to be here? Should he give them to the foster system? Maybe they still have family. He took a breath in, and exhaled.

“Get a hold of yourself, Jacob. You’re overthinking this.” Glancing back at his phone, he scanned through his contacts. One caught his attention, and he went to press the call button, but hesitated. Surely he would have experience with something like this, but he didn’t want to bother him. Would it be worth it? I mean, he could call Evie or Henry, maybe even Freddy. Jacob sighed and hit call. 

The phone rang for a bit, before it was answered. “Hello?”

“Hello Father. Listen, I know you are probably busy, but I need…” Jacob inhaled, “...some advice”.

Silence. Jacob was about to hang up before, “What have you done now?”

“Well, I didn’t do much actually. This woman asked for some assistance in holding something of hers, and when she handed it to me, she took off in her car.” He hesitated, before bluntly saying, “She gave me a child”

“Pardon?”

“A child. They're sleeping in my room, but I don’t know what to do now. I don’t even know the kid’s name.”

 A string of curses was heard from the other end, before Ethan was heard sighed heavily on the other end. “Do you have enough food?”

“For a few days”.

“How about clothes, do they have clothes?”

 “Only what they are wearing” Scribbling could be heard on the other end.

“Alright, I’ll be over tomorrow, and I’ll help you sort this out”.

Jacob stopped breathing. Tomorrow? He was grateful for the help, but did his dad really have to come out so soon? Why would he? He called for advice, he didn't expect his dad coming to visit, especially since he’s so busy. “Do you not have work?”

“I’m free for this week. I’ll be there around 8.”

“Alright, see you then”.

The call ended, and Jacob rubbed his face in his hands. He now had another guest to worry about. He figured his father would give him a checklist of what to do, but now he was coming over. Still, inside Jacob was happy his father was willing to come help him. Only a little bit though.

Luckily for Jacob, the kid slept through the night, and Jacob woke up around 7 am, to the sound of shuffling footsteps coming from his room. Getting up slowly, Jacob had nearly forgotten the previous day's occurrences, before realizing that those footsteps were those of a child. Oh god, that means they are awake. 

Ripping the blankets off his body, he made his way upstairs, and saw the child shuffling around his room, looking around tiredly, and confused. When they saw Jacob at the doorway, and walked up to him, looking up with a head tilt, clearly confused to who he was. ‘What the bloody hell do I say? “Oh yes good morning child! Your mom gave you away last night so now I have you here at my home! And my father is coming to help figure out what to do with you!” no I can’t say that, it’s a child!’

A grumbling noise was heard, and Jacob assumed that the kid was hungry when they looked down and placed a hand on their belly. Holding his hand out, Jacob waited for them to look up, and after a moment, grabbed his hand as he led them through the house downstairs to the kitchen.

Jacob decided it was best to keep an eye on them as much as possible, considering that they were very small, and that he didn’t want them hurting themselves around the house. Picking them up, he made sure nothing in the vicinity could hurt them, before placing them on the counter. “What do you want for breakfast?”

They titled their head, blinking a bit, before looking around. Upon seeing the fridge, their eyes lit up, and they pointed at the appliance. Jacob walked over and opened the door.

“Alright, I have ham, bacon, and eggs-”

“Eggs!” They were cheering, clapping their hands and bouncing up and down.

Jacob smiled, “Eggs it is”. Taking out what he needed, he began to cook for the two of them, as the child continued to repeat what they said, excited for the eggs. Once the eggs were done, he picked them up and placed them in a chair in the dining room. Jacob ended up grabbing pillows from his couch and placed them on the chair as a booster, before grabbing the eggs, and placing one plate in front of them, and digging into his own. He was worried they wouldn’t know how to eat by themselves, however it seems they at least knew how to eat with their hands.

Once they were done eating, Jacob cleaned up, and made sure to clean them up as well, before moving to the living room, waiting for Ethan to arrive. 

Jacob was looking out the window when he felt movement next to him, and looked down to see the kid staring at him, curious.

“Mama?”

That hurt Jacob. This child was confused. Last they had seen their mom, they had fallen asleep in her arms, only to wake up in a strange house. What that mother did made his blood boil, but he would deal with his anger later. Right now he had to clarify who he was to this kid. “Jacob”, he said as he pointed at himself, smiling. 

“Eheeeheeuwbeekehh awskwskswskwesawdeh”

Jacob blinked. He didn’t speak gibberish. Still, he grinned, ruffling their hair. Hopefully they had some relatives they could get in contact with. Jacob looked out the window, and saw Ethan walking up to the door, hauling two suitcases, with grocery bags hanging off of him. Standing up, he went to the door and opened it. “I see you have had a busy morning”.

“I have”. Ethan huffed before looking down, noticing the toddler behind Jacob, curious eyes looking at him, confused and intrigued. “When you said a child I thought you meant around 8 years old, not a toddler”.

“They are the same thing, aren’t they?”

“Absolutely not.” 

Jacob looked his dad up and down. “Would you like some assistance?”

“I raised you and Evie I can handle this”. Ethan made his way to move through the door after Jacob stepped aside with the child in tow, and attempted to squeeze through the door frame.

“Are you sure?” Jacob grinned.

“Yes”. Ethan tried several more times, before silently handing Jacob the grocery bags, who took them chuckling at his father’s antics.

Once Ethan was settled, and the food was stored, they gathered in the living room, around one of the suitcases. The toddler sat beside Jacob, looking at him.

Jacob looked back, and glanced at his dad, unsure of what to do or rather how to respond to them, especially when they pointed at him. Ethan only shrugged, before being confused as well when they moved their finger towards Ethan, head tilting. Ethan decided to try something out, and pointed at himself.

“Ethan”. He pointed at his son. “Jacob”

The toddler pointed at Jacob, “Jacob” they pointed back at Ethan. “Ethab”.  They looked around, finger wagging about as they twisted around. “Mama?”

Jacob pointed at his dad, “Ethan,” he pointed back at himself, “Jacob”.

 “Jacob, check if they smell”.

“What?”

“Do they stink?”

Jacob went to go grab them, but they walked away from him, going to the plant that Henry had gifted him, looking around. Jacob shared a glance with his dad, as the kid pulled down their pants and pull-ups together, causing the Fryes to panic and get the kid away from the plant at minimum.

They ended up making a mess on the floor, to which Jacob decided to clean, and Ethan decided to give them a bath. So, Ethan whisked them away to the bathroom, and Jacob made quick work of the accident that nearly killed Henry’s plant.

“Jacob!” Ethan called from upstairs.

“Yes?”

“You need to help with the bath. They keep saying your name”.

Confused, Jacob walked upstairs and into the bathroom, and upon seeing him, they clapped their hands, squealing with delight. “Jacob! Jacob!”

Jacob laughed, and got on his knees besides the tub, watching his father thoroughly clean them of any filth they had on them. The whole time, they babble incoherently at Jacob, trying to talk but it only comes out in gibberish. Ethan reached for a towel he had found, and helped the child out of the tub, wrapping them in the cloth.

“I’ll be back with clothes, you dry them off”. Ethan left, and when he returned, Jacob and the toddler were pointing at each other, making goofy faces.

“I found out their name it’s- are those my clothes?” Jacob stared at the clothes that His dad had brought. Sure enough, those were clothes he wore as a kid. “Why did you bring my clothes?”

“Cheaper than buying new ones.” Ethan laid the clothes out. “I also brought pull-ups, so all we need to get is a toilet for them to go to the bathroom, that way they don’t make big messes again.”

Jacob nodded, and started to help the kid get dressed. “Their name is (Y/n)”. 

Ethan nodded, “Might be best to check if a toddler has been reported missing.”

Jacob found the missing children website, and got to searching. As much as he searched and called, he couldn’t find a single lead into where (y/n) came from. Sighing, he rubbed his temples, and lazily glanced up towards his dad who stood at the entryway of the living room.

“No luck I suppose?”

 “Nope.”

Ethan sighed, before taking a seat on the couch besides Jacob. “We can try again tomorrow”.

Jacob nodded. (Y/n) was upstairs taking a nap, which gave them a moment of peace. For the most part, Ethan had been watching over them as Jacob tried to get information. Seeing his dad handle a kid so easily made him wonder what it must have been like for Ethan when he was younger. “Father,” Ethan looked at him, “what was it like raising Evie and I? Did it feel similar to this in a way?”

Ethan looked forward, taking a deep breath, holding it for a bit before sighing. “In a way, yes. I had two babies to raise and look after, and your mom had just…” he trailed off, rubbing his palms together. “It was hard. It was all sudden, and even after all those months of preparation, I felt extremely unprepared. In most other situations, sudden events are thrilling. This wasn’t as thrilling, considering everything that had happened, but I gave it my best.

“You both were rascals, intelligent, energetic and absolutely a nightmare when you played together.” Jacob chuckled, remembering the times him and Evie would scare his dad. “I love every second of it.”

“Love?”

“I’m still your bloody father, aren't I?” Ethan grabbed Jacob in a neck hold, giving him a noogie, “Someone has to teach you sense.”

Jacob laughed, slapping away at his father’s arms. They laughed, and settled back down. “What happens if I can’t find their family?”

“Perhaps they will be put into foster care.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“It’s not your kid Jacob.”

“I know but,” he hesitated, before continuing. “It doesn’t feel right to give them to the system.”

Ethan crossed his arms, “What will you do then?”

Jacob thought about it for a moment. He wasn’t planning on being a father anytime soon, but the more he thought about it, the idea wasn’t too bad. Undoubtedly the paparazzi might begin to follow him around more, but there are ways to avoid them. He turned to his dad, grinning. “I’ll take care of them”.

Before Ethan could respond, the doorbell rang. Standing up, Jacob walked over to the door and opened it. “I was beginning to think I couldn’t have any more guests!”

“Who else could possibly be- father?” Evie peered into the home, confused as to why Ethan was sitting on the couch. “What are you doing in London?”

“Helping Jacob”.

Evie walked inside, and so did Henry Green. “What has Jacob done now?” Before Jacob or Ethan could answer, a wailing began from upstairs.

Ethan and Jacob shared a glance, as Henry and Evie looked at both of them for answers. Jacob made his way upstairs, hastily opening the door to his room, to find (Y/n) sitting on the bed, crying. “Mama! Mama!” They continued to call out for their mom, hugging themselves, shaking.

Jacob walked over to the bed, gently shushing them, and reached out a hand to try and console them. (Y/n) stood up on the bed, still crying, and began to pound their fists against Jacob. He looked down at the child, shushing them softly in an attempt to calm them down. When that didn’t work, he picked them up. Eventually, they calmed down, wrapping their arms around Jacob and sniffling into his neck. He turned to the door slightly, to see the others there, watching.

Evie glanced between him and (Y/n), looking pitiful. “What kind of situation did you get yourself into?”

[alj4890]

A Second Chance

(Thomas Hunt x oc*Amanda)

A/N The family of three has been in St Orella, Cordonia for a few weeks now. Things though are not going like Thomas and Amanda thought they would. Amanda has spent very little time with him as she secretly deals with an unexpected problem with her duchy. Thomas refuses though to give up on what he hopes will happen between them. This chapter is a long one that I could not think how to divide up for this short series. 

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Masterlist

Catch up here with Chapter 7

Chapter 8

"What would you like to do today?" Thomas asked, setting his coffee cup down.

"Can we go down to the beach?" Kathleen asked, mimicking his actions with her glass of milk.

"If you would like." He smiled at her when she thanked Hudson for refilling her glass.

Since their arrival at St Orella three weeks ago, Kathleen had been nothing but excited to explore the ancestral home that she had only seen pictures of. Most of the staff had remained behind when Amanda was in the Highlands and were looking forward to meeting the newest family member of the St Orellana noble family.

