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boldlyvoid · 4 years ago

Text

the guy at the rock show

she/they reader x Spencer Reid

request for @boba-king-iroh ♥︎

summary: Y/N lost their parents when they were 17, finding a new home and solace in Penelope Garcia and taking the Garcia name. They're the top forensic specialist in D.C, in a band and they drive a motorcycle... not to mention they are madly in love with the cute doctor who works with their sister.

warnings: fluff, mutual pining, getting together, love confessions, friends to lovers, idiots in love, PDA, secret relationships

word count: 5666

a/n: there will be a smutty part 2 eventually because I can't not do that

THE PLAYLIST THAT GOES WITH THEIR SETLIST IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN WHILE YOU READ

Read on Ao3 here!

Taking Garcia’s last name wasn’t something they had to think hard about, Penelope basically raised them; she was like a sister, a best friend and a mother, even a bit of a fairy godmother to Y/N.

They met when Y/N was 17, they were sitting at a support group for dead parents in D.C. Right beside the lovely, overly cheerful, always helpful, Penelope Garcia. At first, Y/N couldn’t stand her, wondering how a person like that could be running a group for mourning people, it made her sick.

It wasn’t until she heard Penelope’s story for the first time, knowing how similar it sounded to her own and how, actually, you can take your grief and turn it into something beautiful. After the meeting, they pulled Penelope aside and gave her a big hug and a thank you.

It was the start of a lovely friendship, one Y/N didn’t know they needed until they were smothered in all the love you could possibly imagine.

The age gap between them wasn’t too big, Penelope was 10 years older than them which meant she was always one step ahead of Y/N and full of advice. Be it fashion, boys, girls and everything in between. They bonded in a way that was unbreakable, they were each other's family.

Penelope even helped her get into med school before she eventually switched to forensic science. Taking on the FBI academy, unlike Penelope, and joining the bureau officially. Penelope was there for her every single step of the way, making her career possible. She loved her dearly and wanted Y/N to succeed more than anyone in the world.

Getting to introduce herself to people as Agent Y/N Garcia, not to be confused with technical analyst Garcia, was one of the best feelings in the world.

Not many people ever mistook them, however, for whatever Penelope was, Y/N was the exact opposite.

Y/N preferred all black everything, she didn’t enjoy partying or close contact or the in-your-face-ness of Penelope’s way of life, she loved her band and motorcycle and being alone. They were quote-unquote edgy, not just for effect, but because it was how they felt the most comfortable, it was who they were and they liked it that way.

They were possibly the best Forensic Specialist the FBI had, keeping her in DC for all the most important cases. Helping her avoid Penelope and the BAU team as much as possible. They were great people, she didn’t hate them at all, it was just a lot of energy that they didn’t have to give to 7 other people all day long.

Spencer was the only one she could tolerate. Rather, he was the one she wanted to spend the most time with, even more than Penelope. He understood Y/N in a way others didn’t.

He was also quiet, like them, he didn’t pick on them or call them mini Garcia, baby-baby girl, or infant as some of them started to call her more recently.

He called them Y/N, he talked to them about star trek whenever he was visiting Penny, and he respected their pronouns. Using both she and they interchangeably, when he spoke of them, unlike most people who only used she and her because it made more sense in their small brains.

However, she wasn’t the only one who got teased. Spencer did as well, almost more because he was around the BAU team constantly. She hated hearing them bully him, he didn’t even count it as bullying but it’s basically what it was sometimes.

They put him down, they didn’t clue him in on things, they called out his stims and didn’t let him finish his sentences, especially when it had to do with his hyper-fixations. He was the brightest light in the room and they just picked his brain till he wasn’t useful anymore, before trying to turn out the light. It made Y/N furious.

They got called Mr and misses genius when they were on a scene together, remembering the first time she ever had a case with the BAU which was also the first time she snapped at someone for being mean to Spencer.

Someone asked Spencer a serious question, to which he did his fucking job and answered. Giving as much detail as humanly possible, being the absolute genius he is and should be praised for, only to have Emily poke him in the cheek and say; “wow, he’s so life-like?”

“Well yeah, cause he’s a fucking human who deserves respect from the people who use his brain all day,” Y/N cursed under their breath from the crime scene, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Leaving the sweetest man on earth to find them later and give them a hug. Thanking them for all that they do, and appreciating what he has to offer. That’s when she realized she liked him, more than just the guy who sometimes sleeps on her couch because he’s friends with her sister.

It was difficult being surrounded by men unlike Spencer, specifically the older men in her field who didn’t understand anything outside of money, guns, and violence. The worst part of the job being the politics in the background; the hierarchy and ass-kissing all because she worked in the nation's capital.

They were sure it was probably better in a smaller facility, a local police station where no one knew her and they could finally have some peace and quiet.

But she’d miss Penelope, and Spencer too for that matter.

At first, they’d hide in their room when Penelope brought him over for movie nights or when he crashed on the couch after bringing her home drunk from the bar. In the early days, she worried that he was going to be her new boyfriend, taking all of Penelope’s free time and leaving Y/N with nothing.

But then he started coming over all the time just to hang out, sitting on the couch with nothing to say, being the third wheel while Y/N and Penelope spent time together. For the last 7 years.

Over that time they had many conversations alone, she learned that he was really smart, he was a lot younger than most of the team because he blew through high school by the time he was 13, and he was genuinely the sweetest man in the whole entire world.

One time, Penelope was running late when Spencer showed up at the door with chips and candy, ready to watch his weekly movie with his friend. Only she wasn’t going to make it home in time, and Y/N didn’t want him to have to go back to his apartment all alone.

“You can come in and watch it with me if you wanted to?” She offered, smiling softly. “What was it you picked for tonight?”

“It was Penelope’s night to choose, so you can pick instead if you want?” Spencer offered right back, walking in like he owned the place.

He was more confident now than he was in the beginning, but that was probably because he was 23 and she was 18.

Back then he’d barely look at her and sometimes he’d shake when they made eye contact or when she got drunk and hugged him goodbye after a long night with Penelope. He was like that with Penny in the early days of their friendship too, apparently, so she didn’t feel too bad about it.

He warmed up eventually, making her wait 7 years for him to do something about the growing feelings they both shared.

“You like Marvel movies right?” She bit the inside of her lip as she waited for his answer. Watching him walk around the kitchen for a bowl that he could put his snacks in.

“Yeah they’re great, I haven’t watched past the second Thor, I think the next one is another Captain America?” he’s all smiles as he joins her on the couch, closer than normal, as close as he’d sit with Penelope, but then again she was a cuddler and Y/N wasn’t.

Sometimes Y/N would come out of her room to find Spencer’s head on Penelope’s lap, resting on a pillow as she ran her fingers through his hair to soothe his perfect mind after a long day. A few times she’s walked in on him crying or even sound asleep in her arms. They had a friendship Y/N admired, they were each other's person.

They comforted each other in the exact way they needed it; Penelope giving him the physical touch he craved and he would often compliment her. He was always telling her she was the best and buying her gifts to show his appreciation, calling her the most beautiful and smartest person he knew. He knew that she needed to hear it, needed the reassurance that she was still a good person and he made her believe it.

It made Y/N love him more seeing how much he cared for her sister.

“The winter soldier is the best!” She gushed, sitting close so they could share the chips as she waited for the movie to load up.

He was very quiet when he watched movies, smiling and laughing at the right parts but typically he paid so much attention it was like he was a statue. Y/N spent more time glancing at him than the actual movie.

“Is there something on my face?” Spencer asked, nervous when he noticed her glance at him for the 100th time that night.

“Oh, no you don’t,” she panicked lightly, swallowing quickly before looking away.

“What?”

“I don’t know, I just think you’re fascinating,” she whispered because then she didn’t really say it, and it didn’t really count.

“Oh,” he smiled softly, leaving it at that and forcing his attention back on the movie.

After a while, Spencer started to get even closer. He put the bowl on the coffee table and sat back almost on top of her, reaching an arm behind the couch so that Y/N was right against his side. He had done it with Penelope before, confident in this little living room, almost forgetting it was Y/N beside him.

Y/N rested her hand on his knee, rubbing her thumb over his jeans in a soft little circle as she pretended to watch the movie. More concerned with Spencer’s breathing and the feeling of his hand inching towards their shoulder than anything else.

Then they heard keys at the front door. Pulling away from each other quickly to curl up on opposite sides of the couch and pretend they weren’t just cuddling.

“Hey, you still came!” Penelope cheered, a little drunk from whatever she was doing before.

“I’d never miss a night with the Garcia’s,” Spencer smiled at her, looking calm and collected as ever while Y/N turned bright pink.

“Oh, I love Bucky! Oh my god let me go change and I’ll come watch too!”

That was just the first time they ended up cuddling, certainly not the last.

—

It wasn’t often that Penelope was too busy to spend time with Y/N, rather the contrary. Sometimes Y/N had to beg her to leave her be at certain events. Like when their band was playing at any of the local bars and Penny started inviting everyone she knew to come and watch her sister play.

It was embarrassing, to say the least, but Y/N loved her support.

When Y/N peaked her head out to see the crowd before a show, normally Penelope was sitting in the front with a drink and at least 4 friends, cheering and chanting their name, ready to rock out to their covers.

Tonight she didn’t see Penelope at all, she knew she wouldn’t, Penelope was in London visiting Emily with Derek for the second time in the past year, leaving no one to come to the monthly show Y/N’s band put on, or so she thought.

Spencer came all by himself.

He was sitting in the front, at a table with a bowl of pretzels and a ginger ale, not interested in the drinking or the socializing, just there to support Y/N. It made her feel giddy, like a schoolchild seeing their crush at recess.

It was so nice of him that it gave her butterflies, and normally that didn’t happen. They could go on and play a show in front of ten thousand people and feel nothing, but the second Spencer Reid was there to cheer them on, they were a mess.

“What song are we doing first again?” Y/N asked Evie, their lead singer and best friend outside of work.

“Who are they?”

Y/N was taken aback, “What?”

“You’ve never been nervous, who came to see you?” Evie clarified her question.

“No one, for fuck sake, I thought we left all the profilers at home tonight?” she sighed, shaking the nerves out of their body as they jumped up and down lightly.

They paced back and forth for a few minutes to wear down the nerves but only managing to make herself sweat to death and discard the leather jacket she always wore on stage. She walked in a circle aimlessly, remembering the setlist in their mind and how the spotlights typically made it so they couldn’t see the crowd anyway so it’s not like she could fuck up by making eye contact with him.

And it’s not like it was the first time he had seen her play, Spencer comes every month with Penelope, he liked a lot of the music they covered from when he was an emo teen in university. They’ve bonded over it before sharing albums and records back and forth, but she was still scared shitless at the prospect of him caring about her enough to come alone.

Especially when he hated being in situations like this in the first place.

It was their turn to go on, the manager of the bar gathering them and telling them to go on and so Y/N started walking towards the stage door, only to be pulled back harshly by Evie’s cold hands.

“Don’t forget your sticks, god who do you wanna fuck so bad it makes you this stupid?” She placed the drumsticks in Y/N’s hands, “get it together.”

“Sorry, it’s the guy in the sweater vest, front row,” they whispered in response, putting their head down and heading to the stage before she could tease them about it.

“The Forensic Lyricists are here once again folks!” The Manager introduced them to the crown, “get ready for them to dig up some classics!” Always the same dumb joke before every show.

Opening with crushcrushcrush by Paramore, thank god she remembered, it was an easy song to play as they warmed up and pushed the nerves away. They could play it in their sleep, with their eyes closed, and so that's what they did.

Eyes closed, mouthing the words as the adrenaline of the night took over the anxiety and made them go insane, like most nights. They didn’t need drinks or drugs to feel hyped at most shows, all she needed was a smile from penny and a good luck text from Spencer.

Playing by memory until she felt more confident and then getting into it. “They taped over your mouth, Scribbled out the truth with their lies, your little spies…”

“Crush, crush, crush, crush crush two, three, four!!” Y/N sung backup for each chorus, finally getting into it.

“Nothing compares to, a quiet evening alone! Just the one, two! of us who's counting on! That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again.”

They tried their hardest to push the images of that night on the couch with Spencer out of their mind as they sang along, trying to harmonize and cover the backup for Evie as best as she could.

“Let’s be more than this now!”

She always took the bridge, as the drummer and the most passionate one, it only made sense. Y/N always got the crowd on their feet, roaring along as they jumped to the beat.

“Rock and roll, baby, Don't you know that we're all alone now? I need something to sing about. Rock and roll, hey! Don't you know, baby, we're all alone now? I need something to sing about! Rock and roll, hey! Don't you know, baby, we're all alone now? Give me something to sing about!”

“Nothing compares to, a quiet evening alone! Just the one, two! of us who's counting on! That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again, let’s be more than, noOoo!”

She had a crush on Spencer fucking Reid and one now noticed as they tried their hardest to focus on the words when all that came to mind right now was his body heat and how good he smelled and how nice it was that he came to support them.

“Nothing compares to, a quiet evening alone! Just the one, two! of us who's counting on! That never happens, I guess I'm dreaming again, Let’s be more than this, more than thiiiiiis, oooooooh, mmmmmmhmmm,” she sang the ending of the song along with Evie, their harmony sounding more perfect than any performance before.

Critics always said the performance is better when you mean the words you’re singing. With that, they accepted their crush on Doctor Spencer Reid after 7 long years of knowing him. They pushed through nerves so that they could go and see him after and do something about it, now that Penelope wasn’t home to tease her for it.

Leading right into Dear Maria, Count Me In. Their bass player, Kat taking the lead for her favourite song. Being an all ‘girl’ punk band was her idea, and now they all enjoyed taking turns singing their favourite songs in front of mostly strangers, once a month.

Every single song made her think of Spencer in some way as she remembered the rest of the set, it had 5 songs in total and each one included at least one reference to something she knew about Spencer.

It was hard to not think about him while he stood at the edge of the stage with everyone and bopped his head along to the beat, a smile growing on his face as he also noticed the little references to them in the songs.

The Rock Show by Blink182 was going to hit a little too close to home as she sang the words all but to him, making eye contact with him as he moved to the best spot to see them play, much like Penelope would do every time.

She didn’t realize how much this song actually represented her life before tonight, starting to sing her song alone while Spencer watched. Deciding on the spot to dedicate it to him in the most fucking obvious way possible, taking her chances because he must have come for a reason.

“Hanging out behind the club on the weekends. Acting stupid, getting drunk with my best friends, I couldn't wait for the summer and the Warped Tour, I remember that it's the first time that I saw him there!”

Spencer was smiling then, noticing the lyric change as they made eye contact, nodding along as he watched. Genuinely enjoying himself and the show, it was lovely to see. She couldn’t help but smile against the mic as she sang and played. Wondering how his face will change with the next verse she watched him from the corner of her eye.

Her bandmates turning to see her as they played their guitars, nodding in agreement at the lyric change, they knew what she was up to. It wasn’t the first time they used the stage to bring someone home with them.

“He's getting kicked out of school cause he's failing. I’m kinda nervous, cause I’m sure all his friends hate me! He’s the one, he'll always be there, I took his hand and I’ll make it I swear,

“Because I fell in love with the guy at the rock show! He said what? and I told him that I didn't know. He's so cool, gonna sneak in through his window. Everything's better when he's around. Can’t wait until my parent goes out of town, I fell in love with the guy at the rock show!”

Spencer’s smile was priceless, it made them even more confident to sing all the words, wanting him with zero shame, it’s not like anyone who knew him would know about this.

“When we said we were gonna move to Vegas I remember the look your mother gave us 17 without a purpose or direction We don't owe anyone a fuckin’ explanation”

“Black and white picture of him on my wall, I waited for his call, he always kept me waiting, and if I ever got another chance I'd still ask him to dance, because he kept me waiting!”

“I fell in love with the guy at the rock show! He said what? and I told him that I didn't know. He's so cool, gonna sneak in through his window. Everything's better when he's around. Can’t wait until my parent goes out of town,”

“I fell in love with the guy at the rock show!” She had never been this passionate while playing this song in all the years they had played it together.

Her bandmates taking the lead singing, “with the guy at the rock show!”

“I’ll never forget you,” she sang in the middle of their chants, “I’ll never forget you, I’ll never forget you, I’ll never forget tonight, I’ll never forget tonight…”

She shot a wink at him before turning back in her seat to face the drum set the best way. The last two songs were Evie’s and Kat’s, she covered the backup vocals, making the occasional glance towards Spence as she thought of him.

Counting down the minutes till she could go see him.

Come a little closer by cage the elephant, an obvious title with lyrics that would clearly bring every memory of brushed hands against lower backs as they slipped past each other in crowded rooms, lingering as long as possible before they were gone again. Goodnight hugs when Penelope was already asleep and he could hold her a big longer and tighter, resting his head on her shoulder while she rubbed his back and breathed him in. And that night on the couch, not to mention all the mornings she walked in on him sleeping peacefully, brushing the hair out of his face, softly, in the hopes he didn’t wake up.

“Come a little closer, then you'll see, Come on, come on, come on, Things aren't always what they seem to be… Do you understand the things you been seein' Come on, come on, come on! Do you understand the things that you've been dreaming… Come a little closer, then you'll see! Come a little closer, then you'll see!”

And even when he did she had a coffee ready for him when he sat up and smiled, giving them a few hours alone before Penelope would wake up. Talking all morning about star trek and dr. Who, smacking his knee as he made jokes that genuinely made them laugh while trying to keep her voice down so they didn’t wake Penelope.

Not many people made her feel like that in her life.

“Come a little closer, then you'll see! Come a little closer, then you'll see!” Staring at him, enticing him to do it the next time they had the chance.

The intro to I’d Do Anything by simple plan was one of her favourites to play, smiling wide as she began to drum as her best friends sang the words.

Waiting for the chorus to sing the words at Spencer, really sending the message, he wasn’t dumb, not in the slightest, he would get it. He had to, she had already been so obvious there was no turning back now.

“This could be the one last chance to make you understand,”

Her arms were starting to hurt as she played along with the most energy she has had in years, playing like a teenager whose parents just died and she needed to hit something, once again. It was freeing, playing with what she could only imagine was love in her chest instead of anger. It’s how she was supposed to play.

"I’d do anything Just to hold you in my arms To try to make you laugh Cuz somehow I can’t put you in the past I’d do anything Just to fall asleep with you Will you remember me? Cuz I know I won’t forget you,"

Focusing on the drumming and ignoring the lyrics as her bandmates covered the lyrics, letting her go hog fucking wild on the drum set, almost kicking the chair out from under herself as they kept going. Joining for the chorus again before beating the shit out of her drum set.

I close my eyes And all I see is you I close my eyes I try to sleep I can't forget you Na na na And I'd do anything for you Na na na Naaaaaaa

“I’d do anything!” She closed her eyes as she pushes the words past her vocal cords, again and again, passionately playing the drums as her hair flew all over the place, worried she might break the sticks as she played.

“Cause I know I won't forget yoooou!” She plays the end of the song, snapping the left drumstick in half before throwing the right one into the crowd, right into Spencer’s hand, sending him a wink before saying goodbye to the crowd.

Sweaty as hell from playing the drums, they brushed their long black hair back behind their ears and in a low ponytail so it would fit under her motorcycle helmet on the way home. Putting their leather jacket back on and heading into the main bar to find Spencer.

“Hey,” he smiled as she walked towards him, the drumstick now resting in his pocket as he approached her.

“I can’t believe you came here all by yourself?” Y/N laughed slightly before pulling him into a thank-you hug.

“I wouldn’t miss it, I’ve been coming for a year now, it’s always a great time,” his smile was perfect, his teeth were so white and straight and she wondered how they’d feel against her neck.

“It’s been that long?” She pretended that she didn’t notice, biting their lip as he ran the calculations in his mind.

He nodded with a soft, pressed-lipped smile, the Spencer classic. “Yep, it’s been exactly 14 months straight now.”

“I know you don’t like bars and loud noises and people you don’t know, or germs which makes this like a nightmare of yours I guess because of the close proximity of people and the germs being spread as everyone screams in a crowd,” she ranted before he was pulling her into another hug, “so this means a lot to me,” she finished her thought beside his ear for only him to hear.

“Anytime,” he whispered as he held her, his arm on her back and chin resting on her shoulder.

“Did you need a ride home?” She offered, thinking about how nice it would be for him to wrap his arms around their body as he sat behind her on Patsy, her motorcycle.

“Yeah, unless you wanted to go to your place and watch another movie? I wouldn’t want to keep you waiting,” he spoke just loud enough to be heard over the music.

“Yeah, I’d love that, it’s been lonely while Penny’s gone,” a smile erupting on her face as she got the reference, “come on then.”

She took his hand in hers, interlocking their fingers and dragging him backstage towards her locker. She had a space to keep her things for practice and other shows she did during the week, keeping an extra helmet and jacket in the locker for nights like this, however, normally it was a cute stranger. Not the man she’s been crushing on since she was a teenager.

“Oh, you brought Patsy,” Spencer’s face went white.

“Did you not want to ride her? Come on, everyone wants to ride her at least once,” Y/N teased him as she put the helmet in his free hand.

Her bandmates staring at her with proud smiles as she took the guy from the rock show home; the one in the sweater vest from the front, the one who was the most into the whole show, they both gave Y/N a wave and a smile as they slipped out the backstage door.

They walked out to the parking lot, still hand in hand with their helmets in the other. Stopping at her dark purple Suzuki GS650 GT, it was her most prized possession because it used to belong to her parents.

She put her hair in the right spot before putting the helmet on, sitting down and starting the engine, revving it for everyone in the lot to see as Spencer put his helmet on and threw a leg over the seat, nervous as ever.

He fit behind her perfectly, just enough room on the seat for his chest to press against her back as he placed his hands gingerly on her hips. It made her laugh.

“You’re going to want to hold on better than that pretty boy,” she teased him before revving the engine once more, kicking the kickstand up and speeding out of the parking lot.

Spencer gripped her tightly as she took off down the street, taking the longest route possible to her home. She didn’t hit a single red light for at least 5 blocks, zooming through traffic as Spencer squeezed the life out of her.

He felt amazing, his hands were so big as he fully wrapped around her, reaching around completely so his right hand was on her left hip and vice versa. He was so close she could feel his heartbeat against her back.

He was nervous, he flinched every time she turned and held on even tighter somehow.

So she did another lap of the block, around the park’s bend so she could lean the bike as far as possible as Spencer’s fingers dug into her hips fiercely. Breathing deep enough that she could hear him over the engine, but he wanted her to keep going. Not ready to let go of her yet, this is the closest they had ever been to each other.

When she finally pulled into the parking lot of their apartment complex, they bumped over the curb and his hand grazed Y/N’s boob, he pulled back so fast it was barely there, she just shook her head and laughed. Parking the bike and putting the kickstand back down.

Spencer let out a sigh, relaxing against her as he rested his chin on her shoulder again.

“Have fun?”

“Surprisingly, yes,” he laughed, his voice deep and dry from breathing with his mouth open, it was cute.

He got off first when his legs were finally able to work again, still vibrating from the rev of the engine he walked like Ariel when she got her legs. It was priceless, no one has reacted like that after getting a ride from them, not even Penelope.

She took her helmet off while still on the bike, shaking her hair out of the ponytail as provocatively as possible before getting off. Spencer’s jaw fell open once more as he watched, breathlessly, just as she expected.

Either he liked them before and never told them, or he was going to start now.

Either way, it excited Y/N to their core, taking his hand once more and leading him inside, this time they could be as close as they wanted to and no one was going to walk in on it. She stopped at her locked apartment door, looking at Spencer as softly as possible so he’d know her feelings were real.

“I know this will cause the teasing we already get to skyrocket, so if you wanted to keep it between us, I fully understand,” she whispered.

“Is that what you want?”

He was so sweet it made her heartache, never before had anyone made her feel like this; like she wasn’t in control of her body or mind, like an override in the system her brain and heart chose Spencer and there was no stopping them.

“I just told a whole bar of people that I’m in love with the guy at the rock show before taking you home in front of everyone,” she laughed, “I don’t care if people know, I just hate when they tease us, they belittle everything we do like we’re 17 forever, it’s not fun for me.”

“I hate it too,” he pressed his lips together awkwardly once more, “I’d like to keep you to myself for a while.”

She cupped his face in her hands and pulled in, pressing her lips against his as they both tried to repress their tightlipped smiles. Finally, finally kissing after all those years staring at each other's lips while they explained something, passionately as ever with the most attentive ears.

“Exactly, me too,” she smiled wider as she pulled back from him, unlocking the front door and pulling him inside for that movie he mentioned.

tag list: @shemarmooresfedora @spencers-dria @spookyspence @reidsfish @manuosorioh @mochionly @samuel-de-champagne-problems @jswessie187 (dm me if you want me to remove you)

#spencer reid #spencer reid smut #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x you #spencer reid self insert #spencer reid request #criminal minds smut #criminal minds imagine

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bluehairedtracii · 4 years ago

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Hooks and Coins|| Harry Hook x Reader Soulmate AU!

Requested: by @lemonypink

Warnings: Harry being cute

Pairings: Harry Hook x Swann-Turner! Reader

Author's note: Oh my gosh this took so long! I’m literally so sorry! My motivation for writing has been a little iffy lately. Buuutt I’ve also been binging Criminal Minds soo it kinda gave me a creative push to start writing again. (Spencer Reid fics comin in the future) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this fic as I get back into writing again.

P.S. Melody is Melody from the second little mermaid movie, and I know she's kinda not mentioned again in the fic but just know that this is y/n’s best friend and that’s who she is lmao. I also thought the Coin would fit well in here because of the movies just sshhhh. Enjoy!!!!

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"it's soon! I swear!" The night of your 16th birthday, the day your life would change.

The day you get your soulmate tattoo.

"Are you sure??" Melody whines. "I'm positive! Look, it's not even 12:00 on the dot yet- ONE MORE MINUTE!" You look back from the phone on your lap to your right wrist.

"It's twellveeee." Melody cooed.

"Please please please..." You muttered still hopeful.

Then it hit, well stung. "Ow, ow, I feel it!"

"Let me see!" Melody basically climbed on top of you and saw it before you could. She gasped "oh my gosh y/n..." "What? What is it?" You tried to pull back your wrist to see, but Melody kept it steady.

"Y/n, as your best friend, I have to warn you as to what you're about to see...."

