#she and Courtney are in the back of my fic. they are never directly mentioned only indirectly and I do not explain

[soliusss]

For the 5 mistral and Courtney crackshippers

[overtrred28]

Stargirl | matildas x original character fic [part twenty one]

Words; 2.1k

Pairings; matildas team x astrid taylor (OC)

Warnings; none

masterlist

The lead up to the world cup is no easy feat, for anyone. Everything you did as players both at club and on national level in the months before mattered more than ever. And for Astrid the pressure was building up inside. 

She had made her mark in the team again at the last camp against Scotland and England, playing in the second match, assisting Charli’s first Matildas goal and slipping one of her own in. Not to mention her 19th birthday celebrated in England before she went back to Sweden and returned to Hammarby training with Kyra. 

They were in the start of the Damallsvenskan season and nearing the end of the Svenska Cupen, hoping to make it to the final and win the cup. Astrid and Kyra were both a major part of the squad, either playing full matches or close to and making an impact within the team. They continued to work well with one another, creating beautiful passes and more assist/goal partnerships than anyone else on the team. 

Their relationship outside of the game was continuing to grow with one another, but only behind closed doors. They knew what fans could be like with speculation and looking deeply into photos to find “clues” as to whether or not their close friendship had evolved anywhere further. So it was best if no one was in on their secret, not even Charli or Courtney who thankfully lived further away and didn’t interrupt their stolen moments at home. 

On the 6th of June, 2023, Hammarby had their final game in the Svenska Cup against BK Häcken for the title. Kyra had been named in the starting line up with plenty of other strong players she could create chances with, but when they got to halftime and no goals scored by either side, she was ready for Astrid to come on. 

Replacing Matilda Vinberg on the wing, Astrid came on with a fire to take out the cup and win her first trophy with Hammarby. Madelen Janogy helped them get ahead with 2 goals within 15 minutes of the second half. 

Astrid’s first goal came not long after that, a corner by Kyra’s right foot, the ball landing directly at her head as she stood close to the goal, knocking it in with precision to slip past the keeper's hands. She immediately ran over to Kyra who came in from the corner, jumping onto her and nearly pushing her down but Kyra stabilised themselves, before the rest of the team came and dogpiled them.

One more goal from Maika at 68 minutes and there was no chance they weren’t winning, the possession stayed with Hammarby and although the Häcken keeper was able to block a lot more the of the shots towards the end, Häcken wasn’t able to get any goals into the net either. The whistle blew and the team screamed in joy, running in together and celebrating their cup win. 

After the end of that cup, the Damallsvenskan was in full force and Hammarby were on a winning streak. The 4 games in the remainder of that month ended in victory for the club and happiness forAstrid for making one or more goal contributions to each of those games. 

The 3rd of July 2023 became a date Astrid would never forget. It was early morning right before they left for training when Astrid’s phone began buzzing, Tony’s contact appearing on her screen. Without hesitation she quickly accepted the facetime and held it up to see him. 

“Ah! Hello Astrid.” Tony waved through the screen. 

“Hi G-man, how are you?” Astrid waved back, a wide smile on her face but her stomach churned in anticipation.

“Very well, thank you.” Tony laughed at the nickname like every time she said it, Kyra was also shaking her head and holding a laugh from the otherside of the room. 

“Congratulations on the cup win, very deserved.”

“Thank you Tony, very happy with the result.” Astrid nodded her head and waited for him to speak further. 

“Astrid,” He began falling into a more serious tone. “My reasoning for the call is to talk about the next camp against France and also this year's World Cup.” Astrid stayed silent and nodded her head. “As a coaching staff we have never been more impressed with a person of your age and talent. You are strong, skilled, resilient and so much more. You are a large asset to the team both on and off the pitch.” Tony smiled kindly at her, watching her face light up at the compliments. 

“Thank you.” Astrid held back the tears brimming from her eyes and let him continue.

“Which is why it is my pleasure to invite you on our roster for the 2023 Women's World Cup if you would join us?” Both their smiles grew bigger and Kyra was jumping up and down in the living room for her girlfriend. 

“Yes, yes. Absolutely yes.” Astrid beamed even brighter, nodding her head up and down as Tony laughed and they wrapped up their conversation. As soon as the call ended Astrid dropped her phone and ran over to Kyra, jumping up and wrapping her legs around Kyra’s waist. “OH MY GOD!” Astrid yelled out as they spun in circles. Tears of happiness ran down her face as Kyra placed her down again. 

“I’m so proud of you.” Kyra wiped Astrid’s tears with her thumbs before leaning in and kissing her. But they were interrupted when Kyra’s phone started buzzing in her pocket. “It’s Tony.” Kyra looked from her phone back up to Astrid who was practically answering the facetime for her and pushing it up to Kyra’s face, stepping out of view. 

Astrid was half paying attention to the facetime as she stood opposite Kyra, instead thinking of her parents and how proud they would be. Wishing she could tell them but they already knew as they watched over her every single day of her life. Astrid zoned back in as Kyra finished her conversation and ran to her girlfriend with an even bigger smile.

“WE’RE GOING TO THE WORLD CUP BABY!” Kyra shouted as they jumped around in a circle holding hands before pulling in and kissing one another with pride. A morning Astrid will never forget. 

Only 5 days later Astrid and Kyra were jumping on a plane back home to Australia for their final World Cup prep match against France down in Melbourne. The flight was long but not awful, both of the girls managed to sleep a lot of the way, landing well rested and not irritable. 

They pulled up to the hotel and jumped out, grabbing their bags and moving into the lobby. Because of their club schedule the pair were once again last to arrive, after rooms had been assigned by their teammates. So it was a mystery which teammate they had been paired with until they opened their room doors and greeted their bunkmate for the next week.

Astrid and Kyra walked hand in hand while no one was around, soaking in the last minutes they could act like a couple for probably a few days. They waved bye to each other and reached their separate rooms. Astrid opened her door and pushed her way through, dragging her heavy bags in and peering around the corner. 

Sam was laying on one of the beds and looked up from her phone upon hearing the door open. “KIDDO!” She threw her phone down as Astrid appeared around the corner. 

“SAMMY!” Astrid yelled in reply as she dropped her items and ran forward tackling Sam on the bed in a bear hug. 

“UGH!Get off me you rat.” Sam laughed and pushed Astrid away and over to the bed opposite. 

“What? You’re not happy to see me?” Astrid scoffed as she flattened her hair down again, pouting playfully at Sam. 

“No, not really.” Sam shrugs playfully, pretending to occupy herself by picking at her nails and Astrid is not having it.

“Admit it Sam, I’m your favourite.” Astrid crosses her arms and raises a brow, awaiting Sam’s response. 

“Ha! You wish As-turd.” Sam retaliates as she settles back down into her previous position with her phone. Dramatically Astrid gasps with a hand to her chest. 

“Excuse me, only Macca is allowed to call me that.” Astrid mirrors Sam, lying down on her own bed and turns her head towards Sam’s bed where the captain was also looking over at the young striker.

“Whatever. How have you been? Congrats on the cup.” Sam brings them to a regular conversation. 

“Thanks. Yeah, I’m good. Excited to be back home.” Astrid speaks with a soft smile, turning towards the roof. She loved coming back home to Australia after so much time away, but it didn’t feel the same anymore. 

“Good.” Sam nods and the room goes silent for a minute. “How’s it going with Kyra?” Astrid's eyes widen and her head snaps back to Sam. How does she know?

“W-what do you mean?” Her voice wavers a bit and Sam continues looking at her phone. 

“Aren’t you guys living together? Is she making you pull your hair out yet?” Sam chuckles lightly and Astrid lets out a sigh of relief. 

“Oh yeah. Everyday.” She laughs and rolls her eyes. Phew.

“Are you ready for dinner?” Sam asks after checking the time and seeing it was time for team dinner now that everyone had arrived. 

“Yes, I’m starving!” Astrid jumped out of bed and they left the room together. 

As everyone arrived at the dining room they greeted one another, excited as always to be on camp with the people again and playing the game they love. 

Astrid sat with Kyra, Charli, Courtney, and Mary, or as everyone else called them, the babies, and they caught up after 2 months apart and loudly annoyed one another which then annoyed everyone else. 

After a night of catching up, playing games and relaxing before the week ahead of their French battle, everyone tiredly returned to their rooms and fell asleep early. 

The girls had four days together to prepare for game day and no one was messing around. Well, kinda. 

The team always liked to have fun with one another in training, laughing and giggling at one another's mistakes, pulling small pranks and teasing but most of all chatting. They loved to chat while running drills, especially Astrid and Charli. 

They could chat and chat for hours while still perfectly executing drills or simply running around the track. The other girls were marvelled with how much they could get done while talking to one another and giggling mostly. 

After four days of training it was finally match day at Marvel Stadium. The team had gone on their pre-match walk and completed their pre game training, watching the fans start to filter through and fill the seats. 

Astrid hadn’t been named in the starting 11, which slightly disappointed her but she understood that her reputation still stood as a super-sub and she was more than happy to come on towards the end and hopefully score a goal for the fans. 

And that’s just what she did. At 75 minutes her number 31 was flashing green and number 20 was red as Sam made her way to the sidelines for Astrid to come on. Astrid ran to her position as the new 9 alongside Tameka as the 10. 

It didn’t take long for Astrid to get her foot on the ball and close to the goal, after Kyra had passed it through to her and now she was 1v1 with a french defender. She battled easily and managed to nutmeg her before running around and towards the keeper. She was alone and onside and the net was clearer than ever. 

Her line was as clear as it was going to get so she went for it. Her right foot swung hard against the ball, rolling across the grass in what felt like slow motion as it rolled through the keeper's feet and past the white line. 

The crowd roared and Astrid took off running, hands reaching up to the sky and forming a hard with her hands as she ran, her teammates running behind her before she stopped and they jumped all over her. She smiled and laughed with her best friends as they celebrated and the crowd was cheering.  

The game ended in a 2-0 win and a very happy crowd of supporters celebrating the last game before the world cup starts only 6 days from now. 

The girls did their round of the stadium for the fans, taking photos and signing merchandise, making people's dreams come true. This could easily be Astrid’s favourite part of being with the matildas, watching peoples faces light up with joy over a simple interaction or wave in their direction and it made everything they go through as players worth it.

To be continued...

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 71 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Fun fact: this rewrite is now the second-longest fic in the Drace Race RPF section of AO3. (Second only to the original story, lol.) So if you’re looking for a lot of content…we’ve got you. ;) Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Previously: Violet revealed her estranged relationship with her family to Sutan, and Courtney struggled to live up to Miss Fame’s demands.

This Chapter: Some uncharacteristic vulnerability from Violet, Met Gala meetings and morning television.

***

“Do you want more marshmallows?”

“I always want more marshmallows.”

Katya grinned as she got up from the kitchen table, grabbing Trixie’s mug to top them both up. They were decorating gingerbread men, Katya pulling them from the oven last night. Trixie was doing clothes, drawing in the lines and putting details on them, one of his favorite jobs.

It was a tradition of theirs, spending the Sunday before Christmas in their pajamas, preparing cookies and watching Home Alone, the leftover icing always ending up in the bedroom for some sticky afternoon fun.

***

“Aaaand release...”

“Oh god,” Sutan groaned, rolling onto his back and spreading out like a starfish. “I’m dead.”

When he had jokingly asked if he could join Violet for her yoga session, he hadn’t figured she’d say yes, and he definitely hadn’t expected that it’d be this hard, those last few breaths of extended child’s pose essentially torture where he could feel his bones bend and creak.

“Stop being so dramatic,” Violet grinned, his girlfriend sitting back on her knee, the leg with her cast spread out to the side. “We only did 40 minutes.”

“You’re not even sweating.” Sutan looked at her, Violet’s hair in a high ponytail, the Sunday look of one of his shirts and a sports bra quickly becoming a fave.

“Some of us remember to do more than weights and cardio, Mr. Amrull.”

“I’m texting my trainer right now,” Sutan reached over his head, grabbing his phone that he had left on the floor next to their mats, Violet giggling as she laid down next to him, putting her head on his shoulder.

“There,” Sutan pressed send, his trainer probably falling off of his chair when he read the message, Sutan always attempting to get away with the bare minimum when it came to exercise, but he refused to be humiliated by being unable to reach his toes.

He was just about to put his phone down, when Violet reached up and tapped the screen, his front camera opening up, both of them in frame as they were lying on the floor.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking a picture?” Violet smiled, her sarcastic tone never wavering. “To document the moment.”

Sutan looked at the screen. It was so incredibly tempting to say yes, to keep this moment in the private password protected collection that had steadily grown since Thanksgiving, Violet really and truly trying to let him take pictures, but he couldn’t say yes, not when he knew why she was so confident.

“And can I post it?”

“Post it?” Violet raised an eyebrow, sitting up on her elbows. “Why? Isn’t your hair...?”

“A mess?” Sutan didn’t want to smile, but it was impossible not to, Violet knowing him way too well if she had already figured out that he was sometimes embarrassingly vain about his hairstyle, the mess on his head looking like he had been fucking for an hour. “Yes, but I still want to post it.”

“I-” Violet had pulled away completely now, not a single trace of the sweetness left. “No.”

“Violet,” Sutan sat up as well, putting his phone down, “I know you hate social media, but you’re my girlfriend, and I don’t think what I ask for is unreasonable-”

“Sutan. Please” Violet grabbed her mat and rolled it together in an attempt to avoid him. “I said no.”

“And I’m pushing because I don’t understand.” Sutan could feel the annoyance build, the hurt and the rejection. It stung every single time Violet denied him, hurt every time she neglected what they had.

“I’m not saying we have to announce it with a workout selfie,” Sutan hated that they were fighting, but he couldn’t help himself, “but I want to tell the world that we’re together.”

“And I don’t-” Violet looked at him, her brown eyes filled with hurt. “If the world knows, they know, and I don’t want them to know where I am or what I’m doing.”

There it was. The they, the them, the family from Atlanta that was haunting his girlfriend's life like a shadow that had slowly started to creep into his too.

“Violet, I hate to be the one to tell you,” Sutan didn’t touch her, simply putting his hand down on the floor next to hers, telling her that he was there. “But the internet exists. If they have your name, they can find you, no matter what you do to hide.”

“Have you taken a moment to consider that they might not have that?”

Sutan paused, Violet’s words like a bomb.

“... What?”

Did her family not have her name? It was true that Violet Chachki barely got any hits on google, that it was Parson’s assignments and internships that popped up, the Galactica employee directory right at the top, but Sutan had never considered that possibility, had never even toyed with it.

“This wasn’t how I planned on telling you. Actually, I probably wasn’t counting on telling you at all, but I’m not…” Violet was fiddling with the tiniest hole in her yoga mat, her fingers tugging on the foam. “I wasn’t born Violet. Wasn’t even born a Chachki. Hasn’t it ever seemed weird to you that my last name literally means trinket?”

“It does?”

“Mmh,” Violet smiled, the same heavy sadness he had seen in the hospital in her eyes. “I needed to not be… Blair anymore.”

“Blair?”

“Yes,” Violet nodded. “Blair Dardo. It was my birth name. I never liked it, and I changed it the moment I turned 18, left it behind the second I could. That’s why I can’t,” Violet gestured vaguely to Sutan’s phone. “Changing it meant that they can’t, that they can’t find me, and I-”

Sutan didn’t know what to say, but it felt like he had just been given another puzzle piece in the mystery that was his girlfriend.

“I’m sorry.”

Violet’s head snapped to attention, her eyes widening in confusion. “...What?”

“I’m sorry.” Sutan said it again, making sure he put his genuine emotion behind the words. “I should have realized that you weren’t saying no to be difficult, and yet I kept pushing.”

“Sutan-” Violet still looked confused and a little suspicious, like she didn’t really understand what he was doing. “You don’t have to-”

“No but I do.” Sutan smiled. “I get it now, and I’m sorry, but next time you have a deep dark secret, maybe you could just tell me instead of this charade-”

Sutan was cut off as Violet threw herself in his arms, knocking him down on the floor and kissing him like her life depended on it, gratitude rolling off of her in waves.

***

“Raja?”

Alyssa held out the plate of croissants, Raja waving it away since she didn’t want one. The entire senior management team was gathered in the  conference room, Fame for some ungodly reason always insisting on a full breakfast spread for their Monday meetings, even though only a fraction of them ever actually ate any of it.

“So,” Fame looked around, a gold fountain pen in her hand, a black moleskin notebook open in front of her. “Any updates?”

The theme of today's meeting was the 2015 Met Gala, Raja barely hiding a groan when Courtney had sent out the meeting agenda.

It wasn’t that she disliked the Met Gala, the first Monday in May a spectacular party, but it was such a hassle getting there, the gala the fashion world's version of the Oscars.

“Yes,” Pearl smiled, turning around in her chair. She was weirdly chipper, her blonde hair collected in a clip, her signature leather jacket exchanged with a cropped black fur. “We have the final confirmation from Jessica Chastain’s team. She’s in.”

“Good,” Fame nodded, making a note in her moleskin, the fact that Fame was actually writing herself more than enough to cement the severity of the situation. Courtney was standing against the wall, Ivy sitting at the table with her computer open, typing away, but when it came to the Met, Fame left nothing up to chance.

“She’s looking forward to working with us, and she says she’s honored-”

“Yada yada yada,” Fame made a hand puppet, and Raja had to hide a smile, Pearl leaning back in her chair with a roll of her eyes, mouthing at everyone else that she’d send a follow up email.

It was Fame who had requested Jessica, in her own roundabout way, her friend casually mentioning to Raja that she had a good smile, which was more than enough for Raja to make Pearl offer her up as Galactica’s celebrity face.

