#plus the wedding fit is my favorite i mean look at her she is so <333333< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[zepskies]

@lamentationsofalonelypotato

Aww I'm so happy to hear that, friend!! 🥰🥰

It's not a problem Dean, (the gun is obviously BUT) she is beautiful and you will love her and I will cry at your wedding.

Ehehe it's funny you mention their wedding...

Dean no. No feeling bad for saving your girl and for killing the "sack of shit in human clothes."

Ugh right? Trust, he doesn't regret killing that bastard loll.

Also I didn't notice the Colonel Sanderson thing before and now all I can think about is KFC lol.😂 Which is not to take away from how good this fic is or how well it's written. It's just me lol.

Actually THANK YOU for noticing that because Colonel Sanders was an intentional reference! lmao I saw some meme that called Asmodeus "Bullshit Colonel Sanders" and it made me cackle, so I included that a little bit here. 😂😂

Oh goodness she is already so protective of him and oh my word the wink had me melting lol.

See! It's not taking that long at all for her to start softening up towards him loll. At the very least, she doesn't want to see him killed for her after killing for her.

I also don't think that I mentioned this before, but I really like how you wove in the other characters in the show. Seeing Benny and Cas show up just made me so happy.

Aww thank you!! 🥰🥰 When it comes to AUs, I try my best to fit in canon characters where they make the most sense to me, and try to make them feel "as themselves" as possible.

Oh my word seeing that fight in my head, um... YES PLEASE. And the loyalty?! The love for their friend?! The "Goodbye brother."? It's so good.

Imagining Dean in uniform, even if he's fighting his friends, just does things to me too loll.

Ultimately, Benny and Cas are good men even in this world, and they didn't want to have to bring in him or Mila to the Colonel either. 💜

She's squishing his face! That is so cute, oh my stars. Plus I am cackling at how long it took him to be able to say her name.

Ahaha this was my favorite part to write for this chapter! Dean struggled, bless his heart. 🤣🤣🤣

I absolutely love this! I really love it when writers pick the names of their characters based on the meaning behind it. And the fact that you gave the meaning of her name a backstory of her mom having a dream and the butterfly meaning that Mila "would have a free mind" is just so perfect for her. Because she is stubborn and she does have "a free mind" by being rebellious and strong, by being a strong female character who does not conform to the whims of what other people deem to be appropriate for her. Also it was funny that Dean thought she was like a "lioness."

Aww thank you!! I'm usually pretty conscious of names and the meanings behind them, but especially in this story I got deep into the research of the Lakota people, and I found that names are very important to their culture, now and historically.

When I was looking for a name for her, Kimmímila stood out as being beautiful (with a nice nickname), but perhaps on surface level didn't reflect her true personality. So that's why I worked in that backstory with her mother's dream, vs. who she wanted her daughter to be, and who Mila considers herself to be. And bonus, what Dean observes of her! lol

So I absolutely love all of your observations here, because that's exactly what I intended for her!

This is a really wonderful line, that the war "never really ends." It really fits this story and honestly it really fits the entire early history of the United States when it was acquiring territory and embracing the "manifest destiny" ideals.

Aww thank you so much!! That's what I thought as well, not just for this story, but for the greater context of U.S. history during this time and the push to industrialize the entire country.

Okay, the whole part where she is explaining things about her life and her culture was so sweet. Them opening up with one another is just so soft and a little fluffy and I'm so glad that they got to have those gentle moments with one another. Not to mention this bit where Dean admits how much he likes listening to her, is just so good lol. And I thought it was really on brand for him to be a little upset that she doesn't completely trust him yet, even though that he killed one of his men. But he's got to learn to be patient... and then propose. LOL.

That was so fun for me too! The "getting to know you" aspect. I thought that opening up to one another was needed here, and it gave an opportunity for more historical tidbits!

Ahaha yep, she's a hard nut to crack, but Dean need only be patient. He's won a lot more brownie points with her than he realizes. 😏 "And then propose" -- I'm weeeak!! 🤣

Don't be afraid to admit it Mila, we all know how good he is to look at. And why shouldn't you look at your future husband? 💍

Ha!! Ikr?? Also, you're getting dangerously warm to what's coming in Part 3. ❤️‍🔥

Oh my sweet goodness, the TENSION!! This is so good my friend and I am so excited for what the future of this series holds and am praying that it doesn't end in death!😬💗

The romantic tension is real!! lmaoo

Thank you so, so much, friend!! Part 3 is my favorite part, I think, and I hope you'll be happy with the outcome, even though we've got a fair bit of action and angst ahead...

The Honorable Choice - Part 2

Pairing: Dean Winchester x OFC 

Summary: June 1872. Captain Dean Winchester of the U.S. Cavalry is tasked with one job: break a wild mustang. He just didn’t expect the woman who infiltrates his camp, intent on freeing her tribe’s horse.

AN: “Getting to know you, getting to know all about you…” ⬅️ If you’ve seen The King & I, then you’ll probably be singing that line in your head like I do.

Disclaimer: I’ve done extensive research for this one, both on the American Indian Lakota tribe, and on American history during this time in the late 1800s (AKA: the Old West, during the American Indian Wars and the Sioux Wars). Of course, one of my main goals is to avoid inaccuracies, both historical and cultural.

Jacklesverse Bingo24 Prompt: @jacklesversebingo Western AU

Song Inspo: The Spirit Soundtrack

Word Count: 3.1K

Tags/Warnings: Angst, protective Dean, historical tidbits, fluff

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🎙️ Listen to the podfic version here!

Part 2: Death & Sacrifice

Dean falls out of his saddle with a yell, landing hard in the grass. The impact knocks the air out of his chest and the hat off his head, not to mention the pain that rattles down his back.

“Son of a bitch,” he wheezes, while trying to get back up.

The woman jumps down from the mustang’s back and all but leaps on Dean. Straddling his waist and grabbing a fistful of his collar, she lets out a battle cry and raises a small knife at him. It’s probably no more than two inches long.

Dean may be on the ground with a smarting forehead, but he’s still got the upper hand. He grabs her knife-wielding arm and whips out his pistol from his belt. Her eyes widen, and she stills above him. The gun lies between them, aimed for her chest. They’re both breathing hard.

Dean has a problem.

Looking into her eyes, soulful and brown, the slope of her nose and her full lips, parted with shock… 

He just can’t do it.

His finger eases off the trigger of his gun, and he lowers it to the ground beside him.

“I told you,” he says. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Her head tilts as she stares at his gun, then at him. She relaxes somewhat, and she backs off of him, sliding from his lap down to the grass beside him. Her closed fist with the knife comes to rest at her side. She gives him a look of wary bewilderment.

“You are a strange man,” she says.

Dean has to laugh a little, smiling at her afterward.

“I guess so,” he replies.

Her brows furrow. “You killed one of your own…for me?”

He nods, and his smile falls with a weary sigh. The hard part about that is he doesn’t feel much guilt about what he’s done. At the same time, he does, and the conflict churns in his stomach. He knew what kind of man Roman was. He was the kind of soldier that could’ve filled Colonel Sanderson’s shoes one day. A fellow soldier under Dean’s command...

And a sack of shit in human clothes.

Dean leans back on his hands in the grass and slides his legs out long. His stare falls to the earth between his boots. The ground is soft underneath him. Maybe it rained this morning. 

“Yeah, that’s gonna make it tough when I go back,” he says. “At best, that’s a court martial. At worst…”

The Lakota woman frowns, her dark brows nearly meeting in the middle as she considers him. He wonders what she sees when she looks at him.

“Tell you what,” Dean said. “Give yourself and your horse a rest tonight. I’ll go back and tell them I lost you in the canyon.”

Her eyes widen further in surprise. He can’t blame her for it. He’s surprising himself every time he opens his mouth.

“Will they kill you?” she asks.

Dean shrugs. “Nah, I’ll be fine.”

She levels him with a firmer look, one that demands the truth.

His nonchalance wanes, and he sighs.

“They might,” he says.

She shakes her head. She seems to deliberate over something, but eventually she comes to a decision. Just when she opens her mouth to speak, a gunshot rings out and hits the ground not far from their feet. A warning.

The sound of hooves thundering on the earth reach them before they look up. Two horses gallop towards them in the distance, their riders wearing blue uniforms.

They both tense up, but Dean is the first one to move. He grabs her arm and helps her stand along with him. They scramble back and lead the horses by their reins further into the trees. They find a denser patch and a raised hill to crouch down and hide behind.

The mustang is too tired to go very far, but Baby is already making anxious sounds, protective of her rider.

“Shhh,” Dean whispers, and runs a soothing hand over her side. He leads her to lay down with her legs tucked underneath her.

The Lakota manages to do the same with the mustang after whispering to him softly in her language. There’s a trust between them, Dean realizes. They have a connection that seems to mirror his own with his horse. He doesn’t know how he didn’t see it before.

“Captain!” Benny calls out.

Dean grimaces, but he stays quiet. He turns to the woman and holds a finger over his lips. She stares back at him in apprehension. He begins to creep slowly around the hill, but she grabs onto his wrist. For a second, she looks just as surprised as him by the reflexive action. Then, she shakes her head at him.

Don’t go out there, her eyes say.

Dean smiles, and he gives her a reassuring wink. He gently removes her hand and gestures at her to stay where she is. He army crawls up the side of the hill. It gives him a vantage point to watch his men, who approach just a few feet down below. 

“Captain Winchester!” Cas calls next.

“We don’t want to have to come and get you, Dean. Come on,” Benny says. He does sound reluctant, for his part. His voice grows more somber when he says, “Colonel’s given us orders to bring you and the girl back…dead or alive.”

Dean knows the position he’s put his own men in. He doesn’t blame them for following the Colonel’s orders. He just hopes they can forgive him for what he’s about to do.

He leaps off the edge of the hill with a yell and brings Benny with him to the ground. He sweeps Cas’s legs out from underneath him, then tosses a punch that lands on the corner of Benny’s chin. He kicks Benny’s gun away, and wrestles Cas until his pistol falls from his hand. The three men scrap and trade blows, until Dean is the only one left standing. His men are groaning on the dusty ground, slowly picking themselves up.

Dean’s heaving for breath as well as he leans back against the side of the hill. Despite that momentary victory, he knows what they all know: that this fight isn’t going to end until either they’re dead, or he’s dead.

“Where’s the girl, Dean?” Benny says. He implores him to see sense. “We take her back with us, we can smooth all this over with the Colonel. All of it, even Roman.” 

Dean lets out a deep breath, but he shakes his head.

“Can’t do that, Benny,” he says. “I’m sorry.”

There’s a question circling in his friend’s eyes, but after a beat, Benny seems to know the answer to it. He picks up his gun from the ground. Just like Dean once did, the Lieutenant now has a choice to make.

He shares a heavy look with Cas. The two of them nod, before they focus back on Dean.

Benny’s hand falls, and he stows his gun.

“You died today,” Benny says. “We found your body somewhere in the canyon. Your horse too.”

Dean nods, with something of a smile. He supposes faking his death is the only option now. He rips the badge off his uniform jacket and tosses it to Benny.

“There’s your proof,” he says.

Dean shares a grim nod of respect with Cas while Benny examines the torn patch denoting a captain’s rank.

“Take care of each other,” Dean says.

Benny’s head raises, and he meets Dean with a somber gaze.

“Goodbye, brother.”

Dean doesn’t return to her until the men are out of sight through the trees. She’s still hiding along with the resting horses, waiting for him. That alone surprises him. It would bring a small smile to his face, if the weight of that goodbye didn’t feel so heavy on his shoulders.

He reaches out a hand for her. It takes her a moment to consider it, but she accepts his offer.

He helps her to her feet, after which, she quickly pulls her hand back. She’s wary of his touch, her face guarded when she looks up at him. Dean supposes he can’t blame her, even if it does strike a nerve. After what he just did for her…

His face becomes stoic, and he turns away to grab his hat from the dusty ground. “We should probably head out.”

She nods and calls to her horse to encourage him to his feet. Despite himself, Dean can't help but be curious. How did this girl manage to tame that wild beast?

“Does he have a name?” he asks.

“Mato,” she replies.

“Mato,” Dean echoes. “Does that mean something? You know, in your language.”

She eyes him wryly, brushing her hand over Mato’s hide.

“It means angry, like a bear,” she says.

Dean snorts. “Yeah, good name.”

He remembers his bruised side (and ego) from when the mustang threw him off his back.

Dean watches her with another realization as she gracefully mounts the horse. Baby has gotten up to her feet as well, already nudging the back of his arm with her snout. He rubs her nose in affection.

Then he turns to climb up onto her back, settling his feet into the stirrups and loosely grabbing the reins. He follows his companion’s lead farther into the forest, but he guides his horse to fall into step beside hers.

“Will you tell me your name now?” he asks. “Think we’ve been through enough together at this point, don’t you think?”

She considers it with a tilt of her head. She looks over at him with a small smile.

“Kimmímila,” she says. The syllables roll off her tongue effortlessly.

Dean raises his brows. “Kim…Kimmeela.”

She shakes her head at him, her lips pursing.

“Kimmímila.”

Lord help him, but he tries his best. His brows furrow.

“Kim…mila,” he attempts. She guides Mato closer and grabs Dean by his cheeks with one hand.

“Kimmí.”

“Kimmí,” he repeats with his cheeks squished. His face is starting to warm up, and not altogether in embarrassment.

“Mila,” she says with a nod.

“Mila,” Dean says. “Kimmímila.”

He’s treated to her smile, warm and true. She releases him, her gaze flitting over his face. Then she keeps riding. Dean grins to himself.

“Think I’m gonna call you Mila,” he says. Make it easier on myself.

She even laughs, a honeyed sound. “Yes, my father does too.”

“What does it mean? Your name.”

“In your language?” she says, in a tone that teases him back. She becomes thoughtful as she searches for the word. “It means…butterfly.”

“Really?” Dean remarks. She doesn’t strike him as a butterfly.

More like a lioness, he thinks, only somewhat holding back his grin.

She gives him some side-eye, despite her amusement.

“You think it does not suit me,” she observes.

“Well, I didn't say that—”

“I don’t think so either,” she admits. “There are many things that don’t suit me.”

Dean chuckles. He can imagine that.

“But my mother had a dream before I was born,” Mila says. “She saw beautiful wings, and said I would have a free mind. When I grew, and wanted to spend my days with horses more than cooking and sewing things, she didn’t call me free. She called me stubborn.” Her face begins to fall. “Maybe too stubborn.”

Dean offers her a rueful, sympathetic look. “Yeah, I get it. My brother always said I was damn hardheaded,” he says. “…Maybe we’ve got more in common than we thought, huh?”

Mila’s smile returns, however slightly.

“You have a brother?” she asks.

“Oh, yeah. He’s a lawyer, so he’s more needed back home,” Dean replies.

Damn. He really does miss his bookish little brother.

He explains to her about his family, his brother and mother who still live in Lawrence, and how he joined the army, in part to honor his father.

“What happened to him?” she asks.

“He died…in some cornfield near Sharpsburg, Maryland, fighting the Confederacy,” he replies, heaving a breath.

"Con...federacy?" she questions.

"The South," Dean explains. "See, most of our southern states thought they should be their own country, letting slaves plow their fields and mind their kids. I may have lived on a farm, but my father always paid his workers. He fought for the Union."

"So you fought among yourselves, over land that did not belong to you," Mila points out.

Dean falls silent. After a little while, he concedes her point with an incline of his head.

"Fair enough," he says, glancing over at her. “I think my dad thought the fighting would end with the war, but, uh...it never really ends, does it?”

Her expression of curiosity fades, turning more solemn.

“No,” she agrees. “…I am sorry for your father.”

Dean's a little surprised to hear that from her, but he nods his thanks. They continue to talk as the sun begins to set in the west. When it dips behind the canyon, they stop to make camp for the night, and he helps her catch a rabbit to roast on the fire they build together.

That night over the meal, she slowly opens up to him. He learns that she’s an only child, though she has a sibling-like bond with her older cousin, Šóta. She spends most of her days planting or harvesting their crops, depending on the season, as well as sewing, painting, helping the elders of her tribe with tasks, and helping her mother and aunt cook.

When the rabbit is gone, she unbinds her long, thick hair and untangles it while she speaks. She explains that the Lakota are just one of many tribes. There are six other bands of Sioux who live in this region. Along with the Dakota and the Nakota, they are the “Seven Council Fires” who have made the Great Plains their home for generations.

She tells him about the way her tribe lives, caring for one another, giving the land back as much as they take, and letting it rest. The men hunt and protect the village from the outside, but the women protect the inside, their way of life.

Most of all, Mila tells him, she loves caring for the horses. She goes out and rides whenever she can duck out of her mother’s watchful eye.

Dean enjoys listening to her stories. He likes what he learns about her, but also, he just likes the sound of her voice, smooth and steady, almost calming. He thinks she might like the sound of his too, the way she’s smiled at him, laughed with him, glanced at him when she thinks he’s not looking.

She still picks a spot as far away from him as she can to sleep though. She keeps the fire pit in between them. He even catches sight of her knife, hidden in the hand she tucks underneath her cheek. Evidently, she doesn’t fully trust him just yet.

It annoys him at first, considering how many times he’s saved her already. How much he’s sacrificed just to get them this far…

Until he remembers how they met. He remembers the disdain and anger in her brown eyes, then the mistrust, and the fear hidden underneath. He thinks of every experience she’s likely had so far with the U.S. Military, and anyone else who looks like him.

Dean settles down on the ground and stares up at the innumerable stars in a raven sky. He’s exhausted, but his thoughts don’t let him rest for a while. 

At the very least, the way she looks at him now is softer than that first day.

In the morning, Mila watches the strange man wake.

He blinks and rubs his bleary eyes, yawning, groaning at the sun’s brightness like a child. She hides her smile by bowing her head over the apple she’s cutting with her knife. The orchards span wide across the forest, and soon he’ll find two yellow-red apples beside his head.

His brows raise at them, then he looks up at Mila sitting with her legs crossed behind the small fire pit. The wood there is just ash and blackened remains now, but it still carries the smell of burning.

“Morning,” he greets.

She nods back at him and pretends not to watch when he sits up with a groan, stretching and bending his arms high behind his head. He removed his uniform jacket to sleep. It allows her to see every dip of male muscle that his plain white shirt clings to, even in the long sleeves.

Her gaze furtively runs over the broad shoulders, the tapered waist, then back up to his half-bearded face, defined by a strong jaw and dark brows. The sun catches on his brown hair and teases the ends of it golden.

She would never admit it, but he’s not unpleasant to look at. 

Last night, she declined his offer to travel with her until she reaches her tribe safely, but he was insistent. Again, strange.

So here she is, with him. Here they are. 

Dean turns to see the horses grazing nearby. Mato no longer has the saddle and bridle his men put on him. He looks rested and at ease. He even whinnies at Baby, tossing his head a little. She answers him and flicks her tail. They continue eating together.

Dean smiles, then grabs an apple. He raises it to her in thanks before he takes a large bite. Its juices run down the corner of his mouth, and he wipes at it with the back of his hand. Mila can’t help but be drawn to the sight.

She tears her eyes away when he looks over at her.

“We have a long way to go. Three days, if the weather is good,” she says, continuing to carve pieces of her apple to eat. “We will know we are close when we reach the river.”

Dean nods in understanding. With a grunt, he gets to his feet and takes another bite out of his breakfast. She doesn’t expect the way he approaches her with a hand outstretched. She looks up at it, then at his expectant face.

“Come on. Let’s hit the road then,” he says.

Mila considers his offer for another moment. He seems to be making this a habit. Amused, she wonders if this is just kindness, or if the women of his people aren’t allowed to stand without a man’s help.

She pockets her knife, swipes her braided hair over her shoulder, and slips her hand into his, allowing him to help her to her feet. When she gets there, he’s closer than he should be.

A breath gets trapped in her throat as she once again looks between his warm hand closed over her smaller one, and his face. In the small space between them, there is a different kind of tension than before. Mila can’t tell what the man is thinking when he looks at her like that, but she doesn’t like it.

And at the same time, she does.

She takes back her hand, and she goes to the horses. She firmly ignores how her heart gallops, even as she rubs at her chest like it’s an ache that can be soothed.

She doesn’t hear Dean’s unsteady breath, nor does she see the way his green eyes follow her.

AN: *rubs hands together* Well, here they are! It's all starting to come together. What did you think of Dean's decision?

Coming up next, we have the final part: some action, some fluff, and some potentially perilous situations for Mila and Dean...

Next Time:

“Yeah, about that…I’m thinking your tribe doesn’t take very well to outsiders,” he says. “White men in particular.”

Mila presses her lips together. He can tell she’s been thinking the same thing, but she turns to him with a determined set to her features.

“I will protect you,” she says.

Dean frowns. He doesn’t like the sound of that. On one hand, it warms him that she seems to really mean it. On the other hand, he doesn’t want to know what it’ll take for her to protect him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks.

She turns her face away and doesn’t seem to want to answer at first.

“Mila…”

“The Chief is my uncle,” she says at last. “He will listen to me.”

Dean blinks. Well, that changes things…maybe.

COMING 11/17! (New chapters every Sunday.)

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[cavefairy]

poppy appreciation post bc this is the third time ive watched trolls 3 in the past 24 hours

[starseneyes]

Chenford - Lucy Chen / Tim Bradford - The Rookie - Season 5 - Ep 10

"The List" Or, as I like to call it, "Lucy has the giggles".

Y'all, this one SLAYED me, and I can't wait to jump in with you!

SPOILER ALERT: This Meta will spoil every delicious second of this episode and reference past material from the show (and will majorly spoil the end of the film Serenity. Sorry about that). Please proceed with extreme caution... or don't, if you are ready to be spoiled.

Shall we? Let's get things started!

Fashion Barbie Runway Show

Look, I had a couple Barbies growing up. And while they weren't my favorite toys, I understood the draw of dressing up your handsome Ken doll and fashionable Barbie in fun outfits. And, let's be honest, Barbie always had more variety than Ken.

So, it seems fitting that Lucy and Tim are struggling to choose the perfect outfit for their last first date ever.

Yes, I said it. Tim and Lucy are on an Endgame path, and they are completely aware of it.

Anyway, we see Lucy pull up every significant outfit she's ever worn around Tim (special shout out to the costume department for keeping those around and not selling them off, yet). There's the double date dress, the dance dress, and later the green dress from Lopez's wedding. It's a feast for Chenfordians.

SIDE NOTE: And we have to talk about Tim's bedroom. The crew put a lot of thought into it. Remember, Tim's been married before, and got to keep all the furniture. So, everything matches in tasteful, boring beige (as compared to Lucy's flamboyant, color-filled apartment).

I love that Tim has slippers. I don't know why that detail made me so happy (and the clothes sticking a little haphazardly out of his laundry basket in the closet), but those details help paint a side of the man we've never really seen before. Domestic Tim.

Tim's going through a smattering of the exact. same. shirt. in seventeen colors. And, look, I'll give him props that he has some variety in color to match whatever his date's wearing, but it's terribly on-brand to me for Tim to find the shirt that works and run with it.

Plus, this MUSIC!? "I was overthinking. Are we linking?" Tim and Lucy are definitely overthinking.

Side Note: I am LOVING how they are both tossing the discards on the bed rather than re-hanging them. Because they are so indecisive that they can't bring themselves to completely rule something out, even if they tell themselves that's not the one.

And Tim with the store-bought hangers that he never replaced? Because he probably thinks they're, "Perfectly fine hangers"? I was rolling.

Tim's finally had enough and he picks up the phone to dial Lucy.

Watch. Lucy's. Face.

Girlfriend knows she is taking forever to pick her outfit. She opts for the lie.

"Hi. I'm almost there." "No. No, you're not."

Look. At. Her. FACE! Look at that glee on her face. Because he knows her. She doesn't have to lie to him and worry what he'll think or how he'll react.

"No. I'm not. Sorry. Um, are you?" "No! Uh, look, does this restaurant have a dress code?"

See that twinkle in Lucy's eyes? It's the same twinkle when she laid hands on Tim's radio a few episodes back when he was newly single and she was about to be. Lucy's quickly cooking up a plan.

"Uh, no. I mean, you could wear cargo shorts, if you wanted."

Evil, evil girl. But, oh, how I love this. We're seconds into their first conversation of the night, and they are establishing right away that Tim and Lucy are still Tim and Lucy.

Yes, they're adding a layer to their relationship, but the underpinnings that have been so painstakingly stitched together over the past five-ish seasons remain.

"Really?" "Yeah, I mean, what does it matter as long as your comfortable?" "Nice try." *giggles*

Did. You. Hear. Her. GIGGLES?!

I know I'm pausing a lot on this Meta (and we're about a minute seven into screentime), but that's because this is so insanely delicious that I can't help myself.

I'm the girl who watched in agony hoping for Janeway and Chakotay to have an open-ended end to their romance only for the show to hook him up with 7of9 at the eleventh hour. Besides Mulder and Scully, that was my first major ship. And, to be honest, both left me with some serious trust issues.

So, I went into this episode hoping I would be wrong about so many things. And, folks, I was wrong about so many things. But, we'll get to that later.

Right now, our girl Lucy Chen is giggling because she tried a "gotcha" and he called her on it. And she is so relaxed in this moment that she can embrace the giggle without worrying about any of the boundaries.

Though there are physical boundaries in place (we'll get to those later), the emotional boundaries have completely come down. They're flirting. They're teasing. And it's all out in the open (at least between them) without restraint.

This is unhinged, untied, undone Tim and Lucy from an emotional standpoint. And it's f'ing beautiful.

Also, can we talk about Tim Bradford? I mean, we've seen him happy in relationships, before, but have we ever seen him beaming like this? I don't think so.

"That was clearly a test, and you should know better than to test the master."

Lucy's face is pure, "Yup, that's my boyfriend. He thinks he's so fly" and I am here for it!

Also, Tim in Gold Toe Socks?! I'm fairly sure that's what he's wearing, and that little detail of having super durable, super comfortable socks is so bloody Tim. We don't usually get to see his socks, and I LOVE these little details.

"What are you wearing?" "Yeah, uh, I don't know, yet. But I do have a lot of outfits that I am not going to wear. So..." "Look, well, we are running low on time. Traffic's getting ugly."

Oh, Los Angeles, how I detest your traffic. I once flew into LAX and my ride was two miles away when I called them from the street. Two miles.

One hour later they picked me up. I kid you not. Los Angeles traffic is some of the worst I've ever seen. I remember we went into the office (one of my clients) and it was a ten mile trip that took almost two hours. I am not built for LA traffic, and Tim's line sent a shudder of remembrance down my spine.

Lucy, my lady, it's time to pick a damn dress.

"Yeah, totally. I, it's silly, I just need to make a decision... Ah, yes! The green dress. It is decided."

It was the dress she wore the first time he asked her to save a dance... the first time she had the flicker that he was interested in her as anything other than a fellow officer and former boot. This dress holds significance between them, and it'd be lovely to rewrite its history so it's no longer the dress she wore when Jackson was murdered, but the dress she wore the first time she went out on a date with Tim Bradford.

"Great. Well, I'll see you soon."

He's imagining her in that dress. Remembering her in that dress. He couldn't help himself, even back then. He'd drank in every move of her hips, every hug of fabric against her skin as it swished toward her.

You can see that smile, again. The dazzler. He's dazzled by her, and they aren't even in the same room. That's the power this woman has over him. And he's done resisting its pull.

"Okay. Bye."

She hangs up on him and the music is soft, gentle, hopeful.

Then... nope. She yeets another dress onto the pile and we're back to square one.

The Most Romantic Restaurant in Town

Look, I don't know if this was the director or the script, but sweeping in on all those couples, and the flower arrangements, and the hanging, but dimmed lights? This is a couple's place. This isn't where you take your work friend for dinner. This is where you take your future wife.

And Tim's brought his future wife. But, oh, the boy is feeling awkward now that they're finally out together. Tim sneaks a look at Lucy and she chuckles. She can feel his unease.

"It's good bread." "Yeah. It's such a nice assortment."

Y'all. The Rookie team... we see you! We see you calling out the fan-created Crumb-o-Meter that made my first episodes watching this bloody ship all the more delicious. If you wanted us to know you're stalking our psychotic, borderline-obsessive *ahem* tweets and posts... message received. We'll keep up the good work!

But, seriously, in this moment the awkwardness is on point.