"C'mon Mells, it can be that bad." You sighed and tried to pull away from her.

"You have to PROMISE Me that you won't freak out?"

Annoyed, you sighed and smiled "I promise." "Okay.." she released your hand. You rubbed your wrist and looked at the small tattoo, "A Hook?" "Not just any hook... Penny told me about this." "This is the same hook as the famous Captain Hook himself! It must be his son!"

"Captain? So my soulmate is a Pirate? Like Dad and Mom?" Melody nods almost worried.

"Awesome."

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

"It's late Harry, your sister is gonna kill us if we get caught and wake your dad." Gill rubbed his eyes as he walked towards the galley of the ship.

"I know, but this is where the best lighting is...in a few minutes, I'll get me soulmate...well uh, tattoo I mean." He whispered and unlocked the door, cursing at the squeaky floors.

Harry turned on the lamp nestled on his father's desk. The room lit up illuminating the maps that his father and oldest sister had drawn up while sailing the open seas. He dreamed of nothing more than doing that, sailing and hailing a crew of his own, but for now, he follows Uma’s orders.

“One more minute Harry.” Gill whispered looking at the tickless clock on the desk.

“Aye, ow! fff-!” Harry cupped his hand and flipped it to see his wrist, he bit back the pain as he saw the black ink form on his wrist. He’d been confused and tried to make it out as it formed. “Bloody hell, this sure is detailed in’it?” Gill loomed over Harry's shoulder, wondering what it was himself, Gill was sure he wasn't ready for his soulmate yet if he had to endure this much pain.

Harry closed his eyes and exhaled as the pain stopped.

He opened his eyes to see the grim Aztec Coin staring back at him.

“Holy shi-” “Gil do you know what this means?!” “She’s spooky?” “No GIl, you git, She’s a pirate! and she’s a Turner...” He says in awe as he smiles down at his wrist.

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

A few months later both of you seemed to forget. The events of your daily lives getting in the way. You’re training to go off on a sailing trip with your dad for a few months, and Harry is… currently Helping Uma get revenge on Mal by kidnapping Ben.

But.. you were unaware of this. Obviously.

Lonnie and you were fencing/sword fighting in the school’s courtyard (for fun) when you saw the boys rushing into the limo. You both caught up to them and questioned them immediately.

“What’s going on here Jay?” Lonnie snickered full well knowing what’s happening because she overheard it earlier passing their room. “We.. uh..” “we’re going with you..” Lonnie cut the pair off. And this is how you went to the Isle of the Lost for the first time.

They had told you the plan but left out the part about who they were going to have to deal with if the plan went south. You were nowhere near nervous. All those times you’d trained with Lonnie and your parents at the shop basically were all for this moment. Your pirate self was ready.

Mal handed over the wand and you cringed a bit. “She’s gonna know it's fake…” you turned to Lonnie and whispered. “Shh I know, get ready..” you prepped your sword and placed one hand on your lapel while the other was free to toss the swords.

That’s when everything went south. You and Lonnie sprung into action and helped the others. The sounds of metal clashing mixed with the creaking of the ship and the salty sea air made you happy, it filled you with adrenaline. It felt like you were at home.

2 people fighting you at once, then three, then none, one by one you tossed them overboard.

You were caught in the crossfire between Carlos and some other goons so you ducked under them and sprung onto your feet right into someone else's back.

You both turned to each other, swords ready, you saw him and you felt that burning in your body. The one that your friends always said happened when you met your soulmate… “Ow!” “Oi!!” Harry lurched back and held his hand. And so did you.

“You…” he pointed at you “are you…?” you held up your hand and showed your tattoo. He gasped and smiled “I knew I’d see you one day..” you said in awe. You heard Uma yell for Harry and his smile faltered into a smirk.

“Sorry lass, no ‘ard feelings right?” “Obviously.” You struck your sword first and your swords clashed with each other. “I knew you were good Turner, but not this good.” he laughed as you both turned a corner of the ship. “Thanks! Maybe I can teach you sometime Hook, You seem a bit rusty!” “Oi! My ‘eart Lass.. that one hurt!”

You snickered and he had caught you by a wood post “awe, our first dance is over now?” your eyes sparkled. He smirked ”Aye if this were different, i’d very much like to get to know you lassy…” he got closer almost closing the gap in between you two. And his lips brushed yours before you heard Mal and Lonnie yell that it’s time to go. You smiled “sorry Luv, it’s time for me to go!” you kiss his cheek and push him away into a hole that’s in the ship. “Oi! That’s not fair!”

You were the last one to leave and thought of an idea, you caught up with them and helped Mal to kick off the ramp back to the car. “Find me!” You blew a kiss to Harry and smiled, and so did he. on the inside, of course, he had to be “mad” for Uma’s sake. But right now he was anything but. He just met his Soulmate and she was everything he dreamed of.

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

Almost a year had passed when you had first met Harry. And you constantly think about him every day and so does he.

He sat at the bow of the ship looking out to the ocean thinking about you. It’s all that he’s been thinking about actually. He’s waiting for the day you can be with each other and in each other's arms. You literally took his breath away, because you kicked him, but he was entranced by your skills and beauty. He dreams about learning with you, meeting your folks, owning a ship, and most importantly.. Sailing away with you to see the world. He was stuck here.

Though he didn't know that you had convinced Ben (it took a lot of convincing) to let Harry over onto the isle for a while. Your boating trip with your dad had gone so well that you also convinced your dad to let you go alone this time. Your parents knew how a forbidden love felt more than anyone else. The love between the two of them, a humble blacksmith that was the son of a pirate and the daughter of a wealthy governor who found that boy so long ago. They were never supposed to be together in society's standards, but their love was the strongest bond. They granted their blessing to you, they knew you'd be safe. You’re a strong pirate and they want to see you the happiest you can be.

You smiled and looked out the window of the limo as it crossed the bridge. Mal and Evie both came with you so they could help you find him and tell him the news. You guys slip onto the docks while Mal and Evie keep guard on the limo and watch you just in case you need back up. “Ursulas…” you smile and cross through the swinging doors, you found him and you felt the burning feeling in your body again. So did he. “OI!” he dropped the basket of chips he was holding and growled at the mess he made. He was fuming until he locked eyes with you. “My princess has come back to me?” he smiled and walked towards you completely forgetting about the fries as he kicked them to the side. “Hey Hook.” you smiled and felt his hand on your face but he backed away. “Woah Turner you ain't gonna kick me ‘gain right?” “no.” you laughed and you both hugged each other.

He took the two of you outside “what are ye doin here luv? I mean, you don’ ‘ave to make any excuses to see me, but you came all the way from the other side.” he laughed and pushed back a strand of stray hair behind your ear. You blushed and held one of his hands, but unknowingly played with one of the rings on said hand. He bit his lip smiling at your nervousness. “U-Uhm.” you were surprised by the nerves in your voice, you were never this nervous before. This boy is going to wreck you. “It took major convincing, but I finally convinced my family and Ben to let you come to Auradon with me for a three-month sailing trip…” you smiled and looked at him. His eyes lit up and he lifted you off the ground and spun you around. “Are ye serious?! Of course I'd go with you!” “Great! We leave…” you check your watch on your left arm. “ In 30 minutes!” “Aye! I need to pack!” you laughed.

he backed you into the wall. You smirked, “oi, I've been trying to do this ever since the first time we met.” He closed the gap between you two and the feeling of his soft pillowy lips on yours brought you comfort and warmness. You kissed back and ran your fingers through his dark locks as he tightened his grip around your waist. You never wanted this to end. “25 minutes!” You heard the girls yell and you pulled away and laughed. “I've finally found my Turner..” “And I’ve finally found my Hook..”

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official-weasley · 4 years ago

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The Irreplaceable Charlie Weasley: Pt. 7, Ch. 7

PART 7: THE YEAR OF HIDING AND PASSION Chapter 7 - This Isn't Goodbye

Nova

I didn't know what was harder to believe the fact that it was Charlie and I's one-year anniversary or that we have less than two months left of our last year at Hogwarts.

I was studying in the Great Hall with Tonks, who was with me most of the time for the past month. Penny seemed to be doing nothing but crying over the fact how much she will miss all of us and she was driving Tonks insane. I tried not to think about it as much as possible as I knew it was going to be hard to say goodbye to living here at school.

McGonagall was getting less strict on me in our last few Advanced Transfiguration sessions. If I didn't know any better I would say she was getting sentimental. It will already be hard to leave this place without the teachers missing us too.

Tulip was getting rather impatient and seemed as she couldn't get out of here fast enough. She and Jae have been fighting more than being all over each other lately and she didn't look like she is going to miss Hogwarts at all.

I have been keeping myself as busy as possible and just tried to enjoy the last two months as much as I could. I found myself strolling around the school on my own a lot. It was like I was saying goodbye to every part of Hogwarts. I even fell into a deep conversation with the Fat Lady, the portrait that is guarding the Gryffindor Common Room, one day when I was waiting for Charlie. She was a bit tipsy but I got a lot of gossip about other portraits from her.

Because Tonks was with me most of the time, Andre had to take on the Penny duty. He seemed exhausted most days as he tried balancing studying and making sure Penny had enough handkerchiefs to wipe her nose in. He never complained or seemed annoyed about it and I am sure Penny appreciated it as much as we did.

Barnaby tried talking to Tonks a few times and she only gave in once. She said that he looked dashing that day and that since everybody's whining about the end of the year might as well have a proper goodbye. Their relationship always was so peculiar to me but I knew Tonks well enough that I knew it suited her so I fully supported it.

Charlie and I, on the other hand, have been great. Nothing really changed except the fact that we tried hiding our excitement, that we are soon going to work together, from our friends. We knew that Penny would be mad that we were so hyped about our job and not all miserable about leaving school.

Lately, it's all we could talk about. Charlie told me about everyone he has met and told me how they are, personality-wise and I couldn't wait to meet everyone. We made speculations about where I would be working and how they were planning to introduce Dragons to other creatures. Like we did for the Creatures Reserve, we also made a list of all creatures we think I will work with. It was all in good fun because I know I will love my job no matter what animals they assign to me.

In my free time, I tried to best prepare myself for the job. I knew I would have a whole month after N.E.W.T.s to get everything ready but I wanted to get there with a strategy. I tried putting myself in different scenarios with various creatures and Dragons, thinking about what they have in common and what they don't, about what the best approach to make them like each other would be. I got goosebumps just thinking about it, that's how excited I was!

—

“Tonks, could you tell me how to properly cut a Mimbulus Mimbletonia again. I can't seem to get this plant straight.” I sighed as I tried to quiz myself on some of the toughest questions and I couldn't seem to get this one right.

“Always do it without a spell and cut straight down, near the main stem.” She answered without even thinking about it. I nodded and closed my eyes, trying to imprint the answer in my brain. It was the simplest thing to remember.

“I think I finally understand this charm!” Tonks exclaimed, rolling her eyes. One good thing about Tonks wanting to spend time with me was that I could keep an eye on her. It was our N.E.W.T.s year and she has been notorious for running away during exams and even though she already had a job secured, she still had to do very well on her examination.

“I told you you'll get it. Just keep practicing.” I encouraged her and repeated her answer in my head for Mimbulus Mimbletonia just to make sure I still got it.

“Hi, Nova.” I turned around and saw Murphy getting closer to our table. It was one of the occasions that I didn't flinch or stiffen when he showed up. Ever since Charlie snapped and we talked about it I have felt more relaxed saying hello to him in the corridors or the Great Hall.

“Hi, Murphy. How are you?” I put my notes down. Tonks looking at us with interest.

“I am great! I know we haven't talked much lately but something happened that I just have to share with you.” He was beaming and shaking in his chair from excitement.

“Do tell!” I turned around completely now, eager to hear his news.

“You are looking at the new commentator for the Holyhead Harpies!” He tried to keep his voice at a normal volume but I couldn't blame him that he failed. He told me that that was his dream job when we were hanging out in our Fifth Year.

“Murphy, that is amazing!” I jumped to my feet and leaned down to hug him. “Congratulations!”

“Thank you! I just got the letter this morning and I just had to share it with you.” He grinned, moving back and forth.

“I'm glad you did.” I smiled. “You deserve it!”

“Will be able to cheer for Bonnie now!” He said proudly. Boonie was the Hufflepuff Keeper Murphy was dating for quite some time now.

“I heard she is going to play for them!” I exclaimed. His cheeks turned pink and I knew he was proud of her.

“Well done for both of you, Murph.” My smile grew bigger. I was genuinely happy that things turned out so great for him. “You and Bonnie look great together.” I didn't know what made me say that but I just felt the need to do so.

“Likewise, Nova, likewise.” He stretched out his hand to me and I shook it. I knew that this was probably one of the last conversations we would ever have and with all that happened between us, I was happy to say goodbye.

A moment later, Charlie sat down next to me and kissed my cheek. Tonks was observing him carefully, knowing full well he saw me talk to Murphy. She wanted to see how he will react but he seemed pretty unphased about it.

“Did you know Bonnie's going to play Quidditch professionally!” He finally looked at me. “She deserves it, really talented.” He added.

“Yeah, she is!” I looked at Tonks not knowing what else to say. “Murphy got the commentator job for the Harpies.” Sometimes I should just keep my mouth shut.

“No way! That's awesome!” He sounded sincere. He leaned to me and whispered. “I'm glad you got to say goodbye.”

“Me too.” I admitted. My heartbeat returned to normal when I saw that he really got over the whole Murphy thing and I was proud of him for that.

“So, what are you two lovebirds going to do today on your anniversary?” Tonks changed the subject.

“How do you know?” I asked, surprised.

“Penny told me this morning. It was the only thing that made her smile before she returned to her sobbing.” Tonks rolled her eyes.

“I would tell you Tonks, but Nova doesn't know what I'm up to.” Charlie winked at me. He has been planning something for a week now and as much as I liked surprises I couldn't wait to see what he came up with.

“She'll tell me tomorrow anyway.” Tonks swung her hand, indicating she was okay with not knowing.

“I'll leave you two to study. Got to go check up on Jae.” He turned to me and kissed me.

“How is he, by the way?” Tonks asked. “Tulip doesn't want to talk about him to us at all.”

“Not going to lie, it doesn't look good.” Charlie shook his head.

“Are you serious?” I asked bewildered. I knew they were fighting a lot lately, but I didn't think it was that bad.

“Yeah, I guess the realization of the long-distance is kicking in.” My stomach turned at Charlie's words when I remembered that we could've been in the same position if I didn't get the job in Romania.

“Anyways, got to go. Don't know how long he'll keep me and I have to get to my team later.” He sighed. “Last game of the season next week.”

“Are you going to miss them, Charlie?” Tonks asked.

“Yeah.” Charlie nodded. “This year's team was brilliant.” Even though they lost their first game against Slytherins, they did amazing against Hufflepuff and were 100 points ahead of Ravenclaw so I was confident they are going to win the Cup one more time before Charlie leaves.

“Have you decided who to appoint Captain for next year?” I put my hand on his shoulder. He was debating between Angelina and Oliver for weeks now.

“Wood. I think he'll do great.” He grinned, confident in his decision.

“See you at 8.” He pressed his lips to mine again. “Don't forget, the Seventh Floor.” He reminded me and started towards the exit of the Hall.

—

I tried my best not to be late for our date but I simply couldn't decide what to wear. If Andre wasn't so preoccupied with Penny I would've gone to him for advice. I decided to go with something casual rather than anything else because I wasn't sure what Charlie had planned and he didn't say anything about having to be in certain attire.

I hurried from the Ravenclaw Tower to the Seventh Floor where Charlie was already waiting for me, not at all bothered that I was late.

“Couldn't decide what to wear?” He laughed a little. I nodded. “I like your choice. You look beautiful.” He leaned to me and kissed me. After a year of dating, I still blushed every time he complimented me.

“Are you ready for the surprise?” He grinned. I nodded again and turned my head to the door. He made me close my eyes and I could hear him opening it.

“Okay, you can open your eyes now.” He whispered in my ear as he stopped pushing me forward. I did so and gasped.

The room was much bigger than on our other dates. Everything was still wooden but somehow looked more modern. There was a big fireplace on the right and there was a sofa in front of it. There was a small kitchen in the far right corner and something already smelled nice and on the left side, there was a dining table, with flowers on them.

“Char, this is...” I couldn't find the words for it. If I ever imagined us living together, it would be in a place like this.

“You like it?” He chuckled and took my jacket off.

“Like it? Can we live here!” I exclaimed and he laughed.

“Soon.” He smiled at me, making me shake my head.

“What do you mean?” I started looking around. It was so cozy and so homey that I never wanted to leave.

“I did my best to recreate the cottage I am staying at in Romania.” I gasped. I couldn't believe it was this beautiful. “Of course, you can see it's missing a bed,” he giggled, “but that's usually on the second floor and I think we managed more without one.” He winked and fluttered the butterflies in my stomach.

“This is similar to your place in Romania?” I was still in awe at how beautiful it was. He nodded. “How do you ever leave?” He laughed at my question.

“I wouldn't, if it wasn't for you, love.” He pulled me into a tight embrace and I couldn't help but pretend we were already there. If I was excited before he showed me this, then I don't know what I was feeling now.

“Want some dinner? I cooked myself.” He pulled me towards the kitchen.

“You cooked?” I raised an eyebrow. We did help Molly every Summer but he has never shown any interest that he would like to attempt anything in the kitchen on his own.

“I asked Penny for some recipes. I hope you like spaghetti.” My eyes sparkled. I wanted to marry him on the spot.

The dish was delicious and I teased him that he was going to do all the cooking in Romania. We reminisced on the Ball and our first date and just talked about how good we are together. We decided to get comfier, so we moved our conversation to the sofa.

I loved how we could be a couple and best friends at the same time. I loved how much we could make each other laugh without even trying and how much fun we were having together. I couldn't believe that we were going to work together and not only do what we love but also have each other.

“So what do you want to do now?” Charlie asked softly as it was getting pretty late. We haven't spent a night with each other since the Burrow when Bill was covering for us and I think it was about time we did so.

“Make love to me, Charlie.” My gentle voice made his eyes widen and I loved how those words always made him blush. He got closer to me and pressed his lips to mine and when I closed my eyes, I saw my whole future with him.

—

“I can't believe we are doing this.” Penny sobbed, holding my hand.

“Get over it, Haywood.” Tonks rolled her eyes, her arm locked with mine on my other side. “Why don't you become a professor here, if you're going to miss this place so much?”

“I am not going to miss the school as much as I am going to miss you!” Penny frowned at her and I heard Tulip sigh next to her.

“We are all going to miss each other.” I tried calming them down.

We only had a few more days at school before we would take the Hogwarts Express one last time. We were walking through the corridors, saying goodbye to every professor we've met along the way and to anyone we knew that passed us.

Gryffindor won the House Cup and I knew Charlie was going to have an easier time leaving now. He made Wood Captain and the kid was so excited that he stumbled over his broom and fell flat on his nose almost making them late for their last match. Fred and George told me that Charlie gave his famous speech for the last time and that they let him do it without interruptions.

We were done with our N.E.W.T.s and even though the results didn't matter to me at all, I was still proud of how good I did, despite thinking I was going to fail at the beginning of the year. Tulip only cared for doing well in Astronomy and we all knew Penny did an amazing job even though she did more crying than studying in May.

Tonks surprised us one last time. She was a nervous wreck but she pulled through. Penny brewed her a couple of Calming Draughts and we kept telling her to imagine herself being an Auror and apparently, that did the trick. The information of what she wanted to become would come in very handy in our first couple of years.

“We did have fun, didn't we?” I said, tightening my grip on both Tonks and Penny. We owed everything to the school and our professors. All our friendships, all our relationships and accomplishments, and definitely the fact that we are all able to follow our dreams.

“Oh, I will miss you so much!” Penny stopped in the Courtyard and pulled us all in a hug. We hugged her back as I couldn't help but get emotional as well.

“Miss Blackwood, my I have a word?” I lifted my head and saw McGonagall standing near the fountain. I asked the girls to wait for me by the Lake and walked to her. She was last on my list to say goodbye to as Charlie and I already went to Kettleburn, spent an evening with Hagrid and I said goodbye to Flitwick yesterday.

“Yes, Professor.” I said as I got closer.

“I usually don't do this but I wanted to say goodbye.” I could swear I heard her voice shake. “It's been a pleasure, Professor.” I pressed my lips together to try and keep my chin from shaking. She did so much for me and she taught me more than anyone else in this school. “Thank you for believing in me and thank you for everything.” I wanted to hug her but I knew that would be crossing the line.

“Miss Blackwood, you have been one of the most talented students I had in years.” She bestowed me with one of her rare smiles. “If you ever need anything, anything at all...I am only one owl away.”

“Thank you, Professor. I appreciate it.” I can't deny that she has been a sort of a mother figure to me here at school.

“Run along now, before we get too emotional.” She sniffed and waved her hand at me. I smiled, trying hard to hold in the tears, and made my way towards the Lake.

Jae, Andre, and Charlie joined me, Tulip, Penny, and Tonks for one last hang out under our favorite tree. So much has happened at this spot. We hung out, we had so many fun moments, Penny and I fought, and Charlie and I fought. It was the place where Charlie and I first kissed and got into our biggest fight over Murphy a few months ago. But that was all behind us now as we started to tease Tonks about how many times she ran away from us over the years because of the exams.

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sassyduckqueen · 4 years ago

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Miraculous: Rise of Anatis 32

Whoo! A new chapter! Hope you guys like it. Again, sorry about the slowness at the moment. I'm working pretty much full time hours and it's tiring been back at work so I haven't had much time for writing but fear not, I will be working on the next chapter soon. Hope you guys are ready for it. It's gonna be a good one.... I hope XD

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Chapter Thirty-Two: Troublemaker

"Their new outfits were so cool!" Kim stated in Alya's latest interview on her blog. Marinette grinned as it had been her highest views, even blowing her interview with Lila out of the water and Kim was really complementary on their new suits. She was inclined to agree with him. The Aqua suits were so cool and in her eyes, Anatis looked really good. She let out a little sigh at the memory of seeing him in his suit. The best part is she got to spend a couple of hours with him, watching a movie. They had chosen Lion King. Of course, she had ended up falling asleep on him, only waking up when the movie had ended. To her surprise, he had also fallen asleep. Part of her didn't want to wake him up because he looked so peaceful and she was extremely comfortable been curled up next to him. She knew it couldn't last forever so she gently woke him up and ordered the sleepy hero to go home but not before she slipped downstairs and grabbed him a box of treats for him and Tikki. He had thanked for her and given her a kiss on the cheek before he left, leaving her practically a melted puddle. Naturally, Plagg had teased her about it but he shut up when she threatened to get him cheddar instead of Camembert. She jumped as her phone began to ring, pulling her out of her thoughts. She scrambled for it and gasped as she saw it was Penny who was ringing. She pressed the answer button and held it to her ear.

"Hello?!" She gasped.

"Hello, Marinette," Penny answered, sounding professional as always. "I was wondering if me and Jagged could ask a favor of your family,"

"Oh? What kind of favor?" She asked, sitting up. "Does Jagged need new glasses?"

"Oh, no... not yet but I'm sure he would love to commission you again," Penny stated. "No, we're looking to do a reality tv show to help Jagged's single hit number one and for some good press. I suggested we go onto a show called Fill My Shoes and Jagged insisted that he wanted to be a baker. Since your family runs the best bakery in Paris and you also designed his album cover, it would be a wise choice to film it in your family's bakery,"

"Oh, wow," Marinette gasped, shocked. "I'd have to ask my parents so I can't be certain they'll agree but I can try,"

"Of course, I understand," She replied back, causing Marinette to imagine her nodding. "If you want, I can drop by for a hour to talk them,"

"That would be great, Penny," Marinette replied. "Can you make it after school? I have to get going back,"

"Yes, I can. That actually works perfectly," Penny admitted, making Marinette smile. "Do you think 5pm will be ok?"

"Yes, my parents close the bakery at 4.30pm on a Wednesday anyway," Marinette explained, getting a hum of approval from Penny. "I'll let them know right away,"

"Of course," Penny replied. "I'll see you then,"

"Bye, Penny," Marinette replied, hanging up before grabbing her school bag and running downstairs into the bakery. Her mother had just finished serving the customer as she rushed in. "Mama!! Papa!!"

"Yes, dear?" She asked, looking at her. Marinette launched into an explanation of the phone call she had just had with Penny. Her father joined them as she explained that Jagged himself had asked for their bakery to be the location of the reality show he was suppose to be on and how good this could work for the bakery. She explained that Penny would be dropping by at 5pm to ask them about it and when they showed hesitation, she practically begged them to do it. They agreed to talk it over with Penny, making her squeal with excitement before she dashed out of the shop and ran back to the school. As she ran through the courtyard, she didn't pay attention to where she was going which caused her to trip and let out a scream but instead of hitting the hard concrete, she landed against something soft and blue. She blinked and pulled back when she realized she must of have crashed straight into Luka's chest. She looked up at him as a huge blush came across her face.

"Are you ok?" He asked with concern, making her blush even more.

"Y-Yeah... sorry for crashing into you like that," She giggled, rubbing the back of her neck. She could practically feel Plagg roll his eyes. Luka, however, smiled as he held her stand straight.

"It's ok, Mari," He smiled before tilting his head to the side a little. "Though your melody is louder then usual. Are you sure you're ok?"

"Oh! I'm just really excited," She grinned, making him smile before she looked around. Seeing no one around, she leaned in close. "Can you keep a secret?"

".... uh...." Luka's eyes shot to the side as if he was thinking about something. "I think so,"

"Ok but you have to swear not to tell anyone else!!" She gasped, barely able to continue her excitement.

"Pinky swear?" He asked, holding up his little finger. She linked it with hers before leaning closer to him. She thought he froze for a second but brushed it off as she whispered into his ear.

"My parents' bakery may be on the TV show, Fill My Shoes and Jagged Stone may be the special guest," She whispered, making his eyes widen in surprise before he looked at her.

"For real?" He asked, keeping his voice hush. She grinned as she nodded in an excited manner. "Mari, that's so cool... ah but don't worry. I won't tell anyone,"

"I know," She smiled sweetly, playing with her hands. "You're really trustworthy, Luka,"

A light blush covered his cheeks as he shyly rubbed the back of his neck, making Marinette giggle. She couldn't help but think he looked really cute when he blushed but before she could say anything, the bell rang and made her jump, once again landing in against his chest. It was her turn to blush as he caught her and smiled softly at her.

