#she did leave the next morning when she realized she slept with Danny

[bluerosefox]

Fenton Coded

Tim... Tim just stared.

He...

Huh.

He had once entertained the idea that he wasn't really a Drake, a very long time ago when he overheard his mom and dad arguing and some words were said in the heat of the moment, but to be honest Tim always thought the obvious culprit of anyone being his dad would most likely be Bruce (Bruce even admitted he had a small fling with his mother but that was two years before her marriage)

But before little Tim's curiosity could really take hold on the idea, he had saw on the news Robin performing a Grayson flip and the hint of Tim not being a Drake left his mind. Robin was Dick Grayson! And if he was Robin that had to mean Bruce Wayne was Batman!

Then well... his stalking of the Bats started and the rest became history.

But now, as Tim was staring at his own DNA test, something he never bothered to do until that damned Demon brat wanted to make sure he was ONLY blood son of Bruce (and doing a DNA test something even Bruce never thought of doing due to well… how he was towards Tim during his first months as Robin)

He well…

He kinda needs to find out who this Daniel Jackson Fenton is.

(Tim finds out he isn’t a Drake, but also not a Wayne (because Damian wanted to make sure he was only blood son) but is instead a Fenton)

[minnesota-fats]

I have seen many of Talia and Bruce are Dannys parents and heard of Danny being Selina's son and but NEVER have I saw Danny still being Maddies son, but Bruce is his biological dad too.

( It could be from a very drunken one-night stand and while Jack knows Danny isn't his biologically, he still treated him like his son which made Maddie love him more )

Maddie doesn't even bother telling Bruce out of fear he might use his money to take Danny from her and the whole Playboy Image wasn't helping.

Like imagine the meltdown from Damian since he's not the only blood son on top of being the youngest son to boot. And if he sees Dani he slowly gaslights himself into thinking she's the secret love child of his father and Selina and might worries there is some weight to Bruce's Playboy Image and there's a 4th blood sibling out there.

Talia wondering who the heck is this Madeline Fenton and how the HELL did she get give Bruce a son first? She's now in the top 5 on her shitlist.

And Vlad having a stroke at the realization that Danny is NOT Jack's bio son but freaking Bruce Wayne, the Playboy from Gotham. And if Bruce and Vlad don't like each other than this will be even more hilarious.

I have seen a fix with Jason as the blood father and Maddie still his mom but not Bruce!

I wonder how they would have met, Maddie and Bruce? Was there a engineer convention at Wayne tower? I bet Bruce had to go and Maddie and Jack were there because SCIENCE!

But Jack probably ran off leaving Maddie at the bar and Maddie just straight up NOT having a good time because this was the 90’s and if I am not mistaken a good chunk of the engineering field was male dominated and a bit misogynistic. And she got fuckin’ plastered and in her drinking haze might have even mistaken one tall black haired blue eyed man for another and decided that leaving with an equal (probably less so but still) drunk Bruce was DTF this random red head because he was also sick of all the misogynistic scientists around. (Also we all know that Bruce has a thing for women who can kick his fuckin ass!)

Or if your not into that the only other thought I had was Jack and Maddie have an open relationship and the reason Maddie doesn’t date Vlad is cuz he’s a big creep! (Jack would so date Vlad if he was given the chance!)

Anyway, after she wakes up and takes one look at the man next to her and is like, “that’s not Jack…” before hightailing it’s out of there!(probably in some sort of eccentric way) She looks for her actual husband the morning after. She realizes what has happened and was going to go home and sleep off her hangover before she tells her husband what had happened. Depending on the scenario Maddie would either be a bundle of nerves or she would be excited to say she found out she slept with Bruce Wayne of all people. (Even though he is known for his Brucie persona, both Jack and Maddie know no simple minded man can run a business like Wayne Industry’s)

Either way Jack would be hyped cuz BRUCE FRICKIN WAYNE!!!! And when he found out Maddie was prego be ever MORE FUCKIN HYPED cuz OH MY FUDGE ANOTHER BABY! (They may not be the best parents but they sure as shit love their kids) Maddie isn’t sure she should keep Danny but seeing Jack so excited she realized it didn’t matter because if he was so happy and she would be happy too.

Cue danny being born and Jazz being a big sister who is very excited to finally know where babies come from (and for her new baby brother I guess). Years later it probably would have never come up again but Vlad during his cloning phase decides to look into Danny’s dna some more. “Probably jacks dumb dna messing with their proses!” (Vlad would so gaslight himself into believing that even though intelligence doesn’t effect dna) and he finds not a sing bit of Jack in Danny.

After recovering from the shock of it Vlad starts scheming, comes up with a plan to use this to drive Jack and Maddie apart. Goes to Jack and in the most dramatic way possible tells Jack about the SHOCKING discovery that danny isn’t his son!

And Jack is like, “oh I know that! And don’t be silly Vlad! Danno might not be mine biologically but he’s still my boy!” And Vlad is about to rip his hair out because of course Jack wouldn’t be bothered with that! What a FOOL!!!

Then Vlad thinking he could salvage this decides to tell Danny who just thinks Vlad is fucking with him until Vlad barrages into the house at 9 am after looking more into who Danny bio dad would be and in the most offended outrage Danny has ever seen from the older halfa says “you slept with BRUCE WAYNE????” To Maddie causing both Danny and Jazz to spit out whatever the hell they were eating all over the table. (Jack: I know right? Pretty cool!!)

After that discovery Danny yeets himself into the ghost zone cuz wow, isn’t that a world shattering discovery to be thrusted upon you at 9 in the morning!

How the Batfam find out I’m not entirely sure? Maybe Danny wanted to meet him (probably not) or maybe it was ghosts hearing about it from some fight that Vlad and Danny have in the GZ and spreading rumors from ghost to ghost until it reaches the undead ears of Boston Brand (Deadman) who tells Constantine or Zatana who tell Bruce who just is plain confused as to why ghosts of all thing would know he has an unknown son (who may be dead???) Or maybe Talia finds out first and sends assassins to kill Maddie (who takes them on like a fuckin’ champ!) and Bruce follows the league of Assassins activity and finds that one woman he had a one night stand with and sees her son who looks too much like him to be a coincidence. Or maybe Damian found out first and this was when he first came to live with Bruce and he was still a little murder-y. He fucking tracks Danny down and is like “there can only be one!” And Danny is like “one what???? But jokes on you there is also more than one of me!” (Dani/Elle) thus causing Damien to go into a rage only to be stopped by what ever Batfam came to stop him! (Danny: what’s with the small angry child?) Dami pouts but moves on. (Can’t kill what’s already dead, maybe???)

Either way Danny would be welcomed into the bat fam with open arms! (Dami is reluctant but comes around when he finds out about Cujo (Dami: and I guess Danny is ok too))

[wishful-soda]

Speak of the Devil : Chapter Fifteen

Daniel Ricciardo x Reader

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 12.7k

A/N: Good lord. This was not supposed to be this long. BUT I'm so excited to hear what you all think of this chapter because OH MAN. I love all of you so much and appreciate you more than you could know. Thank you for being my ride or dies 🥰😘

Playlist

Masterlist

Chapter Fifteen - Backwards hat Danny

July 8th 2018

It was really great when Max won a race. You loved it, you were proud of him and the celebrations to follow were always epic. When Daniel won a race, it was usually the opposite. Just a lot of the cocky Australian strutting around and drinking until his booming laugh was impossibly loud. 

However; it was really great when neither of the Red Bull boys won. You’d never say that out loud of course or let anyone know you felt that way because it was something that would be really hard to explain to someone who wasn’t in your shoes. 

Max and Daniel got along really well. They clicked almost instantly in 2016 when they first became teammates and even the feud between you and the senior teammate couldn’t keep them from being buddies. They had always done an incredible job at leaving it all on the track and bouncing right back to being friends. 

That was, until this season. It started that way, but it spirialed and got complicated so quickly. Both men were trying to prove they deserved more support and better strategy from the team, that they should be lead driver, that they deserved a seat over the other, should it ever come down to that. 

Until very recently, you were always on Max’s side without any wavering or doubt. You were still on his side of course, he was your best friend and family, but now when he won and Daniel had a shit result it felt….weird. Hard to balance. The same went for if Daniel did well. You felt a weird obligation to Max and a duty to be absolutely anything but happy for him. 

But tonight, with no obligation to be happy for anyone, you felt at ease. Away from the paddock, hotels, team trailers and media, you got to have some ‘real life’ outside of the F1 circus. And with Daniel and Max seemingly getting along great, you could really let your hair down and have a good time.

And god knows you needed it after the way things had gone lately, 

When Max had knocked on the door and tried to come in the morning after Daniel slept in your room, you had floundered and told him he couldn’t and lied about Charles being there. 

This led to Max calling out to Charles, the idiot thinking he was being so hilarious of course, and what did Daniel do? Stay absolutely quiet like any logical person in his situation would? 

Of course not. He instead completely butchered a Charles impression so horribly that you wondered if Daniel had ever actually heard Charles speak.

You played it off as if Charles was just really hungover or drunk and then had to scramble to tell Charles to act really hungover when he ran into Max. 

Which left Charles just the slightest bit annoyed, you on edge, and Daniel cocky and feeling like you were proving him right when he said this was a bad idea. 

The next few days passed in a blur of practices, qualifying. Any time Max didn’t need you was spent hanging around Charles in public, taking him water, doing other ‘girlfriend’ type tasks, you were starting to feel like you were getting the hang of the role and a sliver of confidence in your plan came back. 

That was, until you made eye contact with Grace Ricciardo while fully sitting on Charles lap after qualifying. You had forgotten that Daniel’s family would be there and that they always came up for Silverstone. 

The expression ‘I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed’ was the only way you could think to describe the look on Daniel’s mothers face as it clicked and she realized what your canoodling with the Monegasque meant. 

And everyone knows, disappointment always hurts so much more than anger. You had wished she’d slap you in that moment, that would have felt better that the pit in your stomach. You had wanted to badly to go over and explain to her, but what would you say? ‘Don’t worry, I’m not actually dating him, I’m using him as a cover because I don’t want anyone to know that I’m fucking your son casually.’? And then you could just simply explain why you didn’t want to date her son because mom’s love to hear that right? So you couldn’t do anything but sit there, feeling just as disappointed in yourself as she did. 

So yeah, this evening you really needed a break from the stress and to let go and you were thrilled that neither Max or Daniel winning or getting a podium meant one less thing to worry about. 

When you got an invite to a karaoke bar (Checo’s idea you were sure…) it was Max who wouldn’t take no for an answer. You weren’t protesting much, but still Max said you and Charles were coming along before he’d really even asked if you wanted to. 

And still, despite all of the fun and partying that was going on around you, all you could think about was how disappointed Grace had looked and the slight shake of her head as she turned and walked away. You kept telling yourself that you weren’t going to think about it anymore and then you’d spend the next 30 minutes trying to come up with some way to mend the relationship with her, maybe a way to explain to her that you were still good friends with Daniel. 

Still good friends, who am I kidding… You thought to yourself as you let out a heavy sigh. We have never been good friends. 

You wanted to ask Daniel if his mum had mentioned anything, but you weren’t sure exactly how to do that either without giving away just how much you cared about his family, his mother in particular, liking you. You also hadn’t even seen much more than glimpses of Daniel since he showed up and disappeared to get drinks with Max, Michael and Blake.

You were snapped out of your thoughts by Charles plopping down next to you, his arm automatically around you like it was second nature. You weren’t ever sure if you’d get used to it..

“You look miserable.” Charles laughed, a laid back smile on his face. “Was it Living On A Prayer?” he gestured to the stage as Pierre exited. 

“I’m not!” You lied. “ And if I was, why would that be funny?” 

“I wasn’t laughing at you. I was laughing at the fact that you’re so determined to be miserable and stressed that even now, surrounded by friends, you’re working on it.” He chuckled. 

“Excuse you, I am not ‘working on being miserable’.” You pouted. “You make it sound like I’m terrible to be around, I’m fun.” 

“You are.” His hand resting on your shoulder gave a squeeze. “But are you honestly trying to tell me you are fun right now?” he ducked his head to meet your eyes, breaking your intense stare with your lap. 

He was right and you knew it. 

“Fine, you’re right.” You huffed, rolling your eyes. “I’m trying to stop thinking so much and have fun, I swear…”

Charles grinned in victory and squeezed you again before hopping up to standing. 

“I’ll get you a drink?” He raised an eyebrow. “And put your name down for a song!” he called the latter part only when he was far enough away that he wouldn’t hear your protests.

Charles really did consider himself one of your close friends. He had known you almost as long as Max had and the two of you had often ended up hanging out at parties or events without even trying to. He was just comfortable around you and felt he knew you much more than most, excluding Max, of course. 

Which is why he knew exactly who could pull you out of your mood. He wouldn’t go as far as to say cheer you up, but at least change your apathetic pout into something more lively. Thankfully, he found that someone without even trying. 

“Are you two going to talk to anyone else or is this strictly a Daniel and Max date?” Charles teased as he stepped up to the bar. Daniel turned from where he stood with his back to Charles’ so he was leaning back against the bar, his elbows resting on the bartop behind him. 

“Are you jealous?” Daniel asked, causing Max to cackle. 

Charles tried to assess his demeanor. He still wasn’t sure where he stood with your enemy with benefits. Even though Daniel had said it was fine, something told Charles that he still wasn’t on good terms with him. 

“Not in the slightest.” Charles laughed. “I’m having plenty of my own fun.” He shot Daniel a smirk and nodded his head in the direction of where you sat. Daniel glanced over at you and when he looked back at Charles, he knew his plan had worked. He’d have to go over and talk to you now, the idea of Charles having fun with you would be too much for him to take.

He pretended not to notice and leaned over the bar, ordering a drink for you. As soon as he spoke, Daniel’s mouth pulled into a smirk. Charles didn’t know where or how he went wrong, but knew he was fucked. 

He immediately tried to think of a better way to tell Daniel to just go talk to you without saying it point blank in front of Max. 

When he heard your name, he blinked, realizing Daniel had been asking him something. Daniel repeated his question. 

Is the drink for you…Why does this feel like a trap? He thought, desperately trying to figure out what the cocky smirk Daniel was sporting was getting at. 

As the glass was slid over the counter to Charles, both he and Daniel eyed it, but didn’t speak. Daniel simply raised a brow in question. 

“Are you buying a drink for another girl?” Max suddenly blurted in. 

“What? No!” Charles shook his head. Is that what Daniel was trying to do? Make him look bad in front of Max? 

“Then why are you being so fucking weird man? If you’re worried about drinking girly drinks no one gives a shit.” 

“I’m not being weird, Daniel is. I’m just getting my girlfriend a drink.” Charles narrowed his eyes at Daniel.

“Maybe some people don’t recognize when someone is doing a favor for them…” he lowered his voice, hoping Daniel caught his meaning and backed off. Charles was literally helping the two of you and Dan had yet to even seem grateful. 

“I’m not being weird at all mate.” Daniel’s smirk remained firm. “I was just wondering why you’d order her a drink with cherries in it, considering she’s allergic to cherries.” 

Fuck. God fucking damnit. Charles wasn’t a violent person, but he wouldn’t object to smacking Daniel right now. 

Max glanced at the drink and then at Daniel and then finally at Charles, his brows pulled together in confusion. 

“That’s actually a good point, that’ll kill her.” Max pointed to the glass.

“How does her boyfriend not know something crucial like that?” Daniel hummed, feigning a concentrated look of deep thought. 

“What are you trying to prove Daniel?” Charles questioned, not even the slightest bit of friendliness in his tone. “That you’re more obsessed with her than I am? Okay you win.” 

He was getting tired of Daniel’s bullshit. Getting tired of Daniel not seeing that he was helping you and Daniel without getting anything in return, simply because he cared about you. 

And to think he was initially trying to send Daniel your way to cheer you up….He really wasn’t sure if he’d ever understand the two of you’s relationship.

Charles wasn’t interested in arguing with Daniel, the startled expression on his face gave him enough satisfaction to turn away from him and order you a new drink. 

“Ooooooh.” Max laughed, elbowing Daniel in the ribs. “That backfired.” 

“What backfired? I was simply proving a point.” Daniel griped. 

“What point?” Max continued to laugh at his friend’s grumpiness. 

“That they’re a shit couple and no one thinks they’re good together.” 

“Jesus Christ Daniel!” Max gasped, neither of them expecting such a blunt and intense answer, and then burst into laughter again. “No one thinks that but you! What is fucking wrong with you mate?” he cackled.

Charles tried not to grin, but he couldn’t help it.

When you saw that goddamn smirk, you knew Charles was in trouble. 

Holy shit, what is his problem? You shook your head in disbelief. You’d hoped Daniel would be better than at dinner once he knew that the ‘thing’ between you and Charles was fake, but clearly, that was not the case.  His idea of “going along with it” and yours were obviously very different. 

When Charles finally flopped down next to you again, he drank the drink in his hand impossibly fast. You assumed that it was for you, but you weren’t about to complain, it seemed he needed it much more than you. 

“What did he do?” You asked. 

“I ordered you a drink and he asked if it was for you. And I felt like it was a trap!” Charles sat up straight and threw his hands up. “I knew it was a trap and I still got trapped!!” 

“I don’t understand, more words please Charl” 

“I said it was for you and he said- do you know what he said to me? You won’t believe it, in front of Max! On purpose! To make me look stupid!” 

“I promise you I will believe it, sounds like Dan…” You sighed. 

“He said ‘I was just wondering why you ordered her a cherry drink when she’s allergic to cherries’” He mimicked Daniel’s voice and accent and you couldn’t decide who’s impression of the other was worse. 

“Shit. I should have told you that.” You hissed, shaking your head.

“What the fuck is he doing? Why is he still trying to prove he owns you or something? “

“He’s just being a dick. He’ll stop if he realizes he can’t get to you anymore.” 

“Do you hear yourself?” 

You frowned and didn’t speak, thinking about what you’d just said. 

“He’ll stop if he realizes he can’t get to you anymore. Have I not been saying that to you about him for the past two goddamn years?!” Charles tone expressed how exhausted he was by you and the situation and you had to admit, you felt pretty horrible for dragging him into it. 

“You didn’t know I’m allergic to cherries? You’ve known me for like an appropriate amount of time to know what kills me.” You said flatly. 

“That’s the problem?! Yes, my dear, the problem is not that he’s an asshole, it’s that I was unaware of your fruit allergy…” He paused and then frowned with uncertainty. “Cherries are fruit, yes?” 

You burst into laughter. You didn’t mean to laugh at his question, it was just so…Charles of him. 

You leaned into him and wrapped your arms around him, giving him a comforting squeeze. You felt him tense under your touch. 

“I appreciate what you’re doing for me.” You said sincerely. “Just be Charles you were at the dinner a few nights ago.” 

“Hmm?” He looked down at you. 

“Y’know when you called him out on being jealous and didn’t back down. He’s not used to that.” 

“You mean when he said I was dating you to put myself on the map and then fingered you under the table?” Charles scoffed.

You felt your cheeks heat instantly. You didn’t think he knew about that…

“He made it pretty clear what happened.” Charles read your mind and answered your question. 

You were going to ream Daniel out the next time the two of you were alone…

Charles was silent for a moment, you saw his eyes darting about as he was lost in thought. 

“Fuck this” 

You blinked in surprise. Was he bailing? 

“I’m not too nice for this.” He shook his head, his eyes suddenly holding a determination. “I made an agreement with you as a friend and I’m going to hold to that.” 

You let go of your grip on him and sat back, trying to gauge if he was being serious. Who said he was too nice?

“With your permission, I’d like to give him a taste of his own medicine.” Charles looked you dead in the eyes. 

“Um. What exactly does that mean?” 

“It means I’m not going to let him make me look bad anymore. Or make you look bad. Or…us” He gestured between the two of you. “We’re going to get drunk and have fun because I’m the one who can get drunk and have fun with you in public. Perks of the job.” 

You thought for a moment, trying to determine if this was another bad idea that you would look back on and hate yourself for, but there was something about giving Daniel a taste of his own medicine that you just couldn’t resist. If he had just backed off and was civil with Charles, maybe you would have declined. But still, he continued to make things more difficult. 

“Okay, su-”

You were cut off by Charles' lips on the corner of your mouth, the gesture shocking you more than you thought it would. In all your “pretending” you’d managed to avoid having to actually kiss him, the PDA didn’t go much further than touches. 

His hand wrapped around your waist and pulled you into him, the kiss was tender and affectionate. You had to hand it to Charles, he was proving something without being over the top.

You were startled by Daniel all but throwing himself down next to you. 

“Did Charles tell you he almost killed you?” Daniel inserted himself into the conversation, knocking his knee against your thigh to get your attention. 

“He did, actually.” You quipped back immediately, your tone sharp, whirling on him only to be met with the awareness that he was wearing his stupid hat backwards and smiling at you like he’d been waiting all night to see you, his  outstretched hand holding a drink. You cocked your head to the side, trying to figure out what the hell he was going for here. 

“Just take it.” Daniel rolled his eyes, wiggling the glass slightly so the ice clinked. “I’m trying to be nice.” 

“But are you though?” You took the drink from him cautiously. “Why are you even over here, already out of people that can stand you so you have to bother the people who can’t?”

“Nah, I thought I’d come see what was so funny.” He said. You could tell he was trying to come off causally, but when his gaze caught on Charles’ arm around your waist and his fingers tracing circles on your upper thigh, you saw a muscle in his jaw flicker. 

Charles must’ve seen it too because the next circle, he drug his fingers dangerously high.

Your whole body tensed. You were too sober for this. 

“If you came all the way over here to ask what we were laughing about then Max must’ve really been boring you.” Charles sounded amused. 

You could tell this further irked Daniel, but he forced a smile. 

“Daniel insisted he bring you a drink.” Max interjected from across the table of your smooth booth. He gave you a look that read ‘can you believe that?

You glanced down at the drink Daniel brought you, trying to tell what it was just by optics, but when you couldn’t you gave in and took a drink. 

“Good lord, that’s strong!” You tried not to pull a face but you couldn’t help it, it tasted like pure tequila and ice. “What is that, pure tequila?” 

Daniel grinned wildly and knocked his knee against you again. 

“You looked pretty grumpy over here, I’m doing my mate a favor.” He nodded towards Charles. 

“Yes, I’m sure that was the motivating factor…” Charles said sarcastically, you could practically hear his eye roll. 

“Is that a hickey?!” Max blurted in again, squinting at your neck from where he sat. 

Your hand slapped to cover your neck, a sheepish expression on your face. It had been several days since Daniel had given it to you and you had been covering it heavily with makeup, but it had been a long day and you’d probably sweated or rubbed off what was there. 

“How did you even see it?! It’s barely even there anymore…” You growled at Max, narrowing your eyes at him. Charles sat up, leaning over you to look at the side of your neck. He was schooling his expression to remain neutral. 

“It’s dark purple, I think everyone can see it.” Max laughed. 

“Only when you’re pointing it out!” You hissed. 

“It’s pretty big.” Daniel agreed, a sinister grin on his face as Charles yanked your hand from your neck to observe it. 

“I must have lost my mind for a moment and forgot that leaving a hickey like that in a spot where everyone can see it, is a bit of a childish attempt to mark my territory.” Charles spoke every word with his eyes locked on Daniel’s. 

“People get carried away in really passionate, intense moments.” Daniel shrugged and kept eye contact with Charles. It started to feel like two kids in a staring competition. 

Charles was about to bite back at Daniel when Max pointed to the two of you as he spoke. “I haven’t so much as seen the two of you kiss and she’s got hickies?”

Oh no. Your gut dropped. You knew where this was headed, you could feel it. You knew tipsy Max too well. 

“We keep it classy in public Max.” You forced a smile and then took another giant swig of your drink. Charles nodded next to you. His eyes flickered to yours for a millisecond and the determination there made you swallow thickly. 

“That’s fine, I’m just saying so far you seem like friends who sometimes hold hands.” Max shrugged. 

“What?” Charles sounded disappointed. 

“He’s just trying to start something.” You shot Max a glare and he laughed. 

You looked over at Charles and you could see him connecting the dots. 

“Get there faster…” You whispered, keeping your mouth in a straight line. 

Charles’ eyes snapped to yours, they were wide and full of panic when he finally realized where this was leading. 

“I’m just messing with you, I don’t care if your relationship has passion or not!” 

“Max!” You scolded. You didn’t have to look over to Daniel to know he was loving this, a cocky grin on his face. You clenched your hands into fists. “Since you’re being a dick, next round is on you” you pointed towards the bar, banishing Max to go. 

“Fine.” Max held his hands up and then slunk off to fetch the next round of drinks. 

Once he was out of earshot, you whirled on Daniel.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” You shoved on his shoulder. 

“I’m not doing anything! That was all Max, why are you mad at me?” He rubbed his shoulder dramatically like you’d injured him. 

“And it was Max who threw me under the bus with the cherry incident?” Charles demanded. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t want you to kill her.” Daniel sat up straighter, meeting Charles tone. 

“When I brought it back to her, she would have seen the cherries and then she would have told me.” 

“He has a point.” You nodded. 

“Well I’m not the one being completely over the top with my role.” Daniel gestured to Charles wildly. 

“Okay, now is not the time for this.” You put a hand on each of their chests, symbolically breaking it up. “Dan, stop trying to make Charles look like an ass, in case you forgot, he’s helping us.” 

“Yeah, sure he is…” Daniel scoffed. 

“What do you mean by that?” Charles looked like he was being pushed closer and closer to the edge. 

“You’re obviously getting something out of it.” Daniel said flatly. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be doing it.” 

“You’re right, I am.” Charles countered. “I’m getting humiliated over and over.” 

“Don’t pretend like you don’t like touching her, holding her on your lap, your hands are always all over her.” Daniel waved his hands towards your body. 

“And if I do enjoy it?” Charles pulled the corner of his mouth up into a smirk. You blinked in shock. 

“What.” Daniel snapped, obviously not expecting that to be Charles’ response either. 

“What if I do enjoy having my hands on her?” 

Daniel sat up fully, his jaw clenched so tight, rage flickering in his eyes. 

“He isn’t saying that.” You tried to deescalate the situation, knowing Max could return at any moment or anyone else could pick up on what was happening and the entire plan would be shot to shit. “You aren’t saying that…right?” You directed your question to Charles, warning in your tone. 

“It shouldn’t matter to Daniel whether or not I do.” Charles slung an arm around your shoulder. “He can’t be jealous. You aren’t his girlfriend. You aren’t his anything.” You heard the challenge in Charles’ voice and your stomach flipped. He was right. 

You looked to Daniel nervously, unsure of how he would respond.

Daniel looked like he was choosing what he was going to say next very carefully, which put you even more on the edge of your seat. Your fingernails dug into the palms of your hands. 