Transitions in life are tough. I'll be honest that with most of my boyfriends, I dove in. With Ernie, he asked to kiss me and we dated for two months (before he dumped me on my birthday over the phone the week of prom). With Sean, he said there was something between us and kissed me in his kitchen. That relationship lasted two weeks because he was moving away.

And before the summer ended, I was locking lips with Travis—whom I'd just met—and I dated him for over a year before realizing we had absolutely nothing in common and I was a stooge for jumping in without taking stock of the situation, first.

So when I met Matthew in the middle of my breakup with Travis... I wanted to do it differently. We spent the summer getting to know one another as friends. I took a romantic relationship completely off the table. Through emails (yes, email), AIM messages (I know... totally dating us), and group dates, I got to know him better and better. We had a budding friendship by the time we finally started dating.

Not the three or so years of Lucy and Tim, but I knew there was something different about my relationship with Matthew from the go. We took everything slower. And I'm so glad we did. It gave me time to savor every second.

Lucy and Tim both know that this is different, and there's a level of awkwardness there as two friends attempt the transition.

"Why is this so weird? We've eaten together literally hundreds of times." "Because our other meals only ever had the promise of being shot at afterwards, you know, not naked time."

I have to be honest with y'all, I did not see Tim saying that. This line leaked early via a journalist with an advance copy (so saying that it "leaked" isn't exactly true since it's the journalist's job to hype up the fanbase). But the journalist didn't attribute the line to either of them. I was shocked to find this came from Tim.

But in the face of the awkwardness they're feeling, it makes sense that he would be searching for words and land on the least romantic ones, God bless him. (Yes, this might seem like a variant on "God bless his heart" but, trust me, in the South they are two very different things. I truly feel for the guy!)

"Naked time? Please, I mean, we've seen plenty of naked people after we ate." "That's not what I-" "No. No. No. I know. I know. I know. I feel like I might... I might just need you to reset your expectations a little bit. You're not going to see me naked for... a while."

I have to stop this here for a couple of reasons. One, Lucy touches Tim's arm when she's saying, "I know". We watched in 5x08 where she struggled not to touch him when they were sitting together outside. Here, on their date, she isn't shying away from that. There's an ease between them, even as they're discussing what might be considered a delicate topic.

Two, I love the way that Tim smiles with her after "a while". There's an ease to it. I can see him having some naked time expectations after she bloody invited him in when they were both seeing other people. But he's listening to her, and he's accepting what she wants wholeheartedly, without question.

So, I don't think Tim was unreasonable in his thought process, originally. However, what I love about this is what happens next.

Also, I love the way that Tim reacts the same way he did to Chris saying he wanted Tim's thoughts—surprised, but ready to listen. It's those little details of this reset that mean so much to me.

"I mean, I don't want to rush into that. I wanna take things slow... go on this date, maybe a second date, have our first real kiss. I just don't think we should jump into bed together just because we know each other so well. Right? I mean, do you?" "No, I... Agreed."

I'm puddling on the floor right now. Y'all, you don't know what consent means to me. I have too many stories for this Meta (y'all'd be running away from me so fast because I wouldn't get to the Chenford for another six pages or so if I got started). But, as a victim of abuse, this is so important to me.

Lucy is setting the expectations here for her and Tim. And he's accepting and agreeing to them without question. This is how it should be, people.

Also, Lucy starts with telling Tim that he's not going to see her naked for a while, but she's also simultaneously telling him that someday he will. This isn't a short-term thing for either of them, and she's making that abundantly clear.

The one thing about Tim is that he knows about all of Lucy's previous relationships (save Nolan) that have happened during her time as an Officer. He knows that with Emmett it was all physical, basically. With Chris, they were "great together" but there was no substance. He's seen how she treats relationships, and, honestly, she hasn't done it with the greatest care or eye toward longevity.

In this speech, Lucy isn't only defining parameters for their physical/sexual relationship. She's also subtly communicating to Tim that she wants to put care into this relationship. She wants to build it up together, the same way they have their friendship. Lucy is telling Tim, "I'm in this for the long haul".

Watch his face just before he says, "Agreed". It's about more than just agreeing to what she's saying, and offering her that much-needed affirmation. It's about making their first major decision together as a couple.

She didn't have to ask him to chime in. Her body is her body and her choice. But she wanted to know that they were on the same page, and he had the opportunity to show her that he is.

In a long-term relationship, communication is the most important binder. Romance is great, but sometimes when you have flames coming out of your ears, you're not that interested in stolen kisses. Passion is great, but when you're cowering on the floor, breaking in half over tragedy, it won't get you anywhere.

Solid communication is the most essential building block to a relationship that lasts. And in this scene, Lucy has told Tim that's what she wants with him, and he knows enough to realize what she's saying beneath the words.

Lucy's face is filled with the same consternation as it was on "it's not worth the risk". She's worried how Tim's going to react. And both times, he reassures her.

It's so brief, so brief, but watch Lucy's eyes after he agrees (and this is all Melissa O'Neil). She's relieved.

As soon as they started talking to one another instead of making small talk, they returned to what has made them great all along—their foundation of understanding one another deeply, and not being afraid to call the other out, or reset the expectations.

Watch the awkwardness evaporate with that… It's the lack of communication that put them on edge. Well, almost all the awkwardness.

"Are you worried someone from the station's gonna walk in?" "What?" "You are!" "No, I-" "Wow." "What are the odds?"

I love this so much. Lucy's calling Tim out, and he's actually a little embarrassed. It's adorable. Tim and Lucy have completely gotten over the awkwardness.

Just in time for... I'm sorry. Are you for real? Seriously? I was just enjoying this adorable couple and y'all couldn't wait for the guests to leave for the night before having it out in the kitchen? Yes, the kitchen is a volatile place, but these two are dating here! Ya know?

Fine. Fine. Have your bloody knife fight. But did anyone else notice how Tim really really didn't want to get involved? He kept hoping for an outcome that wouldn't require them, but the second that dude grabbed the knife, Tim whipped out the gun and badge while Lucy went for a cloth napkin for the wound.

Truly, these two are a power couple, already!

"What are the chances someone from the station walks in now?"

And, too fast for real life (but perfect timing for the joke), the blue and red lights catch Tim and Lucy... red and blue handed.

Look, these two have got to stop racking up reports with both of their names on it when they're not supposed to be together. First Lucy's apartment when Chris was bleeding out, now the restaurant attack.

What on earth will Angela have to say to Timothy now!? (please, please let us find out, soon!)

And what is with these two and knife-attacks-to-the-arms ruining their moments? It's not a good trend.

But can we talk about Lucy's dress? YOWZA! When she stood up and I saw all the amazing back cut outs in addition to the front, I just thought, "Wow, Melissa O'Neil is FIT" and "Lucy looks incredible on this date".

Tim's no slouch, either! The patterned shirt he went with was the best thing in his closet we saw, and I'd kill to have a stomach as flat as Eric Winter's. Well, not kill. I don't want to be arrested while commenting on a cop show. That'd be a little too on the nose.

Before We Move On: I have seen a lot of feedback on the interwebs of people accusing Lucy of inconsistency between 5x01's "Do you want to come in?" and 5x10's "I want to take this slow."

First off, a human being can change their mind about a situation at any time and it not be considered a character flaw or "out of character".

Some nights I'll tell my husband, "As soon as the kids go to bed, you are mine" but by the time the kids go down, I'm too tired to move, let alone engage in "naked time". Does my husband accuse me of being an inconsistent character? Hell, no!

Listen, you can always change your mind about wanting or not wanting sex. We need to get rid of the mindset that if you were hot and bothered one time you're supposed to be permanently hot and bothered, or you're a tease or something. It's an insane way to interpret the situation.

Secondly (yes, I'm finally getting back to the Chenford), Lucy in 5x01 didn't know Tim was emotionally invested. She knew he was physically attracted to her, and she decided to take a leap in the moment. To live in that moment based on the information available.

Even when she's confessing in 5x08 that she's afraid of leaving her "safe" relationship for Tim because it could ruin the most important relationship in her life, she didn't know how he felt.

Yes, she is the one who shut down that talk in 5x01, but that's because she was assuming instead of listening and letting him finish. And assumption is when these two get in trouble (see "naked time" above).

So, in the fullness of her new knowledge, Lucy has made a different decision. She knows that this is endgame as much as he does (though I think he's still so surprised to see Lucy so at ease with all of it considering her history of keeping guys at arms-length after her ex cheated on her while she was living with him).

And it's perfectly okay to change your mind. Lucy changed her mind. Tim amended his expectations to match her wishes because when he does make love with her, he wants her to give herself fully with no trace of anxiety or fear holding her back. He wants her to feel completely cherished, and loved, and he'll wait until the moment she is ready. That is the magic of the moment.

Lucy Chen said, "Not, yet" and Tim said, "Understood. I'm not going anywhere" without saying so many words.

Tim went in with the knowledge that she twice jumped him (girl can be thirsty/assertive), and that she once invited him in.

It was definitely a possibility that they were getting naked after this romantic dinner. He was looking forward to peeling that skin-tight dress right off of her.

But the second she said that wasn't the plan, he rolled with it. And that's sexy as hell.

"This is not strange. Coworkers eat together. It's a thing." "At the most romantic restaurant in town?" "Right."

Our intrepid duo is scrambling. Lucy was making fun of Tim's paranoia over them being caught together, and within thirty seconds they were caught together.

And now it's the fallout. Before, there was no obligation to tell anyone anything or come up with a cover story. Now, they have a choice to make.

And I need to shout out to the director and DP for the staging of this scene. I love Tim and Lucy in their little spot, slightly removed from everyone else, and the sweeping shots where the noise picks up of the chatter of their fellow officers.

The fact that they have Tim and Lucy backed against the wall (heh) means that nobody can cross behind them, and the camera's positioned so we don't have people crossing in front of them. It allows us to focus on them singularly as a pair versus everyone else in the mosh-pit of police work.

"Well, I mean, we could come clean."

Watch Tim's face. It's not that Lucy's had to hide her previous relationships (besides Nolan... and I keep hoping Tim knew something at the time and didn't say anything because he doesn't want to talk about personal stuff in the Shop). But, Lucy's not one to bring dates to events and whatnot.

They've been on one half-date that was interrupted by an assault that resulted in an arrest. And Lucy's talking about letting everyone know that they are officially a couple. That's huge.

Tim can't believe what he's hearing. And even if it's not the right decision right now, it says something to him about how Lucy sees this... that she's not letting one botched date get in the way of them. She's not going anywhere. For goodness sake, she was the first to make them a "we" here!

But... still... there are some issues with coming clean.

"Are you ready for that? Are you ready for Smitty's commentary on us dating or the "ohs" every time we walk into the roll call room together?" "Or, we could lie."

Oh, honey, no. Look, you're a killer UC. We know that. But, when it comes to the people you know and love, you are a terrible liar.

My mind immediately flashes back to Season 1. "You're good at a lot of things. Lying isn't one of them." "You think I'm good at things? Can I get that in writing?"

Like, Lucy, honey. Nooooo. Let Tim do the lying for the both of you. He lied to himself for ages about how he felt. He's a much better liar.

And, to clarify, I understand why they feel they need to lie right now, and it's their relationship. But Lucy shouldn't be the one talking when they do it.

"Uh, yeah, we were there, uh, investigating a tip and then this whole other crime popped off." "Yeah, Lucy's C.I. was convinced they were dealing drugs." "What?" "What?" "Nothing."

Maybe neither of you is good at lying. Yikes.

"Boss wants to see you. Have a safe one."

Oh, Nolan, you don't even realize how scared these two are of walking into that office.

And, I must say that I was wrong, again. Look, folks, I admit when I'm wrong. It's hardwired into who I am because of how I grew up. When this scene dropped, I thought something might be missing, but now I see it was the way they edited the two shot to alternating one-shots that made me think I was missing something.

So, The Rookie, 2. Rachel 0. (and I'm going to lose again, at the end. Stay tuned!)

Tim holds the door for Lucy as they make the transition. I saw on Twitter that Eric Winter insisted on this, and looking back at their relationship, there have been several other instances where Tim has held the door for Lucy. So, this is absolutely in character, and I love that EW insisted upon it. Those little details make the character.

"I think you know how I feel about coworkers dating."

Yikes, Grey! Not even letting them settle into their stances before ripping the band-aid off. And, yes, I'm creating this commentary based on my first time watching the pan-and-scan version of this scene from Twitter.

Because, Rachel was not prepared.

Tim and Lucy glance at one another. Here we go.

"When I started, no one thought much of it. But things have changed. We're more aware of how power dynamics can skew things. Even the most innocent of relationships can be a distraction."

Watch Tim's hand slip off his watch as he fidgets. Tim can be very controlled, and very good at hiding his emotions. But I don't think he was ready for this conversation this soon. Lucy resettles over and over, pressing her lips together as the listens.

And this two-shot is so much better than the split screen they had to do for Instagram formatting. I love seeing the two of them together, united, but mirroring one another's positions while facing Grey—the authority figure behind the desk.

Right now, there's an inequality between Grey's position and theirs. Tim and Lucy are unable to sit and he is permitted to sit and lord over them, like royalty. Grey is the final word, and he's staring down at two very nervous officers.

"Hey, trust me, I get it. We spent 12 hours a day together. Feelings are bound to develop."

Tim looks over to Lucy. She feels his gaze and looks back.

"But we can't afford even the hint of impropriety." "We couldn't agree more."

"We". There it is, again. Some people put a lot of weight into this, wondering if Lucy is afraid that Tim is going to break it off. But I don't think that was ever the issue.

They both know eventually they won't be able to work together as they have... it's impossible. But they want this to last as long as it can.

Tim is saying "we" couldn't agree more. Not "I". Lucy doesn't have to worry about him giving up on her. But I think she knows he's willing to do whatever it takes for something he believes in—and he believes in them.

"Good. Look, I don't want to be the old guy interfering with peoples lives, especially their love life, but this whole Aaron and Celina situation has me worried." "The Aaron and Celina situation."

Tim's surprised face is adorable, but Lucy rolls with it fairly well. They turn to look out at Aaron and Celina. As they do, the camera shifts to a three shot, Grey now standing behind them. They're on a more level playing field, here, flowing with the scene.

Gosh, I love Robert Bella's style as a director. He really lets the camera breathe with the script. I haven't been this excited about a television director since Robert Duncan McNeil started working on Chuck after debuting as a director on Star Trek: Voyager.

Lucy sneaks a glance at Tim, trying to gauge his response before they turn around. He finally meets her eyes with a quick, "Well, that was close" look as they turn back to face Grey.

And, look, I think Grey is on to them. He's not a fool. But, he's also outlining a lot of thoughts in this scene, if we try to see it as him sending them a message.

He's not saying don't date. But he does remind them of the power imbalance (Tim's her SO and a Sergeant). Yet, he calls out the need for Aaron to establish his reputation and for Celina to get through her Probationary period without distractions.

Tim and Lucy will have to deal with their power imbalance.

"Oh, the irony." "Are you gonna talk to Aaron?" "About his love life? Can't wait." "When are you gonna talk to Celina?" "I can't tell her not to date a cop. That is so hypocritical. Oh, I'm gonna get Nolan to do it." "That's cheating." *giggle*

This whole exchange makes me so happy. Here are Tim and Lucy operating as a duo, tasked with a job, and Lucy finds a way to get out of the uncomfortable situation. Tim's "That's cheating" hearkens back to every bet they've ever made.

The subtitles have Lucy saying "mm-hmm", but I swear the first time I heard it (first thirty times I re-watched the scene), it was a giggle. I'm going with giggle.

Because this is the episode where Lucy has the giggles.

"You and Celina dating?"

And Tim, with the subtlety of a Rams fan at a 49er's bar on game-day, reminds us why there's no personal talk in the Shop. Tim's really bad at it.

I'm not going to transcribe Aaron's full response, but I love the way it set Tim on edge. I've talked, before, about how Eric Winter is one of those actors who acts through his fingers and toes. Bruce Willis is one of those, too. Just watch his feet in the early scenes of Die Hard. It's beautiful.

So, when Aaron starts talking about direct reports in a not so subtle hint that he knows all about those types of relationships, Tim gets nervous. It's not that he's afraid of being found out. But the more he's reminded of their biggest issue—one of them will have to leave.

And, don't get me wrong, the show'll probably find a way to work around that by taking Tim out of her chain-of-command but keeping him largely tied to the established team. But right now, Tim's fidgeting on the wheel.

And I swear when I watched it live I thought I heard the engine speeding up with Tim's anxiety.

"Remember this morning when dating in secret was our biggest problem?" "That feels like a million years ago."

Excuse me, ma'am, but isn't your camera on your chest recording everything you say!? I've always been worried about what they say near cameras, but Lucy's throwing caution RIGHT out.

"Did you talk to Aaron?" "Yeah." "And?" "He neither confirmed nor denied." "But?" "But he pointed out that it wouldn't be problematic because he's not her superior and doesn't fall in her chain of command." "Oh."

I get why they don't want to face it. Right now, they only see that as a separation. Those 12 hours a day where they've gotten to know one another, and have been able to see one another, and check on one another, and keep tabs on the other's welfare... gone.

It's a lot to lose even if they get to keep each other.

"Are you sure about this?" "I'm sure he's gonna kill her if we don't do something. Where's my distraction?" "It's ready and waiting."

I can hear Lucy in my head, "I don't like Plan B." But she understands that this is what needs to be done, and that this is their job. Sometimes, they have to put themselves in harm's way, and that a tragic occupational hazard.

But I love how this illustrates that they can still work together, even with the new layer to their relationship. Tim and Lucy are still Tim and Lucy.

"That's the signal."

And the trust that Lucy would be the one to hear the signal, and get everyone else ready to go. They've worked side-by-side for years. They have a natural rhythm there that's been earned. I totally understand why they don't want to lose that.

But it's inevitable... that day is coming. And neither can face it just yet.

"We both can't get out at the same time." "Okay, then you go first." "There's only room for one of us to be a hero, here, and I outrank you." "Sir, with all due respect, Lucy will kill me if I let you die, so I'm dead either way." "Get out of the Shop, Aaron!"

We've seen Aaron comment on the Tim/Lucy thing directly and indirectly, but this is flashing neon lights compared to those other times. He's basically saying, "She will literally murder for you, and I know it, and I don't want it to be me."

And I have to stop to applaud Aaron's ingenuity in finding a way to save Tim, too. Tim accepts his fate. He's military-trained, and he's a seasoned cop who understands the risks he takes every day.

But it wasn't his day to die, my friends. Not today.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't die."

This. Transition! I'm salivating over that transition from one scene to the next, through the glass. I'll admit, I'm a big fan of scenes that overlap and allow us to trade from one conversation to the next. It has always made me feel more like the world was real, and we were walking through it rather than bouncing around through non-stop scene-shifts.

No, you can't do this all the time. It'd become tired out. But, I love the choice, here. Again, I don't know if it was the writer, the director, or someone else who saw the opportunity and seized it, but I'm so glad they did!

"You owe me a redo on our date." "It's what gave me the will to live."

He's needling her. He's so needling her and it's so adorable. I know they have a lot of incredible scenes in this episode, but this one gave me all the feels.

This is secret dating era at its finest. Walking side-by-side and speaking words just for the other while knowing there's so much more going on under the surface. And I am here for it!

I love how he looks at her, waiting to see if he's going to get a reaction. Oh, she gives him a reaction!

"In my mind, I'm hitting you right now." "That's good to know."

Heart. Exploding. The cuteness!

PAUSE: Before we get to the end scene, can we talk about Nyla and James choosing Angela and Wesley to raise their daughter!? As soon as the conversation came up I was screaming at the television, "Pick Angela and Wesley!" And I'm so glad they did.

The power couples of The Rookie really got to show up and show out this week, and I wanted to acknowledge these four, too, even if they're not the focus of our Meta.

"I've been falling apart these days," says the music as we transition to a crane shot, establishing twinkle lights in trees (and those hanging bulb-style ones that I've been coveting for my new backyard ever since we moved in).

We sweep past the... is that a food truck!? Was I actually right about one thing in this bloody episode!? My only prediction that came true was that Tim and Lucy would try to have their date, things would go wrong, and they'd end up at a food truck. I'll take the win since everything else's been a loss for me, predictions-wise.

The Rookie 2, Rachel 1.

We sweep over to Tim and Lucy in the most casually-intimate (it's a thing) position with those high stools. Tim's got his let completely wrapped on the other side of Lucy's, and one of hers is crossed with a foot on his chair.

They don't wear fashionable clothes. Lucy's hair isn't styled. The conditions are less structured and more beautifully chaotic, like the twinkle lights dangling just shy of perfection—but no less perfect in that imperfection.

Tim and Lucy are at ease.

This is the heart of Tim and Lucy's transition. Before, they were trying to do it without all the information on the table, and within the confines of what they thought they needed.

Instead, they've found themselves in metal chairs exposed to the elements, facing the less-than-romantic view of a parking lot, and they couldn't be happier.

I must observe that they don't eat or drink a thing during this scene. The props are simply props, and I always find it fascinating when a scene calls for actual eating versus the implication of eating.

"Streets of Vietnam." *giggle* "That's where we ended up."

For some reason, the caption says "Treats of Vietnam" even though Eric Winter clearly emphasizes the "S" on "Streets".

But, if you're following along and hard of hearing or deaf, I wanted to make that clarification. His words, indeed, do match the signage on the food truck.

And Lucy is giggling, again.

"So, I guess this is our official first date." "Mmm, last night was. For sure. I mean, it's a better story for the grandkids."

Watch. Tim's. Face. He dated Ashley for ages before finding out she had no interest in marriage or kids—two things that mean a lot to him.

And Lucy, beautiful Lucy, is telling him on their second date that she can't wait to share this story with their grandkids.

And I've seen people say, "Oh, what happened to taking it slow?" Welp, you can be in an emotional place separate from a physical place, and that's just fine. She wants to savor every second of this.

This relationship is full of "last firsts". Last first date. Last first kiss. Last first time sleeping together.

If you knew that going into a relationship, wouldn't you want to savor every second? Really live in the moments to form lasting memories rather than rushing through?

"We've got grandkids, now." *giggle* "Nice."

Ooooh, the giggling has got me in a chokehold!

And I'm floored by the confidence Lucy has with Tim. Before, we saw so much hesitation from her in taking big steps, especially with Chris. Hell, I don't know that I recall her ever calling him her "boyfriend".

With Tim, none of that exists. Yes, they had some butterflies to get through in the beginning. But part of what makes this relationship work is how it has been earned and built.

They didn't start day one of their Rookie/TO relationship making moony-eyes at one another. They built layers over time, like the most beautiful crepe tower cake.

Yes, I know it's a weird metaphor, but I like baking shows. And the best part about a crepe tower cake is that you make each crepe one at a time before binding it to the others to form a stack. And sometimes the crepes aren't the prettiest. You might burn one a little. But it still goes into the stack, and it still helps build a beautiful finished product.

Tim and Lucy have built this relationship bit by bit. That's why everything rings true so effortlessly, now.

"Do not break into that car."

I. Started. CACKLING. Much as the cold open had me in stitches, this is the line that slays me every time. Crochety, worn-out Tim comes out on that line.

It's like, "Look, do you see this stunningly gorgeous, amazing, tough-as-nails woman beside me? I'd like to have one date, just ONE where I'm not pulling out cuffs for work purposes".

"Hey, moron!"

Foley artist, I love you. Or if it was recorded audio at the scene, I love whoever did that because even the SOUND of the metal clanging as the perp retreats had me in stitches. This was such a beautiful moment for so many reasons.

First of all, Tim is always going to be Tim. Thank God. I abhor when shows destroy the characters the second they get in a relationship (no, I'm not naming names... Metas make you squeel and laugh. We don't need the negativity, here).

Second, Tim just made the choice to be a man instead of a cop in this moment. Now, if it was a dangerous criminal, I'm sure Tim would have done something, as he did on their first date. But, for Tim "Supercop" Bradford to choose the girl... it's such a huge metaphor for what's coming.

Tim's job has seemed like the most important thing for so long, especially since he finally went after Sergeant, and continues to work despite being eligible for Retirement. But some things matter more.

Friends, Lucy matters more.

"You know, he's just going to break into a car in a different neighborhood." "Well, then some other cop can arrest him."

Pause. Just pause right here and look at Tim's face as he gazes upon Lucy. That twinkle is back in his eyes. And, yes, I'm aware it's probably studio lights set up for this shot. Don't ruin my magic!!

But Tim Bradford is finally looking into the eyes of a woman who will love him as much as he will love her. She will call him on his bullshit, care for his wounds, follow him into the fire, and stand by his side through whatever life throws at them.

They both knew that when they took this leap, they could never, ever go back. It's a constant plunge into the unknown, and with every level deeper they go, it only cements their bond.

Tim and Lucy were never going to work as friends-with-benefits, or a casual thing. They're Endgame. And they both know it.

He reaches for her face with his left hand. The same hand that wanted to hold her face the first time they kissed, but hesitated. He's telegraphing his moves and giving her space to pull back, to tell him to stop, to let him know she's not ready.

But Lucy is ready for this next step.

His right hand resting somewhere between her knee and thigh, the other hand tangling in her hair as he gently tugs her toward him, he leans in for their last first kiss—together.

And Lucy smiles before their lips touch, because this is so damn sweet. This is the beginning of yet another phase for them. And as they share that beautiful moment, we fade to black.

And here we have the last thing I was wrong about—the episode didn't end with Lucy covered in blood.

Look, I called the kiss (so I hope that balances things out a little), but I have a lot of ship trauma. For goodness sake, look at Wash and Zoe from Firefly/Serenity. He wasn't a leaf on the wind... he was a corkboard for the world's largest push-pin.

So, I was pleasantly surprised we faded out to black with our favorite couple intact and happy.

One thing that The Rookie has done really well with its core relationships is allowing them to face issues as a couple.

Nyla and James were rockstars at the bank, but they also worked through the very real issue of who should care for their child in the event of their death. That's something all parents grapple with.

And then Wesley and Angela working through the conversations of when (and whether) to add children to their family. I suffer from infertility, so all three of our children were planned for, prayed for, and provided by nice doctors with catheters and egg timers (I wish I was joking about that last part).

So whatever Tim and Lucy are going to face, I have confidence that they will face it together. They aren't going to suddenly stop communicating, break up, and date other people. This is Season 5B and as of yet, there's no assurance of a Season 6. It's the perfect time to cement them as a couple, explore the obstacles they overcome, and allow the fans to bask in the breadsticks (double breadsticks according to the Roll-o-Meter).

Because, y'all, we ATE.

As always, thank you for reading. This one was a lot of fun to watch and write. And, special shout out to my husband who let me squirrel away for the hour (which is right at our kids' bedtime) so I could squeal in real-time!

See y'all on the next!

[pearlnareff]

For the character ask game: could I please have 2, 5, 12, 18, 24 about Nathan (Seymour, lol 😉)? 💖

AHHHH YES! Sorry I only teared up twice answering these. also take a shot every time I use the word "iconic" because seriously they absolutely are (also alternating between she and they pronouns because that is how she exists in my brain fja;owejf):

2. Favorite canon thing about this character? Yes. All of the above. OKAY as true as that is, really? The vibes are immaculate. The aesthetic, the attitude, the style, hell- even the Dominoes Sponsorship /j Everything about Nathan is just chef's kiss. I love how they are just unapologetically themselves. Like UEGH even in… the Rising movie when they're going through that dream/memory/nightmare sequence and then snap out of it at the end by like hugging that younger version of them. Like it legit makes me tear up cause I see it as… Nathan being the version of herself that she needed back then. To just show herself a little bit of self-love. And it's just beautiful to me! Nathan Seymour is beautiful inside and out for real.

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about this character? SAME AS YURI I'M SO SORRY-- THE FIRST THOUGHT WAS "GIRL IS ON FIRE" I promise I understand fire motif characters have more depth and that I'm just a slut for Alicia Keys, but TBH it completely fits Nathan a whole lot better. "So bright, she can burn your eyes, better look the other way. You can try, but you'll never forget her name." Also "She got her head in the clouds, and she's not backing down." Like not to talk about Sky High but like! Sorry I'll just never get over her riding on Sky High's shoulders as he flies around okay.

12. What is a headcanon you have for this character? I'm not too sure how much of this is actually considered a headcanon but I definitely believe that Nathan and Kotetsu have had a fling before. Super casual, no hard feelings afterwards, just a super cute temporary fling. A flame, if you will xD Like, maybe they one of them needed a date for a wedding or a plus one to some fancy event and they just had a really really good time. It's silly but their friendship just means a lot to me yes.