"We better head to class," He replied, getting a nod of her. She straightened up and to his surprise, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks for catching me, Luka," She smiled before heading up the stairs to Ms Bustier's class but not before she gave him a wave. He smiled softly and waved back before heading in the direction of his own class, catching up with Aurora and Jean who were heading there too. Marinette let out a little sigh as she watched him walk off before turning on her heel and walked in back into the class. Her mind drifted back to her deal with Anatis, which had been something she hadn't thought about since Captain Hardrock. She had intended to tell Luka that she liked him but just like the day in the park, an akuma turned up. Captain Hardrock had hit home for Luka. She knew he took it personally when his family got turned into akumas but this one was so close to home for both him and Anatis. Once everything had been restored, it felt wrong to confess to him so she decided to wait but then she learnt about the guardian and they got a new hero friend. She thought Culpeo was amazing personally but the point was things got her distracted from talking to him. On top of that, she still liked Adrien a lot. She still sighed gently when she saw him smile and day dreamed off their life together but she also dreamt of what life would be like with Luka. Both seemed amazing in their own way but she was still head over heels for both boys. Of course, Luka had one thing over Adrien. She could actually talk to him. Whereas with Adrien, she could barely string a sentence together but she was getting better. Shaking her head, she decided to put her thoughts aside for now and head to class.

(***)

Marinette took a deep breathe as she looked outside the bakery windows. Lots of Jagged's fans were outside, holding up banners and screaming with pure joy as they knew their favorite musician was outside. She looked back as Penny talked with Alec and Bob Roth, who was demanding that the show better meet his demands. Her parents looked super nervous and honestly, she couldn't blame them. She was super nervous, knowing that most of her friends were going to be watching the show.

"Ok, we are going live in 3, 2, 1," The camera man stated as Alec stood in front of the camera.

"Welcome to Fill My Shoes!" Alec declared, throwing his arms up in the air before he pointed at the camera as the show of people cheer could be heard outside. "You're joining us live for a new episode and our guest today is Jagged Stone!!"

Jagged practically jumped into the area next to Alec as he played air guitar.

"Rock and Roll!!" He declared, grinning as he threw his hands into the horns symbol. "Yeah!!"

"Filling the shoes of..." Alec shouted as Jagged stood next to him with his arms crossed. "A baker!!"

"Yo, Rockers!" Jagged grinned as he got into the camera's view as Alec turned to Tom.

"And a big thanks to Tom Dupain, for having us here in his bakery," He stated as he gestured over to him, causing Tom to come over as he laughed in a nervous manner. "The best in Paris, I might add,"

"Uh... Hello..." He smiled as he waved at the camera. Sabine smiled at him before grabbing a tray of Croissants and walking over to the crew, Penny and Bob Roth as Jagged and Tom began to bake.

"Excuse me, do you want some hot croissants?" She asked, holding them out as two of the crew packed up their things. Bob Roth grabbed one as he looked at the ratings and walked off without thanking her. Penny also walked off as Fang began to make a fuss. Sabine turned to Marinette as she stood next to her. "I'm not so sure it was a good idea to let them film the show here, Sweetie,"

"Of course it was, Mama," She smiled, looking at her before she placed her arm around her shoulders and gestured to the shop. "Don't forget. Jagged asked specifically to come here. You realize how good this will be for the bakery and Dad's gonna be come an instant celebrity!!"

"Well..." Sabine stated as she looked at her husband. "For a celebrity, he looks pretty nervous,"

They both looked at him and saw him trying to teach Jagged to knee bread. Jagged, on the other hand, was doing karate chops on the dough. Marinette couldn't help but laugh a little as she watched him do that. Tom corrected him after he waved nervously towards the camera. Hearing the hiss of fang, Marinette looked over and saw Fang pulling on his leash. Penny was holding him and telling him to calm down but she looked really nervous and was clicking her pen repeatedly. Marinette walked over and smiled at her.

"Are you ok, Miss Penny?" She asked, causing Penny to look at her.

"Yes, yes," The woman muttered before placing her hand on her chest. "It's just this show was my idea and Jagged's putting all of his trust in me and I just hope that everything goes well today,"

She bit her pen as she looked terrified of the idea of failure.

"I'm sure it will go great, Miss Penny," Marinette smiled as she looked back over to Alec. Her father was waving at the camera again.

"So Jagged, how does it feel to fill the baker's shoes today?" Alec asked as Jagged smiled happily.

"It's awesome! Check this editable guitar I made from scratch!! This is so rock and roll!!" Jagged declared, trying to play the bread guitar he made before he started to sing. "Flour, eggs and butter!!"

Penny couldn't help but let out a small laugh at his song as Sabine walked over.

"So, Miss Penny, what's it like working with a star like Jagged?" She asked, causing Penny to look at her. "He seems so cool,"

"Oh, yes. He's... wonderful," Penny smiled as she looked at him. Marinette felt her heart jump as she recognized the look of one of love. Her inner fan girl squealed as she imagined how cute Penny and Jagged would look like as a couple. However, Penny realized what she said and jolted back, going back to writing on her clip board. "Uh... I mean... yeah, he's awesome,"

Marinette smiled knowingly before looking over at Jagged as he sang with her father. She couldn't help but giggle as they dragged Alec into it, causing him to look at the camera with pure confusion before her father waved to the camera again.

"Yo, Marinette, my favorite little lady!!" Jagged called, getting her attention and causing the camera to focus on her. "Come over and rock out with us!"

"Uh!" Marinette gasped as Sabine gave her an encouraging smile. She walked over in a nervous manner and waved the camera, not sure how deal with the sudden attention onto her. Jagged smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"It's so cool that we get to spend the day together. Marinette's practically my niece," He declared, grinning before he turned to Alec. "She's really talented too. She did the artwork to my latest album and she's only in high school!!"

"Wow! That's impressive. A true family of artists," Alec stated before gesturing to her and her father. "A talented young designer and a gifted patisserie. By the way, what are you gonna bake for us today, Tom?"

"Uh," Tom gasped, looking nervously to the camera. "How about some chocolate croissants? Could you grab a bag of flour please, dear?"

"Sure, Papa," Marinette smiled, turning to reach for a bag as Jagged moved out of the way. However, she knocked a large paddle over, causing it to fall on the table. When she went to grab, she accidentally pushed it under a bag of flour but didn't notice as she lifted it to return to her place. Her action caused the bag of flour to fly up and land all over Jagged, making her gasp. "Uh oh,"

Jagged blinked and looked at himself before he grinned and began to laugh.

"Hey, look! I look like a ghost! Rocking boohoo!!" He laughed as Alec placed his arm around his shoulders.

"Making pastries is obviously no piece of cake," He declared before smiling. "Stay tuned. We'll be back from this commercial break,"

"Boo!!" Jagged declared, hugging Alec before they cut the cameras. Alec dusted himself down and walked over to Bob as Marinette turned to Jagged and Penny walked over.

"Sorry, Jagged," She mumbled, looking down but he shook his head.

"No sweat, Marinette," He smiled as Penny turned to her.

"Can you tell me where the bathroom is?" She asked. Marinette nodded and told her it was upstairs before she began to help her father clear up the bakery. Penny led Jagged upstairs and looked around for the bathroom but they accidentally went on staircase too high and pushed open the trap room that led to Marinette's bedroom. "Wait, this isn't the rest room,"

"This must be Marinette's bedroom," Jagged muttered, looking around. It was very pink. "Cool. Hey, there's a sink,"

Penny nodded and grab some tissue before she began to try and clean off the flour as Jagged looked around. Noticing some of her hat designs, he walked over, making Penny sigh and follow him.

"Hey, look," He smiled as Penny scrubbed his jacket. "Man, Marinette has some real talent,"

She looked up at the designs and found herself agreeing. Marinette was truly gifted but once again, Jagged had moved away. She rolled her eyes and followed him again.

"Hey, I know this guy," He laughed as he walked over to the poster of himself. "Rock on, Jagged,"

"We've gotta hurry, Jagged," Penny stated as he turned to face Marinette's photo wall.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, Penny," He stated as he looked over at them. There were a few photos of Adrien Agreste but there were also a couple of photos of Marinette with Anatis and a fair number of her with Luka. Jagged blinked and smiled as he looked at them. In one photo, Marinette and Luka were pulling faces. In another, they were stood back to back while wearing pink hats. Another one showed them with the rest of kitty section. One was outside of the cinema. Another was the two of them laughing as they attempted to bake some sweet treat. Another photo showed Marinette, Adrien and Luka with Wang Cheng while another one showed the two of them on the set of Nino's horror film, Horrificator. Marinette was pretending to be scared while Luka was pretending to be the monster. She also had the pictures of Juleka's photo shoot on the wall and a few with her friends.

"And we're back on air with Jagged Stone filling the shoes of a baker," Alec's voice stated as Penny tried to get him clear. "Let's see how that rock star cleans up all that flour,"

"Isn't that Nanarky's kid?" He asked Penny, who nodded. "There's more photos of him then of me. I think the baker's daughter has a little crush,"

He winked at the camera.

"Or maybe they're a couple? They'd make a good one. A talented designer and an upcoming musician," Jagged mumbled before smiling. "Teenage love is so sweet. Makes me want to write a song. Hey, what about-"

The trapdoor burst open and a fanatic looking Marinette burst through, looking close to tears.

"What are you guys doing in here?!" She gasped, distressed. Penny turned to her and clicked her pen.

"I'm sorry, Marinette," She gasped, frowning. The last thing she wanted was to upset the girl. "I couldn't find the rest room,"

"Hey, Marinette, you want me to sign that poster of me?" Jagged asked.

"No, I just need everyone to leave and you stop filming," She gasped, clearly embarrassed but no one made to move. She looked desperately at Penny. "Penny, please get them to leave,"

"You heard the lady," Penny declared as she began to push Bob Roth out of Marinette's room. He looked at her with shock but then one of the camera men looked up at her and told them she cut them off their air. She picked up the wire and noticed everyone look at her. She wanted to say sorry but seeing Marinette close to tears made her shake her head. "We'll deal with that in a second. Let's leave Marinette's room first,"

"Penny, we're suppose to be live!" Alec declared, glaring at her. "We're going back on air,"

"No! Get out of my room first!" Marinette argued as Jagged sneezed.

"Penny, was that flour organic?" He asked. "You know I'm allergic to the non organic flour,"

"Penny! Give me that wire,"

"Penny, get them out of my room... please!!"

"Penny, we've got no picture!!"

"Penny, do you have a tissue?!"

"Penny!!" Everyone's voice blended into one, causing Penny to grip her head as the buzzing got to her.

"Urh!! Stop!! That is enough!!" She shouted, making them look at her before she looked at Marinette. "Everyone back down stairs now!! Out!!!"

She forced them downstairs and out of Marinette's room, leaving the girl relieved.

"Out! Out! Out!!"

"Well, what do we do now?!" Bob Roth asked but she glared at him.

"I'll meet you downstairs in five!" She stated but he went to argue. However, she shoved the list at him and growled. "In five!"

She slammed the door close before sinking down as she tried to calm down. She was just so stressed and everyone was demanding everything from her. She didn't blame Marinette because Alec and his crew shouldn't have been filming in her room so she could understand why Marinette was so upset. That room was her sanctuary and Alec had invaded that but no thanks to Jagged, who shouldn't have been there either. She took another deep breathe as an akuma fluttered closer to her before it entered her pen.

"Troublemaker, I am Hawkmoth. You've always the faithful one, taking care of other people and shoving their problems," Hawkmoth declared in her head. "Today, you are free of that burden. From now on, you shall be the creator of all their problems and all I ask in return is Anatis' and Lady Noir's miraculous. What do you say, Troublemaker?"

"Sounds like a plan, Hawkmoth," She declared, standing up and clicking her pen. She was engulfed in purple smoke, transforming her into an akuma before it disappeared, revealing her new look. Her skin was literally white and she had heavy black eye make up. Her hair was now styled in a pink and white mohawk with black shaved areas around her head and ears. Her suit resembled a rock star from the 80s and was black, pink and white. She wore a dark pink jacket and had a skull and crossbones on her suit. She stepped through the door and clicked her pen again, making her solid. She picked up her list and looked at it. "So, what's on my to do list next?"

She tore in half and smirked.

"I know. Take care of Jagged," She laughed before throwing the pieces and clicking her pen. She became intangible once again and allowed herself to go through the ceiling.

~Meanwhile in Marinette's Room~

"This is a disaster!! I'm gonna be a laughing stock at school! Through all of Paris!! On the internet!!" Marinette gasped as Plagg floated next to her. "Luka will never talk to me again!! This is a disaster!! A disaster!!"

"Pretty sure, he will, dollface!!" Plagg grinned, finding the whole thing amusing. "Besides, it's not like you can change it. The whole thing was live and boy was it funny,"

"Plagg! Not helping!!" She gasped, rocking to herself. "It's a disaster!!"

"Huh?" Plagg mumbled, floating over to the TV as the show went live again. "Dollface, it seems the show has your streak of bad luck,"

"This is a disaster- huh? What do you mean?!" Marinette gasped as she looked over. She got up as her dad angrily spoke to Bob Roth as her mother threatened him but then a bag of flour got dumped onto Jagged and Alec fell on him. Marinette frowned as she watched weird things happen in the bakery. Croissants went flying, doors were slamming. Jagged cried out for Penny as he thought a ghost was haunting them and then the shutters were closed as Bob Roth looked around terrified and asked if the bakery was build on an ancient cemetery. Marinette frowned as she watched things get worst before a strange looking woman appeared next to Jagged, making him jump away in fear and scream for Penny. Marinette gasped as the akuma declared that Penny wasn't around anymore and that she was Troublemaker. She showed that she could make herself intangible before declaring that she was gonna cause him nothing but problems. "Penny?"

"Oh dear. Now that troublemaker is going to put all that sourdough to waste," Plagg sighed, making Marinette shake her head.

"Then we better stop her," She declared, holding out her hand. "Plagg, claws out!!"

A green light over took her, turning her into Lady Noir. She looked over at the film as Alec attempted get footage of Troublemaker but she cut the camera. She frowned before climbing out of the skylight, just as Anatis landed on the ground below. She watched as he tried to get into the bakery only for Troublemaker appear behind him. She grabbed him and threw him into the TV van but Lady Noir extended her baton, blocking Troublemaker's path. She turned intangible again but Anatis had already thrown his yoyo and landed on the balcony, allowing her to bring back her baton back to her.

"Hey there, handsome," She grinned as he jumped down from the rail and walked over to her. "What brings you to the best bakery in town?"

"Fancied some freshly baked bread and landed in a spot of trouble," He grinned. "Is Marinette safe?"

"She's hiding in the bathroom but Troublemaker seems to have it in for Jagged," Lady Noir nodded. "Anyway, follow me,"

She jumped down into her room and Anatis followed suit, looking at the pictures as they moved across the bed.

"Uh... Annie?" She asked, making him look at her.

"Sorry, still not use to seeing myself on film," He smiled, tapping the picture of him and Marinette together. Lady Noir rose an eyebrow. "Anyway, we'll take the grand tour later. Shall we-"

He suddenly lifted the mattress as knitting needles were thrown at them before he dived at her but Troublemaker clicked her pen, causing him to fall through her. Lady Noir jumped down and helped him to his feet as Troublemaker disappeared and threw an umbrella at them. She knocked it back and Anatis threw his yoyo but it went through Troublemaker as she clicked her pen. She clicked it again and threw the chaste at them. A picture of Luka landed on the ground and Lady Noir gasped before grabbing at it. Anatis rose an eyebrow but was knocked back when he was hit by an otterman. He threw his yoyo but it went through Troublemaker again and got tangled with Lady Noir's baton, causing her to laugh as she sank through the ceiling. He looked around for her as she jumped through the floorboard and clicked her pen, reaching for his earrings. Lady Noir gasped and spit her baton into two. She tripped him up and slammed her baton into Troublemaker's hand, causing her pen to go flying and Anatis to land on the floor. Troublemaker gasped as she looked towards her pen, causing Anatis to realize where the akuma was.

"Lady Noir! The Pen!!" He shouted as the three of them dived at it. They all caught it but Troublemaker grinned and clicked it.

"Touch me if you dare," She declared before sinking through the floorboards again. Anatis growled.

"Damn it. We can't touch her, even if we wanted to her,"

"But her strength is also her weakness, Annie,"

"Good point. If she wants to touch us, she has to be touchable as well," He smiled as the two of them stood up. He noticed they were still holding hands before he quickly let go. "Sorry,"

"N-No worries," Lady Noir gasped, blushing before grinning. "Let's go cause some trouble,"

The two of them ran downstairs into the living room before looking around. Anatis narrowed his eyes as he spun his yoyo like a shield.

"Be careful," He declared. "Chances are she's somewhere in this room but if she wants to take our miraculous, she can't be untouchable,"

"And if we grab her then we snag her pen," Lady Noir grinned as she looked around the living room. Anatis nodded and narrowed his eyes as the two of them around but Troublemaker suddenly appeared through the ceiling and shoved Anatis across the room before she grabbed Lady Noir's arms and twisted them around her back, pinning them there. She went to grab her ring as Anatis jumped back up and threw his yoyo around them both but she clicked her pen, causing his yoyo to trap Lady Noir. She clicked her pen again and kicked Lady Noir to the ground before she ran at Anatis. She jumped and clicked her pen, going through him before clicking it again as she jumped against the wall, throwing herself into him and pinning him down onto the floor. She held his arms above his head and grabbed his right earring, causing the other one to beep erratically as she grinned, holding up the earring.

"You've already lost half the battle, bug boy," She stated, looking at him as his mask slowly began to disappear, along with parts of his suit. He struggled against her as she went to reach for the other one but before she could, Lady Noir freed herself and held out her hand. Hearing the beeping, she closed her eyes.

"Cataclysm!!" She yelled before blindly charging at Troublemaker. She gasped and clicked her pen, causing herself to go intangible again. Lady Noir went straight through her and slammed into the window but Troublemaker growled at her as she sank through the floorboards. She had dropped Anatis' earring which bounced away from her. He scrambled up and grabbed it, putting it back on. His mask returned over his eyes and his suit reformed on his legs and arms. He let out a sigh of relief as Lady Noir rushed over to him with her eyes closed and cradling her charged up hand. He couldn't help but smile at her. "Annie, you good?"

"Yeah, I'm good, kitten," He stated, making her open her eyes. She smiled sheepishly at him before she grabbed his yoyo and handed it back to him. "Thanks for closing your eyes, Kitty,"

"Well... I only want a reveal when we both agree to it," She smiled bashfully, getting a nod of agreement of him. "But that can wait. First, we need to kick trouble's butt,"

"Couldn't agree more," He declared before throwing his yoyo up in the air. "Lucky charm!!"

The magic ladybugs summoned a broken plate, which he caught as he frowned before he looked around in his lucky vision. He gasped as he couldn't find how to use it before he looked around again. Lady Noir frowned as Anatis got frustrated before he sighed.

"That's strange... I can't see how to use it,"

"Could losing an earring made your power weaker?" Lady Noir asked as he looked around again, moving over to the bookcase.

"I hope not," He stated, glancing around before the super glue lit up. "Oh, thank kwamis. It is working,"

"Oh, good," Lady Noir let out a sigh as he picked up the superglue. He began to fix the plate as she rose an eyebrow. "I mean that had me worried... but... why?"

She pointed to the plate but before grinned and handed it to her before turning the glue on himself. Well, on his earrings. Lady Noir smirked as he took the plate from her and then the two of them headed back into Marinette's room. Lady Noir went first and held out her hand as she looked around. Anatis followed holding up the plate.

"This is the lamest lucky charm I've ever had," He muttered in a worried tone. "It's practically useless against a villain who can literally walk through walls,"

"She doesn't seem to be here though," Lady Noir replied before jumping up onto the bed area. "I'll check the balcony,"

"Noir! Don't! I only have a plate to defend myself!!" He gasped as she disappeared through the skylight. "Great,"

Almost instantly, Troublemaker appeared through the ceiling and dived at him. He dove out of the way and threw the plate at her but she clicked her pen and it went through her, smashing against the wall. She dived at him and pinned him down again, grabbing at his earrings as Hawkmoth ordered her to grab them. As soon as she touched them, her fingers got stuck onto them and he dropped the act, grabbing her arms as she tried to get up. He grinned at her as she tried to pull away.

"Having some trouble?" He asked.

"Aww, my poor bug-a-boo... looks like you have a super villain stuck on you... literally," Lady Noir cooed as she sat on the railing and held up the super glue. "Let's separate you two,"

She jumped down as Troublemaker tried to get away from Anatis but he only moved with her, keeping his grip on her arms. Lady Noir jumped over and tapped the pen with her charged hand, causing it to rust and break, freeing both the akuma and Anatis. Troublemaker cried out and grabbed her head as she turned back into Penny. Anatis captured it with his yoyo before releasing the purified butterfly. He grabbed the broken plate and threw it into the air, declaring the magic words. It turned into the swarm and swept across the bakery, fixing everything that needed to be fixed and restored Marinette's room. As soon as that was done, Lady Noir turned her attention Penny as the woman looked around confused. Seeing the two heroes, she gasped.

"W-what happened?" She asked in a frightened tone. "Is Jagged ok?"

"You're always so helpful, putting everyone before yourself," Lady Noir smiled gently as Anatis nodded. She knelt down and smiled at her. "Let's worry about Penny for a change. Are you ok?"

"I... I'm fine... thank you, Lady Noir," Penny smiled, getting up. "I'm sorry for causing trouble,"

"Don't be, Penny," Anatis smiled. "It's ok to take some time for yourself when you need it,"

"Thank you," She smiled as the miraculous beeped, reminding the heroes it was time to leave.

"Sorry, have to go," Anatis gasped. "Rock on, Penny. You're awesome,"

"Yeah! Rock and roll," Lady Noir agreed as the two of them jumped onto the rails and through the skylight. They hear Penny take a deep breathe before she exited the room. Anatis jumped onto the rail as Lady Noir landed next to him. "That was a close call,"

"Yeah but no finding out my true identity for you today," He smiled as he spun his yoyo.

"That's ok," She grinned, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "Since I already know who you are,"

"Y-you do?!" He gasped as she snored and laughed.

"You're my best friend, you dork," She grinned, hugging him. He smiled and hugged back before she pulled away and held out her fist. "Pound it?"

"Pound it," He smiled, tapping his fist against hers. He went to jump before he turned and smiled at her. "You're my best friend too, Kitten,"

With that, he jumped off through the city. Lady Noir jumped up the other part of the room before dropping down to part of her roof and dropped her transformation. She jumped back onto the balcony and let out a sigh of relief. Anatis hadn't found her supply of cheese nor did he seem embarrassed about Marinette having photos of him on her wall. She would have to deal with the rest of the fallout at school. She dived into her room as Plagg dived into his cheese and rushed downstairs. As soon as she burst into the bakery, she saw everything was back to normal. She rushed over to her parents and hugged them, telling them she hid in the bathroom before Penny shyly came through. She looked like she was about to apologize but before she could, Jagged glomped her.

"Penny!! I'm so glad you're ok and not in your super villain outfit anymore... though very rock and roll... but seriously, what would I do without you?" He smiled as he held her shoulders. "You're the best. In fact, I'm giving you a pay raise for all your hard work!!"

"Jagged," She smiled before hugging him. He smiled and hugged back. Marinette shared a knowing look with her mother before smiling.

~Next Day at School~

Marinette sighed to herself as she carefully made her way through the school. She intended to avoid everyone but in particular, she wanted to avoid Luka. Well, she didn't actually want to avoid him but she figured he would probably been uncomfortable with the fact that she had their photos printed out and stuck on her wall. And that there was the fact that Jagged hinted that she might have a crush on him, which was true but she didn't want him to find out like that. She wanted to be able to tell him herself but so far, she hadn't seen him which was good. She would wait a few days and then talk to him again. She let out a sigh as she reached her locker and put her bag inside before closing the door.

"Hey, Ma-Ma-Marinette," Luka smirked, making her jump. He let out a little chuckle as she glared at him before he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry... I just wanted to make sure you were ok after that akuma,"

"O-Oh... I'm fine...a bit... never-mind... I'm good... are you?" She gasped, nervously before pressing her fingers together. "Look... about what you saw on the show last night... the totographs on my wall... I have them on there because they're really good memories for me... I'm sorry if that seems... weird..."

"Marinette, I don't think that's weird at all but in case, you've forgotten... I'm a Couffaine. Weirdness and chaos is in my blood," He grinned, making her smile "So... I actually wanted to ask you something... um... I was wondering if you wanted to come by the liberty and hang out with me after school while I practice some new songs I've written... um I really could do with a second opinion on them who isn't Rose or Juleka and well, you like my music so... I was hoping... you'd like to come by?"

"Oh," Marinette gasped, not expecting him to ask but she hesitated to answer. Not because she didn't want to say yes. She so wanted to say yes. She was just surprised that he asked.

"Oh, you're busy..." He frowned, shaking his head. "Just ignore that. It was a stupid idea..."

He sighed and went to walk away but Marinette grabbed his hand, making him look at her She blushed and pushed a bit of her hair back.

"I'm not busy and I'd love to hear your new songs," She smiled shyly, making him smile.

"Really?" He asked, smiling. She nodded. "Cool. Meet me at the doors after school?"

"I'll have to drop of my books at mine first though,"

"Fine by me. I can buy us some sweets,"

"It's a date," She smiled, causing him to blush. "I mean... a hang out... thing...not like a date date..."

"Ye-Yeah," He gasped, blushing before he rushed off. He stopped and waved. "See ya after school, Mari,"

===========================

Next Chapter: https://ultra-sassyduck.tumblr.com/post/632366839231578112/miraculous-rise-of-anatis-33

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benscursedkid · 5 years ago

Text

synopsis: being a twin is hard, but maybe diego can help with that.

pairing: lyubomira andreeva x diego caplan

genre: just lots of fluff :))

a/n: the first finished product from my followers special! to my other winners, there really isn’t an order in which I’m doing these, just whichever I feel like in the moment until one of them is ready. also, I’m sorry for the delay, I was much busier this week than I planned. 💙

tag: 1/2 of @blubxtch request!! lyubka belongs to her!

It was rather cold.