“Not enjoying sharing and being jealous are two completely different things. You have the two confused.” 

You were surprised by how close to home his words landed. He seemed to drop reminders that you weren’t anything to him besides a fuckbuddy often and to be honest, you were getting tired of them.

“Alright mate. Got it.” Charles’ tone was full of so much arrogance that if it weren’t for the accent, you would have thought it was Daniel speaking. As if to prove a point, Charles moved his other hand to your thigh. He placed it delicately enough that you knew that even though you’d given him permission, he was still nervous about crossing the line.

Daniel watched the gesture, how it seemed blatant and not just for sure and it riled something in him. He leaned over you to get closer to Charles and you held your breath, leaning back against the cushion of the booth to try and remove yourself as much as possible. 

“Next time you’re feeling really cocky about being the one that gets to put their hands all over her, remember that I’m the one that gets to be inside her.” Daniel said the words with an effortless smile on his face. 

Your mouth actually dropped open. You felt like someone had just set a match to you, his words made your body go up in flames so fast you didn’t know how you’d keep the two men from noticing.  The confidence on his face should have made you sick. It should have made you want to shove him onto the ground and go enjoy a night out with your friends. 

But no. All it did was make you think of him in that backwards snapchat, kneeling between your thighs. 

Daniel’s smile grew when Charles looked like he was scrambling for what to say next. 

“SHOTS!” Max’s voice broke the tension and you let out a whoosh of air, unbelievably relieved that this conversation was halted. “How does anyone do karaoke unless they’re shitfaced?” 

Before Max had even set down the tray he brought back full of shots and an actual bottle, you were grabbing one of the 44ml glasses and knocking it back. You slammed the glass down and picked up another, repeating the action, trying to douse the fire that Daniel had recklessly started. 

Max watched you with amusement in his eyes. 

“I would have at least one more of those, your name has been written down on that sheet up there and it seems it was for someone else’s amusement.” He remarked, jerking his head towards the karaoke stage. 

Great.

Daniel wasn’t sure what exactly came over him when he saw you with Charles. He didn’t plan on being a dick and trying to make Charles look like an ass, but when he saw you laughing, really laughing with Charles, his jealousy took over and his rational brain left the building. 

The thing with the cherries was just a coincidence. He really did say something so that you wouldn’t die, but he also reveled in the opportunity to show Charles that he did know you. He was sure Charles thought he was a piece of shit for not stepping up and actually pursuing you, so when he had the chance to show him that there was more than surface level. 

Daniel really wanted to take your word for it when you said that everything between you and Charles was fake and he did believe you. But he wasn’t sure if the same could be said from Charles’ side. He was keenly aware of every movement of Charles’ hands.

Now, sitting next to Max, not listening to a word he was saying, and watching you chat and laugh with Charles, Daniel was crawling out of his skin. He thought that knowing he’d be the one who got to fuck you at the end of the night would be enough to keep him content, that the fact that Charles’ could touch you in public wouldn’t hold a candle to the ways he could touch you when the two of you were alone. 

He was wrong. 

“What are you doing?” Max snapped his fingers in front of Daniel’s face. He was unsure how long his teammate had been trying to get his attention, but based on the look on Max’s face, it had been a while. 

“Drinking?” Daniel shrugged, trying to pretend like he didn’t know exactly what Max was referring to. 

“You’re jealous or you recently took a vow of abstinence.” Max looked in your direction and then back to Daniel. 

“Neither. I just haven’t seen anyone interesting tonight.” He lied. 

“It all makes sense now, you know.” Max patted Daniel’s back in a consoling manner. Daniel tensed. 

“What’s that?” He feigned aloofness. 

“Why you’ve always been such a dick to her. I know I’ve joked in the past about you trying to sleep with her but now I never thought it was really the reason” 

Max thinks I hate her because I want her? 

Daniel tried to decide how to play this, but it was hard to make any fucking decisions when he had to watch Charles’ grab your ass and lean in to whisper to you. 

“Hate to break it to you, but no. I’m not under the same spell she seems to have everyone under.” He was lying through his teeth. He was absolutely under your spell. 

“Just fucking admit it man! You haven’t so much as talked to another woman tonight and I’ve been your friend long enough to know that that isn’t normal. You can tell me the truth,  I won’t tell her. And I’m sorry she’s with Charles man.” 

Now Daniel was really pissed. 

“There’s nothing to fucking admit!” He groaned. “And I don’t care that she’s with Charles.” 

“You’re LYING” Max didn’t let up. 

“You want me to prove it? Prove that I’m not hung up on your BFF?” He wasn’t sure why he said it, but he regretted it as soon as he did. 

“Yes, actually that would be nice.” Max grinned with confidence. 

“Fine.” Daniel snapped, gulping down the rest of his drink and storming off to find someone to hit on. 

He wasn’t serious, he had no intention of fucking anyone tonight but you, but he hated the idea of Max thinking he was sitting around pining over you and moping around because you were dating Charles. 

__

“Max.” You pleaded. “Just tell me what song it is.” 

The dutchman laughed, shaking his head. 

“I can just go and look at it myself y’know.” you crossed your arms and moved to stand, being blocked by Max before you could even get your feet under you.

“Don’t be a poor sport, It’s a duet.” Max looked like he was enjoying this way too much. 

“With who?! Was it you who added it?!” You hissed, smacking his shoulder with the back of your hand in a sweeping motion. “Why do these karaoke nights always turn into people nominating others instead of people volunteering to make a fool of themselves like it's supposed to be?” You groaned. 

“Can your boyfriend sing?” 

You glanced over to where Charles sat, laughing and enjoying himself and felt a fresh wave of guilt hit you. He really had no idea what he was signing up for, poor guy.

—

Daniel wasn’t sure how long he’d been talking to the girl next to him, but it was long enough. It was torture enough to listen to her drone on about the parties she’d been at recently, but once he heard you laughing, he really was done. 

He tried not to be obvious as he watched you, but when Max was clearly enjoying torturing you about something, he felt like his thunder was being stolen. 

“Excuse me.” He said, barely giving the girl another glance before making a beeline towards the table. He knew that was one of the ‘douchebag’ moves that you would have given him shit for, but he had a hard time caring. 

He was almost back to the group when he pieced together what Max must’ve been torturing you about. 

 You and Charles were introduced to sing ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’. 

He imagined he was in a bad rom com as he watched Charles drag you behind him, seeming like he minded much less than you did. 

He needed to know who thought it would be funny or cute to put you and Charles down for a cheesy duet because he needed somewhere to direct his annoyance and disgust. 

You were tipsy, bordering on drunk. Daniel didn’t get the opportunity to be around you drunk very often, but when he did, he considered it to be a gift because the sheer amount of laughter that came from you could make anyone happy. 

And this moment was no different. The song started and you accepted your fate and started singing with gusto, your voice only breaking when you couldn’t hold the laughter in and Daniel couldn’t look away if he tried. He was reminded of the dinner with his family in Monaco when it was incredibly hard for him to stop admiring and noticing things about you and be in the actual moment. 

It was the same now. He was pretty sure Max was talking to him but he couldn’t stop ogling over you being completely fine with making a fool out of yourself because you were having fun. It was so unlike all the other girls who were worried about how they looked at all times and couldn’t ever loosen up for fear of ruining their image. 

The only problem with the scene in front of him, however, was the man opposite you. The more he saw you with Charles, the more he was convinced that on Charles’ side, it was real. He touched you with too much ease, like he was used to it, like it was just a habit. He caught you when you stumbled and looked like he enjoyed it. He helped you remember which part was yours to sing, reassuring you with a giant adoring grin.

It really was boyfriend shit. Charles was nailing it. And what’s even worse,  he looked like he was just grateful to be cast in the role. And that’s what concerned Daniel. 

He started pushing his way through the crowd to get to the stage. He wasn’t exactly sure what he would do when he got there, but he couldn’t stand in the back and just watch this disgusting attempt to prove to everyone you two were legitimate. 

Your eyes met Daniel’s as the song finally ended, you were beaming, your cheeks pinked and your eyes looking  for approval. He did his best to give you a genuine smile. Everyone else in your group stood and cheered, clapping and hollering as the two of you bowed.  

And then as you were about to step off the stage, Charles grabbed the back of your neck and pulled you in. 

And kissed you. 

Daniel felt physically sick. All he could think was the same thought that plagued him when you talked to Max on the plane. He couldn’t tell if you were lying or not. He couldn’t tell if you were excellent at acting, at hiding what you really felt, or if the way you pressed your body against Charles’, the way you gripped his shirt, was because you really wanted to. 

You pulled away and broke off the kiss, taking a step backwards when you did.

Charles let go of you and you wobbled, obviously not expecting it, your eyes widening. 

Daniel reached out instinctively, before even thinking, and steadied you, his hands on your waist. You spun around and looked up at him. 

The way your eyes lit up when you saw his face nearly killed him. You looked genuinely happy to see him and when you were happy, you were even more beautiful than usual. He was ready to have it out with Charles in front of everyone and then suddenly it was impossible to stay angry when you were looking at him like that. 

“Danny!” You smiled widely and slung your arms around his neck. “Hi! Did you hear my song?”

“Hi.” Daniel couldn’t help but smile back at you, stifling a laugh.  “How’re ya goin’?” He gave you a once over, head to toe, checking in as subtly as he could. Hearing you call him ‘Danny’ triggered a strong impulse to pull you closer to him, one that he fought incredibly hard. 

You responded with a giggle and that scrunched up smile again. “I love when you say that, it’s so cute.” 

Daniel felt like he was going to explode. You were trying to kill him, he was sure of it.

Charles coughed from behind you, Daniel assumed to remind you of his presence and that you were in public. 

“I think you need some water and a sit down yeah?” Daniel chuckled and led you back to the table, Charles in tow.

The more you drank, the more you seemed to forget that Charles was supposed to be your boyfriend and that Daniel was…well he wasn’t supposed to have as much physical contact with you as he currently had. He was fully intent on staying angry about the kiss, but he simply couldn’t when you were being so fun and giggly. He wasn’t used to you being like that when he was around. 

He was enjoying simply being in your presence and feeling at ease. He felt like he was catching a glimpse into what it would be like if you and him were friends. 

You were sat in between Daniel and Charles again. You kept leaning against Daniel and Charles would reach over and pull you back against him and you’d apologize profusely and then repeat. 

“What happened with that girl?” Max asked as Charles once again pulled you back, this time keeping his arm firmly around your waist. 

“What girl?” You blurted, straining against Charles’ arm to sit up again to hear better. 

“Eh. She wasn’t anything special.” Daniel shrugged. 

“Since when does that matter to you?” You laughed, giving up the fight against Charles' arm and relaxing back into his chest, seemingly comfortable.  Daniel hated that more than your snarky remark. 

“Contrary to popular belief, I don’t sleep with anything that moves.” He retorted. There were a million other comebacks he had, all having to do with the fact that you slept with him, but of course, he had to keep them on the shelf. 

“Well what was wrong with her? What traits was she missing that you look for?” You asked. You sounded like you were genuinely interested. 

Daniel tried to come up with something, but his head felt foggy. All he could focus on was the way Charles kept pulling you back to him. 

What the fuck is he trying to prove? 

“I dunno.” He shrugged. 

You squiggled out of Charles’ grasp for what was probably the 12th time. 

“Will you just-” Charles started, reaching out to steady you, but you cut him off. 

“I’m fine!” You smacked his hand away and then made a shooing motion. “I appreciate your kindness but I am a strong, independent girl…woman I mean. Lady? No, woman. I am a strong, independent woman.” 

Charles chuckled and held his hands up in surrender, but Daniel could tell he was still watching you closely. 

You scooted closer to him and your intoxicating scent mixed with tequila fogged his brain. 

“Does your mom hate me now?” You looked him dead in the eyes. The question was so out of the blue that it more than caught him off guard. 

“What?” He let out a breathy laugh. “Why would she hate you?” 

“Because she thinks I’m dating Charles.” You sighed your words out. The second they left your mouth Charles sat up straight from his laid back position in the booth. 

“You are dating Charles.” Daniel said gently, trying to urge you with his eyes to realize there were others around. He glanced around the table, relieved that Max was no longer around. Still, Michael and Blake were definitely within ear shot should they decide to want to listen in. 

“You didn’t answer my question.” You pouted. “Does she hate me now?” 

“Maybe it’s time we head back to the hotel hm?” Charles interjected, grabbing your wrist gently. You pulled away immediately. 

“I’m fine Charl.” You said again, your tone still softer than you ever usually spoke to Daniel. 

He was getting really fucking tired of him touching you. 

“If you’re ready to leave I can make sure she gets back to her room.” His tone was harsher than he meant it to be, it was supposed to sound like a friendly suggestion, but it came off sounding like it wasn’t up for discussion. 

“That’s alright, if she wants to stay, I will stay with her.” Charles' hand rested on your lower back. Daniel assumed it was to remind you of his presence, yet again. He’d have to think about what it meant that you kept forgetting Charles was around later, right now he didn’t really have the time, but it still struck him with a little bit of reassurance that it truly was all fake. 

And yeah, Daniel knew it was probably wise for Charles to stay, you seemed to have lost your filter a bit and Charles could probably help with damage control, but he could also handle you just fine.

“Mum doesn’t hate you.” Daniel turned his attention back to you. “But if you want her to, I can tell her about all the horrible things you’ve said to me?” He tried to tease you. The way you were looking at him was too real, too honest and it was scaring the shit out of him. 

“No!” You exclaimed loudly, leaning closer to him and placing your palm flat on his chest. “Don’t do that.” 

Daniel was extremely aware that several people were watching them right now, your loud objection caused heads to turn. 

He wanted to have this conversation with you. He wanted to know why you thought his mum hated you and more importantly, why you cared so much. 

“Goddamnit.” He mumbled to himself, shaking his head slightly and then clearing his throat. 

This was going to kill him. 

“Alright, I’ll have to agree with you now.” He spoke to Charles. “If she’s being this nice to me, probably means it’s time for her to hit the hay.” He gestured to your hand, still on his chest. He knew it wasn’t true, he could tell you hadn’t really had that much to drink. You were probably fine to make your own decisions. But he needed this to be over because he couldn’t talk to you like this in front of everyone. It was too intimate and that didn’t happen around other people. It couldn’t either, not just because you were ‘dating’ someone else, but because it wasn’t him and anyone that knew him would call him out in seconds and see through his thinly layered act.

When he lowered his eyes to meet yours and saw the let down in your eyes, it made it even harder. Charles took your hand and you didn’t fight this time as he pulled you up to standing. 

“I said I’m fine.” You frowned. “I’m not that drunk, I know what I’m saying. I can’t ask you if your mom hates me or not?” 

Daniel looked down at you, his eyes pleading. He wanted you to just go, to drop it. 

“I hate you, not Grace.” You said flatly, placing a hand on your hip. “Why can’t I ask about her?” 

“You don’t need to remind me that you hate me.” Daniel said lowly, not a bit of playfulness in his tone at all. That was the very last thing he needed to hear right now. 

“Come with me to get another drink.” You blurted.

Daniel blinked in surprise, glancing around to make sure you were actually speaking to him. 

Charles looked just as concerned, his brow furrowing. 

“Friends close and enemies closer.” You said simply, looping your arm in Daniel’s and walking towards the bar. Daniel watched you keep your eyes schooled ahead for several steps, until you were at least out of earshot. 

“Are they still looking?” You asked him quietly.  Daniel glanced behind quickly and then shook his head shortly. 

Daniel held in a cackle of laughter when you quickly changed course, darting towards the exit as fast as you could possibly move while leading him along. 

“What are you doing?” Daniel questioned behind you, he made no attempt to stop you or slow you, he was going to get a moment alone with you if he was lucky and he’d been waiting for that all fucking weekend. 

Daniel helped you push the door to the club open, sighing loudly in relief when you were both outside and around the corner in the first alleyway the two of you came upon.

It was suddenly extremely quiet. The noise and chaos of the karaoke bar was now replaced with only the sounds of the outside at 2am and your breathing as he looked down at you, his eyes flickering over your face, waiting for you to give him a sign of what you were thinking.  

“I never know what you’re going to do next.” He admitted, shaking his head in awe. 

“I usually don’t either.” You grinned widely at him, taking a bold step towards him to close the gap between the two of you, your hips pressing against him ever so lightly, your arms slung around his neck affectionately. 

Daniel immediately moved his hands to your waist, returning your grin. 

“Did you like my performance?” You questioned, lazily combing your fingers through his hair. 

“Which performance? The song or the kiss?” He didn’t plan on asking you about the kiss right away, but it was eating him alive. He watched your face carefully, hoping the alcohol would lower make you easier to read. 

“I was as prepared for that kiss as you were Dan.” You frowned, your brows furrowing. Daniel felt relief flood through him. 

Who knew I’d be one to need so much fucking reassurance…

“Well? How was it?” 

“Mmm it didn’t have the anger and hate that ours do.” You gave him a snarky grin and he rolled his eyes. 

“Why do you think mum hates you?” Daniel knew he was really going for it and cutting to the chase, but you were breaking down every last one of his defenses tonight. You hadn’t given him a single look of malice and that was something he had taken note of. 

“She saw me with Charles and she looked so…” You sighed and shook your head, your big eyes looking almost pitiful. “Disappointed.” 

“That doesn’t mean she hates you.” Daniel said truthfully. He had no doubt that his mum didn’t hate you. 

“Well I guess I couldn’t blame her if she did.” You sighed, your eyes falling away from his and dropping to his chest. 

Daniel wasn’t sure if he’d ever actually seen you looking genuinely…sad. Not angry or annoyed or close to clocking him, just sad. It made him panicky,  like he needed to fix it.

“Hey I have a secret to tell you. Something I haven’t told anyone else.” He hummed, placing his finger under your chin to tilt your head back up to look at him. He would do absolutely anything right now to get that look off of your face. 

“What?” You blinked, looking genuinely interested. 

Daniel leaned in, whispering softly in your ear. 

“You’re harder to hate than you think you are.” 

–

“You’re harder to hate than you think you are.”  Daniel whispered in your ear. 

The world spun. The rug pulled out from under you. Maybe part of that was the alcohol, but still 

“What?” You breathed, pulling back to look at his face, expecting it to have that shit eating grin he so often donned when he was messing with you. 

It wasn’t there. 

Instead he was looking at you earnestly. 

“Are you drunk?” You laughed, grabbing his face with both hands and making him look you dead in the eyes. He laughed in response. 

“Not as drunk as you.” He chuckled. 

“You just said it’s hard to hate me.” You kept his face in your hands, still waiting for him to break and say ‘just kidding!’ 

“It is.” Daniel said simply. You dropped your hands from his face, trying to process this. “And that’s how I know mum could never hate you.” 

You remained silent, trying to push down the emotions that were bubbling up, it proving to be harder when intoxicated. 

“I tried to call you back.” You confessed, feeling the only way to even the score was to tell him something you’d never told anyone else. 

Now it was Daniel’s turn to look confused. 

“What? When?” He tilted his head. 

“When you left me that voicemail. I listened to it a few times and then I tried to call you back to talk to you…but you didn’t answer.” You were so much more honest when you drank and when it came to Daniel, you weren’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

Daniel looked like it took a few seconds to click, but when it did, his face broke into a wide grin. 

“What were you going to say?” His voice was suddenly lower an octave, his hands on your waist moved to your ass, pulling you against him more firmly. His grin was contagious, you couldn’t help but smile back.

“If you wanted to know then you should have answered.” You hummed, smirking at him knowingly. 

“I’ll get it out of you eventually.” He smirked. “That was…a while ago.” He gazed off in the distance for a second as he thought and then looked back to you. “Are you ever going to tell me which picture you liked?” 

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the way you were so casually chatting with him, in his arms, but you didn’t think about playing it off or showing your hand. You weren’t calculating. 

“Ma’am.” You said simply, reaching up to hold an imaginary cowboy hat and tilt your head, mimicking Daniel’s pose in the picture. 

Daniel looked confused, but amused at your display. 

“Whater you talking about?” He cackled, looking at you as if you’d lost it. 

“MA’AM” You huffed, repeating the actions. 

“I don’t know what that means!” Daniel was cracking up now, shaking his head and then dropping his forehead to your shoulder as he laughed harder. Your arms naturally fell on his shoulders, hands meeting behind his neck. 

“That was the caption! It was your stupid caption, laugh at yourself!” You couldn’t help but giggle, his laughter being contagious as always. 

“Show me.” Daniel lifted his head, still laughing at you when his eyes met yours.

You groaned and slipped your phone from your pocket, unlocking it and tapping a few times before holding it up to him, the picture you’d looked at too many times to count on your screen. 

“Hold on!” Daniel snatched your phone from your hand. “You found that really really fast, why’d you find it that fast?!” He looked closer at the screen and then kept going before you could defend yourself. “Two years ago! How’d you find it that fast if it was posted two years ago!” 

Your cheeks heated as tried to steal your phone back, like that would make the problem go away. 

“You have it SAVED!” Daniel beamed, his mouth in an open smile of victory. “It’s saved in your photos! Oh my god, you think I’m so hot, don’t you?” 

“Shut up, stop! It doesn’t matter! I finally told you which picture, you can’t give me shit.” You said pointedly. 

“I can always give you shit, babe.” Daniel grinned. Your stomach fluttered at the pet name. You knew it was a word Daniel tended to throw around in goofy ways, but it still resonated. 

“Fine, as long as I can give it back Danny” You threw the name back at him teasingly, rolling your eyes. Before your eyes were back around to him, his mouth was on yours, his hands on your ass gripping tightly. 

The kiss started as playful, but that melted away quickly and Daniel kissed you hungrily, his teeth clashing with yours and then nipping and biting your lips. You whimpered loudly, pressing your body against his harder in an attempt to get even closer to him. Your body responded to his immediately, the heat from earlier tonight when he so boldly reminded Charles exactly where he stood. 

“I’ve wanted to do that all fucking night.” Daniel growled when he finally broke the kiss, his gaze moving all over your quickly and calculating like a predator assessing his prey. You swallowed thickly, coming back to earth and reminding yourself that anyone could walk by and see what was unfolding. 

“Okay, well now you have to keep it in your pants, I don’t need to be caught making out with you in an alley.” You taunted, holding your hand out for your phone. As if on cue, it buzzed somewhere. 

Daniel glanced down at his pocket and then looked back to you. When he didn’t retrieve your phone you raised an eyebrow at him. 

“You told me to keep it in my pants.” He said and you could see he was trying his absolute hardest to not crack up at his own joke before falling and laughing, leaning back against the building behind him. 

You tried to be annoyed at his stupid sense of humor, but you couldn’t be, the giggle you were trying to stifle escaped. 

Daniel looked satisfied once you’d laughed and dug your phone out of his pocket, handing it to you while trying to discreetly look at the screen to see who was texting you. 

“You’re not sneaky.” You stated flatly, before spinning around in his arms and leaning back into him. He dropped his chin onto your shoulder, leaping at the opportunity.

Sharl: Where did you go? Max asked and I’m not sure if telling him you ran off with Daniel is the appropriate response. 

“Sure, sure. Max wants to know where you are, not him. He’s only asking for Max’s sake.” Daniel grumbled, the sarcasm practically dripping off of his words. “And his contact name is stupid.” 

“You are reading way too much into this.” The corner of your mouth pulled up in a smile. Okay so maybe you weren’t ever going to be together together with Daniel, but it  was still nice to know just how jealous he was. 

You looked down at your phone a minute longer, trying to decide what to say when Daniel held out his hand. It felt like a question, Like a test. It felt bigger than just letting him respond to a text. He waited patiently, like he knew you’d give in and plop your phone back into his hand. 

“Easy, Danny.” You sighed as you did. 

Daniel let out a breath of laughter in your ear as he brought his other arm around you, looking over your shoulder to type, now holding your phone with both hands right above your waist. 

You glanced down as well, admiring the rose tattoo on his tan left hand as he typed and then caught up in admiring his wrists and forearms, they were on perfect display in this position.  He paused before he hit send, turning his head towards yours slightly in a request for your approval. 

don’t you worry your pretty little princess head. Daniel is taking me home for a night of wild and passionate hate sex, all of that pretending with you made me angrier and craving his body even more than usual. 

“Dan!” You scolded, elbowing him in the stomach gently before using your pointer finger to quickly tap the backspace and erase the message as he bellowed with laughter behind you. 

“I was taking it from the honest angle!” He cried out in defense. 

“You’re so annoying.” 

“Fine, you find a better way to tell him you went back to the hotel without him.” 

“Oh, is that’s what’s happening?” You leaned to your left so you could turn your head and look back over your right shoulder at him. 

“That’s what you’re telling him is happening.” Daniel smiled villainously. 

“What’s actu-” You stopped talking when a car pulled beside the alley. You instinctively went to jump out of his arms so you wouldn't be seen with him, but he tightened them around you. 

“It’s our ride.” 

“When the hell did you-”

“When Charles was trying to leave with you.” He said simply, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. 

__ 

When the car pulled up to Red Bull HQ, you were certain Daniel had lost it. 

“Are you trying to get both of us fired or..?” You questioned, but he simply hopped out of the car, your hand in his and strode up to the doors like he was showing up for work on any other day. 

“Dan!” You whisper-yelled, eyes widening in shock when he pulled out a pair of keys from his pocket. “Where did you get those?!” 

“I’m the talent, people tend to give me what I ask for.” Daniel smirked, shrugging as if it was no big deal as he unlocked the door and pulled it open, holding it open with his foot for you to walk through. 

You eyed him skeptically. 

“Ma’am.” He titled an imaginary cowboy hat to you, micking the dreaded instagram photo. 

“And there’s the regret.” You sighed, glancing into the darkened building nervously. 

Daniel wasn’t rushing you, he stood there in the door, waiting patiently for you to decide if you were really doing this or not. 

“This seems like it could be a really bad idea…” You worried aloud. 

“C’mon, don’t you trust me?” 

The question was asked in such an offhand manner that what he was really asking took a second to sink in. 

He was asking if you trusted him? Did you?

You looked into his eyes, hoping you’d find the answer there. This time last year? No, never, absolutely not. 

But now? You were sure that you were supposed to answer “No.” Because the last thing you want to do is trust your sworn enemy, the person who has made your life miserable for the past two years. 

Though he asked it as if he was indifferent to the answer, you could tell he was anxious to hear your answer. You stood close enough to him that you could hear his heart pounding in his chest over the absolute silence of the empty building. Or maybe that was your heart…

“Mhm, of course I trust you.” You laughed breathlessly, like it was a stupid question. Because ti was a stupid question. 

You stepped inside and Daniel immediately followed, locking the door behind him. 

You watched him curiously as he grabbed your hand again and led you down the darkened halls of the office. 