It wasn’t every house who did it, but the big ones always had a celebrity at the gala, wearing their clothes and repping the brand.

“Does anyone know if they’ve moved away from the terrible theme yet?”

“It doesn’t seem like it,” Alaska offered up, the promotional material the Met had sent out at the start of the fall in the middle of the table thanks to Ivy’s forthsight. “It’s December, and since we haven’t heard anything, they’re sticking with China's influence on western fashion.”

“Good god, I was really hoping they had come to their senses.” Fame breathed out through her nose, and Raja had to agree with her. Sure, ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’ made sense as an art exhibition, but there was really no way to convert it to fashion without being culturally insensitive at best and offensively appropriative at worst.

Besides, Galactica had never been a brand that sought inspiration from the east in their designs and aesthetics, which made the entire situation quite the predicament.

“I’m sure we can work with it,” Trixie gave a small smile, the stack of papers by his elbow indicating that he had probably already put his senior designers to work coming up with concepts.

“And how,” Fame turned, looking directly at Trixie. “Are we supposed to work with it? Raja’s the only one who could possibly get away with being theme appropriate.”

Usually, Fame and Raja were the ones who walked the carpet together with their celebrity, Fame a nervous wreck for weeks before the gala because of all the strangers, while Raja enjoyed it because of her modeling days, seeing old acquaintances without the stresses of fashion week, a delightful yearly treat.

“I’m Indonesian.” Raja knew Fame didn’t mean anything by it, and she wasn’t that concerned about being politically correct herself, but everyone knew what it could mean for a fashion house to misstep, Dolce and Gabbana somehow walking directly from one scandal and into another one. “Not Chinese.”

“See?” Fame sighed, leaning back in her chair. “It’s a controversial time bomb. Either, we stay on theme, which I refuse since I look terrible in Chinese red, ”

“So we’re going off theme?” Trixie had picked up his papers, sorting through them, and Raja felt a moment of gratitude for their head of design, Trixie of course coming prepared with off-theme suggestions as well.

“Unless they get a grip and change it? Yes. Yes we are.”

*

“There!” Everyone held their breath as Maxwell pointed at Violet’s screen, an email from Ivy just ticking in, the Met Gala meeting still in full swing.

“Open it, Chachki!” Blu was practically biting her nails, hopping from one foot to the other, her red hair in a braid over her shoulder.

“Alright, alright-“ Violet clicked on the email, Bob standing right behind her, his eyes flying over the screen before he called out.

“It’s Jessica!”

A collective sigh of relief went through the floor, a loud ‘yes’ coming from Kiara who was clapping her hands together, the group breaking up, chatter filling the air.

“Thank god,” Maxwell groaned, putting a hand on Violet’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “I knew having you here would be worth it Chachki.”

“Right.” Violet raised an eyebrow, looking up at him, clearly not understanding why no one had thought to simply ask Ivy for updates before, the suggestion just casually slipping from her during morning coffee, the entire department running with it instantly. “But I still don’t-“

“Get it?” They turned to look over at Jovan who was sitting at his own desk, the man one of the few who hadn’t gathered around Violet’s computer.

“Yes.” Violet nodded. “If you needed information all this time, you could have just asked-”

“Like we could have just asked you?” Bob said, cutting her off and Violet opened her mouth, only to close it again. “Exactly.” Bob grinned. “You would have told us to fuck off.”

“I see your point.” Violet tapped her fingers on her desk, a small smile on her lips since everyone knew she would have said those exact words directly to their faces when she had been in Fame’s front office. “But, why is it such a big deal if a celeb is confirmed or not? The gala isn’t until May, that’s 4 months away and it’s three outfits. A whole collection is usually done in that time.”

“A collection doesn’t have to be approved by the celebrity,” Maxwell counted on his fingers, “the celebrity’s stylist, Vogue and Anna Wintour personally on top of Trixie, Raja and Fame. Alexis usually starts producing concepts in October.”

“As soon as they reveal the theme girl!” Alexis yelled over her shoulder, already pulling her sketches from their shelf, the confirmation meaning that she’d be in a meeting with Trixie for the rest of the day, working out the details of the first round of negotiations with the celebrity.

“Huh…” Violet looked around, the puzzled expression still on her face. “And what about-“

“Fame and Raja?”

Violet nodded.

“You’d think Fame would be the difficult one-“ Maxwell smiled.

“But make something gorgeous and custom in ivory and she’s on board,” Jovan grinned, putting the pen he was using behind his ear as he turned around in his chair. “Every year, she pretends like she’ll follow the theme, and then never does.”

“Exactly.” Maxwell nodded. “Fame is demanding, but consistent. Trixie has an entire drawer of Fame-appropriate outfits that we all contribute to whenever we have an idea.”

“That makes a disturbing amount of sense,” Violet looked mildly impressed, and if any of the rumors Maxwell had heard about how she had managed Fame’s front office, that approach wasn’t too far off from how Violet herself had attempted to tame the beast.

“Rule one of surviving at Galactica: Never disappoint Miss Fame. For once, however, Fame isn’t the problem.” Maxwell sighed, taking a seat on the edge of Violet’s desk. “Raja is.”

“Raja?” Violet looked genuinely surprised. “Really?”

“Yes really.” Maxwell crossed his arms. “Every year, she tells us that she’s chill, that she’ll wear whatever goes with the spring collection or the theme-“

“And every single year, she changes her mind at least four times.” Bob chimed in, the drama loving smirks on his lip. “More if you’re lucky.”

“Which is why,” Maxwell nudged Bob’s side with his elbow. “We’ve unanimously decided that you have the honor of dressing Raja for this year's Met Gala.”

“Me?” Violet’s eyes widened. “What? Why?” Violet looked at them, confusion painted on her face. “I’m the most junior member of staff.”

“True, but you’re also sucking her brother's dick,” Maxwell grinned, “so we figured she can’t kill you during the process, unlike the rest of us mere mortals.”

***

It should have been one of the most exciting mornings since Courtney started at Galactica--Miss Fame and Raja were being interviewed on a talk show, and so she got to go to the famous 30 Rockefeller Plaza building, and be on the set of a real television show. Unfortunately, it was such a whirlwind of activity and Miss Fame was in such a demanding mood that she didn’t have a second to enjoy it.

She felt like a chicken with its head cut off, running around in a hectic scramble to meet every request. Today was the last day before their holiday break, and even though Courtney knew that spending her break with Bianca would be incredible, she also knew that she had about a billion things to do before that could even start. Today was supposed to be a half day, but with how packed the schedule was, she’d be lucky to leave by 5.

She entered Miss Fame’s green room, silently handing her the coffee she’d asked for and then leaning on the wall to catch her breath. Miss Fame took a sip and then immediately spit the coffee back out.

“What is this?” she asked, holding the cup out like it was a bag of dog shit.

“It’s your usual-”

“This is not my usual. This is weak, and not hot enough, and-did you just roll your eyes?”

“No, Miss!” Courtney insisted, praying that she was telling the truth. She was tired, having arrived at the office at 6 am to drop off her stuff for Bianca’s, and there was a teeny tiny chance that she may have (accidentally) rolled her eyes. “Would you like a new-”

“Let me tell you something, Courtney. This may be the last day before a vacation, but I expect you to be fully present and accounted for. We have too many important things going on and I will not accept anything less than your absolute very best. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Now. Please go find me some decent coffee before I get a migraine.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“And after you come back, I need you to go to the dry cleaners. I’ve decided to wear my ivory Valentino suit to meet the investors later.”

“Yes, Miss, will do.”

“That’s all,” Miss Fame said, waving her hand, and Courtney took off back down the labyrinthine hallways of 30 Rock to hunt down a coffee that would meet her standards.

***

“Good morning! Welcome back to Coast to Coast. I’m Nina West, and today we are positively blessed to have with us the icons of fashion, Miss Fame and Raja Gemini of Galactica, here to talk to us about dressing to impress in the new year, and their exciting new business ventures. Thank you so much for being here, ladies!”

“Thank you, we’re thrilled to be here,” Fame smiled, the lie easily falling out of her red painted lips.

Raja could see the way her hands were clenched in her lap, her wedding ring turned inward and digging into her palm, and knew that she was at her tensest.

Raja had long ago gotten used to giving live interviews. She had a laid-back attitude and while she always wanted to represent the company in the most flattering light, she tended to relax and let the conversation flow naturally.

Fame, however, had never quite gotten the hang of it in the same way. She was just so brand-conscious, almost to a debilitating degree, written interviews so much more her speed.

She always looked impeccable, very much the ice goddess she was so often called, but Fame had never gotten the same confidence in her speaking skills as Raja, who had been dragged through developing them in her modeling career.

Even though Fame hated being on live TV, they occasionally got an offer they couldn’t turn down, and between the makeup line being released in January and the overhaul of their website and online store, they had a lot to plug.

The whole thing was so stressful Fame had asked Raja four times to check her pits for sweat stains, her papers with facts from the makeup department and pointers from Pearl not leaving her hand until they literally had to go on.

Raja leaned forward, giving Fame’s shoulder a reassuring pat, and added, “This is our favorite show, we never miss it!”

“Aww, thank you!” said Nina, grinning. “Now, I’ve heard through the grapevine that you have an exciting announcement.”

“Yes, and we’re so happy to be able to share the news with your viewers first-”

“An exclusive!” Nina exclaimed, eyes comically wide and mouth open as if this was news to her.

“Yes, exactly. Early this year, we released a limited makeup line, and it’s been doing just wonderfully. So in 2015, we’re going to be rolling out a full line of makeup and skincare, with special edition palettes and colors all throughout the spring.”

“All natural, vegan, cruelty free...I always want the very best for my own skin and I wouldn’t offer our customers anything less,” Fame cut in, and Raja felt a surge of pride at how natural she sounded. All their rehearsing had clearly paid off.

“If you use it, I’ll use it!” Nina said with a chuckle. “You both have the most gorgeous skin I’ve ever seen.”

“We expect the first batch to sell out quickly,” Raja said, “So go straight to our website, Galactica dot com, and sign up to be part of the mailing list to receive alerts on all new product launches and where they’ll show up in stores.”

“I’m doing that, the second we go to commercials,” Nina said. “But first, I heard that there’s more news about your spring line...”

***

Patrick reached for the remote, turning off the TV as Nina West rounded out the segment with Fame and Raja.

He was sitting in his office, wrapping up the last details before the firm could close down for the holiday break.

Fame had done a great job, the nerves he knew she had felt not showing on her beautiful face. Patrick picked up his phone, a smile on his lips as he started to type out a text.

Fame would probably not read it until she left work for the day, but he was proud of her, and he hoped that she was proud of herself too.

***

Fame collapsed onto her dressing room sofa, completely emotionally drained, the crystals she had stuffed in her bra digging against her skin.

Being on camera for live television always took up every drop of energy, and left her with nothing to spare. Unfortunately, she knew that she didn’t have much time to rest, since she was due at the Russian Tea Room to meet her potential investors in less than an hour. The makeup artist they’d hired was standing by for touch-ups, and her ivory Valentino suit hung in its dry cleaning bag on the clothing rack. But first, she knew that her blood sugar was dangerously low, so she needed…

She looked around. Where on earth was Courtney? Fame had never met someone with such a tendency to be underfoot at the worst times and completely MIA when her presence was required. She walked to the doorway, spotting Courtney having a casual chat with a girl in a headset, carefree as anything.

“Courtney!” she snapped, and Courtney looked up, surprised, even though she was literally here for the sole purpose of taking care of Fame’s needs. “Come!”

Fame turned and walked back into her dressing room, irritated, the rapid click of Courtney’s heels as she ran over grating on her nerves.

“Yes, Miss?”

“I need to eat.”

“Oh…” Courtney’s gaze shifted to the table, where a fruit basket sat amongst assorted pastries and other snack food.

“Not that sugary garbage,” Fame explained. “Violet always had- Don’t you have any protein bars?”

“Oh, of course!” Courtney exclaimed, rummaging through her purse.

Fame rolled her eyes, sighing. That girl truly was useless. What Bianca saw in her, Fame would never understand. She took one of the protein bars that Courtney had carefully lined up on the arm of the sofa beside her.

“I think you’d better head back to the office and prepare the conference room for the investor presentation.”

“Oh, but did you need anything el-”

“No, I’m much more concerned with the meeting,” Fame said. “Everything needs to be perfect. These people will be paying attention to every little detail.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Oh, and take this back with you…” Fame handed over a large manila envelope. “It’s some sketches I’ve been working on.”

“Sure.” Courtney began to put the envelope into her bag, and Fame’s eyes widened with alarm.

“Don’t bend them! For god’s sake…”

“Sorry Miss,” Courtney said, biting her lip, holding the envelope at her side. “Is there anything else you need before I-”

“No. That’s all.”

***

Courtney sat in the back of a cab, eyes squeezed tightly shut, using the time in traffic to center herself and go over her massive to do list. She had to make sure that all the presentations for the meeting were set up, work with IT to test it, messenger out the holiday gifts that Miss Fame added at the last minute, make sure the schedule for January was in order, set up her out of office reply…

Plus, the meeting with the investors wouldn’t begin until they were back from the restaurant, so the “half day” was looking more and more like a full day. At this point, settling in at Bianca’s felt like it was a million years away--and traffic crawling at a standstill didn’t help anything.

She pulled out her phone. Maybe she could set up some of the gift deliveries now, while she was stuck in the cab.

When they were finally in sight of the Galactica building, her phone started buzzing. She looked at the screen. Miss Fame. That couldn’t be anything good.

Courtney took a deep breath and answered, stomach tightening.

“Hello?”

“Courtney!” Miss Fame’s voice was sharp, sharper than usual. “Do you ever use your head? Or do you just go through life without a shred of critical thinking?”

It was fairly obvious that it was a rhetorical question, so Courtney kept her mouth shut, wondering what had gone wrong, what mess she’d have to clean up now.

[cindyburman]

and every day is like a battle (but every night with us is like a dream)

ao3

Summary: At school, Cindy always has to be in control: of her emotions, of her powers, or her so-called "friends." If she ever let her guard down she'd be stabbed in the back before she could say, "Et tu, Brute?" So it's only outside of the oppressive confines of Blue Valley High and in the presence of her two favorite people (and the only ones she fully trusts) that Cindy allows herself to relax and truly be herself.

Notes: title is from "new romantics" by taylor swift. the only explanation i have for this spur-of-the-moment fic is that one tumblr post that says something like "fandom seeks to create what the original source material is missing." and i'm just filling the voids of "gay characters/relationships" and "the characters all being happy and safe" recently on stargirl. anyways @ geoff johns make them girlfriends or else. go check out my ao3 for more of me believing that pretty much all of the girls on stargirl (and pretty much any other show) are gay with little to no proof!!!

Cindy drives through the meandering streets of Blue Valley faster than is really necessary, but that's not her fault. The driver that her father created usually drops her off at Courtney's (or at a location nearby that Cindy walks to Courtney's from once the driver's out of sight so as not to make him suspicious about how often she goes there), so it's only when he's busy performing other various nefarious tasks that Cindy is allowed to drive herself. These times are so few and far between that Cindy doesn't even know the speed limit here--she thinks that it ends in a 5, though, so she took a wild guess that it was 45 miles per hour and tacked on another 5 for good measure because everyone knows that going 5 over the speed limit is technically allowed.

She's pulled out of her thoughts by the now-familiar sight of the Whitmore-Dugan household. Cindy slows down to turn into their driveway, grateful that it isn't trash day and that she doesn't have to risk a repeat of last time, and parks next to the grass on the left side. Getting out of the car, she locks the doors and tosses the keys into her purse before striding purposefully toward the front door. Cindy's barely finished ringing the doorbell when the door abruptly opens, startling her and (for some reason) Barbara, who was the one to open the door in the first place.

"Hey, Courtney's mom," Cindy recovers smoothly, pasting on her most charming smile.

"Hey, Courtney's friend," Barbara replies bemusedly, stepping aside to let Cindy into the house. "She's upstairs in her room."

With that, Cindy starts up the stairs, her anticipation already building. At school, Cindy always has to be in control: of her emotions, of her powers, or her so-called "friends." If she ever let her guard down she'd be stabbed in the back before she could say, "Et tu, Brute?"

So it's only outside of the oppressive confines of Blue Valley High and in the presence of her two favorite people (and the only ones she fully trusts) that Cindy allows herself to relax and truly be herself. Speaking of...

Cindy opens the door to Courtney's room and steps inside, immediately spotting Courtney sitting against the headrest of her bed and seemingly studying.

"Hi, babe," Courtney says cheerfully without looking up from her textbook. Cindy frowns at the lack of attention--and for some boring school book?

"How did you know that it was me?" Cindy prompts, attempting to get Courtney to look at her. "Or do you just greet your family members like that too?" Courtney's mouth twitches into a smile, and she finally looks at Cindy.

"My family members knock before coming in," she remarks dryly, watching Cindy set her purse down on Courtney's desk and then turn back towards her. Looking directly at Courtney, Cindy slowly stalks towards her, putting far more sway in her hips than usually would.

Courtney falls for the bait hook, line, and sinker, and Cindy can't help her victorious smirk as her girlfriend looks at her with renewed interest. Unfortunately for her, though, Courtney has one more card to play before she puts aside this facade of disinterest.

"So." Courtney presses her lips together in an attempt to contain her smile, but it doesn't matter--her mirth shines from her eyes, as bright as the sun. "Ready to start studying?" Cindy rolls her eyes but can't help herself from smiling, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah, how about we start with chemistry?" she suggests playfully. Courtney snorts at the double meaning before catching herself and scrambling to revert to her faux-seriousness. She pretends to consider Cindy's words for a moment before nodding decisively, shoving her book off to the side.