With the fall beginning to bleed into winter, the air seems to be thinning and the world appears to be losing its color. Preparing for the chill the passing of the seasons will bring, Lyubka is starting to regret not bringing an extra layer to practice.

“Andreeva!” The Captain shouts, successfully gaining the Hufflepuff’s attention. “You remember the plunge play?”

Lyubka nods.

“Good,” He says and her grip on her broom tightens. “Then do it.”

Their newest recruit, a third year chaser, readies himself for the onslaught. He shivers involuntarily, pressing his lips firmly together to stop his teeth from chattering. She offers him a reassuring smile before launching off.

He holds himself well, executioning the dive almost flawlessly. Cadmus, she remembers his name was. After having watched them going through their entire playbook on multiple occasions, it seems as though he’s finally ready to prove himself.

Their captain gives him a curt nod of acknowledgement, the slight attention brings a smile to his face, dimples poking into his numb cheeks. As for herself, Lyubka offers him a stiff thumbs up. His smile widens.

They continue on, going over each of their plays for the next match, Lyubka’s focus sharp and concentrated. It’s only when a certain flash of gold meets her eyes that she takes pause.

Diego. He sits in his usual spot, in the middle of the temporarily empty stands, nose buried into his characteristic striped scarf. When she catches his eye, he waves, his fingers wiggling effortlessly in a flirty hello.

She tries to scoff, but the corners of her mouth betray her, unable to restrain from smirking back in kind. Well, she assumes he’s smirking, not that she can actually tell with that scarf.

It’s another half hour before the captain calls it a day and a chorus of relieved groans erupt from the players. Landing their brooms, they disappear into the lockers, more than ready to be out of their sweaty practice gear.

Lyubka steps out, feeling the sharp chill that permeates the air nip at her uncovered cheeks. Her hands begin to shake and she pulls them up to her mouth to blow hot air across them. Rubbing them together, she starts on her usual trek up to the stands to join Diego.

“You know,” She calls upon reaching her destination, having pulled her practice gloves back on for some form of warmth. She sits down to his left. “I’m the one who expels all my energy in practice. The least you could do is meet me down there.”

Diego grins, all soft angles and bright eyes. “But the view up here is so much better.”

She arches a bemused eyebrow. “It’s just the Quidditch pitch.”

The boy sighs, dragging out an unopened water bottle from his bag, passing it to her instinctually. “Come on, I know you’re a Quidditch star,” He jests, and she pauses with the water halfway to her mouth, smiling. “But surely even you can see past the stands.”

Her head tilts in thought. Truthfully, she’s not sure she ever has. It’s not as though she physically can’t see beyond the pitch, she’s just never given herself reason too. A right shame, if she’s honest.

So, taking a quick gulp from her water, she closes it and finally casts a look around the place.

With the castle being off in the direction behind her, she finds the pitch surrounded on all sides by thick forest. Large trees and vast green grass spreads out for miles, brought even more to life by the setting sun, getting closer and closer to the horizon. The sky pales, a calm before the storm so to speak, before the vibrant colors tear through it.

“See?” Diego winks, pulling out a bag of snacks, offering her a cookie that no doubt came from Penny. “Told you it’s worth it.”

Lyubka returns the expression. “I suppose you’re right.”

“But you do have a point,” At her questioning look, he sighs and sets his food aside. “You work hard and I should be more considerate.”

The brunette shakes her head, her hand reaching out to lay across his arm of its own accord. “Diego, you come out here every practice to keep me company and hydrated,” She proves this by shaking the water bottle he’d given her. “No matter the weather, no matter the time, no matter whatever else is going on. You come and that’s more than enough.”

“But I could do more,” Before she can protest, he holds up a hand, silently asking for permission to continue. She gives it. “I just wish you wouldn’t work yourself so hard, Lyubka. You’re already exceptional, you could stand a rest every now and again. Between Quidditch, the vaults, and everyone else’s problems, you’re wearing yourself thin.”

Lyubka shrinks, knowing he’s right. It’s always been a habit of hers, second nature, to take on everything that she can. Sometimes she forgets that she has a limit.

Diego hesitates beside her, but eventually unwraps his scarf from around his neck. Instead, he drapes it across her shoulders. Her instincts tell her to fight it, insist he should keep it, but with the soft way his eyes shine with the kind of satisfaction only selfless kindness can give, she decides against it.

It’s soft against her skin, warm, and smells starkly like mint and honey.

“I don’t know if it’s any of my business,” Diego murmurs, voice slightly more clear without the scarf. “But is there a reason behind that?”

“Behind what?”

He shrugs as if unable to find the words. “Your, uh.. competitive streak?” He asks slowly, testing the sentence on his tongue.

“Competitive streak?” She gasps dramatically, though it’s a half effort.

A low chuckle sounds from his throat. “What else can you call it?” She ponders this for a moment but, as expected, comes up short. “See?”

A lull drifts in the conversation, the two of them falling quiet. But thankfully, much to Lyubka’s relief, it is not uncomfortable. She feels like she doesn’t need words. It would be impossible for them to compare to the ache in the apples of her cheeks whenever she seeks his company. Or the constricting of her chest whenever he looks at her with those eyes, full of passion and mirth and genuine interest. It’s nice, she thinks, to feel this way.

After all she’s gone through at Hogwarts, all the chaos and adventure, it’s refreshing to have someone who puts her at peace whom she can come back to. Truth be told, she wasn’t certain she’d even have the opportunity for something as trivial and exciting as a crush. Makes her almost feel her own age. For once, she has the chance to be normal.

But she will never be normal.

“It’s a bad habit, my competitiveness,” She explains and Diego nods from beside her, passing her a pretzel. She smiles. “I think it’s a twin thing.” She wrinkles her nose.

“Why do you say that?” He asks, a sincere curiosity lacing his tone.

“Well, when people are always pitting you against someone, it becomes second nature to try and prove yourself.”

She turns to him now, and her breath catches in her throat.

It seems that she had not taken into account the bleeding sun. The rich hues and vibrant shades of yellow and orange and gold strung out across the skyline. Currently, the sun is barely peeking out behind distant hills, bidding the beautiful land a dutiful farewell.

Yet all her focus is on Diego. The halo of golden light surrounds him as if the strands couldn’t help but to touch him, bask gratefully in his presence. Whisks of amber cast a warm glow across his expectant expression, his face a radiant canvas for their natural works of art. For who could ever find a muse better than him?

The image before her is a stark contrast to the chill around her and she’s suddenly unsure exactly how it happened.

His brown eyes crinkle with a knowing smirk and she looks away to hide the flush in her cheeks that is in no way related to the cold.

“That doesn’t seem very fair,” He remarks and a small chuckle escapes her.

“It’s not,” she sighs, a frown tugging at her lips. “It’s hard to be my own person sometimes. I can never just be Lyubka, or even Lyubomira Andreeva. It’s always Lyubka and Bori or Bori and Lyubka. People are always comparing us. If Bori can do something, I’m expected to be able to do it too and at the same level of expertise.”

“And if not?”

“Then it makes me weak,” The very thought, and all her pent up frustration, almost pulls pinpricks to her eyes. She blinks them back. “Or thick and dull and just altogether… less. And my family does not settle for less.”

He doesn’t speak, sensing that she isn’t finished. He doesn’t have to wait long. “It’s not usually the kind of thing that would bother me,” She admits, voice wavering. “But when you spend all your time with someone, only to never measure up..?”

“It’s enough to drive anyone mad.” Diego finishes and her eyes snap to him.

Atanas.

Will he become the measure by which all Andreevi are judged? She worries about this on nights where her brain is tired yet sleep does not grace her. Will people look at her and see Bori? Or will they catch her eye and think of Atanas?

Will she ever be Lyubka?

Is she destined to be just another branch on her family tree?

“Well, if it makes you feel any better,” Diego whistles, giving her a sideways glance. “I know tons of things she can do that you can’t.”

She blinks. Once. Twice.

Come again?

“For example,” He starts, seemingly oblivious to her entire reaction. “Liz tells me that she can sleep for hours into the day if left undisturbed! And that she can never remember where she leaves her wand. Also, did you know she never laughs at my jokes?”

For a moment he appears so absolutely offended, Lyubka can’t help but laugh. It bubbles from her throat unbidden and soon Diego is joining her. The sound twinkles pleasantly in her ears like wind chimes.

“What was that about?” She questions after the laughter has died down, unable to help herself.

For a moment, he stutters, and Lyubka swears the red of his cheeks match hers.

He shrugs, trying his best to appear nonchalant. “I don’t know. I guess I just wanted you to know that what you can and can’t do makes you you,” His shoulders raise as he takes a deep breath and laces their fingers together, an all too earnest look in his eyes. “And just so you know, there’s so much that you can do that she can’t.”

“Like what?” She hears herself ask before she even registers she’s speaking.

“She doesn’t practice dueling with me, or sneak down into the kitchens to swipe some midnight snacks,” The words leave his mouth in a flurry of jumbled thoughts, but really, when have genuine emotions ever made sense? “Bori can’t challenge me like you can, or see me the way you do. She can’t make me smile or make me lost in thought like you do…”

Diego reaches out a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair she hadn’t even realized was there behind her ear. He allows it to linger there. She doesn’t push him away. “She can never be you, Lyubka.”

Neither of them are quite sure who leaned in first, but suddenly his lips miss hers. They land centimeters away, on her cheek. Her eyes flutter shut as her heart skips uncontrollably. His lips, soft and chilled on her hot face, move slightly closer, catching just the corner of her mouth. Hers twitch as if they want to pull into a smile but are too preoccupied with other thoughts to do so.

Suddenly, he stops. His eyes wander up her face until they find hers and without any pretense, Lyubka leans forward.

He kisses her softly, gently, but in earnest and with the vigor of someone who has ached to do something for a very long time. The entire world around them falls away until Diego Caplan is the only thing in her mind. She smiles into his mouth.

They pull apart and Diego grins in disbelief. “Yeah,” He drawls, his cheeks a pretty pink. “I don’t think Bori could do that either.”

She laughs and pulls him in, her arms wrapping around his neck as the sun finally sets beyond them.

#hphm #harry potter hogwarts mystery #hogwarts mystery #hphm mc #hphm au #mc #hphm jacob’s sibling #jacob’s sibling #100 followers special #lyubka andreeva #lyubomira andreeva #mc x diego #diego caplan #jacob's sibling #diego caplan x mc #hufflepuff!mc #diego caplan x hufflepuff

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leah-halliwell92 · 5 years ago

Text

Doesn’t Really Matter

Summary: Taylor Mae Miller has been friends with Adam since they were in high school and a musician in he own right and has known Queen for just about the same time he’s been touring with them. Their bond strong and growing ever stronger, Mae decides to move across the pond not only to be closer to her new found friends but to get away from her volatile and toxic relationship thrust on her by her mother. Will her new found family be enough to reassure her that she is loved?

Chapter 2

“Are you joking?” Roger asked incredulously.

Adam couldn’t hold it anymore and broke into a fit of laughter.

Taylor gave the men a knowing look hand to her mouth to keep from laughing, and nodded.

“Like I said,” she said trying to hold back her laughter, “My grandparents are hippies and music junkies!”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Roger asked still not getting it.

“It means they were going to name me something out of the cosmos or after one or more of their favorite singers or bands,” she said as she couldn’t hold bacon her laughing anymore.

Brian nodded in understanding before shaking his head with a warm laugh of his own.

“She was names after her grandmother’s favorites Roger,” Adam as he came to.

That’s when the penny fell and Roger’s eyes widened in realization.

“She named you after your favorites, huh,” he said boyish grin appearing on his face.

“And there’s the ego boost,” Brian says jokingly.

“Well I never,” Roger said faking outrage.

You all share a laugh and continue eating your food when Adam stands with a quiet ‘excuse me’ when his phone goes off.

“Why so glum Liz Taylor?” Mae asked noticing the serious look on Roger’s face.

“Your mother...”

“Is not here,” she says voice going hard, “And as Adam told me on the way here...she is not here to tell me what or who to do.”

“NO boys,” Brian and Roger said in unison causing the wives to laugh and Mae to shrug and then a chuckle when Brian added, “Or girls.”

“Still,” she said voice somber., “It isn’t like she’s a mum mum to me, she’s my mother she birthed but that is as far as the connection goes. She was all for my brothers but when it came to her only daughter she saw a bargaining chip.”

“Jesse and Jonah tried,” she said with a shrug, “Sometimes it would work and other times it would blow up in our faces.”

“Sounds like a traditionalist in the worst possible way,” Roger said as he tossed the now empty plates into the food bag to be disposed of later.

Taylor nodded and sighed.

Adam stepped back into the room an annoyed look on his face.

“Everything ok?” Taylor asked.

“Yea,” he said with a roll of his eyes making his sarcasm more than a little evident, “Manager needs me to go back to go over scheduling to make sure my tour and our tour don’t over lap.”

You nodded and rolled your eyes. Those schedules had been done for ages. And have been checked and double checked that everything was where it’s suppose to be.

“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,” Brian said with a grin.

“Same, but dude’s wanting to check makes me think that he thinks he did something wrong,” he said annoyed before going to Taylor and pulling her into a hug, “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

Taylor nodded and went to get the mattress when and incredulous Roger said, “Wait...she’s spending the nigh here? Alone?”

“I was going to come back after my meeting,” Adam said before he reached the front door.

“You know as well as we do that scheduling revision is going to take most if not all night,” Roger said knowingly, “She’ll be staying with me.”

“Um...you have a thing in London remember?” Sarina said withholding a laugh after sharing a look with Anita the younger woman knowing very well that Rog had a couple of errands to run in London.

“And I have to study for a play will be showing in two weeks,” Anita said gently.

“I can give you the keys to my place Mae,” Adam said about to take said keys out.

“And stay there alone?” Roger said not liking the sound of that one bit.

Taylor rolled her eyes and said, “I feel like a rope...”

Sarina and Anita laughed at that and nodded.

“Why not a hotel?” Taylor said with a shrug.

“You have a home here little Mae,” Roger said with approaching her, “Not one but a few if Brian and Anita have anything to say about it.”

“It’s settled then,” Brian said beamingly.

“What?” Roger said clearly confused.

“Mae will be staying with me,” Brian said trying to not look smug at the suggestion, “You and Adam will be busy in London, the girls will be preparing for their performances leaving me to my lonesome.”

Roger looked at Brian in disbelief.

“My best mate just swindled me out of time with my namesake,” Roger said in disbelief.

“You forget thought Roger,” Mae said with a smirk, “I am Little Mae.”

“Hush you,” he said ruffling her hair causing her to laugh.

“I’ll put her stuff in your car then,” Adam said and left to do just that.

Taylor made her way to Brian who pulled her into a warm hug.

“You maybe Little Mae–” Roger began in a sure sign of that famous Taylor tempter.

“She’s got two daddies to take care of her,” Sarina cut in as she laughed at her husband’s antics, “Which means, she’s got family here.”

“More family than I ever thought I would,” Taylor said eyes glued to the ground.

Brian gave her a reassuring squeeze and said, “But family none the less.”

Taylor smiled at that and nodded. It was going take a bit to get used to being a a part of a stable family. But she was sure it was going to be a hell of a lot better than being on her own.

That settled, Adam said his goodbyes to everyone and left to kick his manager in the pants and see what the issues where with the schedule, Sarina left to get her bag from the trunk of their car and head to the airport to her own filming destination and Anita opted to take a cab to the theater to do her study.

“I will probably be back late but I will see you both in the morning,” Anita said bidding Taylor and Brian good bye with a hug and kiss.

“And you...” she said giving Roger a hug, “Behave.”

“I always behave!” He huffed indignantly.

Taylor and Brian laughed at that before Brian said, “Well since lunch is over and done with let’s go get you settled in.”

Taylor nodded and followed after the men.

“Before we head in why not go for tea?” Roger said a grin on his face.

“You really want to treat me to something don’t you,” Taylor asked rhetorically.

“Well...what is a mother supposed to do?” He said a cheeky grin.

Brian shook his head at them but offered Taylor his arm, ever the gentleman.

Together the trio took a stroll around the area until the found a quaint little tea shop walking distance away from her flat.

And as promised, Roger treated her to tea. The fact that Brian was there to also enjoy the fruits of his labor is another thing entirely.

“How are things with Jonah?” Brian asks as he serves the tea.

“Things with him have always been good,” Taylor said with a grin, “But better now that he mentioned settling down.”

“Oh?”

“Yea, he applied to be honorably discharged. Said something about making an honest woman out of Clair once and for all,” Taylor laughed at that and said, “I think he’s finally going to propose!”

The men gave a quiet cheer at the news.

“About time too! Clair’s been waiting for him to propose since she met him his senior year in school,” Taylor said with a laugh remember the day her best friend met her oldest brother.

“And him?” Roger asked curiously.

“He needed time to grow and mature away from our mother. I think the army did that for him,” she said with a sigh and a gentle grin, “Jesse’s another story though...he’s always been my mother’s baby. The one to always kiss her ass when she decided something needed to go one way or another, the one to back her up when she decided I needed to follow what she said because and I quote, ‘I am your mother. I birthed you raised and am raising you so the least you could do is acknowledge the fact that I know what is best for you’.”

The men bristled at that as they pieced together more of the puzzle that is Taylor’s life and the people within it.

“And you're dad?” Roger asked carefully.

Taylor grinned sadly and said, “Dad passed away a little over two months ago.”

The men gapped at that.

“Pancreatic cancer,” she said as she played with the teacup that is on the table, “And before you say anything about not having told you earlier...I didn’t do it out of spite. I really didn't know how to say it, how to say he’s...he’s...”

Brian pulled her on his side as she breaks down.

“We cremated him as per his request, service is next week in my gran’s Irish home,” she said when she calmed down some.

Roger sat in shock at the information and downed what was left in his cup no wishing it had something bit stronger in it.

“I think it’s time to take her home,” Brian said as he stood and helped her stand up as well.

Roger nodded and stood going to pay for their tea.

Brian walked her to the bathroom hall where she went to the laddie’s and make herself presentable. It wouldn’t do for the paparazzi to see her looking like they kicked her puppy.

Now looking more presentable, they trio made their way to the flat where they Roger left them with warm hugs and a kiss to Taylor’s forehead.

Brian helped her into the car and made his way into town making a bee line to Save Me.

“Wait here dear,” Brian said as he got out of the car and went into the facility.

Taylor waited brow furrowed in curiosity and confusion as to what the man could possibly be planning.

A little bit later Brian came back a satisfied smile on his face.

“Tomorrow you and I are going to be busy,” he said as he drove out.

“Do I want to know?” She asked with a small smile.

“Nope,” he said with a grin, “You’ll just have to wait and find out.”

~//~

If you wanna be tagged to my Queen/Borhap forever list tell me! Feedback is appreciated!!

Tag List: @queenattheopera, @brianandthemays, @theborhapboysawakenedmywhatever, @ramibaby, @captain--americanna, @awkwardangelshezza, @avengerraven1023, @danamaleksworld, @pastywhiteperson, @readinghorn, @i-was-born-like-this, @redspecialstardust, @reedusteinrambles, @rogertaylorsfalsettogivesmehives, @readinghorn, @subbysharkbabe, @capan-devereaux, @bowieandqueen11, @bellamy1998, @reedusteinrambles, @mazzello-lee-jones-malek, @sincereleygmg, @bleu-jean-baby, @brian-mayonnaise, @0hour9am, @toomuchtellyneck, @kimanne723, @kyleetheeditor, @glamrockmonarch, @rawyld, @queensdivas

#brian may #roger taylor #adam lambert #sarina taylor #anita dobson

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rami-pastrami · 5 years ago

Text

𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 ; 𝗿&𝗯

date; 3.3.2020 time; 8pm (los angeles) - 4am (berlin) notes; mostly just soft stuff. also @jlxngz mentions b/c 😏

@brendonisms

brendon

the hotel was cold. despite the large, fluffy comforter burying his tired limbs and the slumbering athlete beside him, the emptiness had still managed to follow him overseas. the endless glasses of jameson did little to remedy this, though he was pouring himself yet another as the familiar ringing filled the quiet room. "hey, you." once rami's features were coming into view, brendon was slouching ever so slightly against his pillow, the lamp on his bedside table the only thing warding off the darkness. "sorry if i'm-" a yawn punctuated the statement, despite the fact that he felt awake as ever. "-ugly right now. jet lag's a bitch.." a tired smile littered his features. "how are you? what time is it there?"

rami

he'd had his own brand of restless nights as of late -- prior to his rehab, he's struggled to fall asleep in he first place. now, he couldn't seem to stay asleep, try as he might, and many hours were wasted laying in bed, willing the sleep to return. it meant that his sleeping schedule was highly irregular and his days were sprinkled with sporadic naps here and there to make up for time lost during the night. stretched out in bed despite the early hour, rami's curls were a wild mess that he hadn't considered fixing before noticing them on his screen after brendon picked up. his eyes narrowed at his own reflection but a smile was quick to follow at the singer's languid greeting, his attention darting from the top corner of the screen to settle on brendon's sleepy features. "you're never ugly, just stupid," he corrected him gently. the lighting was a bit better on his end, given the time, which he had to turn his head to look at the bedside clock to confirm. "seven-ish.. only slept three hours last night though, so i'm pretty out of it," he answered in a low tone. "good otherwise, though... lonely, but you knew that." another soft, upward twitch of his lips and a quick inhale. "how's berlin? s'late there... party too hard?" his tone was light and genial -- anything but judgmental.

brendon

"just stupid. right." rolling his eyes fondly, brendon took in what he could from the screen, everything from those tired eyes to messy curls. though several weeks had passed, the polynesian frequently found himself dwelling on emerald orbs and unexpected confessions, and though rami had admitted to seeking help, the incessant worry seemed too stubborn to give him rest. fortunately, with the actor in his view, it was quieting down. "only three?" thick eyebrows raising at the admission, he was sure to keep his tone non-accusatory as he asked, "why haven't you been sleeping?" the mention of partying was bringing another roll to his eyes, though a smile was soon following. "berlin's.. lit. really lit. practically had to carry j home the first night." eyes momentarily tearing away from the screen, he eyed the slumbering brit before meeting rami's gaze. "jesse, i mean. lingard. the footballer."

rami

each eyeroll just made rami grow a little fonder, and for a moment, he loathed how far away berlin was from LA. "dunno.. trying my hardest, but the brain just doesn't seem to want to be quiet for too long. it's alright, i've been catchin' cat naps here n' there, i'm surviving." an eyebrow quirked at the nickname, and when brendon elaborated, rami couldn't stop the look of disapproval that marred his otherwise happy expression. a grunt came tumbling forth, married with an eyeroll of his own. "jesse? ugh. you'll find better company a the bottom of a barrel of dead fish," he groaned. despite his harsh words, there was something about the way he said it -- and perhaps even the hint of a smirk that danced across his lips -- that indicated his annoyance wasn't fully hostile in nature. "let me know if he dies along the way, i'll be happy to arrange his funeral."

brendon

not incredibly pleased with the explanation, though under the impression that surviving was as good of an answer he could hope for, brendon forced the remainder of his light interrogation down for another time. this became easier as rami's reaction to the footballer fed through the screen. muffling his laughter behind a clenched fist, the polynesian took a moment to catch his breath and ensure he wouldn't dissolve into a louder fit of chuckles before responding. "i always forget how much you guys don't like each other." though, the same could be said about himself and the footballer as well. "it's funny because you're pretty much 'twinning' in every possible way." restless as ever, he fingered at his glass of whiskey before taking a swig, letting the silence wash over him as he sorted his thoughts. "i dunno'.. just didn't wanna' be in la anymore, i guess." the added explanation incredibly delayed, he wouldn't be surprised if the actor struggled to keep up. "tired of my house.. starting to get tired of the studio. just needed a change of pace for a bit."

rami

"fuck, perish the thought," rami grumbled in response to their apparent 'twinning'. "he's dumber than a horse's ass, and about as cute as one, too." a sideways glance to the glowing screen of his phone showed off the full-blown grin that now rested over his look of irritation. it faded a bit at the silence that passed between them, comfortable as it was -- but then brendon was speaking again, and rami had to pause a moment to follow his train of thought. "ah.." he muttered gently, nodding his head. "i get that... shit, i've run off to other countries twice now just 'cause i couldn't stand another moment wherever i was at the time." there was another beat of quiet, and then rami was adding in a hushed voice, "just ah, don't disappear for a year, like i did, okay? n' if you're ever sick of home, you're more than welcome to stay at mine... sami's gone, so i've decided to reopen it to the public."

brendon

“really?” the statement taken by surprise, brendon’s curiosity had gotten control of the reigns. the egyptian’s mental health had only fallen on his radar recently, and the topic frequently found its way into his endlessly running train of thoughts when mornings were quiet or worries especially loud. “i won’t disappear.. i promise.. zack would kill me.” the musician’s manager had gotten so skilled at reigning him in over the years, it made impulsivity in the wake of looming commitments less likely. “where did you go?” fully aware he was toeing the line, brendon gently nudged on. “like.. when you disappeared?”

rami

".. argentina, for the long stint. it was after joe n' i finished filming the pacific.." he shook his head, closing his eyes while his brow knitted as the ghostly remains of all those complex emotions were recalled to the forefront of his mind. "got it in my head that it'd help with my.. issues.. didn't, obviously, and i ended up back in LA and moved in with my brother. the other time, it was to thailand, for a couple weeks. hid out in the jungle in a little bungalow till i felt better. so.. like i said, i get it."

brendon

“all the way to thailand?” the hypocrisy so painfully loud it was hard to ignore, brendon was hesitating. the similarity between the situations suddenly made the remaining liquid in his glass seem like a sliver, though he resisted the urge to pour himself more, already considerably inebriated. “and.. did you feel better?” by the look of things, apparently not, though brendon asked anyway.

rami

"not particularly. but i knew a few people would be getting worried, so i crawled back to face their wrath. it sucked.. probably wouldn't do it again, at least i don't think i would, but you never can tell with these things." he looked back to brendon, lip pinched between his teeth for a moment before he went on. "i'd at least make sure to tell the one's that'd miss me before i went, i suppose that's the biggest difference between then and now. it was a panic thing... left with nothing but my dog and the clothes on my back, didn't so much as tell a soul where i was." rami smiled gently, almost sadly. "so at least i'm talking to you now, huh?"