“What exactly are we doing here?” You questioned, looking around at all of the dark cubicles and offices. You weren’t sure how much he’d thought this through, but the idea of sneaking around with him was too exciting to bail on. 

“I couldn’t get what you told me out of my head.” Daniel stated, still guiding you with a purpose, obviously having a destination in mind. 

“And that was?” 

Daniel didn’t answer, he just kept walking in a driven manner.

“Dan? What did I say?” You repeated. 

He finally stopped in front of a door and spun around, his honey brown eyes locking on yours. 

“You were told to stay away from me because I had a promising career and whenever I tangle with you, you cause trouble.” 

Oh. That. 

“See I don’t think that’s really true.” He threw a smirk your way as he dug into his pocket again, fishing out another key. 

You turned your head and looked up at the door you stood in front of, his plan suddenly clicking into place when you read the badge on the door. 

Christian Horner 

Team Principal 

Your mouth fell open, absolutely floored and thrilled by the fact that he’d brought you here because Horner had said things that hurt you and he couldn’t really openly get back at his boss for that. 

Daniel unlocked the door and swung it open, not seeming to mind when it hit against the doorstop on the wall behind the door. 

“Really because I think this is proving his point.” You breathed, letting out another astonished laugh. 

“Nah.” He shook his head and stepped into the office. “I think I’m the one that causes trouble.” He reached Christian’s desk, whirling around to face you as he sat on the edge of it, grinning wildly. 

You swallowed thickly, the threshold to the office feeling like another line you were crossing, another decision point. 

But when he looked you over from head to toe and then back up, a lazy lust filled smirk on his face, his backwards hat basically taunting you and then patted his thigh, the decision making center of your brain signed off.

You stride into the office, blindly slamming the door shut behind you. Daniel’s eyes light up. 

Once you reach him you climb onto his lap, straddling his lap, throwing your arms around his neck. Daniel practically “catches” you, like he was anticipating exactly what you were about to do. His hands grab your waist and pull you down onto him eagerly as your lips crash against his, the kiss desperate and messy. You needed this. You had been getting through each day only to get to the next time you could be with him like this. 

Daniel wastes no time in pulling your shirt off, the kiss only breaking when he pulls it over your head. You move to reciprocate, grabbing the hem of his oversized shirt and he lifts his arms to assist. When you pull it off, his hat comes off with it and falls to the desk. He doesn’t seem to think about it at all, until you grab it and place it back on his head, backwards as it was before. 

Daniel leans forward and presses his forehead against yours and then raises a brow at you in question.

“Backwards hat Danny is my favorite Danny.” You admit, smoothing your hands down his chiseled chest muscles. They move up and down with his chest as he laughs.

“Good to know, I’m going to remember that” He smirked cockily. 

“Don’t let it go to your head.” 

“Too late.” He grins and you shake your head, diving back in to kiss him again, this time your hands working on the button of his tight, torn jeans, though struggling with focus as his teeth clamp down on your lip, causing you to shudder in pleasure. His hands mirror yours, unbuttoning your jeans hastily. He moves to slip in hand down the front of your pants, but before he can, you’re up and off his lap, dropping to your knees in between his legs. 

You could see he needed reassurance the entire night and now was your chance to give it to him. 

Daniel’s eyes glaze over with lust, his mouth dropping open slightly as he helps you by kicking his pants off, leaving him in just his boxer briefs, his impressive length straining against them. You pull his cock out slowly, and pump it, the heaviness in your hand making you throb between your legs. 

You lick him slowly from base to tip, dragging your tongue in a wide flat stripe and he kisses lowly in response, his hips squirming impatiently. 

Before you can do much else, Daniel’s hand is on the back of your head, pushing your mouth down onto his throbbing cock. You comply eagerly, letting him fist your hair to hold you in place and then thrust up into your mouth, hitting the back of your throat, causing your eyes to water. 

“Fuuuck, always such a good girl for me aren’t you?” Daniel soothes as he thrusts into your waiting mouth again, causing you to whimper loudly. 

“Didn’t want to have to be so rough with you babe, but it seems like I have to remind you who this mouth belongs to hmm?” His words nearly destroy you. His breath quickens slightly as he thrusts up again, this time holding himself in the back of your throat. When he pulls back out your spit is dripping down your chin, his cock wet and slick with it. 

You whine in protest to his words. It was a bad idea. 

Daniel pulls you off of him roughly, his hand still in your hair tilting your head back to make you look up at him from where you knelt, your cheeks damp with tears and smeared makeup. 

“You don’t think I need to remind you?” 

You shake your head. 

“Then why were you kissing someone else tonight?” He spits out the words like they taste bad. 

You have no response. You open your mouth and close it again, trying to form a coherent retort. 

“He kissed me.” You blurt. 

Daniel rolls his eyes like he’s heard it before, waving you off dismissively. 

“Let me apologize.” You beg, trying to move your head back down the tip of his dick. Your head doesn’t budge, he doesn’t loosen his grip. “Please Danny? Let me show you how sorry I am.” You give him your best puppy dog eyes. 

“You’re going to be the fucking death of me…” Daniel groans, his hand limply falling from your hair. You bite back a grin as you lean down, gripping the base of him and taking him into your mouth, swirling your tongue around the tip before going down on him. 

“Shit…” He exhales lowly, shaking his head in disbelief as you pick up the pace, letting soft moans and whimpers out as the throbbing between your legs gets worse and worse. 

You hollow your cheeks and hum and Daniel nearly leaps to standing, the vibrations causing him to moan several swears loudly. You move with him, simply sitting up more on your knees in order to keep sucking him off as he stands in front of you. His hand is on the back of your head again, but it doesn’t press you so much as encourage and guide you. 

“Fuck, just like that, it’s so goo- Fuck! I love your mouth so much” Daniel groans and pants, his eyes now fluttered shut, head dropped back. You glimmer and beam under the rays of his praise, it only encourages you. 

His legs tremble and his shudders before taking a step backwards as he inhales and then exhales slowly, as if trying to get himself in check. 

When his eyes open again, he bends down to where you’re kneeling and grabs you buy the waist, lifting you up and then nearly tossing you onto Christian’s clear glass desk on your back. He quickly discards your underwear and spreads your legs apart roughly. 

“How was my apology?” You smile up at him, causing him to slow down for a moment and look down at you. 

Daniel’s focused expression quickly fades and he breaks into a breathless laugh. 

“Too good. You almost ended the night before I got to the purpose of us being here.” He gestures to the desk you’re spread across. 

“The purpose being to fuck on Horner’s desk?” You clarify, only because you want to hear him say it. 

“Yes, exactly. I thought that was self explanatory when I put you on the desk. Y’know before you stopped me from fucking you with all of your questions.” Daniel teases.

“Right.” You giggle.  “Sorry, please continue with your angry, rough and manly revenge fuck.” 

Daniel looks at you in utter disbelief before dropping his forehead just below your breasts and laughing in defeat. 

“What?! I’m supportive!” You cry out, giggles still in your words. 

When he lifts his head again and props himself back up on his arms and looks at you, his eyes look softer. Gentler. You can see the wheels turning in his head for a moment. 

“Alright, there’s a new purpose now.” He says and before you can ask, dipping his head to kiss you. The kiss takes you by surprise. It’s firm, but slower, deeper, like he is really savoring every second of it. As he kisses you, you feel him line himself up with your entrance, just barely touching you. 

Daniel breaks off the kiss to look down at you expectantly, holding himself up on one forearm. You nod and then remember just as he opens his mouth that he’s about to ask you to be verbal. 

“Please.” You beg, wrapping your legs around his waist. He smirks at you as if he’s proud of you for knowing exactly what he was about to ask you. 

As he begins to push into you, you arch your back, the burn of him stretching you feeling so incredibly perfect. When he’s fully inside you, you open your eyes. He was already looking at you. 

“What’s the…new purpose hmm?” You breathe, trying to figure out what the look on his face was portraying. 

“To show you how sorry I am.” Daniel says simply, before pulling out and thrusting back into you, his groan drown out by your loud gasp of pleasure. You tried to process his words, but it was hard to think clearly as he thrusted into you again, causing your eyes to squeeze shut briefly. 

When his words finally click, they feel heavy. Big. Meaningful.  You gently knock his hat off to get it out of the way and then interlace your hands on his neck, just at the base of his head to hold his gaze on you. Not that you needed to, he hadn’t looked away from you once…

“Sorry for what Daniel?” You ask, your eyes searching his. He stills and gives you a half smile. 

“For what happened right outside this office. Two years ago.” He nods his head once towards the hallway. 

You can’t breathe or think or form any words. You simply blink up at him. 

What? That’s it? He’s just sorry for the way everything started? 

“W-what did you just say?” You stammer. 

“I want to show you how sorry I am for the way I treated you when we first met.” Daniel repeats himself clearly, his eyes looking genuinely apologetic. 

“It won’t- … it doesn’t change anything.” You state, dropping your hands and averting your eyes. 

“I know it doesn’t. But will you let me?” You can feel his gaze on you, waiting patiently for you to meet his eyes again. When you don’t respond he drops his forehead to yours and his hand blindly finds yours, interlacing your fingers. 

“Please?” Daniel whispers. 

You’re not sure if he can read the panic in your mind. If he apologizes for this, what's next? The article? And then what is there to ensure you continue to hate him? Nothing. And if there’s nothing making you hate him then…then…

“Yes.” You whisper back before you let yourself think about it too much, not missing the huge exhale he lets out as soon as you say it. His fingers squeeze yours tightly as he kisses you again, this time the kiss feels full of gratitude and relief. 

Daniel drops his mouth to your neck, kissing the spot just below your ear affectionately as he drags himself out of you slowly and then thrusts back into so hard you’re seeing stars, a loud moan involuntarily ripping from your throat. 

He picks up his rhythm, his other hand wrapping around your waist and lifting your ass up off the glass to drive into you even deeper. Each time he rams himself into you, you feel that tightening in your stomach getting closer and closer to snapping, pleasure spiraling out through every limb without much of a second to recover before he does it again. 

“You take me so good don’t you?” Daniel grunted, glancing down at where your bodies joined and groaning at the sight. “I fit so perfectly inside you, it’s like this pussy was made for me hm?” 

You nod desperately, silently hoping he’ll keep talking. 

“Do you have any idea how much I beat myself up for being such an asshole and wasting two goddamn years? Two years I could have been buried inside you like this?” Daniel hissed, his tone angry and disgusted at himself. 

“Fuck, Danny…” You panted, trying to find the words in the fog of pleasure and him. “I’m gonna-”

His arm unraveled from your waist and his hand reached in between you, his thumb finding your clit in what had to be record time.

“Oh my god! H-how do you do that?!” You whine, your back arching and hips squirming. 

“Do what?” He chuckled, moving his fingers in the way that you can’t replicate (you’d tried) again. 

“That!” You gasped, the hand that was still intertwined in his squeezing hard. He squeezed back and you were done for, your orgasm wracking your body with blinding waves of white hot pleasure, yet again reminding you that you underestimate Daniel’s abilities to make you come. 

“Fuckfuckfuck.” Daniel swore, his rhythm faltering. “You feel so fucking good, never had anyone that felt this good…” he praised in your ear as he came, his body shuddering above you.

You winced slightly as Daniel pulled out of you, the sheer size of him always stretching you. He collapsed halfway on the desk, halfway on you, half of his chest on yours, his arm draped across you as he seemed to refuse to let go of your hand. 

“How’re ya goin?” Daniel finally spoke. You opened your eyes to find him looking at you fondly, with his snapback placed firmly on his head again, backwards of course. 

You laughed, simply because you couldn't help it, you were surrounded by too many things that made you smile. 

“If you think I’m not going to use every weapon in my arsenal to make you start to like me then you don’t know me at all.” Daniel grinned, pointing to his snapback. 

“I hope for your sake that you have a lot more weapons then.” You huff out a laugh. 

“Nah, I don’t think I need ‘em. You don’t even realize I’ve broken down your first level of defense.” 

If only it was just the first level….

Taglist:

@its-astrotea-love

@thatchickwiththecamera

@stelena-klayley

@fkrause

@bekindbecoolbeyou

@theduchessinme

@sugardontbesweet

@breadsquash

@danielricciardhoes

@i-love-thetragicallybeautiful

@reallydeadpoet

@hotmenfastcars

@picturethosesmiles

@happyselves

@itsmycorneroftheinternet

@frenchyjuju

@alphalib22

@formulathot

@fandomwallflower

@justaddicted

@spngi

@207am

@holy-macncheese-balls

@mlhunt703

@the-lazy-leprechaun

@mk15x

@j-onathan-carnahan

@japanesekel

@take-me-around-town

@shay161192

@intotheabyss-posts

@mishaandthebrits

@take-me-around-town

@taecallsmenoona

@quotessharry

@hayleyy-l

@pancakesonacow

@danielsmonzawin

@filmbysainz

@vinvantae

@c-tangerine

@springpoppies

[iliveformanyfictionalcharacters]

I just read the grease fanfic, it’s amazing! Could you write where Danny and Sandy takes care of Putzie who is not feeling well. Like he has a fever, he’s shriving?

Yes I can! And I'm sorry for the wait, my classes just started back up. The only time I have free is night time. In fact, its 2:22 am rn. Anyways enjoy!

Fever

Summary: Putzie is extremely sick and after trying to tough it out he seeks help from Danny and Sandy.

Warnings: Cussing, Fever. Puking

Fandom: Grease

 “Sandy-yyy” Danny called from his living room couch.

 “Yes-ssss~” She called back in a singsong voice. Danny’s parents were out again leaving the house free for date night. He held up the tv remote when she poked her head from the doorway,”The programs about to start.”

 Sandy shook her head and hurried back into the kitchen waiting for the popcorn to pop on the stove, grabbing two cups and filling them up with soda.

 Pop! Pop! Pop! Ding!

“Popcorns done! Just give me a few seconds to get a bowl.”

 Danny didn't answer, already watching the program, something about a ghost and a bracelet, he wasn't sure. While Sandy was bustling around in the kitchen getting miffed that Danny wasn't helping her, the phone hanging on the wall next to her rang. 

 She sighed and hoped it wasn't his parents. “Hello?”

“Hey San.” There was a lot of coughing.

 “Putz?”

-

 When Putzie woke up this morning he knew something was wrong, the ich in his throat told him all he needed to know. He didn't expect the feeling to get any worse, that is, until he sat up in bed swinging his legs over the mattress and was hit with the most excruciating head pain he had ever felt. 

 Stumbling, Putzie quickly grabbed his nightstand and sat back down the lamp shaking from the sudden movement.

 Damn, he thought. This isn't how I wanted to spend my saturday.

 The pain in his head did not subside at all, only seemed to be getting worse. His eyes started to almost vibrate from the pain and suddenly he felt an awful feeling come over him. He stood up and ran to the bathroom trying to ignore the pain it caused him, and emptied his dinner into the toilet.

 Great, my throat, my head and now my stomach. What's next?

 Putzie tried ignoring the pain as much as he could, slowly dragging himself to the sink to brush his teeth. He didn't even try to shower that morning or even brush his hair. He continued to drag himself to the kitchen but the thought of eating anything made him feel nauseous all over again, instead getting a glass of water. He filled it up as much as he could so he wouldn't have to get up again soon.

 His parents were gone, at work as usual. 

 What kind of house doesn't have tylenol?

 He sighed and forced himself to sit on the couch wrapped in a thick blanket, even though his skin was burning to the touch. 

 For a few hours he slept through the effects of his illness until-

 Ring! Ring! Ring!

 The damned phone rang.

 Puztie thought of ignoring it but he knew he couldn't incase is was his parents checking in. As soon as he opened his eyes he felt the awful chills running in his bones seemilying going though every organ in his body. His skin felt boiling and his mouth felt full of cotton, even his eyes were crusted over a bit. 

 While walking over to the phone every step sent pain through his entire body. Finally he made it, answering the phone and sitting on the floor in an attempt to soothe some pain.

 “Hey man? Putz, what's up? You ditched our plans for the movie.” Oh shit.

 “Doody man I’m sorry I forgot. I woke up sick this morning. I feel like someone is running a knife through my insides.” His best friend talking directly into his ear definitely wasn't helping his head pain. 

 “Damn, that sounds awful. Do you need anything?” The sound Putzie made as an answer told him no. “Well look i'm going to be busy helping my old man later but if you need anything call Danny. He’s free tonight.”

 “Alright, thanks. Bye.”

 “Bye,drink water!”

 Putzie hadn't realized just how bad his condition had gotten until he reached up to put the phone on the remover, closing his eyes in the process, losing consciousness right after. His head bobbed down to his shoulder while his back stayed pressed against the wall. 

 When Putzie woke up again he swore he could have been in Hell. His insides are cold, the kind of cold that makes you filled with anxiety, his skin burning and pressed against the cold floor making him twitch in pain. His throat felt closed up and he couldn't see clearly out of his eyes. Now he was no doctor but he was pretty sure this wasn't a stomach bug.

 He tried pulling himself off the ground barely making it, trying not to succumb to the pain coursing through his body he found his full glass of water and downed it. With his throat feeling a little better he went back to the phone not sitting down this time. It rang for a few seconds before being answered.

 “Hello?”

 He wanted to tell her what was wrong but he only managed to get out “Hey San.” before breaking into a coughing fit that made his stomach feel like it exploded. 

 “Putz?”

-

 By the time Danny and Sandy had gotten to Putzies house he was already wrapped back into his blanket and half asleep on the couch. 

 The two had let themselves into his house packing a bag of supplies they thought may help, Danny locked the door behind him while Sandy went to find Putzie.

 “Oh my goodness!”

Danny rushed into the living room after hearing Sandys outburst, before he could ask what was wrong he saw for himself. Putzie was about 3 shades paler than usual except for his cheeks which were about 3 shades redder. An empty glass sat next to him on the floor.

 “Hey man, Putz.” He gently shook him awake. Putzie opened his eyes, groaning about the light being too bright. 

 “Hey Sandys getting some stuff ready, we’ll get you back to normal in no time.”

 Just in time, Sandy walked in with a new glass of water and two Tylenol pills. After handing him both she pulled a damp rag from her elbow crease and laid it onto his head. The rag was cool with water.

 “Bless you, you angel.” Putzie said with a grin.

 “Look at you, already getting your humor back.” Sandy said smiling. 

 For a moment there was silence. Danny sat in a chair next to the couch and Sandy sat on the love seat.

 “So what were you guys doing before this?” Putzie asked.

 “Just a movie date, nothing important.” Sandy answered. 

 “Oh I didn't mean to interpret, Doody said you were free.” He felt sort of guilty now.

 Danny spoke, “Don’t be like that. Your health is more important. Now get comfortable and we’ll watch something together.” 

 It took about 5 minutes before Putzie was out like a light, Danny got up to sit next to Sandy.

 “Well guess we're having our movie date here.” He said making Sandy giggle.

[starryeyedrookie]

Before It’s Too Late (Ethan x MC)

Book: Set during book 2 ch. 11.

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x MC (Evelyn Long)

Word count: 1,996

Rating: General

Category: Angst

Summary: An attack scene rewrite when Ethan spends the night with MC.

A/N: Characters and some dialogue owned by Pizelberry.

I finally decided how I was going to write this rewrite. Initially I was trying to do a full chapter rewrite but half way through, I was already at 3k+ words so it would be waaaay to long. Thankfully, I managed to summarize it but also give it a ton of angst. (This was my first time writing angst btw.) I hope you enjoy!

8:30 pm

It's been exactly five hours since the attack. Five excruciatingly long hours since Evelyn’s world was turned upside down.

Travis, Senator Ed’s assistant, had slowly been poisoning him with lead. When they went to confront him, he pulled out a can and sprayed everyone in the room with a deadly unknown substance.

The Senator managed to escape and Travis was dead. But so was Bobby, with Danny fighting for his life.

Evelyn begins to cry again as she thinks about Bobby’s wife and two kids that he left behind. They would now have to grow up without their dad. He would miss so many big milestones in their lives all because of two selfish people.

“E-Evelyn…?” a weak voice calls from across the room.

She walks over to the bed where Raf is lying down, a light sheen of sweat covering his pale face.

The team had come a little while ago with a shot that they had hoped would slow the progression of their symptoms, but Raf’s still seemed to be getting worse.

“What’s wrong?” he asks quietly, gently wiping the tears from her face.

“I was just… thinking about Bobby’s family and… everything that he… would miss. He was… just telling me… this morning that… his oldest daughter is turning sixteen this year…”

“I know… life isn’t fair. They didn’t deserve any of this.”

“You didn’t either, Raf.”

“But I saved you from having to suffer so much… and that’s what matters.”

“Raf…”

“Shh… listen, I feel… like I’m… getting worse. Will you… do me a favour?”

“Of course. Anything you need.”

“Please help me call my vovo.”

Evelyn hands Raf his phone to unlock, then scrolls through his contacts until she sees his grandmother’s name, tapping it, she places the phone to his ear.

“Olá, vovo.”

“No… I’m not well. There was an attack at the hospital today and the Senator’s assistant tried to kill him. A few people were in the room when it happened. The Senator escaped, but his assistant and one person that works here died and the other is in critical condition. Evelyn and I are in quarantine right now.”

“I just wanted to let you know… that if I… don’t make it… I love you with all my heart.”

“Alright, take care. I love you too.”

“Thank you, Evelyn.” he takes a shaky breath, his heart rate slowing and growing more shallow.

“Evelyn… I think you should… call the team… I'm sorry I couldn't save you… that this… might be the way it ends…” he murmurs, eyes meeting hers, as warm and kind as the day they met.

Taking his hand, she can barely see him through her tears.

“You'll make it through this Raf… I know you will…”

He smiles up at her before his eyes flutter closed and his hand falls away.

Moments later Ethan and June rush into the room.

“I’d hoped that the treatment would buy us more time,” Ethan says sadly.

“We don’t know that it didn’t.” Evelyn tries reassuring him.

He nods as June’s eyes fill with sympathy.

“We’ll get him to the support suite. There’s still a chance that we could fix this Evelyn.” June tells her, as she prepares Rafael for transport.

Evelyn’s almost too scared to ask, but she needs to know. “How’s Danny?”

“We… we lost him.” Ethan’s voice comes out in a whisper.

“No…”

“Before he died he… he asked to be autopsied. To help the two of you.”

As Ethan turns to help June, Evelyn reports Raf’s most recent symptom of hot cold reversal.

“Stay strong, Evelyn. We’ll know more soon.” June tells her reassuringly as she and Ethan slowly push Raf out of the room.

Now she’s all alone, curled up on her bed, the pressure in her head becoming almost too much to bear.

Her mind drifts to Danny. She remembers her first day when he was the one that told her that she had just performed a thoracotomy with Ethan Ramsey. The night of the party her roommates had when he and Sienna talked all night until they fell asleep together on the couch.

Sienna. All Evelyn wanted to do was rush to her side and hold her. She and Danny were supposed to be together. They were meant for each other. But how he was gone, and Sienna would have to live with that loss. She probably never even got to say goodbye.

Goodbye. Evelyn had to be prepared.

Picking up her phone, she sees that she has several missed calls and messages.

Calling her mom, she picks up immediately.

“Evelyn sweetie! Are you okay?! Oh my goodness, we saw what happened on the news and I thought we lost you!”

Hearing her mom’s voice, her tears start falling again.

“I’m hanging in there right now mom. It’s just me in the room now. Rafael just got taken to the support suite.”

“Oh, sweetie…”

“Mom… is everyone there?”

“Yes, honey. We’re all here.”

“Can you put me on speaker please?”

“Hey Evey.” she hears her dad’s voice say.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hi Evelyn, do they know what it is yet?

“Hi Ben, no they don’t. We got a shot earlier that was supposed to slow the progression of the symptoms, but we don’t have a cure yet.”

“Oh.”

“Listen, guys… if I don’t make it…”

“No Evelyn! You can’t say that!” her heart breaks as she hears Ben crying through the phone.

“Wait… just listen to me. I’m preparing for the worst. I want you guys to know… that I love you all so much. And I want to thank you for everything that you’ve done to help me fulfill my dreams.”

Aside from the sound of soft cries, the line is silent.

Finally, her dad speaks up.

“We love you too sweetie. Stay strong and hang in there. You’ll be fine.”

“I’ll try… take care.”

“Bye.”

Later, her friends and the diagnostics team are gathered outside her window. Bryce looks at her with haunted eyes while a crying Sienna buries her face in Jackie’s shoulder.

“How’s Kyra? The surgery must be over by now…”

“She’s fine and resting. We haven’t told her what happened yet.”

“Good idea.”

“So, do you know what it is yet?”

Ethan explains to her that it’s a maitotoxin that he had never seen before. It was still present in Danny’s bony postmortem and on the surface of his skin.

Processing the information, the realization hits Evelyn like a ton of bricks.

“Maitotoxin… that’s derived from parasites in fish, isn’t it? But… there’s no antidote so… I’m going to die here…” her voice now barely a whisper. “I can’t believe this. Today was supposed to be happy. Kyra was supposed to have a successful surgery and everything was supposed to be fine… but now Danny’s dead, Raf is in a coma, and I’m… I’m…” Evelyn buries her face in her hands as she begins to cry.

“Now isn’t the time to give up hope Evelyn. Because of Raf’s actions, you didn’t get much in your system so your symptoms aren’t as advanced. There may not be an antidote as yet, but I promise you that we’ll be working round-the-clock to synthesize one.” Ethan tries to sound as confident as he can, his heart breaking to see Evelyn hurting.

“You won’t be alone.”

Everyone turns around to see that the statement had come from Tobias, as he, and several Mass Kenmore doctors approached them, all prepared to do whatever it takes.

As everyone heads down to the lab, Ethan lingers behind at the window.

“Are you okay, Ethan?”

“No, Evelyn, I’m not okay. But you don’t need to hear about that. You should try and get some rest. Have you slept at all?”

“No. I can’t stop thinking about Rafael. How long he can last… whether… whether it’s already…”

“…Do you want me to stay for a while?”

“Yes, please. If this is my last night alive, I want to spend it with you.”

���If I was in your position, I’d feel the same way about you.”

“Really?”

“Really, Evelyn.”

Suiting up and entering the room, he gently guides her to the bed.

“Now lie down. I know it sounds impossible, but I need you to relax and try to think about something happy.”

As she lies down, Ethan gently pulls up the covers around her.

“Something happy like what it would be like if we went on a date?”

“If that’s what makes you happy then sure.”

Her happiness leaves as quickly as it came.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just feel like there are so many things that I should have done.”

“Like what?”

“I should have loved more.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve spent the last decade focusing on college, med school, work, always guarding my heart because I might be in another city the next year. It makes me wonder… what could have been,” she confesses sadly.

Ethan is quiet for a long moment.

“Since we’re sharing regrets, do you mind if I share one of mine?”