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire? What if I sat here and sobbed about Fire Emblem and Sky High for ten years? What if I laid on the ground and made you a sweater of my tears? Like not even just because FireSky is a top-tier ship for me romantically but like? Even just their partnership as buddy heroes is just so wonderful and wholesome like. I love that in their episode in season 2, their "conflict" is… Thinking the other one is too perfect. And too good. That's just? It's so sweet and I can't handle it. They're so different from each other but in the best way possible. Like peanut butter and jelly. Different but they go together so so so well. Nathan is sassy and fierce while Keith is golden retriever goober man. They compliment each other so so well. One day I will finally finish (start) the one shot idea I have for them but sadly I fail at completing things fjao;efi

24. What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them? This is hard because Nathan is so freaking iconic but like…. if I had to pick one out….. Okay same as the last ask I'm having such a hard time but! If I had to shove them into another fandom that I love, I think they would fit So well into Ace Attorney (Imagining her as a witness or even a guest prosecutor would just be so much fun) or into Jojo's BIzarre Adventure, Part 6 Specifically (I would just love to see them interact with some of the Stone Ocean ladies.)

[khalixascorner]

Say it Loud(er) Epilogue

Summary: When Tony goes before the Senate to protest an inhumane amendment to the Superhero Accountability Act, he doesn't mean to admit he loves Spider-Man on live CSPAN. Rather than recant his statement, Tony rolls with the punches and declares them married too. Now he just has to let Peter know before the press gets their hands on him.

Tags: Accidental Marriage, Public Confessions, no literally, it's mostly fluff with a little bit of spice right at the end.

Fill for Marvel Trumps Hate 2022

Read on AO3 Here Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

“You ready, Tones?” Rhodey asked, and Tony checked his suit in the mirror one last time. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m ready,” Tony said, throwing a grin at his friend. “And we get real pictures this time too.”

“You get a whole ass real wedding this time,” Rhodey retorted. “Nice of T’Challa to host it for you too.”

“Peter did ask for the trip to Wakanda and a honeymoon,” Tony said.

“I still can’t believe you invited Secretary Ross,”  Rhodey scoffed, turning to check his own appearance one last time.

“Hey if it weren’t for the man being a greedy short sighted bigot, who knows how long it would have taken for us to get our shit together,” Tony said with a laugh. “Plus, there was no way T’Challa would let him within 100 miles of Wakanda.”

Rhodey started to respond, only to get interrupted as Happy stuck his head in. 

“Alright gentlemen, let's go,” Happy said. “Don’t want to keep the bride waiting.”

“If he hears you say that and takes offense, don’t expect me to protect you,” Tony teased. “He’s stronger than me and I don’t have my other suit.”

“It’ll be fine,” Happy said with a scoff. “Kid still owes me for driving him around when he was a twerp.”

“That’s my fiance you’re talking about, Hogan,” Tony warned, and Happy just held up his hands while muttering. 

“Alright, alright, enough stalling, let's go,” Rhodey said, pushing Tony towards the door. 

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

Soon enough Tony was standing at the front of a small crowd, Rhodey and Happy at his side, while T’Challa stood in front of a vibrant tapestry. 

Ned and MJ walked down the short aisle first, taking their places on T’Challa’s other side. Then the music changed. It wasn’t a traditional bridal march and was probably more suited to the epic scenes found in Peter’s favorite movies, but as the music built, Tony couldn’t imagine anything more fitting for a pair of heroes. 

His first look at Peter stole his breath away. The suit was perfectly tailored, hugging Peter’s body like a glove. It was a beautiful blue, reminiscent of his other suit, with a red shirt and gold vest. It was also a not so subtle nod to their colors. 

May walked Peter down the aisle and Tony smiled as she pulled Peter into a hug before turning to Tony.

“You hurt him, and they’ll never find the body,” she told him, smiling pleasantly as she placed Peter’s hand in his. 

“Don’t worry, Friday will help you hide the body and Peter gets everything when I die,” Tony replied honestly. May nodded, her eyes already suspiciously wet as she moved to her seat. 

Tony took both of Peter’s hands in his and gave his fiance an encouraging look as they turned to T’Challa. 

“Thank you all for being here today,” T’Challa said. “We have come together to witness the marriage of Anthony Stark and Peter Stark. Well, the second marriage, rather.”

The audience chuckled and Tony rolled his eyes as T’Challa continued.

“Love is a precious thing, as is family, so there is no greater joy than celebrating a love shared between two people and the joining that will grow their families in turn,” T’Challa said. “Now, the couple has written their own vows, so I think we shall leave it to them. Anthony?”

Tony’s heart was pounding in his chest as he turned towards Peter again. He had written his vows probably a dozen times, and yet, he found himself throwing away the metaphorical notecards again.

“You know, I wrote a lot of drafts for my vows,” Tony said with a chuckle. “I wanted them perfect. But I’m a mechanic, not a poet, and honestly, there aren’t words enough in the whole universe to encapsulate how much I love you. And the truth is- well, the truth is I plan to spend however much time I have left on this planet doing my best to make sure you’re happy, healthy, and cared for. So I’ll be here, no matter what. Whether you’re sick or exhausted or excited, it doesn’t matter. I want to be by your side through all of it.”

“You know, for a second, I thought you were gonna say I am Iron Man,” Peter teased with a sniffle when Tony paused.

“The thought did cross my mind,” Tony teased back before his face became serious again. “I want you to know, Pete, that you’re it for me. For as long as you’ll have me, I’m yours and I hope you’ll still consent to being mine.”

“Of course, I still consent,” Peter said, rolling his eyes. Then the younger man took a deep breath. “I don’t have any fancy vows either, but I can promise you this: I promise to be loyal and true, to always have your back, and to never give up on us so long as you’re willing to try too. I’ll stay by your side, even when you’re old and grey. Well, more grey.”

Peter gave Tony a watery smile and he squeezed Peter’s hands reassuringly. He knew how much it scared Peter to think about losing him and maybe it was selfish, but Tony wanted all of the years he could get at Peter’s side. 

“But most of all, I plan to spend every day loving you, for as much time as we’re gifted together,” Peter said as a few tears slipped down the younger man’s face. 

Tony lifted up his hand to gently wipe them away then turned his attention to T’Challa. When it was time to exchange the rings, Rhodey pulled the custom set from his pocket. Friday had ordered their original set, and while she had gotten them functional ones, Tony had wanted something a little more them. 

The rings were made of blacked vibranium with a nanite ring in the center, coded to look like a starry sky in deep space. Before Peter, Tony would have said he never wanted to look too closely at the stars again, but Peter had followed him to space and had stayed by his side after everything. So when the younger man had grandly proclaimed that his love for Tony was greater than all of the universe, it had stuck. 

Peter gasped as he got a good look at it. Tony smiled softly, glad that he had managed to keep these a surprise after all.

“Not that I intend to let you forget but just in case, all you have to do is look down to remember that you’re my whole universe and I can’t imagine not having you by my side,” Tony murmured. Then he handed the other box to Peter.

“I love you more than there are stars in the sky, and I’ll follow you to the ends of the universe,” Peter promised as he slid the ring on Tony’s finger.

T’Challa smiled and declared them husbands. Tony drew Peter in, pressing their lips together with all of the tenderness and love he had. 

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

The rest of the night passed in a blur, and all Tony could remember was smiling so hard his face hurt as he realized that Peter was finally his husband for real this time and he didn’t have to give him back.

When he told Peter this, the younger man just laughed.

“I’ve always been yours, Tony,” Peter said, his eyes filled with love. “You just didn’t realize it yet.”

[navree]

What r ur fav hotd/got ships

So I'm gonna try to categorize this so that it doesn't turn into a complete ramble

A Song Of Ice And Fire: JONRYA

Listen I don't know how anyone can look at the line What do you know of my heart, priestess? What do you know of my sister? and not want to fall down on the ground in a fit. Do I think it's gonna happen? No, if only because it's part of the OG outline and I think by this point George has jettisoned nearly the entirety of the OG outline but I still love it. I love their dynamic and I love what they mean to each other and I think their reunion is gonna be whack and it's my favorite Jon ship and also all the things Jon thinks about her in ADWD make me go fucking nuts.

Game of Thrones: DANY/JORAH

In the books, I do not ship Dany and Jorah, because book Jorah is a giant fucking creep. But in the show......man oh man in the show. Listen, I'm a big fan of all those "sworn knight and the ruler he's sworn to protect" type dynamics in all things, and this dynamic has literally been that from the getgo. I love that Jorah is her first friend and her first confidant, and how much she trusts him, and how much genuine love there is between them, even in the later seasons when shit goes sideways first through his betrayal (that moment at Daznak's Pit when she takes his hand.....kill me) and then later when it's clear she doesn't feel anything back, that the love is still there and it doesn't matter, it'll always be there. Also their reunion was gorgeous, really everything about them in 7x05 was gorgeous. Plus, I'm gonna be honest, season two was insane. It was literally insane, they were putting out sooooo many feelers for Jorah and Dany, it was nuts. That scene where he says he can't even believe she's real and she looks away with a gasp? When she touches his face after talking about her dragons? Will you betray her again, Jorah the Andal? Never. And also that the only time we've ever seen her in sobbing hysterics after a loss was when she killed Drogo and when Jorah died in her arms, only succumbing to his wounds after he knew she was going to be okay. (and also drogon coming over to comfort dany and also mourn himself because that's basically his dad, he's known and trusted jorah all his life and seen him as much as family as he does dany, it makes me cry)

Backstory: AEGON/RHAENYS and VISENYA/RHAENYS

First of all I'm not putting Aegon/Visenya in that because I'm of the opinion that Visenya was a big ole lesbian and I love that for her, part of why I was so upset HOTD was gonna start with the Dance was because I really wanted to see a lesbian on a dragon with her giant sword and I was fucking deprived. And also please see my various comments on the Targs not being raised to socialize with their siblings as traditional siblings for why I'm willing to give the Conquerors a pass on the intermarriage, cuz sue me, I like them. Part of it is just that Rhaenys is honestly my favorite Targaryen and I love her to pieces, but there's also so much in it I adore. That Rhaenys was the youngest and the baby of the family and that they both probably felt protective of her and adored her from the getgo. That Aegon was doing his duty with Visenya but wanted her so much, loved her so much that he was desperate to marry her anyway, wed her out of desire and clearly loved her. That she was an equal partner for both of them, not just as a dragonrider and warrior but as an administrator. The special bond I like to think she and Visenya had, the eldest and the youngest, the two women, the ones carving their way through gender roles and making the world their own and being the ones who can bitch about Aegon when he's being a bit much with his dragondreaming and moodiness.

And I really, really like the idea that she was the glue that held the family together. That for a while, Aegon and Visenya were bonded in their absolute grief that their perfect and precious Rhaenys was gone, and they were going to burn the world down because someone touched her, someone hurt her, someone killed her, and now everything is shattered and nobody should be okay with that. Why is everyone not screaming and crying because Rhaenys is gone, don't they understand, don't they know that it's the end of everthing? It's so delicious, even moreso when you add in the very likely possibility that Aegon and Visenya drew apart after the Dragon's Wroth (after Aegon got that letter that made him grip the Iron Throne until he bled? Maybe it was smth about Rhaenys and he had to make a judgment call and Visenya was angry she was excluded?), that Rhaenys was their center and without her, they're just lost. They can't ever fully recover.

And also that bit in F&B where when Aegon holds Rhaena and hears that Aenys named her after Rhaenys, he openly wept. That gets me every time.

House Of The Dragon: RHAENICENT, ALICOLE, ALYSMOND

Listen, Rhaenicent were in love. They were literally first loves. If you don't see that then sorry that you don't believe in love. But they were, like, literally girlfriends, they were so in love with each other, and the scenes where you can see that it never fully went away for either of them, and that if they could just get timing right or turn back the clock or just do something, anything to get it back, they could. They want to. Alicent kept that page all those years and when Rhaenyra saw it she cried and almost considered giving up the crown. Gayass.

Alicole I've discussed a bit already so if you search "alicole" on my blog you'll see, but I dig them, I dig their dynamic, I'm ready for more of it, there's a reason I shoved Alicent and Criston moments into three outtta four HOTD fics.

Guys. Guys. Aemoned left Harrenhal. He left. He was gone from Harrenhal, it was in his rearview mirror, he had to go help his family. And then he came back. Because Alys was captured and she was in trouble and he needed to rescue her, even though she could have probably handled herself. He burned everyone and everything to a crisp just to get her back. His lady. His Alys. First of all, that's insane to say on it's own, literally why would you say that, why would you say that in front of other people, Aemond buddy my heart is fragile. Second of all, read the @saintaemond fics about them, you'll get converted real quick if you weren't there already cuz they all make me lie on the floor and stare up at the ceiling for a half hour every time I read them because goddamn, these two. Third of all, in the show this dynamic has the potential to eat. In the book it already eats, the way she's able to stop him from doing rash shit publicly, the way again, he came back for her, it's nuts. But in the show! There's so much I want from them in the show. I want Aemond to admit to her that killing Luke was an accident. I want them to understand each other, him with his traumas, her with her upbringing and the way she was mistreated as both a woman and a bastard. I want a scene where Alys uses idk herbs and shit (they called her a witch close enough) to soothe some chronic pain re: Aemond's eye and for there to be a moment where she touches his face all gentle like and he's just staring at her (and also I have my own personal headcanon that Alys has a habit of tracing a finger on his face on the scarred side, not on the scar itself but just the side, very gentle, Aemond loves it). I want to discuss Alys's potential clairvoyance and that she might have seen what's gonna happen above God's Eye and that thing Ewan said about Aemond always knowing when he's gonna die and how in a way and that painful discussion that neither of them wants but they both know that the end is drawing near. He married her, they got pregnant, he wanted to be happy with her, he wanted her.

Also I desperately need a scene with them and Vhagar like the one Daemon and Mysaria got, Aemond taking Alys's hand and placing it on Vhagar and Vhagar accepting it and even leaning into it and Alys is beaming and Aemond's just watching her. Even wrote half of it though I'm being lazy about finishing it but: In that moment, watching the sweep of her hair, the curve of her smile, the sparkle in those eyes, Aemond thinks that Alys Rivers is the most lovely woman he has ever laid eyes on in all his life.

Crackships: SHOW!DANY/SHOW!JAIME and AEGOND

For the first one, I think they're neat, I read some fics a while back where I thought huh, not bad, and also both Nikolaj and Emilia are really hot so I'm into it, plus it has the potential to be juicy given the Aerys stuff. For the second one, idek if it's a "ship" per se, I just adore their dynamic and their relationship and I wanna see all the emotions from them in season 2, every single emotion on every single possible spectrum between them, at all points. There should be no boring scenes between them, and they should all make me want to cry in ten million different ways.

[mamaestapa]

Heartbeat|| Smallville!Clark Kent x reader

summary: you’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately, however you thought nothing of it. until one day you’re sitting in Clark’s office at the daily planet when your superhuman husband hears a heartbeat, and it doesn’t belong to you…

pairing: smallville!clark kent x reader

warnings: pregnant reader and lots of fluff

“Y/n, I need you to write this article for me about- hey are you okay?”

You lifted your head off of your desk, rubbing your face with your hands. You took a deep breath, opening your eyes. You were greeted by a frowning Lois Lane.

You smiled softly, “Yeah, I’m okay.”

She placed the folder in her hands on your desk. “Well you don’t look okay.”

“It’s just a headache, Lois.”

She nodded, “Alright. Well, if you need anything, you know where to find me.”

You smiled, “Thank you.”

She returned the smile before walking back to her desk. You sighed, rubbing your aching temples. You’ve felt absolutely awful for the past week. Between the headaches, mood swings, constant nausea—especially in the morning, and sore boobs, you’ve felt miserable. You brushed it off as PMS symptoms since you were expecting to get your monthly period soon.

As you were looking through the folder full of information for the article Lois had brought you, you noticed someone had placed a coffee down on your desk. You moved your attention from the folder to whoever brought you the coffee.

“Well thank you Mr. Kent.”

“You’re welcome Mrs. Kent.” Your husband replied, his beautiful smile widening across his face.

“Lois told me you had a headache, so I thought i’d bring you some coffee. Figured caffeine might help.”

You smiled, “Have you ever been told that you’re the best husband ever?”

Clark shrugged, “A few times,” he smiled, “but I thought she was kidding.”

“Well she must be crazy if she’s kidding.”

You puckered your lips up at him, he chuckled as he leaned down to plant a sweet kiss to your lips.

“Thank you for the coffee, my love.”

He stroked your cheek softly, “You’re welcome. Hopefully it’ll help your head. I’ll see you later, sweetheart.”

You wave goodbye as he walked back into his office. You looked at the coffee cup, hesitantly picking it up. You weren’t sure why, but something inside of you told you not to drink the coffee.

“If you’re not gonna drink that, I will.” Lois chuckled, sitting down on the edge of your desk.

You sighed, “I want to, it’s just something is telling me I shouldn’t.”

“Hey, don’t count calories sweetie. You and Smallville have been married for what, a year now? You don’t have to worry about fitting into your wedding dress anymore. Drink all the coffee you want.”

You nodded, laughing lightly, “That’s not why. Then again, I’m not a hundred percent sure why though.

Lois chuckled, crossing her arms, “I’m sure it won’t hurt, just try it. It might help your head, you could be caffeine deprived.”

Lois had a point. You always did feel off when you hadn’t had any caffeine throughout the day. You picked up the coffee and took a sip of the hot liquid. It was your favorite, a Y/F/C/B (your favorite coffee beverage lol).

As soon as you swallowed your coffee, you felt the urge for it to come right back up. You placed the cup down on your desk as your hands flew over your mouth. You bolted up out of your chair and ran to the bathroom. Lois frowned, following you into the bathroom. You instantly threw yourself toward the toilet, throwing up the little contests left in your stomach. Lois held your hair back and rubbed your back as you threw up.

“Jeez, Y/n. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re pregnant.”

You groaned into the bowl, spitting out your saliva.

“Very funny Lois.”

She chuckled, “I’m just saying. I’ve heard some stories…plus have you seen your husband? I mean you could just look at him and get pregnant!”

There was no way you were pregnant.

You lifted your head from the bowl and gave Lois your best RBF.

“Sorry.” She grimaced.

“It’s okay. You do have a point…” you trailed off, biting your lip as you thought about Clark.

You were one lucky lady…in more ways than one ;)

Lois let go of you hair and stood up. She put her hands on her hips as she watched you stand up to look at yourself in the mirror. She gently placed a hand on your shoulder, giving you a sympathetic smile.

“Are you okay?”

You nodded, “Yeah, Im okay now. I think I might just have a bug or something. That coffee was just the cherry on top that made my body have enough of whatever is going on.”

“Okay,” she nodded, “Well, I’m going to go get you some water. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

You smiled, “Thank you Lois.”

“Of course.”

Lois walked out of the bathroom, leaving you alone. She walked down the hallway towards the main room of the Daily Planet where all the desks were. As she walked into the main room, she ran right into Clark Kent himself.

“Woah, sorry about that Clark.”

“It’s alright,” he smiled. His smile quickly turned into a look of confusion though, “Hey, have you seen Y/n anywhere?”

“I’m actually getting water for her right now.” Lois spoke walking towards a mini fridge that sat near her desk that was full of bottled water.

“Okay? Well, where is she?” Clark asked.

“The bathroom.”

“Is she okay? Why does she need water-.”

Lois sighed heavily, placing a hand on the worrisome mans shoulder, “Don’t worry Smallville, she is now. She was throwing up though.”

“Throwing up!?” Clark’s expression grew even more worried.

Lois just chuckled as she walked back down the hallway back towards the bathroom. Clark followed right behind her. Once Lois reached the door she turned to face Clark.

She sighed, “Did you not hear what I said? She’s okay now.”

Clark gulped, his face still full of worry.

Lois rolled her eyes, “Stop worrying so much, Clark. She’s a human. She gets sick, it happens. Come on, you know that. Haven’t you had a little stomach bug before?”

Clark went to speak but he quickly closed his mouth. He never had a “little stomach bug” before. Kryptonians don’t get sick like humans do.

Lois smiled smugly, “Thought so. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to give this water to your wife. I’m sure she desperately needs it.”

Clark nodded, “Okay.” Before Lois could walk into the bathroom, Clark stopped her.

“By the way, could you tell her to see me in my office when she’s up to it, please?

“Sure thing, Kent.”

Clark smiled softly, “Thanks Lois.”

She smiled at him before disappearing behind the bathroom door. Clark sighed in defeat, walking back to his office. Even with Lois’ reassurance, he was still worried about you. While you do get sick, it’s not often that you’re sick for as long as you have been.

Lois walked back into the bathroom handing you the bottle of water. You smiled taking it from her. As soon as you had the water in your hand, you screwed the top off and took a swig, swishing it around in your mouth to rid your taste buds of the lingering taste of vomit. Once you spit the water out, you took a sip, careful not to drink too much.

“Sorry it took so long, your husband stopped me in the hall.”

“It’s alright, don’t apologize.” You smiled.

“Speaking of your husband, Clark is worried sick about you. He told me to ask you to come see him in his office when you’re feeling better.”

You frowned. It pained you knowing your sweet husband was so concerned about you and your health.

“I’ll go see him right now.” You smiled. You gave Lois a quick hug before walking out of the bathroom.

“Have fun in there Y/n, but not too much fun!” She called out as you walked down the hall.

You laughed, “Cant make any promises!”

You rubbed your hands on your skirt as you got closer to the office marked CLARK KENT. You knocked on the door, waiting for Clark’s approval for you to come into his office.

“Come in!” He called.

You turned the knob and walked into his office, greeting him with a smile.

“Mr. Kent. I heard you wanted to see me.”

He cleared his throat, “Ah, Mrs. Kent. Yes I did.”

You locked the door and walked over to his desk. He stood from his chair and walked around from behind his desk. As soon as he got close enough, he wrapped his arms around you, softly rubbing your back. You laid your head against his chest, humming at the comfort and familiarity that was Clark’s muscular middle.

He pulled away, holding your hands in his. His brows furrowed with worry.

“Lois told me you got sick.”

“I did, but i’m okay now. Don’t worry about me, Clark.”

You gently stroked his cheek. He blushed at the gesture. Even though you and Clark have been together for many years, you’re still able to make him flustered.

“I think it’s just a little bug, that’s all.” You reassured him.

He nodded, “Okay. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon. I hate to see you sick.” He frowned, rubbing the top of your hand with his thumb.

He let go of your hands and pulled a chair over to the front of his desk for you to sit in. You smiled at him and sat down in the chair. He walked back over to his and sat down. Clark could sense that something seemed a bit off in the room. However, he couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

“So,” you breathed out, “any new interesting articles?”

Clark shook his head, picking up a folder, “Not really. Just this,” he read off the headline of an article, “Locals share their favorite activities to do in Metropolis.”

You laughed, “Oh wow, so interesting!”

Clark chuckled, “Very.”

You and Clark both smiled. You had an idea for an article pop into your head just then, so you decided to tell Clark about what you had in mind. As you were talking, your superhuman husband was too busy trying to figure out what was throwing the vibe in the room off. It wasn’t that it was bad, it was just different. He did, however, make sure to nod along and make little comments about what you seemed to be so enthused about. Clark tuned out your voice for just a bit so he could focus and use his super-hearing ability. He wanted to make sure there was nothing in the room that could harm you, or that there was nothing wrong with you.

Clark could hear the sound of people outside of his office talking, Chloe stapling papers, a man talking on the phone, and Lois smacking her bubble gum. He had to focus even harder to hear what was going on inside of his office only. He had tuned you out completely now, but you were too occupied to notice at the moment. Once Clark was focused enough, he could hear the sound of his clock ticking as each second passed, his printer clicking as it stayed on, and his favorite sound in the world, your heartbeat.

Your heartbeat sounded perfectly normal to him. Just as Clark was about to “turn off” his super-hearing and focus on you, another sound caught his attention. It was the same whooshing sound of your heartbeat, only faster and a bit quieter. He furrowed his brows in confusion. You must have noticed him.

“Clark, what’s wrong?”

He held his hand up, signaling for you to be quiet, “Just wait, Y/n/n.”

You cocked your head to the side, confusion and worry spreading across your face as Clark’s face contorted into a look of concentration. It was then that you realized he was using his super-hearing. For what exactly? You had no idea.

Clark heard your heartbeat first, then the second heartbeat like sound filled his ear. He focused for a bit, trying to figure out what in his office could mimic the sound of a human heartbeat. After listening to the sound for a few seconds, he soon realized the second heartbeat was coming from you. He shook himself out of his concentration, looking at his wife.

“What is it Clark?”

He shook his head, “I-I don’t know. It almost sounds like there’s another heartbeat in the room?”

You giggled, “Well, I mean, humans do have heartbeats so…”

“This was different. It was a lot faster, but quieter. It was also coming from you.”

“I don’t, I don’t understand?”

“Maybe it’s crazy, but I swear I heard two heartbeats coming from inside of you.” Clark said, sounding unsure of himself.

You’re face went pale as you felt your heart drop to your stomach. There was no way…Well, maybe there was. Okay, there definitely was a chance you could be pregnant.

You gulped, “Clark?”

He hummed.

“Can I see your calendar real quick?”

He nodded, taking the calendar off of his wall and handing it to you. Your eyes scanned over the dates on the calendar. You made a mental note each month when you were supposed to get your period, and sure enough, you were four days late. It all makes sense now. The nausea and vomiting, headaches, sore boobs, sensitive smell, late period, and a second heartbeat, weren’t symptoms of a bug, but a baby.

You were pregnant with Clark’s child. You felt tears well up in your eyes at the thought.

“Y/n? Are you alright?” Clark asked, standing up from his chair and kneeling in front of you.

You nodded, giving Clark a teary smile, “I am more than alright.”

“Then why are you crying, beautiful?”

You sniffled and grabbed his large hand, holding it in yours. You tried to say something to him, but no words would come out of your mouth. You gently placed his hand on your tummy. You put both of your hands over his hand, a smile on your face. You watched as a smile of realization grew on Clark’s face. He wanted to see for himself that you were indeed pregnant before saying anything. Clark used his x-ray vision and sure enough, there was a very tiny baby growing inside of you. Clark’s eyes grew watery as he grinned at you.

“We’re having a baby.”

You nodded vigorously, excitement and nerves flowing through your body. “Yes Clark. We’re having a baby.”

He stood from the ground, gently pulling you out of the chair you sat in. He pulled you into his embrace and squeezed you gently, so that he wouldn’t hurt you or the baby. Your grins never leaving your faces as you hugged each other. Clark pulled away, putting his forehead against yours.

“I love you, Y/n.” He kissed your forehead, “so much. Thank you for everything you have given me.He looked down at his hand, a smile on his face as he thought about the baby. You and Clark had talked about kids in the past, but you two didn’t think anything would happen since you’re biologically a human and he’s, well, he’s biologically an alien. But in your eyes, Clark Kent was a human.

You smiled, giving him a peck on the lips, “I love you too, Clark. I should be the one thanking you though. Without you I wouldn’t have this.” You held up your left hand, showing him your beautiful, diamond wedding ring. “And I certainly wouldn’t have,” you grabbed his hand, placing it on your still flat stomach, “this.”

Clark smiled warmly at you.

“This is wonderful, Y/n.”

“It is isn’t it? I never thought we’d have kids Clark.”

He shook his head, “Me neither, but I’m so glad we are. My mom will be so excited.”

You laughed, “Yes she will. You know who else will be excited?”

He hummed.

“Lois.” You smiled.

Clark rolled his eyes, chuckling, “Oh great, I cant wait to hear the amount of Smallville jokes that will come out of her mouth.”

You laughed, knowing Clark was right. Lois always had a sarcastic comment to make, especially when it came to Clark. You and Clark just stood there in each other’s arms until Clark kneeled down in front of you so he was eye level with your stomach. He placed his hands on either side of your hips, and looked up at you with a warm smile before directing his attention back to your baby.

“Hi baby Kent, it’s your daddy. I’m sure you can’t hear me yet, you’re still pretty tiny. But who knows? If you have some of my powers then maybe you can hear me. I just wanted to let you know that your mom and I are so excited, and we can’t wait to meet you. I love you.” He kissed your tummy softly before standing up from his kneeling position.