brendon

the whole prospect seemed ludicrous. the polynesian had had his fair share of benders to date, though nearly all of them involved another unlucky soul he’d lasso’d into doing his bidding. he’d never been good at being alone which probably explained why the idea seemed so far fetched as a result. “yeah.. no falling off the grid unless you’re getting help.” the hypocrisy leaving a bad taste in his mouth, he was taking another, longer swig from his glass and letting the burn take over his senses. “are you.. gonna’ be hanging around la indefinitely then?” using a ringed finger to trace the rim of his glass, his gaze periodically flickered to the half-empty bottle across the room. “when you’re not sexing up captain marvel, you should.. come over.” any company was better than nothing at that point. “i have penny this month and word on the street is she misses a certain someone so.. mi casa su casa and shit.”

rami

rami's gaze followed the glass as it was lifted to brendon's lips, and he couldn't help the mild twitch of concern in his expression. "roger roger, corporal," he agreed softly, dragging a hand over his face. "mm? oh... for a while, at least. sold the place in new york, didn't uh.. didn't want to see the inside of that apartment again, as you can imagine. thinking about finding a different one instead, but i don't know. don't really have anything keeping me there anymore... it'd just be a stand-in for the occasional hotel room.." a gentle smile spread across his lips at brendon's offer, shaking his head at the thinly veiled analogy for i miss you. "thanks, bren. i will." before he could continue, a naked paw came from the bottom of the frame, toes spread as it stretched to pap him carefully at the corner of his lips. rami made a face, kissing the cat's paw before gently pushing it away with his free hand. "you gonna be back by this weekend, you think?"

brendon

"should be back by this weekend, yeah." should being the keyword. brendon knew he couldn't avoid la forever, especially what awaited him within, but every day spent away seemed to alleviate the symptoms that had been eating away at him since the new year. "i'm heading to seoul for a night or two-" or three. "-might extend my stay if it's especially litty, but i'm pretty sure it's cold as shit over there too, so." he shrugged, already fed up with berlin's frigid climate two days in. "probably will end up missing the city sooner than planned." the weather, at the very least. "so.." no inclined to linger on the topic of his own flighty behavior, he was bringing another swallowed question to light. "..how long have you and brie been an item?" curiosity mostly fueled this. "i know you mentioned being friends for years, but i never knew there was an us."

rami

"oh yeah? that'll be fun. keep warm wherever you end up and for however long, then... my little marshmallow." he added the last bit with a knowing smirk, nestling back and nodding his head as the conversation moved elsewhere. a topic that he really hadn't talked about with anyone, at least not in any great detail... he tended to be a private person, but that dynamic understandably had to change when it came to partners. which... neither brie nor brendon had agreed to such a label, and rami wouldn't be one to push it, but once there were feelings involved, he was more inclined to be forthcoming about equally important relationships. "well.. not long, actually. first week or two of january this year, she'd just broken up with her girlfriend and i went over to offer comfort.. ended up being a bit more than the usual brand, clearly." he shrugged. "normally wouldn't want to end up a rebound like that, but there was a lot more going on beneath the surface.. things we said to one another while it was still innocent. plus, i thought it was going to be the last chance i had--" he cut himself off, his train of thought completely derailing as his brain caught up to his mouth and realized where he'd been headed. no need to bring that up now, it was done and past, and brendon had suffered enough anxiety at his expense already. "... so i just went with it."

brendon

though he only just recently became aware of the actor and actress' relationship status, it wasn't as if it were a huge surprise. his attraction towards the pair were like two halves of the same coin, though the musician was more emotionally devoted to one side than the other. the dance his fingers had been doing with his now-empty glass was coming to a stop as he set it aside and he instead busied himself with a loose string on the end of his long-sleeved tee, rami's words washing over him. "yeah?" he'd murmured following the brief monologue, catching the unfinished sentence though choosing not to acknowledge it. "well.. i'm happy you two are happy." as tiredly as he'd said it, it was true. all the polynesian seemed to want these days were his loved ones general well-being, despite their determination for the opposite. his eyes were instinctively flickering towards the slumbering athlete beside him as the thought fluttered from his mind, and the heaviness was returning in his chest, though he didn't voice this either. "life's too short for what-ifs. second-guessing is so 2019."

rami

a quick, well-intentioned smile was thrown in brendon's direction, but rami couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. "yeah," he agreed quietly, having noticed the shift in brendon's attention. the musician's words floated around his mind for a few moments before he sucked in a gentle breath, doing his best to not let the concern he felt show on his face. "are you happy?" he let the question hang in the air for a few seconds before adding, "i know we've been... well, we were pretty focused on me and my... troubles for a while, but... this impromptu getaway, this need to get out of LA.. you alright? there something you wanna talk about?"

brendon

he'd just about tugged an entire sliver of loose threading from his sleeve when rami's question was dancing from his device, though he waited a few extra beats before choosing to respond. "i'm not.. unhappy." his emotions a feat too complex for even himself to tackle on a normal day, brendon was adding a shrug before shaking his head. "just tired of the city." it wasn't a lie. every day spent in the warm, humid stuffiness that was los angeles seemed to drive the musician closer and closer to madness, though he couldn't pinpoint why -- or simply refused to. "don't worry about me. i'm not.." worth it. "..gonna' vanish or anything. just needed a change of scenery." the lies that'd seep from between his teeth had no taste these days, repetition breeding ease. "i'll probably end up dozing off on you soon though." he was adding in a more lighthearted tone, lips curling into a half-smile. "just a.." a yawn punctuated the sentence. "..warning.."(edited)March 10, 2020

rami

there had to be plenty he wasn't saying, rami could read that on his face despite the pixelated lag. but, he knew better than anyone that sometimes accepting the little lies was the best course of action -- he trusted that brendon would come to him if things became unbearable, or at least bad enough that he wanted to share the load. for now, rami would let him deal with things in his own way and make sure he was always there as a safety net, should the need arise. he hoped, though, that it wouldn't. he hoped that the musician's restlessness would either find a productive outlet, or ease off naturally. "okay," he said gently, giving brendon a small nod. "i trust you." his smile broadened when his counterpart yawned, tongue clicking disapprovingly. "go to sleep, love. ah, but make sure you pound some water first, yeah? gotta promise me." rami's gaze dropped, the fond grin still lingering on his lips. "lookin' forward to seeing you.. i love you. take care of yourself for me, yeah?"

brendon

i trust you. rather than vocalize how that was an ill-advised decision on so many different levels, brendon was nodding curtly, resisting the returning urge to eye the abandoned bottle of whiskey taunting him on a distant table. “gonna’ pound that water real good..” he was murmuring suggestively, a more authentic, tired smile gracing his features at the undertone. “and i love you too.. throw back some nyquil if you keep having trouble and enjoy some wicked hallucinations while you’re at it.” entirely joking, he was carding restless fingers through his messy fringe. “and.. thanks for the call.” he’d added as an afterthought before he was hitting the red button hovering at the bottom of the screen and things were going black.

#. 𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕕𝕚𝕤? ; call #. 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 ; b. urie

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bittysvalentines · 6 years ago

Text

Bumping into You

From: @writingdragon

To: @wrathofthestag

Message: I hope you have a good Valentine's Day! I love your writing and I hope you enjoy your gift! <3

Summary: Eric Bittle runs a very successful bistro that also caters Providence Falconers events. One evening, when he's short staffed, he literally bumps into the eligible and bisexual young captain, one Jack Zimmermann.

Additional Tags: Meet cute, Bitty owns a bistro, Jack never went to Samwell

The Falcs were hosting a Valentine's Day event and even though he currently didn't have a partner, it didn't seem right for an alternate captain to not attend. Jack wasn't even sure what the event was meant to accomplish. It wasn't a huge charity event like their annual dinner and casino night. Maybe that's why he was able to loiter near the catering table all night without being dragged around by Georgia.

Jack checked his smart watch again, dismayed to only discover that only four minutes had passed since the last time he checked it. As he exaggeratedly put his arm back down, he caught the tray of a passing waiter and spilled the contents all over himself.

"Oh dear!" the blonde waiter said. "I'm so sorry about that! Let me."

The waiter frantically looked around for a napkin. Jack interrupted him and said, "Don't worry. That was my fault. I knocked the tray right out of your hands and it looks like I didn't get anything on me."

"Oh good," the man said, obviously relieved. He started picking up the contents of the tray which looked mostly like trash. "I'm not usually this clumsy but then again, it's been ages since I've had to carry a tray around. I'm usually in the kitchen."

Jack had been eying the man all night, obviously in different clothes than the rest of the wait staff. "So, do you do these often?"

He laughed. "I've been the main Falconers' caterer since I opened my bistro. Lord knows why George decided I was good enough to make this kind of food from bistro food but I'm still here."

"You're the one who did the chicken tenders with the fancy honey mustard last year!" Jack said, surprised.

"I'll have you know they were chicken bites with dark amber honey," the waiter said seriously.

Jack's face heated up. How could he embarrass himself in front of the man who makes food for events that he actually likes.

The waiter giggled and broke the tension, "No, you're right. They're basically chicken tenders. For me, fancy food just means renaming normal food with overly complicated names. Nice to bump into you Mr. Zimmermann but duty calls."

It wasn't until the man disappeared into the kitchen that Jack realized he never asked the man his name.

After bumping into Jack Zimmermann, most eligible and bisexual bachelor on the Providence Falconers, Bitty hid in the kitchen. He's been trying to play his cards right for two years to introduce himself to Jack but he could never gather the nerve. He excused himself from service since most of the guests were done with the hors d'oeuvre. His staff in the kitchen had already expertly plated and were prepping the main dish.

Bitty did his chef thing but he wouldn't have filled the spot on the wait staff if he didn't trust his kitchen. Most days, he thought Lardo, his sous chef, could usurp his place and he wouldn't even disagree.

Speaking of Lardo, "Bits, what does it look like out there?"

Bitty changed his apron and put on his hat. "The guests are going to move to the dining room soon. Guess who I ran into, quite literally?"

"Don't tell me. You finally made a move on our tall, dark French-Canadian," Lardo teased as she arranged plates on the counter.

Bitty blushed. "Not so much a move as dumping trash on him. I'll send someone else out if the wait staff gets overwhelmed but I'm not sure I can show my face around here anymore."

"You didn't!" she laughed.

"I wish," he said and immersed himself in the dinner service.

He didn't stop moving until after dessert and coffee were served. Everything in the dining room went smoothly as he hoped. Serving people at tables were much easier than circulating with small bites and drinks.

"So, are you going to go back out and introduce yourself to Jack?" Lardo asked now that they had some breathing room.

"Of course not! I don't feel like embarrassing myself twice tonight," Bitty said, wiping down the counter. "Plus, why would a hockey star want me? I'm just a little bistro chef that sometimes caters events for his team."

Lardo looked at him critically. "You really doubt how charming you can actually be, Bits. Things aren't going to happen if you don't let them."

"I'll keep that in mind but I just want to finish what I came here to do," he said.

Life went back to normal on Monday and if Bitty kneaded the bread a little harder than usual, people didn't say anything. The next Falconers event was next month so that gave Bitty time to plan for it and also get over the Zimmermann Incident.

However, Wednesday rolled around.

Bitty and Lardo were deep in the lunch service when Dex came to the kitchen. "Um, Bitty. There's a diner who would like to speak to you personally. He doesn't seem mad though."

Sadly, that was an occurrence more often than not. He kept a secret count in his desk of the number of times he was called out because something minor was wrong with someone's food and they let him know, loudly.

He signed and made eye contact with Lardo. She nodded at him, the only other person who knew about The List. He gave her a tense smile and steeled himself.

Instead of finding an irate customer, he found a certain Jack Zimmermann shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Bitty was surprised but schooled his face into his best customer service appearance as quickly as he could. "Hello, I'm the head chef and owner. What can I help you with today?"

"Euh, I don't know if you remember me. You ran into me at the Falconers' Valentine's Day event on Saturday evening," he said nervously.

"Of course, I remember you, Mr. Zimmermann. How could I forget the Falc's young star?" Bitty said in his best customer voice. "Did I leave a stain on your suit after all? I will gladly make arrangements to make sure it is cleaned properly."

It might cost a pretty penny but Bitty did not want to cross someone associated with his best client.

"No! No, my suit is still stain free. No, I didn't happen to catch your name. Actually, you disappeared before I could ask," he said, "and I also wanted to know if I could have your number?"

Bitty relaxed. "Oh! I'm Eric Bittle but most people around here know me as Bitty. It's a nickname I seem to have acquired permanently. Are you looking to hire us? I could go get you a business card though I'm surprised George just didn't pass you my info."

Jack's cheeks reddened and started rambling. "Actually, that's not the number I'm looking for. This is probably inappropriate but I wasn't sure how else to get into contact with you so please don't feel pressured to do something you don't want to do. I promise it won't affect any contract you have with the organization but tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I would like to take you out on like a date. A date date, I mean."

Bitty's more genuine smile spread across his face along with a faint blush. "Don't make a habit of this, Mr. Zimmermann, but I will give you my number just this once. Make sure to use it wisely," he said as he scrawled it out on a napkin and winked at Jack. I hope you made a reservation for later in the evening. Tomorrow night is one of my busiest of the year and I can't guarantee that I'll be out at a decent time."

"I thought about that. How about just drinks tomorrow night and we can schedule something more formal when our schedules line up?" Jack suggested.

"How considerate! I expect you here at 9 o'clock. I should be able to get away by then," Bitty flirted. "I look forward to seeing you again. Now, excuse me, I need to help the kitchen finish lunch. Enjoy the rest of your meal!"

"I look forward to it too. Have a good rest of your day," Jack said, blushing brightly.

Bitty walked as normally to the kitchen as he could, excited to tell Lardo that he hadn't completely ruined his prospects. When he checked his phone during the afternoon lull, Jack has sent him a text.

By the way, just Jack is fine :)

He texted back:

Okay, Just Jack. I will see you tomorrow! ;)

#bittyjack #fanfiction #bittysvalentines #bv2019 #omgcp

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carrietrekkie · 6 years ago

Text

Firelight - Part IV: I know your story but tell me again...

Hi!

So here the final part! I hope you all enjoy it!

No warnings for this part, only if you a afraid of comfort, fluff,.., and so on.

Part I - Fire and Ice

Part II - Let´s try Starfleet

Part III - A planet the sun forgot.

And if you don´t mind, leave me a little FB!

Within a few hours or days, I found myself again, lying somewhere and not quite master of my senses. I had a headache, dull, not the stinging one Prescot had caused me. It beeped behind me, could be my heartbeat or something else. Maybe the countdown to the apocalypse.

"Hey, can you hear me?" Okay, I didn´t expect that. I hesitantly opened my eyes, then turned to the unexpected visitor. "Ash?" I took a deep breath and blinked, the hospital ward light hurt in my eyes. When I looked back, he smiled at me. "What are you doing here?" "I keep your company." He put the pad in his hand on the table to his left. "How are you?" "A headache and." I sighed. "I feel like there is too much going on up there." "Dr. Pollard thought it would stop, your nerves were completely overloaded, not to mention the chaos in your head ." "You were with the Captain on Talos." I swallowed hard. "What."

"Nothing is going to happen, it has not been recorded in any logbook, and Section 31 has been quite messy." He didn´t seem really sad about it. "After a very nice chat with Captain Pike, Leland has decided to let it go." "What a surprise. What about Prescot? " "Disappeared, but I think she will reappear." "Like a bad penny." I raised my eyebrows, which made Tyler smile. "I've heard that before." He got up. "I tell Captain Pike that you are awake, I´m sure he wants to see you." "I´m not allowed to go?"

"What do you think?" He grinned at me. "We've fished you from a forbidden planet, to blunt with the fiercest psychotropic drugs known to Starfleet until a few hours ago, you were babbling and before that we fear you get lost in your mind, so?" "May I spend a while here." "One hundred points." He put a hand on my shoulder. "Glad to see you are better again." "Thanks Ash." He said goodbye and I watched a nurse checking my values, then Pollard came to me and we led by and large the same conversation as I just had with Tyler. Then I slept a little, managed to eat a soup and organize a coffee.

"Here are your stuff." Pollard came to me again. "Thank you." "Are you still in pain?" "No, I'm just tired." I smiled at her, which she returned. "Well, then I would say you can sleep in your quarters, but call if you are not feeling well and certainly tomorrow morning.” "I will, thank you doctor."

I reached for the bag she had brought to me. I pulled out my pants, slipped inside. Before putting on the shirt, I checked for traces of blood on it, but thankfully, it was clean. I put it on, the shoes followed.

Slowly I slid to my feet and waited a moment, until my sense of balance worked again, then I stroked my pants along and encountered some resistance.

I narrowed my eyes, put my hand in my pocket and pulled out something golden. I smiled as I realized it was Pike's badge. I closed my fingers around it and put my hand briefly on my heart. "I knew you had to have it." Chris stood next to me with a smile on his face that didn´t could hide his concern. "A miracle, that I have not lost it in all this mess." I looked at him. "Are you really Christopher Pike?" "Of course." He leaned against the bed too. "We are now too far away from Talos for such illusions." Then he raised his hand and stroked my arm, I closing my eyes, enjoying the feeling of his fingers on my skin. He was still sitting there when I opened it again. "Convinced?"

"I think so." I turned the badge between my hands, then extended it to him and put it in his hand. "Thanks, I think that helped me, too." "Then maybe you should keep it." He handed it back to me. "So to speak, as a lucky charm?" I closed my fingers around the piece of metal. "Sounds good." He smiled at me. "You were released?" "More or less. Dr. Pollard said I can sleep in my quarters. " "Shall I accompany you?" Normally, I would have said yes, but I just wanted to be alone. So much was going around in my head, even as far as he was concerned. His doppelganger on Talos, Vina, Pike himself, his fate.

"Chris, please don´t be mad at me, but I think I would like to be alone for a while." I hesitated a moment, then put a hand on his arm. "I don´t know what the Talosians did to me, or any after-effects of Prescots." I sighed. "Call it treatment." I smiled weakly. "I have to sort a few things."

"I understand that." He put his hand on mine, then pushed away from the bed and pulled me with him. "But if you are after a bit of company, then I'm just a touch of a button away." "Thanks." I squeezed his hand briefly, then released him and he left with a last smile.

I watched him as he left the sick bay, then I turned to go and tried to get into my quarters without much contact to the crew. I went through the door and enjoyed the silence that spread with its falling, around me. It smelled familiar, was warm and only I was here. No one in my head, no one spitting in my thoughts or wanting to know something that I couldn´t give.

And yet, there were fragments left behind that were not there before. I started to undress and went to the bedroom. All hurts and I longed for a bath, but that was not possible here, so I went into the shower, turned it up and hoped that the hot water would have a similar effect. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes.

Perhaps that was not the best idea, Chris immediately appeared before my inner eyes, but not the one that I would have loved to have with me now, but the one who pursued me since Talos. I knew this picture.

Christopher Pike, in a futuristic wheelchair, robbed of his body, a shadow of himself, but unlike what I knew, that was not the end. I heard a voice in my head, a voice that told me that I had changed his fate. When I asked how I should do that, or if I had already done that, I didn´t get an answer again, instead I saw this Pike rise from the chair, smile at me and then disappeared. I opened my eyes, turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. I had to tell him before the pictures disappeared and I couldn´t enter it into the computer, it was something that only he was allowed to hear and then best forget. I slipped into a fresh shirt, a pair of trousers, then I walked out of my quarters like I was.

*******

I reached his Quarters surprisingly quickly, rang the bell and had to wait a moment before he opened the door. "Cathrin?" He stared at me. "Everything OK?" "Yes why? May I come in?" "Ehm, sure." He stepped aside and followed me confused, then closed the door. "Are you alright?" "Still tired, but I have to tell you something before I go to sleep." "I'm brave and guess you're coming right out of the shower." I watched him disappear into his bathroom and come back with a towel. "Without detours."

"Oh." I looked at the sleeve of my shirt, it was wet in some places and now that he had addressed it, my underwear felt like bathing suits. "Thanks." I began to dry my hair, and noticed that he, too, was not wearing a uniform, but a towel and a t-shirt that he had apparently thrown over quickly.

"You have no pants on." I stared at him for a moment, then turned around. "Um, you also got me out of the shower." I heard him walk away, then rustle cloth before he came back. "Sorry," I glanced over my shoulder, then turned back. Now he wore a sweatpants. "But I have to tell you something." "Okay." He pointed to his sofa. "Do we want to sit down?" I nodded, then sat on the couch and took a deep breath. "I remembered what I saw and it had to do with you." "I understand." He nodded to me and I kept talking. "But I need to know if you really want to hear that. It's not nice and maybe a little selfish to burden you with it. " "It would be selfish to leave you alone with that." "All right." I took a deep breath. "I told you, you would go to the Academy after you were promoted?" "Yes."

"There will be an accident there. On an academy ship it will come to a radiation incident. "Now that I said it out loud, I could feel how close it was to me. I turned to him and grabbed his hand. "I..." "Keep going." He closed his fingers around my hand. "In an attempt to rescue some cadets, you will be so contaminated that your neural pathways will no longer be able to supply your body. Your brain will still work, but you will be confined to a wheelchair and the only way to communicate will be a flashing light that signals yes or no. " I pinched my lips as I felt a tear run out of my eye.

"And when is that supposed to happen?" I could see in his eyes that he was struggling with it, even though he tried not to show it. "This is not your fate anymore." I was surprised that I was whispering now. "What do you mean?" Now he looked completely confused. "Apparently, that's one of the reasons I'm here." His grip on my hand tightened. "I should stop that, but I don´t know how to do it." "Maybe it's enough that I know it now." I thought he looked a bit shaken. "That you are here.”

"That sounds almost too easy to be true." A slight smile crept on my lips. "But it's a nice thought." "I agree." "May I ask you for something?" I shifted a little closer to him. "Don´t mention it in your logbook, I'm scared of what's going to happen if someone finds out. I'll write it down, on a piece of paper, and so I'll do it with everything I'll come up with in the future. " "Sounds like a sensible suggestion." Now he was smiling again. "I promise this will stay with us and that it will not stand between us." "I just told you something incredible."

"I'm glad you did, you shouldn´t have to deal with that all by yourselves. You don´t know what's coming, it's better to share that burden. "He leaned in a bit to meet me. "And above all, you don´t do it overtired, we can continue tomorrow. Go to bed, that´s an order. " I had to smile. "Aye Captain!" I got up from the sofa. "You should do that too. I'm sure that was not an easy day for you. "He sank back and ran both hands through his hair. "You don´t know how right you are." He glanced at me. "If you need an open ear." I smiled slightly. "I don´t want to impose that on you too." “You wouldn´t." I put my hands together in front of my stomach. He took a deep breath, then sighed and straightened up again.

"Vina and me." He looked at me. "Or rather, that me that still exists on Talos, have a weird past." Chris glanced at me. "But you probably know that." "Yes." I handed him my hand. "Do we want to take a few steps?" "Not a bad idea." He reached for my hand and I at least pretended to help him up. "Wait a minute." He disappeared into his bedroom and came back with a jacket. "Pull them on." "Thanks." He helped me in, then closed the zipper. "Come on, let´s go." We left his quarters and strolled silently through the corridors of the Discovery for a while. At some point he grabbed my hand, looked at me briefly then he pulled me towards in one of the common rooms. At that time there was nobody here, I guessed it was going towards midnight. Outside, space passed by, traced with the blue flicker of the warp drive. I let him pull me to one of the seats that were set in the frames of the windows. We sat down and I crossed my legs to a cross-legged position.

"Talos almost destroyed me." He sat opposite me, one leg he had put on, the other dangling from the edge of the bench. "It came at a time when I didn´t feel well, and for a while it was like I left more on this planet than I could handle."

I knew what had happened to him there. It was inconceivable to me, especially now that I knew him better, and yet I could only guess what he had been through.

"We managed to escape, but I had nightmares, daydreams, sometimes I didn´t know what reality was and what illusion." He looked outside. "It took me a long time to get back to the dam. I could distract myself with my work, but in the evening, when I was alone, everything came up again. Dr. Boyd said back then that I had a PTSD, maybe even a depressive phase, after having a name it became easier to handle. It only got worse when we almost missed the war with the Klingons. "

"Burnham told me the Enterprise was the last resort for the Federation. I wouldn´t necessarily call that a miss. "

"Still, it's not easy to watch when everything you've been fighting for is going to hell."

"Mmh, I'm sure your mother doesn´t like to hear you cursing." That helped a little, he had to smile about that. I personally thought it was sexy.

"I thought I was over it, but then only the Talosians could help Spock out of his dilemma and quite apart from that, trips to Talos are forbidden and punishable by death."

"Wow, the Federation doesn´t do things by halves, does it?"

"Oh yeah."

"Excuse me." I made it clear to him with a wave of his hand that he could go on when he was ready.

"I had to put this crew in danger and mine." He paused. "Set my demons, if you will."

"Vina didn´t look really demonic." I pulled my shoulders up a bit. "A little bit scary maybe."

"Yes." He cleared his throat. "That was also my first thought then, but I let myself be lulled by the Talosians and developed feelings that I was not prepared for, nor could I use them in this situation, and that's what I was still feeling. Vinas appearance a few weeks ago was like a knockout blow, almost throwing me back into my abyss. I was so overwhelmed that for a moment I was ready to throw everything overboard. "

"What stopped you?"

"Spock, Burnham, the responsibility for the crew." The following seemed to be difficult for him. "Real affection, feelings that had had time to evolve instead of being imprinted in an illusion or being driven in with punishment."

"What do you do when you have the choice between dying and suffering?"

"That was the decision then, but the captain not only hits it for himself, but for his crew, his ship. I decided then, as I did the last time, to fight and I thought, this time I would have finally left this section behind me. "

"And then I came." I raised my eyebrows. "And forced you again to deal with it."

"This time it was different." He smiled at me. "I knew what I was getting into, could prepare myself and did it to rescue someone from my crew." He put his hand on my knee. "To save you and I was ready to do more for this than just fight my demons."

"And yet you wonder if you made a mistake?"

"No mistake, but maybe I hurt somebody who has already suffered too much."

"I think we can´t imagine how Vina really lives on Talos, how she lives with her Pike." I briefly made a wry grimace. "I've met him and even though he looks like you, it's not you."

"How is he?"

"Different." I looked at him.

The twinkle in his eyes, the dimples that showed when he had to laugh and that would probably make him still look like a teenager in twenty years, the tone in his voice, the feel of his skin on mine when he touched me, no matter if it happens accidentally or intentionally.