“Go ahead.”

Reaching across, Ethan’s gloved hand finds hers.

“I wish I hadn’t asked you to stay away.”

“You do?” she asks surprised.

“We’ve wasted so much time. I’ve wasted so much time. I should have held you in my arms every day and told you how much I… how much I love you.”

“Ethan?”

“Shh… I just needed you to know… that no matter what happens… I love and care about you more than I can ever tell you.”

“I love you too, Ethan.”

“You do?”

“Of course! I thought you knew that already.”

“I did. It’s just so wonderful to hear you say it.”

“I wish I could kiss you.”

“Soon. You will soon.”

Joining her on the bed, he wraps his bulky arms around her as eyes begin to flutter closed.

“Evelyn? Can you please look at me?”

“Hmm?”

Forcing her eyes open, she looks at him through his helmet.

“Promise me that you’ll keep fighting. That you won’t give up. Oh, Evelyn… our story’s only just begun and it can’t end here. Please… please promise me.”

“…I… promise,” she whispers before falling asleep.

The next morning she wakes up to excruciating pain in her stomach. Doubling over, Ethan reaches across from the chair for her.

“It’s okay Evelyn, you’ll be alright!”

Feeling weaker than ever, she can barely make out the blurry figures running to her window.

“Evelyn! We did it!” Aurora shouts.

“Huh?”

Baz and June enter the room with the antidote as Tobias explains how they did it.

“What about Raf? He’s much sicker than I am…”

“We administered it to him, but too far there’s been no chance. It’s possible we’re already too late.” Sienna gloomily reveals.

“But he hasn’t gotten any worse, that has to mean something!” Elijah adds.

As Ethan gently injects the serum into her vein, he whispers into her ear.

“Hang in there, Evelyn.”

Over the next several anxious hours, June comes regularly to take her blood.

Slowly, her blood pressure stabilizes and the nausea begins to fade.

As Evelyn looks around, she realizes that the room no longer looks blurry.

“Get up.”

She turns around to see a hazmat suit free Ethan stroll into the room with a big smile on his face.

“You mean…”

“It worked. There’s no trace of toxin left in your bloodstream. Even if there are still traces in the room, we know now that we can-”

“Oh!”

Evelyn flies into Ethan's arms pulling him into a tight hug.

“…What you’re saying is I’m finally free to do this?”

“Yes. This too.”

He leans down capturing her lips in a passionate kiss as tears fall down both of their faces.

“Ethan, aren’t you worried that someone will see?”

“No. After almost losing you, I’ve decided that there are more important things to worry about than what people will think. I love you with all my heart, Evelyn Long.”

Through her tears, she smiles up at him.

“I love you too, Ethan.”

{Two Weeks Later}

Taglist: @mercury84choices @a-crepusculo @emmasumbrella @quixoticdreamer16 @headoverheelsforramsey @mm2305 @adiehardfan @schnitzelbutterfingers

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesbookclub

Please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed❤️

[archaeopter-ace]

Ectober Day 30 - Crow

    The boatman bent to listen and then shook his head.     “No,” he said. “If she comes, he has to stay.”     Will said, “That’s not right. We don’t have to leave part of ourselves behind. Why should Lyra?”     “Oh, but you do,” said the boatman. “It’s her misfortune that she can see and talk to the part she must leave. You will not know until you are on the water, and then it will be too late. But you all have to leave that part of yourselves here. There is no passage to the land of the dead for such as him.”

        - Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass

 They didn’t know what to make of her, at first.

They didn’t even know she was there at the very beginning. She must have appeared when Danny first turned back into a human after stumbling out of the Portal, but there had been rather A Lot to process at the time so the sudden manifestation of a small animal in the cluttered Fenton lab would have easily gone overlooked.

It was only later, when Danny was settling into bed and a scruffy-looking iguana climbed in after him and settled on top of the covers like it belonged there, that he realized the Accident had affected him even more than he thought.

(Specifically, he thought the Accident had messed with his mind and caused him to hallucinate a talking lizard, which for a few brief moments had been something of a relief, because maybe he had imagined the rest of it as well…? Ouranía soon set him straight.)

The next morning, she was a mouse, and had to be coaxed out of hiding. She didn’t know exactly what she was, either, or why she could shapeshift. In fact, she knew exactly as much as Danny did.

They figured out their new bond together, with the help of Tucker and Sam. They learned quickly that it felt wrong if anyone but Danny touched Ouranía, deeply, viscerally wrong. They learned she needed neither food nor drink, but that she slept whenever Danny did. They learned that she could travel a hundred yards away from Danny before the distance began to feel overwhelming and she darted back to his side, fast as she could fly.

Danny couldn’t explain why it felt so right to have her by his side, perched on his shoulder in crow form, as had become her norm, preening his hair with her beak as she suggested new ways to prank Dash.

Ouranía had existed for merely a handful of days and it felt like he’d known her his whole life, so it was absolutely terrifying the first time he went ghost after his accident and she disappeared.

When he transformed back, panicked, she reappeared out of thin air, much as she must have done that first time. The feathers on her neck and throat stood up like hackles, and she clacked her beak in agitation.

Unlike their shared memories of the time before the Accident, before she existed, Ouranía had no memory, no awareness of what Danny had been up to when he was a ghost.

Which should have been a clue.

[linebreak]

The Specter Speeder was a marvel of technology, but it was as-yet untested. The only person who’d ever gone into the Ghost Zone was Danny, and he was, well, Danny. Still, the Fenton parents believed that the Speeder would keep a human safe while exploring the Zone, and Danny was in trouble and needed their help. In the end, it wasn’t a difficult decision.

Everything about the green swirling vortex sent alarm bells ringing through Sam’s mind. Moving forwards, towards it – a fear gripped her heart, painfully sharp, and she would have turned back except Danny needed her, they had to keep going.

The Specter Speeder should have kept them safe, but something was wrong, there was a wrenching agony in her heart. It was mental anguish, it was shame and guilt and vulnerability; it was the worst feeling she had ever felt.

Seconds passed in eons, and then they were on the other side, in a bizarre world of green mist and doors. Gradually, she acclimated to the feeling inside her, that of being torn somehow, like something was missing. Naively, she chalked it up to the spooky atmosphere, and pushed the mission to the forefront of her mind. Danny was in trouble, and they didn’t have time for ‘heebie-jeebies.’

She was able to successfully dismiss the feeling right up until they got back through the portal, and saw the horse and lemur waiting for them.

[utterlyinevitable]

Hi! I really like your fics! Especially 'The Conference'. I have a fic request: Ethan x MC revealed to only the gang - not the whole hospital. It's totally fine if you don't do it! Thanks for considering my request! 💞

Sorry for taking a million years to get to this. Also sorry that it’s trash ♥

Telling Friends

Paring: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Rebecca Lao) Rating: T+ Summary: It’s sometime after the toxin incident and Becca tells her roommates about her budding relationship. Though one of them has some issues with it... Trope: Fluff, People Find Out About Them; Platonic Gang 

________________________________________

Becca walked carefully into her apartment, immediately greeted by the sweet aroma of chocolate chip muffins and the sight of two of her roommates on their hideous, thrifted yellow couch that makes this place a home.

“Oh, good. You’re all here,” She sighed with a contented smile as she kicked off her shoes.

“Think we should be more shocked you’re here,” Jackie retorted, barely looking up from her phone.

Normally Becca would roll her eyes or respond with something snarky, but not today. Today the roommates had something to talk about; all of which revolved around why she’s barely been home lately.  

“Where’ve you been?” Elijah added, the whites of his teeth sparkling in the midday sunshine peering through the window.

“And in yesterday’s clothes,” Jackie followed up. 

“That’s what I wanted to talk about.” 

Becca dropped her bag and coat by the door before bounding across the room to take her place on the sofa between her two friends. 

“There’s something you guys should know. And I need you to keep it secret.” She glared pointedly at Jackie. 

“Did you pull a heist without us?”  

Elijah added, “Yeah because if so, no, I will never forgive you.” 

“No. I would never. It’s just…” Becca trailed, moving to settle further into the cushions. She took a deep readying breath. Exhaled. And continued; “Really sensitive and important, and I don’t want to do anything to screw it up. But I also don’t want to keep sneaking around…” 

“Are you back with Raf?” Jackie questioned with a raised eyebrow. “Since he kind of imploded his life for you?” 

After the incident, Rafael Aviero broke things off with his childhood sweetheart because of the lingering feelings he still harbored for her. Now he wasn’t moving away, he didn’t have Sora, and he didn’t have... 

“Um… no,” Becca responded, looking down at the cushion. 

Before her guilt could set in fully, the room erupted in a high-pitched, delighted squeal. 

“Oh my god!” Sienna rounded the kitchen island quickly, her battered hands clasping around the wooden spoon, “Really!?” 

“What?” Jackie asked at the same time Elijah questioned, “What’re we missing?” 

The two girls locked eyes and Becca made the slightest of confirming motions. 

Becca took a deep inhale, eyes never leaving Sienna’s. The absolute delight in her best friend’s dark eyes were giving her all the courage she needed. “I’ve been spending a lot of time at Ethan’s. We’ve been dating for a while.” 

“Since when?” 

“The memorial, basically.” 

“Shit,” Jackie lamented. “I’m happy for you, Bec. But damn” - a coy smirk appeared on her lips - “No wonder that guy’s been friendlier than usual.” 

“Finally!” Elijah exclaimed in a rush of air, like it was a breath he’s been holding in for far too long. All three pairs of eyes were on him. “Sienna and I caught Dr. Ramsey leaving the morning after her hearing.” 

Jackie’s jaw dropped past the floor and into the basement. 

The rest of the gang brought her up to speed on how that ended up happening and how no one knew Ramsey slept over, and of course the unfortunate ending to that tale.  

“How’s that going to work?” 

“Strictly professional at the hospital.” Becca affirmed the sentiment with a flippant wave of her hands and the smallest of smiles. “Nothing’s going to change.” 

“Except for how soft he is around you.” 

“He’s not soft on me. If anything he’s harsher with me because of our relationship.” 

The roommates talked more about the logistics of her relationship and how often Ethan will be staying over. Jackie set some ground rules for that, to which Becca rolled her eyes and agreed they would never ever have sex anywhere other than her bedroom when in the apartment. 

When the conversation waned Becca asked; 

“I was thinking about inviting him to Thanksgiving. Unless that’d be weird?” 

Elijah chuckled, “It’ll definitely be weird.”

Sienna waved him off and grabbed her friend’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “We’d be happy to have him, Becca.” 

The two girls shared a moment. It wasn’t a question that Sienna was overjoyed at Becca’s happiness - this was everything they’ve been dreaming about happening since early intern year. Though there was something quite bittersweet - Becca got a second chance with Ethan, while Sienna will never know what could have been. In their tightened grip neither could forget Danny. 

Becca’s lips parted, about to whisper condolences and affirmations that things are going to get better. But Elijah spoke first;  

“Getting to know Dr. Ramsey will be a real treat. Think he’d be down to watch the MCU in succession?”

As she turned towards him a broad smile took over Becca’s features. “As long as there’s scotch I’m sure he’ll be fine.” 

“I can’t believe you’ve been sneaking around with him.” Jackie lamented once more.  

“What’s Dr. Ramsey even like outside the hospital? He doesn’t seem like fun.” 

“Ethan’s a lot -” 

Aurora emerged, cutting Becca off with a disbelieving, “You’re dating Dr. Ramsey?”  

Something in her new friend’s tone threw Becca off kilter. So much so she threw up walls as quick and high as could be, ready to defend defend defend. She was afraid of her friends not taking to the news and Aurora’s tone really confirmed Becca’s worst fears. 

“Uh, yeah,” was all she could respond. 

“Gross. I’m happy for you but... gross. Are we forgetting he dated my aunt for years?” 

“Oh shit. Yeah,” Elijah muttered from the sidelines.  

Quickly Becca added, “They were never serious.” 

She was going to say ‘in love’ but thought better of it. She loves him dearly and knows he feels the same way, but they haven’t said it yet. The first time she uses that word next to his name it should be to him and him alone.  

The retort was swift and icy, “Are you?” 

Aurora didn’t anticipate the answer, she knew her friend and thought this was just another one of her impulses. Becca had a tendency to bounce from interest to interest, heart to heart; and after everything that’s happened recently maybe she’s just finding comfort in the man who kept her alive. 

Both sets of deep coffee-colored eyes met, both Aurora and Becca’s features schooled so stoic and unwavering in their position. A simple “Yes” dancing off Becca’s tongue. The word accompanied by the splendid thought that Ethan Ramsey was hers. 

Aurora Emery didn’t miss the tug of a smile tugging at the corners of Becca’s mouth.  

“Fine,” she conceded. “I’ll support you, but this is weird as fuck.”

***

Later that evening Aurora was in her room, sitting on her bed with a textbook in her lap. A knock sounded from her ajar door, and not a few seconds later Becca’s head peeked through the crack.  

“Hey, can we talk?” 

Aurora shut the book. “I think we need to.” 

She shifted on the bed to make room at the foot among all her papers. 

Once settled, sitting cross-legged, Becca broke the small flits of tension. “I’m sorry this is weird for you.” 

“Thanks.” Aurora forced a small, reassuring smile. “I’m sorry about the outburst. I don’t know enough about your relationship to comment.” 

“I don’t know enough about their relationship,” Becca admitted shyly. She fiddled with her hands in her lap. “Ethan doesn’t really talk about it. Just that he appreciates and respects the fuck out of Dr. Emery.” 

“Aunt Harper didn’t talk about it either. All I know is what I’ve overheard and saw. They go way back - I remember them together before I got into med school.” 

They let that sink in for a moment. Becca chewed on her lip as she mindfully ran through the semi-apparent timeline. “So this is weird,” she stated. 

“Really weird,” Aurora agreed with a chortle.   

Some more time passed by on a pause. The two amicably working through this oddity in their lives. Both their thoughts taking them in many directions. Though Becca’s moving further and further into territory she knew Ethan never wanted to wander back through. 

“Was he around a lot?” she finally asked in the smallest of voices. 

If Aurora picked up on her friend’s insecurity she didn’t make it apparent.  

“Sometimes,” she began. “He’d spend some holidays and milestones with the family. I don’t think he ever enjoyed it. A bunch of doctors eating and drinking all the time, everyone knows how much he hates spending time with colleagues.” Aurora tried to brush the last remark off as a joke to lighten the mood. 

She could see the ghost of a smile hanging on Becca’s lips.  

“He went for her.” It wasn’t a question  

Aurora simply nodded. 

“He’s a good guy,” Becca sighed. She looked up at Aurora with the most lovestruck look the young Emery has ever encountered. Right then and there she knew that this certainly was not one of her friend’s whims. It was, and had, the power of a whole new universe. 

“What the two of you see in him I’ll never know,” Aurora scoffed in feigned mockery. 

Becca was just about to comment - to say just how much of a different man Ethan was to Dr. Ramsey - when Aurora added; 

“But you shouldn’t worry about me, you should probably talk to Bryce.” 

Becca’s eyes went wide and her jaw stiffened. 

If anyone was going to address the other blatantly obvious elephant in the friend group, Aurora realized, it had to be her. Might as well kill two birds with one stone whilst they buried the hatchet. 

“We all know you’ve been hooking up for a while.” 

If words could kill Aurora was certain she just decapitated Becca. The poor girl went stark and ghostly. It was as if she hadn’t even considered telling her booty call she’s seeing someone else. 

Aurora trailed, “I don’t know exactly what went down but...” 

Neither wanted her to break Bryce Lahela’s heart.   

___________________

@openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations 

Perma:

@lucy-268  @thegreentwin  @queencarb  @danijimenezv  @starrystarrytrouble   @terrm9 @interobanginyourmom @maurine07  @mercury84choices  @schnitzelbutterfingers  @the-pale-goddess @whimsicallywayward15  @mvalentine  @mm2305 @rookie-ramsey @drariellevalentine   @withbeautyandrage  @forallthatitsworth   @stateofgracious  @missmiimiie  @uneravine   @iemcpbchoices  @sophxwithers @therookie @quixoticdreamer16 @lsvdw-blog

Ethan:

@udishaman  @binny1985  @honeyandsunfl0wers @wingedhairstylemusicweasel @ohchoices  @dulceghernandez @blossomanarchy  @stygianflood  @caseyvalentineramsey @openheartthot @senseofduties  @tsrookie  @kalogh @aworldoffandoms  @takemyopenheart  @casey-v @ethanramseylover @a-crepusculo @randomperson111  @lilypills @anntoldst0ries @nix-grey  @aishaaaaaaah @estellaelysian @mysticaurathings @mayarambles

[lexosaurus]

Pink Astronaut

This is my secret santa gift for Anectoplasm on discord! Happy holidays, and I hope you enjoy!

Characters: Danny/Paulina Genre: Fluff Word Count: 4549 Summary: To Paulina's dismay, she and Danny Fenton must work together on their English final project.

Read on [ao3] [ffn]

---

It was Lancer’s fault, really. 

He assigned the class a partner-project for their final presentation, but being the annoying teacher he was, he had decided it was imperative that the students  were assigned to pairs of his choosing. Aka, no working with friends.

Paulina tried her best. Truly, she did. She batted her eyelashes and put on her most polite tone when she said, “Pretty please with extra whipped cream and a cherry on top, can I work with Star instead of Loser Fenton?” 

But, to her utter dismay, Mr. Lancer was a brick wall. No amount of wit nor charm could change his rubric, and so Paulina relented in a very much not dramatic final sigh as she resigned herself to be Danny Fenton’s English partner for the coming weeks.

Fenton was...well, he was weird. His parents hunted ghosts, he always slept through class, he was clumsy, and Paulina knew that in middle school Fenton was just like all the other boys who saw her as nothing more than a pretty face.

And that annoyed her to her core. She was a human, damn it! She had her own wishes and dreams and goals in life. Although she wasn’t vocal about it, she wanted to be a journalist when she was older. The kind that made it to shows like 60 Minutes, reporting on amazing stories from all around the world. She wanted to travel, she wanted to meet people, and she wanted to be the best at it. 

She was still a long way off from that now though. First, she needed to survive through this stupid English project with that weird nerd who had gone through a not-so-secret crush on her before.

Though, when she looked his way now, Fenton didn’t look all too thrilled to be partnered with her either.

She would have called it odd, but that had been their dynamic for a little over a year now. She guessed that Fenton finally got the hint and dropped his love struck puppy act. Maybe he and Sam had finally confessed their undying love to each other. 

It was probably for the best.

Fenton made no move towards her, instead choosing to stare dully into his notebook.

Paulina rolled her eyes and slid from her chair. She strode over to his desk, throwing a hand on her waist and looking down at him with an expression she knew would yield no arguments. “Alright, my house or yours?” 

“Huh?” Fenton said, recognizing a little too late that she was there.

“For the project? The one we were just assigned? Hello, Earth to Commander Fenton! My house or yours today?”

“Today?” Fenton blinked. “You wanna start today?”

Paulina narrowed her eyes. “Why, got something better to do?”

“Well—it’s just—”

“I’ll come over at four. I’ll be at cheer practice till then. If you want anything from Starbucks, just text me before then. I know Manson has my number, you can get it from her.”

She left him sitting dumbly in his chair. No one was getting in the way of her and that A, especially not some nerd who couldn’t even bother to care about school.

But, to Paulina’s surprise, Fenton actually opened the door for her when she showed up to his house that afternoon. Half of her expected him to blow her off, just ghost her and leave her to do all the work. And yet, he brought her into his kitchen, got out his notebook, and got right to work.

It was unnerving to see him so studious. She remembered Fenton as a nerd in middle school, but everyone knew about the absolute nose-dive his grades took once he got to high school. It wasn’t exactly a secret, what with him skipping class every other day.

The duo parted ways with a promise to meet up again over the weekend. Again, to Paulina’s pleasant surprise, he actually texted her to confirm their plans. And when Paulina stepped into the Starbucks that Saturday afternoon, Danny was already sitting at a table waiting for her, his notebook out and the project rubric between his fingers.

This much good luck was sure to run out, but Paulina just hoped that Fenton could last another few weeks before he inevitably dropped the ball.

Except, that never happened. Each time they set up plans to work on their presentation, Fenton would show up, he would focus on the work, and they’d part ways with plans to reconvene later. It was uncanny. It was so unlike everything Paulina had come to know of Fenton through these months.

And Paulina wondered if maybe, just maybe, this was who Fenton really was. 

Under all those disciplinary actions, the dropped beakers, the tardies, the unfinished assignments and failed grades, if this was hidden underneath.

So then that begged the question: why didn’t he show this side of himself more? Why was he failing if he was clearly capable of doing the work?

And so Paulina sat there, just a week before they were set to give their presentation, scrutinizing Fenton’s features as he recited a passage from the book they were analyzing. She noted the bags under his eyes, the bruise on his cheek, the way his face seemed to tighten every time he coughed.

He had arrived a few minutes late that day, and she remembered how he entered the classroom, his gate just a little too stiff to be natural.

Someone had hurt Fenton, Paulina realized. Someone had beat him up.

For reasons she didn’t know, hot anger flashed over her. Someone beat up Danny, a kid who was clumsy and could be a bit slow on the uptake, but someone who Paulina had come to understand was a rather kind and gentle classmate.

Yet someone didn’t care.

So the next day, maybe she stormed up to Dash a little too aggressively to demand, “What the hell did you do to Fenton?”

There was Dash, right on queue with his cocky laugh and a, “That nerd had it coming to him!”

“Are you kidding me?” Paulina yelled. “A week before our English final presentation and you punch Fenton across the face? Are you stupid?”

Dash’s smile dropped instantly, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Paulina, I didn’t—”

“You know how much this class matters to me, Dash! You know I wanna move up to honors next year! I can’t do that if you’re giving my English partner a goddamn concussion while we’re preparing to present!”

“Paulina!” Dash grabbed her arm.

“No!” Paulina ripped her arm away. “Don’t touch me, and don’t fucking sabotage—”

“I didn’t beat Fenton up!” Dash shouted. 

Paulina’s eyes narrowed. 

Dash held his hands up in a surrender. “I swear I didn’t beat him up. Ask Kwan if you don’t believe me. Honestly, I haven’t touched him in months. The—the coach told me that if I did well in school this year, I’d probably get recruited to college. I didn’t want to risk Fenton messing that up. I swear!”

Paulina stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to crack. But Dash’s panicked face held.

“Whatever.” She whipped around. “Tell your stupid friends to keep their hands off my project partner.”

“Consider it done!”

Paulina stormed off, ignoring the wide stares from her peers and the whispers of, “Did she just defend Fenton?”

She tried to block them out. They weren’t important. Her grades were important, her future was important, but those idiots? No, they meant nothing to her.

That afternoon, Danny was early. He was sitting there in the empty classroom when Paulina walked in, his head down to his paper, and didn’t even look up when Paulina gave her cheerful, “Hello!”

Well...that was weird. Sure, a few weeks ago, Danny mostly ignored her cheerful greetings in favor of getting ahead on the project, but Paulina liked to think that a mutual respect, or—god forbid—a friendship had been forming between the duo.

“Oof, cold shoulder? So not your speed, Danny,” Paulina said, plopping down to her seat.

Danny tensed, “I...uh, sorry. I’m tired.”

“Sheesh, alright.” Paulina slid her notebook out. “So we were working on the symbolism slide of the powerpoint, right?”

“Yeah,” Danny passed his notebook over to her. “I started parsing through the book at lunch today and found some good passages. Take a look.”

Paulina went to study the paper, but something else caught her eye.

Something on his arm.

Something that looked like a burn.

“Danny?” Paulina stared wide-eyed at the space of molten skin between his sleeve and hand. “What the hell happened to your arm?”

“Oh, I—” Danny slipped his arm under the desk. “I, uh, sorry. You see—”

“Whoa!” Paulina only caught a glance of his face before he ducked down again, but that split-second was enough. “What the hell? What happened to you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Paulina saw red. “Oh, that idiot! I’m gonna kill him!”

Danny looked up, the multicolored patchwork of skin on his face finally fully visible to Paulina. “Kill who?”

“Oh, look at you! That asshole!”

Fenton winced. “Am I...am I missing something here?”

“I’m gonna kill Dash!”

“...Dash?” 

“I told him this morning to keep his hands off you! I made that asshole promise to me, and I told him to pass the message along to his stupid friends too!”

Something in Danny’s expression softened. “You told off Dash?”

“Well of course I did!” Paulina said hotily. “You’re my project partner! What kind of person would I be if I let you get hurt?”

“Oh well…” A smile quirked on Danny’s lips. “Thanks for that, but it wasn’t Dash.”

“Well then who was it? I’ll kill them.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

“You’re right, death would be too generous. I’ll just destroy their reputation instead!”

A bemused look overtook Danny’s face. “Yeah, I have no doubt you would.”

“Tell me right now, Fenton. Tell me who did this and I’ll make them pay. You won’t have to worry about them ever again once I’m finished with them.”

“Oh, I…” The smile fell from Danny’s lips. “It wasn’t anyone. I just...fell.”

“You what?” Paulina’s voice rose in disbelief.

“Yeah, you know how clumsy I am.” Danny rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He laughed awkwardly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I just—you know. I was walking in the hall, fell down some stairs, hit the stair rail at the bottom. Just typical weirdo Fenton stuff! Nothing you need to destroy anyone over.”

“Don’t play with me. You didn’t fall.”

“I did fall though! It was...yeah, you know how it is. I was walking and talking at the same time and just slipped and fell! Ah, stupid Fenton, am I right? Just always...falling.”

Paulina’s glare was hollow. “How dumb do you think I am, Danny?”

Danny froze, his rambling stuttering off into a tense silence. “What?”

“I said—” Paulina rose from her chair. “—just how dumb do you think I am?”

“Uh, sorry. I’m sorry. Look, I think we may have gotten on the wrong topic here.”

“No!” Paulina slammed her hand down on Fenton’s notebook. “This little tirade? This sham you’ve been pulling for the past two years? It’s bullshit, Danny, and you know it.”

“I don’t—I don’t know—”

“Yes, you do know! You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Paulina hissed. “We’ve been working together for weeks now, and you think you can just sit here and say you fell? To me?” 

“Well, sue me, Paulina!” Danny snapped. “Why do you even care, anyways? We’re not exactly friends.”

“Because you’re my project partner! Your grade is my grade, idiot!”

“Gee, I’m glad you only care about people when it affects your grade.” Danny shoved his notebook into his bag. “What an amazing quality to have.”

Paulina stepped back as if she’d been slapped. “That’s not true!”

Danny ignored her reaction, instead choosing to angrily zip up his backpack. “In case you haven’t noticed, your boyfriend’s been beating me up since we were five. I’m not sure why you’ve decided to care now, but if you want something to be mad at, maybe try being mad at the years of shit I’ve taken from you and your friends.” 