"Excellent." Cindy grins and scoots further onto the bed, throwing one of her legs across Courtney's hips and settling into her lap. Courtney's hands rest on Cindy's waist almost automatically and Cindy settles her arms in their customary place on Courtney's shoulders, her fingers tangling in Courtney's hair and scratching at her scalp. Ever the tease, Cindy leans down as slowly as she can manage, drawing this moment out as revenge for Courtney's (successful) attempts to rile her up. It lasts for a solid few seconds before Courtney grows impatient and, in a somewhat surprising (because Courtney's deceptively small and lean frame often leads Cindy to forget how powerful she really is) but definitely exhilarating show of strength, flips them over so that Cindy is lying on her back, her legs still bracketing Courtney's hips, and Courtney is leaning over her with a shit-eating grin, one hand holding herself up while the other loosely pins Cindy's wrists against the pillows.

"Did I forget to mention that I'm really more of a hands-on learner?" Courtney murmurs, so obviously pleased with herself for continuing the joke. Cindy wants nothing more than to lunge forward and wipe that self-satisfied smirk off her mouth (preferably with her own mouth), but this time it's Courtney who leans down and connects their lips.

Cindy's eyes flutter closed as she allows herself to melt into the kiss, to feel the all-consuming fire that's been licking at her insides since Courtney showed up in Blue Valley. Being with Courtney is like an roller coaster she never wants to end, and kissing Courtney makes her feel like she can do anything. There's only one other person she's ever felt anything like this around, and she's--

"I don't know if I'll ever get used to this sight." Yolanda's voice breaks through their reverie, and Cindy and Courtney stop kissing and look up to see their other girlfriend, who's just entered the bedroom and is now looking on them both with affection.

"Yolanda! C'mere," Courtney encourages her, patting the bed emphatically. Cindy reaches out for Yolanda as well, giving her the best "come hither" look she can muster, although it's not really necessary--unlike the two of them, Yolanda's less about playing the world's most homoerotic game of Chicken and more about simply being honest and open about her feelings and wants, which is honestly the only reason the three of them finally got together in the first place (although to be fair, it did take Yolanda quite a while to figure out her feelings)--and Yolanda easily acquiesces. She sits down next to them, her knees tucked under her and her hand seeking out Cindy's own to intertwine their fingers.

Wordlessly, Courtney and Yolanda lean toward each other and share a sweet, lingering kiss. Cindy watches them through hooded eyes, worrying her lower lip with her teeth as the bubbling heat in the pit of her stomach rises to a boil once more. She instinctively squeezes her legs together, forgetting that Courtney's still between them.

"Needy," Courtney chides, running her hand up Cindy's thigh as she breaks away from Yolanda, but there's no venom to it. And as both Courtney and Yolanda look at her, nothing but pure, unadulterated fondness in their eyes, Cindy feels more loved than she's ever felt with anyone else and can't help but think, How did I get so lucky?

"I mean, can you blame me? I do have the hottest girlfriends in the world," she replies earnestly. Yolanda snorts.

"Flatterer," she says warmly, flopping down next to her and beginning to pepper kisses all over Cindy's face except her lips.

"I don't know if that's completely true, though," Courtney says with a wide smile, her fingers tracing small, repetitive circles on the skin of her stomach where her shirt's ridden up. Judging by the matching grin Cindy can feel Yolanda pressing against her cheek, it's a buildup to another one of their bad jokes, and she prepares herself accordingly.

"There's this really attractive girl at school, right, babe?" Courtney continues, directing the last part of her statement to Yolanda.

"Oh, yeah, I know exactly who you mean, Court," Yolanda says, hamming it up as she momentarily pulls away from Cindy. "I think her name is Sandy or something?" Ugh, so that was where it was going, Cindy thinks, letting out a loud groan and pinching the bridge of her nose. Unfortunately, her audible disapproval doesn't deter the two at all--in fact, it seems like it only serves to spur them on.

"Really? I thought it was Sydney," Courtney says, faking confusion.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure it's Candy," Yolanda corrects her.

"No way, it's totally Mindy!"

"Close. It's Linda."

"Is it Cindy??" Cindy blurts out exasperatedly. Her girlfriends look at each other and nod with faux-thoughtfulness, muttering yes, that's it, absolutely, and Cindy dramatically covers her eyes with the back of her hand.

"You two are the worst," she grumbles halfheartedly.

"Come on, you have to admit that it was at least a little funny," Courtney wheedles as Yolanda gently tugs her hand away from her eyes.

"If I do, will you promise never to do it again?" Cindy asks, only half kidding. Courtney and Yolanda laugh but shake their heads, and so Cindy shrugs haughtily and attempts to remain aloof. However, she can only withstand the power of both of their beseeching gazes for so long, and she breaks faster than she'd like to admit.

"Fine. I guess it wasn't the worst joke you've ever told," Cindy concedes, allowing her lips to curl into a rueful grin. Courtney pumps her fist and cheers theatrically at this hard-won victory, finally extricating herself from between Cindy's legs in favor of lying next to her instead.

"High praise," Yolanda murmurs teasingly before finally giving in and pressing her lips to Cindy's. Yolanda's tender kisses and hands oh-so-carefully cradling Cindy's jaw, like she's something precious that might break if she's treated too roughly, are the perfect juxtaposition to Courtney practically mauling her on her other side, leaving a ragged trail of kisses and nips across her neck because she knows that Cindy can take it, knows that deep down she wants to. Yolanda makes her feel safe and so, so very loved, and Courtney makes her feel brave and alive. These are the reasons why she fell for both of them in the first place, the reasons why she could never just choose one--and thankfully, she didn't have to.

Cindy's train of thought is derailed when Courtney bites down particularly hard right on her pulse point, causing her to let out an undignified, breathy moan into Yolanda's mouth. Yolanda's grip on her jaw tightens slightly at the sound, the change in pressure so minute that Cindy doesn't even think Yolanda knows she's doing it. But then Yolanda's tongue slips into her mouth, and yeah, she definitely knows she's doing here.

When they finally break apart, both of them are breathing hard and flushed. Courtney detaches from Cindy's neck, where she's been trying to suck a bruise into her skin (key word: trying. Her healing factor doesn't make it that easy to leave hickeys). All three of them lay there quietly as they allow heartbeats to return more or less to normal until Cindy sits up and breaks the silence.

"I miss you two," she confesses in a rare moment of vulnerability. "Not now, obviously, but at school. Hanging out with other people just doesn't feel the same." Her girlfriends quickly move to sit up as well, arranging themselves in something resembling a close-knit triangle.

"I'm sorry, babe," Yolanda says simply, squeezing her hand in support.

"Me too. I hate that we can't always be together," Courtney adds, hugging Cindy tightly. Yolanda joins in only seconds later, and although Cindy knows this won't change things, she still somehow feels better--Courtney and Yolanda always manage to do that. Suddenly, Courtney gasps and breaks the embrace, looking... angry?

"Wait, is Henry being a jerk again? Because I can totally go kick his ass if you want," she declares. Cindy and Yolanda share an amused glance--this isn't the first time that Courtney has offered to go beat up their ex-boyfriend on behalf of one or both of them, and they know it won't be the last.

"Not any more than usual," Cindy replies dryly. The JSA and Cindy have had a tenuous alliance with Henry ever since he figured out their identities (but in all fairness, he could literally hear their thoughts), but considering that he's one of only three people who knows that Cindy, Courtney, and Yolanda are dating (the other two being Beth and Rick), it was best for them to focus more on the 'alliance' part rather than the 'tenuous' considering he hadn't done anything truly heinous (yet). They hadn't even wanted to tell him, but mindreaders and secrets don't go very well together, as was evidenced by how he found out--Courtney couldn't stop thinking (very loudly, Henry had noted), Don't think about the fact that you're dating both of his ex-girlfriends whenever she saw him. "He's mostly just pissed because he thinks that either he 'turned us gay' by being a horrible boyfriend or that you 'turned us gay,' specifically, to spite him."

Yolanda scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Why do men always think that it's about them?" Cindy laughs, high-fiving her and nodding.

"Did you somehow gain telepathy too?" Courtney asks, confused. "Because I highly doubt that he would just tell you all of that."

"No, Henry's just still learning how to use his powers," Cindy explains. "So sometimes he accidentally projects his thoughts into my head--and other people's too sometimes, I presume--without realizing it. And this was one of his tamer thoughts."

Courtney shakes her head with a grimace. "I don't even want to know."

"Yeah, gross," Yolanda says, wrinkling her nose up. "I still can't believe I ever dated him."

"Join the club," Cindy sympathizes, nudging her shoulder in solidarity.

"Now that's one organization that I hope I'll never join," Courtney laughs. "Honestly, I'm simultaneously kinda flattered that Henry thinks I could 'turn' both of you and kinda terrified that people still think that's a real thing that happens."

"Straight boys: can't live with them, can... actually really easily live without them," Cindy says thoughtfully. The other two chuckle.

"While we're on the topic of straight boys... where's Rick?" Yolanda wonders aloud.

"Date night with Beth," Courtney supplies promptly. "I think they said something about bowling?"

"Ooh, that sounds like fun," Cindy says, perking up. "Wanna go crash it?"

"Depends, are you any good?" Yolanda teases.

"I'm good at whatever I apply myself too," she says smoothly. There's a long pause, and then...

"You've never gone bowling before, have you?" Courtney asks suspiciously.

"Maybe..." Cindy hedges. Her girlfriends gape at her in horror.

"Well, now we have to go!" Courtney exclaims, acting as if Cindy having never bowled before is a personal affront to everything she stands for. "Come on, Cindy, you can drive us." She gets up and starts grabbing her stuff, and Cindy and Yolanda follow her lead.

"Mom! We're leaving to go meet Beth and Rick!" Courtney yells as they head downstairs.

A muffled "Okay, stay safe!" comes from somewhere in the house, and Courtney opens the front door and holds it for Cindy and Yolanda with a dramatic half-bow.

"Why, thank you," Cindy says as she bats her eyelashes exaggeratedly.

"What a gentlewoman," Yolanda adds, giggling.

"Shotgun!" Courtney calls out once they're all outside, jogging a little to catch up.

"And just like that... chivalry is dead," Yolanda deadpans, clasping her hands to her chest and staring off wistfully into the distance. "Where, oh where, did you go?"

"Oh, shut up," Courtney says, punching her lightly in the shoulder with a bright smile. "Do you really want shotgun or did you just want to make that joke? Because if you're so attached to it you can have it."

"No, I just wanted to make that joke." Yolanda grins and plants a kiss on her cheek, leaning into her side as Cindy rifles through her purse for her keys.

"Here we go!" Cindy declares when she finds them and unlocks the car.

"So, what's the speed limit again?" she asks, only half joking, as her and Yolanda get into the car and Courtney goes around the the passenger side.

"You're kidding, right?" Yolanda says, sounding vaguely alarmed. "It's 25."

"Yeah, I was totally kidding," Cindy reassures her with a nervous laugh, because there's no way she's telling her that she was doing twice that on the drive here. Courtney gets in and begins fiddling with the radio, nodding in approval when she finds a station she likes as one of the presets.

"Okay, babe, since you've never bowled before, we're going to have to go over all of the basics," Courtney instructs. "Some of it we can talk about on the way, but most of the teaching has to happen at the bowling alley, like proper stance and how much run-up distance you need."

"Yes, I think you'll need a lot of help with stance in particular," Yolanda confirms from the backseat as Cindy pulls out of the driveway.

"I think you two just want an excuse to stand really close behind me and maneuver me around," Cindy teases them, smirking.

"Well, stance is actually really important for knocking over the maximum amount of pins and making sure not to injure yourself," Yolanda explains, and the thing is that Cindy actually believes her--it's a very Yolanda thing to do, to care so much about other people and their well-being (Cindy took advantage of that many times before. Yolanda has since forgiven her, but Cindy still doesn't know if she'll ever be able to forgive herself for all of the torture she put Yolanda through). Then, her voice turns mischievous and although Cindy can't see her, she knows that she's smiling as she continues, "That's just a fun bonus."

"And someone has to," Courtney reasons. "Wouldn't you rather it be us than Beth or Rick?"

"True. Beth and Rick are nice, but I'm not going to put out on my first date with them," Cindy says, chuckling, and then, sultrily, "You two can adjust my stance all you want, though." Both of her girlfriends laugh, but Yolanda leans forward to lightly slap Cindy's arm semi-reproachfully--she still hasn't quite overcome all of her Catholic upbringing.

"Okay, but I'm going to hold you to that," Courtney warns her with a grin. "Just a heads-up, bowling can get pretty, well... intense with us, but really, what doesn't? The competitiveness is strong in the JSA."

"Yeah, but bowling isn't all about competition, it's also just plain fun," Yolanda says. "Knocking down the pins is actually really therapeutic, you'll love it. Bowling is one of my favorite sports because I get to throw stuff at other stuff in the same way that boxing is one of my favorite sports because I get to hit stuff."

After that, Courtney and Yolanda begin to debate exactly how far bent over you should be by the end of your throw for maximum pin-hitting potential, and Cindy half-listens to their good-natured bickering, a big smile on her face as she drives through the streets of Blue Valley (this time at the actual speed limit).

I love them, she thinks, not for the first time. Even Cindy isn't brave enough to say it aloud--none of them have yet--but she knows deep down that it's absolutely true. Of course she's managed to fall in love with two of her father's worst enemies: Stargirl and Wildcat, impulsivity and stability, her better wholes (because really, neither of them are half a person).

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

Notes: this was meant to be like 2k words but ig my creative juices were just flowing!!! anyways i love these three w my entire heart and would both kill and die for them, so chances are i will be writing more for them, either by making this part of like a series of oneshots or maybe i'll be making a multichapter fic sometime soon idk 👀 once again, check out my ao3 for more like this!! please leave ur questions/comments/concerns below, i thrive off of others' validation :') and of course, here is the blm carrd, please do what you can to support, whether it's protesting, donating, or even just signing petitions!!

[1-2-3-4-5-six]

Keep Them Alive Inside

This is my first six fic so any feedback will be appreciated

“If we don’t leave now we’re going to be late to warm up, where’s Parr?”

That was the first sign that something wasn’t right. Parr was always the first out of the house,

“Not coming in today, Courtney’s going on instead”

“Is she okay?”

“I dunno I just got a text from Courtney asking if something’s up because she got a text from Parr asking if she could go on but she didn’t say why”

That was the second sign, if Parr ever had to miss a show she would always have an explanation.

“Where did Anne go? We need to go right now”

“I’m here, I’m here I just peeked in Parr’s room and she’s kinda, well...”

“Kinda what?!”

“Well I don’t think she should be alone”

“Why what’s wrong?”

“I think something’s upset her”

“We’ve all been sad at some point and still done the show. Someone text Courtney and tell her we’re bringing Parr”

“I don’t think we should”

“And why not?”

“This is more than just sad, she’s trashed her room, and i don’t mean a few clothes and books on the floor, I’ve already text Vicki saying that there’s a last minute emergency so she’s going to cover me and I’ll stay with Parr and see if I can figure out what’s wrong”

“You sure you’re able to do that Anne? You aren’t really the sensitive type”

“What just because I like to be chaotic and impulsive that means I can’t be sensitive, she needs someone here and I’m not leaving”

It was that split second decision that left Anne where she is now, stood in front of the door unsure on whether to just walk in or not, so she knocks “Parr, hey can I come in?” Receiving no answer she slowly opened the door and stepped inside “Parr?”

The room is a mess, pages ripped out of books all over the floor, laptop in two pieces with the screen smashed, clothes and bed sheets everywhere, the mattress no longer on the frame even her drawers had been pulled out of the stand and littered the floor and there huddled in the corner just staring at the ground in front of her is Catherine.

Anne made her way over, careful not to stand on anything, and crouched down in front of her taking note that she didn’t even acknowledge her, just kept staring ahead. There’s tracks on her cheeks and her eyes are bloodshot making it obvious that she’s been crying.

Slowly inching herself closer Anne gently placed her hand on Catherine’s knee, to which she responded at the contact by looking directly at Anne before launching herself forward wrapping her arms around Anne and sobbing into her shoulder. Anne sat stunned for a second, this was not like Parr, but quickly brought her hands up to rub soothing circle on her back and whispered comforting words in her ear. Through the sobs Anne heard her mumbling random words but struggled to make out what they were until she heard her say two words “My Mary” before breaking down further.

This continued for another half hour with Anne just sat drawing shapes on her back with one hand and playing with her hair with the other until Catherine had cried herself past exhaustion and fallen asleep, upon seeing this Anne maneuvers her so that she can lift her, once stood she turned to place her on the bed before realising that wasn’t an option right now. After making a quick decision she quickly but carefully made her way out of the room and next door to her own room before using her foot to open the door, after a couple of tries she got it open and place Catherine on the bed, before slipping out the door and sitting on the floor in the hall.

While sitting there Anne felt her phone buzz in her pocket, pulling it out she saw a message from Howard so sliding her finger across the screen she unlocked and opened the message,

“How’s it going? Is Cathy okay? Can I ring?”

Katherine has always been the worrier in the group, she chuckled slightly before glancing back at her door, Parr was fast asleep and she didn’t want to wake her up just yet, but she couldn’t really explain anything by text so she got up and made her way to the living room before deciding to FaceTime that way she shouldn’t have to keep repeating herself.

Seconds after pressing call kitty’s face appeared on the screen along with Jane who was sat next to her, Aragon and Cleves where behind them doing something with the costume rack and seemingly unaware that Anne was able to see them, well that was until Katherine spoke up.

“Is she okay? Did she tell you what’s wrong? Are…” Anne decided to cut her off before it became 20 questions.