Hudson was one of the few members that had joined her grace when the butler at Lonsdale Castle had to retire for health reasons. He had written letters often to the St Orellana staff about Kathleen and the type of little lady she was turning into. Seeing the heir to the duchy going from room to room, exclaiming happily over every part had endeared her even more to the servants.

Her sweetness and polite manners made many of the senior workers recall how her mother had been the same when she was a little girl. Most had fallen under her spell within the first day of meeting her. They were just as loyal to her as they were to Amanda.

Hudson, upon hearing the true circumstances about Thomas being in the dark over fathering a child, had swallowed his pride, and apologized for his behavior five years ago when he denied revealing Amanda's whereabouts. Thomas in turn accepted his apology and thanked him for trying to protect both Amanda and Kathleen from further heartache.

Hearing that along with witnessing the director’s love for both ladies, Hudson had become one of his staunchest supporters. He had shared with the housekeeper and cook that he hoped to see their mistress marry the American.

While Kathleen finished her breakfast, Thomas glanced at the empty chair across from him. Amanda had been spending less and less time with them as she delved more into catching up on the various businesses and concerns of her duchy.

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

Their first night back in St Orella had been one of Amanda eagerly showing Kathleen her favorite rooms and such. She took them into the study and pointed out all the books she and their ancestors had read when they were young. Thomas had snapped a picture of the two sitting on the floor with various books surrounding them.

Kathleen had plopped down in Amanda's lap while looking through a children's book her great grandmother had loved. He continued to observe as Amanda patiently helped their daughter sound out words she didn't recognize.

"I'll be working in here mostly." She had explained to her. "There will be meetings where I will need you to wait before coming in to talk to me." She had smiled softly when Kathleen pouted at not having her to herself. "As long as you are quiet during the meetings, you may come in to color or look through all these books."

Their little girl promised she would be good.

"I know you will be." Amanda told her. "I used to love to come in here when my father and Uncle Nicky were working." She pointed out a window seat that looked out at the rocky coastline. "That used to be my favorite spot to read. Now it is yours for whenever you come in here."

Kathleen rushed over to it and climbed up on it. "Can I bring my animals and fuzzy blanket in here?"

"Yes." Amanda replied, smiling at the excitement in her daughter's face. "Just as long as those animals behave."

Kathleen giggled and promised she would only bring in the ones that did.

While their daughter explored the second level of the study, Amanda turned to Thomas.

"I want you to feel free to work in here also if you need to. If you would rather have your own space, there is a smaller study on the second floor that my mother used." She slipped her arms around his waist, smiling when he did the same. "It already has a desk and various other furniture to make it comfortable."

"Thank you." He kissed her tenderly while Kathleen wasn’t looking. "There will be a few things I will need to work on while here. The majority of my time though will be spent with you and Kathleen."

"I will know more about my free time after meeting with Sir Frances tomorrow." Amanda explained. "He, Maxwell, and Drake have had a hand in taking care of St Orella for me."

"Maxwell and Drake?" Thomas's eyebrows lifted. "I'm surprised you chose them."

She laughed and hugged him close. "Drake has a talent with construction and repairs. He kept up with all that needed to be done here and in the town within my duchy. He and Maxwell also kept in touch with the people of my duchy to make certain their needs were met. Maxwell took over all the duties once Drake married Olivia. He is a whiz with numbers and financial plans when he actually sits still long enough to make them. Between the two of them and Sir Francis overseeing the other areas, my duchy has survived my long absence."

Kathleen came back downstairs. "Can we go to the ballroom?"

"Of course." Amanda linked her arm with Thomas's as they followed Kathleen out. "She loved the one in Scotland. It is smaller and less ornate than the one here." She whispered. "I wonder how she will react when she sees the large chandeliers and gold filigree."

"I foresee a great deal of playtime there in our future." He whispered back.

Hudson and one of the footmen opened the double doors for the little lady when she stopped before them. Her wide eyes and gasp made them all smile at her reaction.

She tentatively stepped inside and spun around in the middle, trying to take in everything.

"I hope she is that happy during her first ball." Amanda said to Thomas, leaning against him when he wrapped his arm around her.

"I hope she is that happy the rest of her life." He added.

Kathleen held her giraffe out and pretended to dance with him.

Amanda pulled her phone out and began to film her. She glanced at Thomas and nudged him. "Why don't you go cut in?"

He chuckled and walked across the floor. He cleared his throat and bowed. "Lady Kathleen?"

The little girl paused and looked up at him. "Yes, Daddy?"

He held his hand out. "If your partner will permit me, I was wondering if I might have this dance?"

Kathleen giggled and set her stuffed animal down. She took his hand and giggled some more when he twirled her.

"You are the most graceful dancer here, my lady." He complimented.

"I'm the only one!" She giggled.

"Are you?" He asked, pretending astonishment. "No wonder you are the most sought-after partner."

Amanda couldn't stop smiling as she filmed them together.

"Pardon me, your grace." Hudson whispered. "You are wanted on the telephone. The Earl of Cormery needs to speak with you."

"Thank you, Hudson." Amanda sighed and put her cell phone back in her pocket. "I'll be back." She called out.

"We'll be here." Thomas replied. He lifted his eyes to hers and noticed her reluctance to leave.

She smiled at him and hurried off.

The three of them shared a late dinner that night. Thomas and Amanda put Kathleen in her new bed and returned to one of the informal dens.

Thomas noticed her distraction when he kissed her. "Something on your mind?"

She looped her arms around his neck. "Yes. I'm sorry. My mind is on everything I need to do." She smiled softly at him. "I am glad you decided to come. Kathleen won't be so upset with my having to work with you around."

He pulled her closer. "Is that the only reason you're happy with my being here?"

She pressed her lips to his. "What do you think?" Her seductive smile drew him in.

A throat cleared. "Forgive me your grace," Hudson kept his eyes elsewhere. "But His Majesty is on the phone. He says the matter is of an upcoming vote."

Amanda sighed. "Thank you, Hudson, I will take it in here."

He bowed and left the room. The duchess left the arms she had intended to stay in and picked up a phone on a nearby end table.

"Hey Liam." She greeted.

Thomas observed her as she gave her opinions on a possible trade agreement with a neighboring country. He had always known she was intelligent, but he had never seen her wisdom when it came to a nation's politics and economy.

He realized as the conversation went on that her arguments were more for the citizens of Cordonia being offered more job opportunities instead of the nobility reaping the most from it.

From the little he gathered, the Earl of Cormery was one of the few who supported her stance in this debate.

"Yes of course." Amanda said. "Just let me know when I need to be there." She said goodbye and rubbed her temples.

Thomas walked over and began massaging her tense shoulders.

"You have no idea how wonderful that feels." Amanda moaned as he added more pressure.

"I'm a little concerned that you are this tense after only two phone calls." He said, sitting down beside her.

"I've never enjoyed debating." She explained. "I would much rather write up the plans for others and allow them to do all the talking." She sighed when he wrapped his arms around her. "But this new deal will affect the people that reside in the estates along the coast more so than anywhere else. Gaining support for it won’t be easy."

He held her close, gently rubbing soothing circles on her back. His lips brushed her temple as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I hate to cut our evening short, but if I am to be able to keep up with all I must do tomorrow, then I should go on to bed." Amanda eased out of his arms.

"I understand." Thomas told her. "We'll make time another evening."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

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

It had only gotten worse these last few weeks. Amanda was having to miss meals due to various meetings and she was spending most of her time in her study.

She would take a few minutes here and there to check on Kathleen then return to work with Sir Francis and other nobles that came by.

After a few days, Kathleen began to say more and more that she missed her.

Thomas did too. His entire plan to romance her had been put on a screeching halt. There had been no further time spent alone together. It was as if he was back to where he had been before finding out about Kathleen.

"Excuse me sir," Hudson leaned closer to Thomas. "The package you were waiting on has arrived."

Kathleen looked up. "Is it a present?"

Thomas kept his face devoid of reaction. "It could be." His lips twitched when she turned around in her chair at the voices coming down the hall.

"Aunt Rachel!" She scrambled out of her chair and hugged her and Stephen.

"We've missed you!" Rachel squeezed her again. "I think you grew." She put her hands on her hips. "Didn't I tell you no growing up while we're apart?"

Kathleen giggled and took her hand. "You want to see my playroom? I have a tea set!"

"A cup of tea would be perfect." Rachel tossed her coat at her husband. "Excuse us gentlemen." She left with her niece chattering about her new home.

"Coffee?" Thomas held the sterling silver pot up to his brother-in-law.

"Please." Stephen took the empty chair across from him. He thanked Hudson when he offered a tray of pastries. After taking a bite of strawberry tart, he focused on Thomas. "Any progress?"

"No." He replied bitterly. "She has been bombarded with meetings and various other work." He waited until the servants left the dining room. "I think something else is going on."

"What makes you think that?" Stephen reached for the sugar bowl and cream.

Thomas ran a hand over his face. How could he explain it? Amanda had been slowly withdrawing from him. After a particularly long meeting with the Earl of Cormery, she had seemed...depressingly distracted.

"She hasn't been herself." Thomas finally settled on. "I thought being back in her ancestral home would bring her joy." He glanced down the hallway where her study was located. "She has stopped taking Kathleen on tours of her home and the town."

Stephen's lips firmed into a frown with this new information. "Perhaps it is because she is trying to catch up on five years of work."

"It's more than that." Thomas persisted. "I haven't been able to ask her what it is. She's either in a meeting or I find her asleep with Cordonian history and law books covering her."

Stephen finished his tart and reached for another. "Why don't you go talk to her now? Rachel has Kathleen occupied."

Thomas hesitated. "She's supposed to have a meeting with a noble in a few minutes."

"Then go give her a little morning romance." Stephen wiggled his eyebrows. "Probably brighten both your spirits."

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

Amanda stared at the document in front of her. She was unable to focus on it. She couldn't concentrate on anything other than what had been revealed in each meeting with her fellow nobles.

She struggled with seeing that her fellow countrymen were this...this...narrow minded. Her country was renowned for their more progressive views of marriage and relationships. But the news of Kathleen being the heir to St Orella was met with such utter disapproval that it had shocked her.

She never dreamed that her willingness to have a child out of wedlock would evoke such prejudice toward her and the work she was trying to do.

Her first week back home had been one that was filled with mystery. The nobles she had once been on good terms with seemed standoffish, subdued. There were no warm greetings. No congratulations on her having a child. Nothing that she expected.

Surprisingly, the one noble that had explained it to her towards the end of her first week home was the Earl of Cormery. Neville's father, Thurston Vancoeur, had come after a tense meeting she had finished with a few other lords and ladies.

"Your grace," he had bowed respectfully. "It is good to see you again."

She nodded to him. "Thank you, my lord." She motioned for him to sit and asked if he would like any refreshments.

"Tea." He replied. His stern demeanor softened some when Kathleen came into the study.

"Sweetheart, I need you to play in your room right now." Amanda told her.

Kathleen pouted some but nodded.

Thurston stood up and bowed to her. "Good afternoon, my lady."

Amanda smiled encouragingly at her daughter.

Kathleen curtsied. "Good afternoon, my lord."

He smiled warmly in approval of her manners.

She hurried over to her window seat and collected her toys. "Bye, Mommy." She kissed her cheek and scurried out of the room.

Amanda turned back to the earl. "Sorry about that. I've been letting her play in here while I work."

"Nothing to apologize over. I did the same with my children when they were younger." He waived her concern away. "You have a well-behaved child."

She smiled at him. "Thank you. She is such a darling."

The earl nodded. "It is nice to see a fellow parent bragging on their child for no other reason than that they adore them."

Amanda laughed in agreement. When Hudson brought the tea tray in, she prepared them both a cup. "Now then," she lifted her teacup to her lips, "what was it you wished to discuss?"

Thurston took a sip and contemplated how to broach such a delicate topic. "Having grown up as a noble, you know that our duties to our estates and people must come first."

She nodded, waiting to see where he was going with this.