“And I love you.” he smiled, kissing your lips. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you kissed him back.

Yours and Clark’s life is going to change forever in about 8 months, but you both couldn’t wait to start this new chapter in your lives.

A/N: hi everyone!! just wanted to say thank you so much for all the love and support you’ve shown me on my imagines!! it is GREATLY appreciated<3 i’ll be posting some more clark kent (smallville of course) imagines in the near future, so stay tuned! i have so many ideas for him lol. also, as you have most likely realized, i’m not much of a multi-fandom writer anymore, so i apologize. smallville is my current obsession, plus, there is not enough smallville/tom wellings clark kent imagines on this app, so i thought i’d write some :) if you’re reading this, i hope you are doing well<3

[togrowoldinv]

My Favorite Coach

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Natasha and the team find themselves at a high school volleyball game where her wife is the coach.

Note: I was thinking about that scene in Black Widow where Yelena says Nat is a science teacher in her story. So, I made reader a teacher and coach. It’s just a little random something.

Masterlist

“It’s kind of weird being here, right?” Tony asks Steve who is sitting next to him and Sam on the bleachers.

“Well Nat’s wife is the coach. And this is the semi-final of the state tournament, so Nat asked if we might want to come and support, so here we are,” Steve replies. Although, he also did find it a little odd being at a high school volleyball game.

Wanda, Yelena, and Clint arrive with the concessions they had went to get. It’s comical seeing all of the Avengers in casual clothes and ball caps to try and keep a cover.

“Where is Nat anyway?” Sam asks, and the redhead soon comes into sight. She’s sporting a hoodie and ball cap with the team’s logo on it and blue jeans. She sits between Wanda and Yelena and grabs the popcorn they offer her.

“Ready for the game?” Wanda asks Nat, she can sense a bit of nervous energy radiating off of her.

“Yeah. Y/n is really anxious about it,” Natasha says as she fiddles with her wedding ring. “They have to win or they’re done. It’s the furthest the team has ever made it,” she says the last part with pride, smiling at how proud she is of you.

“They’ll win, Nat. I believe in them,” Steve, ever the optimist, says.

The game goes by quickly and everyone enjoyed it way more than they thought they would. They even yelled at the refs and cheered on the team the entire time. There were ups and downs, even going into the last set tied, but the team pulled out the win. You walk up to the Nat and the others after the game. She wraps you into a giant bear hug.

“Congratulations, baby! I’m so proud of you,” She says she lifts you up and spins you around. You smile into her shoulder before she puts you down, keeping an arm around your waist.

“Thanks, Nat! And thanks to all of you for coming. It means a lot,” you say to your new friends.

“Dude you were like scary out there,” Sam says and you laugh. “I didn’t expect you to be so vocal. I expected to be able to tell you are a teacher.”

“Yeah that’s my coach mode. Very different than usual me,” you reply. “I’m a bit competitive.”

“Makes sense now why you fit so well with Nat,” Wanda says and you kiss Nat’s cheek quickly. Not being able to resist.

“Celebration at the tower?” Tony asks and you look at him shocked. You turn to Natasha and she just shrugs. “I mean if you want. Invite the team and the other coaches.”

“Could be fun,” Yelena says.

“Let’s do it,” you say and run off to gather your team.

After you met the Avengers, your relationship with Natasha became more of a public thing. The media hadn’t been too invasive about it, only speculating when Nat was first pictured with her ring on, but everyone in your daily life’s now knows and it feels like fresh air has been breathed into your relationship. You’re happier than ever.

Later that night, after the party is over, you settle down into bed with Natasha.

“It really means everything to me that you came to the game today, baby,” you say as you snuggle up in her arms.

“Of course. I’ll always support you, my love,” She says with a kiss to your head. “Plus, I find you in coach mode to be very amusing… and attractive,” she adds with a smirk.

“Attractive, huh?” You ask turning in her arms to lean on your elbow next to her. Her eyes are meet yours and passion radiates between you.

“Yep, you’re my favorite coach. Come here, detka,” Natasha says with an alluring voice and you melt into her touch all night long.

[boxofbonesfic]

your request are open say

Can i please request a dark meet cute with Steve or Bucky? They meet the reader when she has a flat tire and is having a really bad day

Title: Plus One

Pairing: Dark!Steve x Reader

Summary: You didn’t even want to go to your sister’s wedding anyway.

Warnings: Yandere!Steve, Obsessive behavior, stalking, dubcon/noncon, threats, drugging, semi public fooling around, mean and manipulative Steve, unprotected sex

A/N: you asked for dark so… i went dark, lmfao. i really enjoyed writing this one, lol. please let me know what you think in the comments and reblogs, and as always, thanks for reading!!

This is a work of FICTION, and there will be ADULT themes and content included therein, so I assume once you’ve clicked through the link that you are comfortable with that. This is a DARK fic. I do not give consent for my work to be copied, translated, or posted elsewhere, even if I am credited. This work is entirely mine, and unbeta’d, so read at your own risk! MINORS, DNI! 😘

👰🏾‍♀️

You didn’t even want to go. 

 If you’d had it your way, this Saturday would have been spent in blissful, drunken isolation as you whined to your best friend over skype—again—about the absolute nerve of your sister getting engaged to your ex, all while lamenting how much time you’d spent on him in the first place. But now, the dreaded weekend was upon you, and your parents pleading had finally swayed you into reluctantly accepting Kat’s invitation. 

 YOU’RE INVITED!

 Please join us in celebrating the union of Keegan and Katherine-Joy, July 15th, 20xx. 

 Yours had of course contained an extra letter, where your sister painstakingly detailed she and your ex-boyfriend’s whirlwind romance, how she didn’t want to hurt you, how she had the courage to try and be happy—all while leaving out, of course how she’d fucked him in your bed the night you’d broken up. 

 “You can’t spend the rest of your life getting drunk and being mad at your sister.”  Your mother’s stern voice over the receiver suddenly seemed more ironic than ever—if you’d stayed drunk and mad at KJ, then you wouldn’t be squatting in the grass beside the blown out remains of your front right tire. 

 Suddenly I miss margarita mornings. 

 You stood, wiping a bead of sweat from your forehead. I dunno, mom. Getting drunk and being mad at K are starting to sound pretty fucking good right now. It was hot—way too hot for upstate New York, even in summer. The air was thicker than chowder, and it made the back of your shirt stick uncomfortably to your skin as you looked up and down the desolate road. You were just forty-five tantalizing minutes from your destination at the fancy ski-lodge Kat had picked for her wedding, so you supposed it was only fitting for the universe to take another potshot at you while you were down. 

 You got back into the car, slamming the door harder than necessary as you growled loudly in frustration. I guess it was too much to fucking ask for a painless trip. There wasn’t anyone you could call that wasn’t already at the lodge getting ready—and your mother wouldn’t abandon her mother-of-the-bride duties for her least favorite child. 

 You were stuck.

 You glared at the invitation on your dash hatefully, blaming it for all of your current misfortune. After all, if Katherine had never fucked Keegan, you wouldn’t be sitting here, three and a half days before your sister’s wedding, missing the open bar at the bachelorette party. You thumped your head against the steering wheel. 

 Some vacation this was turning out to be. A perfunctory car trouble text was sent to both your parents and your sister, and your mother replied with an angry frowny face, and the lofty promise of “we’ll see if someone can come get you after the pictures are done.” 

 It was still hot, but the cicadas were beginning to sing, meaning night would soon be falling. The sky had only barely started darkening, the clear and brilliant blue only just beginning to darken to deep purple when you heard it. 

 A car. 

 You scrambled out of the driver’s seat and stood on the side of the little road, peering up and down both ways. “Thank fuck. Or god. Whoever, really.” You muttered under your breath as you finally caught sight of the vehicle. It was big—almost too big for the road, and it looked…armored? 

 Did mom call the military?

 It approached quickly, and for a moment you feared the road simply wasn’t large enough for the pumped up SUV to pass your little beat up corolla, even if it was pulled off to the side. You saw it slow, and pull up just behind you. The roar of the engine went silent, and the driver’s side door opened. A man stepped out, brushing a hand through his blond hair as he peered at you over the open door. 

 “Car trouble?” He asked, and you swallowed thickly. No. No fucking way. 

 You weren’t always the fastest on the uptake, nor were you always adept at keeping up with current events, but you knew Captain-fucking-America when you saw him. You knew your mouth was hanging open, and you snapped it shut audibly. 

 “Y-yeah. Yes. My, uh… my tire…” You pointed dumbly. You saw him hop down to the ground, before stretching a little as the passenger door opened. A woman stepped out, her dark hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. “Blew out.” You finished lamely. The same handsome face you’d seen in papers and magazines and on the news now turned to look at you with genuine sympathy.

 “How long have you been stuck out here?” He asked, leaning down to inspect the remains of your tire. “It’s not exactly the busiest stretch of road.” The woman cleared her throat before you could answer. 

 “You were heading up to the lodge?” She asked, her tone not cold, but impersonal. “It can be hard for the smaller cars.” You nodded, embarrassed. You’d heard that from your mother, of course, but you’d been through more than enough winters with your sedan, why would a dirt road be the catalyst that defeated it? 

 “Yeah. My sister’s getting married up there in two days.” You muttered. “You wouldn’t happen to have a… spare, would you?” You asked reluctantly, but she shook her head. 

 “No, but we can drop you off.” She looked over at Captain America. “Steve, we should get going. We’re expected to report back in an hour.” She spoke as though she was reminding him of something important, but his gaze never wavered from you. 

 “Perfect.” He said with a smile that made you feel a little giddy when he flashed it at you. “Just enough time to drop you off at the lodge. Right, Maria?” He helped you get everything you needed out of the car before loading your bags into the back of the SUV. He was extra careful with the dress bag containing the extremely expensive gown you’d been bullied into buying for the occasion. 

 “Thank you so much,” You mumbled, embarrassed. “Did, um. Are you here because my mom called you?” You regretted the stupid question as soon as it left your mouth, and the deep, rumbling laugh that bubbled from his chest made you look down at your feet. 

 “There’s a base nearby,” He replied, rubbing the back of his neck apologetically. “But, if I’d been told a pretty girl like you was in need of assistance, I’d be first in line to help.” Your cheeks heated and you stuttered out more thanks before speeding into the car with Maria. He’s just being nice. Don’t be stupid. 

 Steve got back into the driver’s seat, buckling in. “Sorry to be a burden,” You apologized from the back seat. 

 “No problem.” Steve answers quickly. He pulls off into the road, and you watch your car quickly fade into the coming night. “You were out there all day?”

 You scoffed, unable to keep the anger from your voice. “Yeah. Well, a good few hours anyway.” 

 “I thought you said your sister was getting married nearby?” Maria asked, turning to look at you. You nodded.

 “Oh she is. I don’t think rescue sister figured particularly high on her list of pre-wedding activities.” You swallowed thickly. You hadn’t meant for it to come out so bitter and jaded, but there was no help for it now. Steve looked at you apologetically in the rearview, his eyes lingering longer than they probably should have, given he was driving. 

 “I’m sorry to hear that.” He looked genuinely upset for you, and it felt both sweet and invasive when he continued questioning you. His tone was casual, and Maria never raised any alarm, so you couldn’t be sure if you were really being interrogated, or if you were just feeling touchy from your terrible day. Six of one half dozen of the other, probably. “It doesn’t sound much like you’re looking forward to the wedding. Never fun attending one of these things alone, either.” 

 “No,” You agreed. “Not really.” You could see the lights from the lodge up ahead, and as the big, black SUV started up the elegantly manicured road leading to the entrance, you were glad your fifteen year old car hadn’t had to be judged by the snobby concierge that greeted you, remarking on your lateness. 

 “Let me help.” Steve unbuckled his seatbelt, and walked around to the back of the car, removing your bags before you or the now starstruck concierge could do it. “It was nice to meet you…” He trailed off, and your face heated as you realized you’d never told him your name. He grinned at you when you said it, repeating it back to you as though tasting it on his tongue. “Very nice to meet you.” He held out his hand, and you moved to shake it—but instead, he brought it to his lips, brushing his thumb softly over your knuckles. 

 “B-bye.” You stammered, watching him climb back into the car. A breath you didn’t know you were holding forced its way out of your lungs and you sagged, suddenly tired. You were shown to your room, which was admittedly nicer than you’d been expecting. As you shoved your suitcase to the side and moved to hang up your dress, a frantic knock came at the door. You opened it, and your mother forced her way inside, wrapping her arms around your shoulders. 

 “Oh, my baby!” She cried dramatically, and you rolled your eyes as she sniffled into your shoulder. “I was so worried!” Not worried enough to come get me, though. You moved aside to allow her into the room, and she sat down on your bed, fixing you with a calculating look. “Are you okay?”

 “I’m fine, mom.” You sighed, doing your best to reign in the attitude. A fight was the last thing you needed. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long and frustrating day.” 

 Your mother sighed dramatically. “I’ll say. You were sorely missed at the bachelorette party, you know. Your sister’s having a lunch tomorrow, so now that you’re here, at least you’ll be able to come to that.” You knew this voice, the ‘I’m not going to say it, but I’m disappointed’ voice. You were long past being an adult now, and it frustrated you to no end to continue hearing it. 

 “Sorry my tire blew out,” You replied sarcastically. “Next time I’ll try to have it happen at your convenience.” The venom spilled from your lips without your permission, and you saw your mother’s eyes narrow as she frowned at you. 

 “Don’t be like that. No one likes a rude girl, honey.” She left the rest of her usual criticism unsaid. You would have been grateful for it, but you could still hear it ringing in your ears in the silence anyway. It’s why you’re still single. You looked away. Don’t fucking remind me. “Your cousin was in the lobby, and she said the Captain America dropped you off, but I told her it had to be a look-alike, because no way does my daughter know Captain America and I don’t know about it.” There it is. This visit of course had a dual purpose, both for her to check on you, and to validate the rumor that appeared to be quickly spreading through the hotel. 

 “I don’t know him.” You retorted, shaking your head. You began pulling your toiletries out of your suitcase, and laying them on the bed. “Apparently there’s some base nearby or something. Saw I’d broken down and stopped to help.” 

 “That’s amazing! Oh, was he nice?” She asked, digging for every detail she could manage. You didn’t mention his imposing presence, or the way his eyes always seemed to be on you no matter where you sat. When you finally herded your mother out of your room, you were happy to finally lay down in the cool, air conditioning in silence. 

 I hope the rest of the weekend goes better than this. 

 👰🏾‍♀️

 The lunch your sister had planned was a far more elaborate affair than you had patience for, as it turned out. She’d always been a little…bougie, but this wedding was already becoming a nightmare. You’d been sent back upstairs to redress in something more “in keeping” with the theme before you’d even set foot in the dining room, and when you did, you found you weren’t allowed to actually eat anything. 

 “I’m in hell.” You muttered to yourself, smiling fakely at the photographers as you held up a tiny plate with a tiny cucumber sandwich on it that you longed to stuff down your throat. “I’m actually in hell.” You’d been smiling and posing for the last hour, with Katherine promising everyone every fifteen minutes that it would be “done suuuper soon”. 

 “Okay, I think we have enough shots.” Katherine announced with a loud clap of her hands. “We’ve got time for a quick snack, and then off to the garden for some more shots!” You peered around the room at the gaggle of hungry, tired women all doing their best to hide their discomfort, sucking it up for Kat’s big day. 

 What a load of bullshit. You crammed three tiny sandwiches into your mouth, and washed it down with lukewarm tea before heading for the bar. If you were going to be forced to smile, it would certainly be easier to do it with a drink in your hand. 

 “Rum and coke please.” you’d just taken a sip when you coughed and sputtered in surprise at the sound of your name. You turned, dabbing gently at the alcohol dotting your lips with a cocktail napkin. 

 Steve Rogers was standing behind you, clad in a suit. An extremely well fitting suit that seemed to emphasize the muscles you’d been trying not to think about since he’d helped you the day before. But what was he doing here? And—Good God—were those flowers? You stared up at him, your eyes wide as you tried to formulate the proper response to seeing an Avenger, not once but twice in as many days. 

 “Hi.” was what your befuddled brain decided to send down to your mouth. His handsome smile grows wider. “You…you’re here.” 

 “I thought maybe you could use the company.” he rubs the back of his neck in that sweet, nervous way you recognize from his interviews. “No fun going to a wedding alone.” he repeated his words from the day before, and you felt an uncomfortable weight settle over you. Your discomfort hadn’t been an invitation for him, though he’d certainly taken it that way. 

 Stop it. He’s being nice, and you’re being cynical. You looked down at the flowers in his hands. “Are those for Kat?” You asked, peering around his broad shoulders to read the room. Your sister was staring, open mouthed as she pointed and whispered at you. Either Steve didn’t hear the murmur traveling through the crowd, or he simply didn’t care as he shook his head.

 “No, doll. They’re for you. Figured it made up for me showing up unannounced and all.” he winked at you before pressing the bouquet into your arms. “You like it?” 

 “Of-of course. Thank you,” You stammered. “I just, I wasn’t… I wasn’t really, um, prepared for this.” You’re still in the middle of trying to sort out how exactly to reject his non-offer—more of a statement than anything—when your sister clears her throat behind the two of you. 

 Steve looks down at her over his shoulder, the smile fading from his blue eyes but not his face. “You must be the bride.” Katherine preened under his attention, batting her eyelashes and giggling. 

 “Ohmygosh, Captain.” She gushed, and you rolled your eyes, downing another sip of your drink. “I had no idea you would be here!” She glares at you accusingly. “I thought my big sister was going stag, she didn’t tell me she’d be bringing the Captain America as your date! Gosh, I didn’t even know you two ran in the same circles!” You swallow thickly, your brows furrowing at the hidden insults peppered throughout Kat’s cutesy introduction. “Will you be staying?” 

 Steve’s eyes swung back over to you, and you swore they traveled hungrily down your exposed neckline. “Yes. Well, provided there’s room, of course. I don’t want to be a bother.” 

 You watched Katherine’s eyes slither between the two of you as a little smirk appeared on her perfectly made up lips. “Oh. You’re not going to be staying together in the suite?” She cocked her head. Oh God. Can’t you get married before you start trying to snipe anyone who’s interested in me? You thought bitterly, before shaking your head inwardly. Steve wasn’t interested in you, was he? He was just being nice, he had to be. 

 Anything else would be too weird. 

 Steve looked at you, his eyebrows rising. “Is that okay?” you were eager for the moment to be over, so you nodded, swallowing the rest of your drink and placing the glass onto the bartop with an audible clack. 

 “Y-yeah. Completely.” 

 “Oh wonderful!” Kat agreed with false enthusiasm. “I’m sure no one will notice he’s not in any of the pictures before today, right?”

 “Jesus, Kat. How many pictures do we need?” You groused. “I mean, I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll see you in the garden.” you finally released the breath you held. Steve chuckled. 

 “Is she…always like that?” He asked, and you rolled your eyes. 

 “I think I’m going to need another drink,” you said sourly. “I can’t… I can’t believe you’re here,” you admitted, leaning against the bar. “I’m sure there’s someone, somewhere who needs super-hero-ing.” 

 He laughed. “I thought you could use the assistance.” He replied earnestly. “And… I hate seeing pretty girls upset.” You signaled to the bartender for another drink, your cheeks hot from his compliment. He was so… intense in person, his observant gaze following your every movement. “You should take it easy on those,” he said disapprovingly as the man placed your glass down on the bar. “They sneak up on you.” He lifted the glass, sniffing it. “I remember rum,” He said a little wistfully, before handing it off to you. 

 “Not a drinker?” you asked, and he shook his head. 

 “More by chance than choice,” he said. “I can’t get drunk, but sometimes I like the taste.”

 He snuck an arm around your waist as you filed outside into the garden, your drink in hand. Kat was busily staging everyone and directing the photographers, so you had a few minutes to down it, leaving your empty glass on a small table over to the side. You spotted your mother, most likely busily gossiping and she waved to you enthusiastically. You squinted, and you could see her mouthing “don’t screw this up” as she gestured between you and Steve. You swallowed an angry growl before turning away from her. There’s nothing to screw up.

 “Okay sis, your turn!” Kat sang, motioning for you to come closer. It looked like she was having each of the bridesmaids—of which you were notably not one—taking pictures with their dates. You knew your mother had probably pressured her into including you, a sacrifice she hadn’t needed to make, seeing as how this wedding was the last place you wanted to be. Steve followed behind you, making polite conversation, his hand warm and steady on your back. A bead of sweat rolled down your face, and you wiped it away. 

 Kat positioned you in front of one of the many manicured hedges, directing you to look up at Steve. “You know, natural,” She said in that lightly mocking voice. “Like you care about each other.” Steve tugged you closer to him, and you stumbled forward against his chest. “That’s good.” The sun was beating down on you, and your vision swam with blue—first the clear, cloudless sky, and then Steve’s eyes as they bore into yours. You were dizzy, holding onto him for support rather than pageantry.

 His hand was just above the swell of your ass, skirting the edge between decency and impropriety, but your muddled brain chalked it up to size. He already had a good foot on you, and his hands were massive, he didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, right? His arms were so big, and they were all that was holding you up as your sweaty palm clung to his shoulder.

 “A little more this way,” You could hear Kat’s voice as though she was far away, and you licked your dry lips, your body moving jerkily as Steve positioned you the way he was directed. “Great!” The hand above your ass moved brazenly down to cup it, massaging you through the dress. Your head snapped away from his chest, a scandalized gasp leaving your lips. The world tilted suddenly, and you found yourself holding onto Steve for dear life. He bent his head, his lips and nose brushing affectionately over your forehead, but the words that left his mouth were anything but. 

 “You don’t want to ruin your sister’s wedding, do you doll?” your back was pressed against the hedge, his roaming hand conveniently out of sight as the other cupped your chin. “Smile, doll.” He reminded you, your shocked expression open as you stared disbelievingly up at him. This wasn’t happening. Captain America was a sweet, caring, helpful man. 

 Not a weirdo who felt people up in public, right? Your thoughts were sluggish and almost incomprehensible as you tried to sort through them. It was like sifting sand. You felt drunk—but you couldn’t be, could you? You had notoriously high tolerance, and two little, watered down drinks from Kat’s stupid luncheon wouldn’t make you feel like you’d been out partying like a college kid, would they? “Smile.” Steve repeated softly, his hand slipping underneath the hem of your dress. You plastered a fake, uncomfortable smile onto your features, shifting minutely to try and stop him. 

 A useless effort. His fingers slid easily over the curve of your ass, plucking at the thong you wore before traveling lower. You made a small, displeased noise in your throat, and Steve chuckled. “Shhh, doll.” He whispered lowly against the shell of your ear. His tongue darted out to trace it quickly, and you jerked in his arms, almost falling as your vision swam. “Starstruck, doll? Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” your tongue felt like cotton in your mouth, and the words wouldn’t come to you through the muddy soup of your mind. 

 “N-no,” you murmured sluggishly, and his fingers parted the cheeks of your ass to skirt over your puckered hole. He hmmed quietly in response, kissing your cheek when the photographer told him to. You felt him smile against your skin as he found you damp, the entrance of your cunt sucking at his fingers shamefully. You shouldn’t have been so wet, but it was like your body wasn’t yours anymore 

 “No,” he whispered mockingly, circling it with a finger. You felt weak and feverish, and when you looked up at the sky, the clouds melted and ran together like liquid, swirling in the sky. You pushed away from Steve with strength you didn’t know you had, stumbling off of the little podium and down onto the grass. You could hear people calling your name—your sister, your mother. 

 “Are you okay? Is she alright?” Your mother’s panicked voice was too shrill in your ears, and dazedly you stared up at the swirling sky. Kat’s voice sounded far away, but you still heard her enraged whisper:

 “She’s probably drunk already.” 

 You laughed deliriously.

 Steve’s face swam into your field of vision, and all you could see was his terrifyingly charming smile. “I’ll take her back to the room, make sure she’s okay.” no one seemed to hear your murmured “no” as he swept you into his arms. 

 Stupid wedding.

 When you woke again, you were back in the cool darkness of your room, your head still throbbing like you had a hangover. You could see the sky, tinged pink just outside of your window, meaning you’d been out for hours. You sat up hurriedly, groaning when the room tilted and spun. You held your head in your hands, moaning. 

 “Feeling better?” the sound of Steve’s voice made you blanch, your eyes searching the room wildly. He was half hidden in the dark, sitting in the armchair just across from the bed. His hands were folded neatly in his lap, his eyes intent on you. You still felt groggy and sluggish, and every movement felt like it took every ounce of your will to complete. “I think I may have given you too much, sweetheart, I’m sorry.” he stood from the chair, and you whimpered, pushing back against the headboard. 

 “Y-you drugged me,” you said accusingly, raising a shaking finger at him. “No, stay-stay away!” you cried, dragging yourself across the mattress. You were expecting to feel your legs tangle in the dress you’d been wearing, but when you looked down, you were dressed only in the monogrammed robe provided by the lodge. “Where are my clothes?” Steve sat on the edge of the bed, clucking his tongue at you. 

 “See, this is your problem, sweetheart.” he spoke as though you’d said nothing, ignoring your words in favor of his own. “So wily. I like it though.” He grabbed your wrist, pulling you into his lap easily, despite your weak struggles. “You need structure.” He spread your thighs across his own, and you whimpered as the slick heat at the apex of your thighs pressed against the half-hard length of him through his dress slacks. 

 “You c-can’t just—”

 “I can do whatever I want, sweetheart.” he grasped your chin between two fingers, forcing you to look up at him. You knew your eyes were wet with angry tears, and he groaned at the sight of them, rolling his hips into yours. “Don’t look at me like that, doll, I might just have to keep you.” 

 “I’ll scream.” you threatened, trying unsuccessfully to pull yourself from his vise-like grip. “I’ll tell everyone—”

 “And who will they believe?” his voice was deceptively soft and sweet. “Who’s going to believe the word of a drunk, jealous girl who invited me here?” He ran his index finger down your cheek, swirling it through your tears before popping it into his mouth, groaning. 

 “I didn’t!” 

 “That’s not what everyone else thinks.” his other hand plucked at the tie on your robe, pulling it apart easily. “They all think you wanted me here. And you were so wet for me in the garden, doll.” your face heated at the memory. You didn’t want that. And you didn’t want this. “Just think. The one thing your sister will never have.” the cool air made your nipples pebbled and taut, and Steve wasted no time running an appreciative thumb across them. “So pretty.” he breathed. 

 “W-what? I don’t—” you couldn’t believe what you were hearing. How could this be the same man you’d watched put his own life on the line again and again for people just like you? You couldn’t reconcile it, and Steve didn’t give you any time to try. 

 “The choice is yours, sweetheart.” his lips brushed across your cheek, and he peppered small, light kisses down your jawline. “I’m going to fuck you either way.” His tongue left a burning trail down your throat that made your traitorous pussy clench needily. “You don’t want your whole family knowing you threw yourself at Captain America all sauced up, do you? God, and the news.” Your lip trembled. 

 “Fuck you.” 

 “Oh doll. I’m going to.” still cupping your face with one strong hand, he kept his eyes locked on yours as the other slid between your breasts and down your stomach. You whined and tried to pull away, knowing he would find—“Wet? And here I thought you didn’t like me, sweetheart.” He slipped a knowing finger through your folds, groaning when you keened as he circled your clit. 

 “It’s the drugs.” you spat, avoiding the smirk on his face as you focused your gaze over his shoulder. He chuckled, pinching your throbbing nub between rough fingers. You cried out, your hips bucking against his hand. It had to be. 

 “Look at me, sweet pea.” he commanded you gently, but you continued resolutely staring at the wall. “Don’t make me ask again.” his grip on your face tightened, and you sniffled, before reluctantly dragging your eyes up to his. “Don’t be a brat, sweetheart. No one likes a rude girl.” he spat your mother’s words back at you, and your stomach curled in response. 

 “What, are you tapping my phone?” you snap, glaring at him hatefully. He drags his fingers through your sopping folds as he shakes his head. 

 “Easier just to bug your suitcase, doll.” he kissed your cheek again, and you tried to turn your head away as he moved to find your lips, but you were too weak. You hated how soft his kiss was, tempting your lips open with gentle passes of his tongue and teeth. You whimpered into his mouth and he drank it greedily, sucking on your tongue and swallowing every sound you made. You tried to hold in the moan that rose in your throat when he plunged two thick fingers into you, but he chucked against your lips and you knew he’d heard it anyway. “Come on. Let me hear it.” 