“Kitty breathe, she’s asleep right now but I still don’t know what's wrong, she was too upset to make any sense” Cleves turned when she heard that

“What? Parr not make any sense that doesn’t sound right”

“I don’t know what caused this but she’s distraught, she’s in my bed because she’s trashed her room and I mean trashed it her drawers are all over, her mattress is on the other side of the room, clothes and pieces of paper all over and when she realised I was there she looked at me like I was the only thing she could make sense of, I don’t know how long I had hold of her for but she kept saying random words that i couldn't make out, i mean the only thing i heard clearly was when she said My Mary”

“But what does that mean? Aragon’s girl maybe?”

“I was hoping you guys might know”

That's when Jane spoke up

“Cleves you outlived her didn’t you? Do you have any ideas”

“Honestly I have no idea I didn’t really like her back then so I only remember that she secretly married Jane's brother the same year Henry died and then died herself not long after. I never looked into how though”

“She married my brother?”

“Yeah she mentions him in the show”

“I didn’t know she meant my brother, she just says Thomas that could be anyone”

Anne decided to but in before it could go any further

“Guys focus”

“Sorry”

“Okay do any of you know of any Mary’s that could be important to her? I don’t think it’s Aragon’s girl, maybe a sister or something”

There was a collection of no’s from the queens then some noises coming from outside before Courtney, Vicki and Grace came through the door with trays of drinks and bags of food.

“Guys lunch has arrived”

Vicki came towards them food bag in hand and noticed the worry on their faces especially Katherines.

“Is everything okay?”

Katherine turned towards her,

“We’ve been trying to figure out what wrong with Cathy, somethings really got to her but we don’t know what”

Vicki then notice Anne on Facetime

“Oh hey B, I’m guessing that staying with P is what the emergency was then”

“Yeah sorry I didn’t really explain anything but we’re still trying to figure out what’s going on”

“No worries I figured you where either ill or it was something to do with Parr, any ideas on what’s up?”

Anne looked down before looking back at her phone

“Not really the only thing that she has said clearly is Mary”

“so you’re trying to figure if it’s Aragon’s or her own that she’s talking about”

That caught everyone’s attention, a stunned silence passed through the queens

“What? Why are you looking at me like I’ve just spoke gibberish?”

Aragon was the first to speak up

“Parr had a daughter?”

“Yeah didn’t you know?”

“No she never mentioned”

“Oh I thought that she might have with her naming hers after your girl”

“I don’t understand why wouldn’t she tell us? she has always been willing to tell me, Boleyn and Jane stories about our children”

Cleves spoke before Vicki could answer

“She died the same way Jane did didn’t she, childbed fever I mean”

“Yeah, how do you guys not know this stuff you all live together”

“Cathy’s kinda private when it comes talking about herself, the things she talks and sings about in the show are the only things she’s ever shared, wait how do you know all this”

“when I got th the call about the audition I went into full research mode, I wanted to do you guys justice so I spent ages taking notes on anything that could be useful”

Anne was just trying to take all this new information in when she heard movement from upstairs

“I’m going to have to go guys I think she’s waking up”

“Okay take care of her”

“Bye”

And with that she hung up and made her way back upstairs to her room peering in to see Catherine curled up and sniffling slightly until she must have heard the door move because she turned away and started frantically wiping at her face as if to try and hide that she’d been crying, she was too busy rubbing at her eyes that she didn’t notice Anne was already stood next to her until she felt a hand grab her wrist, she stopped what she was doing and looked at the hand before looking up at Anne, she looked like she was trying so hard to not start crying again,

“I’m fine, I just…”

“No you’re not, but that’s okay we’re all allowed to have bad days, if you want to talk about it you can and I’ll listen and if you don’t then I’m happy to just sit with you, I just didn’t want you to be alone”

“It’s stupid I’m letting this get to me way more than I should, my problems are nothing compared to Kat’s or even yours, your…”

Anne could feel her starting to tense up so sat down next to her keeping her hand on Parr’s arm

“Hey we all have issues but that doesn’t invalidate the you feel, I believe it was you that told me that after I had a panic attack in the night, you’ve always put everyone’s feelings before your own, you’ve always been right there when I’ve woken up in the night, so today let me be here for you”

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Anne felt Catherine lean into her be speaking

“Okay, I’m sorry”

“Cathy look at me”

She waited for Catherine to turn before speaking again

“You have nothing to be sorry for, clearly whatever it is has really upset you, so there is no need to apologise, do you want to talk about it?”

Catherine looked down at her hands before speaking again

“I just wish I knew what she looked like, I tried to be happy with just remembering her when she was born but I’m scared one day I’ll forget what she looks like, I looked online to try and find a portrait but instead I find out that she disappeared from history records by the time she was two and believed to have died, she didn’t even get to have a childhood and no one knows her as anything but the child I had before I died, the only real proof she existed is me dying! No legacy, no portraits, nothing!”

Upon hearing all this from the normally quiet Queen, Anne wrapped her arms around her and just held her for a while.

“You know she’s still with you”

“What?”

“She’s still with you just like Lizzie is with me and I bet she loves what a strong, powerful and compassionate woman her mum is”

Catherine spent a minute just thinking about what Anne said before she smiled slightly turned and give her a light peck on the cheek. With that one gesture Anne knew things would be fine.

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 69 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). And Dartmouth420…this one’s for you! 💫

Previously: Courtney was having a rough week at work, but didn’t care about any of it when Bianca uttered three magic words, and Violet’s design was chosen as the spring runway finale look.

This Chapter: A wardrobe fitting for the spring runway collection ends in a workplace rendez-vous, Violet plans to work extra hard over the holidays, and Courtney accepts a welcome invitation.

***

Raven turned in the mirror, unsure if she should put her hair up or keep it down, the hustle and bustle of all the people required to run a fitting behind her.

She was wearing the closing gown, or what would become it with time; what she had been put in for now only a muslin skirt base and a top with loose stitched sleeves.

It was normal for couture to not be finished when it was tried on for the first time, the fitting today there to make sure that Fame liked the silhouette in motion and that Raven fit in the garment since she was the closing model, but she had to admit she was curious to see Violet’s actual work and the intricate details of it that Raja had mentioned in passing.

“Hey princess.”

Raven looked in the mirror, watching as Raja walked up to her, her fiancée leaving that morning before she was even awake, a mug in the sink and the smell of coffee the only traces of her. She was wearing a blue suit with a yellow shirt, the pants cinched in at her waist, her long hair in a thick half updo.

They had been together for years, but sometimes, Raven could still get butterflies when Raja looked at her just right, few things as powerful or sexy as Raja’s confidence and how she carried herself.

“Hey,” Raven smiled, turning her head so Raja could give her a quick peck, her arms sneaking around her waist. “Hair up or down?”

“Hmm,” Raja ran a hand through Raven’s hair, pulling it to one side before resting her head on her shoulder, her gray eyes focusing in on her. “Down. Even though you do look gorgeous enough to get away with whatever you want.”

Raven smirked, a pleasant sense of pride washing over her since she had been extra careful with her makeup. Normally, Raven didn’t do first fittings, but she wasn’t going to miss out on having Raja’s undivided attention, standing completely still for an hour a price worth paying.

“My beautiful girl.” Raja kissed Raven’s neck, pulling her even closer, and that was when Raven felt it, her eyes widening in the mirror.

“Raj,” Raven hissed, keeping her voice as a whisper, “are you?”

“Mmh,” Raja nodded, a grin on her face as she gave a small thrust of her hips, a strap clearly against her thigh. “A little surprise.”

Raven bit her lip, barely hiding a whimper at how insanely hot this was, the surprise in no way shape or form little. She loved it when Raja was packing, loved it when she knew there was a chance that she could get thrown against a wall at any minute and fucked hard and fast. “Oh god.”

“I’ll see you in my office once we’re done,” Raja smirked. “Right?”

This time, Raven did whimper as she nodded. She had no idea how she’d play it cool for the actual fitting, how she’d deal with the sight of Raja leaned back in a chair, taking her notes and sharing her inputs, knowing that she had a strap ready to go.

***

“Let me see the side.”

Gigi was just about to open her mouth to reply with a yes, when she felt a stranger touch her hips, turning her, and she remembered that Sutan had told her that fittings wasn’t a talking job.

She was standing in the middle of what had to be a tailoring floor. There were the professional grade sewing machines she recognised from her mothers workshop on desks all around her, the desks piled high with fabrics and surrounded by half-dressed mannequins. Gigi tried her best not to bounce in excitement at being so close to the process, but it was impossible not to.

“Do we still like the fabric?”

Bimini had told Gigi to remember that it was rude to stare at the people doing their job before she had left that morning, but it was hard not to sneak a glance out of the corner of her eye.

She had never met Miss Fame, but she had seen her in her mom's fashion magazines, the blonde sitting at a table against the window, her legs crossed, the red Louboutin sole the only part of her outfit that wasn’t white or gold.

“You’d rather we don’t go with the angora?” A bald man took a step forward, a gigantic pink clipboard in his hand. “I’m afraid merino might be too hot for the summer.”

Gigi was wearing a delicate crop top with short sleeves, the wool on it soft and extremely fluffy.

“Actually-” She opened her mouth, almost taking a step forward. “I think-“

She wanted to give her feedback, her top already hot to wear in December, and if it was for a summer collection, that seemed like important information, but she was cut off by a finger being held up, Sutan’s sister shooting her a look that told her to zip it without a single word.

Gigi hadn’t even known that Sutan had a twin sister until she had walked in for the fitting, the two of them strikingly similar even though they were different genders, their nose, eyes and height practically the same.

Raja gave her a small smile when Gigi nodded, her eyes lingering on her for a moment to make sure that she was actually silent, before she redirected her attention to Miss Fame, the discussion of wool blends still going on like Gigi and the other staff weren’t even there.

***

Raja sat at her computer, going through some model portfolios. Now that they’d chosen the models for the opening and closing looks, she could start to fill out the rest of the show. Some of the girls they’d had in the fitting today would be great, but some desperately needed to be replaced.

Model selection wasn’t what Fame cared about most, though that could simply be because Raja was so good at it, but it was important to have cohesion amongst the models, to tell a story with the girls you picked out.

She could hear Raven before she saw her, the firm footsteps of a woman who’d stomped many runways calling out. She smiled to herself, knowing that after their little flirtation this morning, and then the long wait after she and Fame had left the fitting, that her fiancée would be in quite a state.

Raven entered the office, quickly slamming the door and locking it. Raja barely looked up, pretended to be concentrating hard on her computer.

This was all part of their game; in some ways, it was Raja’s favorite part.

A slight huff of annoyance that Raja knew was exaggerated for effect left Raven’s lips as she strode forward, finally planting herself down directly in front of Raja, preventing her from seeing her computer.

She looked fucking fantastic, and Raja leaned back in her desk chair, watching Raven slowly shed her clothes until she was naked, wearing nothing but underwear, diamond jewelry and a pair of heels, legs spread open invitingly, a wet patch already forming.

Raja rolled her chair forward, letting Raven drape one leg over the arm. She pressed a line of kisses up Raven’s delicious thigh, feeling her gasp as she moved her panties aside, breath ghosting over her clit.

One of the things Raja loved the most about Raven was her absolute inability to hold back--whether that was bluntly stating her opinions, making her feelings well known with just a look, or immediately trembling and whimpering the second she was the slightest bit turned on.

“Princess…” Raja whispered, hands sliding around her waist as she rose up out of the chair. “Do you want me to fuck you now?”

“Yes, yes,” Raven begged, reaching out to claw open Raja’s pants and shove down the panties that had been holding her dildo in place, letting it spring free.

“Turn around,” she ordered, right in Raven’s ear, and after a slight shiver, Raven obeyed, leaning over the desk with her ass on glorious display.

Raja slid her hands up that smooth, tanned skin, letting her strap slip between Raven’s legs to tease at her. She was already quivering and wet, reaching down to toy with her clit.

“Not yet, princess…” Raja laced her fingers into Raven’s and pulled her hand away, lips pressed to her neck. She was met with an impatient whine, and only chuckled, sliding both hands up to pinch her nipples.

“Oh god,” Raven moaned, throwing her head back, legs widening.

“Are you sure you’re ready, my love?”

“Yes, fucking yes,” Raven whined. Ready was quite an understatement--she was dripping wet and clawing at the surface of Raja’s desk. Her hips pushed back against Raja as she slowly, slowly slid the dildo inside her.

Raja gently cupped her tits, thumbs rubbing her nipples in circles.

“Do you want to touch yourself, princess?” Raja murmured in her ear, and was met with only a whimper of affirmation, Raven arching her back and rolling her hips, desperately trying to get the friction she wanted. “Go ahead…”

Raven’s hand immediately went to her clit once again, rubbing in furious circles as Raja began to thrust into her. She started out slow, but was soon fucking her relentlessly against the desk, the moans dripping from Raven’s lips the most beautiful music. She didn’t stop when Raven came the first time, sure she could wring a few more orgasms from her, pounding against her ass until she was lying face down on the desk with her head on her arms, body limp with exhaustion.

Raja pulled out slowly and carefully, pressing kisses to her shoulders and neck before sliding her panties back up her legs and giving her a firm pat on the ass.

“Very.”

***

“So. What’s the verdict?”

“On Symone? She’s practically perfect brother dear,”

“Raj-“

“Relax, I’m teasing you. Gigi’s…young.”

“Models tend to be, but we both know that’s not what I asked. Now come on. I’m a big boy, I can handle it.”

“She’s beautiful, eager, exiatable, and not at all ready.”

“Not at all?”

“She almost talked during the fitting. Several times, and I’m pretty sure I saw her chew gum.”

“I had a feeling.”

“You always have feelings. So?”

“She’s good, she has potential, but listening isn’t exactly her forte-”

“You should always throw her at Michael Kors.”

“What great advice.”

“Fine. Marc Jacobs then. No one says she has to be an exclusive for her first season.”

“I can live with that as long as you don’t suggest student shows. I’m too old to manage a student show model.”

“Getting too comfortable TanTan?”

“Getting tired. You know, other people take broken-in models. Models who know what they’re doing. I don’t know why I keep doing this. ”

“Because you love it, and because you’re the best.”

***

“Kat-Kat!” Pearl exclaimed, setting her bags on the kitchen table. “You’re still up!”

“Hi Pearlie,” Katya said, smiling over her cup of tea. “Whatcha got there?”

“I’m so glad you asked, madame,” Pearl said with a grin.

Just a week ago, Katya had looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders--sad and withdrawn, her vibrant personality dulled by fear and anxiety. Now, it was a whole different story.

She still clearly had concerns about the whole baby thing (which Pearl tried to understand, but she found it hard. After all, who on earth would be a better mother than Katya??), but it was a difference of night and day, and Pearl was relieved to see her back to herself.

Pearl had been out after work...skulking around the strip club again like a loser--Dahlia hadn’t even been working, as far as Pearl could tell while she waited, draining 3 gin and tonics, overtipping the girls that were actually there since she already had the cash.

When she had left, she’d walked by a Whole Foods right before closing, essentially emptying out the woman's health aisle.

She pulled the items out one by one for Katya to see.

“So, I was talking to Alyssa at work, and you know she’s had three kids, so she gave me a list of things to get for you. We’ve got multivitamins, folate, iron, vitamin D…” Pearl grinned as she twisted one of the bottles around. “All in all just a bunch of stuff to keep you and Killer healthy.”

“Awww, thank you baby!” Katya had jumped up, and now pressed a sloppy kiss to Pearl’s cheek. “You’re the best.”

“No, you’re the best, and Killer’s the luckiest baby in the whole world.”

“Wow, so glad that nickname is sticking,” Trixie said drily, walking into the kitchen, but Katya was laughing, so he couldn’t be too annoyed.

“Hey Trix.” Pearl grinned at him before opening one of the cabinets and helping Katya load up all the new vitamins and supplements. “Actually, I’m glad you’re both here, because uh…”

Pearl scratched her head, unsure of exactly how to approach the situation.

“So...listen, I know it’s not like, super urgent, but I assume that once Killer gets here, you’re gonna want to use my bedroom for them.”

“Oh,” Katya’s eyes widened. It seemed like something she hadn’t considered.

“So, you know, if you want me to start looking for another place, I can-”

“No!” Katya exclaimed, putting a hand on her arm, adding, “I don’t want you to go.”

“Yeah, I don’t think we have to worry about it yet,” Trixie said. “We’re not about to kick out our oldest just because you’re getting a little brother.”

Pearl and Katya both laughed, Katya moving a hand to her belly and asking, “You think it’s a boy?”

“Oh uh...I dunno, maybe,” Trixie grinned. “Either way, they better like pink.”

***

“So this is the girl you want me to take a look at?” Sutan put down their drinks, taking the portfolio Karl handed him, the two of them only just sitting down in a booth in the corner of one of their favorite bars.

“Mmh,” Karl hummed, a glint in his eyes as he grabbed his drink with a little umbrella. “She’s been asking and asking about doing America full time, and I think you’d be a good fit for her.”

“You think I’m a good fit for everyone.” Sutan smiled, flicking through the portfolio. They didn’t actually have to talk business, this entire exchange just as easily done in an email, but it was a long-standing tradition of theirs to make Elite pick up the tab, even though they could more than afford their drinks on their own.

“And she did British Vogue?”

“Cover and all,” Karl smirked, Sutan stopping on the printout of the pictures.

“There’s great skin, interesting eyes, good hair. All natural?”

“Not a single extension.”

“Hmm… I mean, she’s pretty, ” Sutan turned to another page, taking a sip of his whiskey.

“And?”

“She’s very pretty.”

“Ah,” Karl sighed, rolling his eyes. “And there he is, Amrull the asshole.”

“Ha,” Sutan snorted. “I resent that. All I’m saying is that I’m not sure if I have space, and I just signed Symone.”