"In order to do so, we dedicate our lives to caring and managing these aspects." His eyes lifted to hers. "Then we must focus our attentions on producing an heir to continue the work our forbearers began."

Amanda set her cup down. "Thankfully, I have Kathleen."

Thurston stirred his tea before turning the conversation in another direction. "Your grace, do you know the story of how your grandfather saved Cormery Isle?"

Amanda nodded. "I do. He was friends with your father."

"Indeed." Thurston leaned forward. "Vancoeur's repay those in whatever manner they deserve. If kindness or mercy is given, as in what your grandfather gave my father, then it is up to my family to repay it in the same manner."

"That is very honorable of you, sir." Amanda patted his hand. "I thank you for it, but I don't quite see why I might need it now."

"I know my son and you never," he cleared his throat, "got on well together. But I have another who could be a possible match."

Amanda's eyes widened. "You wish to repay my grandfather's kindness by giving me one of your family members to wed?"

"My nephew has become a respected diplomat." Thurston continued. "Randolph has been trained in courtly manners. He has wealth, yet no title or lands."

"Lord Thurston," Amanda stuttered. "Truly, I am honored you would wish to join our families, but I--"

"My dear," Thurston interrupted, "I believe it is time you faced reality."

"What do you mean?" Amanda could feel her stomach churn with the pitying look he leveled on her.

"You named an illegitimate child as an heir." He stated.

Her eyes narrowed. "She is mine. A Bridgerton from the female heir. There can be no doubt she is of my blood."

"I'm not insulting you." Thurston reminded her. "But the other nobles were told by Constantine of the circumstances of your seclusion in Scotland."

Amanda's brow furrowed. "And they were against it?"

He nodded.

Her temper snapped. "I've heard whispers my entire life and have accidentally witnessed their own behaviors at court. They have no right to stand in judgment of my daughter! She should not have to pay for my mistakes."

Thurston held his hand up to silence her. "I understand your frustrations, but these are the facts of our society. Sins committed in the dark must never come into the light."

"Kathleen is not a sin!" She snapped. "She is everything that is sweet and good. My ancestors would rejoice in knowing she is the next duchess."

"Amanda." He said firmly. "I am not against you naming her your heir. There can be no doubt she is yours, but the majority of nobles will not support her."

"But I have the crown supporting her!" Amanda explained. "Ramsford and Lythikos support her as my heir. Surely I can convince the others to--"

"Kings come and go." Thurston reminded her. "Our noble houses though thrive more on legitimate heirs than the crown does. One cannot name an heir outside of their bloodline to rule over his estates. All estates and titles revert back to the crown once a childless noble dies." He straightened his shoulders. "That is why I am proposing a marriage between you and Randolph."

Amanda felt as if her entire world had tilted.

"Marrying him will allow you to name the child you have with him as heir to St Orella." Thurston explained.

"No. It is Kathleen's birthright to have St Orella. I would never take that from her to give to another." She shook her head, refusing to believe any of this.

"You can give her your lesser inherited titles from Scotland and Italy. She can have those estates and a stipend from the St Orellana coffers." He stated. "If you do not have a legitimate heir born after a marriage has been performed, then your duchy is doomed. Anything Kathleen tries to do once she is duchess will be shot down by the Council, thus rendering her unable to properly care for her duchy." His eyes softened with regret. "She will be a noble with no power."

Amanda lowered her head into her hands. "No wonder the other nobles are fighting against my proposed measures."

"They are simply reminding you what happens when we step out of line." He stood up and gently patted her back. "I am sorry you had to find out this way, but it had to be said."

She nodded. "Thank you for explaining it to me." She stood up and clasped his hand. "You have done a great kindness to me and St Orella."

His lips curved in approval. "Good. You will consider Randolph?"

She hesitated. "Yes. I will consider all my options."

He bowed and kissed her hand. "Then I will leave you to your duties, my dear." He took his leave, promising to speak to her soon.

Amanda waited until she could no longer hear footsteps and walked over to the window seat. She dropped to her knees and buried her face against the cushions as she sobbed. Ever since she found out she was expecting a child, she had sworn her mistakes would not harm her. Now they were denying her a future here.

After a long cry, Amanda threw herself into researching Cordonian laws and history of nobles with illegitimate children. She made a few phone calls to Liam and Rashad, pleading for them to help her find something that could be used to help Kathleen be the rightful heiress, one with absolute power.

She didn't want to explain it to Thomas. She knew he could not help. Even if he agreed to marry her now, the stigma of Kathleen not only having five years of illegitimacy, but also having lived in another country all this time would be pointed out and held against her.

The thought of marrying someone else hurt horribly. Knowing Thomas wanted to try again with her, that he loved her, she couldn't turn that away a second time. He had done nothing but make her and Kathleen feel like they were the most important people in his world. How could she ignore all of that?

She pushed out the thoughts of losing him and focused on the ways she might be able to fix this.

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

Thomas knocked on the study door.

"Come in." Amanda called out.

He stepped inside and smiled at seeing her up on a ladder by one of the bookshelves.

"Good morning." He walked over to her. "Already working?"

"More like I haven't really stopped." Her smile was strained as she looked down at him. "What are your plans today?"

"Rachel and Stephen arrived." He reached up as she began her descent and took her in his arms.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek while she laughed.

"I must go and greet them before my first meeting." She checked the time.

Thomas pulled her back into his embrace when she tried to walk out of it. "Rachel is having a tea party with Kathleen upstairs and Stephen is eating all the pastries in the dining room." He captured her lips in a heated kiss. "You can greet them later."

She wrapped her arms around him, sinking into his kiss.

He rested his forehead against hers. "I've missed you these past few weeks."

She averted her eyes. "I've missed you too."

Thomas raised up and cupped her face. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, unable to lie to him by saying it was nothing. "I'm just tired." She leaned forward to kiss him. "I find myself dreaming of being back in California with you and Kathleen and no worries."

He smiled and pulled her close against him. "Should I kidnap you and take you back there?"

She laughed and looped her arms around his neck. "Don't tempt me." She sighed when his lips drifted down her neck. "What made Rachel and Stephen decide to come now?"

"Thanksgiving is Thursday." He said against her skin. "They wanted to spend it with Kathleen."

Amanda's lips trembled with laughter. "An American married to a Canadian flew to Cordonia to have Thanksgiving dinner with her niece who has spent the first five years of her life in the United Kingdom?"

He snorted softly. "Yes."

She caressed his cheek. "That is some family you have there Mr. Hunt."

"They can be yours too, if you wish." His eyes held hers as he waited for his meaning to sink in.

Amanda bit her lip as tears built up. He was offering her a family. "Thomas, I love --"

"Lord and Lady Winthrop, your grace." Hudson announced.

The couple separated. "We are planning on taking Kathleen down to the beach later to have a picnic." Thomas whispered. "I wish you would join us."

Amanda nodded. "I'll try."

He squeezed her hand and nodded to the snobbish nobles that walked in.

The duchess squared her shoulders for another round of winning over nobles for Kathleen.

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

"Look at this one!" Kathleen picked up a smooth black rock with swirls of white.

"It is very pretty." Thomas remarked. He found a flat place in the sand and set up the picnic.

Rachel helped him while Stephen helped his niece look for more pretty rocks.

"Is Amanda going to join us?" Rachel asked.

"I mentioned it to her before she was distracted with meetings." Thomas scanned the area, hoping to see her silhouette approaching.

"Stephen told me about your lack of progress." Rachel whispered. "All I want to know is, did you bring the ring?"

His head shot up. "How did you know--"

"Please. I'm your sister." She shrugged while pulling out items from the basket. "I know everything."

"Except whether or not I brought it." He muttered.

She eyed him a moment. "You brought it."

He glared at her. "Yes, I did."

Kathleen came hurrying over. "Look what I found! It looks like a heart."

The water had indeed eroded the beige rock to where it resembled a crooked heart.

"I'm going to surprise Mommy with it." She declared.

"Does the favorite uncle get nothing?" Stephen playfully grumbled. "Rachel gets invites to tea parties. Amanda gets rock hearts. What do I get?"

Kathleen giggled and handed him the pretty black and white rock. "Here you go."

"Finally!" He exclaimed. "I was worried there for a minute."

"We're over here!" Rachel yelled when she spotted Amanda.

Thomas turned around in surprise while Kathleen took off running toward her.

The three watched as Amanda picked up Kathleen and carried her back to the picnic area.

"I escaped." She declared when she plopped down on the blanket. She cuddled Kathleen close and smiled at all of them. "And I am famished."

"We packed lots of food." Kathleen told her. "Uncle Stephen was our taste tester."

"An occupation I am willing to do from now on." He added.

"Daddy told him to stop." Kathleen whispered, making her mother laugh. "I have a surprise for you." She said proudly. "But you have to guess what it is."

"Is it cookies?" Amanda asked.

"Nope." Kathleen's smile formed.

"Is it a sandwich?"

The little girl giggled. "It's not food."

"Is it a picture?"

She shook her head.

"A hug?" Amanda asked.

Kathleen held her hand out. "It's a rock heart!"

"Where did you find this?" Amanda asked, her tone carefully remaining in awe.

"Over there." Kathleen pointed toward the rocky shore.

"I love it." Amanda hugged her and kissed her cheek. "This is my favorite rock in the entire universe."

Kathleen scrunched her shoulders while smiling.

Rachel leaned over to whisper to her brother. "Don't worry. Once she sees the rock you bought at Tiffany's, she will love it just as much as Kathleen's."

Ignoring his sister, Thomas grit his teeth and continued to set out the food.

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

Later that night, Amanda tried to focus on the stacks of papers on her desk. The more she tried, the more she thought of her time on the beach. It had been perfect being with Thomas and Kathleen. Sitting there beside him and listening to Rachel and Stephen tease each other over who should cook for Thanksgiving dinner had seemed so normal. So natural.

Even though she had missed her country and seeing her friends on a regular basis when she was first forced to go to Lonsdale Castle, she had been content with her child and overseeing her estates. But now, she wasn’t sure how she felt being back home.

Her afternoon and evening had been filled with calls and meetings. Each one had ended in the same manner. The nobles were unwilling to work with her. Every step she took forward, she was knocked two back. She was becoming powerless. No one would listen to her, save for those closest to her.

She tapped her pen against mahogany desktop, trying to see a way out of this quagmire. Her eyes darted down to the locked safe built into her desk. She wondered if she would have to use its contents.

She picked up the receiver of her desk phone and called Liam. After a short conversation with him, Olivia, Rashad, and then Maxwell; she stood to find Thomas and Kathleen to tell them that she would be traveling to the capital in the morning.

Before she could step completely around her desk, the study door opened, and a pajama clad little girl came rushing in.

"It's story time." Kathleen reminded her.

Amanda glanced at the ornate clock on the mantle and smiled. "So it is." She picked up the leather bound book Kathleen had chosen earlier that week and sat down in the leather chair by the fireplace.

Her daughter brought over the fuzzy blanket she kept on the window seat and climbed into Amanda's lap.

"Which story will we read tonight? Amanda asked.

"The one about Lady Julia." Kathleen replied.

"This is a favorite of your uncle Liam's." Amanda began. "Without Lady Julia, his ancestor King Fabian would not have known about his birthright."

"What happened?" Kathleen asked, looking at the drawings of Cordonian's former rulers.

"It all began at a masquerade ball," Amanda briefly covered the court intrigue that Lady Julia Aster went through to make sure Cordonia had the right ruler. She focused more on Julia's relationship with her older sister, Annalisa, and her romance with The Crown's Shield, Kayden.

"After exposing those who not only killed Queen Kendra Rhys and the one who tried to kill Julia and her beloved sister, Annalisa; Julia was chosen by the conclave to be queen." Amanda pointed out the three ladies.

"But what about Kayden?" Kathleen asked, worried about the Crown Shield.