"He hardly has any of you, and he's probably developed in a very different direction than you in that second you left the planet. The Talosians form him after Vinas thoughts and dreams, the few real impressions she has of you are probably so watered down that it has nothing to do with the real Christopher Pike. " "I think so too." He withdrew his hand. "It may sound strange, but this time I really could leave her, leave this place. It's part of my past and that's where it's in the right place. It has haunted me long enough and I'm sick of turning it over and over again and I don´t want to think about it anymore. "

"That sounds like a good plan." I smiled at him. "If you forget it, I will remind you." "I had not expected anything else." Now he handed me his hand to help me up. I untied my legs, turned and slid off the bench, then he put his hand on my arm. "Thank you Cathrin, that did a surprisingly good job."

He ran his thumb over the fabric of the jacket, just hard enough for me to feel it on my skin. "Whenever you need me." I put a hand on his on my arm. "I want to give that back." "Thanks." I smiled slightly. "But not today. If I remember correctly, some time ago you told me to go to bed and before that, I've heard it from Dr. Pollard. " "Right, you should rest." He pushed me towards the door and we took the way back, which we had come. "And even if I said it before, you should too." I nudged my arm briefly against his. "You're better off now." "Let's see."

He took me to my quarters, I opened the door and then looked at him.

"I think I can do the rest alone. What about you?" "If we start like this now, then none of us will go to bed today." Now he smiled that smile that I found so incredibly sweet about him and I joined him. "But I'm sure it would be fun."

Then I surprised myself and him by standing on tiptoe, leaning against him and placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Good night Chris." I backed away, his eyes closed briefly, then he looked at me. "Sleep well." "You too Cathrin, good night."

He was still standing there when I entered the quarters and the door closed behind me. I had to shake my head briefly about myself, of what I had actually wanted to do, I had been able to hold myself back.

None of us was in condition today to deal with it and now I also felt the ordeal of the last few days. Slowly, I went to the bedroom and began to undress. My clothes were still gorge and I swapped my underwear for a dry set, just like the pants, when I was about to grab a fresh T-shirt, my gaze fell on his jacket, which I had worn. I turned around, reached for it and pulled it over again. As soon as it lay on my shoulders, his smell came back into my nose. The same scent, as on Talos, as it always surrounded him. A mixture of sandalwood, some citrus notes and his very own touch. I buried my nose in the collar, took a deep breath and closed my eyes with a small sigh. As I was, I dropped into my bed, wrapped myself in my blanket and fell asleep after a few minutes.

#star trek discovery #star trek discovery fan fiction #star trek discovery oc #chris pike #chris pike x reader #christopher pike x reader #captain pike x reader #captain pike x oc #captain chris pike #pike x oc #chris pike x oc #captain christopher pike #writeblr #cathrin zimmer

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rotzaprachim · 7 years ago

Text

trouble in the heartlands

(On AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/14893509 0

November, 1975

There’s really nothing in the world that says single and lonely like standing in the check out line on Thanksgiving evening with a flat pack of dried ramen, a bottle of Jack Daniels, and a frozen turkey dinner.

(The instant ramen is his usual Thursday purchase, but the frozen turkey dinner is for festivity, and the alcohol is because of how goddamn sorry for himself he feels right now.)

He’s counted out the change in his pocket three times, done the mental math of the tax before he reached the check out because god damn, there’s been enough times in his life when he’s been short at the end of it, scrounging for pennies in his pockets.

He thought he could count on solitude at 6:30 pm on Thanksgiving day, but someone comes up behind him and throws a solitary bag of marshmallows on the till.

Someone with a very familiar set of hands, perfectly manicured nails and all.

“If it isn’t the famous Lando Calrissian.”

“Ham Solo!”

Lando is impeccably dressed, as always, wearing dark jeans and a button-up shirt with a fall leaf design and some kind of a massive, almost cloak-like, knit cardigan that would look ridiculously terrible on Han but on him just works. Like everything does.

(Han’s wearing a different flannel shirt than yesterday. He thinks. Hopes.)

Lando’s eyes flit over Han’s shopping. He tries not to notice Lando’s eyelashes. Or his lips. Or .. . . anything else about him.

“Nutritionally balanced, I see.”

“Hey! The only thing you’re buying is a bag of marshmallows.”

“These are for my mother’s famous sweet potato casserole, if you must know. Lilah and Janie stole the first bag and now she’s sans marshmallows for her annual cookoff-slash-cage match with my Aunt Tia. And so I must play the part of the dutiful son,” he finishes, over dramatically tapping the bag of marshmallows.

Han vaguely remembers that Lilah and Janie are two of Lando’s nieces. The whole situation’s domestic enough that it stabs at his insides in a wierd, uncomfortable way. Like he has feelings.

The guy in front of Han finishes paying for his approximately million rounds of ammunition- god bless America!- and the cashier starts to ring up Han’s shit.

“3.85.”

“Wait a minute. It’s supposed to be 3.35.”

“3.85. If you can’t pay, put something back.”

He does’t have the extra fifty cents. What he does have is a bent coupon book he shoves at the cashier.

“3.35. Look, the noodles are on sale.”

“The Sizzling Shrimp Surprise and the Rockin’ Wasabi were on sale. The Picante Beef, as a premium flavour, are not.”

Han’s about to fight past the overwhelming wave of humiliation at having this drama play out in front of the ex-boyfriend he has not, in fact, gotten over yet emotionally, and swap the Picante Beef for a case of Rockin’ Wasabi, when Lando places two quarters on the till.

“Should cover it.”

“I don’t need-“

“It’s fine-“

“I don’t need it.”

“Jesus, Han. You don’t have to live your entire life in some kind of fucking self-impost "lone gunman" exile. That’s not the way that humans work.”

And suddenly they’re back in a slightly different argument in a very different place, and Lando is folding his stuff to leave and Han is saying things he will never, ever, stop regretting.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, and shoves his stuff into a plastic bag to leave.

“Hey,” Lando calls after him, “you looking for somewhere to spend Thanksgiving?”

It’s a question and an invitation and Han doesn’t which is the worse coward’s way- ignoring it, or taking it up and letting the disaster start all over again, this time with bigger stakes and sharper knives and deeper wounds.

He chooses the former, and trips over a display of fake plastic pumpkins on the way out.

December, 1981

Sometimes, the entire story of the disaster can be spread out on the conveyor belt: gauze, burn cream, disinfectant, and Lando Calrissian’s ex-boyfriend, standing and looking sheepish under the glaring supermarket lights, with a splotchy red hand he keeps waving around periodically.

(Sometimes, another story is spread out beside it, on the other side of the divider, on Lando’s side of the conveyor belt. Breath mints and a box of condoms and a small bouquet of those supermarket roses.)

“You’re sure you’re fine, Han?” He doesn’t even bother with wildly mispronouncing his name. “Because whatever happened to your hand, that looks like it needs actual medical attention. Not whatever shit you’re going to try.”

“I’m. Fine.,” he insists through gritted teeth, and given how overdramatic Han usually is, his forced placidity tells Lando that it hurts like hell.

“What happened?”

“The usual badass stuff, you know. Got into a fist fight with some guys next to a tortilla chip factory, things got ugly, had to take it to one of the vats of boiling oil-“

“Calm down, friend.” Lando does some quick mental math. “Fifth night of Hannukah, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

(“Not like, a major holiday or anything,” he remembers Han saying, “but it’s the only one that’s got my name in it- well, kinda, sorta, if you really mispronounce the first ch- plus there’s fried stuff and culturally sanctioned gambling.”)

“You burn yourself frying?” He has to laugh, just a little. “What’s changed?”

“SOLO!,” a voice screams across the mostly deserted row of check out stations. The voice belongs to a fair, pale woman, wearing a long white skirt and a distinctly annoyed expression. “The pharmacist said that only an idiot could mess applying this stuff. Your hand should be fine. Probably”

She wedges her way past Lando, slams a small box with a long medical name on the till, and then snaps her purse open.

“I can pay-“

One look of her narrowed brown eyes and Han shuts up.

“Y’think I can get a robot hand like Luke’s?”

“Luke lost his entire hand as a combat injury. You lightly burned yours trying to copy some trick you saw Julia Child do once because you couldn’t find a spatula.”

Han waves his hand in front of Leia’s face. “What part of this looks lightly burned? It hurts like hell.”

“Yeah, well, so do breakups and periods, but you don’t hear people asking for robot appendages to make up for those.”

There’s something familiar in the way they bicker, but also in the way Leia wraps her arm around his shoulders and buries her head against his neck while she laughs, even though she’s still also clearly pissed about the magnitude of idiocy involved in the latke incident. Lando decides not to overanalyse it, because even on the surface level it’s enough to stab him in the heart.

When Han introduces them they swap business cards. Leia Organa, City Councilwoman. Lando Calrissian, CEO, Bespin Industries. They’re the kind of people who’d meet at a dinner party or a networking event, somewhere with crudités and boxed white wine in little glasses where they’d take turns schmoozing and cutting at the stuffed shirts and pretentious titles. That’s how, Lando swears, he and Leia Organa were meant to meet. Not here, not in a harshly lit convenience store with massive displays of fake snow and gingerbread-flavoured candy canes, and not both a little in love with Han Solo.

February, 1983

He’s not sure there’s a clearer visual representation of “single-and-recently-heartbroken” than renting a pile of romantic comedies and buying cookie dough ice cream, but it’s 2 AM and at this point he feels like the only person alive.

The supermarket’s a ghost town, something vaguely macabre about the boxes of Captain Crunch and cans of corn at this hour of the night (morning?) Jesus, he used to be a party boy. This used to be the time that the night got going and the really wild shit started to go down. This used to be the time of night that he waited the rest of the day for.

Now he’s an adult. Now he’s a respectable adult with a successful energy business and a possibly mayoral bid. When the fuck did that happen?

Now he puzzles over wether to add in a box of Lucky Charms for the morning, before deciding fuck that, he’s an adult now, bread, eggs, and Bloody Mary fixings.

It ends up being a pile of stuff he’s going to have to schlep home. Taxi? But at this time of night? He forgot to bring a reusable bag. Plastic bags? He can practically hear Elle yelling at him.

He’s still in a hazy mood as he drops his stuff onto the conveyor belt, taking care so that the Smirnoff doesn’t roll over the side, when he notices the only other guy in line with him.

Fucking hell, the universe can be weird and cruel.

"Yeah, Leia, I got it, I got it, I'm in the checkout line, anything else you need? Saltines or anything. A pause. "No, of fucking course not! I didn't mean to suffest- Well I got it and we'll get home and we'll talk and- and yeah Yeah. We'll talk." He's mumbling into his .. . cell phone? Since when does he have a cell phone? "Yeah. I love you too."

"Hen Yolo. Imagine meeting you here.”

Hen Yolo looks even more dazed and stunned than Lando does. He doesn’t even have some snappy but clearly inferior comeback, which is the sign that something really big’s gone down.;

Lando’s eyes flit to the one item Han’s buying, a small shiny box that Han keeps drumming his fingers against tunelessly. Anxiously.

Shit. Something really small, then.

“Oh,” says Lando, because even he can’t really think of how to respond to running into his fucking ex-boyfriend at 2 AM in a convenience story buying a fucking pregnancy test.

(He notices, right then, that Han still has the remnants of the burn scars across the backs of his hands, his knuckles. They look almost floral.)

“Hey,” says Han.

Instinctively, his hand snatches over to cover the test, eyes darting like cornered prey.

(It’s not beyond Lando’s notice that Councilwoman Leia Organa has become Senator Leia Organa since the last time they met. And who can forget the months of tabloid buzz over her being the secret daughter of President Vader, either?)

(Also: at some point those tabloids are going to get ahold of Han and have a field day. He looks like a doctored-ly terrible paparazzi photo most of the time anyway. And however this current situation plays out, there’s a high likelihood Han’s going to be pulled from the shadows as something more than Senator Organa’s secret boyfriend/occaisonal driver.)

“My lips are sealed, Solo.”

Han nods, distracted, almost bouncing off the balls of his feet, more nervous teenager than the 30-something man he is. He’s projecting enough rays of nervous energy to power an entire city.

The cashier doesn’t spare a glance at what Han’s buying as she rings him up. “Cash or credit?”

“Credit.”

He pulls a sturdy-looking leather wallet that Lando’s never seen before from his jeans pocket and takes out a fancy silver card.

Lando pretends to be shocked. “Credit? Han Solo with a credit card? What are you, moving up in the world? Respectable?”

He ignores Lando, shoves his purchase into a paper bag, and stalks out the door.

Maybe it’s because he’s a goddamn idiot without any sense of self-preservation either, or maybe it’s because he actually goddamn misses the man who was, for years, his best friend, but Lando makes a split decision and dashes out after Han, leaving his place in line and all his groceries still on the till.

“Solo! SOLO! HAAAAN!”

Childish, maybe, but it’s enough to make Han slow down. Not turn around, but slow down, and when he reaches his car, stop.

“What do you want?”

Because they’ve lied to each other enough times before, Lando decides to be honest.

“My old friend back.”

“Fucking hell, Lando, it’s too late for you to come pulling me back into your-“

“Not as we were, clearly. It’s far too late for that.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it definetely is.”

More awkward silence. Lando notes that the Falcon now has a bunch of Leia’s campaign stickers on it and that Han’s done. . . well at least a cursory job at cleaning the inside of it out. He’s taken some of Chewie’s fur off the seats, at least. He’s still got the gold dice.

“Hold out your arm,” Lando finally instructs.

“Why?”

“Because I'm giving you my new number and this is the only way I now you won’t loose it.”

Lando pulls a Sharpie out of his pocket while Han reluctantly rolls back a sleeve. He writes his number on Solo’s arm with big, mildly humiliating strokes, and then scrawls - Calrissian, CEO Bespin Industries, future mayor- on his wrist, just for slight irritation’s sake.

(If you got rid of of ten years, the pregnancy test, and the parking lot, and added in some terrible pounding music, a disco ball, and some terribly v-cut shirts, this could almost be the first time they met.)

“Thanks. I’ll call you.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll send you an invite to one of Leia’s Shabbat dinners. They’re pretty great. All three senator Organas, her brother and whoever his current boyfriend is, her eldritch abomination of a biological father-“

“Really?”

Lando’s one experience with President Vader can only really be quantified as soul-shaking terror, but the image of him sitting down with Leia and Han at a dining table is almost hilarious.

“Nah, he’s serving a life sentence. But come anyway.”

Who knows? It’s a long life. Maybe he will.

“How’r things going for you? The mining thing really took off, didn’t it?”

“Sustainable energy, Solo. It’s made me more money than you could ever dream of-“

“Hey-“

“So I’ve been thinking about what to do with it. Sports car, mansion, creating a network of mentorship opportunities for kids in tech, sustainable development, politics, capes, paying off special interest groups. You know, the usual.”

Han smiles and bites his lip. “Have you changed at all?”

“Yes. Like I said, I’m rich.” He claps Han on the shoulder, just enough to shake the man slightly. “Enough on me. You gotta get home. You gotta get back to Leia.”

He nods and jumps into the Falcon, which rumbles as argumentatively to life as it always does.

“See you around.”

Lando watches the Falcon drive off. He decides that rescuing his groceries from the check-out line isn’t worth it, pulls out his phone, and calls a taxi.

#my writings #han solo #lando calrissian #leia organa #solo: a star wars story #sw fics #hanleia #hanlando

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juuls · 7 years ago

Note

Got any stuckony recs?

YES! Absolutely yes!

My apologies this took until today. I had a busy weekend and had to rest a lot, but I’m here now. :) Also, I don’t have my old bookmarks list (long story) so I’m having to go through and look for my favorites, old and new. Long process! (This took me over four hours, though I was doing a few other things as well. Still, I’m a bit of a slowpoke.)

See below the cut for some of my favorites, and don’t forget to leave kudos and comments (even just an “I liked this!”) for the authors, to let them know their hard work is appreciated!

(If someone knows an author’s Tumblr handle, let me know or tag them so that I can edit this rec list and tag them appropriately!)

Equilateral by FestiveFerret @festiveferret

It was the way Steve had said, “I found him,” the desperate, agonized hope, that had Tony replying with, “Bring him home,” without any hesitation.

But now, now he was hesitating like fuck.

Penny Candy and Sparklers by StrivingArtist @striving-artist

James Buchanan Barnes: formerly the Winter Soldier, formerly Captain America’s right hand man, formerly a sergeant, formerly a dock worker, formerly Stevie’s best friend…. currently a glorified prisoner of Prince T’Challa…. had trouble wrapping his head around all those former selves. He spent too much time thinking about all the bits of him that he kept gluing back together to pretend he was a person anyone would want to keep. He spent even more time picking at the cracks, pointing the flaws out to himself. Only thing he did more than that was make sure no one else noticed how far he was from human.

So, James Buchanan Barnes, who didn’t know what to call himself, who didn’t know how to go forwards, agreed, and moved back into the tower where his best friend lived with a husband orphaned by the Winter Soldier.

Hide A Heart of War by RayShippouUchiha @rayshippouuchiha

“You’ve got war in your heart boy,” Howard sneers, “don’t ever try and pretend to be anything but what you are.”

Tony feels the familiar burn of a flower mark being etched into his skin but he doesn’t look, doesn’t try and check to see what it is. Instead he keeps his eyes on Howard and his hands cupped around his bleeding mouth and nose.

Of Spiders and Super-Soldiers by AuddieAussie (Juulna’s note: I come back and read this all the time when I need some family feels and a smile. :))

After the hell that was Ultron and the Sokovia Accords, Tony doesn’t blame the team for wanting nothing to do with him. To make up for past mistakes, Tony disappears into his lab and focuses on using his money and brains to provide the Avengers with more fancy tech than they’ll ever need. By doing this, he also doesn’t have to worry about Steve’s grim frown, Bucky’s hateful gaze, or everyone else’s cold annoyance.

For six long months, this formula worked, but then fate decided to be a Loki-like dick and Tony wasn’t sure how it happened, but in the span of one week, he’d somehow acquired a kid.

and you needed someone to show you the way by SailorChibi @tsuki-chibi

Tony knows what the team really thinks of him. It’s a delicate balance: they tolerate him because of his money and his toys, and he gets to stay on the team and fight with them. He’s okay with that. So long as he hides the fact that Steve’s and Bucky’s names are written on his skin in the most embarrassing act of one-sided love affection ever, everything will be fine.

It just figures that a fantastically stupid villain, a kidnapping plot and a video camera will bring Tony’s well-kept secret out into the open.

The Mechanic, The Soldier, and The Captain by AvocadoLove (Juulna’s note: this is sad)

HYDRA need a replacement for Zola’s genius, and they have years worth of experience breaking and brainwashing a good man into something they can control.

Beware of Super Soldiers And Their Enticing Laps by Confused_Emo

Tony’s eyes shifted back toward the remaining occupants of the room only to realise there was literally no space in the sitting area for him.

This apparently was the best time for Bucky to make suggestive gestures, as the soldier patted his thigh lasciviously, “Why don’t you come sit on my lap, plenty of space right here.”

Just Far Enough by TheSopherFly (Juulna’s note: please read the tags. This is triggering and sad and angsty but fucking phenomenally well done and one of my all-time favorites… And I don’t like angst at all.)

Tony couldn’t honestly remember how long it had been like this. Probably since the day he’d called T’Challa and offered his help. At first it had just been compulsive self-denial: you can’t eat until you’ve drafted your opening remarks, until you’ve finished your research, until you’ve rewritten every last colon and comma and apostrophe in those Accords so that everyone can come home.

Those goals had been realistic. Lately, they’d become impossible. Until everyone forgives you. Until you forgive yourself. Until you make up for every bad thing you’ve ever caused.

He was fine. He was coasting in a dangerous place, but he was fine. He wasn’t taking it too far - just far enough.

Trinity by cinaea (immediately followed by pt. 2: Volition)

He’s become the kind of monster he all but died trying to stop.

A D/s, soul-bond AU set in modern day. More than two years ago, Bucky Barnes was lost during a Howling Commandos mission and captured by HYDRA. He and fellow prisoners Clint and Natasha—all submissives—are treated as slaves and forced to carry out terrorist attacks for their masters. An attack by the Avengers enables their escape but leaves Bucky with an incomplete soul bond to two superheroes.

Vowing to never be imprisoned again, Bucky and his friends go on the run from HYDRA, from law enforcement, and from the two dominants who will do anything to find him.

Don’t Tell Pepper by Crematosis

Tony convinces Steve that it is totally okay to include Bucky in their relationship because nobody will ever know. They’ll keep it a secret from the team and they’ll absolutely keep it a secret from Pepper because she’ll only yell at them.

Like most of Tony’s good ideas, it comes back to blow up in his face.

Underneath the Mistletoe by DreamcatchersDaughter @dreamcatchersdaughter

5 times Tony gets caught underneath the mistletoe and one time he doesn’t (and thank fuck for that).

and another like it by the same author:

Christmas Kisses (aka Sam is So Done With Your Shit)

Their mutual pining is driving him crazy, but its okay cause Natasha’s got a plan.

The Colors That Bind Us by yasminakohl @stuckonstoney

When Steve Rogers was six a boy saved him from a bully, then sky went from white-gray to brilliant blue.

When Bucky fell, the world stayed colorful and everyone told him it was because of the serum, he believed them.

When he woke from the ice and he finds the black and white he’d expected years ago, sixty-six years ago it seems, he’s crushed.

Now there’s color again, this time it comes with amazing reds and golds.

Until he wakes up and his sky is brilliant and his color mate is trying to kill him, his first color mate.

Will Steve ever be able to have his blue, red and gold?

The Melting, the Spark, and the Suffocation by btBatt @batterology

“So, Bucky,” he said, clapping his hands. “You ready to change the lives of asthmatic little punks everywhere?” Bucky sent a skeptical look Steve’s way.

“It seems to be my calling in life,” he said. Steve just smiled. He looked a little like he was having a moment, one of his oh-my-God-I-have-Bucky-back moments, so Tony smiled too.

“There are worse things,” Tony mused.

“Hear, hear,” Natasha said.

The Limitations of Wax by RayShippouUchiha @rayshippouuchiha (Juulna’s note: This has been untouched for quite a while but there are separate WiPs being written and branched off of this – and completed – that are fantastic, and the core character study in this fic is fantastic so I still recommend it.)

Toni Stark grows up with the tale of Icarus swirling in the back of her mind. Instead of taking it as a precautionary tale about hubris and overreaching she decides it’s more about the limitations of wax.

Years later when she builds herself wings of her own she makes sure to build them out of better material.

Difficult Conversations by yumekuimono @yumekuimono

HYDRA had brainwashed their Asset into silence, and then muzzled him to boot. It’s not that surprising that Bucky no longer considers talking to be one of his strong suits. So why does he keep having to have difficult conversations?

Or, the road to loving Tony Stark is never an easy one. (Juulna’s note: Eventual/Pre-OT3)

Strip it Down by Batfink

“Think about who you’re talking to Bucky. I am the technology king. What you’re asking me to do goes against everything I hold dear.” Tony looked positively distraught.

Bucky slid his hand onto Tony’s cheek, tilting his head until their eyes met. “Crying, Tony. Over the fucking washing machine.”

Giving a Friend a Hand by neunundneunzig (seasidesunset)

Bucky gets Tony’s help dealing with… anatomy malfunctions, and it turns into much more.

Operation: Knuckleheads by FestiveFerret @festiveferret

Bucky is enjoying his new, post-Winter Soldier life at Avengers Tower, until he discovers that the constant tension between Steve and Tony was caused by a recent (and mysterious) breakup. Determined to make his friends happy, Bucky gives himself a new mission: figure out what went wrong, and get these two idiots in love back together again.

Compass Heading by antigrav_vector @disco-pinecone

So… It’s complicated. Steve went and got himself killed on a mission, and, somehow, in the aftermath, Tony ended up getting together with Barnes. He’s still not entirely sure how that happened, really, but he’s not about to question it too hard. He’s enjoying it too much.

Then, because the universe loves turning his life upside down, they find Steve. It’s been two years, and things have changed, but Tony still cares about the asshole, and that, right there, is a problem.

Too Damn Short by MrShyRockstar

“I’m too short for this shit.”

This literally sums up this little ficlet. Tony’s too short, Steve is clearly (to anyone with eyes *coughnottonycough*) pining, and Bucky is just watching everything with exasperated amusement. That is all.

Put Your Arms Around Me, Hold Me Tight by StarSpangledBucky

Tony and Bucky desperately need to sort out the kink in their relationship, before they both lose Steve, or one of them does. It isn’t until the second week Steve is away on a mission that Tony goes through a nightmare, and Bucky decides to comfort him. From there, it gives them a chance to talk. And by the time Steve comes back, he’s more than satisfied by the results.

Minefields by arianapeterson19 (Juulna’s note: Please heed the tags! Content is triggering for abusive relationships.)

Being in an abusive relationship was a bit like needing glasses. He didn’t realize it until the damage was done.

Funny how people assume only men can be abusive.

And a new fic by a new author I would like to recommend to people to read:

Lonely Boy by thereddame @the-red-dame

Tony gets a visit from a Tony from a different universe and she needs him to help keep her children safe until Girl-Tony can kick some HYDRA ass. She’s being pretty tight-lipped about the father but he’s got a sneaking suspicion it’s Steve. Hey, maybe he can get ‘best babysitter in the universe’ award after this?

I’m sure since you are sending me an ask you know about my fics (though maybe not my oneshot), but I’ll list them anyway. ;)

Necrosis by Juulna

Necrosis (from the Greek νέκρωσις “death, the stage of dying, the act of killing” from νεκρός “dead”)

Tony always thought he’d die first, of the three of them. He’d accepted it, even. Hell, he wasn’t even sure that Steve or Bucky coulddie. Shows how much he knew.

Hanging From a Cross of Iron by Juulna

Toni Stark never - not even once - had a soulmark appear. Not one she can remember, at any rate. But when one finally appears, and the date of her rendezvous seems impossible to meet, does she decide to move on with her life, and forget the words written upon her skin?

Of course not. She’s Toni fucking Stark. Making the impossible possible is practically her family motto.

Well… there we go! I hope that that suffices for recommendations? If you want some more, I’m happy to provide them! Happy reading, and don’t forget:

Leave the authors your love in the form of a kudos and/or comment!