 He pulled away, scissoring two fingers inside of you and you moaned again, unable to swallow it a second time. “S-stop—”

 “You don’t want me to stop. You want to cum all over my fingers and my cock, because if you don’t, I’m going to tell your family and the world that you’re an alcoholic slut who can’t keep her legs closed to save her fucking life.” He used that same caring, kind tone you knew so well to deliver the threat and you shuddered. You hated the tears that gathered in your eyes at his words, and the way he punctuated it with a hard thrust of his fingers into you that made a gurgle escape your throat and your eyes roll in your head. “Say it.” 

 “I—I—” you tried to stammer out a response, but he cut you off mockingly. 

 “What’s wrong, sweet pea? That smart mouth all out of things to say? Maybe I should find a better use for it.” 

 “I want to…I want to cum on your fingers and your cock.” you muttered defeatedly. Steve curled his fingers inside of you and you sputtered, sinking your teeth into your lower lip to keep from crying out. 

 “What was that? I didn’t hear you.” 

 “I want to cum on your fingers and your cock!” you wailed as his thumb pressed down hard on your clit. You didn’t want to, but it didn’t seem to matter what you wanted, because you were going to anyway. Your toes curled as you began panting, your head falling back as you stared sightlessly at the ceiling. “Nnngh, fuck—”

 “That’s it, sweet pea. Can’t wait to feel you squeeze my cock with this tight pussy.” you were seizing around him violently, your voice bouncing off the walls. He flicked his thumb against your clit two, three more times before you sobbed, tears leaking down your cheeks as you came. Shame flooded you as you coated his fingers with the evidence of your release. You could feel it coating your thighs and soaking into the fabric of his pants beneath you. Your fingers dug into his shoulders, through his dress shirt, your body still convulsing as you whimpered. “Shit, doll. You’re fucking soaking me.” He sounded impressed with himself. 

 You hated the boneless pleasure that continued to wash over you as you slumped forward against Steve’s chest, and the soft circles his hand made on your back. “Why are you doing this?” You mumbled, feeling the outline of his cock slide against you through his pants. He laid your still twitching body on the bed, his eyes traveling hungrily over every inch of your flesh. 

 “I wanted you.” was the only explanation he offered before tearing impatiently at the collar of his shirt, buttons pinging off of the walls and furniture as they flew in all directions. “Tell me the truth doll—and I’ll know if you don’t—anybody ever made that pretty pussy cum like that before?” you shook your head resolutely, but the slow grin that spread across his handsome face told you he knew your truth anyway, without you telling him a thing. You watched his hand slip below the waistband of his pants, his eyes going lidded as he stroked himself. You hated the greedy clench of your pussy at the sight of the fat, reddened tip protruding lewdly from the elastic of his briefs—which disappeared as quickly as the rest of his clothes had. “That’s okay, sweet pea. I’ll make an honest woman of you, yet.” 

 He stroked his length lazily, swiping his thumb through the thick droplet of precum gathered at the tip. “Say aah, sweetheart.” he tugged you up by your wrist, pulling you up to your knees. You swallowed thickly, your lip trembling as the throbbing head of his cock bumped against your cheek, leaving a sticky trail in its wake. Reluctantly, you opened your mouth, your tongue darting out to taste his skin. Steve’s hips bucked. “That’s it. Fuck.” you ran your tongue down the veiny side, your hand coming up to test the weight of his swollen balls in your palm. You briefly thought about biting down, but you immediately force it away—he could break you with a flick of his finger. 

 You laved the other side of his cock with your tongue and wet kisses, before sucking the tip into your mouth. He groaned, his hands framing your face as he thrust shallowly into the wet warmth of your mouth. You tried to relax your throat, but it was hard. He was so big and thick, your jaw was already aching from the stretch. He released a ragged groan, holding your mouth open as he slid his cock down your throat. You tried to gasp, sputtering around his length as spit leaked from the corners of your mouth. “Love this sweet mouth, doll,” he praised you, stroking the bulge of his cock through the flesh of your throat with deceptively gentle fingers. 

 Your vision began graying out at the edges, the tiny gasps of oxygen you could manage around his throbbing length doing nothing to alleviate the burning in your lungs. He thrust again, bringing your nose flush with the wiry blond hair at the base of his cock. Tears trailed down your cheeks, and he groaned at the sight of them before finally pulling himself from between your lips. You gasped for air, coughing and choking as he threw you back against the pillows. 

 “You’re a fast learner, sweet pea. I like it.” he growled at you, fisting his cock in one hand. He spread your thighs easily with one hand, looking up at you sternly when you tried to fight him. “Good girl.” He filled your vision, covering your body with his own as he lined the weeping tip of his cock up with your embarrassingly wet entrance. “All this for me, doll? I’m flattered.” He slid himself through your folds, enjoying the slick wet noise as he pushed against you. 

 “I-it’s the drugs!” You cried stubbornly, shaking your head. “Y-you did something to me.” 

 He chuckled darkly, leaning down to brush his lips against yours. Steve licked a hot, wet trail down to your throat, where he sank his teeth into your flesh as you whimpered. “You want to know a secret, sweetheart?” he worried the skin between his teeth, releasing it with a wet pop. You knew you would bruise. “They wore off hours ago.” He thrust into you without giving you time to process his words, and your shriek of protest turned into a cry of pleasure. Even the sting of his entry felt too good, and stars burst behind your eyes. 

 Steve rocked up into you steadily, hooking your leg around his waist so he could fill you even more deeply. Every thrust left you keening and breathless, the head of his cock pushing deliciously against your cervix. Your hips arched up into him without your permission, your own wetness adding to the cacophony of sound filling the room. 

 “So fucking tight,” he growled, his fingers digging hard into your hip. You tried to hold onto the anger and the shame he made you feel, but it was swept away in the tide of pleasure he’d sparked at your core. Your pussy clenched tightly around him, your moans filling the air as he bottomed out inside of you over and over again.

 “Fuck, fuck, S-Steve—!” 

 “I know doll,” he panted, hips snapping rhythmically against yours. “So fucking good, right?” he threw his head back, moaning and cursing. “Gonna have to keep you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” his hands left your hips, one pinning your arms above your head, and the other tracing your trembling mouth as he rutted into you with abandon. “Make you my girl.”

 He hit something inside you that made you scream raggedly, writhing underneath him. He gave you no quarter, and every time you tried to scoot away, he punished you with deep, rough thrusts that made you gasp as you stared sightlessly through him with tears running down your cheeks. The sight of them seemed to spur him on, and you felt him throb inside you. “Ah—ahn—” he wouldn’t let you close your mouth, nor bite your lip to hide the sounds you were making. 

 “Never pictured you for a cry-baby,” he choked the words out as he continued wringing pleasure from your shaking form. “My girl, crying because it’s so fucking good.” you wanted to deny it but you couldn’t, not with evidence to the contrary leaking out around his thrusting cock. You felt like your insides were melting, hot pleasure sparking at every nerve ending. You hated how desperate he made you feel, how he made you want to come apart all over the thick cock buried in your aching pussy. “Tell me you’re my girl and I’ll let you cum, sweetness.” 

 “N-n-no!” he thrust two fingers into your mouth, spreading them wide as you continued to try and protest around them. 

 “Only good girls get to cum, sweetheart. You want to be good for me, don’t you?” his words were punctuated by his own fractured moans. He trailed his wet fingers down your jawline and chest, squeezing your breasts with a rough hand before the pad of his thumb found your clit again. Your hips bucked as you cried out breathlessly, and he chuckled. “I see how bad you want it, doll.” His lips were on yours again, teeth pulling at your lips and tongue. “Are you? Are you my girl?”

 “Yes!” you sobbed, your thighs quaking around his pistoning hips. “Yes, yes, yes—” and then you were cumming, white hot bliss washing over you until you drowned in it. You were floating, your limbs unresponsive as Steve fucked into you harder, releasing your wrists to grasp both of your hips. He pulled you against him roughly, forcing the length of his cock into your spasming cunt. It was so overwhelming it was almost pain, and when he came with a roar, you heard a splintering crack as the headboard broke in his grip. 

 Your pussy was flooded with wet heat, soothing the aching of your walls as Steve panted above you, his blue eyes fever bright. You watched as he pulled out of you slowly, his eyes locked onto your swollen and abused cunt. Your face heated with embarrassment as you felt his cum begin to dribble out of you, pooling between your thighs and under your ass. Slowly, like he was hypnotized, Steve dragged a finger through the combination of both of your releases, pushing it back inside of you. He brought the finger to your mouth, and you opened your lips after he fixed you with a harsh glare. 

 You swirled your tongue around his index finger, cleaning it. 

 “Good girl, doll.” 

 It’s over now. It’s done. Your body sagged with relief as he rose from the bed, stretching. You watched him gather his clothing, hugging your knees to your chest. He’ll leave now. He’ll leave and I’ll never have to see him again. Your hopeful thoughts withered and died, however, when you watched him pull an entirely fresh suit out of your closet, one that certainly hadn’t been there the day before. 

 “What… what are you doing?” you asked in a small voice. He turned to wink at you. 

 “What do you mean, sweet pea? I’d hate to miss the rehearsal dinner.” 

Fin

[scarlettriot]

Along for the Ride PT 1

Pairing: KirishimaxF!Reader

Summary: A drunken mistake had you marking the little Plus One box to your snobby cousin's wedding. Kirishima told you not to worry, if you couldn't find a date, he'd go with you. When the wedding gets moved up, there's absolutely no time to find a date and you're now about to be traveling to America with Kirishima on a private jet no less, dreading having him meet your rude and impossibly arrogant family.

Contains: Kirishima and Reader both come from very well-off families. Plus-Sized Reader. Fluff. Hurt/Comfort.

Warnings: Kinda smutty for a minute. Minors DNI. Drunken Sex. TW: Manipulative Family Relationships. TW: Body Image Issues

A/N: This story has been rolling around in my head for a while now. I might rewrite this and repost. Or I might just post the whole thing soon. I dunno yet. It does get smuttier.

Word Count: 4,974

"What's up with Y/N?"

Eijiro stepped out of the locker room with a towel slung over his shoulder and made his way into the kitchenette where Mina was chugging a bottle of water before getting back to her patrol. His eyes were trained on their mutual friend out on the patio, pacing.

You had your phone pressed to your ear, the high neck of your hero costume unzipped to your collarbone and he noticed your gloves discarded on a chair.

"No clue." Mina shrugged. "She got back from patrol and she noticed a bunch of missed calls from her mom. She's been out there, flailing on the phone for the last fifteen minutes now."

The three of you had met in your second year at UA when you transferred into their class and were quickly accepted by their little squad of friends. You were a bit quiet at first but quickly found comfort in the group. Eijiro had grown especially close to you when you both interned with Fat Gum.

Late nights traveling on the train back to school, a few close calls while helping patrol, and days spent playing cards while you both healed up in the hospital left plenty of time for Eijiro to get to know you better than most. It was how he knew you had a pretty bad relationship with your family, why you hated returning home for the holidays almost as much as you hated any and all forms of tomatoes.

He considered going out there just to see if there was anything he could do but before he had the chance, you were sliding the glass door open. "Oh, good, you're back." He offered you a bottle of water for your throat that he assumed was sore after that argument. "I- um- can I borrow you for a second? Alone?"

Mina snorted a laugh. "If you guys wanna bang it out on the counter you can just say so. I gotta go to work anyways."

Eijiro threw the towel at her as she left the room leaving you two alone. "What's goin' on?"

You hoisted yourself up on the countertop while he leaned against the fridge. "You remember my cousin's wedding that's happening this winter?"

He nodded. He vividly remembered the both of you getting waste a few weeks ago when you were filling out the RSVP and accidentally marking 'plus one'. Then you ran around trying to find White Out but he'd told you if you didn't find a date or have a significant other by the time of the wedding, he'd just go with you.

You argued that your family was bat shit crazy, had more money than they could spend in their lifetime and because of that, they were among some of the rudest people you knew, and you didn't want Eijiro or anyone else around that.

The thing was, Eijiro already knew that and was still okay with going. He came from money too. A lot of it. His family was just more welcoming than yours, the wealth never really going to their heads. But, he reminded you that he'd ran into enough people like those in your family that he knew how to handle them. You finally agreed to let him accompany you, leaving the plus one box checked but the name line blank.

"Well, my cousin just found out that surprise, she's pregnant! And, obviously, she can't have a wedding while seven months along so they've decided to move the wedding up to this weekend."

He nearly choked on his own spit. "This weekend? As in four days from now?"

"Yup! Saturday at 4 in the evening. Oh! No one's supposed to know she's pregnant either. So, I'm just supposed to compliment her on how flattering her dress looks, how thin she is," Your hands strangled the water bottle between them, "And I have to find something flattering to my figure because my mother has seen me in my hero outfit and she's so glad I wear a mask because if anyone knew her daughter ran around looking like I do, well, it'd ruin her!"

You massaged your temples circling back to the actual point, "Anyways, I just wanted to bitch for a sec and let you know you're off the hook since four days is just a little short notice and I told her my plus one wouldn't be able to get the time off that fast."

He pushed off the fridge. "Well, wait, hang on! I'm not letting you go in alone to deal with them! Hell no! You need backup!" You looked almost taken aback by his abruptness, "Yeah. I can work this out. Is the wedding at the same place it was supposed to be or has it moved?"

"No, it's still that fancy lodge in California. I was planning on leaving Friday morning and then coming back either Sunday night or Monday morning since my mother insists I go to their brunch the following day. But, Eijiro, I already have this weekend off..."

"Denki owes me a favor or twelve. He's supposed to be off this weekend too, I'll just see if he can cover me."

"And if he can't?"

"Then..." He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, "Y/N, am I feeling warm to you? I think I might be starting a fever!"

You folded your arms, shaking your head, "Thought you said lying isn't manly."

"Technically, correct. But, what would be real unmanly is for me to let you deal with your family's bullshit all alone." You watched him closely, "To be honest, I'm sure we could just explain you had a family thing come up and asked me to come along for moral support. I don't really think anyone would think twice about it. Hell, you took a few days off to console me when my turtle died suddenly!"

"Eiji, you refused to eat."

"And you brought me my favorite dumplings! Same thing!"

You might have shaken your head at him but your arms opened wide. The telltale sign you wanted affection. He walked forward, consuming you in a tight hug. Your arms latched around his neck, face buried in the hollow of his throat. "You're the best."

"I just do what I can."

>>><<<

You should have canceled. Instead of Eijiro faking sick to get out of work, you should have faked it with your mother so you didn't have to go in the first place. You crumpled to the floor of your bedroom in pure frustration amidst the twenty or so outfits and dozen pairs of shoes you'd thrown out of your closet trying to find something that your mother would deem appropriate.

It wasn't your fault you had a fuller figure. You worked out, ate right, not to mention your job kept you very active, and yet your, hips, ass, and breasts were by no means subtle.

Your mother had also insisted on the dress being floor-length and modern, "Do try not wearing all black. It's a wedding, not a funeral. And, get your hair looking natural, please." And, just like that, 70% of your wardrobe was out the window!

"It's open!" You called from the floor when the doorbell rang.

"You really should lock this." Mina tutted, walking through the door with a bag full of takeout.

"I do. At night."

"Honey, it's 9 PM."

"Night like bedtime."

Mina just rolled her eyes and walked into your tiny kitchen. "I see the dress hunt is going well."

"I actually figured it out!" You got off the floor, careful not to step on a heel as you made your way to the pink haired woman, "I'm just gonna go in my birthday suit. I figured, my mother made my body technically therefore she can't disapprove of it. Because, you know, she's never done anything wrong in her life!"

Your best friend snorted out a laugh and passed you the take-out container stuffed full of stir fry. "you're a wonderful person, you know that?" You loved the fact Mina didn't even have to ask what you wanted.

"If you'd just move closer to work then you could pick it up yourself and I wouldn't have to bring it to you."

"Too expensive." You declared after a mouthful. "You pay almost twice as much as I do per month and I just don't see the point. I have damn near the same amount of space you do for half the cost!"

You adored your small one-bedroom apartment. It was perfect. Right above a bakery that you visited each morning after your run and a little balcony that provided you with the most stunning view of the sunset.

"You and Kiri, I swear." Mina just shook her head and curled up with her food on the loveseat. "I thought he'd end up with the biggest house out of us all the moment we started making that real Pro money. You've seen his parent's house. It's massive! You could get lost in that place!"

Eijiro's place was barely bigger than your own. He lived in the same condo he had since you'd graduated UA, claiming it was perfect for him in each and every way. But, you knew that he donated a sizable amount of his paycheck every month to charities, the same as you. With savings to spare, neither of you saw the point in hoarding it and therefore the small condo was all he could afford with what he actually kept.

"Just don't understand how a guy that big can live in such a tiny little space. At least with you, it's you know, physically feasible."

Eijiro's bedroom was barely large enough to fit the king-sized bed the man needed to sleep comfortably and even then, his feet were dangerously close to dangling off the bed. And, as if the man's ears were burning, your cell phone went off under a pile of discarded shoes.

Shark-E: Figured out your dress situation? If not, I'm just gonna pack like ten different ties and hope for the best.

You: Yeah! I totally did! I'm just gonna wear this birthday suit I got and call it a night.

You chuckled at your own joke all over again. Watching the grey ellipses appear and then vanish, appear and vanish again. After a third time, you took pity on the man.

You: Joking, Ei. I still don't have it figured out but Mina's over so, hopefully, she can help.

Shark-E: Gonna give me a damn heart attack! Seriously, I wouldn't put it past you just to see the look on your mom's face. Tell Mina hi and good luck to you. I vote the dress from the Hero Gala two years ago.

You: Hi from Mina. Can't. Too much boobs.

Shark-E: You take that back right now! There is NEVER such a thing as too much boobs!

You chuckled to yourself, putting your phone down, and then finished off the last of your delicious dinner, thinking about the dress Eijiro mentioned.

You wondered if maybe there was a way you could make the thing work but it was so very low cut. So much tape had been used to make sure no slips happened but damn was it worth it! The beaded bodice with the sparkling long sleeves, gods, how you loved that dress.

"I'm inclined to agree with our shark boy. You're busty, who gives a damn. You looked hot as hell in that dress."

"My mother, that's who. As much as I'd like to not give a flying fuck what she thinks, for some dumb reason, I do. On top of her telling me that the amount of cleavage I would show would be vastly inappropriate for a wedding, she'd also say the way it hugs my hips makes them look too fat."

Mina rolled her eyes. "She's such a piece of work." Pushing herself up, she held her arms out to you, wiggling little pink fingers for you to take. "Come on then. Let's get you sorted."

"What about that one you wore to the charity art thingy with Kyoka last winter? The one with the silver top."

"Silver is too close to white." You called out from within your closet.

"What! Not true!"

"You know that. I know that. Every person with two brain cells knows that, which is why most of my family does not know that."

"Fine..." She whined and started sifting through the opposite end of your closet. "Oh, what about this?" Mina waved about the blue and green plaid skirt that made up your uniform from your middle school days when you lived in America. "Please try this on. I'm begging!"

You were pretty sure it wouldn't even go over your thighs anymore.

"It's got a better chance of fitting you!"

Mina threw it at you anyway. Slipping off the sweats you wore, somehow, someway, you were able to tug it on AND get it zipped, barely. It no longer covered your ass but you still enjoyed the way it swished around when you wiggled your hips.

"You could be fulfilling so many people's fantasies right now." Mina mused.

You pulled the skirt off and sweats back on, throwing the former back at her. "Yeah, you can take it and go fulfill Hanta's fantasies if you like. Not like I've got anyone to impress." You pulled down a dress you bought on sale a year ago but Mina was quick to dismiss it.

Too puffy, she said and then held up one that was from Momo. "I needed to get it shortened and I don't have time for that now."

"Wait..." She hummed and dropped the Momo dress. "I know what it should be!"

Mina hurried through the closet, grumbling about not finding it. "Just tell me which dress and I can tell you where it's at."

"It's that one you got for grad night and then you got sick and couldn't go!"

"Mina, Mina I can't wear that! That's actual vintage, not like, made-to-look-vintage!"

"But it's so elegant and has that off-the-shoulder sleeve thing. The wedding is at a damn sky lodge! It'll look so pretty in the snow! Ah! Found it!"

She yanked up the long, elegant gown from the garment bag you'd never removed it from. There wasn't a single wrinkle in the burgundy fabric. It looked just as beautiful as the day you found it in that second-hand store, on a mannequin with gaudy stage jewels that you just had to buy so the look was complete.

You ran the back of your hand over the velvety fabric, soft to the touch. "It'll be too tight now. If I was the same size I was at graduation-"

"Bullshit!" Mina cut you off with a dismissive hand, "You've got hips now. We aren't 18 anymore! It's not like it's some clubbing dress. And I bet no one would say a damn thing about your figure if they knew how easily you could crush them with those thighs!"

A smirk tugged at the corner of your lips. Without quirks, you gave every single one of your classmates a run for their money in hand to hand. Most were fairly easy to beat. You could usually take down Eijiro in about five or six minutes and Katsuki in half the time. Funny enough, it was Ochaco that gave you the hardest time.

"I'll consider it. But help me find something else just in case."

>>><<<

It was another two hours before you finally agreed on an a-line, empire waist green and gold number that had been the bridesmaid's dresses for Tetsutetsu's wedding. Mina thought they were a crime the first time they had to wear them, she had no idea what you were thinking.

That's why the moment you were preoccupied with trying to find yet another dress for the Sunday brunch, Mina pulled out her phone.

You: DO NOT, under any circumstances, allow Y/N to wear the green dress. She's bringing two because she can't decide. Red is the winner!

Jaws: Aw, come on. If she likes it, let her wear whatever she's comfortable in. She'll be under enough stress already.

You: Kirishima, it's the dress from Tetsu's wedding. The one that looks sparkly baby food.

It took him a second to respond.

Jaws: Alright. Understood. I thought you guys looked good but damn, she hated that dress.

You: We all did.

Mina looked at the message chain again and couldn't help but asked, "Are we just gonna ignore the fact that you and Eiji are flying all the way to America, last minute, to attend a wedding together, even though you're not together?"

"We've flown to the states before."

"For work!" She sat up eagerly. "This is different, Y/N! This is a date and not just a, like, casual date but a wedding date!"

You poked your head out of the closet. "No, it isn't. This is a friend helping another friend who stupidly mismarked an RSVP." You corrected very plainly but Mina wasn't one to give up so easily.

She whined, dragging out your name, "You guys have been doing this thing for ages. Why do you have to be so stubborn about it all!"

"What's that supposed to mean!"

Mina started ticking off points on her fingers. "He was the first person you opened up to at UA. You saved his life when he was busy saving Katsuki's life second year. You spent all that time interning together, became sidekicks together. Went to America together for three whole months, ALONE, and you honestly expect me to think there's nothing between the two of you!"

The truth of it all was simple really; 17 year old you had a massive crush on Eijiro Kirishima. He was sweet, always listening to you, providing comfort when you needed it, and always encouraging you to push your limits. He was bright and honest, a little slow in the head from time to time but that made him all the more endearing.

He was also head over heels in love with Katsuki Bakugo.

It was why you never made a move. Never spoke a word of the feelings you harbored. You didn't dare to cross that line with him because you couldn't ever hold a candle to the explosive man.

In the three years Eijiro and Katsuki spent together, your brain finally started registering Eijiro as just a friend, nothing more, and certainly nothing less. You thought your heart had followed suit but it was becoming more and more apparent that wasn't the case. Because the night he showed up at your door, tears in his ruby eyes, every lock you put on your heart broke open.

The same way you couldn't hold a candle to Katsuki, Eijiro couldn't hold one to Izuku. You knew exactly what he was feeling even if you never intended to tell him. Too overcome with fear. If Katsuki came back... that'd be it. Eijiro would go back and you wouldn't even blame him!

Still, the redhead consumed a decent chunk of your heart though, you couldn't deny that after the three months you spent together in America, gathering intel on a smuggling ring, living in the same apartment. The groggy, 'good mornings' when his voice was still scratchy with sleep, hair falling in his eyes. The late nights bandaging wounds and killing cheap bottles of wine while watching terrible American reality shows.

It was those bottles of wine that did you in on your second to last night in America. Supplying you with courage and draining your sense of reason, allowing you to crawl onto his lap, into his arms. You could still remember the pressure of his lips on yours, those sharp teeth gently dragging along your lower lip.

Scared hands tracing the curve of your ass before taking handfuls to squeeze. The laugh that came from you was unlike anything you heard before, something so genuine that you couldn't reproduce.

How it felt when he lifted you up and took you to his bed, laying you down taking his time removing your clothes, and watching with awe as you pulled away his own. The way he looked over top of you, his hair a curtain of red around you just before you closed your eyes, gasping while he filled you.

You also remembered the guilt that crept into your head during the wee hours of the morning, the doubt that was louder than the snores coming from behind you.

It made you slip from under his massive arm, gather up your clothes from his floor, you tucked the blanket around him, and pressed a kiss to his temple before padding out of the room.

You told yourself you'd talk to him about it if he brought it up, but he never did. Not the next morning, or night, not on the plane ride back home, nor anytime since. It was a memory you'd hold close to your heart, one you wouldn't let slip away or share.

"There's nothing there, Mina. We're just good friends is all." You lied with a smile on your face, something that had become surprisingly easy to do.

If only you knew that Mina saw right through it. That Mina already knew the truth of it all.

>>><<<

It was nearly one in the morning when your phone rang. The goofy picture of Eijiro with face half painted at a festival a few years back never failed to make you grin.

"It's a little late." You answered by way of greeting.

"Don't pretend like you were anywhere close to sleeping, you little night owl."

Chuckling at the nickname that had followed you since high school, "What's up, Eiji?"

"I was going over flights. You said in the office that you wanted to leave on Friday?"

"Yeah. I have patrol tomorrow and I didn't find any flights after 6 PM so, Friday is the earliest."

He was quiet on the other line for a moment. "Yeah, you don't have patrol tomorrow, or work at all for that matter."

You sat up a bit straighter in bed. "Um, yes I do."

"No, you don't. I called Mina, asked her if you'd mind taking that shift for you and, since she knows what's happening, she agreed the extra day for travel would do you some good. So, she's covering you tomorrow then you're off work until next Wednesday. As for me, thanks to all that overtime I put in when Denki, Kyoka, and Hitoshi got married, the three of them are splitting up my days so I have until Wednesday too."

Eijiro sounded impossibly proud on the other line, you could almost see the smirk on his face. "You've got this all planned out, don't you?"

"And a bag nearly packed. Just need you to tell me what ties to bring."

"Gold, burgundy, and black."

"Thought your mom said no black for you?"

"She said no black for the wedding. She said nothing about black at the brunch!"

You couldn't wait to put on the tea-length dress that had been a favorite for years. Satin with a lacy top and, best of all, pockets.

He let out a rumbling laugh that fell off into comfortable silence as you laid back in your bed, lights still on, the room still a mess. You tapped the speaker icon and laid the phone on the pillow right beside your head, listing to the various sounds of Eijiro moving around.

A door creaking open, a hanger clattering against another, and a zipper. "And just like that, I'm all set."

"Don't forget your passport or hero license."

"I have one in my wallet and the other in my backpack."

You swiped up on your iPad, off Netflix, and going to google, lazily searching through flights. "So, did you find any good flights since you've clearly been looking?"

Another chuckle, "Eijiro, why are you laughing?" More stifled giggles had you sitting up in bed again. "Just tell me a site you were on. They're just flights, what's so funny?"

"There isn't a site."

"You said you were checking flights."

"And I was... on my family's jet."

"Eiji! No! No, no, no! That is supposed to be for their business or hero things! My stupid cousin's wedding is neither of those things!"

"Relax, Y/N. My family has multiple and they don't have any business trips planned right now anyways. I already cleared it with my mom. Seriously, I just mention your name and she's likely to let me have it for a whole year at least. Plus Todoroki's is back up in working order so the agency is covered too."

Damn, why'd he have to be so good at planning from time to time! You'd completely forgotten about the second jet his family had. Always opting for the larger one since the few missions they needed it for required them to bring fifty or so heroes along.

"Besides, if we fly private, we can land at an airstrip closer to the venue and won't need to drive four hours on top of a ten-hour flight."

"Alright, okay, thank you but, let me take care of the rental car, please. It's the least you can let me do."