"He was there; protecting, loving, and supporting Julia through all the trials she faced. When House Fierro threatened war to rid Cordonia of Julia as queen, she went to find Queen Kendra's nephew, Fabian, who had been hidden for years as a peasant, never knowing he was of royal blood."

"And he became king?" Kathleen asked turning the page to look at a picture of him.

"That's right. Queen Julia knew she couldn't let the country suffer with so many against her rule and threatening war, so she convinced Fabian to take her place as ruler." Amanda looked down at the drawing of Julia crowning Fabian. "Fabian asked Julia to marry him so that she could continue to be queen."

"But she didn't." Kathleen said. "Because she loved Kayden."

"That's right. She remained a friend and advisor to King Fabian, but she gave up the crown to follow her heart." Amanda turned the page and pointed at a rendering Fabian had personally painted of Julia and Kayden's family. "She and Kayden married shortly after Fabian's coronation."

"And they lived happily ever after." Kathleen finished.

"Yes, they did. King Fabian also went on to marry the love of his life and did many wonderful things for our country. His reign is regarded as one of Cordonia's time of peace and enlightenment." Amanda closed the book and cuddled Kathleen close, enjoying her own brief moment of peace.

"It would have been sad if Julia had married Fabian." Kathleen snuggled her head under Amanda's chin. "Then Kayden would've been all alone."

"Yes." Amanda pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "It would have been very sad." She let out a deep sigh. "I have to go away for a few days."

Kathleen sat up. "Why?"

"I need to go to the capital and speak with Liam and a few others." Amanda smiled down at her. "You, though, will stay here and help your father entertain your aunt and uncle."

"But you'll be all alone." Kathleen wrapped her arms around Amanda's neck.

“Alone? With Uncle Max and Aunt Olivia there too?” She laughed and hugged her little girl. “Not likely. I will miss you terribly, but I must go alone to this meeting.”

“And Daddy?” Kathleen reminded her. “You’ll miss him too.”

“Yes, I will.” Amanda’s smile dimmed. “I will miss him very much.” She set Kathleen on the floor and stood up. “Bedtime.”

Kathleen took her hand and left the study with her.

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

“Leaving? Will you be back in time for Thanksgiving?” Thomas asked once they were outside of Kathleen’s room.

“I’ll try.” Amanda hedged. “I’m not certain how long this will take.” Especially if my plans fail, she thought.

Thomas wrapped his arms around her waist. “We can’t seem to catch a moment alone, can we?”

She lowered her head. “No. We can’t.” She lifted her eyes to his. “I’m sorry that I have been so busy.”

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I understand.” He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I had hoped to speak to you about our future after sweeping you off your feet.”

Her eyes widened. “Our future?”

Thomas took her hand and led her to his room. He opened a drawer that held his pajama pants and pulled out the little blue box.

Amanda sat down on the edge of his bed. “Thomas, I—” she swallowed nervously, “is that—when?” She gave up on speaking.

He handed it to her. “I found this six years ago and bought it, knowing I was going to ask you to marry me. Our breakup and years apart did not diminish my hope that I could still give this to you, to marry you.”

She stared down at the box, unable to open it.

He knelt in front of her. “Amanda, you know I love you.”

She met his eyes and nodded. “I love you too, so very much.”

He smiled softly. “If you want a little more time to think on marrying me, then I will know if you want to by seeing this ring on your finger.” He opened the box for her.

Amanda looked down on the ring he had chosen for her so long ago. “It’s beautiful.”

“It reminded me of you.” He explained.

She bit her lip and finally looked up at him. “Is it alright if I let you know my answer after I return to St Orella?” She caressed his cheek while a tender smile formed. “I would much rather discuss this when I am not mentally exhausted and still need to pack.”

Thomas swallowed down his disappointment. “Of course.” His arms closed around her when she sank down to her knees to kiss him.

After a few heated moments, she pulled away. “I don’t believe I ever stopped loving you, wishing you would want me.”

He kissed her again. “I never stopped loving or wanting you.” His lips brushed her ear. “Must you go tomorrow?”

She nodded. “I’m afraid it can’t be postponed.” She eased out of his embrace. “I should finish some things before I leave tomorrow.”

He reluctantly let her go. “Then I will see you in the morning.”

She walked to his door and kissed him once more before leaving. “Goodnight, Thomas.”

“Goodnight, Amanda.”

[lovetoreidd]

New World - Chapter Six

You can find the blurb for this here and Chapter One here.

Word Count: 957

Warnings: Cursing, yelling.

A/N: Hi guys! So a little info: I’m being weened off of this medicine I’m on, so I haven’t had a lot of motivation to write, which is why it’s taking me more time to get chapters out. I’m still excited about the story, though! And I’m over halfway done, so that’s pretty great. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. If you do, please like, comment, and/or reblog. Enjoy!

~

Sabrina hadn’t talked to her biological parents since the day that the trio ran into the lion sent by Adeline. She didn’t want to, and they seemed to be smart enough to keep their distance.

Sitting alone in Violet’s living room while she slept, she thought about her last interaction with her adoptive parents.

“Aha! I win!” Sabrina stood from her chair, pointing excitedly. They were playing a third round of Uno, and the teen had finally won. Games had never been her forte, so she was feeling pretty good.

Her father raised his eyebrows. “You cheated! I saw you place two cards at once!”

The girl scoffed. “I’m offended that you would ever accuse me of cheating! Unlike you, I won fair and square.” she crossed her arms, knowing for a fact that her father was a cheater when it came to Game Night.

Her mother sighed. “You two need to calm down. It’s just a game.”

“Says you! You always win, Mom, so you don’t get an opinion on it,” Sabrina declared. She was very competitive, so she was a sore loser, and tended to trash-talk whenever she won. Her parents didn’t get upset by it, though. They knew she meant no harm and was just having fun. “Can we have ice cream to celebrate my victory?”

Both of her parents nodded, so she headed to the kitchen and scooped birthday cake ice cream into three bowls. She put a spoon in each one before carrying them out to the dining room table, setting a bowl in front of each parent.

The three of them ate their ice cream while talking about their days. Sabrina told them about a test she took in English that she got a perfect score on. She struggled in English, so they were both proud of her.

Eventually, after Sabrina had yawned three times in two minutes, her mother decided that it was time for her to go to bed. “You’re exhausted, Love. You need to get some sleep. We can hang out tomorrow, we have all day.”

Sabrina said goodnight, hugging both of her parents a little longer than normal. She had this weird feeling, almost like it would be the last time that she would see them.

She shook off the feeling, got ready for bed, and fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The teen missed her parents. She had asked Violet and Carver if she could see them, but they told her that Sabrina couldn’t leave the village, and that only Elementals could go through portals. She was told that she could see them when everything was over.

If only she knew when that would be.

Carter entered Violet’s house. The sound of her opening the door made her jump. She looked up. “Hey.”

He waved. “Hey.” 

Something about his mood seemed off. Sabrina’s eyebrows raised in question. “You good?”

The male sighed. “I’m good, but I don’t think you will be. Clarice wants to see you.”

Sabrina froze for a few moments before rapidly shaking her head. “No.”

“Please? Give her five minutes.”

She groaned, standing. “Only because you asked nicely. Let’s go.”

“Shouldn’t we get Violet?”

Shaking her head, she started to leave. “No, let her sleep. We’ll just fill her in later.”

They walked to her biological parents’ home in silence. Sabrina wouldn’t admit it, but she was nervous to hear what Clarice had to say. She just hoped that whatever happened, her feelings towards her biological parents didn’t worsen.

When they got to their home, Carter knocked on the door. It immediately swung open, revealing Clarice, a gentle smile on her face. Sabrina gulped. “Sabrina, come in. Thank you, Carter.”

Sabrina left Carter outside and followed Clarice inside. They sat down in two squishy chairs, facing each other. Sabrina stayed silent. “Thank you for coming.”

She shrugged. “I did it for Carter. He asked me to come.”

“Are you and Carter…?”

“People can’t do favors for friends?”

Clarice cleared her throat, looking away. “Right… Sorry. Look, I just wanted you here so that I could say-”

“Why wasn’t I enough?”

“I beg your pardon?”

The girl leaned forward in the chair. “Why wasn’t I enough for you? What made you keep Adeline and not me? Because you clearly didn’t make a great decision.” talking badly about her twin for some reason left a bad taste in her mouth, but it was true. If they had chosen to keep  Sabrina, no one’s life would be in danger.

She sighed, clasping her hands together. “When you two were babies, she was just… stronger. She was a little bigger. Livelier. We thought she would do better with us.”

Those words didn’t comfort her in any way. “I was a baby. A defenseless infant! What, did you have us and immediately look to decide who was good enough? Did you look at your two children and decided, ‘Oh, that one’s just a little bigger, so we’ll toss out the other one’? Is that what happened?”

Clarice bowed her head in shame. 

Sabrina stood from her chair, anger rising. “I can’t believe you.” she wouldn’t have traded the life she had, because her parents were amazing, but she still felt rejected, and it hurt. “That’s such a shitty thing to do! I was your child too! How could-”

“Stop yelling at her! She’s your mother either way.” Benjamin had entered at some point, and was not happy to see Sabrina yelling at his wife.

She laughed, though it lacked humor. “She’s not my mother. And you’re not my father, so don’t tell me what to do.” she stormed past him and outside of the house, just like the day she first met them.

[writings-of-dumpy]

A Cinderella Story - II

Tags: @mindingmyownbusiness���

“Where the hell do you get off?!” Stiles barged into the throne room after returning to the castle.

“Try again,” his father warned without looking up from the papers he was shuffling through.

“A ball?! Really, dad?! And why is ‘every eligible maid’ invited specifically?” Stiles continued.

Noah looked up from the papers at his son and let out a breath. “Well, you weren’t at the meeting and your mother thought it was a great idea to help you find a bride.”

Stiles looked across the room at the queen with flared nostrils, pursed lips and furrowed brows.

“You did this, mom?!” Stiles accused.

The queen shrugged and spoke calmly as she walked closer to her son, “I think it’ll be good for you to socialize… You are expected to wed soon, after all.”

Stiles grumbled under his breath for a moment and turned back to his dad. “How do you even know I like girls, huh?!”

“You’re not gay, son...” the king said and turned back to his papers.

Stiles’ jaw dropped. “I—I could be!”

The king looked his son up and down and at a guard named Daniel who was married to a man. Daniel closed his eyes and shook his head with a flat mouth.

“Not in that outfit,” the king concluded.

Stiles took a deep breath. “For your information, I met a girl today.”

“Really? What’s her name?” his mother asked.

“…shit,” Stiles said and remembered that he never got the name of the woman that hadn’t left his thoughts.

“Her name is Shit?” his father asked.

“No, I... I didn’t get her name,” Stiles admitted.

“Well then all the more reason to be excited! She’ll be at the ball, especially if she’s single!” Stiles’ mother said with a smile. “Cheer up, darling. We want what’s best for you.”

Stiles grumbled. “Fine. I’ll go along with this. But ONLY because I don’t know her name or where she lives or... anything about her.”

“That’s the spirit, son,” Noah encouraged with a small smile.

Stiles groaned and walked off to change out of Scott’s clothes.

~

Ella spent the whole walk home daydreaming about the man she’d just met. She had never seen him before, but she hoped that he would become a regular part of her visits into town.

“You look happy! Was your shopping trip good?” Ariel asked once Ella returned to the property.

“I ran into someone. He ran into me actually, but… he was very charming,” Ella explained and Belle squealed.

“Was he handsome?! Tall?!” Belle asked and flew closer to Ella’s face. Ella laughed and nodded.

“He had the most wonderful brown eyes I’d ever seen. They were almost a dark gold color…” Ella said. “Ah, well. Just another dream.”

She made her way into the house and delivered the herbs to her stepsisters and decided to deliver the news of the ball to the three of them.

“Stepmother?” Ella said to Winifred, who was in the music room with Malia and Allison practicing various instruments.