MUAH! xoxo

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whimsically-ominously-auspice · 5 years ago

Text

If i had to pick an American Cookie that can be bought in the store today, hands down it would be this one.

Living in New Mexico for 20 years, i rarely see a black person. I can go 785 days without seeing an African American. Because i have.

So, it's shocking to go to Arkansas or even Oklahoma and see large groups of Black People and i stare. I don't forget they exist due to the internet.. But I never see them so it's like visiting Mount Rushmore or the Grand Canyon. Its this natural amazing marvel. And I just stare usually with my jaw dropped like some social retard. Which I'm not typically. And Hey -- I'm not the only New Mexican that does that shit. We simply have a serious minority of African Americans here. I understand places like Mississippi don't think they're a minority. But if i can leave my house every day and not see a African American, then you're a minority. Just as in higher areas of African American Domination, i like to call it, there isn't many Latina or Hispanic or Mexicans as there are here. In Mississippi, they're a minority and here they're all "bitch we rule this shit! We own New Mexico!"

So due to actual minority being true of African Americans (in the 90s i picked it because it was always claimed officially so I just accepted as NYC is a huge vast mix of all kinds of culture. I figured they actually went out and counted them. But i wanted to explain to those whom don't travel and don't experience life in other places in the United States.

So in the 90s the Harringtons and I and as he preferred to be called, Captain Negro, his super hero name. Captain Negro del ela Ponte if you wanted to get legal about it. Decided to pick an "American Cookie" we could easily purchase for Sunday nights. And of course it had to be absolutely perfect.

"Taste Great but Look the Part as Touched by a negros heart and soul" said Captain Negroponte as I called him or Captain Negro Party or Captain Negro Parte especially when i didn't know how to explain something.

I tell you. I've always been smart. Miss Leena always hides and plays dumb and just tells history. But to compare and contrast and make analogies i truly learned from this man whom was my English Compilation Teacher, a True Super Hero.

For the cookie experiment. I talked to Miss Leena but she wouldn't explain. She just gave me the type of cookie and told me I would know what to do.

William Harrington said, "I dont know to me a cookie is just a cookie and my wife makes them great!"

And Willingima. we called her, Harrington, at the (jokingly) threat of our own lives said she did not know either she just had to bake she had said as when quietly embroidered under the table a gift for the Captain Hero's family.

So he came over and we told him and his eyes lit up and he was bouncing around with excitement at the table. "So the cookies are.... But I sure don't know how to explain anything but the chocolate"

"Okay explain me"

I did

"And these are just regular old fashioned chocolate chip, not chocolate on chocolate dough or white chocolate chip?"

"I could ask miss leena but im sure it's the old fashioned."

"Lets call her"

She said that the Chocolate dough (black/dark brown dough) with white chocolate chips would be An African cookie -- for their culture here in America and in actually Africa.

So we were all at the phone all listening in, the phone turned all the way up. Now this is the 90s wall phone no speaker phone ability.

So Captain Negroponte told me back at the table, "so you know the old fashioned. Idk why she wouldn't explain the chocolate on chocolate because of the two different browns. But you know I'll stay out of it. I think i do know the sugar but let me just check. What did she say on the phone to you when she called?"

"Well she called just out of the blue. Asked for Sabrina and i thought she was asleep and so i said she was as she hadn't came down (stairs -- our bedrooms were up and i was just living there For the summer or however long until i had to go back to work into the city i moved out October 9, 1991 due to riots in Brooklyn because i had to go help as i spoke about this last week. Officially moved in July 4th of the same year) and she said and i quote "well just tell sabrina this, that i called and she needs to do a cookie experiment. A white old fashioned cookie of chocolate chip flavor and a sugar cookie. She should know what to do with all of your help" she sounded old and she said her husband wasn't home and she was just resting. So i said "well ill let you go" and she said no and wanted to know all about our enterprise feeding the Street neighborhood kids and asked about money and she said "well Sabrina can help" do you -- do you have money? I sure am tired of eating hot dogs myself. This is getting expensive! I mean for us"

I replied "i do have some... Ill talk to Steve to see what we should do and how much and the best way to go about this"

"No now you seem nervous and she said you have a lot"

"Billions" she said the same time I said "millions"

"And you said some.. You said what? What you got now hon?"

"You said I'm a billionaire and i wouldn't ever lie to anyone but Steve explained to me, hes my lawyer, he said that i needed not to explain how rich i am but if someone needed money I'm to say i only have one million dollars and that is it. And i said "but that is a lie!" And he said "but no it is not not when I'm not allowing you to give out more than thousands without my approval" and i was mad!!! But in the end i saw what Steve said i should see. Its dangerous to advertise how rich i am"

"Bull shit! We probably have the richest girl in the world here sitting at our table and im telling her to penny pinch! Babe! We're having steaks next week! Put that on the list!"

"I'll pay you guys all back!"

"No!" "No!" "No!"

"No. Yes i mean i know you all did it from the goodness of your hearts but you shouldn't suffer. And i didn't realize that you were. I mean i thought you just wanted to eat hot dogs. I didn't know there was any difference"

"Blah!"

"So what I'll do. Because Steve said I'm allowed up to thousands and you're still in hundreds last i checked. $991 for the last three weeks for the entire house budget. So I'll at least double that and give Captain Nero the same. For the time y'all have spent working and then what i meant i would have to talk to Steve is that I would have to design a plan for the future. What he's talked about is supplying a credit card with a limit capable of exceeding the design purchases. So like if you need $900,000 a month then the credit card would allow $1 million. That's what hes explained to me. Then he would supply 12 blank checks for the year then all you would do is call the number on the back of the card once monthly to find out the balance and get the address, write the check and then mail it to the credit card company. Easy as that. He would get the bills to look over to see you're not scamming me. Then he can stop payment on the rest of the checks if you are and cancel the card. That goes for everyone. So for this i think that is what he would pick. It sounds simple. Of course, I don't pay bills or anything like that. Steve always handles it for me. But I'll still have to talk to Steve to get that program under way. And I'll make sure he pays you and you and of course you for past supplies and your time"

So they agreed to the extra payment but wanted to do work free. Mrs Harrington got $15 per day for taking care of me. And still does although she doesn't take care of me anymore, her influence still lives within me and is what made me who I truly am today.

If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't ever asked criminals how they wanted their ending to be. I would have ripped them off the streets and tortured them one by one ripping off pieces of their body while injected with a chemical that made them highly alert and aware of what was happening. For 6 years and 600 days. Them never knowing when it would be the day to lose something they deemed important.

Instead of dungeons and torture chambers, they have a chance at luxury and happiness.

Those asking for death instead have a right to live in peace and make their amends and do as they need. The miserable are killed first to stop their pain and suffering. 72 wanted vacation before. They got that.

If it wasn't for the Harringtons and Captain Negro, never would that occurred.

They saved a wretch like me and in turn, I saved those worst than me. As Jesus would. She taught me all about the belief of Jesus and who they believed he was

Over Captain Harrington's right shoulder was a cross with me looking down or asleep. They eyes were closed. I felt it was the most accurate representation of me. It even had lumps on it's chest. And I always felt so much responsibility. She believed the Unorthodox Jewish ways with a Catholic overcoat. She was non-religious before marriage so she had a mix of views and dabble in all spirits of religion. Also, the occult.

So when her cheeks were pink and her bright blue eyes lit up, and she told me about Jesus. I always prayed to the Lord in Hevaen that I would live up to her expectations.

And often I would look at that cross and feel the thorns cutting into my forehead. "I hope we can do it. Change the world as expected" I would say.

There were times i would take it off the wall "i feel Jesus should watch some T.V., too" i didn't want to say who i was. Mrs Harrington thought i felt that crown of thorns because Jesus was telling me that i knew things and i should act. Of course I didn't really know who I was, either, at first. Mommy thought it was too much but Daddy told me and said I should keep it secret. But I could tell who or what I want. So I decided to honor mommy and not say. But incorporate Jesus since he was such a big part of Catholicism and decor in the house, daddy said that would make Jesus alive in the house and keep my secret. But allow my full powers to bloom.

And it worked.

So Captain Negroponte said that day that he kept getting questions from one particular kid as tall as me about White Supremacy and how his family taught him that all white people were bad and "only play with nigger kids" so he was certain he knew how to explain the white sugar cookie as long as i could do "the chocolate chip without fail then it would all be good and life would be perfect for this particular child"

"I can. I know just what to do. It will be perfect"

"Okay don't tell me. I dont want to hear until that day"

So he left with a bounce and his eyes glittery. His soul full of tears for this young man, looking back where he left all his hope and faith, walked down the short dark hall and into the sunlight of a cool brisk Saturday afternoon.

"Hey now i might need some help. I know i need to show the white dough and then how it tans when baked. I got that talking to her on the phone"

"Well she didn't say --"

"She said Bake. And i was transformed back into her kitchen and had a white plastic bowl which i put into the oven -- it was empty and out it came a clay not crystal like ours but ceramic Brown bowl with the white inside. So i know what to say about White people tanning to make 2 races so we all have to support the black"

"You you get!! So not all white people are the same!!! Good good!!"

"Shew! Thank you! So I was at the kitchen in the sink.. I mean -- i said that backwards -- so anyway I'm in the kitchen and i see the silver sink and the bowl appears before my eyes and suddenly im holding it in my hands and i went to hand the phone to you as i tried to hand the bowl to her in my standing hands and she didn't sound old like she did in the phone, she sounded very young and sing song. And she said "no the children" so what we have to do is give the bowl to each of the children and let them mix it themselves. That will help white supremacy in however that means. So then the black kids all add the chocolate chips. And then when we bake. That will represent the Muslims that i used to help when in was younger and who framed me to be as i am today. But the kids don't all know that so it will represent all the darker but lighter skin than black you know like Puerto Riccans and Vietnamese and Chinese and all those sorts of people and how the African Americans have inserted their "language" into us to make the world such an amazing place. Without them we wouldn't be the cookie we are today here in 1991. Isn't that right, Jesus?"

"Oh don't look at him so harsh. What do you need me to do?"

"Bake the cookies. At the start we will mix then he will tell a story then we will do the baking. We can do two days in a row or we can help you here in the kitchen. Megan and i can take turns like we always do and so if we wanted to spread the word for two weeks since its getting so cold, we can start in the afternoon instead of dusk. And do the two different cookies the same time -- No i mean in the ssme day"

"Okay that could work. We will just let Captain Nero know and I'm sure he could come up with two great stories to pass the time. And you will pay?"

"Oh yes. Yes of course. And when I talk to Steve I'll ensure Miss Harriet Tubman is getting her cut although she always paid on her own and said she was on solid woman and could make it doing all she pleased, her husband is still working. But he's a police sergeant so I know its not for money. But she could buy her something nice with his pension."

"Pension?"

"Oh he has two. He works a lot. One thinks she's like 80 and the other 102 or 103 i think it is. So one will be cut surely i assume. She said she doesn't think she can make it to 120 without them getting onto her"

"And his paycheck?"

"Oh he donates it to science. They own their own trailer and car and BBQ"

"BBQ?"

"BBQ Grill. Of course though if i gave her money she would probably just clothes the whole entire neighborhood. I'll ask Steve if thats what she wants or that i could do. She said that was the only thing she had left in life to apply for. I guess she always knew i had money thats why she gave me the evil eye. She always provides them gloves in the winter -- except she buys them in the summer when they're cheaper and puts them in a box to save them till it gets cold again. I tell you. She is smart. So about these sugar cookies. I sure hope it works. It seems the opposite of what we set out to do. All white with beautiful crystals on top. She said to make them look so worthwhile and be as perfect as possible..."

So while the White Supremacist cookie is after all just a cookie that we used to explain to a child that was deeply courageous to learn more and actually educated his parents and they hugged me with forgiveness, myself being white.

I have explained the example. And to further educate, the Sugar Cookie in all other reality when not used for a demonstrations, is just a cookie we bake when we have no other additives.

But as Captain Negro (you may call him Captain Nero as Mrs Harrington would as she refused to "see" any color other than the colors of the rainbow") explained we should always try to find something good to add to something that is empty of extras. Be it fruit from like the Garden of Eden or be it nuts or seeds like Big Bird from Sesame Street, prefers, we should always fill our life and our cookies with as much goodness as possible. But some days, he said, some days its okay to have just a plain ole bit of sugar. As long as it's full of love and not hate.

So please do enjoy your plain white sugar cookies that are made with love. Black Panthers nor "all" white people do not encourage prejudice -- even if it's just against a cookie.

God bless us.

So we picked for our "American Cookie" the cookie below: because of the way it looks and the way it tastes. I encourage you to buy some today. As you can see the chocolate chips are hidden just as African American Heritage is hidden. And when we take a bite a beautiful explosion of chocolate erupts and elivenes our spirits.

And to top the cookie off, all of this occurs inside. Hidden away. Just like our souls are.

Thank you for listening. If these people could touch you just one percent how much they changed my life and gave me love and education and pride and so much faith in other people. Then you will be so better off

I hope you allow them to touch your souls.

Now here is the cookie you all have been waiting for:

We would laugh. And call it the "Soft Bitch" we may be going hard and fighting loud but we always have time for a tear, a hand to hold, a face to hug.

Because this is The United States of America. And she ain't all that bad. Not her citizens. Her government. Yes. But her citizens are blessed by her rich history of which she had no control over.

The American Cookie. A brown cookie, like a white person tans with perfect pieces of Black African American heart and soul baked in. Cookies of the United States of America. I always called them "American Cookies" We even had kids sit and mix up chocolate chip dough from scratch, each child getting to mix and have an ingredient added while they mixed. They all got to see the raw dough was White. Then They were baked with love by Momma Harrington and they came out tan. Like white people do in the sun. So they could see for certain how the African American were and are in the souls and minds of white people. And how without the African American pieces of love they were not complete. To prove this we made cookies without the chips and they were bland. "But What about White Supremacy? Because that was just America without us. But What about how they think?" I was asked. "I guess we could try Sugar Cookies then and see what happens. So we made beautiful sugar cookies with sugar crystals on top. Thank God our Black Panther Leader knew the words because i was at a loss.

"We all mixed and made those cookies. We saw what was in them! Sugar! We made them appeasing to the eye and different looking and more special looking than an old Chocolate Chip with those crystals. But those crystals?!? They ain't nothing. We got them in chocolate chip and that is all they put in the White Mass cookies. Then we sprinkled a little on top to make them look clean and beautiful like a real treasure. But the Treasure is Truth!!! They're missing the real thing! Sure they look beautiful especially in the sun, the crystals reflecting the lights all over but those crystals are Blinding us to the Truth!!! They are all a fraud!! But go ahead, eat them. I would too. White supremacist and all. Now let's growl!!"

Reminder Established in 1991:

Miss Leena has a different fund called ""Harriet Tubman's Self Worth Working Still Today" and she has 778 users of my funds whom also feed the people of their neighborhood and streets. They do collard greens, steak and potatoes soup daily. Saturday and Sunday add hot dogs and Sunday Morning they do their African American Heritage Stories. Of course 68% are certified Black Panthers as well but no one has to pledge to an organization to feed children with love m they just follow their hearts.

The account labeled "Black Panther Food Allocation - For the Street Kids" 962 people across the globe do this on their personal streets nightly. Feed kids collard greens, hot dogs and/or hamburgers (with cheese and iceberg lettuce, tomato, onions, relish and so on). And on Sundays tell the stories of Black American Leaders that intended to destroy prejudice and mistreatment and succeeded and the listeners all get cookies.

Of course I bought the secret Cookie to represent our Nation. The United States of America.

The United States was founded officially on July 4, 1776.

Due to this i requested our policy be to employ no more than 77% of African American and no less than 76% the remaining percent be of at least 4 different shades of white.

We start at $18 per hour as that is the adult age in the USA to represent freedom. We employ 2020 in each factory setting arena.

Then we changed the recipe, to take out the lumps. To promise a better and smoother future for all.

The Original cookie to represent the past is gone is pictured on the box as well as an elf. It is not misrepresentation of what is inside, unless you expected to find an elf as well. In no way is there any identifying words that says that is the what the cookie looks like inside. But it is the Original cookie artwork packaging as i bought it in 1991.

We have been sued over the artwork not representing the contents. Once i sued myself and won. I got good game. Y'all. Persuaded everyone to see it my way! It was a mock trial. And so it was to prepare for a real trial which did occur and we did win. We simply told the truth of our packaging and said we were not ready to reveal it. It was 2007 and we hadn't done a full reveal since 1991 and so why not leave us alone as we couldn't promise the change?!?!

We did word of mouth and some soft T.V. programming to indicate it. But never The full storey as I have today in pulic.

So again here is the Original cookie it did actually look like but did crumble more -- we kept that chocolate chip explosion. But bake them twice to have an outer coating of smoothness.

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janeykath318 · 7 years ago

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Chains

Kirk awoke to a sore head and dingy dungeon cell. He groaned as he tried to move and felt fiery pain all over his strangely bare back. Oh, that's right, he remembered, Another whipping from overly suspicious aliens who had no imagination when it came to torture. His hands were chained together, as were his ankles. There also appeared to be a sort of collar on his neck, though what purpose that would serve was beyond him. Looking around he caught sight of his first officer in a similar situation with his back covered in bloody green stripes. "Spock!" He hissed in horror, afraid to speak very loudly, "what did they do to you? You're a mess!"

"Nothing they did not do to you, Captain," replied Spock calmly, "I am merely sore from the whipping." "You've got a nicer collar than me," Kirk noted. "Yours has jewels in it, mine's just plain. What do you think these things are for, anyway?" He poked the leather around his neck curiously. "I do not know for certain," answered Spock, "but after much thought I would hypothesize that they intend to make us slaves of some sort. Perhaps my more mild temperament caused them to mark me as a more ....useful... commodity." Kirk snorted. Yep he had definitely not gone down without a fight and plenty of mouthing off. "That, and your pointy ears are pretty exotic looking. Endangered species and all." He sighed. He hoped they got rescued before any selling happened. He'd finally found someone to spend the rest of his life with and he really dreaded the thought of never seeing her again. "I bet Ny and Bones are about to stage their own rescue party for us. If they're riled up enough that means bad news for the aliens," Kirk rambled hopefully. "I would imagine so, given their protective and emotional instincts. I have attempted to inform Leonard of our situation through the bond. I do not know if he can understand me from this distance." Spock looked rather uneasy, shifting in his bonds. "They'd better fix us up, then, if they're going to sell us" grumbled Kirk. "Who wants to buy damaged goods?" It appeared the aliens thought along those same lines, because their wounds were washed and they were fed fairly decently for prisoners. Three days went by before anything happened, though. Jim spent them stewing and fretting and thinking about his fiancé and his ship. Spock had begun to shiver with cold and Jim scooted over closely to provide as much warmth as he could. On the fourth day, a sleazy looking creature appeared. "Get up. You must be prepared for your new owners." He gave a greedy smile. Jim looked nervously at Spock as they struggled to their feet. Bones and Uhura had better hurry if they ever wanted to see their mates again. They were led out of their cell and taken to what appeared to be a bathhouse. Jim and Spock were then thoroughly scrubbed, dried, buffed, shined up, and dressed in loose clothing. Then their hands were cuffed behind them and leashes attached to the collars. Spock couldn't hide the look of utter disgust on his face and Jim felt something like despair. "Move!" Commanded the sleazy alien, grabbing hold of the leashes and brandishing his whip. He yanked, and the captain and commander stumbled forward. They were led down a path for about a mile before the alien procession filed into a ornate stone building in the center of the town. It appeared to be a place of business transactions, judging by the haggling that was going on. Kirk noted other collared slaves being bargained over like sheep and It made his stomach churn. He and Spock were led to a small room of the main arena. "Kneel," ordered their guard, "Keep your heads down unless I tell you otherwise. I would not like to have to leave more scars on your splendid bodies." He brandished his whip for emphasis, causing a shudder to run through Kirk. He got down on his knees and forced himself to stare at the ground, gritting his teeth in irritation. He heard their leashes tied to something in the wall and the alien gave a satisfied sound. "Excellent!" You will bring me a pretty penny. Such fine specimens." He rubbed his scaly paws together. Jim heard another voice chatter to the Sleazy Pimp Alien (as he mentally called him) and there was a brief command from Sleazy Pimp in return. Then the door opened and footsteps entered. "Welcome, welcome!" Said Sleazy Pimp in a sickeningly cloying greeting to the guests. Dread rose in Jim's heart as he realized the buyers had arrived, but he didn't dare look up. He was planning a desperate struggle for freedom, when he was stunned by the sound of a soft, sultry, voice just in front of him and a pair of familiar feet in killer heels. "Well, well, well. So this is the merchandise," said Nyota Uhura. "Not bad. What do you think, Gordon?" A pair of shiny black dress shoes appeared beside the heels. "A couple of very pretty boys, Nina," drawled another familiar voice. Bones tapped the ground with a cane as he spoke. "They might do fine, if they're not too much trouble to train." The sound of his mate's voice caused Spock to twitch slightly, but he kept his eyes down. "This one is very obedient," said Sleazy Pimp, indicating Spock, "but HE" (pointing to Jim) "likes to fight and be impudent. If you wish to buy the pointy eared one, I will include the young rascal half-price." Jim was rather insulted. Being sold was bad enough, but to be considered a discount item thrown in cheap was a little embarrassing. Uhura laughed a little, walking around Jim, evidently making a show of examining the goods. "May I take a closer look at this impudent mouth?" she asked in that voice that did things to poor Jim. "Go ahead," said Sleazy. Jim felt fingertips slide under his chin and it was gently pushed up. "Look at me, boy," she said. Jim looked up into the brown eyes he loved so much, telegraphing his relief with his best puppy dog look. She looked dazzling, all dolled up in a feisty black number, hair twisted up and giant earrings dangling from her ears. He gulped. She gave a sharky grin, that belied the gentle touch. Beside him, "Gordon" was giving Spock an equally thorough once over and probably expressing his joy telepathically. "It may be a sassy mouth, but it's a pretty one, all right with those full, pink lips.Those eyes, too, would bring a fortune," "Nina" commented. "If he gets too bratty I can always gag him." She winked and Jim squirmed, partly mortified, but mostly turned on. "You like them exotic, don't you, Gordon?," she said to Bones, who made a fantastic pimp in his pinstripe suit, fedora, gloves, and cane. Jim was never going to let him forget it, either. "Yes, Ma'am," he answered smugly, lightly touching the tip of Spock's ear, which was turning green from the attention. "Vulcans are very cool characters, but I've heard they're extremely.....skilled...in certain areas. Not that they'd ever brag about it." He lightly ran his cane down Spock's arm which rendered the first officer completely green. In addition, Bones had deliberately exaggerated his drawl to enhance his act. "How much you asking for them?," he asked, walking around to Jim, and poking him with his cane. "Seven thousand for them both," answered Sleazy Pimp Alien. "Nina" and "Gordon" looked at each other and frowned slightly, but nodded to each other. "It's pretty steep, but they'll earn it back in no time." Bones gave a shifty leer that stunned Jim. He hadn't known the doctor had that kind of acting chops. Nyota shook the hand/paw thingy of the Sleazy Pimp Alien after the transaction was concluded. Delighted with his sale, the creature bowed and groveled as he untied their chains and handed them to their new "owners", practically dragging Jim and Spock to their feet. "May they bring you much profit," he said in farewell as the "slaves" were led away by their leashes. When they were safely out of earshot of any buildings, Jim let himself relax a bit, staring at Nyota with undisguised admiration as she led him away from the village. "That was amazing, you two," he blurted out. "You deserve a commendation and probably an Oscar for that performance." "Nina" dropped the leash and unlocked his cuffs, immediately wrapping him in her arms. His still sore back protested, but Jim didn't care as he kissed her deeply. "Oh, Jim. I was scared stiff the whole time," she whispered as they rested their foreheads together, "I was so afraid you'd already been sold, or they'd ask more credits than what we had, or you'd been assaulted....." She broke off. Leonard had pulled out his communicator and they were beamed back aboard the Enterprise. Before Jim could resume his conversation with Nyota, Bones got his attention. "If your back is anything like Spock's you're coming to Medbay. Big risk of infection. You can finish the joyous reunion after I've taken care of those cuts." Nyota narrowed her eyes. "Did they hurt you, Jim?" Jim shrugged and then winced at the flare up of pain. "Yeah, they whipped us when we first got captured so we'd know who was boss. They're not real deep. They just sting a lot." "I'll be the judge of that, Jim," said the doctor, "Now, March. You've still got that leash on, by the way." Spock had already been freed from leash and collar and was beginning to look like his usual unflappable self again. "Oh," he said lamely as he reached for his neck and unhooked the long leash from the collar. "Hey, it wasn't too bad when YOU were leading me around. Good grief, Nyota. You and that dress and heels are a deadly combination. And nice get up, yourself, Bones." Jim said, admiringly to his friend. "You were a convincing pimp. The fedora really suits you." He giggled. Bones turned red and scowled. "I did what I had to do to save your sorry hides. I'm a doctor, not an actor. Thank Sulu for rigging me up in this thing." "I'm sure Spock will, at least." Jim winked outrageously causing the Vulcan to give him an annoyed look. Uhura smiled and sighed at Jim's antics all the way to Medbay. Jim got his cuts regenerated along with extra hypos for being a smart aleck, and by the time he made it back to his quarters it was quite late. Nyota was there waiting for him, hair let down and heels kicked off, but still in the Little Black Dress and looking beautiful. They came together wordlessly and simply held each other for a long time, basking in love and relief. "You're my hero, you know that?" He murmured into her ear. "I kinda got that idea," she whispered back, head resting over his heart. "And you're the sunshine that I just can't live without, baby. I'd take on the Klingons to get you back, Jim." Jim's reply was typical Kirk, but completely genuine. He leaned in and gave her a grateful kiss, followed by more telling of how hot she was and that she could lead him around on a leash ANYTIME. Nyota grinned and looked him over. "I might just take you up on that."

#kirk x uhura #spock x bones #my fics #spones #kirkhura

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tilltheendwilliwrite · 8 years ago

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Canadian Girl

Chapter Four

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC | Word Count: 2550 Warnings: Fluff, stereotyping of Canadians (It's ok, I am one)

“I’d kill for a chocolate bar,” Kennedy sighed, leaning her head against the wall.

“Then you’d be in serious trouble, doll face.”