"Deal. I just have one more question for ya."

"What's that?"

"Wanna leave tonight?"

You nearly dropped your damn iPad in shock. "Eijiro! What the fuck has gotten into you! It's the middle of the night!"

"I'm excited!" He boomed, "I haven't had a vacation in months!"

"I hate to break this to you, buddy, but this isn't going to be a vacation. You really shouldn't get your hopes up. This isn't going to be a good time with laughs and fun memories... my family, they just, they aren't those kinds of people."

"But we are." He stated matter-of-factly. "If they want to have sticks up their asses then let them! We'll have a good time on our own, laugh and make fun memories! So, what do you say, Y/N? I can be at your place in fifteen. I just gotta put shoes on and grab my keys..."

"Wait, hang on. Are you forgetting that we need someone to, oh, I dunno, FLY THE PLANE! Actually, we need two someone's, can't forget about a co-pilot!"

He hummed happily and you rubbed your temples. "You, you have a pilot and a co, don't you, Eiji?"

"Mhm! There is a company we use. Two can be at the hanger in an hour and every hour after that. I just have to make the call and get the flight plan approved which will be done before I even get to your house."

There was literally no reason to say no. You had mostly everything packed, nothing you needed to get from the store, all you had to do was put on pants and pack up your hygiene bag and you were ready too. Maybe getting there quicker and getting the whole thing over with would be better than staying home dwelling on everything.

"Better put your shoes on."

The glee in his voice, that was enough to make this whole thing worth it, "I'll see you soon."

>>><<<

Eijiro reached into the backseat and plopped a bag down on your lap the very moment you were buckled in. "Had to make a pit stop." He explained.

"It's after two in the morning, where'd you have to..."

"Just open the bag and don't complain."

You found it filled to the brim with all your favorite snacks.

"I'm sure the plane will have a bunch of snacks we can raid but I know for a fact they don't have these." He held up a pack of cookies and creme flavored pocky that had been his favorite for as long as you'd known him, quickly followed by your favorite flavor too. You also found a massive bag of gummy worms and jolly ranchers.

"So, what you're telling me is our teeth are going to rot by the time we land? Not that I'm complaining."

You ripped open the bag of ranchers knowing that was what he'd go for first and sure enough his hand dove inside just as he pulled away from the curb. You could hear his dangerously sharp teeth biting through the rock candy like it was nothing while you still rolled one around your mouth.

Eijiro asked you about the resort you'd be going to, wondering if you'd been there before or what other stuff you guys could do when you weren't dealing with your family. "I figured we could fly back Monday night or Tuesday morning, you know, just play it by ear in case there was anything else we wanted to do."

More than anything, you wished you could just leech a little bit of that excitement from him. The glimpses of his smile you caught as you drove under the street lights made your heart ache.

"What?" He asked with that wide smile of his. You'd been caught staring, red-handed.

"I, uh, I just don't know what to tell you."

You could see the subtle change of his grin, watch as it softened and his hand came to rest on your thigh. "Hey, it's gonna be fine! And if we run into them while out doing stuff, you can just avoid them or hide behind me!" At least hiding behind Eijiro is an easy thing to do, damn mountain of a man.

His thumb slowly brushed back and forth. "'S gonna be okay. I'll beat 'em up if they're assholes!"

You snickered at his Katsuki impression and let the drone of the radio fill the air around you both. Enjoying the silence the rest of the way to the hanger with Eijiro's hand atop your leg.

[midnight-echoes]

Here are some incorrect quotes with NickToons. Enjoy.

Timmy: Fellas, I gotta know for science. Is the opposite of red green or blue? Jimmy: Technically a mix of green and blue. Timmy: So blurple. Jimmy: That's implying you're mixing blue and purple. Timmy: Would you rather have fucking bleen? MOTHERFUCKING GRUE? Jimmy: You were confusing before but now I'm scared.

SpongeBob: Let's just agree to both say we're sorry on the count of three. SpongeBob: One... two... three. Patrick: ... SpongeBob: ... SpongeBob: See, now I'm just disappointed in both of us.

*the squad is at a dinner party but someone has been murdered* Zim: You’re acting pretty carefree for someone who’s life’s at stake. Who’s to say you aren’t the killer? Mikey: It’s a murder, not a tax audit. I’ll be fine. Rudy: What about Guano? Nobody ever suspects Guano! Guano: Well what about Danny? Danny: Zim has a knife. Zim: Yeah, for fun, not for murder! (stabs Rudy in the arm)

Bessie: What do you call disobeying the law? Other NickToons: A hobby. Bessie: *crosses her arms* Other NickToons: That we do not engage in.

(Casually in the Middle of a High Stakes/Dangerous Situation) Fanboy: How do you eat pickles? Chum Chum: What do you mean? Fanboy: I mean, there's a whole process. It's not like you can grab them from the jar with your hand, because it's cold and the juice burns if you have a cut, plus, it's pretty unsanitary. And you can't use a spoon because you'll have to scoop it out, and it'll be way too difficult to grab more than three or four without taking 10 minutes along with half the brine in the jar, even if it's one with holes. Chum Chum: Yeah, that's why you use a fork. Fanboy: Okay, sure, but what if you don't have one of the big ones clean? It's weird to use a small one. But there is always one of those smaller sharp knives clean. Chum Chum: But the straight edge doesn't really fit the cylindrical shape, and you have to make sure you don' t break it, it's too much work. Fanboy: It makes me feel like I deserve the pickles though. Like, "Yeah, I did it. That's right. Good job me." It's empowering. But even after that, it's not like you can use a bowl. Chum Chum: I get that, it's not ascetically pleasing. Fanboy: Exactly! And it looks weird if you don't entirely fill the bowl, but you also can't eat that many. My solution: Use a mug. Chum Chum: Nods in agreement Kyle: That is all very interesting, BUT WE'RE TRYING NOT TO DIE RIGHT NOW! USE YOUR LIMITED ATTENTION SPANS AND FOCUS! Fanboy: Jeez, okay. Chum Chum: Quit yelling at us already.

Guano: What the hell were you thinking? Sheen: I heard releasing birds at a wedding is romantic! Guano: You released OSTRICHES!

Lincoln: Honestly, I am so evil. So full of darkness. I feed of the souls of the living I strike fear into- Ronnie Anne: You sleep with a stuffed rabbit. Lincoln: He’s my SECOND IN COMMAND IN MY ARMY OF DARKNESS!

SpongeBob & Patrick: accidentally set the kitchen on fire SpongeBob: We need an adult! Patrick: SpongeBob, you are an adult! SpongeBob: We need an adultier adult! Get Danny!

(Timmy recording whilst Frida and Manny are arguing) Frida: HOLD UP, HOLD UP, HOLD UP, HOLD UP!! HER SISTER WAS A WITCH, RIGHT? AND WHAT WAS HER SISTER? A PRINCESS! THE WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST, BRO! Timmy: wheezes like a tea kettle Manny, pulling out a knife: I'm gonna stab her. Frida: YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT ME AND YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME THAT I'M WRONG? AM I WRONG? Manny: It's my favorite movi- Frida: SHE WORE A CROWN AND SHE CAME DOWN IN A BUBBLE, MANNY! Manny: I'm not fighting with you, I'm not fighting with y- Frida: GROW UP, BRO. GROW UP!

Arnold: When I get murdered, can you make sure I become an unsolved case? Lincoln: wHat? Arnold: I want to be on Buzzfeed Unsolved. Lincoln: Can we go back to the part when you said "when I get murdered"?

Doug: Coca Cola can remove rust from metal, imagine what it’s doing to your body. Ronnie Anne: Pfff, getting rid of the rust, idiot. Doug: That's not how it works…? Bessie: Hmm… I've been drinking soda and my body's rust free… not sure where you're getting your facts from…

Olly: We’re playing Scrabble. It’s a nightmare. Saraline: Scrabble? Scrabble’s great. Olly: Not when you’re playing with Ansi, it’s not. He puts words like “ephemeral” and I put “dog.”

Pelswick: What did you two do? SpongeBob: Timmy: Pelswick: You’re not in trouble, I just need to know if I have to lie to the police again or not.

Pelswick: Hi, could I ask how exactly does one accidentally set a lemon on fire?? Sheen: Microwave for 40 minutes. 😔 Jenny: Why were you microwaving a lemon??? Sheen: I read boiling lemons helps cover up bad smells (I wanted to cover up the scent of burnt oranges) but I didn't own any pots. Danny: Did you burn an orange too? How??? Sheen: Microwave for 40 minutes. 😔

SpongeBob: Where's Fanboy? Timmy: Don't worry, I'll find him. Timmy, shouting: Chum Chum sucks! Fanboy, distantly: Chum Chum is the best person ever! Fuck you! Timmy: Found him.

Jimmy: GET BACK HERE YOU DUMB FUCK! Timmy: LET ME RUN FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY ACTIONS!

Kidnapper: We have your child Bessie: I don’t have a child? Kidnapper: Then who just asked for warm milk and made us cut the crusts off their sandwich? Bessie: Oh god, you have SpongeBob.

Cat: Dog… Dog: Oh no, 'Dog' in B flat. Dog: You're disappointed.

GIR: honk. Zim: WHAT. GIR: HONK. Zim: WHAT DOES HONK MEAN THIS TIME YOU WHIMSICAL PIECE OF SHIT?????

Timmy: We’ve been conducting an ongoing study to see what Patrick will and will not eat. Danny: Grass? Yes! Timmy: Moss? Yes!! Danny: Leaves? Ohh, yes! Timmy: Shoelaces? Strange but true! Danny: Worms? Sometimes! Timmy: Rocks? Usually nah. Danny: Twigs? Usually! Timmy: Jimmy's cooking? Inconclusive! SpongeBob: How did you… test this? Timmy: You just hand him stuff and say ‘eat this’ and if he eats it, he eats it. SpongeBob: ... I don’t know how to feel about this. Jimmy: IS THAT WHERE ALL MY SPARE SHOELACES WENT?

Kyle: Y’know, maybe things aren’t so bad. I’m here. I got the nice ocean breeze. Just alone with my thoughts. Fanboy: Hey, Kyle. Kyle: GODDAMNIT!

Guano: Mikey, please calm down. Mikey: I asked for two large fries! Mikey: *dumps fries onto table* Mikey: But all they did was give me a MILLION FUCKING LITTLE ONES!

Ansi, planning a group disguise: You cannot be Blake Bortles. Olly: Fine! Then I’ll be Jake- Saraline, under her breath: Don’t say Jortles. Olly: Jortles! And I work at the molotov cocktail department.

SpongeBob: Guys… the principal just called— Jimmy: It was Timmy! Timmy: It was Dib! Dib: It was Zim! Zim: It was I ZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM

Snap: Don't worry, I've got a few knives up my sleeve. Arnold: I think you mean cards. Rudy: He did not. Snap, pulling out knives: I did not.

Miko: Protip is you do not feel good about yourself after eating tomato sauce on iceberg lettuce. SpongeBob: What's wrong with you?? Miko: I literally JUST said I ate tomato sauce on iceberg lettuce?? Pay attention. Five: No, he means other than that. Miko: Ohhhhhh. Miko: I haven't slept in 4 days.

Jenny: Question. When they shot Bambi's mother, did you find that a sad moment…at all? Timmy: I'm sure she's mounted on a nice wall in a fine home somewhere.

Snap: I’m quick at math. Rudy: Ok, what’s 38 times 76? Snap: 24. Rudy: That wasn’t even close. Snap: But it was quick.

SpongeBob: Why does my arm shake and turn bright red when I’m eating dirt? Danny: Danny: Why are you eating dirt? SpongeBob: Did I ask you if I should eat dirt? No, so answer my question.

Dib, at an awards show: Well, first of all, I’d like to thank Gaz, my own sister, for telling me SpongeBob was going to win so don’t bother to prepare a speech.

*Sheen falls over* Chum Chum: Sheen! Are you alright? Sheen: Is that you, God? Chum Chum: What? Sheen: It's just, you sound a lot more like Chum Chum than I expected.

Timmy: So… what’s goin’ on? Arnold: You want the long version or the short version? Timmy, hesitantly: The short one, I guess? Arnold: Shit’s fucked. Timmy: Oh. Well, yeah, that’s definitely not an optimal situation.

Dib: You really put aside everything and came all this way for me? How did you even get here so fast? Mikey: Several traffic violations. Chum Chum: Three counts of resisting arrest. Fanboy: Roughly thirteen cans of energy drinks. Guano: Also, that��s not our car.

[believinghurts]

Their Daughter

Chapter 5

Author’s note: I use Grammarly to fix my mistakes, but there could still be some so sorry for that. Also, I am getting back into writing and am hoping to have a few more works out soon! Please reblog, like, or comment feedback is appreciated.

Word Count: 4,400

Warnings: None? Sirius being a d*ck? Maybe language, but I don’t think so.

Regulus wasn’t sure how much time had passed as he stroked his niece's hair. He was mad at his brother for basically throwing away the only good thing that had ever come from the Black family. Sirius was too blinded by the past to see what was right in front of him. As children, Sirius often told Regulus that he was their family's favorite and that it bothered him, but if he knew what it was like to be less loved then how can he love Harry more than Ali? He understood that Harry was Sirius's Godson, but couldn’t he love Ali and Harry equally? If Sirius made the effort maybe Ali and the other children could even be friends. His heart ached from the emotional battle that Ali was going through right now. Even if Sirius didn’t see it, he and Remus did. Ali’s light was dimmer than before and when she was lighting up again after finding out Sirius never came for her, Sirius just had to go and snuffed it out.

Carefully sliding out from under Ali and placing a pillow under her head Regulus left the room. He shut the door behind him casting a locking spell so she wouldn’t be bothered. He needed to speak with Remus first before doing anything. They needed to decide what to do about Ali. As much as Regulus wanted to spend time with her before she went back to school he didn’t want her to be this upset anymore. He walked into the study to find Remus and Nymphadora sitting near the fireplace.

“How is she?” Nymphadora blurted the question as soon as she saw her cousin. Remus had owled her after Ali had gone to her room. The older sister in her wanted to go up to Sirius and give him a piece of her mind, but she knew that it wouldn’t do any good.

“She’s asleep for now. All the fighting has exhausted her. I honestly don’t know what to do. I want her here, this is her home, but if Sirius doesn’t stop acting like the brut that he is it is going to hurt her more. Speaking of Sirius, where is he? It’s quiet.” Regulus flopped down on the chair across from Remus and Nymphadora raking a hand through his hair. His worry for Ali was causing him a headache. On one hand, he wanted to send Ali to stay at the Malfoy Manor for the remainder of summer, but on the other, he wanted to hold her close and have her stay in her home where she belonged.

“Sirius left with Harry after you went upstairs. He hasn’t been home since. The Weasleys stepped out to Diagon Alley to get the kids stuff for school.” Remus replied. He was secretly thankful that the house was mainly empty. This way at least Ali could come down if she felt like it without the chance of someone bothering her. Remus was having the same thoughts as Regulus about keeping Ali at home virus's sending her to the Manor. He just wanted his niece to be happy. The hope that he had of Sirius and Ali having the father/daughter relationship was gone. If only Remus could get Sirius to open his eyes to the pain he was causing to the girl, but Sirius was nothing if not stubborn.

“I think I am going to write to Cissa and see if she can keep Ali for the rest of summer. If that’s what it takes for her to be happy then so be it. We can see her off at the -“

“I don’t want to leave,” Ali’s voice interrupted. “I want to stay here with you. Please don’t make me leave. I can handle it, I promise.”

Ali knew that she and Regulus were going to have to talk about the fact that she called him dad, but that was a private conversation. Right now she needed to convince the adults in the room that she didn’t need to leave. She could take Sirius. Yes the words that he had said hurt her and the actions he did tonight furthered that hurt in her heart, but she was done. She didn’t owe him anything, and it was clear she knew that he didn’t want to be her father. She had meant what she said to Regulus. He was her father in all the ways that counted. He loved her unconditionally, was always there for her, and protected her.

She went and sat on the couch in between Nymphadora and Remus who wrapped an arm around her pulling her close to his chest. “It might be best if you went and stayed for the rest of the summer at the Manor, Al. This isn’t good for you mentally. We all can see how drained you are.”

“No, this is my home. I can handle it. I have you all plus the older Weasleys and Fleur. You'll protect me and if I need to get away for a little bit I’ll owl Blaise or Draco to go to Diagon Alley or something. I want to spend time with you. Times are hard right now and you never know when you are going to lose someone and I would like to have as much time with each of you just in case.”

Regulus leaned forward taking Ali’s hand in his, “Nothing, and I mean nothing is going to happen to us. I love you more than you could ever imagine and if you want to stay here you can.” Ali smiles brightly at that before Regulus cut her off, “but you have to tell me, Remus, or Severus, if anything happens. And you have to come out of your room. I am not having you locking yourself away again. Got it?”

Ali pounced on Regulus, hugging his neck tight. She was excited to spend some more time with her family. She had meant what she said about never knowing when something was going to happen. Wizards had been disappearing all over London and she was genuinely scared something was going to happen to her loved ones. She was going to make it a point to take plenty of photos and make enough memories to last a lifetime the next couple of weeks.

Regulus held his niece tight, fighting back the tears when she whispered, “Thanks, Dad,” into his ear. He had been called a lot of things in his life, but this was one title he was going to wear proudly.

Remus’s voice interrupted the moment, “wait for a second, why are you going to owl Blaise? We have an agreement, young lady, no boys till you're thirty!”

Ali’s giggle was music to those in the room with her, and for the first time that summer they all saw Ali smile at home the brightest she had since everyone arrived.

————

The rest of the day was eventful which was something that everyone was thankful for. Nymphadora left shortly after spending some time with Ali since she had something to attend to with Moody, so that left Regulus, Ali, and Remus to watch the Star Wars movies in Ali’s room. Kreacher brought them snacks while they made a fort on the floor. Ali was incredibly content laying on the mounds of pillows in between her Uncles. When she was younger they would have movie nights like this once a month until she started Hogwarts. Even then she and her friends carried on the tradition in the boy's dorm since Draco was often present at the ones hosted at home. She wished that she could have Draco over now, but knew that if she brought him here then everyone in the house would throw a fit about it, maybe it was something to bring up to Regulus later.

Molly called them all down for dinner shortly after the second film ended. Leaving the mess on the floor the trio made their way downstairs with Ali trailing behind her Uncles. She could feel her nerves spike the closer she got to the dining room. She thought about excusing herself stating she wasn’t hungry, but the loud growl in her stomach gave her hunger away. Everyone had already sat down beside Harry and Sirius when they got into the room. Regulus pulled the seat out next to him for his niece. Fleur shot her a smile when she sat down by her uncle with Charlie on her other side. At least she was sitting near someone who didn’t hate her.

Chatter and the sounds of forks on plates filled the room as everyone got their fill of Molly’s meatballs and onion sauce. Everyone broke off into separate conversations. Remus, Regulus, and Arthur talking about the Ministry, the younger Weasleys, and Hermione talking about Quidditch, Bill and Fleur about their upcoming wedding, and Charlie and Ali talking about his work in Romania. “What are you planning on doing after you leave Hogwarts?”

Ali shot a glance over at Remus who was doing a terrible job of disguising his eavesdropping on the duo. “I am thinking about becoming a professor. I like creatures obviously so I was thinking something along those lines, but I also like Herbology. So maybe that. I just know I want to teach.”

Charlie shot her a grin. “Have you thought about where? I know Hogwarts has Sprout for Herbology and Hagrid was doing Care of Magical Creatures, but you still have three more years of school so maybe they’ll need someone by the time you're done.”

Ali shrugged her shoulders. In all honesty, she wanted to leave England and travel for a bit but knew that if she brought it up now it would be a fight or something so she bit her tongue. “Maybe.”

The noise came to a halt when the door slammed open in the living room. Everyone hopped to their feet, wands at the ready. It felt like hours had passed before the intruder walked through the door. “Sirius! Harry! Merlin, you scared us all.”

“Sorry, it’s raining hard and we were in a rush to get back home.” Sirius shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. Everyone retook their seats beside Milly who served Harry and Sirius. Ali tried her hardest to keep from looking at the latest duo that entered, not wanting to cause any more trouble or to give Sirius a reason to lash out at her.

Dinner passed rather quickly, conversations flowed in their small groups. Charlie had gone with Fleur and Bill on a scouting mission shortly after eating, while Fred and George worked on new products for their shop. Ali was in her head thinking about asking to go to meet Pansy in the coming days to look at a new book shop. Pansy wasn’t much of a reader but was always looking for an excuse to get out of her house. She was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up Molly was smiling softly at her while handing her a letter in a dark blue envelope. She instantly knew who the letter was from since only one person used that kind of envelope when writing her.

“This came for you, dear, when you were with your uncles. I didn't want to bother you then I almost forgot just now.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley.” Ali smiled at the kind woman. Despite her feelings towards most of the Weasley children, their parents were quite nice.

Molly patted her cheek before walking off. Ali started to rip the top off when she got Regulus’s eye and he winked at her. He knew who the letter was from having met the boy a few times already. Her cheeks flushed and continued to do so while reading it.

Dear Supernova,

I hope you are surviving the dreadfulness that is upon you right now with all the people in your house. Yes, Draco told me what was going on yesterday when I finally threatened to out his crush if he didn’t explain why we hadn’t been seeing you a lot this summer. I have to say I am quite hurt that you didn’t tell me yourself. Best friends I thought. Just joking, but seriously you could have told me about him and I wouldn't have said a word to anyone.

I miss you, Supernova. We’ve only got to see each other once this summer and we both know when school starts you will have a book shoved in front of your face in the first three minutes. Could we get together sometime this week? It has been awful at home and if I have to hear Draco's voice one more time without you there to tell him off for being annoying I may throw myself off the astronomy tower.

Your uncle may not agree, but you could come to stay at mine for a night. Mother agreed to it as long as Regulus does and we have separate rooms. If you can't, maybe I can come to you? I don’t really care what the redheads have to say about me being there so don’t worry about that. We have much to catch up on; like the fact that you got Headgirl and also didn’t write and tell me. I had to find that little tidbit out from Parkinson's. Don’t worry we’ll catch up whether that's soon or on the train.

love,

Zabini

Ali felt a pang of guilt hit her square in the chest. She hadn’t meant to forget to fill Blaise in on her life but it had been so crazy recently she hadn’t got to write anyone much. In all the truth no one knew that she had gotten Headgirl. She had gotten the letter from Flitwich a few days after the Weasley’s arrived and completely forgot. Although she told her Uncles she didn’t want to go anywhere spending some time with Blaise sounded nice. Deciding to just rip the bandaid off she looked up to find Regulus and Remus looking at her with amused smiles on their faces.

“What’s you got there, Ali?” Remus asked, causing her cheeks to flame red. She wasn’t scared to say that she wanted to hang out with a boy. She did it all the time whether it was Blaise, Theo, or Draco; it was more to do with the fact that she was about to ask to spend the night at a boys' house. Even if they were going to be in separate rooms and they had fallen asleep cuddled together weeks prior at the Malfoys, something none of her Uncles knew, it was going to be a little fight to get Remus to agree as he made the ‘no dating till you’re thirty’ rule when she was five and asked for a boyfriend for Christmas.

Looking around she noticed all attention was on her even if the other adults in the room were making it seem like they weren’t listening while the children openly gawked. “Uhm,” she was cut off by Severus stepping into the room. Great, now she had to face all three Uncles. Where were Dora and Cissa when she needed them?

Severus hugged her quickly before taking a place by Regulus. “Who's the letter from Ali?” He asked her letting her know there was no getting out of it and that she was going to have to spill the beans.

“It’s from Blaise,” A look of amusement passed Regulus’s face, making her think that he knew what was in the letter already while Remus looked like he was going to snatch the letter out of her hands and read it himself if she didn’t hurry up.

“And what possibly could it say to have your cheeks looking like the inside of Gryffindor common room?” Regulus teased further.

She coughed trying to get her nerves resealed. “He was saying that we need to catch up before school starts, and invited me to come and stay with him and Mrs. Zabini for a night this week.”

Remus grunted while Regulus smiled. Ali had to hide a giggle as she noticed all the other mouths in the room had dropped to the floor. Ali knew that except for Hermione and Harry the Weasley’s never stayed or had anyone else with them.

“Can I, please? His mother said we would have separate rooms and she will be there as well as the house-elves. We only got to see one another once this summer. He said if I can’t he could come here, but honestly, I think the first option is better. Please?” She pulled out her best puppy eyes and pouty lip. She was not above begging for it but didn’t want to do so with everyone staring at her.

Regulus looked over at Remus. Ali could see the silent conversation going on between them. Regulus’s head inclined slightly toward Ali which she hoped to Merlin was a good thing. Remus looked back at his niece with a look in his eye she couldn’t read. “Rosalynn said you’ll have separate rooms?” Ali nodded her head so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. “And you’ll stay in them?” Once again she nodded, although she knew that they more than likely would be in the family room till late hours in the night. He looked back at Regulus, “you have no problems with her going?”

“No, I already knew about it. Rosalynn wrote about two days ago. If she wants to go, that's fine. You know Rosalynn will look after her as she does Blaise. And the Heavens know that boy would jump in front of the Knight Bus for Ali.” Regulus chuckled at Ali's shocked expression.

“Y-you knew? Why didn’t you say anything?” Ali struggled to get the words out.

“Rosalynn said Blaise wanted to ask you. She was just giving me a heads up, knowing how Remus is with boys and you. You know we talked quite often, Als.” Regulus winked at her.

“You may go,” Remus stated. She was shocked she didn’t have to put up more of a fight.

“WHAT?” Sirius shrieked. He knew that Regulus would let her go to the Death Eaters house, but Remus? He thought he could count on his ‘friend’ to at least say no. “You’re letting her go to the Death Eaters house? AGAIN? Who's also a boy and staying the night? Are you mad?”

Remus looked at Sirius with disdain, “No I am not. She is a good girl and Blaise has been her friend for years. Rosalynn loves her as much as we do and would never let anything happen. And for God's sake quit calling everyone a Death Eater.”

“Outrageous.”

“Sirius, you have no say in what she does. You gave that up last night. Ali is a good girl who makes good choices. Not only that but she also deserves a little something since she got Headgirl this year, don’t you think?” Regulus smirked as he saw the Granger girl's face fall.

“You got Headgirl?” Hermione whispered to Ali with disbelief lacing her voice.

“Yeah, I did. Draco got Headboy I believe, but it may be Theo. I haven’t asked yet.”

“Why do you and Draco get Head of Houses? Why not Hermione and -“ Ali cut her dear Godbrother off.

“And who? You? Ron? Why would any of you get Head of Houses with all the trouble you bring in? Sneaking out, stealing things, picking fights. We do have the highest marks in most classes as well as treat others equally unlike the likes of you.”

If looks could kill Ali would be dead three times over. In all honesty, she kinda felt bad for the younger Weasley boy seeing as all of his older brothers, bar Fred and George had been Headboy. But then she thought about the trouble he and his friends had caused her and her friends as well as others over the years. Harry preached about equality among the houses but she had witnessed many times when younger Slytherins were picked on by Gryiffndors. Hufflepuffs generally didn't have any problems with the other houses so long as everyone was being just. Ravenclaws tended to keep to themselves unless it really involved them. Whereas Slytherins preferred to stand up to those picking on other Slytherins especially the younger ones. Slytherins were always made out to be the bullies when in general if you got to know them people would notice that they are a lot more than what their parents used to be.

Ally had heard the stories of how mean James and Sirius were to those in Slytherin even if they never did anything to them. She believed in harmless fun could be had pulling pranks, but tricking someone into going to a place where a werewolf was was downright cruel. She had no doubts in her mind that James and Sirius were once good people like her Uncle Remus is now, but seeing as Sirius still acts like a child those doubts were becoming known.

“I just think that Slytherins shouldn’t be Head of House when all you will do is favor your own, and treat everyone else like dirt,” Ron stated.

“Ronald Weasley! How dare you say such a thing?!” Molly exclaimed.

“It’s alright Mrs. Weasey. I am used to hearing such things come from them and others in their house,” Ali looked Ron in the eyes, “You seem to forget that I’m a Ravenclaw, not a Slytherin. I do not favor anyone and will not when I start Head Girl duties but know this. I will give you as many detentions as you deserve if you are caught bullying, harassing, belittling, any of the other houses. You may think that Gryiffndors are the bravest of the houses and maybe you are in some ways, but you are cowardly in others. Maybe some Slytherins are as bad as you make them seem, but Harry,” she turned her head slightly to the side, “you seem to forget just which house Peter Pettigrew was in when he was the one who betrayed your parents. And Regulus was in Slytherin but seems to be more loyal to his friends and family than that rat was.”