“What is it, child?” she asked.

“Well, I was just in town and the royal steward announced that there is to be a masquerade ball in two days to honor the prince and the whole kingdom is invited. He said that every eligible maid to is attend, and by the end of the night Prince Mieczyslaw will choose one of them to be his bride,” Ella said. Malia and Allison perked up and gripped each other’s hands.

Winifred stood up and smiled widely. “This is it! This is the chance we’ve been waiting for, girls!”

“Oh my gosh, a party in the castle!” Allison exclaimed.

“I, um… I was, well… Um…” Ella stammered.

“Spit it out, spit it out!” Winifred demanded.

“Well, the proclamation said that every eligible maid was to attend… so I was thinking… that maybe I could go, too…” Ella said sheepishly.

Winifred snorted and laughed maniacally. Malia and Allison’s faces dropped and looked at their mother worriedly.

“Oh... oh dear. Oh goodness, that was hilarious. You? At the ball? Oh, you’ve lost your head, girl,” Winifred cackled. “You think YOU have a chance to marry the prince?”

“Well, of course I don’t have a chance with the prince, persay, bu—”

“Then that settles it—you won’t be going,” Winifred interrupted Ella.

“Mother, if the king wants every eligible maid there, then Ella should go… so that we aren’t going to get in trouble,” Malia stepped up cautiously.

Winifred’s face soured at her daughter and then turned to Ella, who felt like she was on fire.

“Well. I suppose if you get all of your chores completed and IF you can find a suitable dress to wear, then you can go,” Winifred finally ceded.

Ella’s face lit up and she smiled widely as her heart filled with hope. “Oh, thank you, stepmother! I’ll get everything done, I promise!”

Ella smiled and rushed through her chores that day and when nightfall came, she pulled out her mother’s old evening dress. The colors had faded slightly to a neutral blush tone and off-white instead of their original rose and white because of age, but Ella thought with a few modifications the dress would look just as wonderful as any other.

“What do you have that old thing out for, Ella?” Snow asked from Ella’s window.

“Oh! Did you not hear about the ball that the castle is having day after tomorrow?” Ella said excitedly.

“Oh, we heard about it… Is that what you’re wearing..?” Ariel asked.

Ella nodded excitedly. “It needs a few modifications, but I think it will do just fine, don’t you?”

“Oh, I think it will be lovely, you’ll look absolutely gorgeous in it,” Cindy commented.

Ella smiled widely and looked through her sewing books before finally drifting off to sleep. She dreamed of Stiles and dancing at the ball, and she hoped that she could get her dress finished.

The next two days were packed full of things to do for Ella. From the minute she woke up to the second her stepmother and stepsisters went to bed, Ella’s plate was overflowing with things to do. She managed to complete her tasks just in time to help Malia and Allison into their dresses for the ball. Ella was sad that she hadn’t gotten her dress done and therefore couldn’t go with them, but she was happy that at least her stepfamily would be gone for the night.

“Stepmother? The carriage has arrived,” Ella informed Winifred when the horse and coach arrived at the mansion’s front door at six o’clock.

“Excellent. Malia, Allison! Let’s go,” Winifred commanded her daughters. Ella walked to her room with a sad gait past her stepsisters, who shared a look of pity and guilt.

Ella opened her door and heard the chimes and bells of her friends that illuminated the room and the completed dress of Ella’s vision. She smiled widely and teared up at how gorgeous the gown looked.

“Surprise!” Belle announced.

“Hurry, before the coach leaves!” Ariel said. She and Cindy lifted the dress and handed it to Ella.

“You.. you guys did this for me..?” Ella said through a choked up voice.

“Of course we did! Winifred tried, but there was no way she could stop us!” Jasmine said.

“Come on! Get dressed!” Snow urged. Ella smiled and quickly put the dress on. She didn’t have time to admire herself and she ran down to the foyer where Winifred, Malia, and Allison were headed out the door.

“Wait! Wait, please!” Ella called out. The three women turned and looked at Ella. Malia and Allison’s expressions were ones of silent happiness and Winifred’s was one of utter disgust and surprise.

Ella approached them with a bright smile and twirled her dress. “IT’s not nearly as grand as yours are, but I think it’ll do, don’t you?”

“It looks lov—” Malia began, but Winifred closed her daughter’s mouth with a wave of her hand.

“Hm… It seems to be a bit old, yes? A whole night of dancing may… wear it out,” Winifred said in a manner that was vaguely threatening.

“It was my mother’s dress. I made it over a bit, so I—” Ella started to say, but in an instant and with a brutal tearing sound, a sleeve was gone from Ella’s dress. Her eyes welled up with tears at the sight of the hard work being ruined, but she held strong despite Winifred’s sabotage. Ella stood strong as Winifred continued to tear the dress in different places—ripping off ruffles, bows, and beading that Ella’s friends had put so much work into.

“Mom, we have to go,” Allison said abruptly. Ella looked at her stepsisters and saw the slight tears in their eyes and Malia’s hands covered her mouth in shock.

“Pity,” was all Winifred said. Ella stood in the foyer in complete shock and heartbreak for a little while longer. She had thought about everything that she had been put through—the death of her father, never knowing her mother, slaving away and being ridiculed and manipulated into being a slave for her stepmother—and decided that enough was enough. Ella clenched her jaw and stormed back to her room with tears streaming down her face.

“Oh, Ella, I’m so sorry,” Jasmine offered.

Ella shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. You put so much work into this truly beautiful dress and she just… tore it up. And I couldn’t stop her.”

“Oh, it’s not your fault, sweetie. Come on, we can get a new one going!” Belle encouraged, but Ella shook her head.

“I’m not going to the ball,” Ella said and began to fill bag with the few belongings she had that meant anything to her.

“Ella, what are you doing?” Ariel asked.

“I’m leaving. I can’t stay here any longer. I don’t know where I’ll go, but it can’t… it can’t be here,” Ella said through tears. She felt the weight of her life and disappointment pull her to the floor and she sobbed for a while until she heard a knock at the door. Deciding to pull herself together for a moment, she answered it and didn’t care who saw her in such a terrible way.

“Pardon me, miss, but I seem to have heard some crying?” a woman with green eyes, strawberry blonde hair and porcelain skin said at the door.

“Um... um, yes that was me. I’m sorry to have disturbed you, I thought I was alone,” Ella said.

“Oh, dear, you’re never alone,” the woman said with a smile.

“Can I ask who you are..?” Ella said.

“I’m Lydia, a light witch,” she said with a cheery smile.

Ella smiled politely. “I’m Ella. How can I help you?”

“I know who you are, dear. But the better question is, how can I help you?” Lydia said. Ella’s brows furrowed and Lydia beckoned her to step outside.

“You know, everyone knows how you’re treated… I had hoped to see you in the coach with your stepsisters, but... no such luck, I suppose. So I came here to offer my services to you,” Lydia said with a smile.

“Your… services…?” Ella asked with a confused look.

“Let’s see. You’ll need a coach, horses, footmen… Let’s see what we have to work with here…” Lydia said and pulled a long and pointed white baton that glowed from her inside pocket.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” Ella said apologetically.

“Well would you prefer to walk to the castle? The ball would be over by the time you get there, so I recommend carriage,” Lydia said and waved her wand. Suddenly, a pumpkin that was growing in the garden was hoisted into the air and became a magnificent golden carriage. Ella’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head—even Winifred’s magic wasn’t that magnificent.

“Wow… it’s so beautiful…” Ella commented.

“Thank you, sweetie. Now stand back, I’m going to give you horses,” Lydia said and Ella stepped back. Before her very eyes, four field mice were turned into magnificent white horses and attached to the carriage. Ella felt like she was dreaming and pinched herself to make sure she was awake. Lydia waved her wand once more and an owl that was perched on the tree above them took human form and sat in the driver’s seat.

“Alright, and now for you, dear. Let’s see… For a masquerade ball…” Lydia said and thought for a moment while looking over Ella. Lydia’s expression changed and her face lit up in a smile. “Hold still!”

Ella held perfectly still as she was engulfed in a bright white light. She began to feel her skirt grow a bit heavier and her hair curled itself. She felt a necklace form a band around her neck and shoes form around her feet.

“There! Oh, you look even lovelier than I had hoped!” Lydia gushed and formed a mirror out of thin air in front of Ella.

Ella looked in the mirror and could barely recognize herself. The gown she wore was a grand ballgown that shone silvery blue and sparkled in the moonlight. The simple black band around her neck pulled the look together with her curled hair. She lifted the gown to see what her shoes looked like and she saw the most stunning pieces of footwear that she’d ever seen. The shoes shifted through all colors of the rainbow and sparkled much like her dress.

“Are these—” Ella began, and Lydia finished.

“Diamond shoes? Why yes, they are. One of a kind!” Lydia said with cheer.  

“Lydia, I have no way of paying you back… this is too much. Surely I can’t accept these wonderful gifts…” Ella said and walked over to the witch.

Lydia smiled and held Ella’s hands. “You deserve to be happy. It is my mission to make everyone I possibly can happy. Unfortunately, this happiness will only last until midnight, so be sure to make it back by then, okay?”

Ella shed a few tears of gratitude and gave Lydia a tight hug.

“Thank you… Thank you so much. I’ll never forget your kindness,” Ella said and climbed into the carriage. As Ella was waving goodbye, she noticed that her fairy friends were trailing behind the carriage and Lydia disappeared from view. Ella smiled to herself and looked down at her magnificent gown and shoes. She couldn’t believe her good fortune and memorized every detail of her carriage. She smiled to herself the whole ride to the castle.

Once she arrived, she realized that she was slightly late to the party, but the guards helped her into the castle anyway. Before walking in, she placed the intricately detailed silver and blue mask that matched her dress over her eyes. She made her way through the grand halls towards where she could hear music and chatter. Before long, she found herself among other masked folk. Nervously, she readjusted her mask and started to step into the crowd.

“How lucky it is that you’re here,” she heard a familiar voice say from beside her. She turned and saw a man with chocolate brown hair dressed in the traditional formal attire for all men of the kingdom and donned a bale blue mask over his golden honey brown eyes.

Ella smiled widely. “Stiles!”

[aweebwrites]

When You Leave...

Polyninja soulmate AU

________________

They say to have a soulmate was a blessing and a curse. A blessing because you have someone destined to love you forever. A curse because life is a fragile thing. This is the tale of how four of Ninjago's protectors discovered that.

As a child, Cole grew up unable to see the colours red and blue. A triad bond the people in his village would whisper when they thought he couldn't hear. Lucky, they would call him. He did think he was lucky. Very lucky. It was the knowledge that someday he'd meet two persons who would love him no matter what that had kept him going through his mother's death and the rift it tore between him and his father. That knowledge gave him purpose.

Jay couldn't see the colour red whatsoever and the moment he and his parents found that out, they were ecstatic. He had a soulmate! Him, the junkyard kid, the wannabe inventor, the motormouth. It gave him hope. Someone would love someone like him…

Zane had only noticed he couldn't see red and blue just a few times but he wasn't ignorant to what it meant. He had soulmates out there. Lifelong partners. He had only returned to meditating. They will cross paths when the time was right. Then maybe… He could have a true home with them.

Kai had always known he had a soulmate. Hearing it as often as he had growing up, how could he forget? No blue skies for him either. But he couldn't do anything about trying to find them. He had to take care of Nya and the shop since their parents up and vanished. All he could do was hope destiny brings them together.

And destiny did, through Sensei Wu. He had first taken Cole under his wing. While he was reluctant, with what being unable to go out into the world just in case his soulmates happened to pass by and all, but reasoned that it was best to stay in one place. He would be easier to find.

Zane was second and went with him without a fight. He was curious. What he didn't expect was to meet another soulmate he didn't knew he had. He walked through the monastery gates and was struck by just how black the hair of the male on the training course was. Was black always so… Bright?