Paulina stood there seething as Danny pushed past her and stocked off into the hallway, slamming the classroom door shut behind him.

There was the Fenton she’d come to know in high school, this was the Fenton she remembered. The one who avoided questions, who put himself down to avoid suspicion, who left in the middle of class without saying anything, who no one could rely on.

But, perhaps more now than ever, Paulina could see just how much of a sham this whole act was.

Just how much he was using this face to protect himself.

But from what? From who?

Paulina tried not to dwell too much on the bruises, especially since they were gone the next day and didn’t reappear for the rest of the week. Of course, Dash swore up and down that he had nothing to do with Fenton’s appearance, and Paulina believed him. Dash could be a bit bullheaded, but he was still one of her closest friends.

For the remaining week they had to put their presentation together, Danny kept to himself, and so did Paulina. Whatever semblance of a friendship they’d built had disintegrated, and both parties seemed content to let it fall.

It made sense, logically speaking. Paulina was popular, Fenton wasn’t. Paulina was an extrovert, Fenton was an introvert. Paulina thrived in attention, Fenton shied away from it. They were like oil and water, a friendship just wasn’t possible.

The presentation day came, and the two spoke with confidence that could only have come from weeks of preparation. Paulina couldn’t help but glow under Mr. Lancer’s impressed nod. Their high marks from the project were enough to fulfill Paulina’s recommendation to the honors English course for the next fall.

And then the school year came to a close and finally, after months of hard work, they could finally relax.

But not before they celebrated first.

One of Dash’s good friends, Dale, had taken it upon himself to host the massive end of the school year party for the rising junior class at Casper High that year. His parents, being the weird sort of chill parents they were, offered up their lake house with the promise that there would be no drinking and driving.

The teens were ecstatic. 

Everyone—everyone—went to the party. Jocks, nerds, band geeks, theatre kids, every clique was represented at the lake house. And why wouldn’t they come? It was the end of the school year celebration! A time to rejoice in having survived another round of homework, tests, quizzes, and essays.

It was also a time where Paulina was once again reminded that yes, the theatre kids could in fact go shot-to-shot with the football team.

Fenton was there with his little group, but Paulina paid them no mind. This wasn’t the time to be worried about him, nor was it the time to feel any sort of guilt at the way their budding friendship just collapsed. She had her friends, why add another?

And it was just preposterous to imply that she missed Fenton.

Because she didn’t.

And yet, when the night was drawing to a close, Paulina somehow managed to find herself down by the lake where a skinny, black haired teen was sitting alone.

She stood behind him, unsure if she wanted to initiate contact. He’d made it clear from their last argument that he still held years of resentment towards her and her friends, and Paulina knew from experience that all that resentment couldn’t go away in one alcohol-filled night.

She turned to walk away, but something stopped her. Before she could question what she was doing or why, she found herself sitting down on the damp grass next to him.

“What are you doing out here?” Paulina asked.

“Oh, uh, hey Paulina! Fancy seeing you here.” Danny gave her a small wave.

“You too.” Paulina stretched her legs out in front of her, leaning back on her hands. “Some party, right?”

“Yeah, Dale was really nice to host this.”

“He’s a great guy. His parents too.”

“I bet.” Danny said. “How are your friends holding up?”

“Well, let’s see. Star just spent a half hour trying to convince me that aliens exist, and Dale’s currently comforting Kwan who saw a video of a puppy rescue on the side of the road and started crying, so I’d say they’re holding up pretty well.”

Danny guffawed. “No way!”

“I swear!” Paulina laughed. “This isn’t even the first time something like this has happened either. I swear, every other time we drink, Kwan always ends up in a corner somewhere watching animal videos on his phone and crying at how precious the animals are and ‘please, Paulina, can’t we just adopt one?’ He’s gonna be the death of me one of these days.”

Danny giggled, his laugh light and airy. Paulina watched him, amazed that they were able to just start talking again as if their fight had never happened.

“So what about you?” she asked. “What happened to your clan?”

“Sam had to drive Tucker home. He got too overconfident in pong.”

She snorted. “Dash is the same. He’s always like, ‘one more round, I’m gonna crush it this time’ and then twenty minutes later I find him asleep in a bathtub or something.”

“Dash drunk sleeping in a bathtub? Oh, that’s a sight I’d like to see.”

“I can assure you that photos exist.”

“The perfect blackmail.” Fenton shot her a grin. “Remind me to get one of Tucker next time he does something stupid.”

“And what makes you think you won’t be right there on the floor with him?” Paulina sassed.

“Hah! You’re probably right!” His smile fell, and he looked at her questioningly. “Hey, will your boyfriend be okay with you out here with me?”

“Oh, Dash? He’s...actually not my boyfriend.”

“Wait, what?” Danny jolted upright. He spun around to face her. “But I thought—”

“Yeah, everyone does. But we’re not dating.”

“Then why don’t you say something? Squash all the rumors?”

Paulina averted her gaze back onto the lake. It was a gorgeous night. Stars speckled the sky in a spectacular display, illuminating the Milky Way behind them. Amity Park was too industrious to see the galaxy, and Paulina couldn’t help but marvel at its sight. 

It was gorgeous. Vast. It seemed to never end. She remembered reading somewhere that the Milky Way could only be seen if there was no moon out.

Luck must have been on her side that night.

“Unless...you don’t want to.” Danny’s voice dawned a tone of realization. “But why?”

“I got tired of it all,” she admitted, her honesty surprising herself. “Guys only wanted to talk to me because they thought if they were nice enough, I would get in their pants or something. I got accused of friendzoning more people than not. Honestly, it was so annoying. I felt everyone saw me as some stupid object. So when the rumors started going around this year that Dash and I were dating, and a lot of guys in our grade started backing off, I just...didn’t fight it. I thought maybe finally everyone would see me as a person. Maybe people would take me seriously.” Her gaze dropped. “I don’t know if it worked, but at least now people don’t see me as some sort of prize so much anymore.”

Danny was silent for a moment, and Paulina immediately regretted her admission. Maybe it was the alcohol loosening her lips, but she doubted Fenton of all people cared. They weren’t even friends.

One side of her wanted to get up and leave, go back to her friends inside the house, but the other side of her was too embarrassed to move.

“That makes sense, honestly,” Danny finally responded.

A wave of relief washed over her.

“And I’m sorry that there was a time where I couldn’t see past your looks too. I was young, but that’s still not an excuse.” He shifted. “I’ve had some...things happen the past year, and they’ve really taught me a lot about judging a book by its cover.”

“What kinds of things?” Paulina said, hoping her voice didn’t betray too much curiosity.

There went that hand behind his neck again. He was nervous, Paulina noted.

“Oh! Uh...it’s a long story, but I just wanted to say that I understand. I get what it feels like to be judged based on surface-level stuff. I mean, Paulina, you’re really smart. I don’t know if I told you this, but I’m really glad we ended up partners on that English project. I would have been so screwed with anyone else.”

“Thanks, Danny,” she said, trying to fight the blush that she knew was tinting her cheeks. “I’m sorry for being nosy at the end there. I didn’t mean to corner you like that. It was really stupid of me to pry when you obviously didn’t feel like talking.”

“No!” he exclaimed “No, don’t apologize! I was just being sensitive. Honestly, I knew I looked like shit.” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “Look, I didn’t fall obviously. I wasn’t trying to play you, I just panicked. But...I’m okay now, really.”

He looked at her, and Paulina noted how his blue eyes seemed to dance under the light of the stars. How he sat up straighter, his shoulders rolled back and head held high. How yes he was thin, but not scrawny like he was back in freshman year of high school. He seemed toned, lithe, almost like a gymnast. 

Danny had definitely grown up in the past two years, but then again, so had she.

“I’m glad you’re okay, and I’m also glad I got to be your English partner too,” she said.

They sat by the lake watching the stars until the chill of the crisp spring air began to set in Paulina’s bones. She left Danny in favor of the warm house, but not without saying, “I’ll text you sometime.”

The summer came, and the ever so slightly intoxicated promise to hang out slipped Paulina’s mind. After all, she had months of sleep to catch up on. 

Fortunately for her, Danny remembered. 

It was a silly text, a meme about Shakespear. Paulina responded with the appropriate emojis, and tried to convince herself that the smile she wore was due to the funny image, and had nothing to do with the boy who sent it.

And a week later, he sent another one. This time, Paulina asked to grab a coffee with him. Catch up.

To her surprise, Danny agreed. They met up at the Starbucks and what Paulina thought would only be a quick catch-up session turned into a three hour long hangout. 

Despite his awkward demeanor, Danny was rather talkative. Especially when the topic revolved around space. Apparently, he wanted to work for NASA someday. He said it came from a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, but overtime his interests shifted into rocket design and engineering. It helped that—according to Danny—his dad had built the equivalent of an ecto-rocket in his basement.

Paulina confessed that she wanted to work for 60 Minutes someday as a journalist. She dreamed of traveling around the world, collecting stories and meeting people. She explained that as a kid, she used to have to travel around the world for her dad’s work before he finally settled in Amity Park. And although she’d been living in Amity for years now, a part of her still missed those days where she was constantly exposed to new countries, languages, and cultures.

Danny listened attentively, reacting at the appropriate times and pressing for questions whenever she would trail off. Even though he had a reputation of never paying attention to teachers, he seemed to genuinely enjoy listening to her.

Eventually they parted ways, but they promised to hang out again. 

And again they did.

And again.

Again.

There were some topics that Danny seemed to skirt around, such as why he sometimes would show up bruised, or why he seemed to struggle to stay in class despite his dreams of working for a prestigious agency like NASA.

But Paulina was willing to ignore those demons because she liked Danny, and she didn’t want to say anything that would push him away. And, despite their differences, he seemed to like her back.

Summer drifted to fall, the leaves started to turn, and soon it was too cold to hangout outside. 

Which was how they found themselves here, in Danny’s room, laying on Danny’s floor watching Youtube videos, their math homework long since abandoned beside them.

It was a nerdy video, one about bizarre planets that existed in space. One that Paulina would never have watched on her own, but Danny seemed positively riveted at. 

His eyes were bright and attentive, and every so often he’d point to the screen and go, “Look!” as if Paulina wasn’t watching the same video.

It was...adorable.

His excitement rivaled a child on Christmas. And as interesting as the video was to watch, Danny was even more so.

The video ended, but Paulina hardly noticed. All she could see was the grin on Danny’s lips, the freckles dotting his cheeks, the way his hair sat on his head like a soft cloud.

“So? What did you think?” Danny asked.

“Cute,” Paulina responded. “You’re cute.”

Danny blinked, his mouth turning to a little “o” shape as red tinged his cheeks. He started to stutter, to try to brush Paulina off, but she held onto his shoulder and said, “Danny, I think you’re cute.”

“Oh,” he said, his eyes wide. “I think you’re cute too.”

Paulina closed the gap between them, closing her eyes. His lips felt soft against hers, and her heart fluttered in her chest. Her hands trailed up to his hair, and she curled her fingers through his soft hair.

He was gentle, as if he were afraid to hurt her, and his skin felt cool against her own. Secretly, Paulina had always loved that about Danny, the fact that his body temperature seemed to run lower than normal. And now she could cherish this all to herself.

Danny’s hand wrapped around her back, gently pressing her closer. His touch was electric, and Paulina could have melted right there. She pressed further against him, deepening the kiss.

They stayed in each other’s arms, enjoying the moment for just a few moments longer before Danny pulled back. He looked at her, his eyes sparkling, and said, “You’re beautiful.”

There were some things Paulina didn’t understand about Danny. There were some things he was still closed off about, things he didn’t want to speak about. And eventually, Paulina would bring those things up, she would get answers. Eventually, she would uncover all the secrets, all the layers to the enigma that made up Danny Fenton.

But right now?

Right now she was just going to enjoy the moment.

[charliedawn]

Imagine you're another being with the "shinning" and hunted by Rose Hat and her gang. Part 1.(my version of Doctor Sleep. Warning : gore. Horror movie. Also, you're a bad a**. 😉😂)

Little Danny loved to explore the hotel, he liked to think that it was an adventure. This is why that when the door of room 374 mysteriously opened on its own, he found himself inside before he could think about the consequences of his action. He looked around, it didn't seem any different from any other room, besides the fact that there was a huge mirror in the center of it. He approaches it and, finding his reflection funny, started making weird faces in front of it. However, his reflection quickly distorted, showing a little girl who was crying instead. Danny was a very curious little boy, and like many little boys as curious as him, he wanted to investigate. He sat on the ground and stared at the girl that hadn't noticed him yet and couldn't help but find her pretty. When she raised her eyes, they immediately made contact with the ones of Danny that smiled sympathetically at her.

" Why are you crying?"

He asked and she sniffled.

" My sister..She's done some terrible things..But I don't know what to do.."

He stared at the mirror for a moment before raising his index to his ear and whispered.

" What should I do, Tony ? She seems scared.."

The little girl raises an eyebrow at his strange gesture, but didn't interrupt him as he replied in another voice.

" I think she needs a friend.."

The boy smiled and nodded vividly in agreement before turning towards the girl again.

" Tony says I should probably be your friend. My name is Danny. What's yours ?"

The girl laughed a little before replying.

" Y/N..Where are you right now ?"

You asked, looking around him with a small frown. He seemed to be in some sort hotel..But, something felt off.

" I'm with my mom and my dad. We came here for his job.."

But, Danny didn't seem too happy about it and you decided to step a little closer to the mirror.

" You see bad things too.."

You said knowingly and Danny nodded frantically.

" I see them too.."

His eyes widened at your confession and he quickly asked.

" Really ? What do you see ?"

You seemed to look around, making sure that no one could hear you before leaning in and whispering.

" My sister..She has someone else with her, someone bad and that tells her what she has to do. This morning, she killed our dog..This is why I'm sad. The more the bad lady stays, the more my sister seems to change..I'm afraid that she will do something awful to my parents.."

Danny listened and put his thumb in his mouth, the only this that seemed to calm him down when he was worried or upset about something. He was afraid that you would find his odd behavior strange, but you only smiled before putting a strand of your hair in your mouth: your own calming process. He slowly took his thumb out and shared his own struggles.

" My father wanted to come here..but the hotel is bad. There are very bad things happening around and I'm afraid that he is going to hurt us.."

In a way, you both understood each other's struggles..But before you could talk more about it, you heard the voice of your sister calling you and freezed. She entered the room and her eyes were immediately drawn to the mirror. She smiled maliciously before standing in front of the glass.

" And who might you be, huh ?"

She asked, but Danny was too scared to speak..He had seen the old woman standing above her and her face suddenly distorted at the realization. She grimaced in anger and screamed.

" Get out of my house !"

The force of the scream was such that it send Danny flying against a wall. The connection stopped and Danny was on the verge of crying when he suddenly heard a door creak. He slowly turned his head towards the bathroom and his eyes widened as he saw someone in the bathtub. He stood up and seemed to be drawn in by the bathroom. He wanted to get out, but couldn't help walking forward, the door closing behind him..

A few years later :

You are walking towards the nearby cinema, unaware that you are being followed. You step in the cinema and buy a ticket before sitting down in one of the comfortable chairs of the dark room. There are other people, a blond girl and a man in his forties. You don't have to wonder about their relationship as the man puts his hand on the girl's thigh. You grimace and try to take a better look at the girl that seemed awfully young..You sigh loudly before looking up at the screen. They had entered together..maybe you were reading too much into this ? However, when you hear the small noises of pain, you stand up, ready to take the girl's hand and run..But imagine your surprise when you see that the moans of pain were coming from the man. You stay speechless, but quickly sit back down, looking at the girl that is whispering things in his ear, things that make the man physically shake. You look around, wondering if anyone else had noticed. Nobody seems to notice what's unfolding, only two people that seem to fix the girl with envy and..something else. You shiver as the eyes of the woman seem to stare straight at you. However, you pretend being as oblivious as everyone else by stuffing yourself with popcorn, making her grimace in disgust and look away promptly. At the end of the movie, you nearly run out of the cinema and enter the bus quickly. You see the two persons following..the blond girl from the cinema. She seems scared and you take multiple shaky breaths before running out of the bus. You curse yourself as you run past the two creeps to take the arm of the girl and put on your best fake smile.

" Hi girl ! The movie was sooo good, don't you think ?!"

The blond one frowns in incomprehension, but quickly understands when you significantly tilt your head backwards. She nods and smiles even wider before playing the game.

" I know ! I'm so sorry to have left you, but I really thought my date would show up !"

You glance backwards and see that the two have disappeared..But you don't feel like leaving the girl alone and whisper.

" My house is a few blocks away..You can hide there for a bit, just to make sure the two weirdos are truly gone.."

She looks back as well and finally nods in agreement. You arrive and lock the door behind you. You then turn towards the blond that is looking around curiously. You smile and look through the window to observe the street.

" Do you have any friends or family around here that you can stay at for the night ?"

You ask and the girl looks at her shoes sheepishly and shakes her head.

" No..I'm alone."

You feel her uneasiness and gaze back at her with a small reassuring smile.

" Don't worry, you can stay the night if you want. But, as I'm supposed to leave tomorrow..I need to know if you have anywhere to go ? A shelter maybe ? Do you want me to call child services ?"

At the mention of the latter, the girl looks up at you with frightened eyes and shakes her head negatively.

" No ! You won't take me there ! You'll allow me to stay here !"

The way she says it almost sounds like an order and you can see that she is trying to use the same trick on you than she did with the older man..but it doesn't work and you only sigh loudly.

" Fine. As I said, you can stay the night. But, tomorrow, I will be going to New Hampshire, so you better find something until then."

She slowly nods and you then make a sign for her to follow you. You open the guest room and she enters. She sits on the bed and seems happy enough. You smile and are about to tell her goodnight when she surprises you by telling you her name:

" Andi. My name is Andi."

You just realize now that you hadn't even asked for her name..You smile and respond.

" I'm Y/N."

Then you close the door and go to your own room.

The next day :

You wake up and get ready before preparing your breakfast. You enter Andi's room, but only find a neatly made bed. You feel a bit sad at the fact that she didn't even say goodbye..but that quickly goes away when you see that you are missing 20 dollars.

" Son of a..!"

You curse and sigh again..Well, it could have been worse. You take your car keys and get inside your car. You start driving towards New Hampshire while following a map. You are supposed to have an interview for the local newspaper and also..You kinda want to get away from the city for a while, too many entities there. You only stop halfway to get your sandwiches out of your bag. You search for through your stuff, but suddenly feel something moving on the backseat. You freeze and your brain starts gathering all the possible explanations..A raccoon ? A spirit ?..You wait and finally, a familiar fair-haired head peeks out from underneath a blanket.

"...Hey."

She greets you with an awkward smile and a small wave of her hand. You can't believe that she 1) actually slept through more than half of the road and 2) that she followed you ! Your shock passed6, you pinch the bridge of your nose in exasperation and ask on an intransigent tone.

" Andi. What are you doing here ?"

She doesn't answer, she just looks ahead with widened eyes and you grit your teeths..Is she actually ignoring you right now ?! You are about to start yelling when she points towards the road ahead. You sigh, but still look and your eyes widen as well when you see who is driving the small van ahead of you..the guys who was following Andi yesterday ! He seems to be following a young boy now. Your blood boils in your veins at the prospect that they were now actually attacking small children.

" Andi. Seat belt."

You say warningly, your hand gripping the steering wheel with such intensity that your knuckles turn white. Andi doesn't wait for you to ask twice and quickly buckles her seat belt. You see that the boy is about to get inside the car and suddenly hit the gas. You had a feeling, a feeling that this boy would never see the light of day again if you didn't stop them. You drive straight ahead and collide with van full force, continuing advancing even afterwards. You make them drive backwards and you glare straight into the other driver's eyes. He seems shocked at first, but when he recognizes you, he smiles. You grit your teeths and yell while raising your middle finger.

" Yeah ! Keep smiling, a**h*le !"

The boy is far away now. He will be able to get back to his parents safely. Andi doesn't scream, but can feel the anger radiating from you. The van drives away as well, and the front of your car may be in a disastrous state, but you don't care. When you're calm enough, you lean back against your seat and look back at Andi, making sure that she is alright.

" Everything's fine ?"

She nods affirmatively before looking at you with concern written all over her features.

" I know that they are creeps but..Wasn't it a bit too much ?"

You close your eyes and remember the screams of agony of a little girl that you had heard a few months ago..You don't know why, but the screams had suddenly reappeared in your head as you had seen the two individuals following Andi yesterday, and even louder with this kid. It is now your alarm when bad thing are about to happen. You hear the screams of this girl that seemed in such pain when she died..You had ran to get to her, but by the time you had arrived, she had disappeared completely. This is another one of the reasons why you had decided to leave your old town. You take a big breath before driving forward.

" You have to trust me on this. They deserved it."

You say confidently and Andi doesn't add anything. She only looks out the window silently for the rest of the way. When you finally arrive, you stop in front of a weird-looking house with dark-tinted windows and a bright red door. You had already seen it of course, but Andi hadn't. She pouts when she sees it and whines.

"Is that really where you're going to live ?"

You ark an eyebrow at the pronoun she uses and cough loudly for her to turn her attention towards you.

" Where WE are going to live, you mean ? You really think I'm going to let you go with those people out there ? Not in a million years. You stay with me, Missy. That you like it or not.."

Her eyes widen, but she quickly smiles excitedly.

" You mean it ?! I promise that I won't steal money from you again ! And I'll even give your watch back !"

" Yeah yeah..Don't get used to it though, as soon as the creeps are definitely off our backs, I'm finding you someone else to take care of you..Wait, what do you mean by giving my watch back ?!"

She smiles awkwardly and you look at your naked wrist and roll your eyes before extending your hand.

" Come on. Give it."

She immediately gets it out and gives it back to you with an apologetic smile. You both get out, and she even helps you with the luggage.

" No more stealing. I'll have a job and I'm sure it'll pay enough for the both of us."

She doesn't answer right away, but you suddenly turn around and wait with your arms crossed expectantly. She finally rolls her eyes and replies with her gaze lowered to the floor.

" Yes, "mom"."

You gasp in fake offense at her insinuation and she looks up at you with a small smirk.

" That's it, young lady. Come on. Get inside and tomorrow, I'll be sure to walk around and see if any schools can accept you. There is no way I'm leaving a fifteen-year old roam the street."

She seems to disapprove and says on an authorative tone, crossing her arms as well.

" I'm not going. In fact, you'll forget ever asking me to do so.."

She tries to use her powers on you again, but you resist her and sigh before entering the house. You don't answer her and she frowns, upset. However, she still enters after you and is agreeably surprised by the interior that is a lot prettier than the outside. You smile at her awed expression, however, you aren't that pleased to be back in this house..

" Home sweet home.."

You still remember how you thought that the walls were full of secrets and that the seemed to be whispering in your ears..They had warned you of what would happen, but you were only a child..What could you have done ? Andi gets you out of your thoughts by groaning loudly.

" I'm hungry.."

You sigh, of course she is..

" Okay, the money you stole from my wallet ? It was supposed to be used for buying groceries once here."

She looks at her shoes almost guiltily before admitting.

" I was hungry this morning..I used it to by a box of donuts and a milkshake.."

You want to be mad..but you can't. You only take out your wallet and open the door. She quickly follows you and you start walking, searching for a shop. You soon find one at the corner of a nearby street and enter. You start looking around for decent prices while Andy starts piling up sugary sweets upon sugary sweet in the...You turn in the soups alley and Andi grimaces in disgust at nearly every single soup on the shelves. You finally take some, ignoring Andi's complaining. You see that the last tomato soup is on sale and are about to take it when another hand shots up to get it. You turn towards the owner of the hand and see an Indian man with a nice smile. He gives you the soup while apologizing.

" My bad, you spot it first."

You smile back politely and take it. You are about to turn around and go when the man introduces himself while extending your hand towards you.

" I'm Billy. Billy Freeman."

You finally shake his hand with a small smile and nod in acknowledgement before replying.

" I'm Y/N. And this girl here is Andi."

However, the man frowns in confusion before looking behind you.

" Hum..Andi ?"

You turn around and see that Andi is gone. You sigh loudly before groaning.

" This girl I swear.."

You then flash your best apology smile towards Billy.

" It was a pleasure, Billy. But, I need to go."

You start walking towards the cashier, but Billy follows you before adding.

" Wait. I'll search with you."

You are about to refuse, but finally nod in agreement. You need all the help you can get to find the girl, hoping that one of those creepy guys didn't get to her first..You shiver just as the thought and feel the adrenaline rushing through your veins as you start yelling.

" Andi ! Andi ! Where are you ?!"

Billy calls her as well, but you finally have to go through the cashier.

" Please, I lost my...sister. Her name is Andi. Can you call her ?"

The lady only nods before making the call. You stay here, biting your nails out of frustration. One minute, and Andi had disappeared. You don't want admit it, but you like the blond midget. You don't want anything to happen to her until you find her a family or help in any case..Suddenly, the woman smiles and tilts her head towards one of the aisles where two individuals had just gotten out of. One is Andi, munching grumpily on a handful of crisps while the other person, a man, drags her forward. You sigh in relief before running towards them.

" Thank God ! Andi ! I was worried !"

She only rolls her eye dramatically before continuing eating, but you can see that she feels guilty when she whispers.

" Yeah..Sorry.."

You look up to thank the man that had found her and freeze on thee spot when your eyes meet. Somehow, you have this feeling to have already seen him somewhere.. However, he doesn't seem to feel the same way as he only smiles before tilting his head towards Andi.

" You're the sister of the little demon ?"

He asks with a small smile and you nod with a slight smile as well. He extends his hand towards you and you shake it accordingly. However, the moment your hand is in his, you feel as if electricity is coursing through your entire body. He seems to feel it too this time as he immediately steps away with a small frown of incomprehension. However, before you could say anything, Billy appears and takes him by the shoulders in a friendly way.

" Hey, Danny ! I see that you've met the new members !"

Danny ? The name is as familiar as the face, but Danny only shakes his head with a shy smile.

" Yeah. Just found the girl and decided to do a good deed..But, I have to come back to work. I'll see you around."

You don't know who he is addressing those last words too, but you still reply.

" I hope so.."

He looks one last time at you before leaving and suddenly, memories flash in your brain that makes you scream in agony in front of everyone. Andi is by your side in and instant and tries to calm you down, but you feel a painful pang in your chest. You open your eyes wide and feel as if you can't breathe..You thought you had locked her up..But, one glance at Danny, and your old demon got out of his prison. You feel cold arms around your neck as she whispers in your ear.

" hello, sister.."

End of part 1! Tell me what you think!

[five-rivers]

Nascent

*Throws a oneshot at my followers, beans one of them in the head, then leaves.*

.