“It seems that Alianova has given you all something to think about as you're getting ready for bed,” Molly stated looking at all the children present in the room. Her face grew red when she saw that none of them had moved a muscle. “Now.”

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, jumped from their seats and booked it to the stairs scared of Mrs. Weasley’s wrath. At some point, Charlie, Fluer, and Bill came back from scouting. Charlie ruffled Ali’s hair causing her to grin. “Good job, kid. You’ll make a great Head Girl.” Bill and Fleur nodded in agreement. “Nothing happened while we were out. We’ll give a full debrief tomorrow, but we will be heading to bed as well. Good night everyone.”

Molly walked to Ali and pulled her up out of her chair before placing both hands on Ali’s pale cheeks. “Don’t you worry, dear, I will be talking with all of them in the morning. You made a lot of valid points, and I for one am proud that you are Head Girl.”

She kissed her forehead before taking her husband to go to bed after waving her wand to get the kitchen clean once again. Arthur offered Ali a small smile before disappearing behind his wife. Sirius scoffed at the behavior which everyone heard but chose to ignore.

Ali turned to her three Uncles, waiting for the answer about going to her friends, and the scene that just played out in the kitchen.

“I am proud of you as well, Alianova. You have done excellent, and I know it is Remus and Regulus' decision about going to Blaises’, but I see no problem with it. I will stay in the guest room. Come get me if you need me. Good night, Ali.” He hugged her tightly, making Ali tear up slightly at the thought of Servus being proud of her. It also made her giddy at the thought of rubbing it in Draco’s face since Severus is his Godfather and never said such a thing to him.

Remus followed after Servus, wrapping his niece in a bear hug around her shoulders. The height difference amusing Regulus to no end seeing as Ali only came about midway in Remus’s chest. “You may go as long as it’s okay with Reg, and you stay in separate rooms. I am a little mad though that you didn’t tell me yourself about getting Head Girl, but I am still incredibly proud of you. No one deserves this more than you do, not even Harry.” The last part was whispered in her ear. He kissed her forehead, before heading to his room.

With the three Blacks being the only ones left in the room. “I don’t think you should go.” Sirius’s voice was venomous as he thought about his only child, his legacy, spending time with Death Eaters.

“It’s a good thing it doesn’t matter what you think isn’t it?” Regulus smirked at his older brother. He was not going to take this away from his child. “Ali, you may go so long as you stay in your separate rooms whenever the two of you decide to go to sleep because I know from having all your mates over it will be late.” He walked to Ali cradling her freckled face in his hands. “I am so proud to call you my daughter. Even after all that you have been through in your life you have still managed to form your own beliefs and thoughts as well as stand up for them. You deserve Head Girl over anyone else, and hopefully, you get to share it with one of your friends.”

Ali dove into her Uncle's chest. Tears welling up into her eyes at the thought that he really did think of her as his own even if she already knew it. It was nice to hear out loud. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I love you, dad.” She kissed his cheek before heading to her room to write Blaise.

Sirius felt his anger sore to new heights when he heard Ali call Regulus dad. He had enough courtesy to wait till she was out of earshot before grounding out, “We need to talk, Regulus.”

[iamthenightcolormeblack]

Impressions of Bride and Prejudice (2004)

I finally watched this movie as it is currently free on YouTube! It's a really interesting "modern-day" adaptation (specifically a Bollywood musical) of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice which takes place in Amritsar, India, London, England and California, USA instead of the English countryside. It stars Aishwarya Rai as Elizabeth Bennet (now Lalita Bakshi) and Martin Henderson as Mr. Darcy (William Darcy).

Names:

Bakshis = Bennets

Jaya Bakshi = Jane Bennet

Lalita Bakshi = Elizabeth Bennet

Maya Bakshi = Mary Bennet

Lakhi Bakshi = Lydia Bennet (Kitty isn't included here)

Kholi Saab = Mr. Collins

Balraj = Bingley

Chandra Lamba = Charlotte Lucas

Kiran = Caroline Bingley

Darcy's mother (Catherine Darcy) = Lady Catherine de Bourgh

The Casting:

Aishwarya Rai as Lalita Bakshi. She's captivating and beautiful as Lalita, with intelligence and wits to match. The film understands why Elizabeth Bennet is one of literature's greatest heroines: she has a lot of self-respect, speaks her mind, and refuses to compromise on her values. What's most important is that she achieves the balance between the two clashing cultures: she cares about her family and respects Indian traditions yet is also a strong individual who keeps her dignity.

Martin Henderson as William Darcy. I don't like that Darcy is an American in this movie because (in general) Americans are usually less reserved than British people, so it takes away a key part of Darcy's character (his repressed emotions). He's much more sympathetic than book Darcy because he seems to be more open-minded towards Indian culture the more he learns about it (unlike book Darcy, who is stubborn and insists that his "good opinion once lost is lost forever"). In the book, Darcy's pride has several characteristics (belief in the correctness of his opinions, belief in his social superiority, bad treatment of others he thinks is beneath him). I don't like how the film simplified his pride into imperialism/ethnocentrism, which he lets go of pretty quickly. Plus his "rudeness" can easily be perceived as discomfort in a new cultural environment because he hasn't been exposed to Indian culture, whereas in the book it seems to be intentional (and Darcy acknowledges to Elizabeth that he was taught to treat others beyond his own social circle meanly). Overall I had rather too much sympathy for him because he's too easy to read; he's experiencing a lot of culture shocks which he isn't prepared for, and his imperialistic beliefs (which come from his mother) don't help. One of the reasons book Darcy is interesting is because he's mysterious; his emotions remain hidden and the only sign of his growing love for Elizabeth is his staring at her. This Darcy is just a typical white American boy who is in love with a woman far superior to him in terms of intellect and cultural awareness.

Nitin Ganatra as Kohli Saab. Mr. Collins is one of my favorite cringe characters ever and never fails to disappoint. In this movie, he's an accountant who lives in the Beverly Hills area in Southern California and is very arrogant because he thinks he's a big shot living close to celebrities in a one-of-a-kind colonial home (when in actuality he lives in a cookie-cutter house in a suburb). He peppers his speech with Western slang to show off how "American" (and thus wealthy) he is, yet still clings to outmoded beliefs that women should be submissive housewives. He represents the very worst of Western culture in that he's materialistic and looks down on Indian culture as beneath him. In his quest for riches he has lost his Indian identity and become greedy.

Notable Scenes:

The first dance. Balraj is happy to have fun and show off his awesome dancing skills. Darcy, meanwhile, observes that the mothers are eyeing Balraj for the marriage market and is worried that his friend may be trapped by gold-diggers. He's clearly uncomfortable and out of his element here, so Kiran helps translate the songs for him. It's interesting seeing Kiran as a translator here because it would explain why she's one of the few people Darcy hangs out with; she's a cultural intermediary here to help him acclimate to a strange new environment.

Darcy snubs Lalita. This part in the book where Darcy insults Elizabeth by proclaiming her "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me" is significant in forming Elizabeth's hatred of Darcy. Not only is he impolite in refusing to dance with Elizabeth, he also shames her by criticizing her looks. In the movie, Darcy excuses himself from dancing with Lalita by saying that he's busy preparing for a conference (in this version, he's a rich businessman who operates luxury hotels). I wish they had kept the original insult in because without it, Lalita's dislike of Darcy has less merit. While it was impolite of him to not dance, he did use a proper excuse and didn't insult Lalita, so unlike in the book, it doesn't make sense why she would hate him so intensely after that one meeting.

A Marriage Has Come to Town song. In this song-and-dance number, Lalita and Jaya are preparing for the wedding to Balraj. The whole town is excited for the wedding and Lalita wonders if life for a woman is all about getting married to be a mere wife: "It seems they had nothing in their lives before today / and why are they so happy to give a daughter away."

Darcy and Lalita conversation #1: Lalita points out most Amritsar residents can't afford to stay at Darcy's luxury hotels; Darcy says standards are necessary, justifying the high price. Darcy says he finds arranged marriages strange and "backwards," hinting at an affinity with Lalita as they are both "romantics." Lalita, still thinking that Darcy is attempting to insult Indian culture, says that arranged marriages have evolved and may not be so evil as he thinks it is.

Lalita and Darcy "accomplished woman" scene. So they have the part from the book where they have Darcy's unrealistic list of the characteristics of his perfect woman and then it becomes a culture clash. Lalita says Darcy's whole hotel business is imperialism (the tourists visit without appreciating Indian culture and the jobs created only benefit the well-off). Darcy replies: "But I'm not British" ("American exceptionalism" is just another form of imperialism).

Dinner with Kohli Saab. I love watching all the "Dinner with Mr. Collins" scenes from all Pride and Prejudice adaptations because it reveals Collins' great arrogance in assuming himself to be of greater importance than he is, as well as his bad manners. This movie does not disappoint; Kohli Saab literally eats with his fingers, shoving rice into his mouth while talking at the same time. Meanwhile, he spews out misogynistic views of women, stating that he came to India to find a "traditional" wife who will serve and obey him; after all, there is "no life without wife." He notes that the Indian-American girls have "a conceited sort of independence" (not what he actually said in the movie, this is a quote from the book which really fits here) and that some of the Indian-American girls "have turned into the lesbian." Lalita later recalls that watching Kohli Saab eat is like observing "a Jackson Pollock painting."

"No Life Without Wife" song. An accurate reading of Kholi Saab: he's "crude and loud" and came to find a wife by flashing his "green card, new house, and big cash." The song reveals what a hypocrite he is; he's lonely and pathetic because there is "no life without wife" yet he won't respect his wife as his equal. I love the "Kohliwood" fantasy sequence where Lalita pictures herself unhappily serving Kohli as a submissive wife. After the song ends Lalita imagines herself marrying Wickham in the English countryside before it turns out Darcy is the groom; she runs away from him.

The Cobra dance. Maya shows off her dancing skills in an awkward dance. Kholi criticizes Indians for being "unsophisticated" (what an arrogant person) while Darcy, in a change of heart, praises how highly they value family.

Kholi's proposal. I love how he tries to train himself to power walk because it's trendy and before proposing stretches himself clumsily, knocking over a pot (he definitely isn't husband material). Lalita mocks Kholi's obsession with physical health, pointing out that many people are physically healthy but don't exercise their minds.

Visiting Kiran. Kiran is arrogant and takes the Bakshis over to her fancy apartment where the mother tries and fails to show some cultural knowledge. I find it interesting that the movie made Lalita and Kiran foils of each other. They are both intelligent women who are "multicultural" in that they can navigate both Indian and Western culture, but they use their cultural knowledge in different ways. Kiran uses it to belittle others and demonstrate her own superiority, while Lalita uses it as a means of gaining respect for herself and others.

Darcy ends up on the same airplane flight as Lalita. This is a cute scene where he gives the first class seat to Mrs. Bakshi just so he can sit with Lalita in economy class (he's totally in love with her!).

Kohli Saab's epic house tour. Love how he pays great attention to the jet tubs and the closets.

Meeting Darcy's mom. She's totally ethnocentric and possibly racist. The first thing she asks Lalita is "tell me about India" and she expresses her disappointment at Darcy's decision (because of Lalita, it's so obvious he's in love) not to buy the hotel in India because "everybody has their hand on India these days" (brings to mind spheres of influence/colonialism since the mother sees India as a place to make a profit). Then the mother reveals that she really isn't interested in India and only knows about its stereotypes: "well, with yoga, and spices, and...wonderful Eastern things here there's no point in traveling there anymore." Meanwhile Lalita retorts that "people haven't stopped going to Italy because Pizza Hut's around the corner."

The first proposal. Darcy's conflicted feelings for Lalita are effectively summed up (perhaps better than in the book, where he begins well but ends with a long account of the inferiority of Elizabeth's connections): "he loves her in spite of the fact that he tried to forget about her, he still wants to marry her in spite of the fact that his family (specifically his mom) will disapprove." Unfortunately, the emphasis on the social inferiority of Lalita's family is left out; Darcy doesn't say anything else until Lalita claims that he thinks her family is inferior and blames him for separating Jaya and Balraj. I don't like this because it seems like the separation of Jaya and Balraj was the only reason Elizabeth rejected Darcy. Also Elizabeth's admission that she did try to overlook her prejudice of Darcy doesn't make sense, because only after the first proposal does she do so.

Plot Changes. The major plot points are all included but the "order of events" has changed:

Lalita and Darcy become friends and she meets his family before his disastrous first proposal. There's a montage where they are traveling alone together, visiting the Grand Canyon and sharing a moment on the beach. I don't like this change because Darcy's separating Jane and Bingley wasn't the only reason Elizabeth rejected him, it was because she hated him (arrogant, proud, doesn't treat others nicely). By showing early on that Darcy is a good person, Lalita's prejudice against Darcy makes less sense because she now has a glimpse of Darcy's true character which in the book doesn't happen until the Pemberley visit.

Their early friendship disrupts Darcy's character journey because it reduces the significance of the first proposal to his character development. In the book, he doesn't start to reform himself until Elizabeth tells him that he needs to behave in a "more gentleman-like manner."

The first proposal is the consequence of all the miscommunication and false perceptions affecting Elizabeth and Darcy, and it motivates both characters to change. Elizabeth rightly scolds Darcy for being inconsiderate; he did the proposal for the selfish reason of purging his feelings so that he wouldn't have to suffer anymore and assumed that she would say yes. Elizabeth rejects him because of his rude manners and lack of consideration, and his defensiveness (where he portrays himself as the victim of feelings and implies he's such a good boy for wanting to marry her in spite of her horrid family) doesn't help. After realizing the extent to which Elizabeth hates him, Darcy writes The Letter to set things right, and Elizabeth realizes that she is not the best judge of character. Thus, giving us a fuller picture of Darcy's character and letting him charm Lalita before the first proposal reduces the significance of the event to the plot and character development.

Wickham and Lakhi have a connection early on, making Lakhi's attempted elopement inevitable. Right after the failed first proposal, Lakhi runs off with Wickham and Lalita and Darcy find out about it at the same time that Darcy comes to apologize and tell Lalita that Wickham is bad. I love that Wickham was punished really badly; after Darcy fights him, he gets slapped twice, once by Lalita and the second time by Lakhi. Even better is that Lakhi doesn't end up with Wickham.

Themes

The film uses the culture clash between India (Eastern) and Western cultures to examine what makes a good marriage.

Indian culture as presented by the film is more collectivist ("we" over "I"). It also promotes traditional gender roles, with women expected to be "meek and submissive" wives. In contrast, Western culture in the film is more individualistic and aspirational (careers and love are possible). But at its worst it condones exploitation of others for profit and cultural intolerance.

In the book, there are different kinds of "culture clashes:" traditional nobility versus new money (the Bingleys made their fortune in trade and Caroline is hoping to be an accomplished woman to make up for this), country versus city (Darcy offending Mrs. Bennet by claiming that the society is "confined and unvarying") and arranged versus romantic marriages.

The misunderstandings that propel the story (Darcy's dismissing of Elizabeth as "tolerable," him falling in love with her even though she still hates him, her belief in the legitimacy of "first impressions") are emphasized through the culture clash. Many of the conflicts in the film are a result of cultural stereotypes and conflicting beliefs.

Interestingly the film doesn't resolve the question it raises of how best to appreciate India and its culture. Lalita raises a lot of points about not oversimplifying Indian culture to a few stereotypes, but one could argue that India as represented by the film might be stereotypical. With the exception of the resort scenes and Goa beaches (which are tourist traps according to the film), the scenes in India heavily emphasize the "developing country" aspects of India with lots of pastoral scenes (cows crossing the road unharmed, farmland, dirt, shacks, dirty motorcycles fighting each other in traffic). Plus the "culture" as represented by the film's dance sequences seems to be the dominant Hindu culture with lots of elephants and saris and curry. Yes, I know this film is a romantic comedy, but the assertion that India is a complex, diverse country is contradicted by what we are presented. Presenting the rustic aspects of India would explain why the characters want to get out of India and go to the richer Western nations, but it harms the premise of the story that we shouldn't judge based on first impressions because the India scenes seem to confirm a Westerner's stereotypes of India (exotic people living in a primitive land).

Changing views on marriage: In the film, as in the book, we are presented with traditional and modern views on what makes a good marriage. Mr. Collins' marriage represents the traditional view in which marriage is a practical "economic proposition," much like a business deal where the marriage is made for the securing of material wealth and happiness comes last. Lady Catherine and other members of the aristocracy view marriage as a means of producing heirs (and bringing large amounts of money through dowries) to keep the property (source of power and wealth) in the family. The modern view of marriage is a partnership of equals who love and respect each other; happiness rather than material wealth/power is the priority. It threatens the power of the traditional nobles as it provides the potential for social climbing. Finally, it becomes another part of the culture clash, as it also ties in with the Western value of individualism, putting it at odds with the more collectivist Indian culture as presented by the film.

Elizabeth and Darcy in the book and in the film are united by their belief in a marriage based on love (the modern view). In the film, Darcy says he wants to look forward to starting each day with his wife, while Lalita says she wants a man who is a romantic and respects her for her mind. For instance, Elizabeth states that "only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony" and that Jane and Bingley should have some time to get to know each other before being rushed into marriage. To Elizabeth, mutual love and respect are essential for a marriage to succeed.

As for book Darcy, when Caroline catches him admiring Elizabeth and asks if he will marry her right away, he jokingly rebuffs her for making that assumption: "A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy." Significantly, he mentions love needing to come before marriage, hinting that he shares the same belief about respect (admiration) and love being necessary for a good marriage. In fact, a big reason he separated Jane from Bingley was because he feared that Jane did not love Bingley in return. In short, love in marriage is just as important to Darcy as it is to Elizabeth.

Conclusion:

Bride and Prejudice, as shown by the title, focuses heavily on the theme of marriage and uses the culture clash between India and the West to emphasize the importance of first impressions in our treatment of others.

Even if you aren't into Pride and Prejudice, the movie is worth watching for the Bollywood dance sequences. I also liked the songs because they effectively developed the marriage theme.

The characters are mostly true to the book, except for Darcy, who isn't proud enough and is quick to reform his character.

Last but not least, the real villains of the story were imperialism and ethnocentrism.

Tags: @thatvermilionflycatcher @appleinducedsleep @princesssarisa

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Meet the Mikaelsons

Enzo St. John x Mikaelson Reader

Words: 2363

Part 2 of 4: Part One

Summary: The engagement is official! You and your new fiance, Enzo, travel down to the spot of the big day; New Orleans. With wedding plans already in mind, your announcement to your family goes much better than Enzo expected. Now all he has to do is survive your brothers until the ceremony. 

Note: This might be my favorite chapter to write for the fact that I get to come up with the Mikaelsons’ reaction to the reader getting married. Especially to Enzo. Plus some Klaus drama and precious Elijah? My cup of tea, and I hope that it is yours as well! (Repost: I forgot how much I love writing Elijah and Klaus! Reading this made me so nostalgic. I know that Vampire Diaries/Originals doesn’t get read as much anymore, but I really hope there are some of you out there that love them as much as I do.)

-

Road trips with Enzo were always some of your favorite memories. Whether it was belting to the music on the radio or just riding in silence, listening to each other’s breathing move along with the hum of the engine, they always managed to bring a smile to your face, as well as his. 

But the buzz of the road died as soon as your bags hit the sidewalk outside the compound. The city sounds fell deaf on your ears, turned off by the sound of your heartbeat. The last time you were here, it was to scatter the ashes of your oldest brother Finn. Enzo had helped numb the ache that came from missing your siblings, but now, standing merely feet away from seeing them again, the feeling was almost unbearable. Excitement and worry mixed within you to the point that it was suffocating. Seeing the look on your face, Enzo gently grabbed your hand and gave you a small smile. 

“It’s alright love.” He slowly led you into the entrance. You gripped the bars of the gate and looked around inside.

“Freya?” You called into the courtyard. At first, there was just that still silence, but then the clicking of footsteps cut through the quiet. The oldest Mikaelson came into your view, curiosity spread across her features.

“Y/N?” She shrieked excitedly. With a wave of her hand, the gate opened and you were captured in your sister’s embrace. She pulled you further into the compound, but you stopped her. 

“Um, I brought a guest.” You stepped to the side, revealing the terrified vampire behind you. Enzo waved awkwardly, waiting to be invited inside. Freya watched him cautiously.

“Come in.” She said slowly. He stepped across the threshold and laced his fingers through yours again. You ignored her skeptical glances at your fiance and pulled her into your arms.

“I’ve missed you so much.” You breathed into her blonde hair. It was shorter than it was the last time you last saw her. Tears welled in your eyes, taking in every sound of the compound, filling your head with them. You were home. 

Freya stepped away from you. 

“I’ve missed you too, little sister.” She smiled brightly at you, then turned her attention to Enzo. “And who, may I ask, is this?” He started to introduce himself, but yet another voice cut him off.

“Y/N!” Rebekah sped over to you and nearly tackled you to the ground with an infamous bear hug. “You know it’s rude to visit without calling us first.” She scolded playfully. 

“I wanted it to be a surprise!” You laughed. There was a light murmur coming from upstairs. Three people in a deep conversation. “And the boys are arguing, no doubt?” She smirked.

“They won’t be once they see that you’re here.” You placed a hand on your younger sister’s face.

“When has that ever stopped them before?” You snickered. Like Freya, her eyes fell on Enzo, her head cocking to the side.

“And who might this heartbreaker be?” She asked. Enzo put on his dashing grin and bowed. 

“Lorenzo St. John. Friends call me Enzo.” He greeted. You couldn’t help the smile creeping onto your face. He was quite the charmer. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Rebekah shook his hand. Enzo tried not to wince at her incredibly strong grip. 

“I’ve heard about you, Enzo. I have some friends back in Mystic Falls, and they tell me that you’re a troublemaker.” Rebekah stepped closer to him, her expression a dare for him to retaliate and give her a reason to tear him to pieces. He chuckled.

“Yes well, from what I’ve been told, I should fit right in here.” Rebekah raised an eyebrow at his confidence. You snickered. She shrugged her shoulders as if to say ‘Fair enough’ and sat down on the sofa. Enzo whispered. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“She wasn’t the one you needed to worry about.” 

Your eyes darted upsards as your three brothers emerged from the room above you, looking down into the courtyard, their expressions menacingly serious. Your heart was beating faster than you could speed up the stairs and into Elijah’s waiting arms.

 “Elijah! How I’ve missed you.” The tears were openly streaming down your face as he held the back of your head in his hand, his other arm wrapped tightly around you. Behind him, someone coughed in annoyance. The two of you pulled away.

“No, no, continue.” Kol crossed his arms in a dramatic fashion. “It’s not like I’m her twin brother or anything…” Laughing through your tears of happiness, you ruffled Kol’s hair and hugged him as well.

“Are you ready to cause mischief for our siblings?” You challenged, your twin grinning maniacally.

“Always, dear sister.” He cheered. You turned to greet the third brother, but Klaus was still staring down into the courtyard at a semi-nervous Enzo.

“How rude of you Y/N, to not introduce us to our new guest.” Klaus turned to you, eyebrows raised and hands clasped behind his back. You placed a loving kiss on his cheek.

“I missed you too, Nik.” You leaped over the railing, landing gracefully on your feet. You wrapped your arm around Enzo. “Everyone, this is Enzo.” A deep breath filled you with confidence as you looked up at your brothers. “We are engaged.”

 At first there was a shocked silence, but to everyone’s surprise, Klaus’ laughter rang through the compound.

“No you’re not.” He grinned wildly at the two of you and poured himself a drink. 

“Yes we are, Nik.” You scoffed. He shook his head, still chuckling deeply. “What? Why is that such an impossible thought?”

“Because I know you, Y/N. You’re not exactly the type to chain yourself to one person for eternity. Especially not someone you met in dreary Mystic Falls.”

“Well I think we both know that people in Mystic Falls can be quite charming. Isn’t that right, Klaus?” You snapped. His face went red. You knew very well about his infatuation with Caroline. Elijah shifted uncomfortably, keeping his eyes solely on you. Kol jumped down to join you, throwing an arm around your shoulder. 

“This calls for celebration! Not only has the prodigal sister returned, she has brought a new member to the family. I say we all head to Rousseau's for a drink.” He proposed, but the rest of the family wasn’t as sure.

“You don’t care what is going on as long as it means a round of drinks, do you?” Rebekah snapped at her wily older brother. She turned to you, and her scowl slowly spread into a smile. “But I suppose a wedding wouldn’t be such a bad idea…” You squealed with excitement and pulled her into another bear hug. “What can I say; I’m a hopeless romantic.” You pulled away and shot Enzo a look as if to say ‘I told you’. Elijah slowly walked down the stairs, not saying a word, his expression unreadable. 

“Eli?” You stepped towards him cautiously. Of all of your siblings, you wanted his approval the most. Of course, you wanted everyone to love Enzo as much as you did, but Elijah was different. He would hide his true feelings if it meant pleasing everyone else. You just wanted him to be deeply and truly happy for you. After a moment of your stares, he finally smirked and shrugged his shoulders. He took your face in his hands and softly kissed your forehead with a small smile. 

“I’m just happy you’re home.”  

“Thank you thank you thank you!” You squealed, wrapping your arms around your big brother’s neck. He chuckled and shot Klaus a warning glance over your shoulder. He held up his hands innocently with a coy smile. 

“What do you say…” Klaus was off of the balcony and in front of him in a blink. “Enzo?” He questioned, taking a step towards the much younger vampire. Through his nerves, Enzo smiled back, flashing his teeth. 

“Drinks on me.” 

-

After a round of bourbon and whiskey, the whole family settled back to the compound for the night, with you and Enzo taking your usual room. You flopped down onto the bed, giggling like a little schoolgirl. Enzo laid down next to you, grinning at your happiness. 

“I can’t believe I’m home!” You sighed merrily. Enzo played with a strand of your hair, twirling it around his finger.

“I can definitely see that I have my work cut out for me.” He smirked. You bit your lip.

“You hate them, don’t you.” You pouted, running your fingers through your hair. “I know that they can be difficult and dramatic but-”

“I don’t hate your family.” Enzo interrupted, his deep laugh sending waves through you. “I just don’t think they like me very much.”

“They’ll learn to love you, I promise.” You pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. “I’m just worried Klaus won’t let them have the chance.” 

“So am I.” He muttered. A knock at the door alerted you both. You scrambled away from your fiancé. 

“Come in!” You shouted and the knob turned. Elijah stepped into the room and you could practically feel Enzo’s relief. Elijah sensed his nervousness as well and smirked. 

“I hope that you are feeling at home, Lorenzo. I know that we can be…difficult to adjust to.” He stood with his hands clasped in front of him, like he had some great matter to discuss. “Y/N, I was wondering if I could have a word with you before you settled in for the night.” 

“Uh, yeah.” You said, feeling slightly skeptical. Enzo shook his head frantically, worrying that this may be a plot to get him in the room alone so that Klaus could pounce. You shot him a glare before following your brother into the library down the hall. 

“I see that your fiancé isn’t quite used to Niklaus’ hospitality.” Elijah chuckled. You cringed. 

“Yeah… I think they just need a little time.” 

“I believe a few decades will do.” He noted with a smile. The two of you laughed. His expression became serious. “Y/N, I am not going to try and change your mind about marrying Lorenzo.” You opened your mouth to object, but he cut you off with a wave of his hand. “I just hope you know what you’re getting into.”

“I’ve lived for a thousand years, Eli. I think I know that marriages can be difficult.” You scoffed. Elijah sighed.

“That is not what I meant.” He watched you intensely. “You are bringing him into our family. Our enemies will become his. Lorenzo is much more vulnerable than you and I. He can be killed just as easily as any other vampire.”

“Enzo knows all of this. And he can handle himself.” You protested. “Besides, we will be there to protect him.” Elijah put a hand on your shoulder. 

“I want you to be happy, Y/N. I truly do.” He looked deeply into your eyes, trying to get his point across. “I simply don’t want to see you lose Lorenzo the way Hayley lost Jackson.” You remembered the day that Hayley called you to tell you that Jackson had been killed. You had grown close to the kind werewolf, and finding out about his death had been crushing. 