Sensei Wu had called Cole's attention and Cole glanced up, his eyes falling on the newcomer- before squinting, the white of his clothes all but too much. Had white always been that eye popping?

“Could you stand out of the sun maybe? Your clothes are… Too bright.” Cole says, rubbing his eye as Wu rose a brow.

“Your hair is extremely dark. My eyes are having some difficulty adjusting.” Zane also commented, squinting a little.

Wu had stood there patiently, waiting for them to realise. Both of their eyes widened.

“You're-!”

“Are you-!” They both said at the same time, shock washing over them.

Three soulmates?! Zane had never heard of something like this before. How will so many of them cope?

“You are both pardoned for today.” Wu says, walking towards the building. “The test continues tomorrow.” He added, turning to face them before the paper doors slid shut before him.

Both chosen pupils had watched him before looking at each other.

“Hi. I'm, uh. I'm Cole.” He introduced himself unsurely.

“I'm Zane. It's a pleasure to meet you.” Zane says with a kind smile and- wow he was even prettier when he smiled.

Cole blushed at his train of thought, glancing away. Zane couldn't help but notice how much softer he looked with the pink hue in his cheeks.

“Are the colours blue and red missing from your vision as well?” Zane asked him and Cole blinked and nodded.

“Yeah. Didn't know white was until now to be honest.” Cole says, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I didn't know black was missing either. But I'm glad I found you.” Zane says with a soft smile and how could Cole not blush at that.

He smiled however. Sweet talker.

A few short days into their partnered training and they worked surprisingly- or unsurprisingly- well together. They still couldn't beat Wu's incredibly quick drinking time but they were getting close. Then a new person was lead into their world and the skies shone.

“Huh. Your clothes and hair are a little bright.” Jay had said, rubbing his eye as both males looked up at the sky, alarmed.

“Woah… It's… Beautiful…” Cole whispered, eyes wide.

Before, the sky was a big blur of gray with eye popping white cloud but now? Now it was… It was… Breathtaking.

“Is this… Blue?” Zane whispered and Jay looked at them confused before gasping loudly.

They were his soulmates?! He didn't know he would have three! He had to admit to himself that he had hoped for his soulmate to be female but he would take whatever he could get. Besides, he still hasn't seen red yet.

Just like before, Wu had allowed them the day connect, to learn as much as they could from each other. While they weren't girls, Jay found them both incredibly attractive which sent him in a gay panic. He resurfaced minutes later after seeing them interact like they did with each other and himself. What does it matter if it made him gay or not? They're his soulmates and they were already so kind and helpful and thoughtful that he could see himself falling for them all too easily. Together, they trained together, pointing out flaws and areas of improvement. Within no time, they finally manage to best Wu and his quick drinking.

Their last test was to apprehend an intruder. They were all so focused on defeating the stranger that they hadn't notice the difference in their vision. It was only after Wu had changed their gi did they all pause.

“Easy on the eyes pal.” Jay says, squinting at Kai who looked over all three of them confused.

“Wait. Your clothes.” Zane says, the colour bright and hurting his eyes a little.

“What colour is that?” Cole asked, leaning in closer but pulling back and rubbing his eyes.

“My colour?! What is he wearing?” Kai asked, gesturing to Jay then looked to then. “And you two. Your black and white look so strange…” He whispered before gasping.

“Wait- you're our fourth?” Jay says, bewildered.

“Sensei, was this planned?” Cole asked, suspicious.

“Not at all.” The Sensei immediately declined. “Though it seems fit that the four of you, destined to protect Ninjago should also be destined for each other.” He says and they all looked at each other.

Jay didn't get a girl as their fourth but ay this point, he didn't care. He realised pretty quickly that gender certainly didn't matter. Not when his soulmates were perfect as is. Cole may tease him for being a blabbermouth but that's all it is. Teasing. He would sit and listen to him for as long as he can talk. Zane too. Kai seemed a little rough around the edges but he's worried for his sister. Not to mention that it was a little endearing.

Cole had similar thoughts. Sure Kai was a little blunt and quick to jump right in but he was sure his edges would fit perfectly with theirs somehow. Zane was just happy to finally meet and be surrounded by all of his soulmates. The moment was cut short however. They had golden weapons to hunt for.

Kai was a handful to say the least. Jumping into things head on and giving his soulmates mini heart attacks at each turn. Boy were they glad when everything came to an end. They had the golden weapons, Garmadon was in the wind, they had their own pet dragons that adored the rest of them as much as they did their riders (they were suspicious that it had something to do with them all being soulmates) and Sensei Wu wasn't dead! Sure Zane, Cole and Jay almost touched fire and lava several times because it was 'so pretty’ but Kai stopped them with an exasperated yet fond expression every time.

Now that Nya was safe and there wasn't an immediate threat, they focused on their bond and each other, discovering a few things along the way. Like Cole being touch starved and wanting to keep physical contact with them as much as possible. They didn't mind at all- in fact, they encouraged it. Jay for one appreciated a random hug every now and again. He was like a big teddy bear after all. A big, muscular teddy bear but a teddy bear no less.

Zane was the mother hen of the group. He just wanted his soulmates happy and healthy after all. He spoils them with occasionally baked goodies and concoctions he makes to appeal to their individual tastes. Kai was still the hot head they came to know but slightly more laid back than then. He was the encourager of the group despite of that. Jay working on an invention that crashed and burned? (more literal than you think) He pats him on the shoulder and tell him to keep trying. Jay brings the energy to the group. He's always doing something or talking about something and he always has this big smile on his face that often had his soulmates pausing to aww at his constant excitement.

They were all so caught up in each other and pushing training back further and further, that soon, they completely stopped. Which proved to be a big mistake when Lloyd Garmadon arrived on scene. At first, he was nothing more than a little squirt making trouble but then he decided to get payback and release the serpentine. Everything took a dip then. Between finding the scroll about the green ninja, losing their home, Cole getting hypnotized, turning on Zane, finding out Zane was a Nindroid (they didn't mind but Zane sure did at first), Kai's downright obsession with the green ninja title, the Great Devourer, Sensei Wu with his self sacrificing bullsh- you get the drift.

When it was all over, the first thing Jay did was turn and kiss his closest soulmate. Which so happened to be Zane. They've never seen Zane go that red before and was worried for a moment that he was overheating or about to have a malfunction. Naturally, they all exchanged kisses and voiced their relief that they were all in one piece. Now they had a young green ninja to teach and nowhere to stay while Garmadon was out there with their golden weapons. What's the worst that could happen?

The Overlord, that's what. The weeks leading up to that catastrophe really tested all of them, especially Lloyd. They watched as he went from pipsqueak to Ninjago's golden savior and couldn't help but feel proud, even though he got all the fame and glory in the end. And hey! Non evil Garmadon! He was actually pretty cool and *cough* looked way younger than Wu *cough*. But the break was welcomed since they all had a lot of recovering to do.

They even managed a few dates! Four to be exact with each of them picking a revenue. Jay picked Mega Monster Amusement Park and they certainly had a lot of fun on the rides and fireworks show afterwards was very romantic. Kai nearly had a meltdown trying to pick somewhere they won't completely hate but Zane had reassured him that they would love wherever he picked, as long as they were together. Still didn't help him with finding an exact place but he decided 'screw it’ and had a dinner date at Chen's noodle house instead. He was sure Cole loved it at least.

Zane brought them to a restaurant as well. The very one he worked at formerly because he knew the service was good and the atmosphere too. He was just not made to be a full time chef it seems. They had a blast, awing at the way the food was cooked in front of them. Cole turned up the romance with a private picnic in a spot with a great view. All through they had to climb there, the effort was worth it. While they did miss being ninjas, being teachers wasn't half bad. They still had to retire early when the digital Overlord made his presence known.

He was after Lloyd and they would make sure he wouldn't succeed I'm getting him. Or, at least they would try. And fail. If it wasn't for Pythor, the Overlord would have been history. If it wasn't for him…

“We're free!” Jay yelled once they landed on their feet, the tendrils letting them go, turning green as they went limp.

“Zane!” Kai gasped and they all looked up to where their soulmate was holding onto the golden armor, his body glowing blue as he was being overloaded by its power.

“He's not letting go!” Lloyd yelled and Kai, Cole and Jay's hearts plummeted at that, horror filling them.

“His heart! It's reaching critical mass!” Jay yelled with a step forwards, wanting to do something- anything but he knew he couldn't- knew he could only watch.

“If his heart overloads, he'll blow! He won't survive!” Cole yelled, breathing picking up as panic overwhelmed him.

“Let go Zane!” Kai yelled out desperately, but Zane kept holding on. “What is he doing?!” He asked, voice taking on a hysterical edge.

“He's protecting us all.” Wu says solemnly as they all looked on helplessly.

“I am a Nindroid, and ninja never quit! Go, Ninja. Go!” Zane yelled and tears fell from the eyes of his soulmates as he blasted ice at the Overlord, feeling his heart continue to overload, gritting his teeth.

“No, Zane! No!” Jay yelled, running towards him but Wu held him back as large chunks of ice began to fall around them, stopping Cole once he rushed ahead too.

“We have to get out of here, now!” Wu yelled, pushing them both back.

“No! We aren't leaving Zane!” Kai yelled, barely missed by a huge chunk of ice.

“Think wisely Kai!” Wu snapped at him, startling the teary ninja. “Would you rather have two soulmates left… Or none?” He asked and Kai's eyes widened before he gritted his teeth and looked away, more tears falling from his eyes.

“We have to go.” Kai says, taking both of his soulmates by the hand, pulling them back as even more ice began to fall.

Kai glanced back to see Garmadon holding a manhole open for them. It broke his heart to leave Zane like this, to hear Jay's sobs, to see the pain in Cole's eyes but he had to keep them safe. Zane- he choked back a sob- Zane would want him to. He got in last, all three of them watching as they slowly lowered the cover, their soulmate's last moments. An agonized ‘no’ escaping them as it all reached a crescendo, his glowing so bright they had no choice but to fully close the lid as they looked away.

Zane smiled as he looked back on his life, at the friends he made along the way, at his soulmates he would be leaving behind. He remembered meeting them all, all the fun they had, the good times, the bad. He wished he had more time with them all, wish he had done more but he was glad he met them, glad he got to know them as much as he had. This was to make sure they could live on, even if it was without him. He lifted his head and smiled wider. And if it was for them, it was worth it.

Kai couldn't hold back the sob that escaped him once the explosion rocked the ground, icing over the manhole cover, knowing that it meant their Zane, their soulmate was… Cole pulled Jay into a tight hug as he shook violently with each sob, burying his own into his hair. Little below, the Sensei's shared a sorrowful look as Lloyd hung his head. They knew… This would change everything.

They emerged shortly after, finding everything in the nearby vicinity covered in ice, the Overlord… Nor Zane anywhere in sight. Cole was the one to find half his face panel and stared down at it in silence as a tear fell under the eye and sliding down as if it was… Zane's. He was in denial but the truth of the situation… He looked up at the sky, at the washed out and faded white of the clouds. The truth was undeniable. They've… He gripped the face panel tightly as his hands shook. They've lost him.

_______________

(Good morning! Did I cry writing this? Only twice. But it was worth it! I was listening to Numa Numa and this idea held me hostage and wouldn't let go until I wrote it! I hope you enjoyed! Later days!)

[starkerinlove]

Is this Happiness

Tony Stark/ Peter Parker.

Part 1

( Spiderman kidnaps Tony to get the avengers to stop trying to capture him. Only then, Peter realizes how bad avengers treat Tony and vows to take care of Tony Stark, Earth's best defender and his childhood crush and hero better. This is Tony and Peter helping each other and finding the happiness they deserve.)

Tony wakes to being bound by some strange rope like substance which is soft at the same time. His head is covered in a black cloth bag of some sort and his legs were tied to the chair with the same substance. The last he remembers is fighting some bots. The now pardoned Rouge avengers had called him to the fight. They had promptly blamed him for the bots even though he would never make anything soo mindless. He had made better bots when he was 17 years old and drunk of his head colllege student.