.

.

Ever since the Accident, everything had felt different.  Way different.  Maybe part of that was the whole ‘nearly caused the death of best friend, but apparently holes in the universe can give you superpowers’ discovery.  Sam still couldn’t get the sound of Danny’s screams out of her head, and it had been over a week.  

Although it was possible the nightmares contributed to that.  

Yeah.  

Anyway, being concerned (not necessarily worried) about Danny and Tucker all the time was normal after something like that, right?  They hung out all the time before, what was a little more?  What was a lot more?  

(It annoyed her parents.  They complained that she was never home.)

So, yeah.  Normal. Trauma response.  Also, Danny needed someone to pull him out of the floor when he phased partway through it or (ironically) hide his sudden spurts of involuntary invisibility.  

If that were all that had changed, Sam wouldn’t have thought twice about it.

But she was curled in front of her computer, writing the fifth email haranguing a school official about having a vegetarian week next year.  It was nearly eleven.  This was not normal behavior.  Not even for someone who was avoiding sleep.  

She’d also been spending more time in her greenhouse, lately, and had been getting in more (and louder) fights with her parents, but she wasn’t sure if those two things weren’t just stress (or being a teenager).  Even factoring in how long she’d spent getting the fertilizer around her tomatoes just right.

(The only reason she’d stopped was because she would have been late to meet with Danny and Tucker otherwise.  And she was still stressing about it.  She hadn’t gotten it quite even around the last plant.)

Back to the emails.  

She’d been thinking about proposing some changes to the school menu.  The vegetarian options were laughably limited, and the monthly plan had been the same since the fifties, it looked like.  It was actually sort of impressive that it had held up for so long, given all the school lunch reforms and programs the government had done over the years.  Whoever had put it together had really cared, Sam decided.  

But it wasn’t good enough.  Not anymore.  People knew more about food, now, and whoever was in charge of inventory had contracted with the absolute cheapest suppliers.  Everything they made was full of preservatives.  

It had to change.  Now.  Before Sam and her friends were forced to deal with it.  

She’d started the project the night Danny got out of the hospital.  She hadn’t been able to sleep then, either.  

How many emails had she sent, in total?  It had to be nearing fifty.  That one night, she hadn’t slept until four in the morning.

She probably wouldn’t sleep until then, today, either.  

This couldn’t be normal, right?

(Since when did she care about being normal?)

.

Tucker scanned through the programming tutorial with an almost fevered fervor.  It wasn’t quite what he was looking for, but he was more than ready to drink in any information he could.  

He had always loved technology.  Especially hand held technology.  This was about that, but also not.  

Danny had shown him and Sam the portal because they were curious.  Sam because ripping a hole to the afterlife sounded metal, and Tucker because Fenton tech was cool.  Even if the ghost stuff never worked, the Fentons did live on Jack and Maddie’s patents.  

‘Because it was cool’ was a really stupid reason to die.

If Tucker had known more about engineering, about programming, about the tech he had begged to see, if he could have properly read even one of the dials and instruments attached to the portal, would he have noticed it was still powered up?  That electricity was running through it?  That it was a death trap?

(Sure, Danny had grown up around Fenton tech, and between the two of them, he had been the one more interested in the engineering side of things, but that didn’t matter.)

Tucker was determined not to let that happen again. Hence his current course of study. He was going to know everything about technology, all technology, or die trying.  

Well.  At least the technology he interacted with on a daily basis.  

If that meant losing even more of his eyesight as he labored over poorly formatted readme files at midnight, then so be it. His friends were worth it.  

.

Danny jolted into wakefulness with a gasp, his heart hammering.  He was freezing, despite being wrapped in his sheet and comforter, despite how hot it had been when he went to bed.  

Something was wrong.  

Immediately, his thoughts jumped to his family.  Something was wrong.  They were in trouble.  He had to help.

In a daze, he phased through his blankets, barely noticing that this was the first time his ghost powers had done what he wanted and exactly what he wanted.  He padded out into the hall, not noticing that his feet weren’t leaving impressions in the carpet.  

Jazz slept with her door open, so it was easy to check in on her.  She was safe. No mysterious shadows menaced her as she slept.  Her breathing was slow and even.  

His parents?  He crept towards their door, part of his mind whirling while the other was deadly sharp.  How could he protect them without revealing his… whatever this thing that had happened to him was?  That he would have to protect them, that he could protect them, that thought went unchallenged.  

He put his head against the wood of his parents’ door and let his fingers skim the surface.  He inhaled, exhaled, and stepped through the solid object.  

Jack Fenton’s snores were deafening.  Neither he nor Maddie stirred.  Nor did they notice that their room was bathed in dim green light.  

Danny’s eyes locked on to the green blob’s pinpoint red ones.  His lips drew back, and he hissed, his eyes burning oddly as he did so.  The little… ghost?  Was it a ghost?  It fled from the room.  

Whatever was going on with Danny’s brain settled into a kind of contentment.  Right up until he realized he was in his parents’ room and had no reason he could give them for being there.  

Getting the very squeaky door open so he could get out again gave him five separate heart attacks, even if his parents couldn’t hear him.  

.

“Hey,” said Sam, as they met in Danny’s room the next morning.  

“Hey,” echoed both boys, tiredly.  

“Trouble sleeping?” she asked.

“Yeah,” said Danny.  

“Same,” said Tucker.  “You, too?  Your makeup is heavier than you usually do it.”

Sam stuck out her tongue, then sighed. “Yeah.  Have you guys…”  The question trailed off, and Sam’s face twisted.

“Have we what?” asked Danny.  

“Had any, like… weird thoughts?”

Danny scrubbed a hand through his hair.  His friends did not mention that he briefly flickered out of sight.  “I mean, I did di—almost die, I guess?” said Danny.  

No one mentioned this slip, either.  

“That’s…”  Danny’s voice went soft.  “I’m not like Jazz, or anything, but that’s trauma, right?  Like, feeling weird or overprotective or… or whatever, it’s just… That’s just how it is?  It’s a—a normal response?”

Despite Danny’s uncertain delivery, Sam and Tucker both nodded.  

“Yeah,” said Sam.  “That’s all it is.  Okay.”

(They did not think of this moment again until they discovered the term liminality.)

[justarandompjofan]

The First Dead Poets

The Daltons

Trigger warnings for drugs, a mention of sex, and bad parenting. 

Sarah turned over in bed to face her roommate on the other side of the room, “Good morning.”

    “Good morning.”

    “So…are you and John official yet?” she asked, sitting up.

     “Sarah!”

     “What? You kissed him on the cheek last night. And you two have liked each other since you met.”

      “That is so not true.”

       “You’re not subtle, Jessica. You dedicated a poem to him during the first meeting.”

       “W-well, yeah, but-“

        Sarah giggled, “You’re in loveeee.”

         “And you and Charles aren’t?”

         “Hey, at least I’m not hiding it.”

         “Yeah but you two are-“

         “Don’t you dare try to change the subject.”

          She grabbed a hair brush from her dresser, “It is none of your business, Sarah.”

         “As your roommate and best friend-“

         “Oh we’re best friends, are we?” Jessica joked.

         “As your roommate and very best friend, I need to know who you’re f-“

         “Sarah!”

          “Okay fine. I need to know who you’re in love with.”

          “I am not in love with anyone.”

           “Bull.”

            “Leave me alone.”

            “You know I can’t do that.”

            Jessica laughed, “You are the worst, Sarah.”

            “You know you love me. Now…” she glanced at the dresser next to Jessica, “Is that your diary?”

    “Sarah…”

     “It totally is!” she exclaimed as  she grabbed it.

      “Hey, don’t you dare look inside there.”

       “‘Dear diary. Every time I look at him I-‘“

        “Give it back.”

        “‘His eyes are so gorgeous, and gosh, his laugh is like-‘“

         “Sarah Dalton!”

         “Fine, fine…but you are in love with him.”

          Jessica threw a pillow at her, “Maybe a little.”

          “That’s not a little, hon,” she said, tossing the pillow back.

          “Changing the subject…your parents.”

          “What about them?”

          “Have they called you yet?”

          “Actually yeah, they called yesterday.”

          She raised an eyebrow, “Oh yeah? What did they have to say?”

          “They called to tell me that Danny got a promotion.”

           “That’s it?”

           “No. They also told me to not get into trouble and to make sure I wasn’t pregnant yet.”

           “Your family doesn’t think highly of you, huh?”

          “They think I’m nothing more than a stupid little whore.”

          “Gosh, that sucks, Sarah, I’m sorry for bringing it up.”

          She shrugged, starting to tie her hair up, “It’s just how it is. I don’t fit their mold, so they’re bound to hate me.”

         “I’m sure they don’t hate you.”

         “Of course they do. They’re The Daltons. Their son went to Yale and is a rich lawyer. He’s married to a Wilson, for god’s sake. They’ve got high status and they don’t want me ruining that. They just tell me to shut my mouth and stop sleeping around. I don’t even do that! It’s just-UGH!”

          Sarah remembers the first time she realized how her parents felt about her. She was six years old and her parents were taking her and her brother to church. Halfway through the service she had stubbed her toe on the pew. Like any child would do, she started crying. She had seen her friends’ parents comfort them so when her father turned to her, she expected the same. Instead he grabbed her hand and dragged her into the lobby.

          “Why do you insist on acting out, Sarah? Why can’t you just stay quiet like your brother?”

          Her bottom lip trembled, “Daddy, I-I’m sorry-“

          “That’s enough. Stay out here until the service is over.” She had to spend the next hour sitting on the floor, getting pitiful looks from the people who passed. From then on, it just got worse. They loved her brother, but anytime she tried to speak she was told to shut up. They always told her that a big mouth would do her no good.

          When she was eleven, her brother was the commencement speaker at his graduation from Yale. She was so proud of him. He was her older brother, and she adored him. When he mentioned his family, she was ecstatic. He went on and on about all that his parents had done for him. She was just waiting for him to mention her. But he never did. It was like she didn’t exist. Afterwards, as his parents congratulated him, he ignored her. She cried herself to sleep that night.

           When she was fifteen, she slept with someone for the first time. It was a family friend who was staying at their summer house, one year. She thought he loved her, but boy, was she wrong. He went and told her parents that she had basically forced herself upon him. Of course, she hadn’t. It had been his idea. Her parents locked her in her room for the rest of the summer, and the one after that. Any sliver of love they had left for her was gone. She became the daughter that they would give anything to not have had. She was the daughter that couldn’t do anything to please them. No matter how many times she pleaded or tried to explain herself, nothing happened. They never listened to her.

          Jessica sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “I’m so sorry, Sarah.”

          “What can you do, right?”

          “You’ve got me. You’ve got Charlie, and John, and James, and Will, and all of us. Your parents are, pardon me, they’re idiots. You are incredible. You’re smart, you’re gorgeous, you’re funny, and you don’t need them. Okay?”

         “Okay,” she mumbled, wiping her eyes.

         “Now let’s go to breakfast..

         She nodded, “Just give me a minute, I’m going to take a breather.”

         “Of course, I’ll be right outside.” As soon as Jessica left, Sarah went to her bedside table, and pulled the small bottle of amphetamine out of the drawer. Without even thinking she opened it and poured two of the circular pills into her hand. She took a swig of the water that was on top of the table and swallowed them. She shook her head. When she started taking the pills she always felt guilty. But she didn’t anymore. They made her feel better, they made her feel good. She didn’t want to stop taking them. She couldn’t.

@emilythefern @theluminoussunflower @sup3r-n0vaa @iguanamuppet @chloe-octavia

[nastyburger]

Okay but how did the first meeting tm go between all of the dannyverse tm. Did danny b just show up at danny’s school and go ‘hey im the new sub’? Did dex try and go home for a hot sec? Did SAM try and go home/ to tucker’s place? Did tucker try and go to his house/ danny’s place?? I have questions

the initial meeting period, which i like to call “the search” takes place over like two days, each character having having a different amount of time they spent in the canon universe in reference to “the portal surge” as we’ll call it

(this ended up being really long so im putting it under a read more for everyones sake lol)

dex pops in at the same time as the surge, so hes really been in the canon dimension for like 30? 40 minutes tops? until he finds the trio. he knows immediately hes not in his home (his amity is a lot more advanced with tech) and distinctly remembers being sucked into some sort of portal, so being the smart cookie he is reasonably infers parallel universe and sets out to find answers. he flies around in his mech (invisibly) until he hones in on an ecto signature clearly reading halfa in a crowd. whether its vlad or someone else, dex figures that a halfa was probably his best bet for help so he puts on his hoodie with hood up and slips into the crowd. (the mech is close behind but remains hidden and follows dex around until its needed)

he actually initially bumps into danny by mistake while searching (”oops sorry” / ”sorry, its fine i wasnt looking”) before taking a double take and going “wait that dude has my face??? hold on is he the halfa signature im tracking???” and runs after them. he catches up after they leave the crowd and are in a less populated area and grabs danny’s arm, startling everyone, and essentially going “wait, you’re a halfa right? possibly named danny fenton??” which effectively sends everyone into panic mode until dex pulls his hood down to show he has danny’s exact face and says “can you please help me???”. this panic morphs into full blown freak out.

they eventually calm down though, and set to sort this out. this was around late afternoon.

danny b was launched into a few days before the surge, and was actually dropped a little outside of amity. at first he thought he had been sent into the past, but seeing a news story in a tv store display and seeing a 14 year old danny phantom with white hair and green eyes effectively shuts down his idea. basically has a john mulaney “adult life as a half ghost is already so weird, this might as well happen” moment in a parking lot and moves on trying to find this alt version of himself for help on how to get home.

it was a little tough for him in those few days, he doesnt carry cash and his bank account for his debit wouldnt exist, so he went hungry for a bit (probably used his ghost powers to steal some food when he got desperate) and slept on a couple park benches and all that. its a little sad really.

eventually, after days of wandering around, his ghost sense goes off as he passes a park and sees a group of 4 kids huddled together. its starting to get a little dark out by this point. danny b approaches the gang movie peter b style: from behind, somewhat ominously with his hand outstretch, with the declaration of “hey, kids....” and dex stranger danger panics and electrocutes him with his robot arm. he passes out.

the kids assess the situation, dex being able to read that danny b is a halfa (”how many of you guys is there supposed to be in this universe?” / ”only vlad and me as far as i know.”) and tucker pointing out that he kinda looks like danny if you imagine the hair black (”great, its ANOTHER version of danny like we dont have enough of those”). afterwards, they take everyone to fenton works, canon trio through the door and dex easily sneaking in with unconscious DB.

once danny b wakes up (in his childhood room nonetheless which is a little disorienting), he immediately takes refuge in canon danny’s shower, also taking the time to shave and eat whatevers in the fridge. the trio are a bit weirded out by this older danny, especially when hes on his 4th pudding cup and eating it like a rabid animal (”do NOT judge me its been a hard few days”). but they more or less get used to him, especially when he proves to be a pretty cool guy. once DB’s basic necessities were taken care of, they start to form a plan of action.

the first step they decide on is finding any other stranded interdimensional people. lucky for them, dex locks in on 2 other halfa signatures in the general area. they set out to search the next day.

mourner and ghouly are found almost simultaneously. dex tracks them down immediately and determines that one is flying through the air as a ghost and the other is in human form on the ground. the group splits up with danny looking for the full ghost, db partnered with sam to sniff out the human form one, and tucker staying with dex in the mech (everyone communicating through fenton phones).

danny finds mourner (”i think i found.....a sam? as a ghost?”) and needless to say that first encounter doesnt go well. mourner popped up a couple hours after the surge while it was nighttime, so she spent most of the night flying around trying to figure stuff out but not garnering a lot of information with the world asleep. seeing danny just makes her instantly hostile thinking its another weird ghost trick so she starts blasting and they duke it out for a bit. she really only stops until dex and tucker show up in the mech and reveal themselves does she realize “okay different versions of people i know, this is weird but its not a ghost manipulating me by puppeteering my dead friend around i guess”. she calms down and joins the group.

ghouly is easily the smoothest encounter, the gang has gone through this enough already to not freak out over it. most reaction would probably be mild amazement and typical confusion (”oh wow its a goth sam and........an older danny? with red hair?” / “we found a different version of tucker, i guess he’s a halfa”) ghouly just doesnt have as much reason to panic as much here. he got launched into this dimension at the same time as dex (the moment the surge happen) but was more or less lost and wandering around since his gps and technology didnt seem to have signal. he didnt sleep overnight so he’s running a bit on empty but bought an energy drink and sandwich earlier that morning (he carries cash) so he hasnt gone full homeless mode like danny b did.

while his initial reaction/meet up with the others were definitely the least weird and confusing, ghouly probably does stare at canon danny a little too much to the point where its a bit awkward. (”sorry its just so weird not seeing you wear black and also i still find you really cute and grappling with whether or not this is considered cheating if youre like the same person”)

[walkerwords]

“The New Queen” Negan x F!Reader

GIF CREDIT: https://gph.is/g/4be0J8L

REQUEST: From anonymous: “ Can you do a negan imagine where the reader was his real wife before the walkers came and after he starts getting more wives and kinda forgets the reader, she leaves in the middle of the night. Then maybe a year later negan finds out about another community and tries to take their stuff but he and the saviors get captured and they find out that the reader is the leader?” YUP.

Word Count: 3324

Warning: Swearing

Song I Wrote To: “What The Water Gave Me” by Florence + The Machine

Note: Thank you for the prompt, just a short little stand alone one shot.

-----

This was the fourth night in a row that you slept alone. 

Your hand found the empty space next to you, your nails clawing at the cool fabric. Negan was out once again, most likely with one of them. You knew the other wives were all a part of his tactic to keep his control over the Sanctuary. Just as his brazen actions were on the day you and your husband had stormed the factory and taken control in the first place.

You ignored the bloody bodies that littered the floor of the old building as he walked among his new followers. Occasionally he would look back at you with that damn smile of his and regardless of the things he did, it never failed to make you melt. 

However, that was when you were considered his equal, his queen, the only woman for him. 

Now, you didn’t know where you stood. Half the time you didn’t see Negan. Your husband was always with Simon or Dwight or Arat planning something horrible or looking for more communities to torture. You had overheard Dwight talking to someone about a new place.

Crouched in a dark corner you listened as Dwight recounted what had happened. They had killed all the men, even the boys. Your stomach twisted in on itself. Negan couldn’t have known about that, right? He had rules. Then again, everyone was Negan and his Saviors never did anything without his knowledge. Disgust turned to anger and it was then that you realized that something had to change if you were going to continue to be by Negan’s side. 

As night turned to morning, the door to your bedroom finally opened. You stood by the window watching the Sanctuary wake up for the day, your back turned to him. “Long night?” you asked, keeping your eyes on the rising sun. Negan sighed, collapsing into a chair by the bed. 

“You know me, doll, always workin’,” he said, leaning back. You turned to him and your stomach recoiled at the sight of his mussed shirt and tousled hair. He wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore. “You’re doing it again,” Negan said. 

“Doing what?” you asked, exasperated. 

“Looking at me like I killed your childhood pet,” he said, rubbing a hand over his cheeks. 

“I’m just tired, Negan,” you said. “Haven’t been sleeping well.” 

“You gotta get out more, (Y/N),” he said, “Get some sun on your back again. Can’t have you going all distant on me, can I?” Negan got up and approached you, his fingers going under your chin to lift your face to his. He leaned in kissed your lips, but you felt nothing. When he pulled back you could smell perfume and you instantly recognized it as Frankie’s. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you said. Negan grinned at you and then turned to strip off his shirt and grab a new one. You watched as he went around your bedroom getting ready for the day. When he went to pick up that damn bat of his, you turned away again. 

“Might be another long night, doll,” Negan said, “Don’t wait up!” he called over his shoulder as he sauntered out of the room. 

“Don’t worry,” you whispered to yourself, “I won’t.”

-------

That night you didn’t sleep. 

You grabbed enough supplies to get you through at least a week out in the world as well as a couple of weapons you knew Negan kept hidden in the room. As you put everything in your backpack, you glanced down at your left hand. The diamond ring sat proudly on your finger just as it had since he had asked you to be his wife before the world turned to shit. 

You twisted it off and placed it on the nightstand on his side of the bed. You then took out the knife he had gifted you on your first night at the Sanctuary. You stabbed the blade into the wood next to the ring. You couldn’t do it anymore. It was all too much. The blood, the women, the kneeling… he was no longer Negan. At least not the Negan you fell in love with. 

Grabbing your bag, you snuck out of the room. You couldn’t help but laugh at the lack of security outside of your bedroom. You figured he probably had his men watching over the new wives now. The thought only made you move faster through the corridors of the factory. 

You, of course, knew all the checkpoints throughout the place as you were the one to help establish them, especially the watch points. You had been a professor before everything had happened and your concentration was the history of warfare in past civilizations. You figured that was one of the only reasons Negan still kept you around. 

Sneaking through the dark halls, you finally made it outside. The snipers on the North side were screwing around as usual so when you passed through their sights, no alarm was sounded. The wall of the Dead and their groans pierced through the night. Tossing your jacket over the top of the fence, you got over the barbed wire and hit the ground, the moans around you hiding the sound of your boots. You moved through the decaying bodies, taking out a few as you headed for the road at the edge of the Sanctuary. 

Slipping over the final fence, you turned to look at the building that had once been your home but turned into your tomb. You were already imagining Negan’s reaction of finding you gone and your ring and knife on the table. You liked to think that maybe he would look for you or even cry in your absence, but knowing the new man he had become, he would probably just go and comfort himself with one of his new whores. He might even get a new one to replace you. 

Taking one last look, you headed North in hopes of finding a new beginning and prayed you’d never see your husband again. 

-----

2 YEARS LATER

A knock at the door to your office had you looking up from the weapon you were sharpening.

“Come in,” you called. The door pushed open and your second-in-command, Ari, stood in the threshold. “What is it? You have that look on your face.” 

“What look?” she asked. 

“The look that says shit is about to hit the fan,” you offered. Ari chuckled. 

“Got some news, boss. Looks like some kind of caravan is moving along the Southern border,” Ari told you. 

“Hostile?” you asked.

“Possibly. They have some pretty big armored trucks and Danny already took out two scouts.”

“Dead?” Ari nodded. 

“They had weapons, wouldn’t say who they were,” Ari said, “He didn’t want to take any chances.”

“No, that’s good,” you said, “I don’t want to take any chances either. Not after what happened with the Rangers.” Ari nodded in agreement. When the group who called themselves the Rangers had attacked the Parthenon, the community you now controlled, you swore that nobody would be coming into your land unless you gave the green light. 

“Orders?” Ari asked. You looked down at the blade on the table before you, the matching one was already slung over your shoulder. 

“If they come to the gates,” You look at Ari with a small devious smile, “take them.”

The caravan indeed arrived at the gates of the Parthenon not long after their scouts were killed. Ari radioed to you and you met them at the front. Your people passed you, nodding respectfully at the woman they called “Athena”. You didn’t like the nickname, but you never corrected them except when it came to your inner circle. It also gave you the illusion of anonymity when it came to your enemies. 

After escaping the Sanctuary, you had walked for days. When the water had run dry and you were close to starving, you had found the Parthenon. You named it that due to the old greek columns that stood at the front of the old plaza. Survivors were already there, fighting to stay alive. They had offered you food and a place to sleep. It was there that you met Ari, Danny, and a few others. They had already begun to fortify the area with fences, but you challenged them to think bigger and so you got to work. 

Two years later and the Parthenon was fortified, armed, and a flourishing community that elected you as the leader. Nobody went hungry, nobody was forced to stay or go, and nobody kneeled. The original Parthenon in Greece was the temple of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war strategy. You figured it was a sign, as did Ari, which is where your flamboyant nickname arose. 

At this moment, however, it came in handy. Ari stood at the watch post above the steel gates that sat between the largest columns. The roar of the trucks stopped before your front door and Ari, trained her gun down on the caravan. “You have one chance at turning around assholes!” Ari yelled down to the anonymous people at your gates. 

“Oh come on! We’re here to make friends, Darlin’!” The world rocked beneath your feet at the voice. It had been two years, but you would never forget his voice. Not his, not ever. You grabbed your walkie immediately. 

“Take them now, Ari! Right now!” you yelled. Ari wasted no time in giving the signal. Your people, the warriors you had trained, came out of their hiding spots both inside the walls and outside. Shouts of surprise echoed across the group. Gunshots went off and curses were thrown, but soon, everything settled. Ari looked to you as you approached the front gates. 

“More blood will be spilled if you try anything in the presence of Athena,” Danny warned who was on the opposite side of Ari. 

“Who the fuck is Athena?” Your teeth gritted as he spoke again, fueling your rage and the sadness that pooled in your chest. You looked to Maxon and Conrad who were the sentries at the gate. 

“Open it,” you ordered. They nodded and took a handle each. Ari and Danny dropped down from their posts and flanked either side of you as the gates were pulled open. Before you were around twenty men and women. Each one had two of yours behind them, guns pressed to their heads as they kneeled before you. A man to the left was the first to recognize you. 

“Holy hell,” he said and you turned to look at him with a small smile. 

“Hello Simon,” you greeted the Savior. Arat was next to him who looked at you in complete shock. You then turned to the man of the hour. Negan kneeled before you as you approached him. He stared at you as if he was seeing a ghost. In front of him lay that damn bat and you could see that it had a lot more bloodstains on it since the last time you had seen the wretched thing.

Stopping in front of him, you leaned down and picked up Lucille. He didn’t say a thing as you held her. You turned the bat over in your hands before swinging it up onto your shoulder and smiling at him for the first time. “(Y/N)?” he gasped. 

“Hi, honey.” 

-----

It took five of your men to bring Negan into the holding cell. 

Once he snapped out of his daze, he became angry again. He struggled against your enforcers as you led them into the jail. It was a small building on the edge of the community that you rarely used anymore. It was usually only used as a Drunk Tank for when Danny went on a run and brought back some whiskey or when you caught him with his moonshine business. The latter wasn’t all that bad as you still had a few jars stashed under your bed. 

Your men hauled Negan into the cell and held him down while Danny attached the chains, securing him. Ari approached you as you stood in the corner of the small cage, watching him. “His men and women are being held in the stables, we have their weapons.”

“Check the trucks, take everything,” you ordered. Ari furrowed her brow. You weren’t plunderers, but these were no normal hostiles. “Trust me.” Ari nodded and then ordered everyone out to start raiding the Savior trucks. As soon as the cell door banged behind you, you stepped from the shadows.

You slowly circled Negan like a shark after prey. Lucille was still on your shoulder, the bat named for his first wife, the one he left for you. “I forgot how heavy she was,” you said as you came around to face him again. You swung Lucille around, testing out a few strikes. “You always made it look so easy.”

“(Y/N)...” he began. 