“You’re right.” You sighed, closing your eyes so you weren’t looking into your brother’s concerned stare anymore. “I hadn’t even really thought of the danger I would be putting him in....” You blew out a long frustrated breath. “Maybe this was a bad idea. I mean, what was I really thinking? That I could just force him into our family? I thought that it would fix everything but maybe I just wanted to rush into this so he couldn’t run away. Maybe I should just call everything off. Let him find someone who’s rivalries don’t extend back to the 12th century.” You ranted until you were out of breath.

He was right, of course. Your noble big brother was always right. Enzo didn’t just have Klaus to worry about, though he was certainly a big enough problem on his own. Your panic was evident and you started to pace. Elijah grabbed your arms and forced you to look at him again. 

“Y/N, do you love him?” He questioned, taking you off guard. 

“What?”

“It is a simple question, dear sister.” He laughed. “Do you love Lorenzo?” You took a deep breath.

“Of course I love him, Elijah. I asked him to marry me!” You exclaimed. “But-”

“Marry him.” He interrupted. “If there is one thing I have learned from loving Hayley, it is that we never know which day could be our last together. I wake up everyday knowing that I could lose her. But when I see her next to me, I realize that we must cherish what we have instead of living in the fear of losing it.” He placed a caring hand on your cheek. 

“Is this your way giving me your blessing?” You asked, feeling slightly confused.

“I suppose you could call it that.” He smirked and you nearly tackled him in a hug. You pulled away.

“There is one more thing I need you to do.” You bit your lip anxiously. “Make sure that Nik doesn’t make a massacre of my future husband?” 

“I’ll do my best.” Elijah snickered. “And do make sure he doesn’t do anything to aggravate Niklaus.”  

“Klaus would be more infuriated if he didn’t put up a fight.” You grinned and started out of the library door. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” Elijah called back. “And do keep the noise down. We do all have enhanced hearing, remember?” 

You laughed as you raced back down the hall into your room. Enzo was pacing in front of the bed, nerves clearly still on edge. When he saw you, his eyes immediately went wide. 

“What did he-” He started, but he was quickly interrupted by your ecstatic kiss, knocking him over onto the bed. He pushed you back, surprised by your sudden enthusiasm. “Y/N, what did your brother say?”

“We’re going to be married!” You squealed, coming in for another kiss. 

-

Keep Reading to: Get Me to the Church On Time

General Tag: @rae-gar-targaryen; @takemepedropascal; @childhood-imagination;  @mylovegoesto; @yellowbadgergirl; @itmejado; @suckmyapplejacks

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Domestic life; Ben Hardy x reader

*Author’s note*

Here is a cute little drabble request I got from my Wattpad account, I had hoped to have also posted this yesterday but oh well (I mean the fic doesn’t really revolve around Valentine’s day but it’s still fluffy enough to be counted as such). So enjoy this sweet little drabble. 

Warnings: Fluffy till your teeth rot. Lockdowns due to COVID (BUT THAT’S IT. Just the word and mention of just lockdowns in general).

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@simonedk

@queensdivas

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@queen-paladin

@wormzteef

@geek-and-proud​

@queendeakyy​

__________________________________________________________

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, even though I didn’t want to.  My arms raised over my head as I let out a tired groan and stretched myself out and let out a soft yawn.  I then looked over to my left and saw the man of life sleeping right beside me.  His golden locks looked like a halo under the rare chance we had a sunny day in London.

His tattoos exposed from his nightshirt, my favorite of course being his lion nose and mouth tattoo.  Those soft cute snores that came off his lips (even though he tries to deny it), and his chest slowly rising and falling with each breath he took. I raised my hand up and couldn’t help but lightly stroke the shape of his tattoo, very faintly tracing the curve of the nose, sliding my finger down the straight line before swaying across the bottom curve of the mouth.

“You know we could get you a matching set.” Ben’s sleepy baritone voice spoke up.  I looked up at him and said.

“If we did it’d have to be washable. You know how I am around needles.” He chuckled softly and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in closer.  “Did you sleep good?”

“I slept great. You?”

“Like a rockfish.” He placed a kiss to my forehead and we just looked into each other’s eyes.  “So what shall it be today?”

“Well you know WandaVision premieres today so wanna check it out?”

“I still can’t believe you made me binge the entire MCU movies during our lockdown.”

“And you loved it admit it. Hell Benny boy you were in the Marvel Universe. Granted it was solely owned by Sony before Disney bought the rights but it’s still the Marvel fandom.”

“So after that, then what shall we do?”

“Well we really can’t go anywhere so……wanna just have a lazy day in? No work out day, order take out for our three meals and maybe—fool around?” I teased with a wink.

“You are a cheeky mix.” He then captured my lips with his.

“Yes but—you did asked me to marry you. Which I’m surprised by the way.”

“What do you mean?” he asked as he began to kiss down my neck.

“Don’t act stupid Ben. I know about that affair with Joe and your little side hustle with Gwil. I swear it’s like I married 3 men instead of 1.”

“You knew what you were getting yourself into when you agreed to marry me.” He said as he hovered over me.

“Yes I know.” He chuckled as he pecked my lips. Then again, and again and again. I giggled and playfully pushed him off of me and said. “Alright you human golden retriever.”

“You know that if I were going to be a dog, I’d be a beagle like Frankie.”

“Nah you’re a golden retriever. Silly, goofy, and loving all the way.” I bopped his nose before getting up and headed downstairs to let Frankie out into the backyard to go pee.

As soon as she saw me, she got out from her bed and I greeted her with a ruffle and scratch on her head.

“Hey there baby girl, ready for breakfast?” her head cocked to the side as her tail began wagging softly. “Come on let’s have breakfast.” She got out of her bed and trailed me to the kitchen.  I reached in and grabbed her dog food and dumbed a good amount into her dog bowl and she immediately started scarfing it down.

I began preparing breakfast and as I cracked the last egg, I felt Ben’s arms wrap around me and felt a kiss at my temple.

“You make the best omelets ever.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” I teased him.

“Who says I’m trying to flatter you? I’m stating pure fact.” I smiled at him.

“Well how about you give me a hand here instead of just standing there looking pretty.” He chuckled softly and saluted to me.

“Just tell me what to do Captain.” I then told him what to give me next and I proceeded to finish making the omelets.

Once they were done, Ben and I went over to the living room and I started up Disney+ to play the first 2 episodes of WandaVision.

“Okay so remind me again, is this before or after Endgame?” asked Ben.

“I wanna say this is after Endgame. Again I’ve been a little confused as to the timeline or what exactly is the time period here. All I know is that it’s like a sitcom now. And I can see that they’ve definitely gotten the exact cinematography down. You see how it’s a full screen and them using a single camera.”

“God I love it when you talk cinematography like that.”

“Sorry if I come across as annoying while we watch this.”

“No, no, no, no, no it’s fine. Really. It means you’ve got a good eye for camera angels. Remember when Dexter allowed you to film us when we were doing the We will rock you scene?”

“It was only for 10 minutes while he went to talk with the costuming department and to get him his 10th cup of coffee.”

“Still, he was amazed at the fact you helped with blocking and what you had already filmed. So much so we had it in the film.” I softly smiled and we continued to watch the episode, then watched the second one.

As the day went on, Ben and I kept watching various films as well as taking Frankie out for her walks.  The sun was just starting to set and Ben said.

“Alright one last movie of the day, I feel like if I keep eating more popcorn I won’t be able to fit into these sweats anymore.”

“I wouldn’t mind that. Whether you have a 6 pack or a bit of a pooh bear tummy, I’d love you either way.” He blushed at my compliment and scrunched himself into a ball as I poked his tummy.

“Alright so what shall our last movie be tonight?”

“Well, how about we do Gwil’s movie Top End Wedding?” Ben pondered before saying.

“Okay. Any reason why?”

“Well I—he and I may have talked about that shortly after it came out and I might have told him I’d already seen it when actually I didn’t.” I wearily said.

“Oh I see so you-you lied to my best mate about a movie he was in and wanted your opinion on.”

“Oh coming from you Mr. Oh yes I’ve drummed since I was 12!” I sassed back at him.  He shushed me and covered my mouth with his hand.  I pushed his hand away from my mouth and said. “So can we watch it? I’ve been busy and you know it.”

“Yeah I know love, you know I was just teasing.” He wrapped his arm over my shoulder and switched over to Hulu now and we found Gwil’s movie.  I’ll admit it took me by surprise (I mean based off the trailers I’ve seen it pretty much told the whole story) but the humor and message it sent out really spoke volumes that no other romcom has ever done before.

Plus the aerial shots were just amazing.  The way the cameras would pan over the river or the ridges, you can’t fake that breathtaking view with CGI.  After the movie was over, I let out a soft yawn.

“You tired?” questioned Ben.  I nodded, barely able to keep my eyes open any longer. “Alright, come on then you. Let’s get you into bed.” I moaned softly and held my arms out.

“Carry me.” I heard him chuckle but I felt him lift me up in his arms bridal style and he carried me all the way to our bedroom.

He set me down on the bed and cuddled up close to me before putting the duvet over us.  I automatically placed my head over his chest and placed my arm over his stomach while his arms came around me.

“I had fun today.” I said as I nuzzled into his chest.

“Me too. It’s nice to just kick back and relax for the day. Thank you babe.”

“Anything for my handsome boy.” He kissed the top of my head and soon the two of us cuddled closer (even though I don’t know how much closer we could be at this point) to one another till finally we fell fast asleep.

[all-hail-the-witcher]

say yes to the plus one

the sequel to say yes to the drinks. which you should read first. i am so tired. just have it. 

__

ship: geraskier

warnings: none

editing: ish

words: over 3k but under 4k

genre: floof

__

After getting drinks with Geralt, Jaskier could not stop thinking about him. He found himself taking more time with his appearance each morning - something that he hadn't even thought would be possible - hoping that Geralt would come into the store.

But Geralt still hadn’t come into Kleinfelds since the day of his trunk show. Jaskier tried not to be disappointed. He knew that he was very busy and it had been a one off that he had even met him in the first place.

Still, he couldn’t help but think that the two of them had something. There must have been some sort of chemistry between the two of them. Why else had Geralt asked him to get drinks after he had made that awful slip up with the magic fingers? Surely, he must feel something for him.

He had been texting Jaskier though, so Jaskier knew that he was at least still interested. Every message that he got wishing him a good morning or about some funny wedding dress design or of a picture of Geralt’s Pomeranian, Roach, made his heart flutter. There just had to be a future for them, right?

So, Jaskier went through yet another day of busy appointments at Kleinfelds, hoping that he would run into Geralt.

Late May into early June was always a busy time for them. Jaskier didn't personally understand the appeal of getting married in a zillion degree heat, but to each their own. This was by far his least favorite part of the year though. He spent every hour at work on his feet, hardly getting a break as he rushed from appointment to appointment: checking on alterations, making sure that every bride was getting their dream dress, and providing tweaks to designs when necessary to prevent bridal meltdowns.

It was nothing short of exhausting.

“Jaskier!” Camille, one of the consultants, called to him at around mid afternoon.

He had just spent the last hour trying to get a very adamant, very conservative mom and a very eccentric bride on the same page. He needed a daiquiri. Or three. Still, he turned around and put on his brightest smile.

“Yes, darling?”

“You’re needed down in alterations,” she said with a sweet smile.

Jaskier nodded and turned back through the salon to walk down to alterations. He hated going to alterations. If he was needed there, it usually meant that shit had hit the fan in some sense. He braced himself for a long afternoon.

He walked up to the manager, about to ask her where he was needed, when a shout from behind him made him jump.

“Jaskier!”

And a swell of desire rose up in Jaskier’s stomach because he knew that gravelly voice. Quickly, he straightened his tie, thankful he had worn his good pink one today, before taking a deep breath and turning around.

“Geralt!” he said, trying furiously to keep his cheeks from flushing. “What a lovely surprise.”

“Surprise?” Geralt’s brows furrowed together as he walked up to Jaskier, his wolfs head cane clicking across the floor. He was wearing a light blue button down today with the sleeves cuffed to his forearms that made his golden eyes pop and Jaskier had to struggle to keep his eyes on his face. “I texted you this morning.”

Jaskier’s eyes widened as he reached into his blazer pocket for his phone. Sure enough, there were two messages from Geralt. The first was a picture of Roach, lying in a patch of sun in his apartment. The second was a message that read:

Hey, I’m going to be at Kleinfelds today doing a custom fitting. Can you help with the appointment?

And Jaskier had never even seen it. Much less responded.

“Oh Geralt, I am so terribly sorry,” Jaskier said quickly. “This is our busiest time of year and I have hardly had a moment to think today.”

“You don’t have to help,” Geralt said sincerely, concern clouding his eyes. “I don’t want to push you too hard with the rest of your appointments, but I just figured that since I was here, I would ask.”

“No, no darling!” Jaskier said, rushing to reassure him. “Of course I will help! Helping you is much better than dealing with emotional brides and entourages that aren’t on the same page.”

“It’s alright Jaskier,” Geralt said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I know you just want to see my magic hands at work again.”

This time, Jaskier did flush bright red. “ You! ” he said outrageously, gaping at Geralt’s audacity to bring up his slip up from last time. “You need a nap!”

But Geralt just laughed, a glorious sound that sent shivers down Jaskier’s spine. “I think you’re the one who needs the nap, Jaskier.”

Jaskier shot him an incredulous look. How dare he make such assumptions, and how dare he be right?

“Anyway, the fitting is for my brother’s fiancee,” Geralt explained. “I made her a custom dress and she’s coming in for her fitting today. There was a shipping delay, so we only have time for one fitting before their wedding next week. I was hoping you could help.”

Jaskier could see the tension that had creeped its way into Geralt’s broad shoulders and the worry that was clouding his pretty face.

Jaskier placed a reassuring hand on Geralt’s arm. “Of course I’ll help, darling. Helping resolve wedding dress disasters is my specialty. Er- not that your dress is a disaster,” he said quickly, amused by the way that Geralt’s eyebrows had shot up. “Nothing that you design could ever be a disaster, the way that you work lace and beads is just divine, not a disaster. Not in any way a disaster. What I meant was the fact that she only has one fitting, that’s the disaster. Not your dress.”

“My magic fingers are quite incapable of creating a disaster dress, you’re right,” Geralt winked.

Jaskier resisted the urge to smack his shoulder. “You are never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“Nope.” Geralt looked far too pleased with himself. “Can you grab the dress for me? It’s on the rack for the day. And can you bring it to room 13?”

“Of course,” Jaskier said. He’d let the magic fingers comment slide for now. Geralt looked far too attractive with his moonlight silver hair in an artful bun, tendrils framing his face, for him to stay mad at him for long. He had never been able to resist a pretty face.

“Thank you.” Geralt moved past Jaskier and began to make his way to the room. Jaskier turned to watch him walk down the hall. His ass looked far too delicious in those gorgeous, fitted navy pinstripe pants. He just had to appreciate it. It would be a crime not to.

Distantly, he wondered if his ass looked just as delicious without the pants on. And was he wearing boxers or briefs? Oh who was he kidding, he had to be wearing at least briefs with pants like those. But what color? Geralt seemed like the type of man to appreciate a fun pair of underwear and-

Jaskier. Get your head out of the gutter.

He made a beeline to the rack and grabbed the dress. He had already left Geralt waiting long enough.

“Here you are,” Jaskier said, hanging the dress in the room.

Geralt fidgeted with his shirt sleeves, eyeing the bag. With a pang, Jaskier realized that he was nervous.

“I’m sure she’s going to love the dress,” Jaskier said, putting as much sincerity as he could into his words. “You are one of the best designers in the industry, Geralt.”

“I know,” Geralt said. “But I’ve never designed for someone that I know before, there’s more risk involved if they don't like it. Cause she’s put all her trust in me and what if she doesn’t like it? This is her only fitting. There isn't time to make anything else."

“Geralt,” Jaskier placed his hand over Geralt’s where he was still fidgeting with his sleeve. “She’s going to love it. Don’t doubt yourself so much, it ruins your pretty face.”

Fuck, did he just really say that out loud?

Geralt’s doubt dissipated as he looked at Jaskier amusedly. “You think my face is pretty?”

“Well who wouldn’t?” Jaskier said, trying and failing to backpedal. “It’s a plenty beautiful face, I mean you’ve got a nose and eyes and everything and…”

“I would hope I have a nose and eyes, yes,” Geralt laughed. Then, he leaned in, as if telling Jaskier a secret. “I’ve also heard that I have lips, too.”

Jaskier was saved the embarrassment of having to respond by a consultant escorting who Jaskier assumed to be Geralt’s brother’s fiancee and her entourage into the alterations area.

“Geralt!” a pretty girl with dark, curly hair said as she stepped up to hug him.

“Hi Triss,” Geralt said, giving her a polite hug and waving to the rest of the entourage. “Are you excited?”

“Of course I’m excited,” she said. “It’s only a week away, Geralt. This better be every bit as perfect as you said it would be.”

“It will be.” Geralt’s smile was easy, as if he hadn’t been freaking out about the appointment moments before.

“And who is this?” Triss asked, turning to Jaskier.

“Oh, everyone, this is Jaskier. He’s a consultant here and my friend,” Geralt said.

“Hello!” Jaskier said, giving everyone a wave.

“Jaskier, this is Triss, the bride to be. She’s marrying my brother.” Geralt gestured to the woman with the dark hair standing in front of them.

“Hello darling,” Jaskier said, shaking her hand. “You look just gorgeous.”

“Thank you,” Triss smiled.

“And this is Triss’s friend Yennefer, Yennefer’s daughter Ciri, my other brother Lambert, and Lambert’s husband Aiden,” Geralt said, pointing at the people sitting on the bench.

Jaskier waved to them all and gave them his best customer service smile.

“Tell me about your fiancee, darling,” Jaskier said to Triss.

“I am getting married to Eskel,” she said, her face lighting up immediately. “We’ve known each other forever and he is perfect.”

“Forever is an understatement,” Geralt said. “They went to kindergarten together.”

“Oh, a childhood love story!” Jaskier clapped his hands together. “How romantic! Let’s hope you have a dress to match.” He turned to Geralt.

“Well darling,” Jaskier said, gesturing to the garment bag that Triss’s dress was in. “Would you like to do the honors?”

Geralt stepped up to the garment bag, his shoulder taught with anxiety.

“Take a breath, Geralt,” Jaskier whispered, just quiet enough for only Geralt to hear. “She’s going to love it.”

Geralt nodded once before unzipping the bag and pulling out the dress. Jaskier couldn't help but gasp.

“Oh my god, it’s gorgeous,” Triss gasped next to him, taking Jaskier’s words right out of his mouth. “Geralt, you’ve outdone yourself.”

“You haven’t even put it on yet,” Geralt said, stepping away so that the entourage could see it as well.

“I don’t have to to know that it’s everything I wanted and probably more,” she said, giving Geralt another hug. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Geralt said and Jaskier thought that he saw a light blush tinting his cheeks. Was Geralt embarrassed? Oh that was just adorable…

The dress itself was gorgeous, just as Jaskier suspected it would be. It was a glorious ivory color that seemed to shift under the lights to be a gorgeous pale blush pink. The skirt appeared to be A line and was sleeveless with a high neck. The bodice had an intricate lace and beading design that blended into the skirt. Jaskier knew that the dress was going to be amazing but Triss was right, Geralt had really outdone himself.

“Would you like to put it on, darling?” Jaskier asked.

Triss nodded, still not tearing her eyes from the dress as Geralt stepped out of the dressing room and Jaskier closed the curtains behind him.

He helped Triss into the dress, zipping up the back effortlessly.

“Oh it fits you like a glove darling,” he remarked. “Almost like it was made for you. Oh wait-” he smiled at her. “It was, wasn’t it?”

Triss laughed at his terrible joke - bless her - as she fingered the lace and beads on the front. “I wasn’t expecting it to look this beautiful,” she whispered.

“Well then let's spin you round, darling,” Jaskier said, taking her hand as she turned to face the mirror. “That’ll really shock you.”

“Oh my god.” She clapped her hands over her mouth as she gaped at herself in the mirror, turning from side to side to look at herself better. “Oh my god .”

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Jaskier smiled at her. “Geralt is far more talented than he gives himself credit for.”

“Tell me about it,” Triss said distractedly as she continued to stare at the dress. “This is absolutely gorgeous. I love it. Eskel’s going to love it. Everyone’s going to love it.”

“Stop feeding pretty boy’s ego and show us then!” someone shouted from the other side of the curtain.

“Fuck off, Lambert!” Triss called back. “I’m having my bridal moment,” she whispered, tears springing up in her eyes as she continued to stare, utterly transfixed by the dress.

“Here, darling,” Jaskier said, pulling his pink pocket square out of his breast pocket. “You don't want to get your mascara on the dress now, do you?”

Triss dabbed at her eyes and took a deep breath before handing the handkerchief back to Jaskier.

“Are you ready to show your entourage?”

“She better be!” Lambert shouted from outside again.

Triss let out a watery laugh. “Yeah, I am.”

Jaskier drew back the curtain as Triss turned around.

“Oh, Triss,” Yennefer said, tears unmistakably clouding her eyes. “You look gorgeous.”

“Holy fuck, Geralt,” Aiden muttered as he stared at the dress, his jaw dropped. “ You designed that ?”

“Hey!” Lambert elbowed him. “I already said that pretty boy doesn’t need his ego inflated any more than it is!”

“Okay but fucking look at the dress, Lambert. It’s fucking gorgeous. And I’m half fucking blind. ”

Lambert shrugged. “Yeah I mean it’s nice. It’s a dress. It’s fabric. I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Say she looks beautiful!” Aiden nearly shouted, smacking Lambert’s shoulder. “And that Geralt did a great job because if you don't I swear your ass-”

“Boys.” Triss crossed her arms. “There are children present.”

“I’m nineteen!” Ciri protested, throwing her hands up.

Triss ignored her. “There are children present and this is my fitting. So Lambert, shut up and tell your brother he did a good job.”

“You did a good job not fucking it up, Ger,” Lambert muttered.

“I’ll take it. And Aiden? You can finish that sentence later,” she said with a pointed look.

She turned to Jaskier, who had been watching the entire exchange with raised eyebrows. “Sorry about them, they are always like this.”

Lambert flipped her off. Aiden threw up a peace sign.

“Well,” Jaskier said, trying to contain his laughter. “Clearly they are meant for eachother.” He was just glad that he hadn’t had to diffuse the situation. He was tired of telling entourages to get along.

“It’s a good thing they got married then,” Geralt said, standing slowly and walking over to Triss. “You like the dress then?”

Triss once again read Jaskier’s mind and playfully punched Geralt’s shoulder. “I fucking love it . I was right, it is everything I wanted and more. Thank you.” Her eyes were shining with tears again and this time, it was painfully obvious that Geralt blushed when he looked down at his shoes.

“Of course, it was my pleasure,” Geralt said, squeezing her arm. “I’m glad you and Eskel are finally tying the knot, I couldn't imagine a more perfect match for him than you.”

“Geralt,” Triss sighed, the tears pooling in her eyes spilling over again. “You didn't need to make me cry more! The dress was enough!”

Geralt just laughed. Jaskier silently passed Triss his pocket square again.

“Is there anything big that you want to change or do I just need to adjust the fit?” Geralt asked.

“Just the fit,” Triss said, dabbing at her eyes again.

Geralt nodded and set to work, silently slipping into the zone, pinning and adjusting and occasionally stepping back and squinting at his work. Jaskier knew that Triss and her entourage were talking, but he didn't even pretend to be paying attention. He was much more content to watch Geralt work, his fingers gliding effortlessly over the fabric as he made the already gorgeous gown look somehow even more phenomenal.

“Alright,” Geralt said, stepping back. “I think that that should be good, spin round for me.”

Triss turned to look in the mirror.

“Does it look okay?” Geralt asked and Triss punched his shoulder again. “Ow!”

“Geralt if you don't stop insulting your frankly quite stunning work, I will have to steal your little demon dog,” she said, looking over the dress in the mirror. “But yes, everything looks good.”

“Roach isn’t a demon,” Geralt pouted, and oh fuck wasn’t that adoreable.

“That fucking dog almost bit my hand off!” Lambert shouted from the bench.

Geralt made several rude gestures at him and Jaskier nearly swooned. Fucking hell he was gone for this man. And it was only the second time that he had seen him.

“Jaskier, can you get her out of the dress?” Geralt asked. “Be careful with all the pins.”

Jaskier nodded, very much at a loss for words.

“C’mon darling,” Jaskier said, tugging the curtain closed behind Geralt again.

He undid the zipper on the back of Triss’s dress and helped tug the dress off her shoulders, mindful of the many pins that Geralt had put in it.

“Have you and Geralt known each other long?” Triss asked.

“Oh, no not at all,” Jaskier said, glad that he was standing behind her and couldn't see the flush of his cheeks. “He helped me with an appointment a few months ago and we went out for drinks after and we’ve been texting occasionally, but that’s it.” He didn’t say that he wished it was more.

“You went out for drinks on the day you first met?” Triss asked, letting her voice rise. “That’s interesting, Geralt doesn’t often go out with people that he’s just met.”

There was a shout from the other side of the curtain, but it was muffled almost immediately, the sound of a hand slapping over someone’s mouth unmistakeable.

“Well, it had been a long day and we were both in need of one. Step out for me, darling,” Jaskier said, picking up the dress and hanging it back up.

“I’m sure you were,” Triss said from behind him as he zipped the dress carefully back into the garment bag. Before he had the chance to ask what she meant, she was opening the curtains and walking back outside to her entourage.

Jaskier picked up the garment bag and followed her.

“It was lovely meeting all of you,” he said, waving to the entourage. “Triss, darling, I hope you have a wonderful wedding and Geralt, it was nice seeing you again.” He turned back down the hall to go hang up the dress for Geralt to deal with later. He should get back upstairs, hopefully nothing too dire had happened in the salon during his absence, even if the break had been nice.

He was just turning to go up the stairs when he saw Geralt walking purposefully towards him, his cane clicking quickly against the floor.

“Jaskier!”

“Oh, hi again!” Jaskier said. “I was just going to head back upstairs, we are still very busy.” He gave Geralt an apologetic smile. There was nothing that he would rather do than stand and talk with Geralt.

Geralt winced. “Then I guess you probably shouldn't have helped me with the appointment.”

“No, no!” Jaskier said quickly. “It was my absolute pleasure, Geralt. And honestly? The salon was driving me a bit insane, so it was quite a nice and much needed break.”

“Well thank you for helping,” Geralt smiled. “I think it went well.”

“It definitely did, darling,” Jaskier said. “She loved the dress, just like I told you she would.”

Geralt rolled his eyes and looked down at his feet, placing both hands on top of his cane. “Actually though, I had something to ask you before you get back to work, if that’s okay. I don’t want to keep you.”

“The only thing you’re keeping me from is crying brides and disapproving mothers, and there is only so much of that that my poor soul can take,” Jaskier said. “I’d rather stay here with you and your-” he cut himself off before he made another terrible slip up. He had already learned his lesson from last time.

“With my magic hands? Or my pretty face?” Geralt asked smugly.

Jaskier sighed, ignoring him. “What was it that you wanted to ask me?”

“I have a plus one for Triss’s wedding next week,” Geralt started.

“And you haven’t asked anyone yet?” Jaskier asked. “Geralt, what have you been doing?”

“...Designing dresses?” he said sheepishly.

Jaskier swore his heart melted. He just looked so cute. How on earth was this allowed?

“Well, you better ask someone,” Jaskier said. “You’re running out of time.”

“Yes I know.” Geralt looked at Jaskier and smiled. “Jaskier, what are you doing next Saturday?”

“Saturday?” Well…” Jaskier trailed off, trying to remember what was coming up. “That is technically my day off, but I might still come in because we have just been so busy and we’re getting a new collection in and I’m going to have to….wait….” his eyes widened as he finally processed what Geralt had been asking him. “Are you….are you asking me..?”

“Would you like to be my plus one to Triss’s wedding?” Geralt asked, his golden eyes somehow sparkling in the atrocious fluorescent lighting.

“ Oh ,” Jaskier gasped. “Yes. Yes I would love to.”

“Great,” Geralt said, breathing an audible sigh of relief. “I’ll pick you up at 1pm. It’s formal. Be ready.”

Oh, Jaskier would be ready alright. He walked back to a salon with a huge smile plastered across his face.

__

may be a ch 2. havent decided. 

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