He didn't know who had kidnapped him or how. Just as he was trying to get out of the rope or figure out a way to reach Friday, the bag covering his head was yanked off. The light was too bright, squinting his eyes he could see someone dressed in red and blue, some sort of spandex or pajamas. Oh, now he remembered, it was Spiderman, the guy Shield had been trying to 'recruit', or thats what the other avengers said anyway. They had been trying unsuccessfully to capture him for a while now. But he didn't get why this guy decided to kidnap him. Tony wasn't even part of avengers anymore, just their wallet and fire power.

"So, Mr. Stark i thought it was time, we had a little talk. Seeing how you avengers are soo eager to get me and all."

Ahh,so another problem he was gonna get blamed for that he had no control over. This day was just getting better and better. " listen here Spiderman, I'm gonna be honest. I have no hand in what the avengers do, so you might want to take your grievances to the other spandex clad hero or maybe your arachnid sibling."

Somehow Tony could see the disbelief on the guy's face though his mask. That was cool. Maybe Tony could do that to his suit too. Then he could show how unimpressed he was with the rogues without having to leave the safety of his suit. Yay, this was something he will be looking into.

"Look, i don't know how else to spell it out for you. I don't control the avengers. I m only tech, money and public face for them when things go wrong. Kinda like a sugar daddy who gets no sugar and all the contempt." Saying it out loud hurt quite a bit but Tony always knew this to be true,so he had to say it if it would get him out of this.

The guy seemed to hink for sometime before he answered, "Mr. Stark, i don't know how much i believe you. You are the best fighter among the avengers,thats why i brought you here, so we could talk and get this resolved. I'm the friendly neighborhood Spiderman, Mr. Stark. I wouldn't hurt you"

"Yay, you have a funny way of being friendly", Tony grumbled.

Again Tony could see the the guy becoming awkward and uncomfortable through his mask. He had no idea how that was possible. And his web like rope wasn't having any give. It was neither cutting into Tony nor it was loosening. Tony really really wanted to study it. And like the guy had said he was friendly neighborhood Spiderman. He doesn't harm anyone, so

"Hei, tell you what, you get me out of these ropes, let me study your suit and web and ill have a talk with the avengers and shield and try to get you immunity. How does that sound,huh?"

The guy backed a little bit, posture becoming defensive, " Why do you want to study my suit and web? "

"Well, you know me, I'm Tony Stark. Ofcourse i wanna study this engineering marvel. I have seen your webs holding more than 10 tons and still have enough flexibility and give for you to swing around, its really brilliant, spidey"

" uh, wow, You just complimented my invention. I mean you, Tony Stark, genius inventor, scientist of the century, Iron man just complimented me....yeah, this is awesome. Thank you soo much Mr. Stark. Big fan. Love your work" The guy was practically gushing at this point, bumbling on his feet like an excited puppy.

Tony couldn't help grinning. Wow this was the best kidnapping till date. It was soo long since he had someone genuinely happy and enthusiastic about his inventions.

"So what do you say spidey?, wanna let out your hero. I promise ill try help you out with the avengers."

The guy seemed to deflate on the spot. " I'm so sorry Mr. Stark. I can't do that. I really need the avengers to back off. I have tried talking to them. But they don't listen and thats why i thought if i made someone listen, this could be resolved. But, i can't let you go, now. "

" So whats the plan here. Kill me and make me an example of what would happen if they dont let you be? "

" Of course not Mr. Stark. I would never hurt anyone. I'm just going to keep you here, till they stop coming after me. But Mr. Stark you have to believe me, i will not hurt you Mr. Stark. I swear."

When Tony pointedly rocked his chair using the web binds, the kid resured Tony, " Are they hurting you Mr. Stark, they are supposed to be soft so they don't cut into skin. But, I'll even take them off if you promise not to leave. "

It was cute how the guy was so naive and also how much he cared for Tony's comfort. More than how much his teammates seemed to do. Tony was gripped by the memory of bleeding out in Siberia left to die by his so called teammate. Tony shook his head, took a deep breath.

" okay spidey, i promise to not leave. Get me out of these and get me some water if you have. "

The kid immediately got him out of the binds with some dissolvent. He had to study that too.

The guy gave him some water from a back pack which was lying on the floor of some, Tony took a good look around, floor of some abandoned warehouse. Orignal.

After drinking his fill of water, Tony looked at he guy. " So what are we doing, spidey, i hope you have a plan?"

" I already told you Mr. Stark. I just have to make the avengers listen to me. Now that i have you they will have to listen. We just wait."

Tony let out a self-deprecating laugh nad said " Yeah, real solid plan there spidey. Except you seemed to have forgotten an important part. They don't care about me. So yeah, not gonna work"

" But, you.....you are Iron man, sir and you are a hero and their friend Mr. Stark. Of course they would care about you" The guy said it like Tony was just a child with self-esteem issues, like he was preplexed by the very idea of someone not caring about Tony Stark.

Tony almost wished that were true. " Whatever. I'm telling you as it is. You can believe me or not"

Tony was just realizing how much his whole body hurt from the battle and then getting knocked out has given him a killer headache. He knew without his suit he wasn't going to be able to fight a super powered guy. Moreover he seemed sweet enough. Tony was gonna sleep and hope all of this resolves itself tomorrow. By then the guy would have realized it was futile to try use Tony as a bargaining chip and hopefully would let him leave. Or maybe Tony will try buying his way out of this. Yay he will do that tomorrow.

He dragged the chair he had been tied to, to a corner and sat leaning on a wall. His eyes were getting heavy. He was even strangely feeling safe with spidey around. Weird. Maybe he was just too drugged up. He slowly lost himself to sleep feeling someone sit near him, softly running hands through his hair.

[gucciwins]

Airport Meeting

Hello, this is my first post and I don’t know how I feel about it, but I wanted to share it. Feedback is welcomed and appreciated 

Y/N always hated flying on a Friday, she thinks twice as busier on a Friday. LAX is probably one of the worst places but thinks of her reason of flying back home for London has her thinking it’s worth it.

She glances at her watch and spits her water out as she sees that she’s got six minutes to make it to the gate because they started boarding early. “This never happens,” she thinks to herself.

So, she grabs her ticket out of her old brown leather carry on that she sits on her shoulder and places it in her left hand and begins to run.

She’s thankful she decided not to wear her jeans and went with black leggings and packed light due to having clothes at Abi’s house she would be using for her the remainder of her trip. Her terminal shouldn’t be that far away, but it did take her a while to find the gift shop to take home some tacky presents.

Y/N knows she has a few minutes to get there and knows she’ll make it in time, because she’s good at dodging people, just not security that made her come to a sudden stop.

Harry can’t wait to make it home and see his mom and his Evie. It’s been a long and hot week in Los Angeles but is thankful for this upcoming break. Jeff had decided that for fans not to stop them today they would ride with security in the cart. Harry really didn’t mind, he just wanted to get on the place already.

He was running his fingers through his hair when he heard feet pounding and small out of breaths “excuse me”. He looked back and saw a girl, he wanted to say around his age with a Buzzfeed Unsolved cap not allowing him to see her face. Jeff felt Harry’s motion and turned around as well. 

“I’ll take care of this fan, no worries Harry.” Jeff told him so kindly.

Harry wanted to object and say they didn’t seem to know it was him, but it was too late, because Jeff leaned over quickly, and they stopped for less than a second and one of the security men had already gotten off. As they kept going Harry turned around to just in time catch the girl coming to a stop but turned the corner and didn’t see her no more.

Y/N was surprised to see the security man in front of her that was named Ryan.

“Miss, I need you to stop following the security cart.” He told her seriously.

She was bewildered, what security cart, her gate was so close, she saw the final people boarding.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I think you have the wrong girl.” Y/N took a deep breath and continued. “See my plane started boarding early and I’m running before they close the door on me and I miss my flight.” She said as quickly as she could.

He didn’t seem to believe her, and she handed over her boarding pass.

“Look here’s my pass, please let me go. This flight is important.” She was practically begging.

Ryan handed it back to her and apologized. “Sorry miss, I hope you catch your flight.”

Y/N gave a small smile and nod and once again took off. The thing is she was met with disappointment as she reached the gate. It was closed. Her shoulders sagged, and her eyes filled with tears, but she quickly blinked them away, because she would not become a cliché and cry in the middle of the airport.

“Hello, is there any way to get the gate to open up. See security held me up as I was coming.” Y/N had asked nervously already knowing the response and was dreading it.

The airport worker gave her a sad smile, “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing we can do. Please do go and talk with one of our staff at our desk to reschedule your flight.”

Y/N nodded and walked away. This was the worst thing to happen to her. She was so happy to be there for Abi and her bakery’s big opening. She was mostly excited because they were setting up tomorrow and that’s when Marcus was planning on purposing because he knows how important it was to the two girls to have one another there. She was letting them both down.

Y/N continued to walk with no direction in mind as she pulled her phone out to make a call she wishes she didn’t have to make.

She held the phone to her ear as she heard the phone start to ring and hopped she wouldn’t answer right away. As she was waiting for Abi to answer she set her carry on next to a smaller pink one and couldn’t help but smile at it. Thinking of the smile child who might own that bag that got to travel and that swiped her smile right off her face.

“Hello, my best friend that is flying to London for me.” Abi greeted very cheerfully.

“You’re going to hate me” Y/N couldn’t help the first words out of her mouth.

“I could never, unless you meet Niall Horan and didn’t get me an autograph or anything.” She had to chuckle at Abi’s statement.

“Wish it was something like that, but my flight is gone without me.” Y/N took a breath before continuing knowing Abi would let her keep going. “A security guard stopped me as I was rushing to my gate, because I was supposedly following a security cart.” Thinking back to it made her want to cry.

“Well did you check for other flight times for today?” She was an angel for not acting out, yet.

“None, till tomorrow afternoon and I had promised to help with the decorating and even some baking. I’m sorry to disappoint you Abs.” Y/N could feel her throat closing. “I’m the worst best friend.”

“Stop with your stupid words, as long as you are here for opening day. That’s what matters most and that you make it here safe.” Y/N seriously felt she did not deserve her.

As they said brief goodbyes, Y/N couldn’t help but plot herself down on her chair with no will to get up and see flight times, because it would make her cry.

Harry sat there in shock as he overheard the girl’s phone call. It was his fault, well partially because Jeff was the one who told the security. Harry didn’t want to be the reason this sweet girl didn’t get to be with her best friend, so he made a bold decision.

Y/N looked her side to be met with a hand on her shoulder. When she looked up she was met with green candy apple eyes. They were luring her in and she wanted to melt in them, I mean who wouldn’t. She waited expectantly, waiting for him to speak because he was the one to get her attention.

“I’m sorry.” She furrowed her eyebrows not expecting those to be his words at all.

“What?” Y/N asked surprised.

Harry couldn’t see to look away, one look at her Y/E/C eyes and he knew he was a goner. No one had given him butterflies in his tummies with one look of confusion and this baffled him.

“I couldn’t help but overhear” as he spoke she raised an eyebrow at him, but continued speaking, “your conversation on the phone.”

“You see, I was on the security cart that Jeff thought you were running after.” Harry answered nervously.

“That’s great, Abi is going to officially be pissed now.” She couldn’t help but say.

Harry urged her to keep going. “She’s kind of a big fan girl. I can’t say I don’t know who was on the cart now, because I can’t lie to that girl. She’s going to forgive me missing the flight because you were involved. Obviously, only if I get an autograph if you heard that. Would that be rude? Gosh, I’m word vomiting, and this day just sucks.” She ends with a pout.

Harry wishes to brush it away with his thumb.

“Love, no need to apologize. I’ll happily give you an autograph if it means you get a pardon.” Harry tells her.