“No!” you shouted, slamming Lucille against the bars behind you. “You don’t talk, you listen.” He glared at you, fighting his restraints. “You never stopped, did you? You’re still scaring people into submission and killing them when they defy you. All because you want their shit,” you said, stepping closer to him. “And to think I thought you would change in the years after I left. Tell me, Negan, how are your whores?” 

“I thought you were dead,” he said and you stepped back, placing Lucille on the ground, leaning on the end of it. 

“No, but I have a feeling I would be if I stayed in that place,” you said. “When did you notice I was gone? The next day? Or was it one of your sheep that discovered my absence?”

“You mean how we slaughtered people so you could play king to a bunch of idiots that feared you? No, Negan, we didn’t do anything. I just followed you like a scared little girl, but I think we both know I couldn’t do that forever.”

“I found the ring in the morning,” he told you. “Why did you leave after everything we went through?”

“So you left because you were scared?” he asked. You laughed, shaking your head. 

“No, I left because I was sick of being just another one of your toys. You changed Negan and not for the better. You started this whole...empire and left me in the dust. Did you ever think about what would happen when you started taking other women to bed? Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised, I was the one who you screwed while still married to Lucille.” The mention of his ex-wife made his eyes flare in anger. “We both know that no matter how much I loved you, you were not a good man.”

“So you became Athena,” he sneered. You shrugged and started to pace again, Lucille dragging behind you. 

“I didn’t pick the nickname, but yeah, I guess I did. You did tell me I needed to get out more,” you joked. Looking back over at him, there seemed to be something on his mind besides this impromptu reunion. “What’s going on in that head of yours, Negan?” you asked. 

“Why would you care?” he asked. You shrugged. 

“Call me curious.” he thought about it for a moment before leaning back, the chains on his legs rattling. 

“Dwighty boy snuck out with his wife and sister-in-law,” Negan said. You let out a laugh. 

“Ah, so the little bird finally left the nest?” You sighed, “I can’t say I’m surprised, he hated you. I’m surprised he didn’t do it sooner.”

“What the hell happened to you?” he asked, his voice rising. 

“You did!” You hollered, throwing the bat down and crossing over to him, getting in his face. “You became a monster, Negan! The man I loved, the man I married, the one I promised to always stand by became something out of a nightmare. You left me behind when you took the Sanctuary and you never looked back. I was lucky if I got five minutes with you on a good day and that was only if your wives weren’t in the mood for your bullshit. You wanna know why I left? It’s because you left me first!” You pushed him back, taking a few steps back. 

“So this is all my fault? You were too unhappy and instead of coming to me, you take off in the middle of the night and I have to spend my resources and time looking for you!”

“Like you actually cared! You had the rest of them! You had your fucking kingdom and I was sick of waiting for the guillotine to come down on my head because you were bored of me, Negan!”

“Is that was you honestly think of me?” he asked, shocked. “(Y/N), I left Lucille for you! I made sure you survived when the world went to shit! I took the Sanctuary for you!”

“I never asked you to!” you screamed. “I never asked you to become a killer, a looter, a king! I just wanted you, Negan! I thought we would be taking on this world together just as we did with everything else. But I guess you had different plans and apparently I wasn’t a part of them.” 

“Goddammit, you are still so fucking clueless!” he yelled. 

“Excuse me?” 

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“Oh, please enlighten me then,” you challenged. 

“I never cared about them, the others,” he said, “Hell, they were always just for show, to keep their families in line. Yeah, I may have given in to a few temptations here and there, but shit woman, I didn’t love them. I didn’t even like them! You are who I love! Did you ever notice that you were never under heavy watch? That nobody followed you or got in your face? That’s because I trusted you, I saw you as an equal, not just my wife.” 

“You had a shit way of showing it,” you spat back. 

“Please, (Y/N), I love you and I…” he trailed off. 

“What?”

“I got rid of them, the other women,” he said, “I let them go after you left.” You crossed your arms. 

“Why?” 

“Because what was the point? Not like I gave a shit about anyone but you. You were all I had left and then you… Jesus, how do I make it up to you?” You laughed, unable to believe what you were hearing.

“You think all this,” you gestured around you, “is some kind of reconciliation discussion? That we were going to kiss and make up? You really don’t think I haven’t been keeping up with what  you and your Saviors have been up to?” 

“So what? Are you going to kill me?” 

“No, Negan, I’m not going to kill you,” you said softly as you leaned towards him, placing your hands on his thighs. “You’re my guest and will continue to be until I decide otherwise.” Negan looked in your eyes, your breath mingling with his. 

“You can’t keep me here. What about my men?” Negan asked. You smiled. 

“Well according to them and you, they’re all Negan. They stay too,” you said, grinning wider as he sneered. “Cheer up, Doll,” you said, giving him the old nickname he used to call you, “nobody is going to die. People are a resource, remember?” 

“What happened to you?” he asked again quietly. You leaned closer, placing your lips at his ear. 

“I stopped taking shit lying down,” you whispered to him. Leaning back, you looked him over again. “You came here to place me and my people under your boot, but it looks like your my bitch now.” 

“(Y/N), please,” he rasped out.

“Face it, baby, you lost,” you said with a sweet smile. “Now,” you said, picking up Lucille and placing her back on your shoulder. “Are you going to kneel for your new Queen?”

Note: What? Ya’ll didn’t think she’d go back to him, did you? 

[feverinfeveroutfic]

chapter ten: adrenaline rush

Careful not to make her head spin any more, Sam sat upright next to Joey on the flat surface. The bottle of water lay on its side right next to her hip and the trail mix rested right under her hand. She still felt unsettled in her stomach, but given the short bit of rest she had had, it had backed off enough to where she could yearn for something to eat for herself. She glanced back at Joey, who was still sound asleep with the bag of chips on his stomach.

She set a hand on his arm and she shook him.

“Hm?”

“Hey—do you know what time it is?” she asked him with a break in her voice; she cleared her throat and she let her tongue hang out of her mouth like that of a dog.

“Dunno...” He, too, cleared his throat, and then he rubbed his eyes, and he raised his wrist for a look down at his watch. “Quarter to five.”

“We only slept for two hours?” She was stunned by that.

“Apparently so.” She shifted her body about a bit for a better look at him. “How's your stomach feeling, by the way?” he asked her.

“Better,” she answered with a bow of her head. “Kinda hungry now, too. And thirsty. And I'm ready for a walk, too, I dunno 'bout you.”

Sam shifted her body about the other way and she slung her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood to her feet and stretched her arms over her head. She thought about Rosita and those long acrylic nails, and she realized she was alone with Joey there in that back room there in the venue. She wondered if the Cherry Suicides had already left for the next stop or if they awaited them outside of the building there.

Joey groaned and grunted, and she turned for a look at him, and his arms extended before him. It looked as though he struggled to do a crunch, but his legs were still straight out before him.

“What's wrong? Need help?”

“Nah,” he assured her; several locks of his black hair sprawled down his shoulders towards his chest as he finally managed to sit upright. The bag of chips landed right into his lap and then right in between his legs.

“That was lucky, wow,” he pointed out.

“I'll say. Wanna just leave our stuff here and then we'll come back to it?”

“I don't see why not,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Sam offered to help him off of the bed, but he insisted that he had it under control and yet he still fell off of the side of the bed on the floor. She gasped at him, but he raised an arm over his head.

“I'm okay!” he insisted. He scrambled to his feet and he straightened out his shirt before he joined her there at the doorway. They stepped out to the backstage area, now silent and deserted. A few cables had been strewn about the floor to the left and Sam flashed back to when Stormtroopers of Death toured that summer. Every so often, she swore a pain in her leg came back up again, but that wound had long healed.

That riff that Alex had played the few hours before stayed with her. It swirled and picked up again, almost like that of a spiral, and one that drilled its way into her mind. It was a fine wire to walk upon with these two men, especially since they both had their moments, and their flaws and foibles. Alex had shown her a little nugget outside of the restaurant in Syracuse, and she wished to see more of it. She knew it was there, but the question lingered over her.

Joey ran his fingers through his black curls and gave them a slight toss back over his shoulder. Sam caught a whiff of sweat from under his arm and she hoped he would shower later that day, whenever they reached their next stop and checked into the hotel there; at least he didn't smell of a beer bottle or an ashtray, or something worse.

“Hate when my head sweats,” he griped as he lifted his curls off of his back and shoulders, and revealed the back of his slender neck.

“Me, too—because your head itches every few seconds.”

He chuckled at that and he led Sam towards the side door in front of them. The sun hadn't risen as of yet, but the deep violet of the night sky began to wane away with the new shade of milky white over the ocean behind them. The crisp sea breeze sent a chill down her spine: even after two years, there were times in which the feeling of living on the West Coast still hadn't shaken off of her yet. Joey lingered close to her as they began down the alleyway towards the street.

Providence was a good sized city, but nothing like New York or even Syracuse: the deserted street greeted them with a series of pale yellow street lamps and a storm drain coated in a morning dew. There had to be a music shop or an art shop near there: it was close to the artistic side of town after all.

“So what's your next stop?” she asked him as they began towards the corner.

“Boston. I think? Two dates in Boston. We'll have to hustle back to the venue before the sun rises so Marla can come and get us 'cause I'm the one with directions.”

“Unless Danny's with her,” Sam pointed out.

“Unless Danny's with her, of course. But still. I'm the one with the directions.”

“She and I also walked here, too, so Danny might be with her for all we know. Also, not to change the subject, but did you happen to see a music shop or an art shop around here or anything like that?”

“Nah, I haven't. I also doubt we'll see anything like that on this walk here, either—it's still early after all.”

She nodded at that, and then she thought about what Alex had said to her the night before. She didn't want to think of Joey as lazy, especially after he said that to her. But then she thought of his drumming. He still had yet to show her his drumming, either with Anthrax or one of the bands he played in.

“Joey, I have a question,” she started again.

“I'm listenin'.” And he ran his fingers through his black curls once more.

“How come I've never seen you play the drums?”

“Well, like I said—I haven't really had the chance to do it lately. I also just haven't had the motivation to do it yet, either. It's almost like a sudden thing with me.”

“What do you mean?” she asked him with her eyebrows knitted together.

“I just kind of had to forfeit the drums for a bit in order to sing. Once I started singing more, the doors opened for me and I focused more on that.” He then stopped for a second, and Sam stopped right next to him.

“Maybe that's why my father is a little terse with me,” he said in a soft voice.

“Did your dad help you out with the drums?”

“He loaned me a bit of money for my kit, but I never got the chance to pay him back, though.” His brown eyes gazed down at her and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

“And what if you do?” she asked him. “Would that help things with him?”

“It'd definitely help things out, for sure. But I don't really know, though, to be perfectly honest. Like I said earlier before we fell asleep, my parents are ultra conservative with a lot of things. Not really musical in any way, either.”

He turned his head a bit and he gazed out to the street behind her.

“I have a question for you now,” he started in an absent tone.

“Go ahead.”

“Are your parents artistic at all?”

“Somewhat. They both took an art class when they were younger but that's where it starts and ends, though.”

He brought his gaze back to her again.

“That's it,” he breathed out.

“What's it?”

“That's why I feel so close to you. We both have conservative parents.”

She shrugged. “I think that's one reason, anyways,” she corrected him.

“I ought to introduce you to Ronnie James Dio at some point,” he suggested. “The current singer for Black Sabbath and a good friend of mine. He would like you because he was kind of the same background as me. Of Italian descent and from upstate New York—Cortland, to be exact. Just due south of me.”

“I like his name,” Sam remarked.

“Like—oh, mios dio! Or something like that.”

“Right!” she laughed.

“Well, the band I played in before I joined in Anthrax, Bible Black, consisted of guys from Rainbow and Elf, two bands Ronnie played in before Sabbath picked him up after Ozzy. I sang in Bible Black for a bit and then I went to Anthrax and they split.”

“Aw—I was just gonna say, I'd love to see a Bible Black show with Joey Belladonna at the helm.”

“It was back when I went strictly by Joey Bellardini, too, so be careful with that deadly nightshade bastardizing.” That brought another laugh out of her, and then Joey led her to the street corner up ahead.

They reached the gutter and the pavement, and Sam spotted a tailor shop across the street. Even though the big front windows were both dark with the remnants of nightfall, the mannequins in the front window made her think of those wooden mannequins for poses in drawing. It was a tailor shop, too, as in “Marla Taylor.” Joey glanced either way over the street, and then he looked down at her.

“Which you wanna go?” he asked her.

“Let's go down this way,” she pointed down the sidewalk to his left. “It's towards the water.”

He ran his fingers through his black curls once again and he scratched his head as the two of them walked side by side along the edge of the street. She kept her eye fixed on the tailor shop across the pavement, and she thought about all the possible poses she could do with them. There was that painting she made of him before, and then there was that old idea she had had upon the first day of school: a stained glass piece of Joey himself. She never realized that there was so much that she wanted to do for herself until that very glance into the shop windows.

“I need to draw you again,” she confessed to him in a low voice, which took him aback.

“What medium this time around?” he asked her.

“What would you like?”

“Well, what do you charge?”

She stopped right in her tracks.

“What do you mean?” she asked him.

“What do you charge? I wanna pay you.”

“What for?”

“'Cause you're a damn well and good artist, Sam. I feel like you should get paid to do this.”

“Joey—”

“No, I mean it,” he insisted. “I wanna charge you for a drawing of you. It's only fair to you. You're an art student, for god's sake.”

“I'm aware of that, y'know,” she teased him.

“But I'm serious, though. I don't wanna see a piece of art from you that's about me unless I can give you your money's worth.”

And then she realized he was being completely serious.

“You know, I have the very first penny I made taped to my bedroom wall,” he continued.

“Do you really?”

“Oh, yeah. I was proud of that penny so I put a piece'a clear tape over it to keep it right in its place. That's my penny and there ain't no one getting it. The other reason why I have it there is 'cause it was minted in 1960, the year I was born. I made a promise to myself that I would keep it up there 'til I was sixty.”

“You really think you're going to keep that penny in its place until 2020?”

“I know for sure I will,” he promised her. “Things you're personally proud of last forever.” He flashed her a wink and then he kept on walking down the sidewalk towards the waters up ahead. Sam shook her head about and she rubbed her eyes. If only she had a little more time to think about things, but that time was all she had.

“You know that song that we—Anthrax—do called 'Medusa'?” he piped up again.

“Vaguely, yeah.”

“Another band I played in was called Medusa, and there was another one called Megaforce, and before you ask, it was some time before the label came to be. Those two bands, I drummed in. In fact, I'll tell you what.”

“What's that?”

“When we get back to upstate after this tour—whenever that'll be, I'll have to ask Danny if and when we see him later on—I'll show you some drum grooves. But under one condition.”

“And what would that be?”

“You give me a price for a piece of art. Some time between now and the last date of the tour, whenever that is.”

“I'll do it—” Sam extended her pinky finger, and he turned towards her with his pinky finger extended as well. Not just her friend anymore but her business partner and her first real customer as well. The thought of making a bit of money off of a piece of art made her heart flutter a bit.

Soon they reached the end of the street and they were met with the sight of a stretch of grass before them as well as a dark patch and a slight wall of white noise. The ocean hung right there before them under the milky pink sunrise.

“Red sun at night, sailor's delight,” Joey declared. “Red sun at morning, sailors take warning. I think that's how it goes.” “I think you're right,” Sam assured him. “Little soon for hurricanes, don't you think?”

“No way,” he said. “Wait 'til you experience your first Nor'easter in the winter time. We get hurricanes just like how the South does, except ours are freezing and a lot more merciless.”

The two of them stopped at the corner once more and they glanced both ways about the deserted street. Joey then put his arm around her, even though she lingered a bit away from his otherwise sweaty body. She was a little sweaty herself but not as intense as him.

They reached the patch of grass on the other side of the street, and Sam could smell the salt and the seaweed even from there. Joey took a step forward and he peeled off his shirt: his brown skin had a bit of a sheen to it, which the milky light from the sunrise only added to. Sam stood still as he slung his shirt over his shoulder and rubbed his hands together.

“I ought to run like hell right now and really show you what I'm made of,” he suggested.

“You sure you want to do that?” She raised an eyebrow and tucked her thumbs into her shorts pockets. He had just woken up from a night full of drinking and thus she was wary of his knees as they quivered a bit in the morning breeze. Add to this, he had barely eaten anything except for a couple of potato chips before he fell asleep there in the dressing room.

“Positive,” he told her. “You even said it yourself—you want to protect me from the bad things in life, so I better help out.”

He tossed the shirt off to the side, right next to her feet, and he darted towards the other side of the grass. It was just like how things were at the hockey rink, except he had broken into a full rain over the dewy grass towards a line of low trees there on the far side. His black curls sailed behind his head and he kept his body low to the ground. In the dim light, she saw him reach the trees, and then he pirouetted before one and he sprinted right back to her.

He skidded to a stop right in front of her: his chest heaved from the feeling of adrenaline throughout his little body, but he showed her a grin in response.

“Wish I had a stop watch,” she said.

“Hang on—here—” He stuck his fingers underneath the band of his watch and he slid it off of his wrist. He handed it to her right as his breathing calmed down.

She held the watch closer to her face so she could better read the second hand. Joey crouched down to the grass next to her with his hands pressed down: he held one knee closer to his chest.

“Hang on a second,” he spoke out of the blue.

“What?”

“Sump'n's missin'.” He stood up and he gazed on at her.

“What?”

“Seeing as it's just us here...”

She shook her head at the sight of the twinkle in his brown eyes. “No, Joey. Not outside.”

“What? I just want you to take your shirt off.”

“Why do you want me to take my shirt off?”

“First off, you got to see me without my shirt on—shit, you saw me naked. Twice! So I wanna see you now. Plus it'd make things more sporty here. You bein' down to your bra and whatnot. Yeah, you're not wearin' a sports bra, but we gotta make do with what we've got.”

“But you want me to be comfortable, though,” she recalled with a wag of her finger.

“Of course. But don't you wanna get out of that shirt, though? Remember the Stormtroopers of Death tour? Remember how miserable you were?”

“How could I forget? And yeah, I am a little hot.”

“I want you comfortable, but I also realize how you feel about yourself, too—why I pointed out that it's just us right now.”

Sam sighed through her nose, and then with one hand, she peeled off her top and showed off her bare skin and her beige brassiere to him. Joey nodded his head at her as she slung her top over her shoulder. She held the watch closer up to her face once again and she raised a finger. He crouched down onto the grass once again.

“Alright, Joey, you ready?” she announced to him.

“Ready when you are.”

“Go!”

He darted towards the trees again: even in the darkness, and with every occasional glance up from the watch's ivory white face, she could make sight of his legs pumping hard. He was indeed a fast runner: all those years of playing hockey and sporadic drumming gave him strong astute legs, even if they were rather thin and sleek in build. His black curls were the only things that made him resemble to a ghost as he ran along the grass. He flashed her a devilish grin as he pirouetted once more in front of her and sprinted back towards the trees.

By the fourth lap, his breathing quickened up and his chest heaved more, but he persisted. He ran four more laps before he finally staggered to a halt right in front of her.

“Okay—” he stammered as he almost lost his balance right next to her. “Okay, that's—that's enough—time?”

“Four and a half minutes exactly!” she proclaimed.

“Shit, that's a record for me!” he panted: his voice broke to where he coughed. He patted his chest and then he rested his hands on his knees. His black curls dangled all about his head, and his chest and his back heaved from the intense amount of running.

“You okay?” she asked him as she stooped down next to him.

“Yeah—it's just—” he choked out in between breaths. “—it's just—like I said—that's a record. The last time I ran like hell like that—it was almost—five minutes.”

“Wow! And how long ago was that?”

He stopped, and then he swallowed.

“'Bout five years ago, I think?” he sputtered.

She gaped at him. And he lifted himself upright and let out a loud groan. He then set his hands upon the crown of his head. In the first rays of rosy light from the sunrise, she noticed the slight sheen of sweat about his forehead, his neck, and his shoulders. He barely broke a sweat!

“I have an idea now,” he said, still out of breath.

“What's that?” She handed the watch back to him.

“If I ever do get to play drums again, I want to do it for as long as I can. And I mean for as long as I possibly can. I mean like a few hours rather than for thirty minutes like what Anthrax and Testament do. So to play like the length of an orchestra basically.”

“I imagine that being kind of tough, to be honest,” she confessed.

“Doesn't have to be,” he pointed out as he slung the watch onto his fingers but he never put it back onto his wrist. He continued to huff and puff from the sprints. She thought about Alex right then: maybe Joey was lazy with the whole music business, but the Joey she just saw there was anything but lazy. She wanted him to see that Joey for himself.

“Wanna head on back up there?” he offered her as he picked up his shirt from the grass: the dew had left some wet spots on it and thus he slung it over his shoulder.

“Sure.”

“It's still early, so I'd keep that top off if I were you.”

“I dunno, Joey.”

“What? You're a doll and a half, Sam I am. Look at you! All curvy and womanly. I like it, you know.”

He patted her on the shoulder and then he walked on to the street.

“You ever work out real hard like that,” he started again, “and you get this weird, almost hollow feeling in your chest?”

“Not in a long time, but yeah, like something kicked up in your lungs a bit?” she followed along.

“Yeah—got that feelin' right now.” He cleared his throat once they reached the dark pavement. The street lamps began to switch off for the new round of daylight, which meant they in fact needed to hustle along back to the venue to meet up with Marla once again.

“So where's your hotel?” he asked her at one point, and she caught up with him so they walked side by side back up to the corner. She stopped right there so he could see where she pointed up to.

“It's actually right up the block here. Given it's just us, if we see them, we'll know it's them—”

Indeed, once the words left her lips, a small beige car up the block turned out from the hotel driveway. Joey raised his hand and waved at the car, which flashed its lights at them.

“Yeah, that's totally them,” he remarked. “Suddenly I'm hungry.”

“I am, too. Boston you said?”

“Two dates in Boston, yes!”

The car behind them turned the corner and rolled up to the curb ahead. They walked on a bit more until she recognized that alleyway: she also recognized Marla's head of shiny hair in the passenger seat, still iridescent after a few months. She rolled down the window for a good morning.

“There they are!” she declared.

“Didn't know Rocky Horror was playing this early in the year,” Dan called from the driver's seat next to her, and the three of them burst out laughing at that.

“Sam would be in fishnets and Joey would be wearing lace, though,” Marla pointed out. She then returned to them.

“Just did a bit of early morning running,” Sam gestured to Joey.

“That'll wake you up,” Marla declared with a raise of her eyebrows. “You guys wanna grab a cup of coffee, though? What's the next stop again, Boston?”

“Two dates in Boston,” Joey corrected her.

“Yeah, two days,” Dan chimed in. “It's gonna be just a little bit of a trip, but it's gonna be something, though, so you guys better hold onto your butts.”

“Well, at least let Joey and me grab our snacks from last night, though,” said Sam.

“Of course,” Marla encouraged her. “I have to catch the next bus ride back to the Big Apple in a few minutes, though, so make it quick.”

“You're not coming with us, Marla?” Sam inquiringly asked.

“I'll be at the New York City show with Bel and Aurora, but you know—I have to find a place, though. And Bel isn't home, either, and Genie gets lonely, too. Anyways—chop chop.”

Sam and Joey retreated back down the alleyway for their things, and then they headed back to the car that awaited them at the curb. The two of them took to the back seat: it was only for a couple of blocks to the bus stop, but Sam and Marla still embraced each other once they got out together.

“I'll call you when we get there,” Sam vowed with her chin upon her shoulder.

“I'll be waiting for you, too,” Marla whispered to her.

To think it wasn't that long ago in which Sam actually didn't like Marla. She hoped that Joey would have the same change of heart towards Alex at some point, and vice versa.

[savysavannah]

Practice Challenge One part Two

Special thanks to: @eaton-schreave and @s-morgan

Men have been paying more attention to me lately. Not that they didn't much before, I am a woman after all they're fairly predictable on that front. But what I wasn't expecting was how aggressive they'd be once I became something they knew they couldn't have. 

I tried to continue living on as if nothing happened. Wake up, go to work, work through lunch (you can't let the papparazzi see you with mayo on your cheek again), take a break and call Angelic who works at the palace and has been my personal helper through this transition, beg my boss to let me work through the selection, "I can just go to court virtually!", skip dinner, drive home, make sure no one is following me, they still haven't found out where I live at least, pop open a bottle of gin, then research this bitch who I had to somehow, for the sake of my own ass, not murder. 

The office is on floor 10 of the 20 floor building I work in. I park in the parking lot, thankfully the paparazzi can't follow me there as you have to scan in. I walked up to the elevator and pressed the button. Just as the doors closed a larger man ran up and blocked it with his hand. He was around 6’4 and towered over me, he stood a little too close and I clutched my purse to take the anxiety out.

I watched the numbers go up as we rode but felt him watching me. His pinky finger rubbed against my thigh fiddling with the hem of my pencil skirt. He couldn’t do anything to me, not with who I now was, not in a moving elevator. I tried to remember to breathe as we hit floor eight and leaned to the side to avoid him which he leaned closer in response. Finally we stopped at floor ten and I got off. Thankfully, he didn’t follow. 

I tried to put the moment out of my mind while I worked. It wasn’t the first time something like that had happened, but it was the first time that I was completely and utterly alone. I clicked the B key of my laptop over and over trying to get my brain to pump out something. Some kind of work. But all I got in response was the distracting thoughts of what to do next time. 

At lunch I stared at the elevator. I had to take either the stairs or the elevator. If I took the elevator I'd be stuck in the same situation. If I took the stairs I'd be alone in a dark area for longer. I pressed the button and watched my watch as I waited. 

I was thankfully alone as it lowered to the ground. I was able to breathe and let my mind debate over if I should go to the sandwich place near work or drive home and eat leftovers. Going with the sandwich I started to walk down the block.

“Daniel will you get off that stupid device and pass your sister the peas.” Mother ordered as we all sat at the table of our parents estate. Our weekly dinners were normally a lively event, but tonight was the first night before I left. Daniel and I still hadn’t made up since his plan for vengeance against someone who had not harmed him had succeeded. 

I’d tried to make the best of the situation, research some ounce of goodness in the Prince, but all I found were articles of his outrageous college behavior. Dan had been assuring me that once I was eliminated I would have a sea of men to pick from and would be happily married to a two or upper class three, I could quit work and be a simple housewife like his Marina, this outraged me further and caused a fight. My goal in life is not to be a wife but to work and be content with my work. Danny was the only one who could actually provide any solace reminding me that it would just be for a few weeks, possibly less, then I’d be back to work just as before. Eventually, people would forget I was ever someone to know and I could return to my life. 