“You can have more than one black girl in your stable.”

“Please,” Sutan raised an eyebrow, refusing to take the jab. It wasn’t something he bragged about, but he had always represented girls of color, had pushed to get them jobs and opportunities long before any of his fellow agents had picked up on fashion being more than boring blonde European girls and the occasional diversity hire. “You know it’s not that, I’m simply questioning her potential.”

“You liked Bimini.” Karl smirked, stirring his drink.

“You’re never going to let me forget that, huh?”

It was true that Karl was the one who had scouted Bimini, that he was the one who had picked her out of the crowd at a concert he had gone to in London, but Sutan was the one who had nurtured her, who had taught her and who had defended her from Elite when she had shaved her eyebrows off.

“No,” Karl grinned, raising his drink to say cheers, Sutan clicking their glass together.

“I’ll meet her,” Sutan took the portfolio, sliding it into his messenger bag, “but don’t expect anything.”

***

“Knock knock…” Roxy said, poking her head in the doorway of Miss Fame’s office suite, where Courtney was sitting with her head in her arms. “You alright?”

“Yeah!” Courtney jumped slightly, sitting up straight and forcing a smile. “Sorry, I was just having a moment.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me, girl,” Roxy said, waving her hand, the other one holding her mug of coffee. She perched on the edge of Courtney’s desk. She’d been dying to talk to her more all week, and get some juicy details about her relationship now that it was public, but they’d both been insanely busy. Today though, Roxy had spent the morning training the temp who was covering her desk a few days next week, and the girl was quick enough that she felt secure leaving her alone for a while.

Unfortunately, Courtney didn’t look like she was in the mood for spilling any dirt. Her desk was littered with multiple projects, and she just generally looked like she was both miserable and under water.

“Rough day, huh?” Roxy prompted, hoping to get her to talk.

“Yeah,” Courtney admitted, sighing. “Rough week. And if Miss Fame doesn’t approve this holiday card list, I’m fucked.”

“I’m sorry.” Roxy tilted her head, wondering how to approach her real agenda tactfully before blurting out, “So how are things with Bianca?”

It was like Courtney’s entire mood instantly lifted, the mere mention of Bianca making her face soften into a smile, eyes shining.

“Can’t complain there,” she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Actually…” Courtney glanced around, lowering her voice to say, “Maybe you can help me with a little non-work-related project, if you’ve got a few minutes?”

“You’ve got my attention!”

***

COURTNEY: I have a confession…

COURTNEY: I stole something from your apt.

BIANCA: Lol, what?

Bianca flipped her phone over quickly, hoping that no one else in the editorial meeting had glimpsed the picture of Courtney on her phone, clad in nothing but Loubs and a pair of her own lacy red panties. There were more pictures, and Bianca was dying to see them, but she’d have to get through the rest of the fucking meeting before fully enjoying them in the privacy of her office.

“...so I think that it would be beneficial if we included more-”

“Yes, yes, approved,” Bianca said, cutting Dan off with a wave of her hand. “Anyone have anything else to add, or can we move on?”

“Somewhere to be, boss?” Nina asked silkily, a knowing smile on her face that told Bianca there was a chance she’d seen her phone.

“I’m sorry, did you want to spend another hour talking about mint green?” Bianca asked, trying to cover her impatience.

“No, I’m all good.” Nina smiled again.

“Great.”

***

“Once again, thank you so so much.”

“Whatever you need, Chachki!”

Violet smiled, making her way to the elevator, her new security card safely tucked away in her pocket. She had just finished a visit with the building's security, the guys who ran it all much more pleased to see her again then she had dared imagine.

Her visit hadn’t been strictly necessary, her designer clearance more than enough to get to and from the design floor in her everyday work life, but she had wanted to make sure that she had access to Galactica over the holidays, the security team instantly unlocking the backdoors and service points for her when she had asked.

Violet knew she wasn’t working in Fame’s office anymore, and knew that she was allowed to go on vacation, but she still felt bad about leaving in January, even though the majority of the new collection work was out of the designers’ hands.

She hadn’t checked in with Sutan about whether or not he’d be working between Christmas and New Years, but if she knew him at all, he would, though the parties Sutan often called work with a smile on his lips didn’t really live up to Violet’s definition of the word.

If she was honest, she was kind of excited for some peace and quiet, to have the floor entirely to herself, the extra time hopefully enough to catch her up to the standards of the company motto.

“Remember,” Violet whispered. “Only perfection is acceptable.”

***

“Hey angel, you on the way?” Bianca asked, after answering on the first ring.

“Hi,” Courtney said. In spite of the stress she was under, and her regret at skipping the romantic dinner she knew that Bianca had planned, a smile pulled at her lips at the sound of her voice. “And no, I’m sorry, I can't make it tonight. I’m gonna be here super late.”

“You’re not really sending me those naughty pictures and then cancelling, are you?” Bianca asked, voice low and husky.

“I’m sorry, I wish I could, you have no idea how much,” Courtney said. And it was true--too true. Thinking about seeing Bianca had been the only thing getting her through the day, but there was just no way to leave now. If she thought about it too hard, Courtney knew she’d start crying, so she was trying to simply suck it up and be an adult, no matter how much she wanted to run. “But I have so much to do. Miss Fame just approved the holiday card list and if I don’t get them in the mail before tomorrow morning’s pickup, I’m gonna-”

“Bring it here. You can work, I’ll order some dinner...and then we can do all the unspeakable things that I’ve been planning ever since you sent me those pictures.”

Courtney could feel her cheeks heating up. The pull to say yes was strong, but she was still uncertain. “But what if I have to re-print some labels? I’m just-”

“I have a printer, sunshine.”

Courtney bit her lip. It had been a rough week; Miss Fame was in a worse mood than normal, and her to do list never seemed to get shorter no matter how hard she worked or how late she stayed. And on top of everything, the weather had been absolute shit, so another freezing night in her damp, drafty apartment sounded like hell. She knew for sure that being in Bianca’s arms would instantly make everything better.

“Okay. Okay, yes, I’m coming,” she said. “I just need to get everything together here and then I’ll head over.”

“Perfect.” Bianca said, and Courtney could hear the satisfied smile in her voice, imagine her dimples deepening. “I’ll see you soon, baby. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Courtney said, stomach still flipping with excitement every time she said the words.

[artificialqueens]

Halfway Around The World (Witney) - Albatross

AN: Inspired by a request for a Witney fic based off of the Race Chaser quotes “I would fly across the world to see her” and “I would fly halfway around the world”. Or, three times Willam tried to surprise Courtney and one time Courtney surprised Willam (with help from Alaska).

In the spirit of full transparency, I have not been doing well in terms of motivation to write. There’s a lot of factors that have gone into this but for the past few weeks its really been a major struggle because I love to write and have so many ideas that I want to work on and share with you all. I’m trying to work past it and right now the best way seems to just be focusing on one story at a time and of course the one that is of the most interest to me at the moment. Originally I had a schedule planned where I would work on my older ideas first until I was caught up but for the time being I’m gonna try to follow where my motivation is leading me and start on the magical girls fic. Right now it looks like its going to be 5 chapters long plus a prologue just for background purposes. I’m hoping that I’ll have the prologue and first chapter up in the next few weeks but I’m not gonna rush myself or make any promises about the timing until I’m happy with how its turning out.

He told himself he was fine when Courtney announced that she was moving to the UK. Honestly he had kind of guessed that this was coming but it still caught him by surprise with how sudden her decision seemed to be made. It was a little hasty in his opinion but also not his call to make so he simply wished her luck and assisted where he could as she prepared to move overseas.

This wasn’t something entirely unusual with drag queens; follow the money and the fans and right now her popularity was soaring in the UK so why not stay there and ride it out as long as she could?

Willam understood that logic; that’s what prompted his own move to LA after all but still…it hurt that she hadn’t really talked with him about it beforehand…and he had to admit; it was going to be quite a change not to be able to go over to her apartment whenever he wanted. Not that he was that frequent of a visitor anyway with their own conflicting schedules most of the time but it was nice to have that option available.

The first few weeks after her departure continued on as they normally would have; he was booked and busy and hardly gave her absence a thought. There was no point; they were still texting and calling just as much so it was almost like she was still living in the US. The moment her move really hit him was following a return from a successful but tiring string of shows and his immediate thought upon returning to the city was to go see her. Despite her grumbling she would always let him into her apartment (he had the door code after all so why not let him inside?) where he’d plop down on her couch, pick at some of the vegan snack she’d undoubtedly be eating, snide comments to follow, and the pair would catch up on whatever they missed since the last time they saw one another.

It was so routine that Willam was already in the car and five minutes away from his home before he recalled that she was no longer in the city. A wave of unknown and confusing emotion swept through him but he quickly pushed that aside and continued driving instead towards the grocery store. He was already heading that direction so why not make the most of his trip anyway now that visiting Courtney was out of the question?

As the weeks turned into months, Willam still thought he was handling the separation rather well. He was spending time with other friends, Alaska most of all, so there was always a distraction when he needed one. One of his particular go-tos happened to be their new podcast; still a baby in terms of the amount of episodes they produced but it was rapidly taking off with the fans. And it was something else to focus his attention on in his down time. In some cases he and Alaska were able to record in his studio and he had to admit it was nice spending time with her. Although they were technically working it never felt like that; they always kept things light and easy-going so the hours simply flew by.

More often than not after the recording was finished she’d end up staying long after the rest of Willam’s employees had left and they’d either smoke and chat or find somewhere to eat. It was during one of these sessions that Willam was forced to face an unsettling truth.

Somehow their lazy conversation had turned to how Courtney was doing and being the one that was most recently in contact with her, Willam felt obliged to fill in the blanks. He scrolled through her messages as he recounted all of the things they shared with each other either verbally or through text and proceeded to show Alaska nearly every picture that had been sent to him. An amused smile rested on her lips as she listened to him run through his gushing with an almost child-like enthusiasm until he finally reached the end of all the possible updates he could share.

As soon as there was a lull in his speech, Alaska stated matter-of-factually, “You miss her.”

There was no question in her tone, no hesitance; just her telling him something that he ought to have known all along. Those three simple words caught him by surprise and like a flood gate opening, he felt a sudden clenching around his heart. He tried to examine his feelings as objectively as possible but only one conclusion was ever reached. In a vaguely pensive and distracted voice, he agreed, “Yeah, I guess I do.”

For the remainder of Alaska’s visit he firmly pushed aside any other talk or thought of Courtney. However the same couldn’t be said when he finally returned home that night. Once he was finally alone, there was little he could do to prevent his mind from drifting back to the older blonde. The more he thought about it, the harder it was to deny that for awhile now he had missed her far more than he’d ever admit, even to himself.

For so long he had refused to even entertain the thought of it that it finally took Alaska setting him straight before he fully understood the reality of his situation. He had to face facts; he missed Courtney…a lot…and right now, he was able to use work and friends to keep himself distracted but how long would it be before even that wasn’t enough?

He honestly didn’t want to find out.

*******

A simple solution presented itself in his mind; if he missed her, why not go see her?

It was all very logical, at least on paper. Throw in their career commitments and the actual amount of distance and suddenly the situation became a lot more difficult…but not impossible, he argued.

With little persuasion needed, he convinced Rhea to join him on a short touring sprint throughout the UK. He wasn’t sure where exactly Courtney was staying but by hitting some of the major cities he hoped one of them would end up being close. It all seemed to be perfectly planned in his mind; he advertised the dates a bit more heavily than he normally would, knowing that eventually Courtney would see it, and let his mind rest easy until the time came to actually depart for the airport.

But it was odd, he noticed.

He would have thought by now that she’d have mentioned the shows at some point during their conversations. Yet she remained silent on the topic…Perhaps she was planning to surprise him…No, she couldn’t keep that a secret even with an ocean separating them.

By the time the plane landed in the UK, Willam decided he had done enough pondering over the subject and figured he might as well just ask her upfront if she would be coming to any of the shows. For the rest of the afternoon he was checking his phone almost every 10 minutes in the hopes of getting a new alert but nothing that came through was ever from her. Finally about two hours before their first appearance was set to begin, a familiar name popped up on his screen. His heart immediately began racing in his chest at least until he read the opening of unusually long block of text.

‘I’m sorry, Bill. I got a last minute booking for-’

He stopped actively reading after the first sentence, the message was clear enough; she was busy in another country, Spain he thought possibly, but no matter where it was, she wouldn’t be able to attend any of the dates…she just wouldn’t be able to make it back in time.

He waited until well after that night’s show had finished before sending a follow up text assuring her that it was okay, that they’d catch each other the next time but his heart just wasn’t in it. He was angry…with her and himself. He hadn��t directly mentioned anything to her nor had she ever said that she’d be able to attend but it was still all too easy to allow himself to be mad at her. Anything to take the blame off of the pathetic state he found himself suddenly in.

The rest of their mini tour continued without a hitch and eventually Willam found himself calming down. Around the fans it was practically second nature to slip into a friendly, happy-to-be-here mode but as soon as he was alone, he could do very little to hide how miserable he actually was. Thankfully few dared to comment on it and by the fourth day he was at least able to act like everything was all right.

He still talked with Courtney at least once a week but after coming so close to seeing her in person, it felt like even hearing her voice just wasn’t enough. Gradually he fell into FaceTiming her more frequently. If she had any suspicions about his true intentions she never voiced them. Honestly she seemed elated to see him as well, even if it were only through a screen.

Between the two of them, days worth of calls and video must have been accumulated in their ever increasing efforts to stay connected. Willam for one felt a little less lonely during these times but almost immediately after they hung up, when it was only his face staring back at him from a blank screen, more often than not it felt like his heart had dropped to his stomach.

He knew he couldn’t continue on like this for much longer.

He had to see her, but how?

There was a fleeting idea of trying to connect with her in UK again now that she seemed to be stationary there but something always held him back. More than once he found himself pricing flights and hotels but before committing himself to anything he’d always close out the page and step away from his laptop. There was one final instance of this where he came so close, he even had the websites pulled up as he chatted away with her on the phone but yet again an unexpected problem quickly arose.

The conversation began easily enough, Willam was discussing his next sprint of touring; a full 42 days and happened to casually mention that he was thinking of taking a vacation afterwards. A small smile found its way to his lips as Courtney readily agreed with him that it would be well deserved but at the moment when he thought she would suggest coming to visit, she instead interjected, almost as though it were afterthought, that she was about to depart for her own new adventure. This time it would involved a return to her homeland.

As her pitch rose in excitement, Willam’s spirits dropped until it felt like there was a heavy weight on his chest. He missed part of what she said next, other than reminding him to be sure not to mention it to anyone else until she formally announced it herself, but after a brief period of shock he gathered that she would be appearing on some dancing show. It didn’t matter to him what the title was, all that stuck out to him was yet another missed opportunity because he waited too long to act.

On the surface he made sure to keep a bright smile as he congratulated her and wished her luck but in reality he was just barely himself together at that point. He was surprised to learn that he was more than a bit envious at how easily she seemed to be handling their separation. It hardly seemed like it was affecting her at all yet here he was, almost a wreck because he couldn’t see her, couldn’t touch her as he once been able to. Momentarily he wondered how he had become so pathetic, so needy and reliant on her but his thoughts quickly cycled back to their previous tours together. Back then it seemed so common that they would have shared shows every couple of months. And even if that weren’t the case their homes weren’t all that far apart. They could easily stop over for a quick visit between their hectic touring schedules.

In short, he missed that predictability; that no matter how far apart they were, at the very least they’d find their way back to LA and reunite for a few days. He missed his friend with a far greater depth than he suspected he felt for anyone else…and that thought shook him right to his core.

******* Following his revelation of this latest set back Willam was grateful that his new leg of touring was set to begin in just a few short weeks. Anything was welcomed at this point as a form of distraction. Although previously their podcast served that purpose, there were times now when Willam would dread reconnecting with Alaska. She never mentioned it directly but Willam rather suspected that she understood his situation far more than what she’d dare comment on. It wasn’t that she was purposefully avoiding the subject, more like she wanted to give him space as he figured things out.

For months it felt like, he debated on what his next step ought to be. Courtney was doing so well on her show and so long as that remained true, she’d stay put in Australia. But she was so busy aside from dance practice. Willam just couldn’t bring himself to pop over there in the midst of all her hard work. The last thing he wanted was to be a distraction for her…and though he hated to admit it, he was terrified of what her reaction might be. Even now with a screen separating them he still felt so exposed whenever they would speak, like one word would instantly betray everything he’s kept hidden away while talking with her. He just wasn’t sure if he could put himself out there when rejection seemed a very likely outcome.

But finally Dancing With The Stars came to an end and though Courtney and her partner ultimately lost, Willam couldn’t be any more proud of her. Every time he saw her dancing, she just looked so happy and after ignoring the tossing and turning in his stomach, he pushed himself to book a seat on the next reasonable looking flight.

To his surprise as the plane left the airport the following week, he felt unusually calm, almost in the same manner as if he were returning home after being away for several months. The journey was long and he hardly slept yet once he landed on foreign soil he felt more awake than he had been almost any other time that he traveled overseas. Upon checking into his hotel and unpacking his toiletries, Willam’s next move was to call Vanity. If anyone knew where to find Courtney as she gallivanted around the city, it’d be her.

After two full sets of ringing, a surprised and pleased voice answered his call, “Hey, Willam! What’s going on? New order come out alright?”

A smile found its way to his lips as he recalled the last wig he had ordered from her; a truly spectacular piece he couldn’t wait to feature on BeatDown after a few minor adjustments.

“Looks great,” he replied honestly, “Can’t wait to try her out��”

From there the two talked shop for a good 10 minutes followed by a quick session of catching up before Willam found a way to work in the true reason he called. Trying to sound as casual as he could manage as his pulse raced away in his ears, he asked the native Aussie, “You and Court up to anything tonight?”