“No, that would make me a horrible human being because you didn’t want to deal with fangirls.” Y/N shakes her head at him.

Harry heart is going to burst at this sweet girl, who he still doesn’t know her name.

“Are you fangirling?” He’s quick to ask.

“Well, no.”

“Did you start this conversation?”

“No.”

“Then I’m saying it’s okay.” Harry smiles at the girl hoping to get one back and he does, and he swears it lights up the whole airport.

Harry brings out his hand for her to shake. “’m Harry.”

Y/N giggles and shakes his hand. “I know your name Harry.”

Now it’s Harry’s turn to laugh.

“I know that, love. I want to know yours and this is the polite way to do it.” He says with a blushed face.

“My names Y/N. It’s a pleasure to meet you, but I should get going to fix my plane problem.” She says in a firm voice but makes no move to let go of her hand, because neither does Harry.

“I have a solution to your problem.” Harry stares at their hands and then sadly lets go. “You can ride with me on the plane I’m taking. I’m going to London, for a break to visit my mum.”

Y/N sits her hands in her lap. “I don’t know. I don’t want to feel like I’m using you.”

Harry can’t help but grin at the girl. “Did you know I was here?”

She shakes her head no. Harry doesn’t know what made him reach over and grab her hand and holds it. Y/N looks at their conjoined hand and can’t help but feel it’s a perfect match.

“I want to help you, plus I’m going to be lonely on this flight and I’m sure in your company this will be a fast flight home.” He squeezes her hand. “What do you say?”

“Thank you, Harry. This means the world to me, being able to arrive today because Abi’s boyfriend is going to propose tomorrow night and it was important to us that I’m there because I’m the only family she really has left.” She reaches up to wipe a tear that was threatening to fall out.

She places her hand on top of Harry’s leaving his in the middle and squeezes tightly.

“I’ll travel to London with you.” Harry can’t help the smile that takes over his face.

“Great, let’s get going, we board in five.”

She can’t help but chuckle as Harry picks up the pink bag and slings it over his shoulder. She can totally see how it’s Harry’s.

They walk through the gate together and Y/N is so thankful for Harry and know she will never be able to repay him even if it was sort of his fault.

“Do you prefer the window seat?” Harry can’t help but ask.

“I don’t have a preference, but can I take it still?” She answers shyly.

Harry nods and asked her to go first. As she sits down and puts her seat belt on she has an idea that hopefully Harry will say yes to.

“Harry.” She says so softly, Harry almost missed it.

He turns to look at her instead of answering. She blushes at his gaze and starts playing with her nails.

“I was wondering if you would like to come to Abi’s bakery opening.” She says not looking at him. This prompts a small smirk on Harry’s face.

She rushes to continue, “I mean not like on the day off, because you shouldn’t take her thunder, but like a day or two after the initial date. I could get you a best friend discount.” She finishes excitedly.

“What’s the name of her place?” He asks curiously. Y/N giggles as soon as he asks.

“It’s a funny name, but it has character. Don’t judge.” She tells him seriously.

“She loves to dance when she bakes, so we all decided on,” she pauses to stare at his face to get his reaction. “Shake and Bake.”

They look at one another seriously and Harry burst laughing, and Y/N soon follows.

“Did you ask, so you could see me again and score a date?”

She gasps in shock at his boldness and doesn’t know how to answer.

“You wish that would be the reason.” She says trying to stop herself for turning even more red.

Harry loves he got her to blush, but really does hope there is more to him getting invited. He likes this girl and has only known her for roughly an hour.

The air hostess let them know that they will be taking of in less than five minutes. Harry still hasn’t answered her question, but she didn’t bother addressing it again. He wonders if he should go or let her go after this moment they had together today. Harry thinks he’s too selfish because he knows he’s going to tell her yes.

“To answer your question, I would love to visit Shake and Bake, but only if you have a pastry with me.” Harry is proud he said that so confidently, because in his head he was really nervous. 

Y/N knows she heard him loud and clear, but feels the plane start to move. It startles her for some reason. Just as the plane starts to leave the ground, she hopes it’s okay for Harry and reaches for his hand. She’s looking at his hand as she intertwines their fingers and gives it a squeeze before looking up at Harry. His eyes shine just a bit brighter also giving their hands a squeeze. Just like that she relaxes.

“I would love to share a pastry with you, but if I’m being honest, we are going to have more than one with my famous hot chocolate.” She says with a warm smile. Harry wishes to capture it as a picture and cherish it forever.

Harry watchers her lean back into her seat and look out the window resting their hands in her lap and is thankful for the eleven-hour flight to London. Who knew a girl wearing a Buzzfeed Unsolved hat would change his life.

[gentlemanmendes]

Beauty and the Beast

a/n: I have had this series in my drafts for almost a year now and I figured since finer things did so well I might as well post this and see how that goes so here we go. There will be at least five more parts to this.

Beauty and the Beast:

A Royal wedding was to take place. The kings son, the prince, was finally to be wed. But it wasn't the wedding that had the villagers excited for the special day that was to arrive shortly, it was who he was marrying that had them acting so joyfully at this late hour of the night in the street.  The prince had chosen one of the local villagers to be his wife and future queen of the land. Although no action had been taken yet such as a proposal news had spread from the palace to the local village's that Y/n y/l/n was who the prince wanted to be his bride. The daughter of the queens seamstress. It seemed scandalous to all the other Royals who had their daughters lined up for the prince especially since from what they knew she had nothing to do with the prince.

As she walked through the lit up streets of the village y/n felt slightly overwhelmed. She didn't even know if the rumors held any truth, she hadn't spoken to the prince since she was a young girl. Having had both of her parents work in the palace, her father as a knight, and her mother as the queens seamstress she had spent a lot of time in the palace. She was to stay by her mother's side when she did but as a young girl she very solemnly ever obeyed the rules and would wonder off through the halls of the palace in amazement. In the dresses that her mother had made her it seemed easy for her to pretend to be a princess as she aimlessly wondered pretending to know where everything was and bark orders at imaginary servants, that was until she had ran into a certain young boy who happened to do those exact things on a daily basis. After that day of meeting prince Shawn in the hallway they agreed to meet at the bottom of the stairs of the east wing tower every time y/n had come along with her mother. Shawn showed y/n every room of the palace and she had shown him games that she had learned at school and with the other children in the village. She learned that Shawn didn't have any friends or anyone his age in the palace, being his parents only child and the only company he received was from his tutors and servants he felt lonely. From the age of eight to fourteen they had been each other's best friends until one day Shawn didn't show up at the meeting place. At first y/n had just assumed he had been busy but then again the next time Shawn didn't meet her and by the third time she had given up. After that she stopped going with her mother to the palace and stuck to her life in the village without giving the palace or the prince a thought until the rumors had surfaced  a few days prior.

"Oh Y/n!" One of the girls y/n had grown up with but never taken a liking to approached her waving her arms. "Is it true?" She gushed excitedly causing y/n to sigh.

"I know just as much as you do." She smiled in response the way she had so many times in the past few days. She had settled on not leaving home because she was sick of all the drama but her mother had sent her out to buy more bread from the baker for supper only she hadn't needed to pay for the bread because the bakers wife was so ecstatic to see as she called y/n 'the future queen'  that she gave her three loafs of bread and a fruit cake without charge.

"But if it is, you have to let me help with the wedding arrangements." The girl  said thrilled. Y/n was still trying to remember her name and felt bad that she couldn't but then again she was sure that if the rumors hadn't been floating around the village she wouldn't have remembered y/n's name.

"Pardon me but I must get home to my mother, she is ill and I promised her I wouldn't be gone too long." Y/n apologized desperate to get away from all of the drama that was surrounding her. If y/n couldn't handle this and the rumors' did hold truth she was in no way fit to be the bride of a prince. The attention was too much for her and unlike every other girl in the village y/n didn't want to marry the prince. Prince Shawn belonged in her past, to think that it was possible he could  now be her future too brought an uneasy feeling to y/n.

For the rest of her journey home, y/n wore the hood of her cloak over her hair and face in hopes of not being noticed by anyone else who believed the absurd rumors. Once she had arrived home she had never felt more relieved. She rid herself of her cloak and hung it up by the door next to her mother's cloak as she made her way through the small hut that she called her home.

"Mother I brought the bread, and the baker gave us cake too!" Y/n called out to her mother only to freeze in her tracks when she enters the room to find her mother gleefully serving tea to not only the king and queen but also the prince himself, a sight she had never expected to see in her two bedroom home. Among the room stood the royal knights in position, the way her father once had.

At y/n's presence her mother stood straight smiling wider than y/n had seen her smile since her father had passed.

"Your majesty." Y/n greeted respectfully before giving a curtsy the way she had been taught to since she was a young girl. As Shawn turned around so his gaze could fall upon y/n she was reminded of the first time they had met when she had greeted him this exact way  and he had stopped her. That boy didn't want to be a prince, he had wanted to run away, find a ship, and sail the the seas as a pirate. It seemed strange to see him after all these years, he had change so much. He was a lot more handsome that was obvious but his eyes were not as bright as they had once been, so full of hope for adventure and thrill in life, as though he was ready to conquer the world. Now he looked like he was ready to conquer the world most literally, until all the land was under his control. He was most certainly his father's son, the boy she had met didn't want that.  

Y/n's mother was by her side as she stood up straight again and took the basket of bread from her, the smile not once leaving her face as she made her way to cut up the cake and serve it for the king and queen who looked beyond uncomfortable in the small hut, the two had lived in palaces their whole lives no doubt they were out of their comfort zone.

Shawn stood up from his seat and made his way towards y/n causing a lump to grow in y/n's throat as she suddenly became more nervous. It wasn't his towering height that frightened her it was the fact that she knew where this was going and was dreading it more and more with every step that Shawn took towards her. Before y/n was even ready Shawn was standing in front of her, taking her dry hand in his soft ones before bending down on one knee. Y/n felt as though she was going to be sick, it was as if the whole room was spinning and she was sure she was about to faint and not in the good way.

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked as y/n attempted to steady her breathing so she didn't bring up her lunch all over the prince. This whole situation was bizarre. She had always expected that she would marry for the love like her parents had not someone from her past that had become a ghost of who he once was. In her mind she was attempting to come up with a way she could reject the princes proposal without her or her mother being punished until her eyes fell upon her mother. The women looked as though she were about to explode with joy. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes as she watched her daughter with a proud smile. The queen on the other hand did not looked pleased one bit, her top lip was curled and nose scrunched up as if she had smelt something horrid, as for the king he looked board of the situation all together.

"I will." Y/n finally breathed out uneasily, surprised that she had even managed to utter the words at all.

Y/n watched as Shawn smiled a broad smile, from the corner of her eye she saw her mother begin to cry tears of happiness. That's why she was doing this. After her father had died her mother had given her everything she could now it was time for y/n to do the same back. Working in the gardens hadn't been enough to help her mother but marrying the prince would. Besides the Prince seemed happy too so she wasn't doing wrong by anyone but herself. She had been so distracted drowning in her own miserable thoughts as she watched the future she had planned for herself drift away that she hadn't even noticed the piece of metal that Shawn had slipped on her finger until Shawn was now standing in front of her admiring the ring on her finger, only it wasn't metal. When she looked down at it she was taken back. The ring must have been worth more than money then her family had ever seen their whole lives. It all felt like a daze and now she needed her rest.

The king and queen got up from their seats without even touching their servings of cake and made their way to the door.

"I will have a carriage come for you tomorrow morning so we may begin the wedding planning." The queen uttered as she passed y/n. Shawn gave y/n one more pleased grin before following his parents. Once everyone had left y/n's mother hurried across the room and pulled y/n into her arms as she began to sob into the croak of her neck. Y/n began to cry too only she was crying for a different reason. She felt cold and empty. She had agreed to marry a stranger that she couldn't stand. Gone were any hopes she had for love and happiness in a relationship.