Just as we finished dinner the doorbell rang, though there was quickly a rattling of the knob and a busting in before the help could get to the door. Grandmother came in with large pink bags, which I believed to be for me. Soon after I learned that they were filled with all kinds of masks. Masks for face, masks for hair, hands, feet. Apparently, being on TV meant my skin had to be extremely soft.  

Grandmother is the current head of the Mars candy corporation. Next in line is my Uncle Dennis, then my cousins, then uncle Ricky. Hopefully though it won’t come down to Ricky. Ricky blew all his money before he could trap a wife, he’s still a two as grandmother keeps him afloat, but barely. One day he’ll probably be caught with some kind of drug, he’ll be dropped to an eight, it’ll be a shame that could have been prevented had the lawyer in the family not been a stuck up bitch. I’m just tired of working for free on a man who will never change, and doesn’t deserve the luxury. But God forbid I charge family. 

The morning of the flight I wasn’t nervous at all. I said my goodbyes to my boss, let her know I’d be available on my phone or through email if she needed anything, locked up my home, and headed to the formal goodbye where I’d meet up with my family. There was a surprising amount of pride in the province for me being selected. I had read an article about how it seemed I would be destined to be the perfect fit for Queen. I already worked in helping those of Illea through complex laws and policies, I was well educated, from a wealthy family but not a literal two. I was the perfect mold and the pride of Labrador. There were other provinces which had an eight selected that were not quite as cheerful. In the quiet of the airport I was finally able to say my goodbyes. Mother told me to remember to not be too closed off, Father told me to be careful, Danny told me to tough it out but give it an honest try; “He may not be terrible, don’t deny yourself happiness.” Some nonsense like that. 

Dan congratulated me on the opportunity, and Daniel stood quietly trying to avoid eye contact. I was still mad at him. What he did was unforgivable. But we couldn’t leave like this. I hugged him tightly and boarded the plane.

The day was a blur, a blur of useless lessons, a blur of mild appearance changes, girls who were possibly friends, possibly enemies, possibly annoying. It was late into the evening by the time I got to my room. My maids, Florence, Abigail, and Eimear seemed eager to be serving possibly ‘the future queen of illea’ and I was eager for a moment to myself. I dismissed them for the night to unpack on my own. 

I’d snuck a few pairs of my own tailored dress pants in, my laptop, phone, a notebook, a few books, and a family photo. Soon enough the room was a strangers room with sprinkles of me throughout. Once I sat down at my laptop I realized it was already getting fairly late. I changed into a silk nightgown, closed my laptop and tried to sleep. 

As I slept I thought of the footsteps around me, everything felt so loud, a screaming echo that I was in the very last place I ever wanted to be. After a while of tossing and turning I finally stood and walked to the wine cellar. We had been told to make ourselves at home afterall. As I walked back to my room I bumped into a stranger. 

After a moment of shock and regaining my grip on the bottle of wine I looked up to see Prince Eaton. He was known to be more sane than his brother, so I was thankful for at least that. “Oh! I'm sorry, Prince Eaton.” I spoke and gave a small curtsy. 

He looks down at the bottle and myself with a bit of a furrowed brow “You don't need to apologize.”

He pauses for a moment and gives a friendly smile, “And you don't need to curtsy, either. Lady Savannah, is that right?” It’s a bit astonishing he’d both remember my name and recognize it as mine upon seeing me. If I were in his place I’m not sure I could. 

I sighed a bit in relief please I wouldn’t be getting yelled at for my carelessness this evening, “Yes. Just Savannah is fine, or Ms. Mars if you insist on formality. Though, the apology is still warranted considering I should have been watching where I was going. At little out of it, first night and all.” I lifted the bottle as the first night related to the bottle. 

He gave a deadpan joke and I was fortunate then that I am competent in people reading. It may have been awkward if his "I'm not sure wine will help you remember the palace geography.”

“Well, the goal is to drink it once I return to my room. That or the courtyard since it is pretty out tonight. Though, you do make an excellent point that the wine combined with being in an unfamiliar location could have negative consequences.” For a moment I paused. It may not be a horrible idea to make the acquaintance of someone here. 

“Care to have a glass with me? Splitting it and being with someone who knows the 'geography' well may decrease the negatives.” I offered. 

“Interesting that you don't drink though. I'd heard you were more....sober, than your brother but it's noted to the extent. *kinda blushes* not that I was researching you or anything, it's just difficult to not hear things when you both went to my undergrad and you're a prince. Kinda a common conversation topic.”

He stood a bit straighter and eyed the bottle, “I do not drink.” After a moment passed he then cleared his throat, the tone of his statement before must have hit him, “However I can keep you company if you want to.”

I stifled a laugh at him clearing his throat not trying to be rude but finding his realization funny, “Great then. You can be my guide then for the evening.”

he seemed embarrassed and put his hands in his jean pockets, “I'm afraid this kind of thing comes along with the title...“ he took a hand out of his pocket, making a motion like ‘shall we go?’ 

“So you went to the University of Labrador?”

“yup. Go Labs *kinda mumbles for a moment* I wasn't really there for long. We started the same year I think, which I don't really remember much of. I was kinda a different person then. Then I graduated in 2 years and went to Yale law so all in all not a whole lot of time there. But I am from Labrador and my family home is near the campus so I know the area pretty well.”

he had a very small smile “And I showed off to my brother for graduating in three years. Labrador is a beautiful province, though. I miss it.”

“Well, I'm sure you had more to do than me. I'm not some kinda royal so I just got to spend all my time working on getting credits. It is pretty though, I already miss it. Not that Angeles isn't. My mom's family lives here so I've been here a few times, but it's just not Labrador.”

“I agree, but I've come to realize Angeles is full of little gems. You just need to find them. Hopefully you'll be able to get out of the palace to see it for yourself.”

I chuckled a bit at my situation, “Well, I don't imagine I'll be here very long so maybe I'll have a little Angeles vacation”

he raised his eyebrows, “I know... My brother's reputation. But I think he's trying to take this seriously.” He paused for a moment, “Or as seriously as he can take anything.” It was a bit shocking to hear him say that. He seemed like a sensible person, any sensible person would be unlikely to defend the Prince. Though, he was also his brother, perhaps there's a familial bias. 

“Mhm.” I nodded then picked the conversation back up, “well, only time will tell. Hopefully for the sake of the country what's been said about him the last few years are baseless rumours” I sighed a bit thinking about which floozy of a wife will be our future Queen. The floozy and the fuckboy, what leaders. 

Prince Eaton clenched his jaw, “Media is prone to exaggeration.” but did not deny what had been said. 

He was being nice by walking with me so I decided to spare him a grilling and change the topic, “I'm sure. So how do you feel with the whole uh, 35 girls in your house situation?” Great now I sound like an interviewer. 

We reached an access to the gardens and he opened a French window for me, “My space is always invaded, it's nothing worse than usual.” He said with a failed attempt at a smile. I assume he isn’t looking for pity but it’s difficult to not be pitying over such an attempt. 

“That's fair I guess. Surprised you stayed though. Had my brother decided to have a bunch of ladies in our home, privacy be damned I don't wanna be around that mess.” I joked.

He snorted and seemed surprised at himself, “I was supposed to avoid it with a world tour. But things took another turn and now work won't get done alone.”

“World tour sounds a lot more fun. Postponed or cancelled?”

He gave his first genuine smile of the night, “Already done, actually. I came back a couple months ago.”

“Where did you go? Since I assume a world tour isn't literal?”

“Oceania, South Asia, Central Africa, and Europe.” He gave a small wistful sigh. I’d be wistful too if I had been all over there. 

“That's very worldly. I've only been to France and Germany. Did you have a favorite visit?”

He didn’t hesitate for a moment, “New Zealand and Scandinavia. What about you though? Did you enjoy your visits?”

The question caught me off guard so I took a moment trying to remember them, “they were alright. Quite a long time ago though. We only went to stay with my Uncle in France since he runs the part of my family's company in France and then we went to Germany because we were there so we may as well head there. Mostly it was just sitting with my brothers at a hotel while my parents went off or my grandma playing dress up with eight year old me”

“Oh. Do you regret not getting to see more of those places?” He said and looked to a bench we were approaching, but more with a thoughtful consideration than a directional goal. 

“A bit. It would have been nice to go out but they were more business trips than anything else. Maybe I'll go again at some point on my own if I have the free time.” I let us pass the bench, I’d been sitting far too much today with all the lessons and makeovers.  

“Sometimes you have to give yourself the time or you'll never do certain things.”  

“Logically I agree. But emotionally.....it's difficult to step back to work when my work directly impacts horrific moments of people's lives. Like if I were to go see a movie and my phone off, a client could be arrested and their treatment and time in jail without being able to contact their legal representation would be on my hands.”

He nodded slowly, “I can understand that. It gets hard to stop when people's lives are on the line.”

I sighed, trying not to get too revealing over my reasons for being here, afterall telling a stranger- regardless of him being a prince, that my brother had forged my application would be dumb, “I don't even really want to be wasting time here. But it is what it is. Trying to view this as a forced vacation. At least there are pretty flowers and good wine.”

He furrowed his brows, “Is there a way we could keep you working, from here? I guess you couldn't do much, but a little is better than nothing.”

I sighed,  “Yeah I tried. I work for the ICLU so I asked if I could just stay in contact with clients and work from a far. But I wouldn't be able to make any proper court appearances and they wouldn't want someone just thrown on for court so it made more sense to just give me paid vacation. They were pretty proud anyways since apparently it's an honor to be selected for this reboot reality TV bachelor show.”

He pursed his lips, “I'm sorry you don't get to keep working. But they're not wrong. You being selected does give visibility to your organisation.”

I stopped for a moment, completely caught off guard by the comment, “That is true I hadn't thought of that. It's a non-profit so I hope donations may increase from me being here.” I dug into the oversized pockets of my nightgown and grabbed a pen, always best to keep a pen in the pocket, then scribbled on my hand, “reminder to think of ways to bring up iclu during this.” I explained. 

He laughed through his nose and smiled, “See, a couple things might come out of your forced vacation.”

I chuckled a bit, “You're a smartass, and I mean that as a compliment. I can tell already which makes me feel much better about Prince Damian being in charge next.” I sighed content for a moment then remembered I was supposed to be making conversation, “So, you know I'm a nut for my work, what are you passionate about?”

He shrugged and looked around as if the gardens would save him, “My work.”

I smiled wondering a bit why that would be something to be ashamed of, “I get that. But do you have a specific part? I mean I'm sure you do a lot. So do you ever wake up and you're like 'man I get to do blank today!" Like for me it's court days because I love the theatrics of it.” I smiled a bit remembering the fun of cross. 

The question seemed too intimate for him as he tucked his hands in his pockets, “I guess I like working on projects. I mean, when the planning part of it.”

“Projects are fun. I hated them when I was in high school. I was very much so not the nerd I am today.” I tried to avoid going too deep into the projects conversation, not wanting to make him more uncomfortable. 

He raised a brow at the comment of my past, “I understand why people can find them boring, though.” Thankfully he didn’t press further on the past. 

“Yeah I was more of a push off project till the last minute and party with my friends type for a while. Now I kinda wish I could have them again, it'd probably be fun to analyse how the flaws of Gregory Illea still impact us from a historical perspective.”

He snorted and shook his head, “It's more nerve-wracking than fun, in my opinion.”

“Well yeah, but if you can identify the flaws you can work to fix them and the research is fun so overall, more fun.”

He looked up at the stars as he thought, “I don't know... Not all of it is fixable. Not that easily at least.”

I thought as well for a moment, the country had been in a bit of unrest for awhile now. He was probably thinking of that, “Well, just because it isn't easy isn't any reason to not be excited about it. The accomplishment of fixing something difficult is arguable even better.” I tried to reason. 

He stayed thoughtful, and looked down at me, “I see your points. But sometimes I think our ancestors just put us in a situation we'll never fully get out of.”

“That's a very cynical outlook and I disagree. It isn't logical to assume that just because a way hasn't been thought up yet that there can be a way out of a problem.” I said and smiled up at him. 

“Maybe it's cynical, but what I see is history repeating itself.” He looked up again, “It doesn't mean I think things aren't worth fighting for, though. But magical solutions don't exist.”

“I agree. Solutions often require a lot of work and even then are often not perfect. But to never fully get out of seems too far cynical for me to believe.”

  He looked down at me curiously, “You're more optimistic than you appear to be.”

I raised an eyebrow, “hm, interesting that I appear to not be optimistic. I take it that it's the wine bottle causing that.”

He smiled slightly, “Maybe. But just a little.”

“Any reason you don't drink?” I asked before realizing that may be very personal, “that is if you're comfortable answering.”

He shrugged, “I don't like the taste. Or the sensation.”

“That's a fair reason. I didn't like it much till I joined a sorority and ended up just liking it because we drank so much.” I kinda shuddered remembering the hangovers.  

He raised an eyebrow,  “I guess it tastes different once you're inebriated enough.”

“Yeah like spicy foods. Everyone hates them when they are a kid but you grow to love them as you get older.”

He snorted, ”I've always liked spicy foods, even as a kid.”

I laughed, “Well then you're weird. I still can't handle wasabi.”

He laughed softly, “You just need to be careful about the quantity.”

“No literally any bit of it and I'm out. My brother Danny put some on my sushi the other night, it was just a dapple from his chopstick but I couldn't eat the piece.” 

“Did you try to?”

“No. Why would I want to be in pain, I'm not a weird masochist.”

“How do you know it's that bad if you never give it another try though?”

“Hmm, traumatic memories.”

He raised his eyebrows, a curious expression on his face, “Care to share?”

I sighed at the memory, “When I was a kid I really loved matcha paste. It was like a sweet matcha pouch of paste that you could suck out, like those applesauce containers. it was my favorite thing. My grandmother gave me some and since my parents found it effective to shut me up I got it a lot. One day they ordered sushi, left it on the table, I was around four so i could reach it, thought the wasabi was matcha and ate a handful of it. Tears ensued and now I'll never touch it again.”

He laughed softly, “Alright, I understand better. But you could try to overcome your trauma someday.”

“Maybe one day, but with a lot of milk in arms reach”

He nodded, “I'm sure it can be easily arranged during your little vacation.”

I kinda shuddered at the thought, “I'll for sure need a friendly face there with me for moral support.” I laughed.

He laughed quietly, “It shouldn't be hard to find.”

“Probably harder than the wasabi though. So that is task number one on mission wasabi.”

He smiled slightly, “Well, if you stay stuck too long on task number one, I can volunteer as a friendly face.”

“Thank you. Same to you if you ever happen to need one.”

He nodded, “I'll remember that.” He jerked his chin to the wine, “Are you still planning on drinking this?”

I lifted the bottle and stared for a moment, “it'll come back to my room for further deliberation. Possibly a nightcap.”

“If it can help you get some sleep…” He glanced at the palace, “I should walk you back to your room.”

“If you don't mind. I would consider you an expert of palace geography after all.”

He snorted and shook his head, “Do you remember your room number? Or Hall?”

“Ummmmm. I'm gonna guess 14. Could be 15 though.”

He took a step towards the palace, gesturing for me to walk along, “Well, hopefully we won't step into anyone's bedroom.”

“Hm. Well the doors do say our names on them, so assuming one of us is literate I think we're safe from that” .

“I'm a humble geographer, I read maps.” He replied, getting a small giggle from myself.

“lead the way, humble geographer.” We walked for a bit through the palace till we found my room.

“That's me.”

He stopped in front of the room, “Well, we've made it. Unscathed, at that.”

“Very impressive. I would say you're a 10 out of 10 guide for such an achievement.”

He bowed, “Please don't hesitate to post a review on TripAdvisor.”

I chuckled at the joke, “well thank you for all your help. Wishing you the best, Prince Eaton.”

“Eaton's just fine. Goodnight.” He smiled.

“Good night, Eaton” I replied with a curtsy then retired to my room. 

Once I got on my laptop I pulled up my email. It wouldn’t be too annoying if I emailed my boss with some advertisement suggestions. If I let her know I’d be willing to help as much as I could. I could take up some interviews and remind people to donate. But as I typed I found myself hitting the same key over and over. 

Finally I scrolled onto Toogle and began to read about Prince Damian. The bottle of wine found its way to my lips as I read about his partying, his boorish public behavior, his absolutely lack of responsibility for his people. Quickly the bottle was empty. 

The world spun and I closed the laptop. My stomach gurgled demanding sustenance. Crackers? Something salty? Maybe popcorn. Popcorn and a movie sounds good, I mean why should I bother with anything else while I’m here in this hell. If I have to wake up early I can simply nap when I have a moment to spare. I took the bottle with me planning to throw it away in some form of recycling bin which I assumed would be in the kitchen.

I couldn’t find the kitchen. Instead I stood in an unknown hallway for a few moments, before finally deciding to give up and just return to my room. I could ask my maids for popcorn in the morning if I still wanted it. 

I walked to my room on the corner of the hallway, walked in and laid on my bed. I let my shoes slip off and rest on the ground next to where I had placed the empty bottle.

“Um…” I hear someone say who then clears their throat and says a bit louder, “hello?”

I Rolled around to look at her. I had dismissed all of my maids, who was this person? After a moment I recognized her as a selected who I had seen earlier in the day, “Um? Hi?” I mumbled and tried to sit up a bit in bed. This was not a good time for me to be receiving visitors and I hadn’t the slightest clue why this girl was in my room. 

She steps a bit closer to me, “Are you alright?”

“More than. Rich asshole got fucking great wine. I'm Savannah Mars of Labradoradora. Why are you in my room?” I slurred. 

She mouthed “Labradoradora” silently to herself before she blinked again, and walked to the edge of the bed and looked at me. Seeming to understand my condition she smiled, “Somehow someway, you ended up in my room. Sienna. Not... Sorry, what’s your name?” 

“Woops.” I giggled a bit at the situation now fully understanding this poor girl's confusion at my intrusion. “Savannah.”  I lifted an arm in a lazy wave, “Mars. If you read the papers I'm the selected whose brother punched a reporter.” 

She half grimaced, “Well hopefully you don’t punch me when I offer to help you back to your room.” 

I laughed a bit at what this girl must be thinking of me, “not at all! They're just protective over a creepy paparazzi.” I sat up more straightly and swayed a little.“you don't have to help me though. I am perfectly capable of finding a room. Regardless of my state I am in fact a lawyer. Therefore I can read.” 

Her smile is a little more at ease with my laugh, then she nodded slowly, “Oh absolutely. But so I don’t get mixed up in the future, can you let me come?” She said, eyeing my swaying carefully. 

“Gotcha!” I cheered and did some finger guns and stood up successfully with the help of the bedpost, “I'm a lawyer, you?”

She stepped near me and offered a hand, answering distractedly, “Illustrator.” 

I took her hand, “Pretty!” Then blushes a bit at the exclamation, “Illustration i mean! You are too though!” Trying not to insult the stranger.

She laughed softly and took my arm into the crook of hers, “Thank you. The compliment goes both ways.”

I nodded enthusiastically, “oh no bad idea dizzy.” I said and settled myself again, “I sleep somewhere around here. Why do all these doors look the same”

“I see why you got confused heading into my room.” She chuckles as she scans the plates, “Are you sure your room’s in this direction?” She blinked “Never mind.”

Suddenly I saw another door, it said S something, how many selected with S names could there be, “S is me!” I exclaimed. 

She squinted and she looked closer at the nameplate, “S is close to you, but this isn’t your room. It’s Soraya’s,” She frowned and nodded at a guard who we passed. 

“Oh... “ I wondered why someone else would have joined this, I suppose this other selected is a perfect person to ask, “Do you have the hots for the prince?”

She seemed startled by the question, “Well... we haven’t even met him yet.” She then raised a brow, “Do you?”

I laughed and nearly threw my head back, “Absolutely not! But I was wondering if all the girls here would be like” I stopped for a moment to gather myself, “UWUWUW Prince Dammmm i wanna be your wifeeyyy” I batted my eyes mimicking my expectation of my fellow selected, “and shit.”

Thankfully she laughed before quickly covering her mouth, “Let’s see how the interviews go then talk. I might go all moony-eyed.” 

I half chuckled, “I don't think there’s a thing he could say to me to make me go all "uwu'. Strongly dislike the man off the bat.”

“Oh?” She raised a brow, a laugh still in her voice, “Is it the partying?”

“120%” I said fully serious. 

She hummed, “What about it don’t you like?

“The fact that he's supposed to be the heir to illea and he's running around partying like he's just some ordinary frat boy. He has an obligation to the country and his choice to party over starting on work directly impacts thousands of peoples lives. I spend freaking days arguing cases that could just be solved if we had a leader who was sand enough to amend laws that deserve amending but he's out there doing jello shots and drinking tequila!” I complained, probably spilling out a bit much.

She sighed and bobbed her head to one side for a moment, focusing on the hallway before they reached the end of it and realized her room is probably back where they were before, she simply missed it. tugs them back in that direction again, “Maybe he’s... getting it out of his system.” She defended and wrinkled her nose clearly not believing her own words.  

I sighed, “Maybe. At least this will let me tell if he's really that hopeless or not. Not that I'm one to speak in my current state.”

She gave a short laugh, “What if he is hopeless? What will you do then?”

I hadn’t quite thought that far out, “I figure out which one of you is the least hopeless and try to help them win.” I suggested.

She seemed amused at my conclusion, “Why did you submit your name then? For kicks and giggles?”

I sighed, “I didn't submit my application. Let's just leave it at that. Why'd you submit yours?” She seemed to agree with me about the large faults of the prince which made me more curious. 

“Second chance at... something.” A vague answer. 

I snorted, “something? What did you date a prince in a past life?”

She looked down with a smile then back up, “Life. Second chance at life.” I knew what she meant. The chance to reinvent yourself. I was able to get it before, if this was hers I wished her the best. 

I looked up at her and smiled, “Well, I hope you get it Ms. Artist.”

She directed a smile at me, “Thank you.” We finally approach a room directly labeled Savannah Mars, which is funnily enough exactly across the hall from Sienna's. “I hope you don’t get too much of a headache tomorrow.”

I waved, “Nah I chug water.” I smiled at her already feeling the effects wearing off, “Thank you for walking me here, and I'm sorry for lying on your bed.” 

“Sure sure.” She let go of her arm and raised a brow, “Positive you’ll be alright?”

“Positive.” I replied with a brief nod, headed into my room, then passed out for the night. 

[wclfmoon]

holy ground | pack

the sun hung high in a cloudless blue sky, illuminating the entirety of the forest. the trees were vibrant; green and lush and filled with birds flitting from branch to branch, singing, building nests, and a light breeze swept through, rustling leaves and keeping the air just this side of hot. 

summer had arrived in california; with it, another year of school--- and for some pack members, a final year in a part of their academic journey--- had come to a close as well. it was a day that, in any other situation, under any other circumstances, might have been full of celebration; they might have been going out to the hale house for a party, or out to lydia’s lake house for the week; they might have been having a barbecue at nana’s or a bonfire in the woods; setting up a picnic and a camp site for adventures. 

there would still be time to do all of those things; allison believed that. but right now, there were other things they had to face first. 

that was the reason they had decided to have a pack meeting prior to the moon circle that evening. there were several new faces (not just sydney, which surprised allison, but only a little.) , and enough from everyone that made it clear that there were things multiple pack members needed to talk about that were closer to pack business than the more heartfelt discussions usually had at moon circles.

making a day of it seemed like the best solution, and so they were: windows were flung open, letting in the sunlight and allowing the curtains to billow in the breeze. the fridge was freshly stocked, and the kitchen was a bustle of people getting something to eat or drink, milling around and talking as they waited for everyone to arrive. allison knew some wouldn’t be coming; likewise, others might leave or arrive prior to the moon circle. she took a headcount of everyone there from her perch on the counter-top, sipping her water and scanning the room. her heart felt heavy, knowing there were some people who weren’t there today; heavier still knowing that in some instances, she didn’t know why. she would never push anyone to attend something they didn’t want to attend, or to speak about something they did not feel comfortable saying. but as huge as the pack was now, she loved all of them, and she knew everyone else did, too. she wondered if this was what it had been like in the days of the hale family reign; masses of people so deeply loved. she hadn’t realized how vast her heart was, how capable of loving so many so much, until now.

it was because of this she wished they were all there; wished they were all together. still, respect was a huge component of love, and she respected what everyone needed.

sliding off of the counter, allison smiled at sydney. “how are you holding up?” she asked her. she’d given her the clothes lydia had provided, but hadn’t pressed her for any more than she was ready to share, either. “we’ll get started soon. want to sit with me? you can tell us whatever you’re comfortable with, okay? it’s up to you.”

most of the pack had drifted into the living room by now, and allison walked in to join them, standing next to scott and derek, and waiting for sydney.

ana kissed derek’s cheek, understanding that the pack meeting was about to start. she looked around for camden again, biting her lip. she met isaac’s eyes; he looked so sad, too, and she knew he must be missing his brother and lee. she gave him a reassuring smile before plopping down between cora and laura on the couch and snuggling between both of them.

cass sat next to dom, a small smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes, and katie looked at the two with concern but didn’t say anything, just hoping they would feel comfortable talking about what was on their minds, at either the meeting or during the moon circle. she flopped down next to fee and collapsed against her, the leaned back and immediately started to braid her hair. between the witches, cee and her new friend, lettie, were absorbed deeply in conversation.

iliana stayed back near the staircase with nico, blood bag in her hand as she quietly reassured him everything would be alright. she was confident it would; if he felt overwhelmed, of course, she would help him leave, and help him through it. her eyes sought out her sons; rohan sat beside kali, while elliot sat with his friend eden, the latter of which propped her chin on his shoulder and grinned mischievously as stiles joined them.

jackson sat beside lydia and quickly made room for tess as theo did the same for danny; a cluster was forming there, as the chimeras wanted to stick together and mason wanted to be by his sister. gwen sat on the floor next to liam and in front of lydia, while isaac and boyd sat together. lucy took a seat next to hayden, and malia, looking around, finally spotted ana, laura, and cora and went to join them.

“i like when we let nature in like this,” she said as she sat on the floor and as owen grabbed a seat for himself and tatum.

willow sat close to ollie, practically on his lap; kali had kindly loaned her a change of clothes that morning, and with the skirt her best friend had given her, she wore one of ollie’s shirts, oversized and tucked in, and the most comfortable thing in the world. she watched lettie, beautiful and so grown up, talking to her friend, and her heart sang with happiness. 

often, when she was in a room with so many people, the emotions blended together into a sort of white noise; there were many feelings in the room, and she couldn’t quite pinpoint them all just yet. still, it was comforting; feeling her magic, being with ollie, with lettie. everything felt so good. she hadn’t slept a wink, wasn’t sure when she would, but that didn’t matter right now. she couldn’t think of tearing her eyes away.

“i think everyone is here,” allison spoke up. “let’s get started.”