The response came back all too quick and through the thick accent Willam felt his expectations shatter to bits and pieces, “No, she left two days ago.”

Willam was shocked, barely able to catch his breath as he tried to force his brain to come up with any kind of reply. After what certainly was too long to avoid arousing suspicion, he was finally able to mutter a simple, “Oh…”

“Didn’t she tell you?” Vanity questioned with evident confusion in her voice.

“No, I…I didn’t ask.”

There was another pregnant pause where Willam would swear he could hear the gears turning around in her head. The hand holding his phone was trembling as he fought against the urge to hang up right that second. Finally after what felt like an hour but was barely more than a few seconds, Vanity asked very cautiously, “Willam…where are you right now?”

“I…” his voice broke off as he realized just how vulnerable he had let himself become in those brief moments. No part of him wanted to admit what he done so foolishly but before he could help himself, he heard a voice he barely recognized admitting, “I’m about 20 minutes from your apartment.”

“Oh…baby,” the empathetic words slipped from her lips and shot themselves straight into his heart. His throat was threatening to clench shut as he heard her quickly offer, “Do you want to meet up? Drink or get a bite to eat?”

Tears pricked at his eyes but immediately his hand shot up to rub them away as he replied back in what he hoped was a level tone, “No, that’s…that’s okay. I’m a bit tired.”

“Alright,” she relented, sounding entirely unconvinced of his excuse. “If you change your mind, you know how to reach me.”

“Right,” he agreed with a shaky laugh, “Thanks…”

Before ending the call, he pleaded with her, “Please…Don’t tell Courtney about this.”

“I won’t,” she promised.

He knew he could trust her not to mention anything to the blonde but as for himself? What was he going to do now?

******* With the same bull-headed stubbornness he had come to be known for, Willam forced himself to stay for the full duration of his 'vacation’. It was tempting, almost too much so, to run back to the US with his tail between his legs but pride wouldn’t allow him to give in so easily. He tried to convince himself that he was enjoying his time away from everyone, for once fully cut off from anyone he knew, Vanity included. Though he was tempted to be polite and at least meet her for a quick drink, he was too humiliated to face her in person. All he did instead was exchange a few short texts and sequestered himself away from anyone else.

By the time Willam landed back in LA his mood had taken a sharp turn for the worse. He was angry and mortified and above all, just plain miserable at this spectacularly failed final attempt to see Courtney. He knew himself well enough to recognize that it’d be best not to see anyone in this state but at times it just couldn’t be helped. There were obligations to his career after all but try as he might, he was a bit more snappish with those around him than he would have been under normal circumstances. Most had taken to avoiding him for the time being, except of course for Alaska. She understood all too well what the likely reason was behind Willam’s behavior and finally confronted him after they finished recording the latest episode of Race Chaser.

Without a hint judgement in her voice, she questioned him, “Courtney?”

Willam’s eyes blew wide with fear and embarrassment. He turned away out of shame and proceeded to begin cleaning up the mess they had made during their recording but not before giving a brief, reluctant nod of confirmation.

As Willam kept his hands busy and mind distracted, Alaska tried to work out just what might have happened between the pair. She was sure if they had a fight she would have heard him mention some inkling of it but she had barely talked to him for the last few weeks aside from business, never mind actually seeing-

“Oh,” she murmured in realization. Her heart had begun to break for her friend as she pieced together what he had probably done.

Standing up from her seat, she placed a hand on his shoulder to stop his frantic cleaning efforts and asked gently, “You tried to see her…didn’t you?”

His fingers were shaking and lip quivering as he tried to bite back the flurry of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. Though he couldn’t bring himself to answer, she already knew she had guessed correctly. Almost immediately she pulled him into a tight embrace and in a truly unexpected fashion he was instantly clinging to her like she was his own life support system.

“I miss her so much,” he confessed quietly as he buried himself into her neck.

A part of him hoped that she hadn’t heard that but soon he felt her hand running across his back while she whispered, “I know…it’s gonna get better. I promise.”

She meant well but Willam just couldn’t find a trace of himself that believed her right now.

******* After his mostly private break down in Alaska’s arms, Willam’s attitude had undergone another drastic development. He apologized to those he had been short with but he was far from the normally happy and campy queen everyone had come to know. A cloud of misery seemed to hang over him despite his best attempts to remain upbeat and positive. It was easiest to pretend at his shows but when he was alone and there was no such reason to put on that mask? Well, he was an absolutely pitiful, soul-crushed mess.

About the only thing that broke him out of that state for even a short while was the time he spent with close friends, particularly his chats with Courtney. He had fallen out of contact with her during his period of misdirected anger but once he had finally snapped out of that phase he was all too eager to resume the same level of communication they arranged prior to his impromptu visit to Australia.

Hardly a day went by where they weren’t at the very least exchanging a few texts back and forth. Their preferred method of speaking to one another was still video chats but with Willam’s touring schedule resuming and Courtney’s own various appointments picking up again, it was harder to set aside solid blocks of time for that activity. Even calls had become shorter but through text they could still maintain a deep conversation spanning across several hours.

One particular night they were following this routine between rehearsals and finally the actual show of yet another live version of Race Chaser, this time gracing the East Coast with their presence. Willam and Alaska had longed to bring the show back to their hometown coast and finally after finding a suitable venue where they could expect a large crowd, everything was arranged and booked.

The show itself was everything they could have hoped for after having so much success with it in the West. The fans loved every second of their banter and antics and special guests. They were sure they’d be bringing the show back for another round sometime soon.

Hours slipped by until the last fan finally left the meet and greet and the queens were able to return to their dressing room. Both of them were eager to check their phones and almost instantly after typing a quick message to Courtney, he found a reply sent back. He figured he must have caught her as she was finishing up her own schedule for the day as well. Like he was in a trance, Willam allowed himself to become absorbed by his phone and the rapid-fire conversation that had picked up with the missing blonde. He was unusually slow as he de-dragged himself but Alaska didn’t make a comment on it. Actually, she didn’t seem to be any particular rush either as she tapped away at her own illuminated screen.

Almost repacked and back in his street clothes, Willam sat down in one of the empty chairs and focused himself almost exclusively on Courtney. Their conversation had reached that lazy comfortable stage that he wanted to last for as long as possible before one of them fell asleep. By this time Alaska looked to be pretty much ready to go but still she didn’t push her friend to hurry along. She almost seemed to be waiting for something, perhaps to talk to the venue staff before arranging a driver to take them back to the hotel.

Either way Willam was happy to lose himself in his chat with Courtney. Just vaguely as he typed away on his phone, he heard the brunette standing up from her seat and swiftly rushed out of the room. No less than a minute after Alaska had exited than Willam felt his phone vibrating in his hand with a new message of 'Do you have any plans after the show?’

He toyed with a myriad of responses in his head, ranging from an utter fucking lie of replying that he would be heading out to find some trade or just admitting that he would probably retire to his hotel room to sleep for the rest of the night but in the end, he only typed back a simple, 'No.’

An almost immediate response appeared on his screen of 'Good,’ but before he could question it any further, Willam heard Alaska reentering the room. Very purposefully she walked directly in front of him with a confident and smug look on her face yet for once she was absolutely silent. Taking the bait with a brow arched in genuine suspicion, Willam opened his mouth to question her cocky little grin but a pair of familiar arms enclosing him from behind instantly shoved any sort of smartass remark right out of his mind.

Even before he heard her voice, Willam recognized the comforting embrace he’d been missing in the past year. Just low enough for Alaska to barely make out, Courtney cooed into his ear, “Hey, Bill.”

There was an unmistakable tone of relief and longing in her voice but that seemed to pale in comparison to the similar emotions that threaten to overwhelm the dirty blonde. Firmly swallowing back the pricking of tears in his eyes, Willam shot up from his seat and spun around to face the shorter queen. She held a sheepish grin as she took a slight step back and waited as they decided what the next move ought to be.

The pair stared at each other in near silence, Courtney somewhat embarrassed by showing up out of the blue and Willam in utter disbelief that the blonde was actually here in front of him rather than just through an LED screen. Sensing the need for privacy for the three, at least for these first few moments, Alaska casually strolled back to the door and promptly shut it from any prying eyes of the staff that might dare to peak in. Nearly the second the faux wood hit the frame, Courtney pushed herself forward to wrap her arms around Willam in a manner that almost made her cringe from how immediately clingy she had already become.

Her voice came out just a bit choked as she murmured softly, “I missed you.”

Of their own accord, Willam felt his arms returning the gesture with almost an equivalent amount of passion but still he couldn’t stop himself from retorting, “Of course you did; I’m fucking awesome.”

******* The reunion lasted no more than five minutes before Alaska announced that she was ordering a car to drive back to the hotel. Immediately deciding to join her, Courtney and Willam packed up the remaining belongings in the dressing room and hastily followed her out to venue’s sidewalk to impatiently wait for their Lyft driver. The only small talk was made between Alaska and Courtney, the former using the brief opportunity to catch up knowing full well she wouldn’t be seeing Courtney again for the rest of the night. Though it was nice to see one of her closest friends in person again, she understood that the elder pair of queens needed this time together more than anything. She would gladly allow them to have the night to themselves while she found other activities to keep herself entertained.

Upon arriving at the hotel, the three began to part ways in the lobby but not before Willam pulled the brunette in for an unexpected hug and very sincere whisper of gratitude. True to her easy-going nature, Alaska merely shrugged her shoulders and walked off towards her room with a pleased smile at a job rather well done.

As for the remaining pair, an aura of heavy tension surrounded them as Willam guided them back to his rented room for the night. Though he tried to maintain an air of disinterest, he felt his body all but twitching with nerves as to what might happen once they were finally and truly alone together. Thoughts raced through his mind of all the things he wanted to say and do but the moment the door had shut behind Courtney and his bags were deposited on the floor, only one thought remained coherent enough to follow.

Courtney allowed her body become entirely malleable against his as he crowded her against the wall with a dazed and distracted look his eyes. She expected him to be forward yet even being so close he still seemed so reluctant to actually touch her. A distinct fear lurked in his thoughts that the second he’d make contact she might slip away from his grasp and it all would be revealed as a cruel and heartbreaking dream. Though there was so much more Courtney wanted to do in that moment now that they were reunited, she remained patient and let him move at his own pace.

Very cautiously, a trembling hand came to rest on her hip until she could just feel the curl of his fingers against the loose fabric of her cargo shorts. Finding that she was still just as solid as she had been at the club, he gradually leant in closer until only a few short inches remained between their lips. He seemed caught between wanting to initiate that contact yet still too afraid to finally cross that last boundary. A silent challenge resonated in her eyes but the most he felt confident enough to do was raise his other hand to caress her cheek as their lips remaining ghosting just a frustrating few centimeters apart.

For almost a full minute they stood like that; each almost too afraid to make any further move that would collapse what little illusion still existed between them. Finally, Courtney raised the hands she had braced in anticipation against the wall and lightly pressed them into Willam’s midsection. His eyes blew wide open in fear that perhaps he was reading the situation wrong or wasn’t moving fast enough for her. But before that thought could penetrate his consciousness too deeply, Courtney suggested in a hushed voice, “Let’s move to the bed.”

Nodding, Willam wrapped a hand gingerly around one of hers and led them in an awkward fashion towards the still made bed. If Courtney had any intention of merely sitting beside him, he seemed largely unconcerned and unaware as he immediately pulled her into his lap. Even being chest to chest with their foreheads resting against one another, the minuscule distance between their bodies still felt like too much space was left. Willam’s hands had returned to their position of clutching at her hips so tightly that she feel every flex and twitch of the muscles in his fingers. Her own hands quickly slipped past his neck and into his hair in a small attempt to prevent him from pulling away from her again. Their lips grazed against one another as she admitted in a pained whisper, “I missed you.”

Unlike before, his response this time was sincere and immediate; a heartfelt agreement of “I missed you, too.”

With those four words Courtney felt an unknown tension drain from her body and a sudden surge of confidence encouraged her to place a light peck to Willam’s lips. The contact was brief but even so it meant so much to the pair, more so than any other kiss they had shared before.

Shortly after their lips separated the dirty blonde confessed in a barely audible tone, “I tried to see you…surprise you, you know…but I was always late…I’d get there and you’d…you’d already be gone…it always happens like that. I’d always just miss you because I took too long getting there.”

The last sentence meant so much more than those few words could ever express yet the emotion that filled each syllable betrayed his true feelings all too clearly. Courtney felt her heart aching for Willam as she recognized the symbolism in both his attempts to see her and in her efforts to see him. Turning his chin up so that he would look her in the eye, she told him, “I tried to see you, too…but I’d get there too early…and then I’d get scared waiting and leave before you knew anything.”

Courtney felt a warmth rising to her cheeks as she continued on in an almost shameful manner, “I showed up at your studio a few weeks after I moved to try and catch you but only Rhea was there…she said you booked a few extra days after your tour to relax for a bit…mentioned that you wouldn’t be back in LA until the following week…She offered to let me stay with her until then but I panicked. I begged her not to tell you I stopped by…didn’t want you to know how much I really missed you or make fun of me for being such a crybaby about it.”

A halfhearted smirk worked its way onto Willam’s lips as he teased her softly, “You’re always a crybaby…”

His eyes shot to the bedspread for a moment before he found the nerve to admit, “I wish I’d been there though.”

“What would you have done if you saw me?” Courtney prodded gently as she cocked her head to the side with the inquiry.

Shrugging, Willam offered a defeated sigh of, “Fix your makeup?…I don’t know. Just…”

“Would you have done this?” the blonde asked as she ran a soothing hand through the messy tangle of curly locks wrapped around her fingers.

There was a painful, pregnant pause as she awaited his answer. He looked wracked with guilt as he finally confessed, “No.”

“Then I’m glad we missed each other since it led to…this,” She replied back with a forgiving smile. Gently cajoling him into looking at her once more, she asked, “But why didn’t you say anything about this sooner? Why’d you let it get this bad? That I had to hear about it from Alaska?”

Willam forced back a guilty swallow as a look of utter shame came to rest on his face. His eyes held a silent answer of 'You know why.’

Courtney nodded her head in an understanding she came to know all too well with her friend. They shared another short kiss before Courtney urged him, “Please…don’t be afraid to tell me next time.”

“I won’t,” Willam promised. Though he meant it to some extent, Courtney knew he was still likely to wait, at least in the beginning, before he’d swallow his pride and admit that he misses her. But that was okay. She could read him better than anyone and with any luck, she could learn to recognize the behavior before it came to this point again.

The dirty blonde’s eyes darted from Courtney to the bedspread and back again as another guilty thought was finally vocalized, “This always happens though…I’m always late…”

“And I’m always early,” Courtney remarked gently. “…Maybe that’s why we need Alaska…to help us meet in the middle somewhere.”

The pair shared a fond smile and finally allowed their lips to connect in a manner they’d been waiting for since the moment they saw each other that night. Every bit of neglected passion rose forth as they allowed their bodies to finally express the emotions they’d kept pent up and ignored for so long. Neither knew how long they stayed in that position, neither cared so long as they could finally touch the other person but eventually the aching of their bodies eventually forced them to move into a more comfortable embrace. Laying side by side, they resumed their kiss for another few seconds until Willam felt he needed to voice one final concern before they continued forward with whatever might develop from this new territory in their relationship.

“What do we do after tonight?” He asked with genuine apprehension and fear. “Your hobby is jumping from one reality show to next on any continent that’ll let your plane land…What’s gonna happen to us?”

Brushing aside the curls that had fallen into his face, Courtney replied confidently, “We can make it work. It’ll take a lot of trust, lot of compromise and a lot of patience but we’ll figure this out….We’ll find a way, we always do.”

Though he’d never admit it, he actually believed her statement with every ounce of his soul. If she believed that this could work out for them, he was more than willing to give it a good, honest chance. It would take a lot of work but if were for Courtney, it’d be more than worth it.

A bright smile of previously unknown size broke out across his face as he finally allowed himself to push aside his pride and admit without any prompting, “Court, I really missed you.”

Returning the gesture, Courtney asserted in equal measure, “I missed you too, Bill.”

[artificialqueens]

Playing with Fire {biadore} -imafuckinglibra

Hello boys, girls, those undecided and yes even you Caitlyn Jenner, I see you. Again I have many other fics I could continue but um nope. Let’s write some weird shit ft magic, smut and bottoming Roy. Enjoy peoples and let me know what you think in the notes. k bye.

“Pretty please.”

“No.”

“Pretty please with a gaint cherry on top?”

“Daniela. I’m not training you.” Shane patted the head of the younger, brunette boy sitting across from him at the cafe’s table.

Danny shook the hand of his head, causing some loose strands of unruly dark brown hair to fall into his eyes.

“I hate you.” He scoffed leaning back in his seat again so he could glare at the Australian as he popped the last bite of his greasy veggie burger into his mouth.

Shane, a new friend he made at the drag club he recently started working at, had mentioned in passing that he had to ability to perform magic.

Not the cheesy Vegas kind with boxes and girls in bikinis and all that bullshit but the legit kind. The kind where he could snap his fingers and make various colored sparks appear.

Danny had yet to see it for himself but according to the other girls at the club he regularly used it in his shows as the extravagant Courtney Act.

Wether or not Shane could do any more than that was still a mystery however and the older queen wouldn’t tell him the extent of his abilities only making Danny about 10 times more curious.

He had grown up cursing himself for not being lucky enough to be one of the handful of people born with such powers. Especially since his mom was one of those few.

Magic didn’t exactly work like it did in the movies, you couldn’t just wake up one day with the ability to transport yourself or talk to animals or anything like that. If you were born with it you had to study it like any other talent or it would waste away.