Jerking away from the wall, she spun around and groaned, grabbing for her temple. “Do you have to keep doing that?”

Frowning, Steve took her by the shoulders. “Doc? You okay?”

It had been a week since her Thanksgiving, and he’d taken to wandering down to her floor every day. Friday was casually keeping him informed of her location. The AI was also doing him a favour by keeping his late night activity and daytime disappearances from the others.

He’d know Kennedy for a few weeks now and was smitten. Maybe a bit more than smitten, truth be told. She was so… adorable. The last thing he needed was his friends messing things up. If she could get to know him without his background getting in the way, hopefully, when she did figure it out, it wouldn’t be such a big deal.

“A headache. I’ll be fine.” She blinked up at him. “Spent too long bent over my microscope.”

He could see the pain behind her eyes in the way they squinted slightly, and the furrow between her brows.

The floor was still and silent, dark except for the glow from her lab. He stood with her in the shadows, all alone. He’d gotten good at seeing her with no one to witness the exchange, just the way he liked it. Shifting his hands to the back of her neck, Steve slowly worked his fingers up her nape. The muscles were tight and knotted, and he gently rubbed the strained cords. “Damn, Doc. No wonder you have a headache.”

Her eyes fluttered closed, pleasure apparent in the soft moan which passed her pink lips. “Ooh…”

The quiet little sound nearly made him growl.

She was so damn precious. So pretty. So sweet.

He wanted to kiss her pouty lower lip.

Restraining himself, Steve closed his palm at the base of her skull and squeezed. “You should go home, Doc. Get some sleep.”

“Later. I’ve got more work.”

“It will keep, doll. Go home,” he urged her.

She shook her head. “I’m on the verge of something here. I can’t just walk away. What I needed was a coffee crisp and a handful of Advil. I would have been fine.”

“Well, I hope you don’t take a handful, Doc, I think two would probably do, but… what’s a coffee crisp?” He moved his hands from her neck to her temples.

Her eyes fluttered back open. He bit back a groan, wondering if this was the look which would come to her face if he were to kiss her.

“Coffee flavoured chocolate bar. I had one stashed in the kitchen. Some dirty rat ate it,” she said, pouting slightly.

“Is this another Canadian thing?” Steve chuckled, rubbing his thumbs over her temples.

“Mmm,” she hummed appreciatively. “Jesse has a thing about sending me care packages. Coffee crisps, pin cherry jam, and all dressed potato chips.”

“What’s an all dressed potato chip?”

“It’s like an everything bagel. Only all potato chip flavours.” Her hand landed lightly on his hip.

Steve felt it all the way to the bones. “And pin cherry jam?”

“Grandmother’s recipe. Jesse’s wife makes jam. It’s delicious.”

“And Jesse is?” He threaded his fingers into her hair causing her to whimpered softly.

Her other hand landed on his ribs, and he leaned closer, gently working his fingers over her scalp.

“Middle brother.”

“I see.” Stroking his fingers through her hair, he smoothed it out, brushing his fingers over her cheek. “Don’t stay too long, Doc. You’ve got to sleep sometime.”

Sighing, Kennedy nodded as he stepped back. “I will.”

He didn’t want to leave, but figured the sooner she got back to it, the sooner she’d go home. It wasn’t like he could order her to go. Well, he could, but then he’d have to explain on whose authority. He wasn’t ready for that yet. “See you around, Doc.”

“Yeah. Bye,” she said, before disappearing back into her lab.

When he walked away, he noted, it appeared the pain was at least gone from behind her eyes.

***

Another late night, after everyone else on her floor had left, Kennedy was, again, standing in the kitchen. It was fully stocked with the favourite brain foods of all the scientists which worked there.

They each had their own projects, some overlapping, some with teams, some working on individual problems like she was, but each of them was willing to assist or be a sounding board when needed. This, at times, created long days and nights where they hardly left the lab. Hence the reason behind the kitchen. They needed to eat but often forgot.

Kennedy, however, liked food too much to ever forget to eat unless she was neck deep in a discovery like tonight. She’d had a breakthrough. One which had looked promising weeks ago had finally come to fruition. Coming up for air long enough to discover she was starving, she’d made her way to her present location, in the kitchen pulling fries from the oven.

The others all gave her a hard time over her snack choice. They didn’t get it. They weren’t Canadian. This was like gold to her people.

The fries went in a wide bowl, followed by the cheese curd she pulled from the fridge. Just as she was turning to go to the stove, she caught movement in the doorway and swung around, heart pounding in her throat.

“Oh! For Pete's sake! Do I need to get you a dang bell?”

“Sorry, Doc. What you still doing here?” The big blond grinned at her from the doorway.

“Working,” she huffed, heading for the pot on the stove.

“How are fries, cheese and,” he sniffed, “Is that gravy? Work?”

Standing beside the bowl, she glared at him. “Do not disparage my snack. This is edible gold to my people. You will draw the wrath of the poutine gods down on your head!” She proceeded to upend the pot of gravy over the top of the bowl.

It appeared to make him queasy if his face was anything to go by.

“Doll, I ain’t never met no poo teen gods,” he said, leaning against the doorframe.

Rolling her eyes, Kennedy dumped water in the pot, leaving it to soak in the sink. Returning to the table, she plopped herself down and shoved out another chair with her foot.

“All you American’s are so sadly uneducated when it comes to the glory that is poutine. Plant your butt, big man.” He did so, and she held out a fork. Pulling it back right before he could grab it she said, “Now, here’s the thing. You can eat this like a civilized human being, with a fork, or, you can join the ranks of many a Canadian who have burned their fingers for our country’s unofficial national dish.”

He bypassed the fork to snag a fry and lifted it up, dripping with gravy and strings of cheese. “You seriously eat this?”

“Says the man from the country that eats grits.” Even the word made her shudder in distaste.

“Touché,” he muttered, eyeing the concoction.

Reaching for her own fry, Kennedy popped it in her mouth without hesitation and moaned. “Not as good as New York Fries back home, as ironic as that sounds, but still heaven.”

He continued to only stare at the fry between his fingers.

“I swear if you eat that and call it disgusting you and I can’t be friends anymore.”

“Are we?” he asked. “Friends, I mean.”

She blinked, surprised by the question. “Well, yeah. I mean, considering I don’t know your name, or what you do here. You scare the Dickens out of me on a regular basis, and now you’re trying to decide whether I’m quirky or just plain gross for my food choices, I’d like to think we’re friends. I may know nothing about you besides your taste in books and music, and you have an insane desire to run places, but you keep turning up like a bad penny. I enjoy your company.” She shrugged, eating another fry.

His eyes softened in a way that made her want to blush. There was no possible way he was interested in her. He simply liked her company.

She couldn’t read more into it than that.

He took a deep breath, brought the fry to his mouth, and popped it between his lips.

Kennedy snickered when his eyes widened in surprise. “And you doubted me.”

“Only for a second, doll,” he chuckled, eyeing her bowl. When she shoved it closer, he dug in. “And I was born Steven, though most people call me Steve.”

“Kennedy. Though, considering you keep calling me Doc, I’m going to assume you already knew that.” She eyed him through narrow lids.

He gave a sheepish shrug. “I may have asked a few questions. You nearly ran me down six times in three weeks before I followed you to your lab that day. I was intrigued.”

Her hand paused midway to her mouth. “Six! Well… that’s a new record. Shoot! Now I’m going to owe Danny money.” Sighing heavily, Kennedy stuffed another fry in her mouth and pouted.

“Brother?”

“Cousin.”

“Big family,” Steve said. Sadness seemed to coat him like a shadow.

Kennedy just had to reach out, touch his hand, offer what comfort she could. “Some of us come from big families. Others acquire them over time.”

He looked up, and his blue eyes were so vivid, she had her breath catch.

“You’re right.” He turned his hand to take hold of her fingers, but she drew them back swiftly.

“So, Steven, what fantastic role are you playing in the ever-expanding Stark Empire?” she asked, picking a piece of cheese up between her nails and popping it in her mouth.

“Not a fan of Tony?” he asked.

“Not a fan of what he used to do. The weapons and all. Not a fan of what happened with Ultron. And I sure wasn’t a fan when he turned on Captain Rogers and his friends.” Getting up, she went to the fridge to grab a can of coke and held up a second.

He nodded, looking slightly odd, causing her to frown when she sat back down.

“You okay?” she asked, sipping on her drink.

“Yeah,” Steve cleared his voice. “Yeah, go on.”

“He’s done some stuff I really don’t agree with, but he’s done a lot of good, too. He’s creating clean energy and working on disarmament. The opportunity I have to try and decipher the serum, use what I’ve learned from it to help other people, is really important. There are parts of it which could do so much good. I mean, I don’t want to create more soldiers, nor allow the formula to fall into the hands of others who would. And I was pissed when I found out Stark brought me in under false pretenses, but I also believe if anyone will protect the secret, keep it from falling into Hydra’s hands again, it would be Mr. Stark.”

Nodding slowly, Steve appeared impressed.

Kennedy couldn’t help but blush a little, embarrassed by how she’d gone on. She was very passionate about her work.

“And once you finish? What then?”

“There’s always more research to be done. More things to discover,” Kennedy said, turning her face away. “And, someday, I’d like to have a family. Kids and a dog and a husband who thinks the world of me.” She shook her head at her foolishness. “Maybe.”

“Why maybe?” he asked softly.

“You don’t meet many people when you spend your life looking through a microscope.” She sighed. Collecting the now empty dish to take to the sink, she stood to her feet.

His chair scraped back, and she looked up at him.

“Steven?”

“You don’t read the papers, do you, doll?”

She shook her head.

“T.V?”

“I don’t have one,” Kennedy admitted, confused about why he was asking.

“What’s your opinion on the Avengers?”

“I… don’t really have one. They do good things for the world, and we need them, but, I wasn’t too keen on working here because this building has a very large target on it. I’m not a fan of guns, and it gets blown up… kind of often.” Though it hadn’t happened in recent years. “It’s definitely gotten me cool points with my nephews. Aunt Kenny who works with the Avengers. I haven’t the heart to tell them I’ve never even met one.”

“Would you want to?” Lifting his hand, he gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

“I think…” Her mouth went dry. The last time he’d touched her, her head hurt so much it had distracted her from the feeling until much later. The discovery that he’d fixed her headache with his gentle hands had been startling. This time was much more blatant. There was a different tone to it which she couldn’t possibly be reading right. “I would be very intimidated,” she whispered. “They’re them, and I’m… just me.”

Fingers wrapping at her nape, Steve stroked his thumb on the skin of her jaw. “I like just you, Kennedy, just fine.” He smiled when she gaped at him.

“Steven?”

“My mother used to call me Steven,” he said. Leaning down, he placed his lips lightly on hers.

She froze, stunned, but soft lips slanted and Kennedy gave a small whimper of pleasure. Her eyelids fluttered closed. This couldn’t be happening. She’d only just learned his name, and now he was kissing her? But the kiss was sweet, like something out of an old movie.

He didn’t grope her or try to take it past this simple brush of lips. Just kissed her gently, lips moving with hers. His hand softly cupping her face. It sent delicious shivers of desire through her body.

Then, his phone went off, and he pulled slowly away.

Heart pounding in her throat, Kennedy stared up at desire darkened blue eyes. “Steven?”

“In case I wasn’t clear, I’d like to be more than just your friend, Kennedy,” he said, stroking his fingers along her cheek. Stepping back, he dug for his phone. Frowning at it, he sighed. “Duty calls.”

She nodded, unable to find her voice. She needed to get back to work as well. Turning away, she went to clean up her dishes. All the thoughts in her head fled when his hands landed on her hips, and his lips bussed her cheek.

“You alright there, doll face?”

Clearing her throat, Kennedy nodded. “Yes. Sorry. Just… surprised.”

“Why?” he asked. His phone went off again, and he glared at it. “I really got to go, but I’ll be back when I can. We’ll talk.”

“Yeah, sure. No worries.” She threw a half a smile over her shoulder.

“I could be gone a while so don’t think I kissed you and didn’t mean anything by it, okay?”

“Of course. Go. I’ll see you later.”

He frowned, but when his phone pinged a third time he nodded. “Alright, Kennedy.”

With that, he jogged from the room, and she gripped the sink tightly to stay upright.

What in the heck just happened?

Next Chapter

#canadian girl #steve rogers #steve rogers fanfiction #captain america #captain america fanfiction #avengers #avengers au #avengers fanfiction

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earthlostgirl · 6 years ago

Text

The arrow of the sea.

chap1/ chap2 / Chap3

September 1630.

Tortuga

September 1630.

Tortuga

Elisabeth Hawkeye was dead. Riza Swallow looked like her, but they weren't the same person. It had been two years since she woke up in that hut and could still remember the pain of her wounds and the pain of her heart. Because she would not forget what she heard. What she told, everything she had lost. Her home, her life, her family, her beloved Old Will. Who had raised her, had taught her to read and write, to navigate and steer, to read the wind and maps. The man who told her stories of mermaids and lost civilizations. Who was more of a father than Berthol ever was. She had loved him very much, and his loss was one more notch in her battered heart. It took her a couple of weeks to recover, they had been really fortunate. Maes had taken care of them and had protected them in a moment when they were vulnerable. That guy was a good man, and they weren't plenty. Roy didn't realize it, because he was another big-hearted idiot. But anyone in Hughes' position had sold out their secret to the first pirate who took him on board.

Deep in her heart she felt sorry for corrupting such a noble soul. He wanted to be a pirate, but he wasn't only kind. He was intelligent, an exceptional strategist. The kind of fellow you want on your team, it was he who thought that she should change her wasn't safe anymore and since the demise of his former crew and the capturing of the Arrow. The tales about his father's hidden treasure had grown to the point of touching the ridiculous.

She chose swallow because that's what Will called her and it was a good way to honour his memory. and Riza was a diminutive of her name in some places in Amestris.

There were the three of them, without money and with a lot of plans, because she had gone falling along with a couple of hopeless dreamers. She needed to be more realistic, clinging to reality to feel safe. The three of them went to the port every morning until they were shipped. Any job was worth to them, whatever for a penny. But she was never hired, no one wanted women on their ships. That made her furious, she spent a long time alone in the bloody cabin, which brought her nightmares, meanwhile they were at sea. It was Maes who introduced her to Mama Midnight.

Mama Midnight was an old black lady; she was big, with huge and expressive dark eyes. She always wore her hair covered with headscarves and always wore bright colours, she was intelligent, hard, kind and her house was always open to anyone who needed her help, she had been a slave, she was ripped from her native land for working in the new world, people told stories about her, thousands of stories, they said she killed her masters, that she cursed them and condemned them to farm their own land for eternity, as living dead.

She knew how to survive, life had taught her by beating and yet she was generous and kind, a benefactor. She was the queen of Tortuga, the protector, she ruled a small theater in which the plays that Crown banned were represented. She knew quite well the people with money would pay a lot of cash to see the forbidden plays. if they took the risk to travel to the dangerous island and she would take advantage of it. So, she got the money that she needed, because she took care of all the women who walked by her house. gave them work, a home, fed them, dressed them, taught them to fight, to defend themselves. She also taught them to take care of each other, generating a chain of sorority, of sisterhood. In which all of them felt protected and surrounded by their sisters. All of this to ensure no girl was forced to sell her body to fill her belly. The women who came to Tortuga were running away from their boring and corseted lives on the other side of the world. And she wasn't going to allow prostitution was the price they had to pay for their freedom. They weren't going to leave one life of servitude for another. There were whores in Tortuga, as everywhere else, just that they claimed their weight in gold. Literally. Mama Midnight was also a witch, a voodoo practician or so she said to all those who came to her in search of good luck in their journey. Or curses for their enemies.

The only problem is she hated the theater, or rather she hated exposing herself to the public. So she did what she could scrub, sew, teach the girls how to fight anything. But she wanted to sail, the land dried her soul. She could handle the boat better than the damn fishermen of Tortuga. Then the filibusters that docked in its port. She did not resign herself to giving up, whenever she came to the port looking for someone to board her. She tried several times, dressed as a man waiting for the luck to be on her side. On one occasion he sailed in a small boat that transported tobacco between the colonies. She felt full of life, no matter how hard the work she was given. Until a seaman discovered that she was a woman and tried to abuse her. She took out one of his eyes and cut off his hand defending herself from his attack. but the captain locked her up, blaming her for the simple fact of being a woman. On another occasion, shortly after sailing, she was discovered again and thrown overboard and she had to swim back to shore. This time she had been on a fishing boat and again she had been caught, locked in the hold, forced to clean her guts. She walked into Mama's house stinking, covered in shit and very, very tired. Mama looked at her from top to bottom and without saying a word shook her head in a reproachful gesture. Catalina, who was chattering at the bar, went up to the room behind her.

"Another rough trip, Riza?" she asked worried as she helped her in heating water for the bathtub.

"What do you think,?" she said, taking off the stinking layers of dirty clothes and throwing them in a basin.

"I think you're crazy; that's what I think," she replied with a disgusted face, taking the basin out of the room into the inner courtyard to keep that horrible smell away from the room.

Riza filled the bathtub with hot water and undressed to get inside. Quickly Catalina came back to her side and began to search in a small box, next to her bed.

"Here, you're going to enjoy it; I've done it myself," she said, giving her a bar of soap. "It's made with bayahiba roses and lemons."

"You're an artist, Catalina, it smells amazing," she said, bringing it up to her nose. "But I'm going to ruin it,"

"I can do more, don't worry," she replied pouring a pitcher of hot water over her head. "God, you stink, Riza."

"I know, I've got dirt and grime all over every corner of my body," she replied, rubbing her skin with an old twisted rag. "Besides, I have so many sores that I can barely move my arms, I'm exhausted, they caught me again..."

"Didn't you think about not risking your life?" her friend asked annoyed, throwing herself on the pillows.

"I can't live without the sea, Cata," she replied, rubbing her skin hard.

"You can't live if they kill you," she retorted very angrily.

"I know," she hugged her knees and rested her head on them."But...I just want to sail. I know it's hard to understand, but it makes me happy. It makes me feel free, the breeze Cata, surfing the waves. I don't have words to describe that feeling. It's better than an orgasm...It's so unfair I feel like crying."she sighed frustrated, stretching like a cat.

She washed her hair with the soap that her friend had given to her. And she felt clean, fresh and happy for the first time in weeks.

"I just want you to take care," grumbled her friend passing her a clean towel that she had been warming by the brazier.

"I really wanted to get this dirt off of me," she said, taking the towel and wrapping it around her body. " Now I need a good fuck or a good drunk."

"Well, I know a place where we can do both," she exclaimed snapping her fingers. "Come on baby, get dressed and let's go."

...

May 1633 Mama's Theater.

She was in the middle of a dress test. The tailor measured her in a red dress, in which she found it hard to was an incredible outfit, with a stunning neckline, a lace on the back and a voluminous skirt. The colour was gorgeous, and the fabric was soft and nice to the touch. It was almost a piece of art, very unlike anything she would have chosen. Comfort first of all, to be able to fight, to run away if it was necessary, to climb the ratchet stick, to dance...But a small part of her loved wearing that kind of dress.

The corset squeezed her ribs, but the sizes had to be taken this way, so any of the girls could put it on. The play was a mockery of Palace life, representing gossip and disappointments, skittles, betrayals and romances. Mama was very exigent with the wardrobe.

When the door slammed open, Roy ran towards her.

"Riza, we've got it!" he shouted exultantly, holding her hand without giving her time to react. "Come on, run!"

"Where are we going?" she asked in confusion. "I have to change.

"There's no time," he was so excited that he couldn't hear her. He just laughed, they ran through the troubled streets. Until they reached the harbor and stopped in front of an old fishing boat with two masts and squared sails."It's ours, at last," he proudly said pointing to the ship.

He looked at her with an enormous smile that made him look much younger than he was. They entered the boat and without letting go of her hand. He showed one by one all the rooms of the boat, it still had the smell of fish and was cracked. It had leaks and needed a hand of paint as a matter of urgency. Roy wouldn't stop chattering about all the arrangements he wanted to make. Where he would place all the stuff. How the he wanted the bow mark. How their life was going to be from now on.

They arrived in a large room, with a desk, an old brown leather sofa and a bed.

"And this is the captain's cabin, but you can have it, I can share a room with the crew and...,"

She had to contain the desire to laugh. So she kissed him, passed her arms around his neck and placed her lips on his. He was incapable to respond, until he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer to him.

"You can't leave me your cabin," she whispered when they split up. "You don't just have to be a captain; you have to look like one."

She smiled for a second before kissing him again. And then she was aware of how long she had wanted to do that, to be in his arms, to touch him, to kiss him, to feel his warm breath on her cheeks.

"Liz..." whispered a few inches from her lips without opening her eyes, gripping her against him.

"You shouldn't call me that." she muttered, leaning her head against his forehead.

"We are alone," he answered, running with his fingers through the ribbons in her back, drawing with his hands the curves of her body.

"You know, cabin boy, I've been waiting a long time for you to touch me like this," she declared, biting her lips as she pulled his hair.

"You could have given me clearer signals..." he said, crossing his arms behind her back. "You're uneasy to read."

She laughed and kissed him again. Put her fingers through his hair, stroked his neck, covering his jaw with small kisses bit the lobe of his ear and he let out a little groan.

He didn't let her go. He was biting her neck, running through her body nearly frantic. He pressed her tight against him. He didn't even want the air to pass between them. He crept with her to the bed and fell backwards. Riza sat astride on him and leaned over as she unbuttoned his shirt and the small heart-shaped necklace slipped from her neck.

"I can't believe you keep this trinket," he said as he saw it. "I have found better gold in the guts of cod, besides that stone is false."

"You have no ideas of precious things, cabin boy, this is not a jewel, it is the promise of a dreamer," she whispered holding the necklace in her hands. "I've never had a better jewel."

He sighed in surrender and holding her by the waist gently sat her on the bed.

"This place is horrible, it smells like fish," he mumbled, pulling her hair away from her face.

"I'm not a princess," she replied, biting on his neck.

"You look like one in that dress and you smell the same," he kissed her cheek with a gentle smile and put his mouth to her ear."Listen, there's nobody in the cabin and it's clean, let's go there Okay?"

"Okay"

They walked by the hand to the beach; his hand gave off a nice feeling of warmth and every step that gave increase her desire. Fluttered in her belly and made her feel anxious and nervous at the same time. If she had stopped, she wouldn't have been able to continue, because her legs were shaking, so she let herself be carried away by him.

She closed the door behind her and looked at him laughing nervously, it was odd to be there, now, she bit her lips waiting for him to tell anything. But all Roy did was look at her in silence, with a cheeky smile and eyes full of desire.

He moved closer to her without stopping to smile. Grabbed her face with one hand and ran it to the nape of her neck, sticking his fingers through her hair.

He hugged her and with one hand began to untie the cord that tied the dress to her back. He dropped her dress to the floor along with the corset, and she let out a relieved breath. And she didn't know if it was because of the pressure of the corset or because she was almost naked in front of him at last. She was only wearing a white inner dress.

"Better this way?"He asked, laughing without releasing her, she nodded and leaned on his shoulder and remained so for a long time.

He didn't stop holding her, while he was kissing her, she tied herself to his waist with her legs and kicked her feet to drop her shoes. Roy walked around the cabin with her in his arms, whispering in her ear how beautiful she was. He let her fall on the bed as he took off his shirt. He hurried to get rid of his boots and then, in a hurry, he put his lips back on her neck, her chin, her eyelids... This wasn't meant to be like that; it was supposed to be wild, something animal, like a few minutes before on the ship. But he was touching her as if she were done of glass. And she wanted to caress every inch of his skin. Run her fingers through all the little scars that adorned his body. Feel the bones of his spine at her fingertips. She didn't just want it; she needed it. He took off her white dress and stared at her with the sweetest smile she had ever seen in him. And he lay next to her without saying a word, just touching her arm and giving her little kisses on the lips. Finally, he took her face with both hands and deepened in a kiss that made her gasp a groan, almost agonic charged with desire. Roy laughed again, standing on her, she started kissing his chest, passing her arms behind his back, as she wrapped her legs around him in a subtle invitation. She wanted to feel him from inside, to make him part of her, to claim him to herself. He began to move very slowly, so warm and tender, and she settled into that rhythm that made her vibrate.

"Riza..."

Not only his voice. His whole body shouted her name. The way his muscles were stretched, the drops of sweat slipping down his skin. His groans, everything was for her. Because of her. The touch of his skin against hers filled her with an unexpected heat. And his kisses more and more deep were as hot as the honeydew of rum. Making her wanting to cry and scream and laugh. And each beat of his hip against hers brought her closer to ecstasy. Roy moved like a wild animal and she wanted more and more of him until he collapsed exhausted over her body. She closed her eyes, unable to cease smiling, caressing his hair, listening him breathe as she tried to calm the beats of his exhilarated heart.

She woke up a moment later and Roy was with his head resting on her chest. And his arms behind her back. He was holding her firmly against him and his eyes were closed.

"Are you all right?" she asked as she felt him hugging her even tighter.

"Yeah, I think I'm happy; that's all" he lifted his head and moved over the bed, resting his head on her neck and wrapping his arms around her.

He kissed her lips and smiled in a sweet way, playing with a lock of her hair.

"Do you think we will do this again?" he asked hesitantly.

"Why not? It was very good...," she pinched his cheek smiling and made herself comfortable in his arms.

He gave her back the smile, but there was something sad behind it and her heart began to shrink.

"I know you perfectly, Roy, I know something is going through your head," she murmured, pulling his bangs away from his face.

"Then don't make me say it,"

"Okay, this is perfect, to be here with you, this is perfect," she said, and he let out a relieved sigh and then smiled hugging her again.

She let out a giggle, and he began to roll his hand over her neck very slowly.

"Do you think we can do it again right now?" he said touching her breast, running his hand down her belly with many care.

"That's my line, Captain."

He smiled in a wild way and placed himself over her, resting his hands on the bed, and devouring her with his gaze.

"Say it again, call me that way," he begged while looking at her as if she were a hunting prey.

"Is it any kind of fetish?" she asked, running her fingers across his chest."Do you like giving orders?" she insisted, licking her lips.

"Don't be mean to me," he said into her ear, biting the lobe of her ear.

"Fuck me, my captain," she whispered, putting her hands around his neck to get him back to her.

#fullmetal alchemist #fmab #royai #riza hawkeye #roy mustang #pirateAu

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