It was hereditary most of the time but often skipped a few generations, like in Danny’s case. His mom could read people’s energies, he could too but it was more intuition based from things he learned from her, and she could read peoples pasts or sometimes conjure up certain things if she used tarot cards.

Danny had tried doing the same in his teen years but she immediately removed the cards from the house when she found out and they never spoke of them again.

“If I showed you a trick would you stop pouting?” Shane asked tilting his head to try and look him in the eyes.

“Maybe.” Danny budged and flicked his eyes up.

Shane gave him a small, sincere smile and began swirling what was left of the cocktail in front of him with the thin red straw.

Danny’s eyes grew wider as the translucent liquor swirling in circles began hypnotizing him, with his other hand’s index finger Shane gave the glass a small tap and the liquid began filling with glowing neon pink sparks.

He lifted the straw and a few drops followed. Danny watched, completely entranced now, as clear bubbles floated into the air with what looked like the little sparks trying to escape as they bounced off the edges of each bubble.

Shane gave a little blow on them and the sparks ignited inside each bubble making the alcohol drops rain down like a tiny parade fireworks of dancing onto the table.

“Tada.” The blonde flicked his hands up after placing the straw back in his drink.

“I want to do that! Show me! Show me!”

Before Shane could respond to Danny’s whining the tall cute waiter with the combed back blonde hair came back and of course flirting ensued.

While the men were exchanging numbers Danny’s mind began fixating on the sparks Shane had just conjured. It was such a small simple trick that he could probably do in his sleep but still Danny would give anything to be able to do that.

He began repeating Shane’s earlier actions and swirled what remained of his cocktail with his straw. Concentrating as hard as possible on the little pink sparks he saw earlier he took a deep breath and tapped his finger against the glass.

“You know it doesn’t work that way.” Shane broke his concentration when he placed his hand on his shoulder. “Time to go anyway, c’mon.”

Danny’s heart dropped as he eyed his unchanged drink when they got up to leave. “I can’t even make a little spark. I’m so useless.”

“Hey.” Shane threw his arm around the lanky boy’s waist as they walked to pull him in for a side hug. “It’s not your fault if you can’t, some people just aren’t born to do it.”

“My mom can.” Danny begrudgingly mumbled under his breath. “When I was a kid I set a doll on fire but she made me quit practicing, said it was a fluke and to try again would just be a waste of time. She was right couldn’t do anything like that again.”

“You set a doll on fire?” Shane stopped to frown at him.

“Yeah, not on purpose it just…happened.” He pulled up his shoulders. “Why?”

“I had a childhood friend who set one of my dolls on fire once.”

“Really?”

“Yep. He’s from New Orleans though, practically everyone there can do something like that but they mainly specialize in voodoo type stuff. It’s a pretty scary place.”

“I’ve heard.” Danny shivered.

The rest of the week he could think of nothing else but magic, from the time he woke up to when he went to bed he researched everything and anything he could find about the topic.

He even went down a hole on the deep web, not advised, about magic originating from New Orleans. He had to admit some of it gave him the heeby jeebies.

Like the axe man who killed a bunch of people in New Orleans using spells to conjure up multiple versions of himself to avoid police finding him, or how he manifested axes sometimes out of nowhere to murder his victims.

Even messing with their perceptions to make them believe it was their own axes when in reality half of them never even owned one.

Even more so when he started looking into everything hoodoo, voodoo and basically anything else originating from New Orleans.

But before he knew it the week had passed and Saturday night after painting his face and before any of the performances started he went to sit down in his usual smoking spot outside the club’s back door by the parking lot.

“Daniela!” He looked up when a familiar high pitched voice called him from behind a strange car that pulled up.

Danny’s heard started racing when a second figure appeared next to Shane, a slightly shorter man with gorgeous tan skin and slicked back dark black hair.

As the pair began making their way over to him Danny could feel the man’s energy radiating hotter and hotter as he approached him. Sending chills down his spine even from halfway across the lot.

He exuded this inhumanly intense presence. Intimidating and clearly something, or someone, to be feared. Almost as if you’d be burned if you approached him to closely.

“Adore Delano, this is Bianca del Rio.” Shane introduced them as Danny fished for his lighter in the pocket of his make up stained black hoodie.

“Hi.” Danny greeted with a blushing smile, the best one he could muster under the man’s intimidating glare.

“Adore’s the one I told you about, she set her doll on fire.”

“Oh my god.” Danny laughed removing the cigarette between his cherry red lips for a moment so he could continue searching for his missing lighter. “That’s so fucking embarrassing you bitch, don’t tell people that!”

“It’s all good it happens to the best of us.” The older queen laughed at his nervousness. “Need a light?”

“Yes please.” Danny gave up and held his palm out.

He waited for this Bianca to hand him something when he took his hand out of his jean pocket but instead he simply held his hand up in front of his face.

Everything moved in slow motion as if the earth had stood still and Danny could see every millisecond of what was happening.

He pressed his middle finger and thumb together and as soon as he gave a quick snap a spark ignited from the tip of his thumb down following the direction of his middle finger and index finger trailing behind, sliding up onto his index finger and then it was gone.

Danny’s heart stopped and with wide eyes he looked down at the smoke beginning to escape the tip of his cigarette.

“I…” He tried thinking of literally any words to form but his brain had seemingly stopped working, still fixated on the casual way the man across from him had conjured a spark of fire out of thin air. “How did you…”

“How did you set that doll on fire?” Bianca asked raising a brow.

“I, I don’t know. I didn’t think about it it just happened accidentally.”

“Exactly.” Bianca took a step closer with her foot on the curb next to Danny’s, just the close proximity to her making his heart beat faster. “Don’t think about it.”

“Show me.” Danny blurted out unintentionally.

“Danny, I told you…” Shane tried interjecting but Bianca raised his hand to stop him.

“Pay attention, I’ll do it slowly.” The queen closed the distance between them with her feet planted firmly in front of Danny’s.

Even though their bodies weren’t even close to touching he could feel the heat, the fire, being exuded from Bianca’s body against his skin.

She held her hand up taking Danny’s hand holding the cigarette in her other one. “Use this to help you.”

She touched the tip of the burning cigarette with her index finger causing another small spark followed by an almost sticky, string like trail of fire to follow her finger pulling away.

“Don’t overthink it, don’t be scared of getting burned and don’t fucking touch it directly. Just hold it close enough to feel it and think of it as dipping your finger in syrup or some shit.”

Danny hesitantly brought his index finger up to the cigarette but before he could get anywhere near close the heat got to him.

“Shit.” He gasped dropping the cigarette, quickly popping the tip of his finger into his mouth trying to cool the already blistering skin.

“Told you he wouldn’t be able to do shit.” Bianca scoffed coldly in Shane’s direction, walking away from Danny as she snarled at him.

“Danny.” Shane sympathetically brought his hand to Danny’s shoulder, gently running it up and down his bicep with the signature motherly touch he often gave him.

“He’s right.” Danny smiled despite the foggy droplets forming at the corners of his eyes. “It’s okay, I knew I couldn’t do it anyway.”

-

After the pretty uncomfortable first meeting with Bianca Danny, or Adore now complete in her messy pink wig and 90’s grungey princess dress, made an effort to avoid her at all costs throughout the rest of the night.

However when she got on stage for her act the young queen couldn’t resist sneaking a peak through the curtains at her.

Just like seemingly everything else she did, or everything else about her, when on stage she’d exude this cocky energy as if she was above everyone else and wanted you to know she was.

Not that she didn’t have a reason to be confident though, every joke she made, every quick read or lighting fast snap at a drunk or straight audience member landed without fail and left even the queens backstage in stitches.

Even Adore couldn’t help but giggle along, maybe she was actually warming up to this bully? Could she?

Bianca certainly wasn’t unattractive out of drag so it wasn’t very unlikely. Earlier while Adore was talking to Jinkx, another queen who performed with them, she kept a strict watch from the corner of he eye over the older queen’s every move as she got ready.

She watched the effortless way she expertly transformed herself into the gorgeous erotic clown, as she called herself. And once she took off her clothes to put on her gown Adore’s ‘subtle’ staring wasn’t so subtle anymore.

She shook the images of toned pecs and caramel nipples from her head quickly when the sounds of an erupting crowd brought her back from her daydream.

“Hey.” Adore heard behind her followed by a warm hand being unexpectedly placed on the small of her back.

She turned her head slightly but as soon as she spotted Bianca next to her she snapped her head away again and pouted. “What?”

“Calm the fuck down there, alright princess?” Bianca snarled holding up her hands in defense. “I brought a piece offering.”

Adore titled her head just enough to see the orange tinted drink dancing in front of her face. “It poison?”

“Depends how fucked up your liver is.” Bianca laughed. Her laugh was harsh, loud and gravely just like her voice but somehow it warmed Adore’s heart almost as much as the hand on her back was heating up the rest of her body.

“Please don’t melt my dress.” Adore asked through the corner of her mouth as she took a sip from the mystery drink. “Woah, this is good.”

“It is.” Bianca nodded, Adore could swear she saw some blushing on her cheeks but decided to just write it off as the heavy make up. “And I won’t melt your dress don’t worry.”

“Are your hands always that warm? Is that how you…um.” For some reason halfway through her question Adore felt like she was asking something deeply personal and almost got embarrassed actually saying the words.

“No, they’re not. To be completely honest sometimes if I can’t control my emotions then my powers just sort of come out.”

“Were you always like that?” Adore had registered the way Bianca’s voice had lowered as she was explaining and began feeling worried. Maybe her questions were too personal. “Sorry, I’m just…”

“Hm-mh.” Bianca shook her head after taking another sip. “It’s good. And no I wasn’t, I couldn’t control anything as a kid and it didn’t help that out of 5 kids I was the the only one who was…different.”

Despite softly laughing under her breath Adore felt something similar to sadness but not quite that straight forward radiating out of the queen next to her. Out of habit, much like a child trying to soothe a friend who just got hurt, her fingertips nudged at the hand next to her.

Surprising even herself Bianca’s hand reached back, she could feel her hands cooling down to avoid hurting Adore despite the rest of her burning hotter than ever before.

What was this queen doing? How did she get so close so easily? And wasn’t she afraid of getting burned?

Literally and figuratively.

“How did you learn to control it? Did you…did someone show you?” Adore finally asked after a few minutes of silence.

Before answering Bianca pulled on the hand she was holding and lead her backstage to take a break from all the chaos of drunk gays cheering.

“I dont know. I just somehow did one day and then when I did wigs for shows in my youth my boss, who could do it too, saw I couldn’t fully control anything. I mean I use to light wigs on fire if I sneezed too hard it wasn’t very difficult to figure it out, so she just offered to become my master and she basically taught me everything.” She answered nonchalantly as they sat down on one of the tables backstage. Still holding hands somehow.

“Your master? You had one?” Adore’s eyes widened.

Much like any talent or gift even as mundane as painting or playing an instrument it wasn’t uncommon for those with abilities to get a tutor of sorts - a master.

Even Shane apparently had a master, his drag mother. Or drag sister as the aussie queen, Vanity, had asked to be referred to when Shane introduced everyone one night.

One of the pro’s of have a master to teach you how to control or grow your magic was you’d seal an informal contract, binding your abilities to theirs through said seal.

It would temporarily enhance any abilities you had whenever you were near your master but once they’d finished training you the seal would be broken leaving you on your own again.

“Yeah.” Bianca nodded while her thumb began absentmindedly trailing a triangle pointing up, the alchemy sign for fire, over Adore’s hand.

“How did you seal it?” Adore whispered watching her finger move.

“I have this scar by the base of my eyebrow.” Bianca pointed with her drink to her glued down brows beneath the make up. “We made a blood seal. She cut me there out of the fucking blue without ever even asking. Nasty fucking bitch.”

“Will you be my master?” Adore said the words before her brain had time to process them.

“No fucking way.” Bianca choked on her drink letting go of her hand.

“Just show me something? Anything, please?”

The older queen sighed heavily and looked down at the ground to avoid her big puppy dog eyes. “Look I tried and you couldn’t.”

“I did it once.”

“When? A decade ago? More? Listen if you’re not cut out for it thats it. Move on.”

“I know.” Adore dropped her gaze to her drink.

She was right. She couldn’t do it before why would she ever be able to do it again? Her mom was probably right when she called it a fluke after all.

Bianca groaned annoyingly rubbing her temples with her index finger and thumb. “Take a sip.”

Adore did as asked and after taking a big slurp through the thin straw Bianca tapped her cheek. “Open your mouth.”

Adore furrowed her brows very worryingly, shaking her head no but Bianca simply repeated the order. She hesitantly parted her lips expecting her drink to fall onto her lap but instead a puff of smoke began floating out.

She blew out the remaining mysterious smoke and as she did it ignited, bursting into a big orange flame that lasted only for a second

“Woah! Holy shit! How?”

“Born with it, master, blah blah blah you know the story.” Bianca rolled her eyes but she couldn’t hide the small smile creeping into the corners of her painted lips at Adore’s idiotic expression.

“Adore, they need you. Your set’s next.” Jinkx came out from behind one of the curtains, cocking her head in the stage’s direction.

“Coming.” Adore hopped off the table but before she left she rested her hands of Bianca’s thighs over the rhinestoned dressed and leaned forward to look her in the eyes. “Be my master.”

“No.” Bianca stood her ground.

“Do it. Please? Be my master.”

“You need to go, they’re calling you.” The older tried shaking her off but Adore firmly stood her ground as well.

If she really wanted to she could easily push her off simply by focusing on the air around her but figured showing this annoying child any more of her abilities would only fuel her on.

“Be. My. Master. Pretty, pretty please?” Adore begged in a hushed voice again, this time sliding her hands up the dress till she got dangerously close to Bianca’s tuck.

Bianca turned her head to the stage where they were calling Adore’s name and debated once again to just push her away.

“I’m not leaving till you say yes.” Adore purred.

Bianca sighed cursing herself first before she gave in. “Fine, fine! Whatever. Go do your shit, whore.”

Adore gave her a quick peck on the cheek and victoriously skipped off towards the stage while Bianca stayed put, hitting her forehead with the palm of her hand repeatedly for saying yes.

-

“Ready to go?” A unfamiliar face jumped up from their seat on the ground when Bianca, still in drag, opened the door to the parking lot.

“I, oh, it’s you.” Bianca snarled realizing it was Adore who had already dedragged.

It was her first time seeing the young queen out of drag and she had to admit he was beautiful.

His long gangly legs shown off in his skin tight black jeans, the turned back pink hat causing dark brown hair to push down over his doe like hazel eyes.

He looked gorgeous and not in the least like someone who had been sweating under heavy club lights and thick layers of make up all night.

“You said you’d be my master so you know, let’s go. Let’s seal this. How do you want to do it?”

“I don’t.” Bianca very annoyingly rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm.

“But you said?”

“I lied, people do that sometimes.” She coldly stated as she began walking to her car.

Clearly Danny didn’t take no for an answer though and kept following her like a tail she couldn’t shake.

“But you said you’d be my master?”

“What?” Bianca snapped turning around on her heels to face him, pushing him away from her in a burst of rage. “What? You gonna’ follow me home now till I say yes again?”

“Pretty much.” Danny nodded folding his arms, disregarding the fact that his feet had slid back without her ever even touching him.

“Ugh.” She growled. “Just get in the fucking car.”

Danny smiled victoriously and followed her to the pitch black Mercedes where he got in the passenger seat.

“Thank you.” He turned to face her but she pushed his grinning cheeks away.

“Say anything again and I’m throwing you out on the streets.”

“Aye aye.” Danny whispered making a zipper motion across his lips.

-

When they got to the small apartment, and after greeting 2 very eager small dogs, Bianca made a beeline straight to the bathroom to wash her face off.

Danny stayed put playing with the dogs but when he heard the shower turn on he knew he would probably be waiting a while and made his way to the grey sofas.

Cuddling up with the smaller of the two dogs to admire the endless shelves lined with fashion and magic books alike.

“You need to…” Roy, now clean faced and smelling like some form of floral shampoo, came out pointing to the bathroom behind him.

“Nope.” Danny shook his head assuming what he meant with even acknowledging him.

Once he did however his heart began racing at the sight of Roy in nothing but a fluffy white towel. He eyed the man’s glistening skin up and down trying to formulate an appropriate way to react but his mind went blank.

“Okay.” Roy nodded disappearing behind the wall he was leaning against into the bedroom. “There’s wine in the fridge help yourself.”

“I’m, uh, I’m okay.” He stuttered looking down at his fidgeting hands. Suddenly he was more nervous than he’d ever been in his whole life.

He was intimidating as hell when he wore clothes but fuck it about 20 times more when he was naked. Danny dropped his head into his palms trying to rub away the image of the towel clinging tightly around a thin, toned waist.

All that did though was remind him of what was right above said towel. A thin strip of hair trailing down to what appeared to be just above the base of his dick.

“Alright.” Roy came back into the living room. Danny looked up hoping he’d be completely naked this time but was sorely disappointed to find him in a long grey tank top and black joggers. “Follow me.”

Danny jumped up from his seat and made his way over to where Roy was waiting with an extended hand.

Roy took Danny’s hand in his and lead him to the the dimly lit bedroom where he closed the door behind them to give them privacy from the nosey pups.

Danny stood still and unsure for a second by the foot of the neatly made up bed while Roy was fetching something from his drawers by the door.

When the older made his way back to him he took both hands in his again and looked him square in the eyes. “If I become your master you must obey, we have to form a seal and above all else you need to tell me when anything gets too out of hand. Understood?”

Danny nodded and Roy let go of one of his hands, he held his now free hand up in front of Danny’s face and with a snap of his fingers he conjured fire once again.

“If this hurts you, you need to tell me, but you have to remember everything I do is to help you. If you’re going to waste my time at least tell me when I’m wasting my time.” He raised a brow waiting for Danny’s response but the younger was still to petrified to answer so he simply nodded again. Once he did Roy closed his fist and the flame disappeared.

Roy pushed him back onto the bed where he followed, climbing onto it next to him where both men stood on their knees facing one another.

“I can do this. Show me.” Danny finally spoke in a whisper as his eyes flicked between Roy’s.

“Take off your shirt.”

Danny quickly removed his hoodie and the white runaways shirt beneath it, discarding them on the side of the bed as ordered.

“Do you want to make a contract with me? I need permission.” Roy asked brushing the back of his hand over Danny’s cheeks

“Yes please.”

As soon as he had his conformation Roy cupped Danny’s cheek and eaned in, his lips momentarily brushing over Danny’s.

“We can do this anyway you like?”

“I want you to choose.” Danny tilted his head up to close the distance and finally kiss him.

Both men’s breathing became broken and unsure, the tension between them growing unbearable as they slowly continued kissing till Danny suddenly felt a searing pain against his sternum and pulled away gasping for air as if someone had gut punched him.

“What the fuck?” He yelled clawing at his chest looking for any marks where he thought Roy burned him.

“Never even touched you.” Roy pulled up his shoulders showing his hands. “That’s what making a contract feels like. Do you still want to go through with this? Because I can’t train someone who…”

“I do. I can do this.” Danny snapped, lunging at him with his hands either side of his face as he pulled him in for another deep kiss.

Their kissing intensified as the searing pain returned, burning through his chest, his very soul even it felt like.

But he didn’t have to worry about it for very much long as Roy pulled him closer to his body as if he was trying to elevate his pain by taking some of it onto himself. His breathing growing strained from sharing the burning.

Danny couldn’t hold back any longer and began grinding his hardening erection into Roy’s leg while the older kissed his neck, sucking pieces of skin into his heated mouth every so often.

Roy leaned back to take off his shirt and as soon as he did Danny waisted no time to take one of his nipples into his mouth.

He reached down between them to palm Roy’s semi through his pants making his lover moan as he their eyes met. He watched Roy carefully to access every minuscule reaction as the older ran his fingers through his hair, pulling him up for a desperate, hungry kiss.

“On your stomach.” Danny breathed into his mouth scooting over so Roy could lay down.

He threw his leg over Roy’s thighs and quickly undid his jeans. After bending down to nibble on the shell of the older’s ear he began sliding his erection stretching the fabric of his underwear against his ass, watching the skin around Roy’s neck flare up a bright red with arousal.

With a quick tug at his hips he lifted Roy’s ass up enough to pull his joggers and underwear off in one quick go.

He gave his ass a hard slap hearing the man beneath him moan faintly when he resumed sliding his dick between his cheeks and against his asshole.

“Fuck.” Roy groaned lowly looking back at him and from the hunger in his eyes Danny knew he had him in the palm of his hands.

He slid down off the bed, massaging his asshole with 2 of his fingers as he went when Roy pulled his cheeks apart to allow him better access in anticipation of what’s to come.

When Danny took each cheek in hand and sunk his tongue into his entrance a loud moan escaped through Roy’s puffy lipstick stained lips.

“Fuck yeah.” He whimpered gripping the sheets into his fists and lifting his ass further into Danny’s tongue.

Danny gave his backside another slap before kneading the firm muscles of his beautiful ass as he licked with a pointed tongue around the muscles of Roy’s entrance.

“Let me fuck you.” Danny whispered moving up to sink his teeth into his ass earning a hiss from Roy.

“No.” Roy nervously laughed dropping his head.

“No?” Danny kissed the bright purple teeth marks that he had left on the tan skin.

“Fuck no.”

“You sure?” He asked tongue in cheek standing back to pull his underwear off despite Roy’s protest.

While he had the chance Roy sat up and wrapped his arm around Danny’s waist to quickly and efficiently spin him around and sit between his legs.

“You know that expression ‘I’m fucking this cat you just hold the legs?’” Roy nipped at his jaw as he took hold of his cock in a tight grip, torturously slowly jerking him off.

Danny nodded licking the top of his lip, lifting his hips into the hand around him. “Meow?”

“Well I’m fucking this cat.”

-

“I think I love sealing contracts.” Danny moaned into the pillow his face was buried in as Roy slapped his dick against his entrance after having squirted a very generous amount of cold lube onto his asshole.

“It’s not bad. Come here.” Roy snorted sitting back on his knees to let Danny take over the pace at which he wanted to lower back down onto him.

Danny sat back slowly at first, arching his back when the tip of Roy’s thick cock entered him, stretching him the lower he went.

As soon as he his ass hit Roy’s v-line his mouth dropped open and his head fell back as he tried to breathe through everything going on in both his body and mind.

“That’s it. Atta’ boy.” Roy praised scratching down his thighs, leaving pale red stripes all along his trembling legs.

He sat back on his ankles, resting up on his elbows when Danny had pushed him down to straddle him in reverse. Holding onto the thighs in front of him as he slowly began rolling his hips onto his cock.

The same burning sensation from earlier had returned but this time felt like it was igniting every single organ in his body. Although instead of hurting like before it felt incredibly euphoric, like every high he’d ever been on couldn’t even compare.

This had to be the seal, it had to be Roy’s powers he could feel flowing through him. It felt like the fire he so easily produced before was now setting every hair on his body on fire and he couldn’t get enough.

He closed his eyes when he reached down to jack himself off, too overcome with ecstasy as his ass bounced faster and faster onto Roy.

The older watched his ass engulfing him, bouncing against his v line as the same heat rushed through his veins. But it couldn’t have just been that, it had to be Danny.

The energy he was exuding was electric and exciting, too dangerous to touch but too irresistible to avoid.

“God that’s the best ass. Fuck” Roy groaned slapping Danny’s backside before he dug his nails into the tender flesh as he guided his hips.

“Yeah?” Danny blushed looking over his shoulder.

“Fuck yeah.” Roy sat up, puling danny towards his body with a hand on his neck and the other squeezing his balls.

“Oh fu…don’t do that, I’m gonna cum. I’m gonna cum so fucking fast.” Danny warned when Roy’s hands gave another hard squeeze to his balls.

To be completely honest he didn’t even care if it was embarrassing that he would finish so soon. After the excruciating 20 minute of foreplay where Roy had edged him so close but refused to let him climax, and now alternating between swift hard thrusts and slow smooth ones as he fucked him everything was becoming too much for him.

With his torso pressed against Danny’s back the younger could finally tell that the source of the intoxicating heat was Roy himself.

It was like he could feel every fibre of his being being ignited by his lover. He was additive almost scary at times but gave him an intoxicating rush of adrenaline like no other.

Danny’s eyes slowly shut as Roy’s pounding grew more frantic, more rough.

“Oh fuck, fuck!” Danny screeched in a very high pitched desperate tone. His ass bounced back in rhythm with Roy as best he could but he could feel his limbs growing weak.

“Shit.” Roy growled. “I’m gonna cum too.”

Despite his rushed warnings Roy’s hold on his neck or hand massaging his balls never let up as he hammered into him faster, desperate to get closer to his orgasm as well.

Danny’s body eventually gave up, falling limply back against Roy and letting him take over control fully as his climax washed over him.

“Roy…” He whimpered clinging for dear life onto the wrist of the hand crushing his throat. His cum shot down onto the bed in front of him before it dribbled down onto Roy’s knuckles. “Oh…go…”

“Open.” The older ordered lifting his hand up to Danny’s mouth.

He shoved the 3 fingers covered in cum between his lips, holding onto his jaw as he continued grunting and cursing under his breath every time he forcefully slammed into the young ass.

Roy’s loud primitive grunts dimmed as he muffled his cries of ecstasy by biting into the muscle of Danny’s shoulder and soon the room filled with only the frantic slaps of their bodies when he finally shot his load into Danny’s ass.

The hands holding onto him began shaking as Danny felt the warm liquid pouring into the condom with every pulse of his cock.

Despite cumming Roy’s hips didn’t cease their erratic pounding deeper and deeper into his ass till Danny pulled him back from his trance like state by turning Roy’s face to his.

“Shit, did I hurt you?” Roy softly asked with concern very evident in his voice.

Danny gasped for air when Roy finally removed the hold around his neck revealing the faint purple and red finger lines from where he squeezed too hard.

“No.” Danny smiled pulling the back of his head in for a tender kiss. “I want…I want to fuck you.”

“Fine.” Roy panted relieved that he didn’t hurt him but he did gave the shell if his ear a small bite just for good measure. “Only because your dick is so cute.”

He pulled slowly out of Danny and discarded the condom to one side while the younger reached for a fresh one for himself.

Danny ordered Roy on all fours as he proceeded to lube his fingers up, kissing his neck first as he slid the condom down over his already erect again cock.

He took hold of Roy’s cheek, caressing the smooth flustered skin with his thumb and pulling his face further back towards him for a quick kiss as he reached down to insert one of his lanky fingers.

“Ah, sh…” Roy groaned dropping his head into the pillow beneath him. “One more.”

Danny nodded impressed that Roy could so easily be willing to let him stretch him out before he slid a second one in.

“Oh fuck.” Roy bit into the sheets. Regretting his decision to be the smug asshole he always was but not wanting to show any weakness and turn back now.

“You okay?” Danny asked worryingly.

“Yeah. Let’s just get this shit over with.”

Danny could tell that despite not admitting it or the strain of slipping the second digit in that Roy was enjoying himself.

His fingers began sliding in with ease as he peppered kisses along his reddened shoulders blades, biting at the flesh till Roy relaxed enough that he could move his ass back in rhythm with Danny.

“On your back.” Danny ordered sliding his fingers out to lube himself up while the older flipped around.

While Danny positioned himself by his asshole Roy’s lifted his legs to rest them over his thighs, watching Danny’s every move intently.

The younger penetrated him gently at first, not rushing him like he did with his fingers but once he Roy pulled him down for a kiss he couldn’t resist the temptation to repay his lover for the bruises around his neck.

He pulled his hips back slowly like before but while Roy was distracted by his tongue dancing over his he thrusted up aggressively, slamming himself fully into him so hard the bed jumped forward hitting the wall.

“Fuck!” Roy yelped contorting his face into a silent scream when a second hard slap followed into his poor ass. He kept panting through the motions every time Danny would repeat this, scowling at him as he did.

“You fucking bitch.” Roy chuckled when Danny unexpectedly hooked his legs over his shoulders and flipped him further up to push deeper into his ass.

“You know, you’re pretty cute at this angle.” Danny grinned a huge goofy grin as he continued teasing Roy with every pound of his hips.

“Shut up.” Roy snapped, a slight hint of chuckling still coming through under his trembling breathe. “Don’t speak and just fuck me.”

Roy pulled him down to resume their earlier make out session again with his hands either side of Danny’s neck.

Meanwhile Danny’s hips continued pounding into him swiftly, their sweaty bodies slapping loudly together as his long thin cock hit just the right spot perfectly turning the bossy queen beneath him into mere putty.

Danny grabbed the hands either side of his face and pinned them securely above Roy’s messy bed head as he picked up his pace.

His second orgasm of the night building up even faster than the first as Roy’s tight asshole squeezed around him.

“Shit.” He hissed resting his sticky forehead against Roy’s when he felt the familiar tight coil in his lower abdomen.

“Going to cum for me again?” Roy whispered tilting his head up bite onto his bottom lip.

When Danny nodded whispering a barely audible “yeah” through his panting Roy told him to let go of his hands.

The older pulled his face towards his, looking into his eyes with such severe intensity Danny felt the burning in his chest scorching hotter than before.

“A contract is made.” Roy whispered as if in pain, lifting his head up to seal their contract with a deep kiss.

As soon as his lips touched Danny’s the younger collapsed in a disheveled mess on top of him, whimpering softly and trembling as his second load shot into his ass filling the condom.

“Fu…fuck.” He panted lifting himself up with shakey arms to look into Roy’s eyes. “Fuck me. What was that?”

“That,” Roy sighed wiping a drop if sweat from Danny’s temple. “Was sealing a fucking contract.”

“Is that burning what you feel all the time?”

“Only when I’m making fire.”

Danny nodded contemplating what that must be like to deal with every time he snapped his fingers but before he could ask another question he noticed Roy smiling at him oddly sincerely, almost sweetly which made his cheeks grow a noticeably bright red.

“What?” He nervously asked.

“You’re pretty cute at this angle.” Roy joked making Danny blush even more before giving his chest a shove. “Now get the fuck.”

Danny pulled out and fell back in a spread out pose onto the bed as Roy rolled off the bed. “Did your sealing feel like that?”

“No. We had a blood seal so she touched my cut on my forehead with hers on her finger and I…well I passed out.” He laughed turning to walk away.

Danny couldn’t help biting his lip to hide the goofy grin as he watched the purple teeth marks on his right ass cheek jiggling with each step.

When Roy returned a few minutes later with 2 bottles of water he spotted Danny with his crop top already on, scurrying around to look for something else.

“What are you doing?” Roy asked sitting down on edge of the bed after handing the still searching Danny a bottle of water.

“Getting dressed?”

“So you’re leaving then?”

“Yeah? Figured you wouldn’t want me to stay since you hate me or whatever.” He pulled up his shoulders slipping his briefs on but realized quickly enough that they were on backwards. “Goddammit.”

“Wait,” Roy grabbed Danny’s hand when he took his briefs off again. “I dont…hate you.”

“Then um, mind if I stay?”

“I mean do whatever you want I’m not your mother.” Roy coldly stated rolling over to climb in under the covers.

Danny stared at the ground debating what to do before he took his shirt off again and hesitantly followed Roy to climb in under the covers with him.

“I’ll stay then.” He whispered smiling at Roy.

“Hm.” He nodded turning his back to Danny.

What Danny couldn’t see was despite Roy’s cold nature once he turned around a bright relieved smiled flashed across his face as he closed his eyes ready to drift off.

-

Danny rolled over after spotting the time on the clock sitting on Roy’s bedside table and decided since the sun would be up soon and he couldn’t sleep he’d go sit by the big window next to Roy’s bed and watch it.

The morning sky already looked on fire in various painted red hues and soon his mind began wandering to the casual fashion in which Roy had lit his cigarette earlier.

He replayed the moment in his mind a few times and thought since he’d sealed his contract with his new master he might as well give recreating it a shot.

“Can’t sleep?” Roy asked when Danny snapped his fingers. He rolled over and tilted his head to get a better look at the naked boy through the glare coming in from the open window.

“Uh uh.” Danny shook his head defeatedly.

Roy shifted a bit and sat up against his headboard rubbing his exhausted eyes.

“Can I smoke?” Danny unexpectedly asked. “I’ll blow it out the window?”

“Yeah, fine.” He sighed raising a hand when Danny tried getting up from his seat on the small vanity. “Where’s your backpack? I’ll get it.”

“Um, living room.”

Roy yawned stretching his arms over his head before he gave the side where Danny had gotten up from a minute ago a tap.

As Danny made his way back into the bed Roy clapped his hands together in front of his chest and when he pulled them apart the red and white pack of cigarettes fell onto the sheets in front of him.

He took one out disregarding Danny’s bewildered open mouth staring and put it between his teeth. Again with a quick snap of his fingers he lit the cigarette with ease and after blowing out the puff of smoke he held it up to the confused boy next to him. “You can smoke in bed, trust me I’ve set a lot worse on fire in here.”

“How do you do that. How did you know you can do that?” Danny asked taking the cigarette from him.

“Like I’ve told you before, I just did. If I know where something is I can focus on it and make it appear.” “Why are you sad?” Danny asked as if he’d already forgotten the first question he asked him while he threw his leg over Roy’s thighs so he could sit on his lap. He placed his hand on his jaw and gently began caressing up and down his cheek to soothe him.

“How do you know I’m sad?”

“I can just tell. Your energy’s really low.”

“My energy? You can read that?” Roy frowned.

“Yeah but just because my mom can and she taught me how to read people’s moods based on how they act.”

“So she taught you magic?” Roy took the hand on his cheek in his, trailing a small circle repeatedly in the pale palm of it.

“That’s not how magic works.” Danny annoyingly rolled his eyes. Even Roy said it wasn’t that easy why would he change his mind now? To mess with him?

“That so?” Roy tilted his head looking into Danny’s eyes shimmering in the light of the morning sun. “How did you learn how to do make up then?”

“Someone showed me and I practiced.”

“Magic’s the same.” Roy shrugged.

“Doubt it, otherwise I’d be able to do it.” Danny defeatedly sighed taking a drag from his cigarette.

“What are you thinking about right now?” Roy asked switching from trailing a circle to the same triangle as before.

“How toasty you are.” Danny smiled contently biting his lip. He doubted Roy could ever be cold if his skin radiated this much delicious heat.

“Think of a color.”

“Hm.” Danny pursed his lips to one side thinking it over.

“Green?” Roy asked after a few seconds of silence, letting go of Danny’s hand to snake his arms around his waist.

“Yeah? How did you know?”

“Danny.” Roy smiled. “Look down, baby.”

Danny furrowed his brows in confusion but when Roy raised his, flicking his eyes to his abdomen where Danny’s hand still rested the younger looked down reluctantly.

His mouth dropped open when he saw a small, green triangular fire burning in the palm of his hand where Roy had been outlining shapes a few seconds ago.

“Did you do that?” He looked back at the still proudly grinning Roy.

“No.” He shook his head giving Danny a quick peck on the cheek. “You did.”

“I made magic?”

“You made magic.”

Just as the words left his lips Danny squealed in delight throwing his arms around Roy’s shoulders giggling uncontrollably as he did.

“I made magic!”